tgloersen

On 11/1/2022 at 7:08 AM, BirdTravels said:

And most importantly, no compensation for the lack of top tier benefits.

Not true for me, whe i spoke to the concierge, she said just go to guest services and inquire about going on the behind the scens tour and while they are not offering it, they instead give yo $50 OBC.  I did this and thats exactly what happened.  $50 is better than nothing at all. 

Yep i agree, was on the Spirit this past July and was very dissapointed in the wings.  Same as comments above, waiter said no more frying.  Did not like them at all.  Bummer!

Yah Shadowmeboy!  Where are all those pictures you took of me on that AK cruise!  LOL

44 minutes ago, Shellbelle28 said:

There are many types of rooms called "suites" the only way to tell is by the actual cabin category. 

We are in a SH suite

12 minutes ago, lorif said:

We were on Spirit in 2019, in an SH cat suite.  It was absolutely great!

At that time, we had butler, concierge, breakfast & lunch in Cagneys (I think) if we wanted.

There's not a Haven, just the suites, usual amenities.  I loved the layout of the suite, having the separate area for the bed was great. 

Very helpful thank you so much 🙂

Hi,

I was on the July 5 Sun cruise to AK that is now cancelled, i rebooked on Spirit but now in a suite.  If anyone knows the perks included with a Suite on Sprirt and can let me know it would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Sailing everyone!

12 minutes ago, kewcf said:

Thanks for posting this here and keeping this conversation going.  We are supposed to be cruising on the July 14 sailing … 🙃 Fingers crossed..

Sailing July 5th Fingers really crossed here!

2 hours ago, acct1975 said:

Hi,

I just got off the Breakaway (Jun 19- Jun 26 sailing) and had a aft balcony for the 1st time. The smell of diesel exhaust was so pervasive that using the balcony was nearly impossible. It was also present in alot of the public spaces (like Spice H2O). In all my research on the aft cabins this smell was never mentioned so I was very surprised.

 

Things I'd love to know from the community:

 

1) anyone who sailed on the Breakaway previously, did you notice the smell?

 

2) is this something I should come to expect on other ships? I's been a while since I've sailed NCL and I don't remember noticing it before.

 

TIA

Sailed BA in November was on Deck 10 Aft, yes the smell was really bad.  We complained almost every day.  SOme new exhaust wash system they installed is causing this.  Not an easy fix.  I would stay awy from the Aft cabins on BA.

17 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I guess that the "impeller" is the "propeller", but even with only one working, and the other locked (an advantage of shafted propellers over azipods) to prevent a damaged prop from turning in the wake, Sun should make 14-16 knots.  If there was a "breach", I would have suspected a longer time in port, both to make it watertight again, and to have a surveyor approve sailing onward.  Not saying it wasn't, but it doesn't smell like one to me.

Hi Chen

in your experience if it is a prop issue and needs some replacement fins you talk about, how long of a job is that?  I ask because we are scheduled to sail on the Sun 7/5.

appreciate your insight.

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

NCL told you that you "HAD to buy the Inspire tests?"  That ain't right.

Yep thats correct and yes its not right, the tests were $45 each and i had to get 2.  I asked if i could use the tests say that the goverment sent us in the mail.  Answer was a strict NO.

Im getting ready to cruise in 10 days, as told by NCL, i had to buy the "Inspire" rapis tests.  I also had to make an appointment 48 hours prior, this is a zoom call with a nurse who will supervise us while we test ourselves.  We will get a negative confirmation (fingers crossed) and bring that to port with us.

On 5/15/2022 at 9:26 AM, shadowmeboy said:

So we got ready for dinner, and headed down to do the picture circuit. The ship photographers would have 5 to 6 stations set up among decks 6 & 8 each night. 

 

This couple was getting their pictures taken when we arrived at our first station.

 

 

There we are!

 

 

Another Station up on Deck 8

 

 

This set of pictures turned out great! We got some frames as part of the package we bought, so these were the pictures we put in them.

 

 

 

This one was not in the frames, but it looked really good!

After pictures it was Moderno Night!

 

 

 

Here is the Menu

 

 

 

 

Susan's salad bar plate

 

Here is mine!

 

Ah the Pineapple! The DSLR did not like the darkness of some of the restaurants onboard, so the photos are a little fuzzy due to lightening.

 

 

Dessert menu

 

Chocolate Coconut Tres Leches Cake

 

Rice Pudding

 

PineApple Baby!

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Crew in the DSC pool use the DCS money to help them get their wages up to the minimum contract value. If, and only if, they get to their minimum contract value do they start to really earn a gratuity. 

 

Just like at home. The minimum wage around our parts is $15/hour. But, if you are in a job where you receive tips, your employer can pay you as little as $5/hour. So, that waiter in the corner diner takes the first $10 in tips an hour just to get them up to minimum wage. When people leave lose change or a buck at most, you have to turn a lot of tables just to get yourself to minimum wage, every hour you work.  

 

Same is true for cruise staff. Most of the DSC is used to get them up to their minimum contract value. 

Not my issue to fight.  You want a tip?  You'll get one just provide me the service.  Period.

Just off BA 6 months ago, the Smell is horrable and goes all through Deck 7 and rises to sometimes on Deck 8

10 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Sure it is. No different that your waiter or your room steward handing your or leaving a "tip envelope" on Royal Caribbean. And a lot of Haven guests are oblivious to the fact that neither the butler or concierge get anything from the Daily Service Charge and that the cruise line tell you to tip them. 

 

Certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth programme staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities.

If you want to keep tipping your butler for bad service that wont hurt me.  And im not oblivious to tipping procedures.  You can ask any of my former butlers, conceirge's and let me throw in the cabin stewarts who are a part of the Daily Service Charge, i give them an enveolpoe as well on top of that.  So if your calling me a cheapskate your sadly mistanken.

If i look at most of the replies in here it seems the group is understanding what im trying to say.   We all know about tipping and who gets what but that will never change the fact that if i perceive bad service your tip will be reflected in that!

And before you talk about adjusting the daily service charge, i have never ever done that ever even though not all crusies went as planned when it comes to service.  My respons to that, is what i give on top of the DSC doesnt happen at all.  I releize the workers behinds the scenes get tipped from the DSC and its not there fault a cabin stewart doesnt not supply proper service.

16 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Good for you.

 

This is really surprising.  They are usually so polite and professional.

 

GC

Its the only butler i ever had an issue with.  I tell you i was really taken back.  Could not beleive it.

11 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Hmmmm... take advantage of a poor, hard working butler then stiff him. Not cool. Trust your butler when they advise that trying to get food from two different parts of the ship means that the food first picked up will be cold (or warm) by the time they go to the second restaurant and get food from there. They are trying to make sure that you have a great dining experience, not one with cold food where you would complain equally. 

One thing your missing here Bird, he never got me the food.  And i dont need to be reminded of the tipping procedure, that s completly out of line.  So call it what you want but i tip based on service, ad this service was pretty poor!.  No im not gonna waste mu time with the concirerge either, im on vacation and time is limited.

Also understand i was still prepared to tip him my normal amount (which is good BTW) but after he came in to tell me i need to tip him.  Well i showed him the door with half the amount.

Only issue i ever had with a butler, the hell with him, i pay bloody money for this suite i dont need any BS butler telling me what to do.

24 minutes ago, Shellbelle28 said:

I was the organizer of a cabin crawl for our Cruise Critic Meet and mingle. I told the butler that I'd have about 15 guests in our aft penthouse suite on the Bliss and asked if he could supply orange juice and glasses so we could make mimosas with the several bottles of sparkling wine we'd been given. When we arrived with the group, not only was there orange juice, there was a fruit platter, canapés, and other snacks and he had rearranged the furniture in the living area to make more room for people to mingle and snack. It was lovely. 

Thats Great, yah i guess i could have mentioned the same, i too did a cabin crawl, and made the same request, the setup was fabulous, every one had a great time.

I like this thread to bad i dont have any unique requests, although there was one time where i requested dinner but from 2 diffrent areas of the ship.  Butler told me that it would take to long LOL.  Oh and BTW this is the same butler that came in the last morning to "REMIND" me that i need to tip him directly.  Unbelivable, i opened the envelope i had already prepared for him and took half the tip back out.

I thought all cabins had a coffeee maker on all the ships, learned something new today.

All Alaskin Excurions are touch and go right now, this is not a cruise line deal, all cruiselines are having the same problems.  Its pandemic related.

We leave on 07/05 Sun trip to AK, the price is still double what i booked at!

Simple answer is NO.

You pay by paying the grauities for it.  While i always tip my bartenders where ever i go i certainly dont tip 20% on a beer.  So its not really worth the package for me, i just dont srink enough

So unless you drink enough it may not be worth taking the package, might be better to pay as you go.  Just remebr if you do pay as you go you pay for the cost of the drink $15 on average plus 20%

As other have said there is no such thing as formal nights.  "Free Style" cruising.  Most places you can go in a shorts and a shirt for dinner except for some specialties that require long pants and collars.  In all cases though if (for a male) you show up in dockers and a polo your good to go and you wont be out of place.

Maybe the test was not performed properly?  You gotta get that thing up the nose, as crappy as it feels.

Just a thought.