S.A.M.J.R.

Just curious... (I really don't know), does Unlimited dining also cover your breakfasts and lunch? If not, do you leave tips there? No, you don't. OK, they might go "in the pocket" of the person you hand it to temporarily, but you have no idea if they share them with anyone else. Claiming "I know who gets my tips", IMO, is just a "feel good" saying people use.

Are you sure you posted in the right thread?

You really don't know that. People like to say "I'm just going to tip who wait on me, I'm not helping those I don't see!" but, just like in a restaurant on land, you have no idea what happens to that tip money. Does the person you're giving it to share it with other individuals? Do they put part of it in a "pot" for employee parties? A seven day cruise w/Royal's tips ($18.50pp/pd currently, right?) would be $129.50pp. Assume two people and you're at $260. That's the "automatic gratuity". But you like to give cash, so you remove the auto grats, and give $50 to your cabin attendant, $50 to your waiter, and $40 to your assistant waiter ($140). Then $5 for each breakfast and lunch (another $70), then $1/drink (say $5 per day, so another $35). $245. You're still out about the same amount of money, but you're "sticking it to Royal", because your money isn't "subsidizing" other's pay. Which you really have no idea about.

That doesn't make sense (as a reason to not roll in the gratuities to the cost of the cruise). If they increase the cost of the cruise, they can still keep a "small percentage". And do we know for sure that Royal is keeping some of the money? Again, you're not paying attention. It comes down to what Royal ADVERTISES. I just went to their site. At random, picked a 4 night on Freedom leaving from Miami on August 18. ADVERTISED as $481 per person and said I have two people travelling. Start filling things out. "Taxes and fees" make the total $1260 (now we're at $630pp). Fill some more out. Look, there's the choice to add gratuities (another $72pp), and insurance (+$59pp). So the ADVERTISED rate of $481pp is really $702 with grats, and even more if you want to select your own room or purchase insurance through Royal. Sure, go ahead and claim people are gullible and deserve what they get. But Royal is going to do what they can to make their ADVERTISED price attractive, especially when compared to competitors.

Thanks @Biker19!

You're missing the point. The $1000 price is BEFORE gratuities. At issue is why Royal doesn't just up the cruise fare to include gratuities. Because they want to advertise the price without the grats. It looks better when people are shopping. Look at how many people ask "Is 30% off the best deal on the ultimate drink package"?

I'm betting it has something to do with showing a lower fare for passengers. Tell me which would you book? $1000pp for a seven day cruise or $1126pp for a seven day cruise Of course, if you purchase the $1000 cruise, later on you find out they want to tack on an extra $126. So you're paying the same, but $1000 looks better.

Check in day is at the end of the month. My first plan is to try using the app, do the bare minimum to get the check in time, then do the rest online later. However, if there's an issue with the app, I'd do the check in online. I understand if I do that, I need to have everything available (Credit Card #'s, Passport #'s (or copies to upload). Unfortunately, two people in our group won't have their passport by then (don't get me started). So, can I check them in as using BC & DL, then change later to passport? If BC & DL, do I need copies of the BC/DL to upload? What about marriage license (to show name change)? By the same token, if I just put my CC# down for everyone, can we change charging to individual CC before getting to the pier? TIA.

IMO, it comes down to which do you think is more likely to happen: Something that would require showing the passport. Aside from missing the ship, I assume this would be: getting arrested for something, maybe getting medical care, not sure what else. OR Having your passport lost/stolen. I haven't seen anything yet that has convinced me the former is more likely than the latter, so the passport stays in the safe.

Please read the post I quoted. It was talking about Celebrity's policy. The picture of their "compass", said the yellow towels left in your room are to go off the ship, the grey ones are for the pool. Since cruisers don't have to check out the grey towels, how would they know to charge if you left it on the beach?

Wonder what happens if you take a pool towel ashore with you.

That link isn't rules or laws. If you go to the page in the link, it also includes: * Always carry your passport book with you * Always get trip insurance (covering medical and evacuation emergencies). Care to try again?

Just confirming... you can check in everyone in your party if the reservations are linked?

I did. Maybe read the entire post? OK. Please quote or screenshot the Royal web page that says you MUST have 6 months left on your passport on all open loop cruises. Thats all I'm asking for. No one has been able to provide it.

As in, what words does Royal use to REQUIRE passports w/6 month before expiration? A "recommendation" is NOT a "requirement". If it was, the "dress code in MDR" threads would be a lot shorter. That's the issue in the OP. Not that he doesn't have PP, but there's not 6 months left on them.

Who is "they", and what's the language?

The issue is flying from San Juan back to the US. So, I went here: https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-980?language=en_US The Department of State issues U.S. passports to traveling U.S. citizens. The passport allows you access to U.S. consular services and assistance while abroad. U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR's) who travel directly from U.S. territories to the United States, which include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands without touching at a foreign port or place, are not required to present a valid U.S. Passport or U.S. Green Card. I read that as a passport isn't even required. If the passport isn't required, then the six month "recommendation" doesn't matter. This is assuming they're US citizens of course.

The app on my tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab 4) told me I needed to update a couple of weeks ago. Went to the Play Store, only choice was to uninstall. Still not available for that device (when I go to the Play Store via computer, only device I can install on is my phone). Regarding the password fun, because of what I read here, I tried the app, no good on the password. Try on the computer, no good on the password. Change password to the exact same one (already had a capital, a number, and eight characters), and all is good. Can log in to web and app.

Good for you? Bottom line is what I judge on. I don't care about OBC if I can save money on the Cruise. Without knowing what your TA would have offered for our particular cruise, we dont know if they get you a better deal.

And I'm supposed to know that how? 😉 That's why I said "more precise", not "precise". If someone tells me to do something in "90 days", I'm going to think "3 months". Obviously it can be off by a couple of days, but it's a quick (and fairly accurate) guess. And of course those are "months in advance also". 😉

90 days (normal PiF date, isn't it?) *IS* "months in advance". Three to be more precise.

My recent horror story... Final payment due 4/14. I'm going to be on the road for business, and decide to pay (to my TA) last Sunday (3/31). I use their online form and submit the payment (not expecting it to go through until Monday, but that's fine). Three reservations, so three payments. No big deal. Sunday night, I get a notification from my CC that one charge went through (but not for the full amount of any of the rooms), two were declined (more in a moment), and another charge was questioned. The two that were declined were because of "wrong virtual card" numbers. I use virtual card numbers for any orders online. They're locked in to just that vendor. The one charge that went through was to Royal, the declined charges were to the TA. OK, create a virtual card for the TA, fill out the forms again. Now charges go through for the TA, not for Royal. I ended up having to do partial payments and make sure I put the TA amount on it's card, and Royal's amount on it's card. Took me until Wednesday(?). I will NEVER wait until the day before, much less the day of final payment. You just never know. Now, I know people are screaming "why is the TA charging you extra! I'd never use them again!". All I can tell you, is even with their "extra charges", they saved us over $1K on the trip (may have been more, I'm not sure when I was price shopping if Royal was including gratuities in their total). I don't care who gets my money, I'm trying to find the most cost effective deal.

Wonder if he didn't have a choice on the topic. TPTB said "you've never been on a cruise! We'll pay for one and you write about it!"

I was assuming you meant "dock", but also thought "if that's an actual nautical word, it's REALLY funny".

OK, I'm still a teenager at heart. I laughed at this.