kirtihk

21 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

Reality isn’t subjective.

You are correct, and I also agree with your observation.  However, it's (like everything else) relative: when you observe a moving object, what is actually moving, that object or you?

22 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

While there has certainly been some cutbacks, I believe the product is still pretty good.

We sailed Joy last July and had a terrific cruise. It was virtually identical to the sailing we did the year before on Joy with service, food and entertainment being extremely close in quality to what we experienced in 2018 and 2020 on Escape and Encore.

We enjoyed it so much last year that we're now booked on Getaway in 51 days!

 

And I probably wouldn't put the blame on corporate. I believe it is almost entirely a pandemic plus inflation combination that most companies are struggling with right now.

It's not corporate, and it's not shmandemic either.  It's related to it in a big selfish way, but it is not itself.

1 hour ago, icft said:

I agree, but I don't think it is possible with Americans. It looks to me, and I could well be wrong, that what you described is what NCL tried to do. They basically say "here's the price all tips included" but the tipping culture is so ingrained in Americans that many just have to add a tip. If NCL upped their drink and dining service charges to 50% and tripled their onboard service charge some would still feel the need to cash tip.

Oh, I see your point.

5 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Perhaps so, but as that is not the policy on US owned lines (which makes up a ginormous amount of the industry) and is unlikely to happen any time soon, we have to live with the current fiasco.

There are some luxury level lines where all tipping is all inclusive. But something tells me there are folks doing extras in cash here and there as well.

You are correct.  We will be on one of them in April (Seabourn Pursuit).  However, I didn't see any threads on this topic for Regent, Ponant, Seaborn, SeaDream, Silversea.

2 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Why not do yourself a favor and beam yourself up out of these fencing matches.

Your position on this subject is perfectly valid and you should not be having to defend it against other CC members who are unrelenting in tearing apart the views of others if they disagree.

And it's not that the other folks are wrong in what they say, just a different take.

Peace be with you...

It would be with everyone (assuming my post # 112).

42 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Kind of you to speak for the ‘vast majority’ and to make assumptions of my values. We all value and respect the behind the scenes workers (especially when we are on the ship), just as much as the passengers that value them and respect them and wants to bring candy bars and fruit cakes instead of cash. And it’s while we are on the ship when it matters, because for the other 11 months of the year these wonderful and amazing people (whom we have never met) really never enter our thoughts. 
 

And I can guarantee you that when people are actually cruising on the ship (‘valueing’ the behind the scenes workers), sitting at a bar ordering drinks having a good time lost in all of the excitement and revelry, and at the dining table making exquisite selections off of the upscale dining menu, they’re not even thinking about all of the faceless people behind the scenes washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms making sure and worrying that they are paid well.

It is possible to value something, to value someone, without always having to put a price tag on it.
 

And the reason I’m lumping drink packages and specialty dining packages in a single statement is because those two are most likely the biggest packages people buy, especially when they comment specifically on how much they tip extra for each drink and how much they tip extra for each meal at specialty restaurants. It’s those 20% already added gratuities turning into 40% that I bring up. People can and do drink and buy specialty dining packages at the same time on the same cruise. 
 

Nonetheless, thank you for understanding that if I do nothing extra, which in reality doing anything extra is totally unnecessary, that my experience should be just as good without the extra expense. And that’s the way it should be. 
 

😎

Funny, we were born (on Cruise Critic) 2 days apart.  And if I read your name correctly, our actual age is also almost the same (a few months apart - I'm 1960).

32 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Kind of you to speak for the ‘vast majority’ and to make assumptions of my values. We all value and respect the behind the scenes workers (especially when we are on the ship), just as much as the passengers that value them and respect them and wants to bring candy bars and fruit cakes instead of cash. And it’s while we are on the ship when it matters, because for the other 11 months of the year these wonderful and amazing people (whom we have never met) really never enter our thoughts. 
 

And I can guarantee you that when people are actually cruising on the ship (‘valueing’ the behind the scenes workers), sitting at a bar ordering drinks having a good time lost in all of the excitement and revelry, and at the dining table making exquisite selections off of the upscale dining menu, they’re not even thinking about all of the faceless people behind the scenes washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms making sure and worrying that they are paid well.

It is possible to value something, to value someone, without always having to put a price tag on it.
 

And the reason I’m lumping drink packages and specialty dining packages in a single statement is because those two are most likely the biggest packages people buy, especially when they comment specifically on how much they tip extra for each drink and how much they tip extra for each meal at specialty restaurants. It’s those 20% already added gratuities turning into 40% that I bring up. People can and do drink and buy specialty dining packages at the same time on the same cruise. 
 

Nonetheless, thank you for understanding that if I do nothing extra, which in reality doing anything extra is totally unnecessary, that my experience should be just as good without the extra expense. And that’s the way it should be. 
 

😎

I said it may times: it would only save so much time on pleasurable topics if a tipping concept is completely hidden inside (moves to) the total price (like in most of Europe and a lot of other regions)!  Just reading threads like this one generates a headache.

35 minutes ago, TheMichael said:

I tip because I like being generous to other human beings.

 

I understand the situation of most cabin stewards and other crew. If they haven't become jaded and mean from their situation, that's often enough to earn my respect and some additional assistance in their journey, because I have enough money to do so, and because making other people happier makes my vacation better. There's no debate on that last part, it's proven out from decades of experience.

 

There are plenty of justifications for not tipping, but most boil down to being more fond of money than people.

 

According to this statement, no one is fond of me. 

20 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

It's like you don't know what bait and switch means. 

In no way, is what you describe, a bait and switch. 

It doesn't matter how it's called.  What matters is the final product price which is the same in both cases with the only difference of accepting that price right away (upon seeing it) versus being attracted with something what appears as inexpensive and then going through process of multi-clicks to get the same final number with potential frustration and annoyance, because it's a surprise for a group of people who prefer a straightforward immediate outcome.

2 hours ago, hcat said:

We were in RETREAT..on BEYON last yr.

Luminae was a struggle on our cruise so we went to BLU and a few Specialty Spots,  BLU was a godsend!

We missed “make your own muesli” at breakfast in Blu - it was so special: a cart delivered to your table full of ingredients and fresh fruit to make it.  It was available on our first Aqua cruise around 2016, and then it disappeared.

7 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

Retreat guests can also go to Blu, at discretion of maitre’d. 
 

We will be flexible on the time. 

Nice!  We are frequent Aqua.  We were in a Retreat cabin once, and it didn't cross my mind to go to Blu.

8 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

OP is in a suite.  Suite passengers may dine in Blu, space provided.

always learn something new

21 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

So we now have a night free to try Blu, where we have never been —- for $0.
 

mac_tlc

To try Blu?  Are you in an Aqua cabin?  Only Aqua have access to Blu (this is Aqua breakfast and dinner restaurant).

21 hours ago, Galaxy2004 said:

Eden at $45pp yes every time. Never at $85pp. We got lucky and grabbed a black friday price for our December sailing but no discounts came about for our February sailing so at $77 (which it was for that sailing) we said no. 3 times and loved it each time but not that much.

I remember Eden was $95 in April 2019 (we were on Edge).

2 hours ago, Russiamomm said:

Well, I’m a woman with a healthy body weight who can drink ten drinks a day on a ship and remain conscience.  While I’ve never actually counted the number of drinks I had in a day, I’m pretty sure I reach 10 on most sea days.  A couple of mimosas and/or Bloody Mary’s with breakfast and through the morning.  Maybe a shot of Kailua or Baileys in my coffee.  Wine with lunch.  Frozen drinks in the afternoon.  Another shot of Kailua with my afternoon coffee.  Pre-dinner cocktail.  Wine with dinner.  Wine or a cocktail in the evening (usually in the casino).  You get the picture.  And somehow I remained conscious! 😂

Ocean extra-salty breeze is antidote to toxins, (alcohol is not an exception)!

23 minutes ago, cheersforbeers said:

 

Some people just want to be right all the time!!  

Nothing wrong with that desire.  All it takes is stiving for perfectionism, not non-stop arguing!

22 hours ago, phillygwm said:

Of all the NCL offerings, the FAS drink package is one of the better values especially if, like me, you tend to indulge more onboard than you might on land.  As others have noted, $21/day beats most other lines.  It doesn't include bottled water or Starbucks but if that's important to you, you can upgrade and it's still much cheaper than RCCL. 

 

I'll concede that "Free At Sea" isn't literally free and I've always thought NCL should advertise the "all in" cost, maybe marketing it as a discount if someone chooses to decline the booze.  But I can understand their position:  They want to lead with a low number and hope you're hooked by the time you realize there's DSC, gratuities, etc.

Yep, similar to 24-month car lease, $299* per month ONLY, with $3,999 down payment (* not included tax, registration fees, dealer fees, $650 acquisition fee, and $350 disposition fee, 10K per year allowance, $0.15 per mile over).

5 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Wow! Stunned you found it on Escape. Doubt it is anymore, but alas....have fun on Seabourn!

One must be adventurous and resourceful, and you can find almost anything available on a cruise ship.  In March 2022 I was hunting for all possible beers and wine on Celebrity Constellation, and I succeeded - even bartenders were wondering where did I get certain wines when I showed them what I fit at a different bar.

11 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

When cruising NCL, have you found that in the last three years?

 

- note I don't really care about cookies. But I do about some of the other cutbacks, so I'm with the give me my cookies crowd! -

Actually, yes, last September I got it once at an event while on Escape.  In 2 months I will not hunt for it: I will have 24-hour at any place on Seabourn Pursuit for 17 days (I also had in last March on Seabourn Venture).

2 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I am relaxed and tremendously amused!

and... I'm sharing a virtual drink!

Just now, bkrickles1 said:

I am relaxed and tremendously amused!

That's what's counts!

2 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

Wow!

You like to leave out words to fit your narrative.

I said they are "deceptively planning". They haven't actually stolen anything yet. The OP's initial post has been accurately described by many here to be a plan to cheat the system and he/she is looking to see if there is the potential for them to get in trouble. The OP knows it's wrong and is selfishly only interested in if they will face consequences.

 

And, on the variety of cruises I've gone on, the bartenders are typically pretty busy and can't really keep an eye on everyone.

But, I guess what you're saying is, that it's ok to put the bartenders in a situation where they have to confront passengers who don't give a "bleep" about the rules or how it affects their fellow passengers.

Everyone, relax, let's just drink and stay ecstatic!

25 minutes ago, UKstages said:

if you're a past cruiser, they already have specific data on you personally and know exactly how many drinks you're likely to consume. it enters into the lifetime profit value they place on you and can affect marketing decisions.

 

Oh, my!  It didn't cross my mind!  Perhaps, was it a joke?  Now... you make me to start wonder whether they also collect data on washroom visits (to conserve water consumption and waste treatment savings). 

On cruises I'm typically hunting for black caviar, not banal (prosaic) cookies.

On 2/11/2024 at 7:49 AM, havoc315 said:

For those condemning OP for daring to share a mocktail from their FAS package with their 3rd adult, have you ever driven 56mph in a 55mph zone?

 

There is a big real-life difference between, over a week long cruise, sharing 3-4 mocktails and 1-2 glasses of wine, versus 1 person getting FAS and sharing 5-10 cocktails per day. 
 

I’m not suggesting rules should be broken. But at the same time, not every rule is inflexible, written in stone, punishable by death. 
 

 

Or actually ordering (just for yourself) and drinking 20+ drinks per day.  That affects the cruise line much more, but rules are not broken!