No more open bar in the Diamond Lounge

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, Yorkshire-Pudding said:

I was not suggesting you thought we were mean per sey, although I am from a part of England which is renown for not parting with their money. It's almost sport amongst Yorkshire folks about how tight fisted we can be. 

 

The problem as I see it is Royal operates globally but seems to struggle with differing customs and practice amongst its international guests and the losers are the dedicated crew who may not always appreciate that tipping means different things to different geographies. On my last ex UK cruise, some crew mentioned others did not want to be deployed on UK sailings because they would not make enough in tips.

 

I know my favorite masseuse didn't want to travel with Oasis a few years ago for her Med season for that very reason. She ended up moving to Harmony to stay in US

[John&LaLa]

38 minutes ago, fenton04 said:

we went to the south of France and if you want it done right.  Have a spoon with a sugar cube in it. Slowly pour the Absinthe and Absinthe only over the sugar cube into the glass.  Drink it straight and you will feel the curative  powers!  Vincent Van  Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Edouard Manet is pretty much of a testament to the benefits of Absinthe.😇

 

Green Fairy

[not-enough-cruising]

7 hours ago, fenton04 said:

That what my point was going to be.  We just got off the Serenade of the Seas Alaska cruise, and gratuities were not included.  Kind of a heads up to future Serenade of the Seas diamond cruisers.

Gratuity has never been included on any C&A benefit drinks. 

[fenton04]

21 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Gratuity has never been included on any C&A benefit drinks. 

Yes that is true.  But now when you go to a bar you do not get the sheet of paper you would normally sign,  Now we are our of that magic 4 to eight time frame.  When the waiter drops off your drink  that's it.  The diamonds I was with some of them missed that.  Just sayin.....

[crzndeb]

I’m normally a Dirty Gin Martini drinker in the evening, so even during the old happy hour, I wasn’t gulping down martini after martini. That would not have been a pretty sight, and as I’ve gotten older, I know my limits. There were occasions, I could possibly do 3, if I was doing a Cosmo or Lemon Drop.

The vouchers will work perfect for me, and being a solo, I can take 2 bottles of wine. I’m on a B2B to Alaska in Oct. and I’m not really a day drinker, especially in colder temps. However, I might be up for a spiked coffee drink or Hot Toddy (showing my age).

Edited September 15, 2021 by crzndeb

[sgmn]

19 hours ago, Yorkshire-Pudding said:

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by sgmn

[rbschultz]

20 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Back on topic.  I am delighted to see that so many positive comments for the new voucher system. Usually these types of changes result in Hell and Damnation towards the cruise line. 

Because it is a legitimately excellent change whereas many of the loyalty perks over the years have been watered down.