S.A.M.J.R.

I'm still not sure what point those who remove auto tips are trying to make... "The company doesn't get to choose who my money goes to." Not buying it. A) The company gets to decide where your cruise costs goes. B) You do not know if the cash you give (assuming you give cash) gets pooled or not. Even if a room steward or waiter or other staff member tells you they're keeping all of it, you have no idea if they're telling the truth or not. "The company should pay a decent wage so crew don't have to rely on tips." Granted. But how does withholding auto tips help? Do you honestly think if enough people withhold auto tips that RCI will think "oh, we should raise wages."? Why? As long as they have people signing on, why would they need to change? "The crew don't deserve the amount the auto tips require." I disagree with that, but kind of hard to argue from either side.

Every time I go to a sit down restaurant, I pay with CC. When I'm signing the bill, there's a line for "tip". That amount is added to the total for the meal and is charged tot he card. And yes, sometimes I go to chain restaurants. So, yes, my tips go to multi-billion (don't know if foreign or not) corporations for them to distribute as they see fit. I see many people paying with cards in these restaurants. So I'd say "yes, it is customary". I have no idea how they distribute the tips. I have no idea what they're paying their servers. I've never asked anyone how much they make. I know what the minimum wage is for servers in SOME states, but not all, even the ones I'm travelling to. For all I know, they're making the same as everyone else and I'm still tipping 20%. While I agree the number of jobs that expect or request tips is way out of control, I don't think cruise stewards and wait staff are unrealistic. IMO, it's all in how you perceive what that cost is. Is it just an included part of the cruise? That's the easy way to look at it (again, IMO). You want to judge the job others do and then pay extra accordingly? Seems like a lot of work, but you do you. You want to "stick it to the cruise line" and remove the auto grats and tip in cash? Doesn't really make a lot of difference, unless you KNOW those you give cash to don't share it with others. RCI doesn't care and won't change their policy because they still have workers doing the jobs. You want to make point and remove auto grats AND not give anything (because they agreed to their base pay)? Seems stingy and cheap to me, but again, you do you. RCI probably won't care because there's not enough of you to make an impact in the ability to recruit workers.

Your choices are One Way Rental or Private Town Car. There are a LOT of Town Car Services. I suggest looking at the Florida Departure board or simply google "port Canaveral transportation service". Good luck.

I just checked my sailing (even though we're not doing the DBP), and the web page didn't have any limit. It was only under "More Details", where this is shown: Here's the link to the PDF: chrome-extension https://www.royalcaribbean.com/media-assets/pmc/content/dam/menus/en/3222/3222.pdf

Office Depot COULD be a "government approved facility". My (and my wife's) interview was at a Staples office store. While walking through a mall in Medford, OR, a photo developing store had a sign outside saying "TSA Precheck Interviews done here" (something like that).

Sorry, was quoting you, commenting on your post, but then bringing in PP's comment. Didn't mean to imply that you said that. Sorry for any confusion.

If this is the only person claiming it, then I have serious doubts. But saying the guy is just claiming he's a victim, and the sinking was "tame" isn't right either. Just curious, what went wrong during your cruise for you to get that letter?

Not sure why it matters. When I was a teen, went to Europe, next international trip was to Mexico (flying). My point was people say "it's good for 10 years" and "you never know when you might need it" as reasons to get them. If you only travel internationally once in the 10 years, then it's still over $100 for a single use. And if you don't get opportunities (or the money) to travel internationally, have one sit in a drawer does no good. As far as passport vs Real ID, the Real ID at least is card size and easy to carry in a wallet/purse, and can function as a DL. A passport book just doesn't fit anywhere quite right and you'd still need to carry a DL (assuming you drive).

Exactly! When you're buying for multiple people, it's not "only $100+". And, yes, while its good for 5/10 years, they could still be "single use". I got a passport at 17(?) for an international school trip. That was the only time I needed one unil I was 42. I NEVER had to turn down a trip because I didn't have a passport for the 15 years mine was expired. Do I think they're a good idea to have? Yes, and we bring ours every cruise. But I'll never criticize anyone for choosing to sail with BC & DL.

Can you provide examples?

Its a simple math problem. Figure out the cost per point. I'm making up numbers, but if a solo interior cabin for four days costs you $800, and gets you 8 points, thats $100/point. And if a JS costs you $1500, and gets you 12 points, that's $125/point. Looking at just financial, the interior is better. Only you can decide if the added JS amenities are worth paying more.

How do we know the bolded? Or are you saying "many people have been denied boarding"? Sorry, I thought you meant many had been denied compensation.

If you're tempted to purchase those, then they're doing exactly what they should. The goal of ANY business is to get customers to spend money.

I have no problem with Royal using the app for check in. I think it's a mistake, at this point in time, to ONLY allow the app for check in. Of course, that and $1.25 will get you a soda from a machine.

I can agree with that. But I would question how much money not having website check in saves. I get every little bit helps.

But, believe it or not, not everyone has a smart phone. Or space on their phone for an additional app. If they don't have home internet, they can go to a public library or a friend's house or a work computer. IMO, it doesn't make sense to limit the options for your customers. If computer based internet was on it's way out, maybe. But that's not going to happen.

So what? Isn't what they make between the employee and the company?

So they make too much?

No, you're receiving 50% less. Doesn't mean the attendants are doing 50% less. If they did 15 cabins 2x/day in the past, that's 30 cleanings. Now they're doing 20 cabins 1x/day. Thats 20 cleanings. So they're doing 30% less. 😄

I think you missed my point. It doesn't matter whether RCI calls it a tip, service charge, or increases the base fare. Think of it as part of the cost of the cruise. IGNORE what RCI calls it.

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but why not just factor the auto-grats as part of the fare? Let's say your room is $1000pp for the week. Now add in auto-grats. That's an additional $126 if I did my math right. What difference does it make whether they say "take your base fare and add auto-grats" or "we've included gratuities in the base fare"? Either way, you're paying $1126. Or, remove the auto grats, hand the room steward $50, head waiter $40, and assistant waiter $36. I think too many people are caught up in "it's called a TIP!" Realistically, what difference does it make? "But if I don't get good service, I don't want to encourage them" What are you going to do if the Flowrider attendants are rude? What if the CD isn't entertaining?

As I understand it, especially at busy airports, it's not easy to change runway directions when the winds change. I was told that by a flight instructor. How true it is...?

I thought shows with no story line were bad and should be taken off Royal ships. 🙂

So in your travel group, 6 people had removed gratuities before. Now 32 people are removing gratuities (I think I have the math right). But, without knowing how many new cruisers there are who keep gratuities and how many people who did remove gratuities have given up cruising, you really don't know how many more (if any more) are opting out. Even assuming no new people, no new dropouts, while 26 more people are opting out, that's a pretty small drop in the bucket on an Oasis class ship, to say nothing about fleet wide.

Were they bumped BECAUSE they were flying on miles? Were they bumped because they checked in late? Were they bumped because they booked the lowest class of cabin? Were they bumped because the airline could get them to their destination on a later flight? Were they bumped because the new aircraft simply didn't have "Seat 23F"?