kirtihk

I forgot to finish my story. Now, I modified it, so, here is my answer.

Is it for December 1, 2024 on Voyager? We'll be on it.

Our friend recommended me to go to a fancy-shmency restaurant. We pre-ordered and pre-paid (it was a very special restaurant!) Beluga caviar, filet mignon with truffles, and lamb chops with a cognac Dijon cream sauce. Unfortunately, the restaurant couldn't proceed with our order and graciously substituted it with 2 hot dogs and a free glass of house wine per our table (their fine print stated that due to pre-ordering procedure they are not able to accommodate a refund). I'm so mad at our friend!

The question that I've been asking and didn't get a proper answer yet: what's the difference in service between $20 versus $80 dishes or between $40 versus $300 wine bottle? There is none. However, there is a huge difference in an absolute value of 20% gratuities (or whatever one might call it). Why?

In that case - even though the majority doesn't care, we love to pay extra for sauna/steam-room (like, for example, the Thermal Suite on Norwegian, the Persian Garden thermal suite and SEA Thermal Suite on Celebrity Edge class or ) - the best part of cruising for us!

At a point after the diss, clearly...

Yes, clear but not related

Even though it has a valid point, this topic is not related to a measure of mine. Nevertheless, I enjoy pluralism.

My comment was rhetorical.

I've never understood tipping (I moved to US from Europe in 1991). To me transparency is what's lacking. Tips, gratuities, service charges, or however else it might be called these days should be a part of the total invoice/bill; then everyone would be happy (people like us wouldn't be bothered to think about tipping, and those who love it would be pleased to see that it's there, in their bill, as a line item, as port charge, tax, and/or whatever any other fee it might be like dozens of those fees attached to phone bills or air ticket's purchases).

Then... how doesn't every single consumer go bankrupt? Let's think about it...

The only question is who (in the outer space) is crazy?

So much complicity about nothing. It should be one and only one price which is a cruise total price paid as of invoice, the end. The same should be in any restaurant (land or cruise) and any other service (haircut or whatever). Then no one would wonder what to do if and else, when and then, sooner or later, per drink or shmink, per stay or per shmey, remove or shmemuv, cash or shmesh, and so on. And there would no tons of discussions like this one.

We gladly discovered during our first Seabourn cruise (in March on Venture) that they had sunscreen available near pool to share for free.

It’s so true. Hate or whatever it is has been developing for last 5 years and not just around cruising sentiment. From the other hand, open mind is strongly prohibited (AKA dismissed) these days.

Yes, that’s how it is on Viking. And the same (or even better) is on Regent, Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn and some others. Viking is though still on our future list.

That’s correct. Regarding Viking, free international air (especially, to far away destinations) might bring the total trip for a cruise so much down. We did not have their cruises yet, but our friend (being flexible like you state) had a lot of them, and on many occasions he got free air and sometimes combined with a reduced price, too. Hopefully, when we become flexible, we will follow that route (with any cruise line), too.

Of course, when flexibility is not an issue, one might find “crazy”-good prices on any cruise line including luxury one (and it could be with a real free air deals, too, like on Viking).

Nicely aged wine, however, stays the same! One just has to find it (as the topic if this thread dictates).

Or get 3 cruises instead of such an upgrade and enjoy life!

This deck was available on a lot of ships (I do not remember exactly, but I think it was Celebrity and Carnaval) I cruised on until about 10 years ago.

And everyone loves Ramond!

As hundreds of times said, everything should be included in the fare (nice, clear, no discussion, transparency); you like it - you buy it, and here is the end of story.

I liked the steam room on Splendor, but sauna was just warm (about 140 F); it needs to be at least 170 F for a good experience; the best is around 190 F.

I thought (seriously) that is a common knowledge: for a proper sauna treatment body needs to be clothing free (so toxins leaving body with sweat would not be trapped), and a potential dirt from materials brings toxins to the air. I cannot stand when people come inside of sauna room dressed in gym ware after exercising (you can smell of sweat mixing with hot air - it’s so disgusting). Or even worse, when they bring dirty towels and shorts and trunks, put them on the bench and leave the steam room (so those who are inside are “enjoying” extra kick of aroma). I usually throw those items out of the steam room. Germany’s sauna rules are very strong about this matter.