Changes to pre-paid gratuities for junior suites??

[mommabean]

Well, that wasn't clear. I thought you were sincerely trying to say you had ten cruises planned so I should feel bad for you..:eek:

 

I didn't have any idea it was a joke either. I'm a believer that when people make jokes in public forums they should make it clear it's a joke or put a little (jk) at the end or something. Some jokes are obvious. Some aren't. This one wasn't.

 

Gina

[FLACRUISER99]

Maybe 10 cruises are planned thats $700 then.

 

Well, that wasn't clear. I thought you were sincerely trying to say you had ten cruises planned so I should feel bad for you..:eek:

 

I didn't have any idea it was a joke either. I'm a believer that when people make jokes in public forums they should make it clear it's a joke or put a little (jk) at the end or something. Some jokes are obvious. Some aren't. This one wasn't.

 

Gina

Go back and read my original post and tell me what the first word says. I never said I had 10 cruises planed. Oh well can we all agree enough of this. I will admit that I was stirring the pot a bit and stuck my foot in my mouth.:eek: Sorry if I upset you folks.

[mommabean]

Go back and read my original post and tell me what the first word says. I never said I had 10 cruises planed. Oh well can we all agree enough of this. I will admit that I was stirring the pot a bit and stuck my foot in my mouth.:eek: Sorry if I upset you folks.

 

I didn't think you had 10 cruises planned. I just didn't know the whole "theme" of the post was a joke or stirring the pot. I wanted macruisefan to not feel like the only one who didn't get it. It didn't upset me though. People will pick on me for one little word they take out of context. That doesn't upset me either.

 

I DO think it would be a good idea to switch those 2 accessible JS, on Radiance class at least, to GS based on size alone. That way those who are disabled won't feel discriminated against when it comes to full suite availability and the perks that come with it. Then if the full suite tips that are allegedly being asked are offensive, they need be no longer. ;) I STILL don't believe they are being asked for the category in question. A TA misunderstanding is all that was, I suspect.

 

Gina

[negc]

Maybe 10 cruises are planned thats $700 then. Good tip, don't try and count other folks money!

 

If 10 cruises are planned, your $700 pales in comparison to the total fares that those 10 cruises would actually cost. At least try to keep things in their proper perspective when commenting about such matters.

[ryano]

. What makes you so important to rip into someone for THEIR money and THEIR budget?

.

 

What makes you so important to rip into ME for MY opinion? :confused: FWIW, I did not rip into anyone. I agreed with a statement that was made and still agree with it.

[Mac303]

wow this thread has gone in many directions, I believe the only issue is the price change!!

 

The OP booked a cruise in January and was recently notified of an increase in the cost of the pre-paid gratuities.

 

Once you have booked the cruise, your price shoudn't be increased in any form.

 

The arguments about a larger cabin requiring more work by the attendents are poor arguments at best, an example would be the aft cabins with the wrap-around balconys are they now going to increse those tips also? what about the "hump" cabins?

 

If you go into a restaurant and order the 12 ounce steak on the menu, and the waiter serves it and says by the way it weighed in at 14 ounces so we are charging you more for this one, how many would agree to that?

 

Bottom line: I as well as many here will pay the going rate specified at time of booking but if the price is increased after booking i won't accept the additional cost.

[Scotty G]

I came back to this thread to see if RCL had come back with their policy clarification only to find that it has been highjacked by people going off on tangents.

[ryano]

I came back to this thread to see if RCL had come back with their policy clarification only to find that it has been highjacked by people going off on tangents.

 

And you seem surprised by this :p Welcome to Cruise Critic. LOL

 

I was staying on the topic until I got jumped on for an opinion. Sorry :o

[mommabean]

And you seem surprised by this :p Welcome to Cruise Critic. LOL

 

I was staying on the topic until I got jumped on for an opinion. Sorry :o

 

Two posts prior to the post of yours where you got "jumped on" here is what you said to me about MY post. "That is some warped logic if I have ever seen it"

 

That was the first sign of anyone being jumped on during this thread. "I" was the one staying on the topic until "I" got jumped on for an opinion. (Just when I thought you liked me) :(

 

Let's think - you called my opinion a warped sense of logic. Hmmmm......:( And then the ball got rolling.

 

For RCI to raise the tip price on anyone in anyway after they have booked and selected their tipping option is wrong.

 

and yes...I WOULD be "happy" if I got that room for only an increase in the tip price. and yes, that room DOES become available to the general population close to time of sailing so it's a possibility anyone could be in there "happy" they only had to pay the increase in tip. Which as I've said over and over...I don't think has been raised.

 

Gina

[ryano]

. (Just when I thought you liked me) :(

 

 

I still do and I hope the feeling is mutual. :) My apologies. Surely there was something different I could have said so it didnt appear that I was jumping all over you. That certainly was not my intent :(

 

I agree with the last sentence of your post.

[mommabean]

I still do and I hope the feeling is mutual. :) My apologies. Surely there was something different I could have said so it didnt appear that I was jumping all over you. That certainly was not my intent :(

 

I agree with the last sentence of your post.

 

Of course I still like you even if you think my logic is warped. ;) :)

 

And that is why I think the OP's TA is mistaken. RCI went through this price changing stuff with the fuel surcharge. The state of FL told them they can't change the price and charge more after the cruise was booked. It also happened when they raised the tips for the entire fleet in every category - they made it clear that it only would affect cruises if MTD or prepaid tips weren't selected by a certain day and they gave plenty of warning so people could add gratuities on to cruises that were actually booked for a couple of years in advance.

 

Gina

[bigeagle12]

Did I miss something?

 

This is still only reported by one poster and has not been confirmed as RCI's new policy?

[ryano]

 

This is still only reported by one poster and has not been confirmed as RCI's new policy?

 

Yes :p You havent missed a thing lol

[bigeagle12]

Yes :p You havent missed a thing lol

 

Gotta love how these posts take on a life of their own :D

[mattandkelly]

Thanks for all the replies -as always with CC they were wide and varied! I asked my TA to clarify this change with RCI but she has not been able to get a response from them and suggested I take it up once onboard. We havent made final payment yet so that may be why they were able to increase the gratuities? As I said in my original post, I'm not unhappy to pay the additional gratuities and am most certainly not whinging about it, but was curious as to how they could re-categorise the accessible JS as a full suite but not provide the suite amenities available to other suites?

 

One point I would like to make in response to some of the replies - we would love to be able to travel in a cheaper category of cabin but on the RCI ships available from Australia an accessible JS is the only option for people who require an accessible cabin that can sleep 2 adults and 2 young kids. There are no other options - and it is a financial burden having to come up with the extra money to pay for a JS - but we love cruising, the JS is a necessity, so we just settle with cruising every 2-3 years so we can afford it and count our blessings that we are lucky enough to be able to do so.

 

If I do get any info back from RCI I'll update this thread!

[mommabean]

mattandkelly, They can't increase your gratuities even before final payment if you had already agreed to pre-paid gratuities. Your travel agent shouldn't tell you to take it up with them once on board. The TA should deal with it now. That is their job.

 

You should just ask for another copy of your booking confirmation directly from RCI. The TA can have it sent direct from them. Your pre-paid gratuities will be listed on it. This will allow you to see the rate you are paying for them. If they were never added on, your TA should have them added.

 

It's your TA's job to get a response from RCI since RCI won't deal directly with you. I seriously doubt there is an increase in your gratuities. It WILL be listed on your confirmation.

 

Gina

[critterchick]

and yes...I WOULD be "happy" if I got that room for only an increase in the tip price. and yes, that room DOES become available to the general population close to time of sailing so it's a possibility anyone could be in there "happy" they only had to pay the increase in tip. Which as I've said over and over...I don't think has been raised.

 

Gina

 

[not jumping]

 

I might be, too, but we're both able bodied passengers. OP needs an accessible cabin and, whether s/he's a billionaire or poor as a church mouse, I think that having to pony up more gratuities is unfair, immoral and likely an ADA violation. Which you might expect.:). I believe the the US Supreme Court's ruling a few years back applies to any foreign flagged ship that spends time in US waters - Radiance sails in Alaska I the summers, so I think she probably has to comply all year.

 

I've never actually read ADA, but I don't think you can charge extra for providing accommodation for a disability. And really, all the "extra" work for the cabin steward is vacuuming - there aren't any more surfaces to dust because the extra room is just corridor space for the wheelchair. The bathroom doesn't have a tub to clean, just the shower. So paying suite gratuities for extra vacuuming seems excessive to me. In a full suite, the cabin attendant does have. Ore surfaces to clean, potentially has to clean up extra glassware (for those who smuggle in something to drink for them:p), bring pools towels (although perhaps that has been discontinued), clean up for room service lunches and dinners (more likely to be full meals since you can order off the MDR menu) and a few other non-Herculean tasks not required in a standard cabin.

 

And every time you move up in cabin class, you are dealing with more floor space. Yet the gratuities are the same until you get to the full suite level, so I have to think at they are based on some level of perks and service that may not be utilized by many of us who have the means to purchase full suite accommodations (or have been visited by the upgrade fairy).

 

But I agree that there has likely been another miscommunication by RCI and I hope that OP will come back and tell us so.

[Puffinater]

I've seen people NOT in wheelchairs in accessible rooms - selective cane users.

 

Grumpy selective cane users wearing high heels??;)