balf
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Great post! Now if only I could plan on being around in 2060....:cool:
Best I can offer Jim is keep taking the tablets.
David
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Cunard flag ship 2060
There was much speculation in cruise circles particularly on Cruise Critic as the retirement of the aging QM2 approached, and the announcement that Cunard was to build a modern replacement was greeted with wide acclaim. Now that that RMS Queen Katherine has been in commission for a full year it may be useful to look at the impact the ship has had on the cruise business as a whole.
As we have seen, all new builds from year 2035 have been denied diesel powered propulsion by international law, and there are only a small number of older ships still in operation using this fuel. However no ship currenty sailing can clam to be carbon free, whether LNG or hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. The Cunard designer was adamant the the new ship would be equipped with nuclear power, though doubts were raised in some quarters about its true green claims. Many industry insiders also doubted that people would accept nuclear. This has been proved wrong and illustrates how public opinion has changed compared with the earlier years of the century and the introduction of the new reactors common now in many neighbourhoods.
So why is the QK so popular that she is booked solid for all sailings for three years. First, she is small by modern standards, a little wider and longer than QM2 and carrying no more than 5000 passengers, small indeed compared with the mega ships now carrying 10,000 plus and able to navigate the newly completed Nicaraguan canal. So how does QK fit so many more passengers in a ship only a little larger than her predecessor? The answer, surprisingly is robots. Robots have many advantages over human staff. They are super efficient and have been proved to give vastly superior service compared to a human. They work 24/7, don't need feeding or housing and never accept tips, though some passengers still try to pass the envelope to them on last cruise nights to the great amusement of others and the media. Their introduction has freed up all of the space previously used for staff accommodation. Also they are relatively inexpensive: it is believed that Cunard recovered the total cost of the original outlay in the first year of operation. When it was announced that Cunard was designing the ship around them the idea was greeted with hilarity. However market research had found that most of those interviewed who were under 50 really liked the idea, after all most had robots in their homes already. Older people tended to be not so keen and many chose not to cruise with Cunard again. The result is that the line now attracts a younger clientele. Of course there are still senior officers, including a captain and technicians aboard numbering a maximum of 20 on every voyage, but there is little for them to do with the auto navigation system and near 100% reliability of all other operating systems. They are instructed to circulate around the ship at all times resulting in senior crew appearing much more prominently than on previous Cunarders, where they were rarely seen except at receptions.
So how does the new ship compare with the now retired QM2? She is stunning, compared admittedly with her predecessor which as we know has been used as a "cash cow" for some years and was looking increasingly shabby and outdated. The ship, which took the Blue Riband from the United States liner on her first crossing has a "one hour dash" on every voyage to demonstrate her 45 knot speed. The experience is amazing with no noise or vibration and the decks packed with amazed passengers. The greatest interest was naturally in the robots. They proved to be uncannily human like, and due to AI learn on the job just like a human, though the practice of modelling them to resemble humans has thankfully been avoided. Their voices are pleasant, they are always attentive and polite and the service they give greatly exceeds that of staff, in the opinion of 90% of passengers.(Cunard survey) One passenger commented that on his previous cruise aboard the old ship he asked his steward many times to fill up the gel dispenser in the bathroom and left the ship with it still empty. That would be impossible to happen on QK.
Cunard has recently started using "White Star Service" again advertising the ship and for once passengers will find it truly is. Every one should take a voyage aboard this new wonder of the cruise world.
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If I was a cabin steward and I had done a really good job, in contrast to the lazy ... down the corridor and a passenger gave me a good tip, what would I do? Keep it of course as most would I guess.
S.d esprit de corps.
David
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Never, ever rely on what you are told over the phone in regard to insurance. You should be able to access the schedule on line.
David
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PARTIAL QUOTE
Tipping on board cruise ships goes way back to the earliest cruises, when the majority of passengers were Europeans. My suggestion is that we stick to the topic of tipping on cruise ships at sea, and not the local custom at home.
As the novelist wrote "the past is a foreign country, they do things differently there". Those early passengers, aristocracy, people of means with probably a smattering or "new money" have no revalence to today's situation. Many in fact brought their own sevants with them and we don't know much about the level of tipping: the British aristocracy were notorious for short changing servants and tradesmen. But they were all of one class in that they were all rich.
Now with the mix of social classes, and yes class still exists on board and ashore, and people from many different countries and cultures and degrees of wealth it's little wonder we can't agree. I will do as I wish and others undoubtedly will also. End of story.
David
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Your explanation has nothing to do with nothing.
Point 1 : Taxes would then be down to each person.That has 100% nothing to do with itemising out labour charges to customers.
Point 2: Companies all the time either make a loss or make a profit. They still do not itemise out costs to a buyer separately. So what has a company's profit and loss account got to do with my question ?
Like I say, you explanation has no bearing on my question.
I really like it when someone puts into words, more concisely than I could, exactly my thoughts.
David
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I agree.
I can't think of a job that's more physically demanding and where you work in such a harsh environment than carrying plates around on a air conditioned cruise ship all day.
Really, it must be hell on earth.
Well said Toad, very well said. I was walking past a building site recently on one of those days when it rained all day and noticed the hod carrier (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_hod) and thought what a pleasant job that guy had, out in the fresh air all day, up and down a ladder to the top of the scaffolding and only 12 bricks to carry, constantly refreshed by the constant downpour. How those waiters must envy him.
David.
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There was a troubleshooter item in the Times yesterday on this subject.
Scroll down to final item.
David
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Hi,no probs,dont trip over my toolbag.I still cant bear to be without it,lol.Cheers,Brian.
Too much of a wrench to leave at home.
DAVID.
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Having heard from my daughter today i am very disturbed at the entire level of service throughout the ship
Dare to ask for a clean fork ....you get rudeness
Shsmpoo ,etc not been replaced in 3 days despite empty bottles and a polite request
Milk cartons not replaced in cabins
Crew doors propped open very early morning and cold air blasting the cabin along with non stop noise as a result
And repeated door slamming
Peaceful holiday =not on your life
Yes i know it was a guarantee and up front but where is consideration for guests at 6 or 7am
As Diamond members we are on there from 25th i am more than concerned
Mostly Phillipino staff who i normally think are great so wonder if they are being badly treated by Cunard and dont care
How sad that White Star Service seems to be non existant now
One thing is now certain it will be first snd last cruise on Cunard for daughter and grandaughter
Does not seem good at all, but you don't say what efforts have been made by your daughter to improve the situation. I can sympathise about the staff noise, as we had just the same problem once and had to have a face to face with the Hotel Manager who moved us to another cabin, after being fobbed off by Purser staff. Also a quiet word with the room steward and MD in the dining room could be helpful.
The worst thing you can ever do is do nothing.
David.
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Sorry but do not assume that everyone does the same as you and in the order your preference. To some price is very relevant and the first thing in most minds.
No one spends that sort of money without reading further than the price. If you are correct some people, buying on price alone must end up on any cruise line, any ship going anywhere. Do people wanting to go to Andalusia end up in Benidorm because it's a bit cheaper. It's fantasy.
David.
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Yes, I've only been to one country outside the US where USD were accepted (the Bahamas), and that was only because the Bahamian dollar was tied to the US dollar.
You have obviously not been to any Carabean island where USD are gladly accepted. Once after being dropped off from the bus in Mumbai, near to The Gateway to India I got talking to a family sitting in a circle making those flower bracelets they send the children to give to tourists. When I gave them some rupees they were not at all pleased but happy when I gave USD instead.
David.
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339 posts and counting.
The one thing we all have in common?
Regardless of how we choose to do it, we all pay the tips. Unless I have missed it not one single poster has said that they pay nothing to the staff.
See we allreally agree😀
And I believe in Father Christmas.
David.
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I
In retrospect, the lesson I learned was to have a pleasant chat with the maître d about relocating to a different location in the dining room when conditions are annoying/unpleasant/disruptive...less than romantic when celebrating an anniversary? I don't know how to frame it
Cheers,
Salacia
We once had a very difficult weeks dining with a gentleman, and his wife who had dementia. Looking back should I have had a quiet word aside with him explaining why we were moving to another table. How would have this distracted man reacted. Was he wrong not to taken a double table rather than choosing, as he had, a table for four. In the end we stuck it out, having identical conversations every evening but it ruined our dining experience during that cruise.
What would I do now. Have the conversation definitely.
David.
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I rushed my back of a fag packet calculation and have reflected on it whilst in the car and I think the increase needed to absorb likely actual service charges would be more like 4%. And, of course, that increase would have to apply to all passengers (inc families). None the less, I still think the argument still stands. And, of course, P&O could trumpet the fact that they have abolished service charges which, as a promotional message, would probably offset the tiny percentage who would no longer be able to afford to cruise.
You are correct, cruisers search for cruises first by cruise line, second by itinerary and third by price. It's obvious by posts here that nearly all would prefer tips to be included in the fare. Are P&O listening?
David
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Possible or not? funny how the buffet was busy,we always did second sitting before freedom dining and out of curiosity i looked in while walking around deck.
Sent from my Kestrel using Forums mobile app
Not difficult to understand why, passengers still with packing to do and prefer to wear the clothing they will wear next day, looking for a quick meal.
David.
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Simply make the service charge non removable! On NCL it's very difficult to do it. You now have to fill out a form upon returning home stating the actual reasons the staff that did NOT give you good service & any other reasons you wish to have it refunded.
Agree your first point, but the NCL policy is flawed. A service charge is either mandatory, or as with NCL and Cunard discetional. At the end of the day they have to return a charge unlawfully imposed regardless of some stupid form,
David.
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I don't see how you can claim that the system is fair when you pay it and others don't. I would call that grossly unfair.
David.
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Write a letter with your comments addressed to the Captain and hand it in to reception. He/she is ultimately responsible. I have done this in the past when I have been hitting my head against a wall. You should expect a reply and action to be taken.
Longer term don't book Ventura again, I only sailed on that ship once and vowed never again.
David.
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Clear as mud then because in the past P&O have said that only butlers, cabin stewards and waiters/assistant waiters are rewarded from the Service Reward Scheme but now they are saying "backroom staff" are now receiving payment from Service Reward Scheme. So that has cleared nothing up as usual and a "muddy waters" response from P&O once again. If you sent the same e-mail again and you received a response from different member of staff you would probably get a different response.
Agree with your comments, P&O FAQ don't mention backroom staff so this P&O reply just adds more confusion.
From P&O FAQ.
During your time on board, you'll be looked after by lots of people - waiters, buffet staff and cabin stewards, who'll go out of their way to make each moment of your holiday special.
But, we know that rewarding good service every time it happens just isn't convenient. So, our Service Reward Programme is a simple, one-off way for you to say ‘thank you’ for all the service you receive. A discretionary daily amount of £6.00 is added to your on-board account for each guest aged 12 and over.
David.
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. I have also presented a discreet $20.
In an envelope presumably.
David
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Well, my guess is that the crew appreciates any gratuity they receive - and the overwhelming majority of tips appear to be discreet (I say that because I've never witnessed anything "flashy").
Do they find it funny not to receive a tip? I'm sure that's a real laugh riot.
Most passengers talk and laugh occasionally about their table companions and I'm sure the crew do the same.
David.
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No, please, please explain your comment as I am puzzled, thank you.
When I tip the waiter in a resteraunt I fold a note and hand it to him, no envelope needed and who cares who sees, as if they would be interested anyway. But board a ship and all changes. Simply stated I find the envelope ritual mildly amusing but the discrete tip in the menu really funny and weird at the same time.
And I bet the waiters laugh even louder at the antics of some passengers.
David
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Agreed, well said :)
Well said? This was a joke surely.
David
Removing gratiuities - when to do it
in Cunard Line
Posted
Increasing the Carnival share divi.
David