Smoking on your balcony is out! Gratuities are going up.

Just received an e-mail from our TA. Starting in October, smoking will no longer be allowed on balconies:). Gratuities will also be raised to $12.00/day/person:(.

Oh my goodness!! I sincerely hope that smoking ban is true! That would ease my secret worry that I've been keeping from my husband. LOL

Tipping still is pretty reasonable IMO.

I hope that is true, I could then enjoy my balcony more.

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If this is true, then it looks like Carnival feels their crew members "deserve a raise" again. Instead of paying their employees more, they'll happily pass it on to the consumers whenever they "feel" that they "deserve a raise." Or at least, that is the phrase they used in 2011.

Wonder who this goes to. Never happy about the entertainment staff and guest services becoming tipping positions.

Thrilled about the no smoking on balconies! Grants going up doesn't bother me, either. Meeting the prices of the other lines in that respect.

Let's wait until we see something official. We know how these "letters form my TA" thing go.

I am not thrilled about no smoking on balconies. Imagine the casino bar, the entire floor would be a fog of smoke if every smoker went there instead of their room. I sincerely hope they ban it on port side though, then people who smoke can book starboard side balconies (if I remember starboard is the smoking side on deck). Non smokers can use the port side balconies everyone happy.

Oh my goodness!! I sincerely hope that smoking ban is true! That would ease my secret worry that I've been keeping from my husband. LOL

 

Tipping still is pretty reasonable IMO.

I hope this is true too, I have kinda avoided balconies for fear of the smoking, i have asthma and already limit my time in the casino, but have splurged on an aft balcony.

As for the tipping, i always tip extra so not a big deal.

If this is true, then it looks like Carnival feels their crew members "deserve a raise" again. Instead of paying their employees more, they'll happily pass it on to the consumers whenever they "feel" that they "deserve a raise." Or at least, that is the phrase they used in 2011.

I see your point. However, even if Carnival gave their employees actual raises, those costs would still be passed on to the consumer. That's the way business works.

Increases in labor costs = passed on to consumers

Increases in taxes = passed on to consumers

Increases in "costs of doing business" = passed on to consumers

If you, I, or any of us were truly concerned about the low wages and working conditions cruise ship workers endure, we wouldn't cruise. Instead, we all choose to look the other way and continue to cruise. The fact is if the cruise industry paid the rank and file crew members a "livable" wage by American standards, it would be terribly too expensive for most of us to cruise, because again, those costs are passed on to the consumer to absorb.

I am just as guilty. So when I say "we", I truly mean "we".

Please don't think I am attacking you or your post simply because I quoted you. I am just stating the way things are.

If true that would be terrific news. Hate smokers on nearby balconies. As for tipping, Carnival is far from the worst. I seem to recall for some cabins on another cruise line tipping is over $20/day. It isn't fai to single out Carnival.

I hope that some of the increased tip goes to the security guys. I get off and on the ship at every port, and sometimes I forget to tip them.

Does anyone know if they will expand the casino and increase its hours to accommodate the smokers?

If this is true, I will do a happy dance all the way to Port Canaveral for my October cruise!! To be able to enjoy my balcony without the smokescreen from surrounding balconies would make me ecstatic.:D

I can live with the small increase in gratuities!

I hope that some of the increased tip goes to the security guys. I get off and on the ship at every port, and sometimes I forget to tip them.

 

Does anyone know if they will expand the casino and increase its hours to accommodate the smokers?

Yes they are making the DRs smaller and enlarging the casinos.

I hope that some of the increased tip goes to the security guys. I get off and on the ship at every port, and sometimes I forget to tip them.

 

Does anyone know if they will expand the casino and increase its hours to accommodate the smokers?

Let's go ahead and add the captain to the tip pool while we're at it... after all, you're suggesting to add security to it. We already have Guest Services and the entertainment staff.

How soon until everyone prepays their tips at the $11.50 rate and starting 10 page threads that they were grandfathered into the $11.50 rate instead of the $12 rate like last time, but yet tip extra onboard? If you're tipping extra regardless, there is no point to tell everyone that you're grandfathered in at 50 cents less, per person per day.

Let's go ahead and add the captain to the tip pool while we're at it... after all, you're suggesting to add security to it. We already have Guest Services and the entertainment staff.

 

How soon until everyone prepays their tips at the $11.50 rate and starting 10 page threads that they were grandfathered into the $11.50 rate instead of the $12 rate like last time, but yet tip extra onboard? If you're tipping extra regardless, there is no point to tell everyone that you're grandfathered in at 50 cents less, per person per day.

Entertainment staff can start getting tips when they are actually entertaining.

I'd tip a dollar a day per person for the Captain and senior staff to ensure they get the most qualified people possible!

Sorry, I meant a dollar per person per cruise. Not a dollar a day.

The response I got from JH is that he can't comment now and will update as soon as he has all the details.

Not a commitment but also not a denial. If I read behind the lines something is in the works just dint know what as of yet.

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I think they should add $1 per day per passenger to help defray the cost of the Costa Concordia salvage.

Pardon me if I don't believe this scoop .

I will continue to not booking any Carnival balcony until this policy changes.

Celebrity is happy to take my money and I'm happy not to get annoyed on my smoke-free balcony.

Win win.

If this is true, then it looks like Carnival feels their crew members "deserve a raise" again. Instead of paying their employees more, they'll happily pass it on to the consumers whenever they "feel" that they "deserve a raise." Or at least, that is the phrase they used in 2011.

Which means Royal and NCL already felt that way. Way to spin it....

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I may be the minority here as I am a smoker and a considerate one at that...if this is true..which I am hoping it is NOT...I will be seriously re-thinking the 3 cruises that I take every year and hope other smokers do the same..may as well make the entire ship non smoking while you are at it and let's see Carnival scampering trying to fill all those ships with non-smokers and an empty casino[emoji107][emoji107][emoji107]

Ok..off my soapbox and going to happily [emoji377][emoji377][emoji377]!!!

Cheers from Pittsburgh via my iPhone!!

Which means Royal and NCL already felt that way. Way to spin it....

 

 

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I'm not spinning anything around. That's the phrase Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald, chose to use.

See for yourself:

Edit:

I'll just leave this one here too...

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2011/11/01/new-gratuity-amounts-more-magic-moments-and-10-brilliant-photos/

I may be the minority here as I am a smoker and a considerate one at that...if this is true..which I am hoping it is NOT...I will be seriously re-thinking the 3 cruises that I take every year and hope other smokers do the same..may as well make the entire ship non smoking while you are at it and let's see Carnival scampering trying to fill all those ships with non-smokers and an empty casino[emoji107][emoji107][emoji107]

 

Ok..off my soapbox and going to happily [emoji377][emoji377][emoji377]!!!

 

 

Cheers from Pittsburgh via my iPhone!!

They're having to give them away now as it is.