Ergates The Ant

The prices for all the drinks and internet packages for my cruise next week have been fluctuating wildly. The internet I purchased was half the initial quotes. They keep announcing Flash sales, sometimes they go down, sometimes they don’t! We’ll pay our way for drinks, especially as we may have some ashore, and I prefer to drink the water on the ship rather out of bottles. It looked as if members with Captains Club status may get different offers?

Thanks, lv2cruisgrl, that’s very helpful.

Never suggested removing the ‘tips’, why would you say that? The service charge has to be labelled optional to those booking in the UK, as otherwise it would have to be included in the overall price. This resulted from a consumer law change after the low cost airlines were advertising ridiculously low prices and then charging for compulsory extras, I believe it was contravening Trades Descriptions acts. ( or something like that, hopefully readers will get the general idea) I still think it would be the decent thing to recognise the efforts of the lowest paid workers with a proper guaranteed wage in the first place. If gratuities can be included in the fare from Australia, it can be done from the UK. And of course it wouldn’t make any difference to the overall cost, which will just look higher. I’m perfectly capable of adding up the charges needed to see the total cost of the cruise. But if the ‘gratuity’ is, and should be, an essential part of the cruise cost, then add it in to start with, and remove the possibilities of misleading passengers and depriving the crew. This should apply to cruises out of the UK, as American cruisers have grown up with their system and are accustomed to it. No further comment from me.

The Celebrity cruise App is slowly getting populated in readiness for our cruise to Norway next week. However there is nothing yet showing for shows in the main theatre, just The Club, and no sign of any daytime lectures. I’m assuming there will actually be some, not just sales opportunities for fancy watches or coloured ( ie flawed!) diamonds!

Thanks for that information, Arizona Wildcat. Sad that so few states treat service workers with the same privileges that others enjoy. It’s the shame that all the cruise lines operating out of the UK don’t employ the same gratuities included policy that they do out of Australia. I just find it bizarre that I am quoted an often very high price for a cruise, and then discover that I’m supposed to pay extra for elements that I would have reasonably expected to have been included! Just seems ridiculous to me, but I’ve learnt to just roll my eyes and go with the flow! Can’t understand why some of those who get so agitated by anyone who dares to consider withdrawing the ‘optional’ gratuities, don’t do the decent thing and lobby to get the service charges included in the fare. Like nearly every other industry, and most of the world.

Thank you, Markanddonna! I’ll leave my Dyson at home, and manage with what they’ve provided. Tea bags are already in the case! Hope you are having a lovely time. We’ve been watching your progress across the Pond, won’t be long before we will be boarding.

Despite all the aggro, it can be helpful to have some discussion around tipping/ gratuities, whatever it’s referred to. On my first visit to the US, ( nearly 50 years ago) I paid the bill as I would here in the UK but didn’t tip. I was mortified to later discover that the waiting staff relied on the tips as they weren’t paid the full rate. ( I also got caught out a few times trying to give the ‘correct’ cash in shops without realising that the sales tax wasn’t included in the quoted price) So in the US, I follow the custom and pay up the ‘compensation’ to staff for their employers lack of a decent reward for a job done, but I rarely tip extra. And when I am in the UK and Europe, I pay the quoted price for a meal, in the knowledge that the staff who serve it are being paid at least the minimum wage, and their employer is making a contribution to their National Insurance, which in the UK provides them with free healthcare and unemployment benefits. I only tip if I’ve had service above and beyond, and only a couple of pounds, and direct to the individual. And in Europe visiting friends who are locals, I follow their example and just leave the equivalent of the small change. Customs are different wherever one visits, and so I pay a ‘gratuity’ in the US and on US ships, and reserve the right to be horrified if someone suggested to an American visitor that they should tip 20% in Europe! Especially as lower paid workers in the UK can apply for all sorts of extra benefits, which I as a higher tax payer, am subsidising! Sorry for the length of the rant!

Did a couple of cruises on Princess, but not as enjoyable as Celebrity. Didn’t go into the casino on Princess, but the stink of smoke managed to pervade surrounding areas anyway. Celebrity definitely our preferred line on the smoke free front. The Celebrity buffet has always been good, whereas Princess selection was poor, and the serving area was cramped. Preferred the more spacious coffee shops on Princess. Last celebrity cruise, the beverages manager finally realised that the seating area at Il bacio was far too small for the demand for morning coffee for us Brits, and opened a nearby specialty restaurant to accommodate us all!

I’ve only ever been required to prepay gratuities on the UK site, when I was booking anytime dining. There was no availability for anytime dining on my recent booking, only fixed ( late) dining, and I didn’t have to prepay. Usually, I will prepay anyway for convenience, but this time I will have them added daily to my on board account, and pay that with cash, as I have some US dollars left over from a cancelled holiday. What I meant by saying the service charge is included in the prices in the UK, is that the restaurant is entirely responsible for paying the staff wages (plus all the other overheads of providing the meals) unlike the situation in the US.

If the gratuities are included in your fare, you have, IMO, made your contribution. I would only give an extra ‘tip’ to a staff member who had gone out of their way to provide over and above service. A gratuity is added to the cost of every drink you purchase on board, so no need to tip extra.

You won’t make a saving though, as far as I understand. The prices for UK drink packages will be 20% higher, to include the cost of the ‘tips’, ditto the cost of individual drinks on board. A coffee in il Bacio is $5 on our upcoming cruise, whereas I’m sure I’ve seen it previously at $4 plus of course the 20% gratuity. Annoyingly, they don’t do the same with the cruise fare in the UK, so that is an extra added on afterwards. It would make things much simpler here if it was included. If it is a compulsary payment, it has to be included in the overall cost, to comply with UK law. Therefore it has to be deemed a discretionary payment, and as all Brits are used to having the service included as part of the costs of meals out, drinks, or even hotel stays, it’s not surprising that it is regarded as an actual ‘tip’ or little extra for over and above, and often removed in favour of rewarding those who go beyond what would be expected.

Thanks, hope that is the case this time, lydnsyd.

Previous Celebrity cruises from the UK have had kettles in the room. ( for making proper tea) We are on the first cruise after the Transatlantic this month. Does anyone know if Celebrity are still providing these? I’ve just been watching someone’s blog, where they said there was no hairdryer in the room. Never had that before, not planning to pack mine. Also, looking at the drink prices on the App, these seem to be 20% higher, than I’ve seen reported elsewhere. In the past, cruises from UK have included the extras into the quoted costs, as that is what we are accustomed to here ( a legal requirement, in fact) Thanks in advance.

I’ve never been asked for ID using a credit card in Norway. However, in the past, many American credit cards still had to be swiped and a signature supplied. Asssuming you now have cards that require a PIN, or are contactless, that wouldn’t be necessary now.

I would certainly bring my own snorkel and mask if I was into swimming. The whole idea of putting anything in my mouth that had been used by someone else, with no guarantee that it had been properly sterilised ( and I mean sterilised, not disinfected ) would fill me with horror. I would start by looking on line at proper sports shops to get ideas of prices and specifications, and read reviews. Then you’ll be in a better position to find something cheap enough to work well. Depending on where you are boarding your cruise, and whether you have shopping time, I’m sure they will be readily available at beach / sea area shops and supermarkets.

Well, I’ll be setting off soon in an Infinite Balcony cabin for the first time, so I’m still interested in reading the views of those who have already experienced them! Please carry on posting your likes, dislikes and comments. Everyone brings an individual viewpoint, and I’m happy to sift through the posts to pick out the issues that might be relevant to me!

I’m sure the ship and passengers wouldn’t have been in any danger. However, the restriction would likely to have been to preserve and protect the delicate underwater systems of the local marine life. The damage to the environment could be irreparable, and the damage to the already dubious reputation of cruise ships could be far reaching. At a time when cruise lines are having to invest hugely in minimising their environmental impact, and already facing a backlash from ports of call like Venice, and the UNESCO Fjord areas, if the ship did contravene local restrictions, this will and should IMO end badly.

One difference you may notice if that a lot more women will wear skirts and dresses, especially in warmer weather. I visited a big airshow in California in temperatures in the 90s F, and I think I was the only female in a dress despite the heat. Everyone else was wearing either knee length shorts, or even jeans. The current fashion in the UK is to wear dresses, often below knee length, with white trainers with those no show socks. Very practical in warmer weather, cool around the waist and comfortable for walking. And you can wear them into the evening with pretty sandals and a nice necklace. ‘Capri’ trousers tend to be only popular with older ladies, and short shorts for the very much younger. You will see a lot of women in leggings in the UK, despite them only really looking good in smaller sizes.

I’ve never seen a man in a thong on a cruise ship! However, European men often wear fitted bathing suits, like underpants? Speedos? In fact, in France, long swimming shorts used to be banned in public pools , as deemed unhygienic. I don’t know if this is still the case? Another thing you may notice on port calls in European cities, is that many residents will be dressed for work, and will be very smartly dressed indeed. Obviously more relaxed at weekends, but cruise passengers dressed as if they are attending an archeological dig might feel as if they stand out a bit.

I have always printed off our boarding passes, and don’t have a smartphone. I’m assuming the boarding pass will show somewhere in the Celebrity app on my iPad, but that doesn’t have a wifi connection of its own. I hadn’t thought of taking a screenshot as well, but that’s a very sensible suggestion, so I shall do that as well! Nothing like belt and braces!

Have only done one cruise in the US and that was Alaska, so nothing to compare. However I would say that most ladies on board in Europe tend to dress up a little in the evenings, although not to the extent of very formal ballgowns as apparently is common on Cunard. I tend to put on a nice dress or a glittery top with smart trousers. My husband doesn’t dress up but wears tidy shirts and ( long) trousers, and doesn’t look out of place. Always makes me laugh when I see comments about men being required to wear pants in the evenings, as pants usually means underpants in the UK! I also see a lot of comments about men being upset that they can’t wear shorts in the dining rooms in the evenings. Unless you are in the Med in high summer, temperatures in Europe are often lower than expected, and some ‘long pants’ would probably be very welcome indeed!

Thanks, StopThe World, that’s really helpful. We always decline the evening service, but didn’t realise we would get any captains club benefits. Would be nice to get a choice of service time too.

Re the GoGreen programme, there is a link for it on the Celebrity app for our upcoming cruise, but the link doesn’t take me anywhere, just a blank screen. We only want our cabin serviced in the mornings, so presumably I’ll just arrange that with the room steward as usual?

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like I’ve asked how long is a piece of string! On our last Celebrity cruises, just pre Covid, we were able to watch a film most nights, not the just released blockbusters, but recent enough for us not to have seen them. It was a big bonus to be able to start and stop them at will, unlike one other line, where the films started on a strict timetable which was very inconvenient. Not interested in news or sports, or listening to music via the tv. Thanks, Phoenix Dream, I haven’t been criticised yet! We cruise because it’s like staying in a nice hotel, but waking up in a different place every morning! And only having to unpack once! The big advantage of evening entertainment in our cabin is that we can turn down the volume to a sensible level!

On those nights when we are too tired to do anything but relax in the cabin, we do enjoy watching a movie or two. On our past Celebrity cruises, there was a good selection of free to watch, on demand, films etc. Is this still the case, or have Celebrity started to charge for everything? We are sailing out of Southampton in May 2024.