Not enough Bar Staff

[firemanbobswife]

So I understand. We have never sailed on a Carnival ship so my comments are for RCCL.

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

 

Maybe you should try it. You might like it! Go for a Havana cabin on the Vista.

[grapau27]

We are Brits and TBH when we were younger we would nightclub till 2 am but we just don't fancy the raucous atmosphere I have read about on these ships.I heard it is mainly boisterous Americans on these ships and we have had some great times in the company of Americans but now prefer our perks on RCCL ships or P&O.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[firemanbobswife]

We are Brits and TBH when we were younger we would nightclub till 2 am but we just don't fancy the raucous atmosphere I have read about on these ships.I heard it is mainly boisterous Americans on these ships and we have had some great times in the company of Americans but now prefer our perks on RCCL ships or P&O.

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

 

I have never been the party type and neither has my mom. She prefers Carnival over Celebrity and she's in her late 60s. Don't believe everything you hear.

[IntrepidFromDC]

On my last cruise, drinks were free (they attach another card to your sail and sign card to show the server), and when the server came I would still have to sign the check but the amount was $0.00. That made it easy to tip $2.50 per drink because the automatic gratuity on the $0.00 check was $0.00.

 

By the third day, there were a few servers tripping over each other trying to serve me as my glass got down to 1/3 full and I thought it seemed odd because I wasn't special but it seemed like they were more eager to serve me than others sitting at the same poker table. At one point I told one server who seemed to shadow me that I was waiting for another guy, and he said "But Mr. Jeff I was the first one to bring your special drink."

 

I asked a manager why it seemed like I was getting VIP treatment from servers. He said the gratuity on the drink is pooled, but the additional tipped amount a customer adds is not pooled - goes to the individual server, and the wait staff are very keen to remember drink choices (mine is 2 parts pear-infused vodka with 1 part St. Germain :p) for people who regularly write a tip in of $1 or more.

[grapau27]

Thanks I always thought you should never judge a book by its cover.I am genuinely pleased for you and your mam but we like central park on Harmony and all our freebies on RC as Diamond and next cruise D+ woo us and on P&O the English hoppy beers and 7.5% discount on everything for our loyalty and no drinks autogratuities and sailing from England pleases us.

I will take on board what you said and if the right Carnival cruise comes up in Europe I will remembere what you said

 

love sailing with RCCL

[firemanbobswife]

Thanks I always thought you should never judge a book by its cover.I am genuinely pleased for you and your mam but we like central park on Harmony and all our freebies on RC as Diamond and next cruise D+ woo us and on P&O the English hoppy beers and 7.5% discount on everything for our loyalty and no drinks autogratuities and sailing from England pleases us.

I will take on board what you said and if the right Carnival cruise comes up in Europe I will remembere what you said

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

 

Sounds good. You may want to look into Horizon when she debuts over there. If you can, go for the Havana cabins. Either the Cabanas or Extended Aft Balconies. I think that would be right up your alley. I'm looking forward to ours on the 19th!

[grapau27]

On my last cruise, drinks were free (they attach another card to your sail and sign card to show the server), and when the server came I would still have to sign the check but the amount was $0.00. That made it easy to tip $2.50 per drink because the automatic gratuity on the $0.00 check was $0.00.

 

By the third day, there were a few servers tripping over each other trying to serve me as my glass got down to 1/3 full and I thought it seemed odd because I wasn't special but it seemed like they were more eager to serve me than others sitting at the same poker table. At one point I told one server who seemed to shadow me that I was waiting for another guy, and he said "But Mr. Jeff I was the first one to bring your special drink."

 

I asked a manager why it seemed like I was getting VIP treatment from servers. He said the gratuity on the drink is pooled, but the additional tipped amount a customer adds is not pooled - goes to the individual server, and the wait staff are very keen to remember drink choices (mine is 2 parts pear-infused vodka with 1 part St. Germain :p) for people who regularly write a tip in of $1 or more.

If they are bringing your drinks to your table I always give a tip my gripe was when the waiters never came and you had to go to the bar yourself and they still got the drinks on RC 18% autogratuity.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[NHNEV2003]

We've never had a problem getting drinks--inside or outside.

[grapau27]

Sounds good. You may want to look into Horizon when she debuts over there. If you can, go for the Havana cabins. Either the Cabanas or Extended Aft Balconies. I think that would be right up your alley. I'm looking forward to ours on the 19th!

Thank you for your kind advice I will get a carnival brochure from my travel agents next week and have a look.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

Sounds good. You may want to look into Horizon when she debuts over there. If you can, go for the Havana cabins. Either the Cabanas or Extended Aft Balconies. I think that would be right up your alley. I'm looking forward to ours on the 19th!

Hope you have a fantastic cruise

 

love sailing with RCCL

[beerman2]

I have replied to this post once but if I am waiting to be served at the bar and someone then comes and trys to get served before me it ain't going to happen full stop.The person will know and so will the bartender that isn't going to happen so you keep your money you think you need to shell out.

 

love sailing with RCCL

Bullying will get you nowhere! I'm mid 60's , also knees ache daily with arthritis and don't feel entitled to anything.

 

Getting waited on with bartenders is a game some play it better. And show me just 1 bartender on a cruise or at your local bar/pub who doesn't like CASH!

 

You treat them right they will treat you right, it's about having the right attitude!

[LzyCruiser_NWA]

Oh wait you're talking about tipping the bartenders? Do you not tip at bars on land if you order at the bar?

But bars on land don't automatically include tips in their pricing like cruise lines does?

[firemanbobswife]

Hope you have a fantastic cruise

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

 

Thanks! And I look forward to hearing you booked Horizon and that you really like it [emoji4].

[grapau27]

Bullying will get you nowhere! I'm mid 60's , also knees ache daily with arthritis and don't feel entitled to anything.

 

Getting waited on with bartenders is a game some play it better. And show me just 1 bartender on a cruise or at your local bar/pub who doesn't like CASH!

 

You treat them right they will treat you right, it's about having the right attitude!

Who is bullying? Not me.I don't want to be served before someone in front of me but I don't expect someone to just turn up and expect to get served because they think they have bribed the barman to serve them first. We are on holiday to enjoy ourselves and I will stand in a queue but my original post was if you are paying a drinks autogratuity it is reasonable to expect a waiter to earn it by getting the drink for you.This was followed by some arrogant persons offensive post against me which I took offense with.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[beerman2]

Who is bullying? Not me.I don't want to be served before someone in front of me but I don't expect someone to just turn up and expect to get served because they think they have bribed the barman to serve them first. We are on holiday to enjoy ourselves and I will stand in a queue but my original post was if you are paying a drinks autogratuity it is reasonable to expect a waiter to earn it by getting the drink for you.This was followed by some arrogant persons offensive post against me which I took offense with.

 

love sailing with RCCL

If yòu go back and read your post #45. Your insinuation that you would take action certainly implies that.

 

And you made it known you are an ex boxer. Isn't that like saying DON'T mess with me?

[grapau27]

If yòu go back and read your post #45. Your insinuation that you would take action certainly implies that.

 

And you made it known you are an ex boxer. Isn't that like saying DON'T mess with me?

Everyone who knows me knows that I am very tolerent and hate bullys. I wait my turn and am always polite to the extreme but I take offense when people are disrespectful especially towards me and only take action as a last resort.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

Bullying will get you nowhere! I'm mid 60's , also knees ache daily with arthritis and don't feel entitled to anything.

 

Getting waited on with bartenders is a game some play it better. And show me just 1 bartender on a cruise or at your local bar/pub who doesn't like CASH!

 

You treat them right they will treat you right, it's about having the right attitude!

I am 60 and have arthritis in my knees and hip, but everyone seems to be getting away from the point that if you want a drink the cruise line should have enough waiters to bring your drinks to your table as you have already given an extra 18%(RC) tip on top of an inflated drink price and it is wrong to then expect customers to do the waiters job and give extra to be served first at the bar.

 

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

But bars on land don't automatically include tips in their pricing like cruise lines does?

Good point, in England it is very unusual to tip bar staff just for drinks but on a ship or when we visit Florida I do as the Americans say they do and tip very well.

 

love sailing with RCCL