S.A.M.J.R.

Why? If the money from the auto tips all goes to the crew, why would the company care? They're not out money. If you are really that concerned over this, stop booking. THATs what will get "The company's" attention.

But there are early shows for the late diners.

Pick up rental at MIA. Return rental to FLL Use rental shuttle to port.

2nd best plan to get RCI to change the policy? You can complain... email, social media, GS. But your chance of accomplishing anything are approaching 0. I mean if you're still willing to give RC money for what you consider a "lesser experience", why should they change?

You know what would happen if true minimum wage was enforced (instead of this "make it up via tips" malarky)? I agree wait staff would not work for just minimum wage. So, here's some options... 1) They get minimum wage and patrons would still be EXPECTED to tip. I'm guessing still probably 20%. But, since restaurant owners will need to pay more in salary, they increase cost, which then increases the tip. 2) Restaurant owners would not find enough people to work, so they'd either go out of business or keep raising rates to attract the workers. You know, what fast food has had to do over the last couple of years. I would hope #2, and then tips truly be a sign of "above and beyond" service, and no EXPECTED percentage, but I don't see this happening. Every other job, the impetus to do a good job is to keep the job.

Price it out both ways. The TA we've used for our last cruise and our next one was thousands of dollars cheaper than Royal. No OBC or "goodies", but I'd rather save the money.

Or is it because they couldn't hire enough stewards so this is there answer on how to cope? Chicken/egg thing.

What is false? I was responding to someone who said they (or a friend, can't remember, don't want to go back) base their tip on the check MINUS bar tab because the waitress "just carries the drink to the table". I asked how that is different than the food because the waitress "just carries the food to the table". Please read an entire post for content before quoting me at least.

OK? My hotel room (or cabin in the woods) is for me to sleep, relax, and bathe. My cruise cabin is for me to sleep, relax, and bathe. Seem pretty similar to me.

You know how to fix a "staffing problem"? You either increase pay or you increase benefits. You know how to pay off debts? Make more money. Both issues are "solved" by bringing in more money or cutting spending in other areas. That's exactly what Royal is doing. Now, if you (general) don't like the cut backs on services or don't like the increased cost, don't sail on Royal. Enough people do that, Royal will either add services, drop costs, or go out of business. I feel pretty safe they'll try the first two before the third.

Then, why in your mind is a cabin in the woods that different than a hotel? Why is a ship cabin that different than a hotel?

Definitely possible. Keep an eye over the summer and see how full the ships are.

But you're missing the other end of the equation... are they still getting bookings? Still filling the ships? Then they're not only making money (increasing costs), but they're not spending as much (taking away features). Isn't that smart business?

One of the first things any business will do in order to get more customers is drop their price. In order to get customers, you need to make what they get worth the cost. So you either add "features" or lower the cost.

Could be a lot of things, could be a few things. Does the cabin have indoor plumbing? Electric? Furniture? Television? Heat? Air Conditions? Bathroom? Closet? Linens? Someone else to clean? Somewhere else to eat available? If it has all of that, the only difference IMO is location.

I can respect that. I try not to spend too much time in the room (I want to get my money's worth damnit! lol), but do return a couple times through the day.

Well, there are people who like cruising like that. Aren't river cruises just basically cabins? And I don't get your point honestly. I fully believe that each customer is responsible for choosing what's "worth it to them". I agree, if they took away the pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, or bars, I would no longer cruise. If they did away with the casino, spa, sauna/steam room, or specialty restaurant, I would. Why do cruise lines HAVE to cater to EVERYONE? If you don't like what a cruise line is offering, don't sail with them. Is this really that difficult? I get (sort of) being upset. But you'd think going to 1x day service is the end of the world the way people are complaining.

I'm sure you probably need the trip, it will probably do a lot of good for you, if you can get past all the humps. HOWEVER, especially with ice storm/damage to the home, would insurance apply if you cancel the trip and get your money back? I get that's not preferable, but going on a trip later with someone who can help you enjoy it more may be the best bet.

What is different about being in a hotel room vs a cruise ship room? Seriously. Is that you are "used to" twice a day cleaning and chocolates on the pillow? Both of them have someone come clean the room and straighten the bed. Aside from the ship room generally being smaller than what I have in a hotel, the services available/provided are pretty identical IMO.

As has been mentioned, if you haven't experienced it, you won't miss the twice a day services. As far as the "wait until you try it", I have... every time I've stayed in a hotel. Now hotels are going to every 4-5 days before you get a service. Even when we had daily service, we never had a hotel employee set up/tear down the sofa bed. Or deliver ice (seems to be a big deal to some). If you don't get the service you want, feel free to find another cruise line that does offer it. You're not beholden to RCI. In fact, I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon RCI. Then cruises will get cheaper and hopefully less crowded.

$736/2 = $368pp $368/4 = $92pd $92pd = $78 + 18%.

I don't understand a couple of things in your post... first, you mention "an additional 10% for restaurant waitstaff" at an AI. But how do you know what the bill is? What AI delivers an itemized bill after a meal? Without the bill, how do you know how much 10% is? Regarding taking the liquor off the bill because the "waitstaff just carries the drink"... doesn't the "waitstaff just carry your food"? What's different between the drink and the food? Regarding the OP, maybe the others ARE tipping $20/night at the MDR... BECAUSE they removed auto tips. Even if they didn't, who cares how much anyone else tips? Anyone who, unprompted, says "I tip $x" or y% is just virtue signaling IMO. I guarantee you're tipping more than others and less than some. And that's OK.

Yes. My quote was in response to the person who said "all people of legal drinking age in the cabin must get the drink package."

How do you figure it's double the pay? Old Cleanings: 15 cabins x2/day = 30 cleanings/day. New Cleanings: 25 cabins x 1/day = 25 cleanings/day 16% reduction (in theory) Old tips: 15 cabins * $3pp * 2 people = $90/day New tips: 25 cabins * $3pp * 2 people = $150/day 66% increase (in theory). NOTE: the per person fee is just a number. No matter what number you put in there, it's still a 66% increase. I'm sorry, I'm not seeing the down side for the steward. Even if all 25 rooms requests morning, if it's me, I start at one end of the hall on day 1, and the opposite end of the hall on day 2. Keep swapping.

I think you might want to check that. $14.50 was the "non-suite" amount before. $18 is the "suite" amount now. I believe "non-suite" is currently $16.