livingonthebeach

I don't know what it is with tipping threads that get people so riled up and insist on imposing their righteous views of what is right and wrong. There are many different cultures in this world, and some don't allow tipping (e.g. Japan). RCG formerly RCCL is not a U.S. corporation so the "When in Rome do as the Romans" does not apply to U.S. tipping customs. Furthermore, tips in the U.S. are considered discretionary. You will not be ripping off the computer guy if you decide to tip those who serve you directly in cash or not at all.

They don’t pay U.S. taxes on any monies they collect as they are incorporated in Liberia to avoid all U.S.taxes as well as labor laws. The ships are registered in the Bahamas. Only the corporate office is based in Miami - the executives and other workers at headquarters I would assume pay U.S. taxes on their earned income and bonuses. Other than that and port taxes they pay to ports of call, that’s about all the taxes they pay. If there’s a shortage for crew pay, the shortfall could be taken out of the savings they realize by not paying U.S. corporate taxes, rather than the pockets of passengers already paying lofty fares.

Ok now I see you're not trolling, all I can say is follow your dreams. Your formula of taking lots of short solo cruises out of Galveston sounds like a plan and hopefully we'll see you in the Crown Lounge soon!

Yes the bean counters discovered a discreet way to pad the bottom line knowing full well there would be objectors, thus the option to remove grats.

Yes it seems the XMAS trolls are out and chanting "Give Me Diamond or Give Me Death", "Diamond Plus or Bust", "Pinnacle or Die"!!!

When there was no specialty dining and everyone dined in the MDR, envelopes were given and most everyone tipped their servers. The room stewards were also left envelopes with cash for the most part. Fast forward to today, some of us (myself included) only dine in the specialty restaurants which charge an automatic gratuity when purchased as a UDP. I tip cash for my voucher drinks and leave my room steward a generous cash tip at the end of the cruise. Then why do I ask, do I have to tip the other workers? When I stay at a hotel, I don't tip the laundry personnel nor the IT guy. Hotels don't ask for a blanket tip for every single worker so why should a cruise ship?

I have to wonder how true these statements could possibly be "It's my life long dream to become Diamond", "I feel extra special in the DL". Geez it seems like chain yanking to me.

Must be the lousy Florida weather we've had all week long. LOL

Cruise planner not working for me for my RCI and Celebrity cruises.

I don’t day trade RCL stock nor do I go in and out on support and resistance chart indicators. I do look at the fundamentals and they’ve been looking good since the restart, despite the debt service. I bought in the 30-60 dollar range this past year and the stock is now trading at over 110. I can’t complain. The travel and leisure sector was hit the hardest during the pandemic and is now coming back stronger than its descent.

I sure have. Just on this cruise last week with the OP on Navigator. There was a pier runner in Puerto Vallarta who we saw from our balcony as did many other passengers we all clapped when they made it just when they were getting ready to close the gangway. That was really cutting it close!!!

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I was on that same sailing as well and there were some positives. There were ducks - lots of ducks!!! These didn't exist back in the day. LOL We purchase the UDP on sale days, specifically on Black Friday or Cyber Monday so the price is much less for all those meals than on shore. We dined in Chops, Jamie's, Hooked, Izumi and Playmakers. Never had a bad meal. As for shore excursions with the ship, they are hit or miss. I loved the sunset sailing in Cabo, the lighthouse hike in Mazatlan and the Mountain Villa Retreat in Puerto Vallarta. I don't have anything bad to say about any of them. I do have to say I've had crappy ones in other ports. I didn't think there were many kids compared to other cruises. I like having kids around (not too many though), they make me feel alive. I hope your next cruise will turn out better than this one for you. Sail On!

I just got off Navigator and it’s now a plain lobster as you stated. I ordered it and it was delicious!

From my experience it has been taking 1-2 weeks from time of request for it to show up as OBC on the Cruise Planner.

You’ve got to be kitten me! How is this paw-sible? The catatonic show has leaped from Oasis to Ovation? This calls for a meowtini - shaken not purred please.

I believe this person was referring to a poster with the moniker pinnacleguy not you. Seems these two have the word pinnacle in their user name, the same style of writing, and are new posters.

I thought about that as well. MO seems to be the same. 🤣

School lunches have gone up 300% since last year. Heck I remember when lunches were 25 cents - now they are $3.50. Is it because these kids are paying the new price? Damn these kids on the internet!

LOL - Yes but what do kids and the internet have to do with price increases? Are they hacking into the Royal website and jacking up prices?

??? Translation please.

In Florida Spring Break is staggered it can be anywhere from late February through mid-April, peaking around mid-March. I try to avoid that period altogether.

This is definitely an unfortunate event but fortunately no one died. Oasis of the Seas is no stranger to tragic events. These are a few incidents in the past: fire - 2008 (during ship construction) propulsion/power loss - 2010, 2012, 2014 2010 - AquaTheatre (the hydraulic floor collapsed) structural damages - 2019 (crane fell during drydock in Freeport Bahamas) deaths - overboard (2010, 2015, 2020), 2022, crew (2010, 2011, 2020, 2022) injuries/crimes - 2011 (crew), 2014, kid near drowning (2015), overboard (2015) medevacs - 2015, 2020 (2 crew) Norovirus (passengers/crew) - 2013 (?), 2018 (385/17), 2019 (561/31) Coronavirus - 2020 (17 crew, including 3 deaths)

Yes that is possible.

If you don't tip then yes, no if you tip, which I hope everyone does. To split hairs, technically it's included in the fare and not "free".

Great info -- thanks for sharing. I didn't see last Sunday's thread. I see what you mean about repricing might be better to stay with the other discounts. Thanks for sharing.