kirtihk

That was a reply - you missed irony in it. I meant the opposite of what you think of my statement that was on par with what you wrote.

Do you daily eat food prepared by chef at home, shows, entertainment, cleaned pool? If not, then there is no need for it on holiday.

During our cruise in 2017 a captain introduced the Edge class stating that 4 ships are officially coming and then with a pause he whispered - “a little secret - actually, there will be 5 ships coming up).”

You may also do Regent for $7,000 14-day (if you remove included air price option) cruise where the entire ship is your Retreat area so to speak and excursions are included in each port (average $150 per person per tour - $1,200 worth for the 14-day cruise if say you have 5 sea days). So, in the end it's like $5,800 only ($7,000 - $1,200) making around $400 per day.

The arithmetic is the same and simple: say, you pay $1,000 per stay (a week) in the resort and then pay $100 as tip, and the wage of a person who get your tip is $30,000 per year or $2,500 per month plus your $100 tip making it total $2,600; now, instead you pay $1,100 per stay (including tips invisible to you) - in the latter case, the wage of a person (who would get $100 tip in the former case) would increase by the same amount which is $100 per week bringing it to $2,600.

As I wrote on multiple occasions, some (including me) in general don't need to clean it at all by someone else (by doing it yourself); however, it doesn't change the fact of expectation of such a service while on vacation when you just want to totally relax couple (or a few) times a year.

I will sound repetitive: whatever is called tips/ gratuities/service charge (and tax for that matter, by the way) shall be included in a product price regardless of whether it is a cruise, a restaurant item, haircut, whatever else - you like it/accept price you buy it - no issue. Then there will be no stingy upon experiencing such a product. Why is it so difficult to accept this concept is beyond of my comprehension? In the end one pays the same amount of money (as with tip being paid separately) but having much better overall total outcome (no need to think/calculate/guess every single time per each purchase).

That means it also was wrong across all cruise lines for decades until a few years ago when they started to do auto-charge to the pool of employees, wasn't it?. Previously, they were giving recommendations just for 4 particular crew members (including specifically cabin cleaning personnel) on what tip percentage would be in cash at the end of a cruise per each individual meaning no one else was getting any tips from the total tip recommendation. Everyone who cruised in those days knows it. per person.

Is cruising a kindergarten?

People must simply compare every single item from a long list prior to Shmandemic with the current one, and the majority is not in favor of the latter.

Absolutely! Including luxury cruise lines (from a personal experience 6 weeks ago). That's a spirit! And this is how we do cruising. Voayge, Voyage!!!

Some cruise lines allow to use OB prior to sailing, and some don’t (Seabourn, for example).

It's not possible not to have an opinion. When one doesn't care, it's that's person opinion, too, nevertheless. Voyage, Voyage!!!

Funny or not, it's actually typically true on any cruise line all the time: a waiter carefully observing a table for the last person to finish any course prior to bringing the next one (or giving a dessert menu for that matter).

I agree. Eden is the best! I spent hours there (on the Edge) every day during our 2 cruises in April-May 2019 15-day Transatlantic crossing and February 2022 7-day Caribbean. We booked 2 more - 10-day April 2024 on Beyond and 7-day April 2025 on Ascent.

You will enjoy the cruise. We were on the 16-day Christmas on the Canal Dec 20 - Jan 5 Splendor cruise, and it was perfect. The orchestra was the best, especially their nightly 10:30 pm personal performance after the main show in the Meridian lounge (manager Wesly who is so energized while performing, 3 Ukranian members (especially, guitarist Yevgeniy) and all others are great)!

We were on 16-day Christmas on the Canal Dec 20 - Jan 5 Splendor cruise, and even though most people kept lounges forever, there was plenty of them available between pool deck and the deck above it.

Oh, I didn't see your comment before I replied to the comment on my previous statement. Thank you!

By my observation, now, the word "entitled" is abused so much, actually (as many other "innocent" words). That's what is a corrupt culture (brought up by irresponsible people) is these days. Voyage, Voyage!!!

Unfortunately, I noticed that. I came to US 32 years ago from a country where math is an important school subject (similar to South Korea); so, I was shocked by what I observed here. Besides, I'm mathematician by nature (a special math and physics school since I was 6). Voyage, Voyage!!!

I stated while being on our March 8 - 25, 2020 shmandemic cruise on Ponant Le Soleal (South Pacific crossing from Eastern Island to Tahiti) and 've been repeating over and over since then that this is what will occur if setting from your second sentence happens. And, haplessly, it happened.

I also call it nonsense for any tips charged in US. It should be included in a product price (meal item in a restaurant, hair-cut, whatever). You see a price, you accept it, you buy it, you use it, the end.

That's right ... as of today ... we shall see how others proceed ...

Precisely! - they don't call it "gratuities" anymore; it is the "service charge" now. My agent told me that 1. now one cannot adjust it on the ship for any reason regardless of whether prepaid or being paid on-going on the ship, and 2. it goes to the entire crew pool; so, who knows what they actually do with it in terms of distribution among personnel.

Thank you! Exactly my point!