Complimentary on board

This is a rant of mine. Don't know if anybody has posted this before.

I resent the cruise industry using the word complimentary for all the things I paid for especially food.

There is nothing FREE on board ship. It has all been paid for. The word inclusive would make me feel so much better.

Does anybody feel the way I do.

Just had to get this off my chest!

This is a rant of mine. Don't know if anybody has posted this before.

I resent the cruise industry using the word complimentary for all the things I paid for especially food.

There is nothing FREE on board ship. It has all been paid for. The word inclusive would make me feel so much better.

Does anybody feel the way I do.

Just had to get this off my chest!

I don't care what they call it, just as long as I don't have to pay any more for it. The last thing on my mind when I am on a cruise is fretting about what things are called. :D

Seems to me I've seen in the "fine print" or passenger agreement terms a section on "what's included" in the fare. I think they have to do this to tamp down unfounded expectations or assumptions about what's included. Yes, anything in that list should not then be labeled "complementary" elsewhere.

I remember years ago on the TV show "60 Minutes" they used to end the intro of that night's stories with "those stories and more" when the only thing more was Andy Rooney and someone called them out on that so they changed it to "those stories and Andy Rooney."

On the other hand if it is something not otherwise spelled out like complementary hors d' oeuvres before dinner when meals are in the "what's included" I can see that being OK. With all the rants about nickel and diming by cruise lines maybe they are making extra efforts to let people know what they WON'T be charged for.

I agree....everything that's "included" in your FARE has been paid for by you! Nothing in life is "free"...not even "Freedom"....we fought for that! On a ship, you PAY for your "included" items!

Agreed,

Things that are complimentary are the extra bits of service or items that normally would not be provided or expected.

Like the bottle of wine that the waiter or Maitre De brought over for your table because they liked you, or the towel animal on your bed from the room steward, or the double nip of scotch when you bought a single.

Sorry, I can't be bothered to worry about it.

Sorry but to me this is a silly thing to be bothered by. I have much more important things to worry about than what a cruise line calls an included item :rolleyes:.

Does anybody feel the way I do.

!

No.

Much more important things going on in this world than to worry about whether the cruise industry uses the word "Free" or "Inclusive"

Nope, This makes no difference to me! I'm on a cruise! Can't be worried!

No.

Much more important things going on in this world than to worry about whether the cruise industry uses the word "Free" or "Inclusive"

You might think it is more important when they take the next step to start charging say $5/ head for complimentary dining. IMHO,the cruise industry very subtlety wants folks to think they are getting something for free so then a small uncharge for dining might be "palatable." Nuf said.

You might think it is more important when they take the next step to start charging say $5/ head for complimentary dining. IMHO,the cruise industry very subtlety wants folks to think they are getting something for free so then a small uncharge for dining might be "palatable." Nuf said.

You may be right but I sure hope you are not.

I feel the way the OP does, it is an abuse of the English language.

Complimentary is "something given or supplied without charge, esp. as an inducement to prospective customers."

(n.d.) Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary. (2010). Retrieved September 22 2016 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/complimentary

As long as I'm not being charged extra, complimentary/included = Po.tay.to/Po. tah. to.

You might think it is more important when they take the next step to start charging say $5/ head for complimentary dining. IMHO,the cruise industry very subtlety wants folks to think they are getting something for free so then a small uncharge for dining might be "palatable." Nuf said.

YOU asked, "Does anyone feel the way I do"

I answered No.

Then you come back to argue that my opinion is invalid? Who are you? When did you ask to open the discussion up for debate?

YOU asked, "Does anyone feel the way I do"

 

I answered No.

 

Then you come back to argue that my opinion is invalid? Who are you? When did you ask to open the discussion up for debate?

But I had clearly said yes before you, so the answer is Yes, some people do feel the way they do, just not you.;)

This is all just marketing fluff, like 2!, 2!, 2! for the price of 1! And the sale never changes (I'm looking at you Viking) (and others). Don't sweat it, just read the fine print. The fine print is the contract, not the marketing "puffery."

A few years ago I was on the board of an organization that booked a block of hotel rooms as well as meeting rooms. One of the other board members said "and the meeting rooms are free!". My response was, "don't be naive, the meeting rooms are part of the negotiated contract." Nothing is "free", it's all included in the contract. Facts trump "feelings" every time.

Cruising is not for everyon, nor are A-I's. Ifdhe verbage the cruise line uses is disturbing to to you, perhaps, land resorts, land trips might eliminate that annoyance for you EDach of us is entitled to choose just ewhat irritates you and if that is what annoys you,l that is your privilege. TThank fully, for me, that is oner I can brush off wherasa I have some irritants that may not annoy many others

Since most people don't know the difference between complimentary and complementary they'll never be bothered. Maybe the cruise lines mean that the food complements your experience. ;)

It's nothing more than marketing and many businesses use it. You have "all inclusive", "two for one" sales, free drinks packages and all the rest. You just accept it, or you move on and stop cruising and traveling.

Of course, strictly speaking, OP has a point: any goods or services which have been paid for as part of a package are better referred to as "included" rather than "complimentary" - which they clearly are not.

However, use of such marketing terms clearly does pay off by making a targeted market segment believe that they are getting a great deal. Go to the NCL threads and see how many posters talk about the "free" drinks they enjoy - somehow forgetting that included drinks was part of the package they paid for.

"Complimentary" is only slightly less an appeal to the gullible than "free" -- but it seems to work. Rather than protesting the cruise lines' use of deceptive marketing, it might be a better expenditure of time to protest the abysmal state of the American education system: which turns out such a gullible market for cruise lines (and other hunters) to exploit.

You might think it is more important when they take the next step to start charging say $5/ head for complimentary dining. IMHO,the cruise industry very subtlety wants folks to think they are getting something for free so then a small uncharge for dining might be "palatable." Nuf said.

That won't be an upcharge - it will be a "nominal fee"... :D they love that term. FWIW, I agree the verbiage rankles on the complementary/included issue. I also agree it totally doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

Since most people don't know the difference between complimentary and complementary they'll never be bothered. Maybe the cruise lines mean that the food complements your experience. ;)

sgreement with that.

Given how much I'd pay for a hotel room and flights to each of the places I go to on a cruise, I'm fine with them calling it 'free'. I do agree though, proper English dictates 'inclusive'.

Since most people don't know the difference between complimentary and complementary they'll never be bothered. Maybe the cruise lines mean that the food complements your experience. ;)

Love it.:D

Or the waiters say how good you look.:p

count me along with those who aren't going to pick at the language (and I used to be a proofreader...someone paid to catch mistakes in ad copy). Just as I don't get concerned over perks given to those in high level cabins or loyalty levels. To me, going on a cruise is a great value. I wouldn't like it if one has to start paying to eat in the MDR (we have never paid for a specialty restaurant -- in fact, on our last cruise, we did get a complimentary dinner in one because of a good deed I had done that the cruiseline liked), but currently we can enjoy going to the MDR, buffet, some other food venues, and know that we won't get charged separately for that food. All good.