Donald

It will only get crazy if tourists are careless enough to visit China under these conditions.

Today the Beijing Government announced that they are cancelling all quarantine requirements for tourists.

A bit surprising as the number of new infections in China is estimated at 37 million per day, now that the lock downs in China have been cancelled as well.

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

So why not just give the individual involved a cash tip ?

You really need to ask that question of the people increasing gratuities at the Reception Desk. When I have asked, the usual answer was, “We don’t carry much cash and prefer to have it go on our Credit Card.

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Adjustable by who?  Certainly not by the passengers paying the dollars.  If you are still living in Japan, just take a good look at how the Japanese deal with tipping. :).

 

Hank

On Japanese Cruise Ships there is no tipping. If you price a Japanese Cruise, you will understand why tips are not part of the tradition.

But we are talking about Western Cruise Ships, where tipping - like it or not - is part of the cruising tradition and system.

You might be surprised to learn that on mass market ships, a rather large number of passengers choose to visit the Reception Desk and actually INCREASE the Service Charge on their cabin portfolio. As with the pax who decrease the charges, the Reception Desk staff always ask if there is a particular reason or person responsible for the decision. Quite often, a particular crewmember's name is mentioned for the increase.

You may be surprised to learn that this tipping / service charge / crew appreciation system was first introduced on British Ships (White Star Line) by an American (J.P. Morgan) soon after he purchased the Line in 1902.

He reasoned that the crew would work harder and better if their compensation depended solely on performance. That is, the passengers were encouraged to tip those crew who went above and beyond in their duties. Poor performing crew would earn less, and either decide to work harder - or leave.

It was an interesting idea that soon morphed completely away from its original intent.

With the current version of “crew appreciation” on most mass market ships, crew who do a great job earn substantially more than the crew who work on the luxury no-tipping lines, like Seabourn. 

On all HAL, Princess, and NCL ships (I have worked on nearly all of them) the Chief Purser sends a daily report to all Hotel Department Heads, detailing any increases or decreases in Service Charges from the previous day. The report typically lists cabin numbers, Guest names, and sometimes photos from the Security File. The reports often include the reason the Guest gave for changing the Service Charge.

Usually those Department Heads post copies of this report on Crew Notice Boards located back of house.

These reports often come up in Captain’s and Hotel Manager’s meetings if the Service Charges are reduced for Service or Quality-related reasons.

Occasionally the Head Office will make onboard enquiries if a Crewmember’s name is mentioned positively or negatively.

The system / practice varies by cruise line.

Generally speaking, on many ships, the Chief Purser sends out a daily update on gratuities / service charges.

Usually the daily report lists any changes in the service charges, additions and subtractions, by guest and by cabin.

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Trying to understand your point related to the original subject 

The original subject was the inability of cruise ship cooks to prepare hash brown potatoes the way that American cruisers think they should be made.

My point is that this is a very common problem - and not just on cruise ships  - and it is based on different ethnic and cultural ideas about food.

The cruise ship cook who is preparing your hash browns is almost surely not American. His Supervisor is also not American. They may receive a recipe, or training to prepare the perfect American Hash Browns, but their own interpretation of that recipe is not what you expect.

The very same thing happens on land.

My Italian colleagues go to New York and try “authentic Italian Pizza”. They think it is disgusting.

Is it bad? Not to you. But to someone from Napoli, it is not even pizza.

I visit the “best Japanese Restaurant” in L.A. or Honolulu. The food I have there is not as good as the takeaway food from my local supermarket in Tokyo.

Is the food bad? Not to the Americans. But most Japanese would not even eat it. 

There are many cultural challenges to preparing dishes / foods for one particular culture or group.

American Thanksgiving Dinner is a great example.

The basic menu is pretty bland and awful - but quite easy to prepare.

A cruise line typically has a European Corporate Chef, giving instructions to an Asian, European, or Indian Executive Chef, who then instructs a Galley brigade of Filipinos, Indians, and a few Europeans, on how to prepare the Classic American Thanksgiving Dinner Menu. The result is usually quite good, but many pax are shocked when it does not exactly resemble last year's Thanksgiving Menu at Aunt Mary's Farm in Ohio.

I have the same problem with Sushi and Sashimi.

I live in Japan part of the year and really love Japanese food.

When I go on a cruise, I always look for good Japanese Food onboard.

In 40 years of cruising, I have NEVER tasted good Japanese Food on a Western Cruise Ship.

Same problem with Japanese Food outside Japan.

Let's not even talk about Europe. Japanese food there is disgusting.

I frequently visit the USA on business. My colleagues there always want to take me to their latest find of a Great Japanese Restaurant. I am always disappointed. Occasionally in California or Hawaii, I am able to find Japanese Food that is just OK - but never Great. They just cannot manage to match the quality and style of Japan.

I also do not think there is a high chance of getting COVID via contaminated food.

But most cruise lines / ships that regularly call at US Ports have decided to listen to USPH Recommendations rather than CruiserBruce’s and Donald’s Recommendations.

USPH has recommended - not dictated - that cruise ships avoid Galley Tours and Cooking Demonstrations until onboard COVID numbers drop lower.

Cruise Lines / ships that do not regularly call at US Ports can safely ignore the USPH Recommendations if they choose.

22 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

I don't think they said it's quite high chance of getting Covid through contaminated food. 

When you contract COVID on a cruise, is it really a good idea to medically mask the symptoms, avoid a doctor’s visit, and continue to infect your fellow passengers and the crew ?

22 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

I don't think any science would back that "quite high" statement. 

The US Public Health Service made that “quite high” statement. They make the rules.

Is buying a Ferrari “Worth it”? 

Is flying First Class “Worth it”?

Are Champagne and Caviar “Worth it”?

Are Limousines to the Cruise Terminal “Worth it”?

NOBODY but YOU can answer those questions for YOU.

Very unlikely.

The risk of an infected passenger contaminating everyone’s food is quite high.

The mass market cruise lines visiting Japan are going to play it safe this time.

They know the Japanese will kick them out of the country if they surpass the 10% COVID limit. Most of the mass market lines in other parts of the world are regularly going over 10%.

It is unusual for Windstar Ships to call at US Ports.

On the rare occasions when they do, the US Coast Guard and US Public Health Service like to visit them for inspections.

These inspections may delay debark, embark, lunch, etc.

With a screen name like ICruistheworld I would expect that you might have figured all of this out by now.

There are only 2 companies in the world that supply more or less current run films to airlines and cruise lines. If you fly to go on a cruise, the odds are very high that the airplane will be showing the same films the ship will be showing.

10 hours ago, johare said:

 

Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and likely the others are doing something similar, but not as drastic. They are asking for proof of vaccination. Those who do not provide it will be required to take a Covid-19 test prior to embarking...at their expense. They will also have to take another Covid-19 test prior to debarking...again, at their expense and I don't think these rapid tests are cheap. In addition, those who do not provide proof of vaccination will be required to wear a mask at all times, except when eating or drinking while those who are vaccinated don't have to wear one at all. That is compliant with Florida law and hopefully enough to discourage those who are not vaccinated. If not...perhaps they'll move on to your idea. 🙂

 

OK. So let’s imagine you have a ship with only 1,000 pax sailing from Florida. 100 of them cannot prove a vaccination. They must wear masks around the ship. How does the ship identify them to ensure they are following the rules? Are they going to put a stamp on their foreheads, or force them to wear a special armband? I don’t think so. This idea is not manageable.

16 hours ago, Nearpost345 said:

“No cruise lines will do it unless all the cruise lines do it.

That's never going to happen“

 

no need to apologize Donald

My apologies.

Most cruise lines will not do it unless all the cruise lines do it.

13 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

I wonder under what authority the CDC regulates the cruise industry? Could the CDC have ordered all airplanes grounded? All city buses & subways stopped? All trains to be halted?

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is under the US TSA, along with the US Coast Guard. The VSP only has authority over foreign flag ships - not airplanes, trains, buses, American Flag ships, or other transports.

15 hours ago, Nearpost345 said:

 

 

Lines that now include gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Crystal Cruises, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea and Virgin Voyages.

Now give us a list of cruise lines that DO NOT include the gratuities in their fares.

14 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Since everyone pays the service fee, add it into the cruise fare makes sense.

Wrong.

Not everyone pays the service fee.

Even if they did and the cruse line added it to the fare, those fares would appear higher than the fares at cruise lines that did not add it to the fare.

No cruise lines will do it unless all the cruise lines do it.

That's never going to happen.

What you say is very rarely true.

Yes, we did occasionally get away with making our own decisions.

But when it comes to spending money at HAL, Seattle decides EVERYTHING.

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Interesting -- and on Celebrity's first Caribbean re-start cruise too. 

 

Given the two are from same cabin a false test result seems unlikely...  One is left wondering whether they are really vaccinated?

 

Edited to add:  Just found this story about it:   https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/06/10/passengers-positive-covid-after-sailing-100-vaccinated-cruise/7645511002/

 

 

Is anyone really surprised by this?

We are going to see many stories like this one on ships sailing from US Ports.