cruiseguy1016

Is that $150 - $200 on top of the auto gratuities that are charged to your account? Some basic math, I know the numbers aren't exact. The room steward receives about $50 - $ 60 from the auto gratuities. If you aren't paying auto gratuities, your $150 - $200 is tripling their usual compensation. If your $150 - $200 is on top off auto gratuities, you are quadrupling it.

"Honey, I don't have my purse, will you please leave a tip for me?"

We bring $500. We fly to embarkation ports so there is sometimes a meal or snack at the airport. We always go a day early so we have cab fares (tips) to consider. We are Diamond so we get 4 free drinks that we tip for. We do shore excursions in most ports so we need tips for those. We like to eat local food off the ship and we always pay cash for our meals in port. We always bring money home but I'd rather have too much than not enough.

Elite Plus on Celebrity converts to Diamond. You will get 4 drinks on your card.

I LOVE their oatmeal/raisin cookies. I'll take those over anything else they've ever brought.

You must not be trying very hard. 😁 I'll have; At least 2 on the pool deck 1 before dinner 1 during dinner 1 before the show 1 during the show At least 1 after the show, probably more like 2 or 3 enjoying other events on the ship.

I don't think that will hurt their feelings at all. They probably make more money selling individual drinks.

I've just read a bunch of articles on the spill. I didn't read anything that said it has reached Scarborough, where the cruise ships dock. One article mentioned that cruise ships were still being allowed to dock. This is their "Carnival" week (or weeks) which is huge for tourism. I'm sure they will do everything they can to allow the tourists to get to shore.

And maybe they'd be kind enough to give it back to you once on board.

Just an FYI, the messaging feature in Cruise Critic is disabled.

The nightly shows in the theater, comedians, the ice show, Broadway style shows etc. are all free.

Now THAT would be a way to "enhance our cruise experience".

I agree! If suites were cheaper, I wouldn't be forced to book an interior. 😂

I was looking for that thread also and couldn't find it.

As Diamond members your kids will also get one free day.

I have received a copy of the statement after every cruise and, to the best of my recollection, I've gotten it the day I got off the ship or the following day. I've never waited even one week.

Another option, if you're in port on the last day, is to find Wi-Fi on land somewhere (follow the crew, they'll know where to go) and check in for your flights there.

You might be able to do it at check-in at the pier. If not, go to Guest Relations once on board and set up the account. There is no deposit required and they will let you charge up to $500 before you will need to make a payment.

Our kids started cruising at ages 9 & 12. I don't think they have ever ordered from the kids menu. On the other hand, some of the adults we cruise with order from the kids menu on a regular basis.

Check in times are not being enforced at most departure ports. I'm not sure about Ft. Lauderdale. Show up when you want but be prepared to wait if they are enforcing times that day.

Another vote to spend at least 3 more days doing a land portion. If you have time, I recommend at least a week on land. We spent a week on land (driving ourselves) before our Radiance southbound and it was not enough. We went back a few years later and spent two more weeks on land, no cruise. The cruise was really nice and we enjoyed what we saw but if you truly want to see Alaska, you need to spend time touring the interior.

Royal Caribbean boards at the Pan American Pier, not the pier in Old San Juan.

As mentioned, the bar staff is not included in the daily gratuities. They get tips from the 18% added to each PURCHASED drink. Since the Diamond drinks are not purchased, they do not receive a tip for those drinks. That is why I thought we ought to be tipping more than $1 on the free drinks. An 18% tip on a $14 drink is $2.50.

Unfortunately, sometimes you (maybe not you, but others) are in the way and slow the line down. I've been stuck behind people that struggle to carry/roll/move their suitcases and yes, they do get in the way and slow others up.

I hate to turn this into a tipping thread but here goes. We (myself included) need to be tipping more than $1. If drinks now cost $14, then a $1 tip is less than 10%.