A Complete Celebrity Disaster!

[EssexGary]

Folks, if you have a second - go and check out my thread on Celebrity, titled "second seating waitlist? already?"

 

It is a sorry tale of me trying to spread my wings and book a trip on the new Solstice.... only to cancel it and return to my beloved QM2... makes for a good read!!

 

You'll be glad to hear that normal service has resumed and we will be on board QM2 January 09...

 

Let me know what you think!!!

Gary

[cruisegal101]

Folks, if you have a second - go and check out my thread on Celebrity, titled "second seating waitlist? already?"

 

It is a sorry tale of me trying to spread my wings and book a trip on the new Solstice.... only to cancel it and return to my beloved QM2... makes for a good read!!

 

You'll be glad to hear that normal service has resumed and we will be on board QM2 January 09...

 

Let me know what you think!!!

Gary

 

Have you booked the Jan 3 sailing? If so, join in the roll call. There are quite a few CC members on this sailing.

 

Bettie

[ocngypz]

The Jan 4 late seating for AQ has been waitlisted for months, sorry to say.

 

And since there is only one QM2 Caribbean sailing in January... then we're all on the same sailing!!!

[EssexGary]

Have you booked the Jan 3 sailing? If so, join in the roll call. There are quite a few CC members on this sailing.

 

Bettie

 

 

Thanks Bettie - I just joined!!

[Guest Anorak33]

Isn't it a bit early to call it a disaster?

 

I have found in the past that introducing the Maitre D' to a President usually sorts things out (you may not even have to do that), go and see him asap after boarding.

 

Quite often some passengers are just allocated late dining and don't want it, being elderly, diabetic, young families or whatever reason, and spaces open up on the day, or at least the day after sailing.

[mufi]

You can expect this sort of situation on most ships. We have certainly had this with Cunard in the past, and a Mauritania diner can't dine with friends who are in Caronia.

 

As for the $100 suggestion, this is an American wind up attempt on an Essex boy.

 

David.

[Druke I]

Disaster is somewhat overly dramatic!

[EssexGary]

Hey, we're cruisers.... not having a mint-leaf on your cherry crepe is a disaster for us....

[cruisegal101]

You can expect this sort of situation on most ships. We have certainly had this with Cunard in the past, and a Mauritania diner can't dine with friends who are in Caronia.

 

As for the $100 suggestion, this is an American wind up attempt on an Essex boy.

 

David.

 

No, this is a person who gives $50 tips ahead of service to insure service according to previous posts here. Not something that most Americans find very charming.

[cruisegal101]

Hey, we're cruisers.... not having a mint-leaf on your cherry crepe is a disaster for us....

 

 

LOL--good one! Looking forward to sailing with you and your friend.:)

[SeaMatesNYC]

Hey, we're cruisers.... not having a mint-leaf on your cherry crepe is a disaster for us....

 

Welcome to the most anticipated sailing of QM2 for all of 2009 (Jan3 Southern Caribbean Calypso - a/k/a The Champagne Collective)! As an aside, I do believe that mint is an endangered plant.;) My husband-to-be and I will be celebrating our honeymoon on this voyage, so large bouquets of flowers and bottles of bubbly will be most appreciated! Seriously, we look forward to seeing you onboard and are glad you have chosen to join us all in a grand celebratory journey!

 

Michael

[bobnatt]

No, this is a person who gives $50 tips ahead of service to insure service according to previous posts here. Not something that most Americans find very charming.

 

Maybe in the Commonwealth of Virginia but New York area folks find it very appropriate.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Maybe in the Commonwealth of Virginia but New York area folks find it very appropriate.

 

Bob, you can't speak for all of us. Certainly, not these Manhattan folk. Not even remotely appropriate. I would go with the Commonwealth's traditions of decorum and etiquette any day over the TRI-State area, including Conn.;) Shame on any Maitre D' on Cunard or any other line who was a party to bribery.

 

Again, welcome, Gary! We will see you in Princess Grill (unless we or you get upgraded:) )

 

Michael

[NomDePlume]

Bob, while I know that I am wasting my time in this, tips are for exceptional service after the the services are performed. Tips prior to performance and service are a bribe. There is no other word for it. And I don't believe that regional difference in the US really have an effect on what is in good taste and what is not. If you choose to tip prior to service have at it but as I've said before it is an insult to service workers based on conversations that I have had with onboard personnel. And I've never had any problem in getting the table that I want without a bribe. There's a good old Southern saying about the difference in what you get between using honey or vinegar.

 

Exactly--that's what he's there for! No bribe needed.

But I expect Bob will want the last word--as usual.

[cruisegal101]

Exactly--that's what he's there for! No bribe needed.

 

But I expect Bob will want the last word--as usual.

 

 

To the best of my knowledge and recollection there is only one person who has posted anything about pre-service tips on the Cunard threads. It would seem to me this alone would be overwhelming that such action is not in good taste and is just not the done thing. Surely everyone else could not be wrong and only one person correct.:confused: :confused: :confused:

[EssexGary]

Michael - looking forward to meeting you guys. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptuals... ps - I'll die if you get a Q cabin and we don't....!!!!!

 

Bettie - you too (on the meeting you part, not the nuptuals!)

 

Now, on to tipping. Cunard attempts to be British in its style and etiquette - there is NOTHING more un-British than tipping before service (actually, us Brits are lousy tippers even after the event!). I consider bribe-tipping to be rude and worst of all - sends a message to the person giving the service that you dont trust them to perform in the first place. This can be really demotivating.

 

Human nature says that you will work harder, better, faster and more passionately if there is a reward at the end, especially if you don't know just how much £ that reward could be.

[bobnatt]

To the best of my knowledge and recollection there is only one person who has posted anything about pre-service tips on the Cunard threads. It would seem to me this alone would be overwhelming that such action is not in good taste and is just not the done thing. Surely everyone else could not be wrong and only one person correct.:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

Yeah, like Christopher Columbus was wrong when he said the world was round and everyone else said the world was flat....

[stowaway2k]

Yeah, like Christopher Columbus was wrong when he said the world was round and everyone else said the world was flat....

 

Ah, that must be why he couldn't find his way... :eek:

[NomDePlume]

Yeah, like Christopher Columbus was wrong when he said the world was round and everyone else said the world was flat....

 

The fact still remains, as a friend reminded me only this morning, that the really simple point is that, no matter how good it turns out to be,

service that is paid for in advance is the very antithesis of "exceptional service". After all, it's no more than you paid for.

[Blazerboy]

New Englanders, while known for parsimony and puritan thought, are oft said to possess good manners (quietly demonstrated rather than loudy announced) and decent knowledge of etiquette.

 

But what is not often known is that New Englanders have long considered only the Eastern half of Connecticut (to the East of the Connecticut River) to be part of New England. The Western part seems to have more in common with its membership in the "Tri-State area."

 

Of course, now that Connecticut has casinos, perhaps the whole state belongs more with the New Jersey/New York/Connecticut culture than that of old Yankee New England.

 

Tipping in advance does seem to be more a "Las Vegas/Atlantic City" phenomenon (and like places), so perhaps those Indian Gaming folks have had an influence.

 

Andrew

[Guest Anorak33]

I do think that tipping before service is definitely a bribe. Very popular I gather in the US to give a $20 on checkin to hotel desk clerks to insure a nice/nicer room. Also ( or more) in booked out restaurants in many US cities to get a table at all.

 

I've never resorted to it personally, probably explains why my hotel room has roaches and I end up eating at BurgerKing.

 

Although this thread is on a Cunard forum the Op was concerned with Celebrity if I am not mistaken. I have never sailed Celebrity but I believe they were a Greek line (still have Greek Officers?) and as such fall outside the normal rules which would apply to Cunard.

 

I would hope that passengers who sail Cunard would be Ladies and Gentlemen and that the Maitre D' would be sure of being properly rewarded for any extra services provided and not being stiffed! So no need to introduce the Maitre D' on Cunard to a President on embarkation.

[GAV BOY]

I always get my chosen table :) without pre -tipping but i always post tip :D

 

Having said that Bob you are entitled to your own opinion of course ;) but a few posters on here sadly do not seem to grasp this concept as i have come to realise. :eek:

 

Gav :cool:

[Jimsgirl]

Bobnatt,

 

I can only say tht on my recent Cunard cruise of 24 days, my on board statement certainly did contain a quote"hotel charge" i.e tipps, for every day on board

 

I wish the cost was included but it was not. Have two more Cunard cruises booked, would certainly be glad to know where you found the "included" comment, as nothing on my invoices indicate that the price includes gratuity, perhaps this is only for UK cruisers.

[Blazerboy]

Hmmm. Apparently some are entitled to their opinion, and the rest of us not?

 

And, having sailed Celebrity many times, and being from the US, I can assure you that in the circles in which I travel, "pre-tipping" or a "bribe" or what ever label you give it, is NOT the norm for either the cruise line or the country.

 

Andrew

[Guest Anorak33]

Hmmm. Apparently some are entitled to their opinion, and the rest of us not?

 

And, having sailed Celebrity many times, and being from the US, I can assure you that in the circles in which I travel, "pre-tipping" or a "bribe" or what ever label you give it, is NOT the norm for either the cruise line or the country.

 

Andrew

 

Maybe that's why you are travelling in circles and not getting anywhere? (ROFLMAO)