2wheelin

Have used MTD several times and found it very usable. Not quite as convenient as Carnival but still……We would go to the podium about 6:00 the first night and always get in within 10 minutes. We would be asked if we wanted to eat about the same time every night and have the same table. 

As for bad service, the tips cover all the service people, not just waiters. It would be more productive to address any perceived poor service at the time of occurrence and forget about the few cents that person would get in tips from that interaction. Just leave the tips in place and if you feel you get poor service more than a couple of times (rare in my experience) look inward at your expectations.

4 hours ago, alfaeric said:

Suggestion next time, quote the thread you are actually replying to.  Or at least clarify what you are replying.  It wasn't clear what you were answering.

 

Still, the PP is required for the open loop cruise, the 6 month requirement is a country by country thing.  Royal just applies that to all cruises.  Whether its enforced on embarkation is the risk, as it seems that enforcement isn't 100%.  Many others have sailed on a sub 6 month PP and we just sailed with one.  I didn't trust that, so I got an enhanced driver's license that I can cruise on.

EDL will not cover all situations where a passport is required.

17 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Fairness, as any individual might see it, has nothing to do with it. Insurance liability guidelines are based on actuarial data and not individual fitness evaluations. That would not be feasible to determine individually on any given cruise excursion, because, as mentioned by several responders already, how and by whom would that be determined?

 

As also mentioned, there are liability based guidelines in place based on this data and have been for many years.

You always sign a waiver for the excursion provider so should not be a concern of the cruise line. Let people decide for themselves and take their chances. One could step off a curb on a walking excursion and break an ankle. Probably could not sue the cruise line either.

1 hour ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Most of the "what happens to my roommate if I no-show on my casino rate" questions on here come up when plans unexpectedly change.  This one's pretty ballsy for contemplating a fraudulent booking in the first place.

It’s Called the limbo. How low can you go…Hope they get banned. But I just want to give my family a nice cruise……….

On 3/6/2024 at 4:51 PM, UNCFanatik said:

 

I fully understand that. That is not what I was referencing. I was referencing how it works on the bartender side from described in an earlier post; Bartender side NOT customer side

We don’t know how it is calculated on the bartender side though. They may get credited $1 for individual drinks but only 18% of the daily fee is added to the drink package so it would be a floating amount. Thus no $1.52 or whatever amount left over to wonder about.

Thus if the drink package is $80/da, the 18% is $14.40 no matter how many drinks are obtained. Maybe 15 which comes to 7%. The cruise line obviously has a formula to work that out so the bartender gets the credit amount for each drink no matter how much the actual percent of the tip. Not for us to worry about.

7 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

'

Let me make sure I understand this. All drinks have a mandatory 18% gratuity. If I get the drink package and order a $14 drink then 18% equals $2.52

 

The bartender would be eligible for $1 per drink after $1400 drinks in a month so we have $1.52 remaining from the $2.52 and we are not sure were that $1.52 goes? 

No, you pay 18% on the drink package price no matter how many drinks you order. There is a tipping point depending on how much you paid for your package where the “tip” switches from greater than 18% to possibly much less than 18%. Your gratuity amount does not change no matter how many drinks you have.

How the cruise line determines a dollar amount for bartenders per drink is irrelevant.

With all these comments I just started to consider this for our March cruise. Please tell me more. Are there better/different free food choices than the buffets? Is the lagoon area good for snorkeling? Pictures look like it is more sheltered by rocks. Will the ocean be too cold in March? Is it an area you can come and go to other beach areas easily if you have friends with kids?

4 hours ago, thundercrack said:

It wasn't a Casino rate,  it was one of those VIFP offers and there was no Special Rate Code tagged to the offer.  The only blurb I see in the confirmation email is the below.

 

Offer is valid for guests with a qualifying VIFP # only.

This is the thing that could complicate no show unless daughter 3 was eligible for the same offer.

1 hour ago, Cruzin-K said:

Why on Earth would anyone do this without at least giving Royal Caribbean a chance to make it right?

 

The credit from Royal hit my card this morning. It took about 8 business days, but I got the refund. No need for escalation.

Knee jerk reaction from some people too lazy to call the cruise line first? Notice they stated have done it several times. Maybe not all cruise line mistakes but too small to contest. Who has that many incidences?

Glad you got it resolved quickly and appropriately.

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I’ve never had a problem; I have disputed many charges with AMEX 

From what I have read on CC, cruise lines handle charge backs differently from most businesses. Will they worry about $50? Probably not. Could you be put on a watch list? Possibly.

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Just contact your credit card company

and file a fraud claim on the $50

Good way to get banned from the cruise line.

15 hours ago, bg2310 said:

 

Never said how you experienced it was imaginary. I simply corrected you and provided an explanation as to why it's not a "rumor" as accurate input would be needed. Maybe not be so defensive?

 

Just because the way we've used something in the past and it's worked doesn't necessarily mean it's the correct way. 

 

Also, just because something has worked the way you've done it doesn't mean you understand it entirely or how it works.

 

It goes back to what I said originally - how is a system supposed to know how many people are getting on an elevator without the relevant input?

 

It doesn't. You must provide that input. As someone who works with computers and systems for a living, they don't just "work" like magic. It might seem that way, but underneath it there are variables and parameters that have to be provided.

 

Am I saying it doesn't work unless you do it the "correct" way? Nope.

 

Thank you. You worded it so much better than I would have. I also suggest anyone in a scooter or with a stroller make extra “requests” so more space will be allotted. Although I usually defer to a scooter, it is a negative experience when my assigned elevator arrives and a scooter takes up all the space.

1 hour ago, gavvy said:

My office has had this system for 5 years or so, it makes it more efficient and saves power by only dispatching an elevator to the floor that needs it.  You will still stop at other floors on the way to your destination like before, it just makes it more efficient.

 

One good thing is you know what door the elevator will arrive at in advance, so stops people rocking up and jumping in before you have the chance as you are the wrong side of the bank of doors.  However if there are too many of you waiting and you cant get in then you will have to go back and call another like before.  You are not guaranteed an empty elevator and there could be more waiting to get in than it has capacity for.

If people used the system correctly and requested space for each person in their party, there would be space. Unless there is a scooter in which case there should be instructions to make more than one request.

 

 

3 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

Now it's time for the money shot... Both of my masks ended up making it home in one piece. Even the one that was molested by the TSA. I'll add these to my growing tribal mask collection...

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful masks. Have thoroughly enjoyed your posts.  You make it all come to life instead of just a list of things you did, ate, and drank. BTW your attack on booze will go much better with a buddy. 
Way back in the double or triple digit pages I mentioned a new building in town you might like. However it is part of a large medical complex so I hope you never have to come here. 
 

7 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

In your comment, at the bottom you will see choose files.  Click on that and you can post from your photo library.  I’m not sure how you do it otherwise unless from a hosting site, like Shutterfly.  But I usually do that with my surface pro, rather than the iPad I’m on now.

 

Thank you. I only saw the other media choice and that didn’t work.

What do I need to do to post a photo in a comment?

😢 😢 

5 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

I mean, this guy with a blissfully happy life and marriage, a lifetime of memories, cruises galore, is straight up DELIGHTED with this Oriental Trading 72 cent rubber duck. 
 

Proof again that attitude is Everything!

It’s not the duck. It’s who he can please with it. 😊 

1 hour ago, Destiny0315 said:

The red flag for me in this thread is the OP who joined CC on Tuesday at 11am and posted for 10 hours while stirring the pot then disappeared and hasn't been heard from since!

They obviously joined because they had a question. Why is that a red flag? He stated he was taking peoples advice from here and gathering the necessary paperwork to pursue. He has nothing more to add until he hears from Carnival. What pot is being stirred?

Some people have jobs and/or don’t spend every day on social media.

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, and it is not blaming the victim when I write not taking American Express should have been a re flag because Carnival like all other cruise lines accept Amex for payment. It is a warning for others who may not realize what a red flag that was.

I’ve cruised quite a bit and would not have known that all cruise lines accept Amex since quite a few places do not—especially outside the US. There are logical red flags-like “you have to pay for this in full with no refund possibility”, and there are red flags that aren’t as logical. You learn them through a bad experience or from sites such as this.

It would be nice if people would post “that would have been a red flag for ME since I have had X experience, rather than heap blame by stating that should have been a red flag for anyone.

5 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

I think you can, but not the "good coffee"... I need the full octane stuff...

Have you ever tried chomping on chocolate covered coffee beans? Highly portable and strong.

16 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

This is where I'm supposed to meet Jamman for the Diamond thing at noon.

 

 

 

Memories! My first cruise was on the Carnivale. Tablecloths, crumb scrapers, the whole bit.

46 minutes ago, onlyano said:

BTW I’m sitting by this family that has already lost one of their kids. 

Quick work. How many more to go? 😊 

14 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

Going back to this:

 

What is the timeline, other than apparently they are inside the final payment date/full penalty timeframe?  (That's within two weeks of sail date, I believe?)

 

If the cruise isn't for a week after the pending surgery (maybe surgery in next few days), then why not go anyway?  

 

If the surgery isn't until after the cruise, then (assuming it it immobilized properly) why not go on the cruise anyway?

 

I'd only cancel if the cruise directly interfered with the surgery date.  She is going to have a broken/healing wrist either way, may as well heal while on a relaxing cruise, with a Cheers package to help with the pain...

Sounds like you’ve not had a broken bone with surgery. The first week to two weeks is rough..She will need to keep it elevated more often than not—not easy flying or standing in lines. It will swell, requiring icing. She can go but it well be very uncomfortable and inconvenient. And she will be on painkillers which as everyone knows do not mix with alcohol. Hope her friends are willing to help her dress and go to the bathroom.

1 hour ago, aborgman said:

 

What does an average even mean? It means a number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data, in particular the mode, median, or (most commonly) the mean, which is calculated by dividing the sum of the values in the set by their number.

 

"cost of living certainly varies greatly across the US so comparing average US salary to an isolated area is meaningless."

 

The lowest median income in the USA is Mississippi at about $45K/year.

If you aren't making more than the median income in the lowest paid state in the USA - you aren't being paid "extremely well".

 

"And comparing a college student restaurant worker..."

26% of restaurant employees are enrolled in school. 74% are not students at all.

Most restaurant workers are not students, and are not teens/early 20's.

 

 

Obviously not asking for the definition of average. Just stating that the calculation for the entire US and all the diverse cost of living areas, is meaningless.

You may want to go back to school to learn the difference between average and median which you seem to use interchangeably. It is meaningless to include millionaire salaries in calculations determining what is a living wage for a normal person. And where you live absolutely makes a big difference.

I made no claims about age of restaurant workers. That was your bias.

24 minutes ago, cusematt4 said:

Because they are desperate for money and are taken advantage of my cruise lines without international law/regulation.  

All I’m stating is that if cruise lines aren’t going to pay their employees more than $100/month plus gratuities, it would be nice for basic internet access (at least video or audio calls) to be able to talk with their family that they are away from for so long.

Me stopping to cruise wouldn’t do anything.  Us collectively as regular cruisers could indeed make a difference.

 

Just cause this is how it’s been doesn’t mean it has to be this way forever.  if wages are what they are, technology has come such a long way and it would be nice to give crew a few hours a week a month to talk to family, even if during off hours when guest internet usage is low.  It’s the least they can do that wouldn’t cost the cruise lines much.  NCL already gives their crew unlimited free access to social media, where crew can talk with their family rather than just via WhatsApp text.

You’ve already been proven wrong about that wage statement—very wrong. I thought you stated they don’t even get enough off hours to sleep but you want them on the internet. Or would there be a internet czar who would make sure they were only using it to talk to family?

2 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

If you tip more, they can take that money and buy an hour of internet if that is what they most value.  Or maybe they won’t use your extra tip money buy additional internet services, preferring to save that money for another purpose even more important to them.
 

Even though you possess only the little knowledge (however accurate or inaccurate it might be) gleaned from conversations with a few crew members (who were actively vying for your tips), you are trying to apply Your values to Their situations and and deciding that more internet for crew is one of the most pressing concerns…so pressing that you feel others should try to insert themselves into the relationship between crew and employer.  
 

 

Bingo! I think crew would be happier if they were given a free massage once a week. Think how achy their muscles must be after catering to all the whims of passengers. It’s appalling the cruise line can’t provide massages—as it wouldn’t cost them anything. They could get them at night when the spa is closed to  guests. Can we please start a petition? (Insert Tongue in cheek emoji)