Questions for More Experienced Cruisers

[Coralc]

We just did a B2B on Serenade. Our favorite bar server was there for both weeks. In addition to tipping for most drinks, we gave him a small tip for week 1 and a larger one for week 2. Our fabulous room steward didn't even leave tip envelopes on the first week. We gave him a large tip for both weeks at the end of the second. As an add on to the pre-paid gratuities. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Coralc

[lovesthebeach2]

I’ll admit I haven’t read all the  comments on this thread yet.

To the OP, I think you received your answer to the when to tip question on a B2B.

 

1. Regarding Pins and the “pin”, we know or have met Pins and were told that they were asked to wear them I think they said by Royal, as a form of advertisement. So people may ask questions to them, in the hopes that they will also want to reach that status. 

 

2. We have friends that used their D+ status to complain in such ways, that WE felt we needed to apologize to the LA or MDR servers on the aside because of their behavior. But they have also had that same behavior outside of ships in everyday life. So we have made the choice to no longer travel or socialize with them. Entitled behavior - like a virus -  goes well beyond cruise ships, and takes many forms.
 

[topnole]

2 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I’ll admit I haven’t read all the  comments on this thread yet.

To the OP, I think you received your answer to the when to tip question on a B2B.

 

1. Regarding Pins and the “pin”, we know or have met Pins and were told that they were asked to wear them I think they said by Royal, as a form of advertisement. So people may ask questions to them, in the hopes that they will also want to reach that status. 

 

2. We have friends that used their D+ status to complain in such ways, that WE felt we needed to apologize to the LA or MDR servers on the aside because of their behavior. But they have also had that same behavior outside of ships in everyday life. So we have made the choice to no longer travel or socialize with them. Entitled behavior - like a virus -  goes well beyond cruise ships, and takes many forms.
 

You have surely met pinnacles who have told you they are asked to wear their pin.  How accurate that is?   Who knows.  But why on earth would someone who views the status as something they spent a ton of money on or work hard want to be used as a walking advertisement or a Walmart greeter?   And frankly, a typical adult doesn’t see someone walking around with a name badge on and think I want to be like them.  Add to that 99+% of cruisers will never come close or even desire to come close to 700 points.  If they wanted advertising and to motivate new cruisers to strive for a level, they would ask diamonds to wear their diamond pins since that level is a very reasonable target and provides some nice perks.   
 

I met a really nice couple last cruise and we began chatting over a few days time.  Turns out they were pinnacles.  They were seemingly quite happy with Royal and the service they get.  They sort of laughed at the pin and said they would never wear it.  

[alfaeric]

13 hours ago, topnole said:

It’s definitely a mixture.  Status most definitely moderates the relationship.   

Status is what people notice. That’s why it seems so common. You just call a jerk rude when they are that way on their first cruise. 
 

But if you want to project onto others, it’s your vacation and money. 

[topnole]

3 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

Status is what people notice. That’s why it seems so common. You just call a jerk rude when they are that way on their first cruise. 
 

But if you want to project onto others, it’s your vacation and money. 

Well, it isn’t even just being purposefully rude.  When those at a certain status level hog staff time so others are

limited, it annoys people.  I think that is why some staff apparently get really annoyed with them. It isn’t that they are rude to them, just oblivious of to the fact that they aren’t the only person who needs service.  Just socially unaware.   I’m sure in some cases it is just a lack of caring about others.  But a pinnacle wearing a badge kind of stands out so the attributions take hold.  Nobody know who is Diamond or not because they don’t walk around wearing their pin every day. 
 

Similarly, you see star class folks wearing their purple bands or a lanyard

making sure their purple card shows.  Some are clearly flaunting them like peacocks.  To each their own.  

[alfaeric]

25 minutes ago, topnole said:

Well, it isn’t even just being purposefully rude.  When those at a certain status level hog staff time so others are

limited, it annoys people.  I think that is why some staff apparently get really annoyed with them. It isn’t that they are rude to them, just oblivious of to the fact that they aren’t the only person who needs service.  Just socially unaware.   I’m sure in some cases it is just a lack of caring about others.  But a pinnacle wearing a badge kind of stands out so the attributions take hold.  Nobody know who is Diamond or not because they don’t walk around wearing their pin every day. 
 

Similarly, you see star class folks wearing their purple bands or a lanyard

making sure their purple card shows.  Some are clearly flaunting them like peacocks.  To each their own.  

Sorry that we bother to get to know the crew and treat them like real people. 
 

But I still find it so amusing that you go out of your way to not only notice people wearing their status, but you even project some behavior of theirs. If that’s what you waste your vacation time and money on, it’s yours to waste. 

 

Makes me really proud to wear my pin and have a lanyard with my gold card just to bother people like you. It’s pretty awesome how you let me bother you with some really simple triggers. 

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

Sorry that we bother to get to know the crew and treat them like real people. 
 

But I still find it so amusing that you go out of your way to not only notice people wearing their status, but you even project some behavior of theirs. If that’s what you waste your vacation time and money on, it’s yours to waste. 

 

Makes me really proud to wear my pin and have a lanyard with my gold card just to bother people like you. It’s pretty awesome how you let me bother you with some really simple triggers. 

It doesn’t bother me, I’m a grown adult with a career and a family.  You could wear a pin on a Speedo to dinner and it wouldn’t bother me.  Now I’d laugh, but it wouldn’t bother me.  So you’ll have to enjoy trying to bother others.  Sad existence if that is what you really aim to do. 

[cruisegirl1]

22 hours ago, crusnbee said:

Coming off a Serenade cruise a few weeks ago. I saw some things and I wanted to ask questions about them.

 

1. I know when you are Pinnacle you get a pin with your name. Is it customary to wear these all of the time?

2. If you are doing a B2B, do you tip everyone at the end of each leg, or a larger tip at the end of everything? I guess this question assumes experienced cruisers mostly tip above the included.

 

Thanks!

CG

Some wear pins all the time and others not at all. It is their preference, and it doesn't matter to me what they decide to do.    I fall in the middle and wear one when checking in/boarding, so I am easily directed to the proper lines or waiting areas.   I wear it at Pinnacle lunch.    The strangest was a few years ago when a MDR wait staff learned from the Head Waiter that we were Pinnacle (not wearing pins).  He asked us to wear the pins, so his colleagues saw that he was waiting on Pinnacle guests.  (small ship and just a few Pinnacles on board).    His request seemed silly to me, but we graciously accommodated his ask. We put the pins on when seated and took then off at the end of the meal.   Except for this instance, we've never been asked or told to wear the pins.   We prefer to not wear then around the ship.

 

I do see quite a few passengers wearing their other level C&A pins.  

 

As for B2B,  we ALWAYS tip at the end of each leg as we never know if staff will be moved for the next leg. 

 

M

Edited April 25, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[cruisegirl1]

And I've seen a couple wearing a gold rectangle "Pinnacle in Training" badge that looked like a Pinnacle badge. So, wearing the badge must have some allure to folks.    And then recently saw a Pinnacle badge different from all others. I learned that the person was a new Pinnacle, but had not yet received their badge, so they wore a privately made badge.  I guess that badge was important to these folks as well.

 

M

 

 

 

[alfaeric]

6 hours ago, topnole said:

It doesn’t bother me, I’m a grown adult with a career and a family.  You could wear a pin on a Speedo to dinner and it wouldn’t bother me.  Now I’d laugh, but it wouldn’t bother me.  So you’ll have to enjoy trying to bother others.  Sad existence if that is what you really aim to do. 

It bothers you so little that you spend time posting about it. Got it. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t notice nor post about it. 
 

I’m amused that it bothers people. Hilarious that you give people so much power. 

[topnole]

7 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

It bothers you so little that you spend time posting about it. Got it. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t notice nor post about it. 
 

I’m amused that it bothers people. Hilarious that you give people so much power. 

Boy it sure bothers you that I’m not bothered.  Don’t confuse awareness of something with it bothering someone.  I notice pretty much everything.  Always have.  Doesn’t mean much of what I see bothers me.  In fact your posts have me cracking up and feeling pity for you,

not feeling upset.  But go ahead and get yourself off on feeling like you bothered someone if it makes you feel good. I don’t mind one bit and I’m used to seeing it because I have young kids who try to annoy each other all the time. Such is the norm for a kid.  But good luck trying to annoying someone else.  I’m guessing you’ll have better odds trying to troll others.