DirtyDawg

5 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

You are correct, and there's nothing wrong with that.  

 

Part of the reason they can claim profitability is that they provide a desirable SERVICE that cruisers are willing to buy.  They are focused on delivering a positive guest EXPERIENCE profitably.

 

There is a difference between a manufacturer with a widget to sell and the service industry.

There is no difference in the essential things. All producers, no matter if they produce a service or a physical good, seek to earn a profit by satisfying their customers with their product they produce (i.e. produce whet the consumer wants). Both must control their costs and satisfy their customers to the point where their costumers (as a whole) will buy their product at a price that earns the producer a satisfactory return.  

18 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm clearly not living right.  Out of six cruises, on which several I have bid medium or strong, I have won zero.

18 hours ago, billslowsky said:

On our September cruise we put in a minimum bid for a balcony from an inside.  It was accepted a day or two before sailing.  We received several invitations to events on the ship in someone else's names, the couple who cancelled last minute.  And enjoyed their welcoming cookies and water bottles.

@Tree_skier clearly the Royal Caribbean computer system likes @billslowsky much better than it like you. Like you I never win upgrade bids but I've smashed more than my share of smart TV's, laptops, and smartphones in the past.  Were you also mean to one or two of its cousins in the past? 😊

32 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

 As long as capacity is high, RCI will lean into the most profitable customers.

 

Along with every other profit seeking business on the planet. 

Yep, Royal Caribbean is just an ordinary, profit motivated, widget manufacturer who happens to make cruises.  And they will seek out the most profitable customers when the opportunity presents itself. 

Forest Gump was right; "Cruising is like a box of chocolates. You never know what port you're gonna get." 😉

13 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Are you sure they never rang up the sales?  Staff frequently remember our numbers after the first contact.

Did they remember your number or a number? The only time I bought a package a detailed $ zero dollar invoice was delivered to our cabin at the end of the cruise. I didn't bother to make sure each $ zero dollar charge was mine. 😉

18 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

I almost typed same thing, Great Minds...

Totally agree.😁

But didn't these two think alike too?

🤔

15 hours ago, mattg43 said:

Wait, you thought acupuncture was a cure for a smoking addiction?  

Because we all know smoking is a cure for acupuncture addiction. 😁

6 hours ago, RobinKS said:

You are correct, that's what I meant by rip off. It wasn't advertised that it would require multiple sessions. I was only trying to warn others not to make the same mistake I did, by not doing enough research before.

There are lots of things to be beware of on cruise ships because they are rip-offs so thanks for pointing out this one. 

5 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I definitely wouldn’t call a porter a service professional.

The Sanitation Engineer who collects our garbage each week might disagree.

So might the Transparency Enhancement Facilitator who cleans our windows.

And not to mention the our Director of first impressions - our Receptionist.

Heading off now to get a drink from the Beverage Dissemination Officer! Cheers! 🥂

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Look at Argentina

It's 88% as per the link I posted.

Again, not hyperinflation. Nowhere close. 

If you still want to used the term hyperinflation just include an * and tell people it's your own definition. 

59 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Right.  And you know we raise worldwide, right?   And it does depend on who is doing the reporting, right?

🤔 What do you raise worldwide? 

If you are talking about prices rising worldwide, yes they are. But no major countries are experiencing hyperinflation in 2023. The highest inflation rate looks like to be in Zimbabwe at 269% per year which is still well below the threshold for hyperinflation. 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-which-countries-have-the-highest-inflation/#:~:text=Double-Digit Inflation in 2022&text=Globally%2C Zimbabwe%2C Lebanon%2C and,highest rates in the world.&text=*Inflation rates based on the,raised interest rates this year.

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

In early 2021 it was clear to me that hyper inflation was in the future so I booked as far out as I could, as many cruises as I could all with fully refundable deposits, except one which had a $100 deposit.  

The inflation we are experiencing today is nothing compared to hyperinflation. It's not baby inflation like we've had for a couple of decades but it's not grown-up inflation, nowhere close. .. yet. Today's inflation is more like toddler inflation. 📈

"Generally, inflation is termed hyperinflation when the rate of inflation grows at more than 50% a month."  

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/hyperinflation/#:~:text=In economics%2C hyperinflation is used,more than 50% a month.

6 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

Hence why there is much reluctance to fly, especially the world's worst airline air canada.

Lots of westjet and sunwing passengers would dispute that. 😉

25 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

The police identified the hit-n-run truck driver but the name was an alias: Mr. Colonel Saunders. He was witnessed as saying something like, "Finger licking good" as he was running from the scene. You apparently know much more than you are telling the authorities. 🤔

🤐

I'm taking the fifth on that one.

The 5th chicken leg off the wonderful new  Royal Caribbean menu of course. 😁

See folks, your discussion is still all about cruising. 😊

2 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 Oh, do not get me started about the poor chicken. His name was Sam and he was only trying to get home before dark so he would not get "hen-pecked" by his wife. So many jokes are based upon poorly understood circumstances that seem funny because they did not happen to you.

 

Yes, I do understand it was a joke but I cannot resist playing the straight man. Every Abbott needs a Costello when you are trying to determine, "Who's on First, What's on second, and I Don't Know is on third." 🤣

 RIP Sam. 😢

You were a fine, upstanding chicken in your lifetime.

But damn, you're finger lickin' good in the afterlife! 😋

21 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

I was not going to go there...., if you have a squeaky Azipod, odds are that you are on the Ovation and doing 8 knots. 😵 Grease will do nothing at that point but pollute the ocean.

LOL.

You do realize it was just a joke. Not all jokes are based on absolute facts. Like the one about baseball players' names. Hate to reveal this, but there was never a team that had a first baseman named "Who" and a second baseman named "What". 

Oh, and that chicken, it really didn't cross the road. It tried to, but got squashed by an 18 Wheeler as it stepped onto the road. Now a squeaky wheel would have been very helpful to that poor flattened chicken. 😁

14 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

So many experienced cruisers will tell you that the "squeaky wheel gets the grease".

Experienced cruisers will tell you; "The squeaky Azipod gets the grease".

Wheels are for landlubbers. 😁 😉

10 hours ago, goldfish65 said:

I was surprised how many people on a transatlantic had grim faces, and I even got snapped at for not getting out of a lady's way walking towards the stairs. Always something to be unhappy about. 

Some people are not truly happy until they master the art of being miserable SOB's.

  = 😊 

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

Boarding Wonder this morning, and according to the app, she has the new menus now. Should be interesting.

My condolences. 🙏

😉

Have a gastronomically wonderful cruise!

20 hours ago, bmarts said:

The menu looks very weak. If I went to a restaurant with that limited of a menu I would be kind of annoyed. 

14 hours ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

So would we.

Not if your were sitting in a ChuckECheese.  You'd be doing the happy dance! 🥳🎉

😁

6 minutes ago, Swampbabe said:

What a novel thread🙄

AGREE! 

Novels are definitely not as good as they were pre-Covid! 

12 hours ago, dada2199cc said:

It was worth $2.50 because it got rid of the long lines of freebie seeking vultures.

 

I hope cruise ships charge for everything a la carte in the future, including boarding times.

 

10:30 am boarding? $100 more per person.

 

I AM SO THERE.

I agree with you in spirit but on a practical level having everything a la carte  would be too bothersome and expensive. Imagine paying for a car a la carte? "Do you want the good head gasket or just the standard?" "And sorry we forgot to include the gas cap, that's an additional $15.95." 

As for popcorn, I hate the stuff so I would not get it for 'free'  and would not buy it if it was $1. But I know there are lots of cruisers who love to nibble on the stuff while watching a show. It adds a little something special to the experience. So, in the spirit of community, I am willing to help fund this little luxury for others with my cruise fare. 👏👏

Of course, I would hope my fellow cruise passengers, who are on the receiving end of my magnanimous generosity, would be willing to help fund my little luxury I like to have during the shows.  Mamma Mia always sounds so much better while sipping a Remy Martin VSOP. Well, two actually, one for Acts 1 and 2 and another for the big finale and encore. 👩‍🎤 It a win - win for everyone!😉

8 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Thanks, that about sums it up.  Next?  Well, I think pool towels will be put up for rental but you won't be able to sit around the pool or utilize the pool unless you rent the towel(s), $15.95 an hour for a minimum of 3 hours.  Soft serve ice cream will continue to be free/included but a $5.99 charge for a cone or biodegradable bowl will be charged (cutlery already discussed above, post #203).  All food in the included venues will remain free/included however all plates and glasses (cutlery as stated in post #203) will have to be carried by the user to the washy washy washy area and washed by the user, and returned to the table for the next user, optional pay for service available. 

Royal just pick the name for it's newest build. IHOP of the Seas! 😊

26 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Wow , just WOW first time I have ever seen a post on Cruise Critic with a relationship to NASCAR. Just goes to prove wait long enough on here you can see just about anything?

LOL. I just figured if I used F1 you Yanks would not know what that was.

Just like why it's a chicken that crossed the road, not a beaver or a koala. 😁

And Who was on first, not in net. 😉

23 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

With so many changes over the past few months at all the mainstream, US operations based cruise lines, is anyone else feeling reluctant to commit deposits more than 6 months or a year out?  There are too many changes and downgrades occurring too quickly to feel confident that what I book today is what I will receive at time of sailing.  Usually we have anywhere from 4-6 cruises lined up with deposits stretching out 18+ months.  Currently I only have 1 deposit far ahead for a short cruise, and not excited to make others. Looking at some of the big ticket ones that would run 10K+ for unique destinations. 

With all the griping over on the X and Royal Caribbean boards it seems like mainstream cruise lines are going to the dogs (bad) (not Dawgs - good 😉). Are there any cruise line boards around here where CC'ers are NOT griping about cut-backs and new charges?