Just Returned From Eclipse

[jsea]

We highly recommend taking the "fjord safari" while in Flåm. The trip enables you to experience some stretches of the fjords not accessible to large cruise ships. Beautiful villages are nestled along the water.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g230076-d3522710-Reviews-FjordSafari-Flam_Aurland_Municipality_Sogn_og_Fjordane_Western_Norway.html

 

Nærøyfjord

[jsea]

Southampton

 

The Lawn Club... a favorite spot.

 

Geiranger

 

Djupvasshytta (near Geiranger)

 

Alesund

[3Kittens]

Luv your pics !

[Tudorcruisers]

fabulous photos, much better than mine.

[xxpinksaltxx]

Wow your photos are absolutely stunning.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

[Ruthk]

The first few times we sailed we asked the same standard questions that I am sure many ask because they are interested, but that doesn't make it right. I than realized that the crew doesn't ask us how much we make or how we are paid. Is there any where else that you feel comfortable or would even ask how much someone is paid or how much they make?

 

I no longer ask or really care. They have agreed to a contract and what it is is their business. I pay the gratuities as required and if I feel that more is earned than I will compensate as I feel. How it is distributed doesn't matter.

 

 

 

 

Miched - I agree with you 100%!!! Couldn't have said it better.

[yoj13]

I no longer ask or really care. They have agreed to a contract and what it is is their business. I pay the gratuities as required and if I feel that more is earned than I will compensate as I feel. How it is distributed doesn't matter.

 

 

Hi,

I agree with the above mostly, but for me I do care how it is distributed.

Firstly, it is my money and I am paying my cabin steward, diningroom waiter etc., etc., for their services and I would be genuinely upset if I thought it was going elsewhere and not to the staff I thought it was for.

 

 

]

[terrierjohn]

I no longer ask or really care. They have agreed to a contract and what it is is their business. I pay the gratuities as required and if I feel that more is earned than I will compensate as I feel. How it is distributed doesn't matter.

 

 

Hi,

I agree with the above mostly, but for me I do care how it is distributed.

Firstly, it is my money and I am paying my cabin steward, diningroom waiter etc., etc., for their services and I would be genuinely upset if I thought it was going elsewhere and not to the staff I thought it was for.

 

 

]

Your gratuities are going to make up the wages of all the staff who are on low wage contracts, to make their wages up to an acceptable standard. This has always been the case on most cruise lines, even when tips were handed over in cash they were shared out to other staff members.

Yes it might be better if these gratuities were included in the basic price of the cruise, but since the practise is industry wide I imagine the cruise lines have good reasons to maintain this system. IMO it would probably lead to much higher overall prices once the bean counters started adding overheads to these "extra" wages, so I am happy to observe the practise and pay the full auto tips, plus a little extra to those staff who give me a little extra.

Edited September 15, 2014 by terrierjohn