S.A.M.J.R.

Thank you! Do you remember how long the tour was?

We'll be on Harmony in July to celebrate youngest DD's HS graduation. She plans to go to school for Culinary Studies. I noticed in our cruise planner a "Sip, Tour, Brunch" availability on the last sea day. "Spend your sea day with the Executive Chef on an exclusive tour of the galley — plus brunch in the Main Dining Room complete with unlimited sparkling wine. We’re giving you a taste of the secret sauce it takes to run a massive dining operation that never stops — serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner for thousands of guests and crew. Then, we’re treating you to an exceptional brunch and unlimited sparkling wine in the Main Dining Room. Space is limited and may sell out, so be sure to book before your cruise for the biggest savings." Has any one done it? It doesn't say how long it is (starts at 11am). I thought DD might be interested in it.

I saw Cats (a travelling production) when I was in HS. Do I *LOVE* the show? No. Do I enjoy the staging, the costumes, and many of the songs? Yes. I don't understand the complaints about "no story line". When we were on Mariner last year, I went to every stage show. I don't think one of them had a story line. The singing and dancing were OK. I didn't walk on any of them.

Ah, sorry, misunderstood your statement.

Where? Even when DW & I go to "high end" restaurants, we're looking at maybe 90 minutes, 2 hours at the outside. And that includes drinks, appetizers, meals, and deserts.

OK. Four cruises in a year's time. Yup. That's a lot.

Aside from the one in Australia, when else has it happened last year? Not saying it doesn't, but it's going to be rare.

Can't argue with that. My point was more "they're not going to sell more cabins than they have".

I would assume they only book the number of guarantee balconies (or whatever category) for the number of rooms they have left. Just to keep the numbers simple, let's say they have 100 balconies available. 30 people have booked & selected their own rooms. 55 people have booked guarantees. That leaves 15 rooms available to book. In theory, they wouldn't sell 50 "select your room" and 55 "guarantees" if they only have 100 rooms. Yes, this brings up overselling, and I understand it happens, but not often. In the above scenario, 5 guaranteed balcony rooms should get upgraded to suites.

I agree your heart is in the right place. BUT... A) Did you give the crew member any extra money so they could purchase more wifi to talk to their family? B) MANY companies make their employees pay for their uniforms (or tools). C) If it's so "dire" and "upsetting", why do crew keep resigning and staying with RCI? D) You do understand how Starlink works, right? Royal pays Starlink based on the amount of data transferred. It's not like your home internet where you can use as much as you want whenever you want. And it's going to be a finite amount. The more it's being used, the slower it will need to go. E) You understand ALL companies decide what (if any) "perks" to make working for them more attractive. For most US businesses, this is time off, medical benefits, retirement matching, etc. In the case of RCI, it would be wifi access. Employees get to decide for themselves whether the job offer (pay plus benefits) is worth it to them.

Just about any major company will use "creative marketing". I remember a class in HS (in the mid to late 80s) talking about "weasel words" in marketing. "UP TO 70% off!" Means the percentage off COULD be 0.

It can be thought that if someone cannot afford the drink package, he might not be considered able to afford to travel out of the country. It can be thought that if someone cannot afford a suite, he might not be considered able to afford to travel out of the country. It can be thought that if someone cannot afford the extra dining plan, he might not be considered able to afford to travel out of the country. No one would be willing to say any of the above statements are true. But for someone reason, when the subject of passports come up, people are willing to spend other's money. "It's only $10 a year..." Actually no. It's over $15 a year. AND, if you only use it once in those 10 years, then it's $150 PER USE. That, if you use a BC/ID, was really "extra". "It opens up the world" For some people. Too bad money and vacation time doesn't come with it to actually VISIT the world. That being said, do I think it's good to have? Yes. Would I recommend it to others going on even closed loop cruises? Yes. Will I criticize them for not getting one? Nope.

I was comparing two places that (at least in the US) it's expected to tip. And MANY people pay a restaurant charge on their credit card AND include the tip on the credit slip. So I was asking if you did the same. IMO, adding a tip on the credit receipt in a restaurant is similar to paying auto tips. You have no idea where that money is going. You don't know if it's all going to the server or being put into a "pool". So I was curious if you do the same everywhere you go (and tip) or if act differently on a cruise.

Curious... when you go out to eat at a restaurant at home, do you pay your tip in cash? If not, and just put in on CC, you don't know where it's going. Even if you just leave the cash on the table as you leave, you don't know who's picking it up/where it's going. Or do you hand cash straight to the server? Even if you do that, you don't know if they're sharing with the bus boy, dishwasher, cook, whoever. So why does it matter to whom the auto grats are distributed?

Really nothing new vs what's been discussed ad nauseum on here. "Have a passport in case there's an emergency that requires you to fly home."

So you don't tip at all?

You can hope, but you don't know. Just like no one here KNOWS that cash goes into the pool.

It's WAY out of my price range also. So I won't be booking it. 😞

So if I come on here and complain that this invoice is too expensive... People wouldn't (rightly IMO) say "change ship, change itinerary, change date, change cabin"? Actually, I didn't say "not to cruise". I said "find a cheaper vacation". That could still be a cruise. But on a smaller ship, or at a different time, or a different itinerary. But yes, PP gave the impression they couldn't afford the cruise because of the gratuity. AND wanted encouragement to not tip at all.

I agree, they didn't say it using those exact words, but it could be inferred... Original Post... That makes it sound like they just don't like the amount. A follow up post however complains about the cost (that it can be used for another cruise). I interpret that as the gratuity is too much for their budget (which there's nothing wrong with). AND poster wants encouragement to NOT tip.

The person who says $725 in gratuities for six people for a seven day cruise is too much, that an "acceptable" amount would be $40 ($20 for the waiter, $20 for the room steward). Not per day or per person, TOTAL for the trip.

What do you see when you give someone cash for the tip? They put it in their pocket. You have NO idea what they do when they get out of sight.

I'm assuming the people who get remembered either cruise often, ** OR ** do the workers get a list of who they're supposed to be serving and their cruise history? Or something else to hint they've been together before? Just a thought.

I thought about that, and figure it's unlikely. I mean are they going to say "Hey, TVO7 cheaped out on their tip!" And someone six months, a year, two years(?) later has TVO7 has a passenger and is going to remember that? And what about duplicate names? Then you need something to distinguish them. Home towns? Seems like a stretch to me.

Wouldn't that depend on the rates? I don't think that's enough facts to make such a conclusion.