WAMarathoner

16 hours ago, Pinboy said:

How can you be on a cruise and not use the buffet or dining room ?  No breakfast, no lunch , no afternoon snack, no late night " peek " at the deserts ?   Nice try .

The Cruise lines had to add the Prepaid Gratuities as a perk or prepay when booking is because people with your " thinking " were stiffing the Staff.  

You might not be aware , and probably won't care --- When someone removes the Prepaid Gratuities during the cruise, their Room Steward, Waiter, Asst Waiter, are notified , yet they still must do their job for fear of you complaining.

Don't you think they would prefer cash instead of a gift card as a tip ?  

How would you like to serve people like yourself ????

We have the Unlimited Dining Package for our next cruise and will only be eating in specialty restaurants, so no MDR.  We're not breakfast eaters.  Don't use the buffet anyway because too many trashy people scratch their butts and then serve themselves.  We tip well in the specialty restaurants just as we would here.  We make sure our steward is well taken care of.  Visa gift cards are better than cash because we've been told the gift cards don't go into the tip pool so he gets the full amount.

I would LOVE to be serving people like us - we don't require much and we well reward good service.

2 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Guest Interaction Onboard

• The use of mouth masks is mandatory onboard when walking around.
• Respect for 1.5-meter social distance or compliance with local guidelines with regards to social distancing is guaranteed and clearly communicated onboard.

Onboard Services and facilities

• The temperature of every guest will be measured on a daily basis.
• Services such as massage and hairdresser are not available.
• Facilities with limited space or elevated infection risks such as elevators and public toilets are out of order.
• tems that would be touched by multiple guests will not longer be available such as newspapers and umbrellas.
• No orders can be placed at the bar, all services are based on table services at all times.
• Each cabin will be disinfected twice a day, without the presence of the guest.

Operations

•  Infection control measures will be applied in accordance with WHO guidance. The disembarkation and transfer of the suspected case to an onshore healthcare facility for further assessment and laboratory testing will be arranged as soon as possible in cooperation with the health authorities at the port.

 

Some Europeans might be open to these restrictions.  Highly doubtful most Americans would be.

4 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Does anybody know if there has been a breakdown of age groups, and how many healthy individuals died in those age groups? 

Italy reported that over 99% of its deaths were from patients with co-morbidities.

The problem here in the US is that the stats are "interpreted" according to a news (or blog) source's bias.   What we do know is that the hardest hit group of people in the US is the 9% of the population that is morbidly obese.  When diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or lung issues are added, the risk goes up significantly.

Back in March, Carnegie-Melon put out a great paper that would have avoided the lockdowns and economic fallout for most of the country.  It recognized that the risk was not equal for various groups.  If you're interested, it's not too long: http://math.cmu.edu/~wes/covid.html

Hindsight is, of course, 20-20.

30 minutes ago, flyguyjake said:

Some don't ever know they've had it and some young and healthy die.

The "young" cases were not healthy.  The media likes to report on those few under-30s that have died.  What they forget to say is that, while they had COVID, they died from leukemia, heart failure, and other diseases.

If you have a BMI over 40, please stay home.  Excepting a "bear" cruise that we were unfortunately stuck on, I can only think of 3 or 4 cases in all our cruises that morbidly obese people went on.  That's the #1 risk factor and it is far and away more indicative of death than any other condition.

1 hour ago, frito58 said:

That will give you give you full CC refund , I do not want FCC . 

We debated on this, but in the end decided to L&S and take the OBC for the Cruise Personalizer purchases.  We didn't want to contribute to financially sinking them.

Can you show me re: the CDC?  Could only find this article (https://time.com/3516827/cdc-constitution-quarantine/)

which would seem to say that their power is limited.  Would sincerely like to know otherwise.  Thank you.

On 5/29/2020 at 4:10 PM, TNcruising02 said:

 I live in a state with a reasonable government for a reason. 

Yes,  you do.  Your first lady volunteers in disaster areas.  This year alone she's been to Chatanooga and Cookeville after the tornadoes.  Not for photo ops, but to help people.  I wish our state government officials had the same integrity that yours do.

Question about the CDC -- these are not ships registered in the USA (mostly).  I can understand them wielding power in US ports, but it seems like they would have no control once the ship was out of US waters.  Or I am missing something?

On 5/20/2020 at 7:48 PM, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

unfortunately there are over 1100 deaths related to the virus just in our city. It's all relative to what's gone on around you.

Yes, people's personal experiences certainly have a lot to do with their take.

Of the people who died in your city, how many were people with BMIs over 40?  They are far and away the most vulnerable (and correlation in your 1100 is not causation.)  After those 1100 died, the rate likely went down considerably, right?

As for NYC, *requiring* retirement homes to accept COVID-positive patients when they already shelter some of the most vulnerable was a clear recipe for disaster (and proved to be so.)

If you're afraid, don't cruise!  Can't imagine how much of a vacation it would be when you're worried.  If you're sick, please stay home (cruise lines could help here by allowing truly ill people to cancel without penalty.) 

We have an RCCL cruise scheduled, but if masks become required, we'll wait until they're not.  For now, going to book with Carnival/Princess for the rest.

So the latest clickbait article from cruisecritic has RCCL "probably" requiring them, and Carnival NOT requiring them.  That works for me.  Those of you who want to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation that stifles your breathing, head on over to RCCL where you'll be accommodated.  The rest of us will enjoy our Princess and Carnival cruises.

On 5/29/2020 at 4:25 PM, Guindalf said:

So all the people who work behind the scenes for you doing laundry, etc. get stiffed, right?

 

Nice. 

This has been beaten to death elsewhere (many times).  If those people were working for tips only, you would have a point.

Thanks for playing.

Dear Guest,

We hope you and your families are staying safe and healthy during this difficult time. Earlier today, the Canadian government advised they were extending their cruise ship restrictions until the end of October 2020. So, we’re sure that leaves you wondering what will happen with your upcoming sailing. We are too! But not to worry, we’re figuring it out.

We kindly ask for patience, as we diligently work on next steps. We know that you probably have a lot of questions, which we’d love to answer – but since this is hot off the press, we just don’t have those answers yet. And, regrettably hold times on our phones are quite long. So to avoid any frustration, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding.

We commit to sharing a full update with you on Tuesday, June 2^nd, 2020.

As the world begins to cautiously go back to what it was, we respect each port’s decision to evaluate travel restrictions. We remain optimistic that this soon will pass. In the meantime, stay well and we’ll be in touch very soon!

Sincerely,

Sort of.  The biggest risk factor for COVID is morbid obesity.  Far and away from others.  That's why it's higher in some population groups than others -- those that have the highest rates of morbid obesity have a significantly higher incidence of COVID deaths.  Most people who die from COVID already have a co-morbidity.  COPD, asthma, and CHF are often able to be controlled with medication.

People need to make their own choices and live with the consequences. 

On 5/23/2020 at 7:23 AM, Jimbo said:

Probably wouldn't be allowed to cruise then, you can bet that will be in the cruise contract you sign before sailing. Must wear mask. 

Interesting thought.  However, given the average age of cruisers, they'd be cutting off their noses to spite their face.

Some conditions that make wearing a mask difficult, at best include:

Congestive heart failure, more than 5% of people over 60

Asthma - 7.7% of adults

COPD - more than 16,000,000 adults

That's just the big three; there are many other conditions that make wearing a mask a bad idea.  Would cut out a significant number of cruisers in addition to those who don't want to wear them rather than can't wear them.

For the few ships that are registered in the US, this would also violate ADA requirements and open them up to hefty lawsuits.  Hmmm... if mandatory masks happens, maybe I'll just try to book a trip on the Pride.

We generally tip as we would in any restaurant, and we have the unlimited package for the next cruise... which is why we'll be taking off the $14.50 pp per day auto-gratuity.  Won't be using the dining room or buffet and prefer to tip our room steward directly (gift cards so they don't have to be turned in.)  In our experience, it is the better waiters who get the specialty restaurants.

Now wondering about the wisdom of the Ultimate Package, though.  Been on hold an ungodly amount of time trying to ask about it, but the website would appear that only two restaurants are now included -- one of which dh doesn't like.  Sort of wishing I had not bothered to do RCCL this time and remained with Princess.

On 5/18/2020 at 7:06 PM, SNJCruisers said:

Do a lift and shift to the same time parameters next year either 4 weeks prior or after your date. You could also upgrade your ship and save money in the process. Needs to be done by August 1.

Can  you explain this for me?  We're booked on a September cruise out of Cape Liberty (across from Manhattan).  Not really worried so  much about the cruise, but more about being in NYC.

Can we do this with a non-refundable fare?

On 5/14/2020 at 2:25 PM, DrivesLikeMario said:

Princess has been talking behind the scenes about what to do with their buffets too.  The Sr. VP mentioned to-go boxes may be the new norm.  I wouldn't be surprised if everything was plated up and you picked the plate you wanted.  It'd mean a lot more plates to wash but it'd be safer than self-service. 

I like the Disney way of ordering what you want on your phone and picking it up when ready.

To-go boxes?  Horrible idea.  Can you imagine the massive amount of spills on the way to the cabin?  Plus, if you're not in a balcony, who wants to eat in a closed room?  We are mostly Princess cruisers, but would ditch them in a minute if we were forced to eat in our rooms.

This is amazing.  How did you find all this?

Thank you WW.  How can I tell the difference when looking them up?

Voljeep, when a grown man is "making out" to the point that it excites him enough to have an erection that is viewable by others, or when tongues can be seen by others, that's far beyond the bounds of propriety.  That behavior belongs in private.  There are cruises that cater specifically to singles, to nudists, to just about every conceivable type of legal activity.  Mainstream cruises are NOT them.

I've been looking at group charters and Celebrity Solstice seems to be a favorite, and NCL Pearl for younger groups.

No commentary, please, just list the date, ship, and group [titles taken from their websites] (departing from).  That way those who are interested in traveling with groups can look it up, and those who do not want to travel with a large group can avoid them.

01/29 - Norwegian Pearl, Outlaw Country Cruise (Miami)

01/30 - Carnival Victory, Super Bowl Cruise (Miami)

02/01 - RCCL Adventure of the Seas, Cruising with the King (Ft. Lauderdale)

02/01 - Celebrity Infinity, The Jazz Cruise (Miami)

02/01 - Carnival Paradise, Huddle on the Sea (Tampa)

02/01 - Carnival Valor, Shiprocked (New Orleans)

02/02 - Cayamo (Miami)

02/09 - Holland America Nieuw Statendam, The All Gay Cruise (Ft. Lauderdale)

02/14 - Norwegian Pearl, Sail Across the Sun (Miami)

02/15 - Celebrity Infinity, 70s Rock and Romance (Miami)

02/18 - Norwegian Pearl, Keeping the Blues Alive (Miami)

02/21 - Celebrity Reflection, Gay Mardi Gras (Ft. Lauderdale)

02/22 - Celebrity Infinity, Ultimate Disco Cruise (Miami)

02/24 - Urban Cruise Weekend (New Orleans)

02/27 - RCCL Independence of the Seas, Rock Legends Cruise VIII (Ft. Lauderdale)

02/27 - Carnival Sunrise, Invicta (Ft. Lauderdale)

02/29 - RCCL Independence, K-Love (Ft. Lauderdale)

03/08 - Explorer of the Seas, The 80s Cruise (Miami)

03/21 - Celebrity Summit, Mim Gay Travel (San Juan, PR)

03/28 - Celebrity Infinity, Flower Power (Miami)

03/28 - Carnival Magic, Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage (Galveston)

04/23 - Holland America Volendam, All Gay Lesbian Coastal Cruise (San Diego)

04/24 - Celebrity Reflection, Transatlantic Gay Group Cruise (Ft. Lauderdale)

05/11 - Celebrity Solstice, Hawaiian Island Gay Group Cruise (Honolulu)

05/17 - Emerald Princess, Chumley's Bears (Vancouver)

05/22 - RCCL Navigator, The Grown & Sexy Cruise (Ft. Lauderdale)

05/24 - Emerald Princess, Adventure Bears (Seattle)

05/24 - Royal Caribbean, Crystal & Tahisha 50th Birthday Bash (Cape Liberty)

06/22 - Carnival, Cooper Reunion (Miami)

07/01 - Enchanted Princess, CruiseDesigns (London)

07/03 - Carnival, Believe and Succeed Friends (Long Beach)

07/25 - Sky Princess, CruiseDesigns (Berlin)

07/13 - Carnival, Cruisin' with L & A (Tampa)

08/14 - Celebrity Solstice, Mim Travel Alaska Gay Group Cruise (Seattle)

08/22 - Carnival, BM Getaways (Miami)

09/12 - Norwegian Pearl, Catholic Fellowship Cruise (Honolulu)

10/08 - Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas, Educational Opportunity Tours (Cape Liberty)

10/20 - Norwegian Pearl, Melissa Etheridge (Miami)

11/02 - Carnival, FaithCon (Miami)

11/07 - Royal Princess, Adventure Bears (Long Beach)

11/29 - RCCL Allure, Post Thanksgiving Gay Group Caribbean Cruise (Miami)

We are ones who remove the auto-gratuity and tip individually as we see appropriate.  So, yes, always in the specialty restaurants in the same fashion as we tip at home.

On 1/17/2020 at 11:32 AM, steelers36 said:

I wonder if the Princess sales system has these cataloged.  You call Princess on the pretense of looking for thematic cruises and if you get a list, then you know the ones to avoid.  Not sure this will work at all however.

They won't tell you.  Claim it's "privacy."  BS.  We haven't cruised Celebrity since two "group" cruises in a row where all the amenities and attention were focused on the groups, to the detriment of everyone else.  If anyone finds a good way to check other than using a search engine, I'd be grateful.

PS I don't think Bears is being used as a euphemism for all those in that lifestyle, but refers to Chumley's Bears, a large and active group.

It's a nuisance lawsuit.  They'll pay simply because it's cheaper than fighting it.

On 7/7/2019 at 6:02 AM, Souljourner said:

What does it mean to mystery shop a flight? 

One company is SQM.CA.  They shop several different airlines.  In exchange for a 50% discount (in the form of reimbursement after you turn in the report), you fill out a report.  The report takes about an hour (or less), and covers things that you mostly would notice anyway.  You're looking for employees that do things right -- smile and call you forward in a friendly manner even though the line is 100 people long, correctly charged, weighing bags (you might have to bring one over by 5lbs to see if they catch it), use of humor, offering a credit card on some flights, taking special care of children/elderly, waiting for verbal responses to the exit row question, etc.  The first one can be nerve-wracking, but then they're easy.  I've done many.

One thing I've noticed that has changed for the better since the shopping program started (don't know for certain that's the reason why) is that gate agents are very careful about family boarding not displacing A-listers; also people trying to board a whole group because their suddenly-mobility-impaired mother "needs assistance."

Too bad we can't mystery shop the pervs who grope you through (in)security.

On 9/3/2019 at 10:16 PM, donaldsc said:

Check out this site among many others - https://us...

 

DON

Don't bother.  It's an anti site, nothing helpful for those looking for the excursion.