pinotlover

I can’t speak for either Canada or Great Britain, but here in the States a significant portion of the patrons know whether the venue pools tips or not. Typically the information comes via reputation or from people they know working there. A couple current era observations. First, there are some wait staff that will only work where tips are pooled. Likewise, there are those that refuse to work in such establishments and demand what they earn. Second, in the current era, labor is extremely scarce. Some establishments have closed or are still on reduced schedules because of lack of labor. If a waiter quits at lunch, they can be employed elsewhere by dinner. That means that, unlike last decade, it’s very difficult for management to drag their hand in the tip “ till” much at all. If they do, management will find themselves being the waiters themselves. Supply and demand of labor has altered practices.

One wonders if damage actually occurred when the ship grounded? 🤔

The workers in the Casino, shops, and Spa are not Oceania contract employees. They work for the individual concessions. Don’t confuse what those workers do, with what O workers do.

Paul; Thanks for this. Interesting plan. If you buy the drinks package pre-cruise you get a discounted price. However, by doing so, you must buy it for the entire cruise, or first segment ( perhaps). If one waits, they pay more, but can delay the start based on situation.

I believe you touched on the essence of the problem. Oceania has been sailing a bunch of low passenger capacity ships. Lots of upcoming cruises still showing cabin availability. I’m shocked that our June Vista cruise went from waitlist to now having availability and we’re not yet to final payment! If Oceania, or any other entity, is to run a successful wine and spirits program, it has to be paid for. LGW59, and a host of others, don’t choose to participate in any adult beverage program. That leaves only we imbibers to not only cover the program costs, but also turn a profit for Oceania. While I might feign surprise at the number of ( near) Teatotallers above, the average age of Oceania’s clientele makes that feign look naive. This is coupled with Oceania’s very generous policy of allowing adult beverages to be brought aboard along with a modest $25 corkage fee. This singularly decreases the pool of those buying the package. As you decrease the number of those buying the various packages while the costs of said booze increases, someone must pay the delta. Oceania has several options ahead. Hopefully, this package increase takes care of the issue. If not, their generous policy of allowing alcohol being brought aboard could be in jeopardy. Or, the selection of included items decrease significantly. When multiple packages become Ala carte, those packages then not only have to pay for themselves, but also generate acceptable profits to be sustained.

Heeding instructions of senior Oceania staff or policy is not something a significant percentage of Oceania cruisers do. Many examples. Back in 16 or 17, on the Nautica, we were having continual plumbing issues. Seems someone thought they should flush their adult diapers down the toilet every day. They finally caught the guilty party when they didn’t make it past their cabin.

Google Day tours in Rhodes. We found many private tours offered to there and Linda’s for less than half Oceania’s price.

I don’t actually believe the bar has exact hours. If few are around the pool, they close at 4:00. If things stay busy, they stay open later to make money. No certain established hours.

The number of sea days matters to us a lot. If we are on a port extensive cruise, we are always off the ship at lunch. Always. Therefore, the beverage package at lunch has zero value for us. Only on sea days does the lunch inclusion have value. Then the value of the standard package is based solely on dinner consumption. All part of the calculation.

My TA has made the same comment. They’re all doing it in unison.

The pairings and the menu, along with its preparation style, for the Dom meal was created by the people at Dom. Jacques has nothing to do with it. In 2019 we had four different Dom P, with only one being used twice. Even with the current world wide supply issues for Champagne, it’s depressing that O couldn’t get a full complement of wine for this event. We are signed up for it again on Marina in March. Hopefully they get a new shipment 🥂

FF; Will our in lieu of PPG OBC perk still be a perk going forward? Have you heard anything official?

ORV; Do you believe that international crew made markedly less income on all those 50% and less filled cruises than on full cruises? Do you believe the guys working the engine room income is dependent upon gratuities paid? I believe most Americans have a very narrow view of tips and gratuities that aren’t consistent with how they are treated worldwide.

Rob; I never realized your occurrence was an option. When we upgraded, in the past, it was always for the remainder of our cruise. I never knew that only upgrading to the end of somebody else’s segment was an option. So upgrading for possibly only two days, in the middle of your cruise, losing the upgrade for a few days because some segment ends, and then upgrading again is a possibility? Never explained to us that way! Always learning!!

Drink package questions vary depending upon the cruise. Our last cruise was a combo of a 7 & 10 day cruise. That meant two Captain Parties and two repeater parties in 17 days. Few sea days. We had one overnight in a port, and thus ate ashore, plus most importantly we were in a tremendous wine production area. No drinks package required. The bin end list was the worst and most unreasonably priced I’ve ever seen on an O cruise. Next cruise is a 20 day single segment cruise. One captain’s party and one repeater party. No overnights and not even a late departure, with six sea days. The math changes. Add to that, we’re social people. We enjoy meeting people and talking with fellow cruisers. We are not in that crowd that only wants to eat alone in restaurants and drink alone in their cabins. That affects the math also. Additionally, there are wine and booze deserts. Places you can’t pick up something ashore to bring back to the cabin. That affects the math. A lot to go into the formula, and we’ve never found the same math on any cruise. There are multiple variables for different people to consider.

Perhaps Robjames, or someone else currently aboard an O ship, could ask their Cruise Director this question and report back. Eliminate speculation.

Getting to regularly see the price increases my customers are seeing on a host of adult beverages, it doesn’t surprise me that a line with massive debt is passing along those increases. On many of its lower tiered wines by the glass NCLH can still use its massive buying power to somewhat control prices there so no increase with the standard package. All sparkling wines ( champagne) are an exception to this and considerable price increases have been seen there, along with supply shortages. ”Hard” liquor is a different story. Not even NCLH’s size is going to blunt those increases in cost. Therefore, for hard liquor and the Premium Package a $10/day increase is not outrageous. Wish it wasn’t so, but!!!

There are a few ports or cruise line terminals that won’t allow entrance until one’s assigned boarding time as designated on their boarding documents. In practice, there are very few of these. I have never found requesting a 14:00-15:00 boarding time to be problematic at all. After an enjoyable lunch of local cuisine, we arrive to find virtually no check in line and our cabin ready for occupancy.

Do you still pay gratuities, or do you get PPG which means no gratuities are actually paid? I wish people would stop confusing a cruise ship with a restaurant. On a cruise ship employee compensation is set by rank and years of service. Their pay is not determined by how many are cruising or how many are paying the add on gratuity. From my understanding, the general gratuities paid goes into a general welfare fund that Oceania doles out, as it sees fit, for employee recognition awards and type functions. Unlike a restaurant, gratuities paid are not part of their established compensation. I have been told by two different butlers, Any tips given directly to employees , for exceptional service, are retained by those employees on Oceania. This is not the case on all cruise lines.

We have given cash tips directly to a number of the waitstaff over the years. This includes not only our room attendants and butler, but also bartenders and certain waiters that all went above and beyond on a repeated basis. We don’t leave the tip at the table nor add it to the bill. We find the waitstaff later and individually give them cash. The only exception to this is Privee. Our groups will normally leave cash for that group of waiters to split up amongst themselves in the privacy of the room. We tip what we want to whom we want directly to the individuals.

Redtravel; I believe your comments echo what myself and others have been saying. Inconsistency is the primary issue today, more so than last decade! We had some great meals, a couple poor meals, and many just OK meals. Didn’t go hungry, but that’s not the issue.

Pre Covid is SO last decade! Full ship during Boardamania (12:00) current era. Pretty well sums it up.

Yes. Watched people doing it. You’re not excluded for being computer illiterate! 🤫 Just as a convenience to others, if you don’t pre register, I’d do your fellow cruisers a favor and not do Boardamania. Wait until 2:00 or so to board, the lines will be gone, and the clerical staff will have plenty of time to assist you. Enjoy your cruise!

In that Tuscan Steak appeared to be regularly overbooked on our cruise, I’m to the opinion that the issue is no longer a computer glitch, but a determined new policy of Oceania. Those sitting at the reservation desk obviously know how many are booked at each time slot. Does Oceania believe that allowing more customers into a Specialty , at the expense of service , represents a positive for customer satisfaction? I’m sure the answer is highly variable for passengers. Some appear to want a Specialty every night regardless of service. Others of us would rather have fewer but more exceptional experiences.

PH and above normally sell out quickly. No recognizable reason to change.