Confused About the New Charges

[antsp]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

They are not on a fixed wage we know many employees and they get tips from the pool. So not fair to crew at all. The only real changes for those who book standard fare is no more free pizza restaurant and fees for room service or ordering food via app

Yes she knows of the extra fees, and that's what she's going to do, add up her extra costs and remove if from the auto tip. 

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, antsp said:

Yes she knows of the extra fees, and that's what she's going to do, add up her extra costs and remove if from the auto tip. 

So if her local restaurant raises their prices she tips less ?  This just makes no sense people just being cheap

[Ombud]

56 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I have a cruise in a couple of weeks with the same $50 plus package.  
It won’t pay for me to upgrade to the new $60 plus package.  I never use the phone for room service and our next cruise is on a ship doesn’t have Alfredo’s or Gigi’s.  
I will pay the one time fee for activation of OceanNow for $15.  Per guest or per device?  But let’s call it $30 to be on the safe side.  
I may go to the GastroPub once or twice but won’t have to pay the $18 cover charge they previously charged.  Now, I can order one small plate for $10, which is more than enough food for me for dinner.  So, I’m actually saving money there .. enough to cover one activation fee for the OceanNow function on the app in one visit.  
Even on a ship with Alfredo’s/ GiGi’s, you could go for $15 pp per visit so add another $60.  Now, you may want to go for the $160 upgrade that but it doesn’t seem to make financial sense to arbitrarily upgrade it just to get to get the activation fee and two casual dining experiences.  Unless you plan on ordering room service via your phone, you would need to order several times a day to make your upgrade to the $60 Plus package worthwhile.  And if you ordered room service only via the phone, you wouldn’t have to pay the OceanNow activation fee.  
The math doesn’t suggest that would be advantageous to upgrade.  

I thought about upgrading on my 21 day Australia cruise from Standard to Plus➕ until I did the #s again. (That one only has A$400 OBC, 3 redeployments so 'gratuities 14.50 day' per personalizer):

304.50 CA prepay
157.50 Wifi prepay

45.00 + 18% for ON & 2 Casual Dining meals
507.00 
Plus ➕ 1260 + 8% insurance 

I cannot drink A$35 of tea & water a day

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

9 minutes ago, antsp said:

Yes she knows of the extra fees, and that's what she's going to do, add up her extra costs and remove if from the auto tip. 

So if her local restaurant raises their prices she tips less ?  This just makes no sense people just being cheap

Sometimes it happens. Groomer only took cash. Charge went from 75-85. Only brought 100. So tipped less. 

 

Maybe she can only afford $X and trips already planned / paid for. 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Ombud

[antsp]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

So if her local restaurant raises their prices she tips less ?  This just makes no sense people just being cheap

To be fair, if they raised the prices whilst you were sat at the table, then maybe. Princess has changed the product they sold after paying for it. 

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, antsp said:

To be fair, if they raised the prices whilst you were sat at the table, then maybe. Princess has changed the product they sold after paying for it. 

And how does that relate to tips ?  Why are going to take it out on stewards and servers 

[antsp]

28 minutes ago, memoak said:

And how does that relate to tips ?  Why are going to take it out on stewards and servers 

I don't know, because it's not me, and not really bothered what she does

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

She is full of malarkey.  Crew is not on fixed wages.

Depends on how  on defines wages.

It is likely that crew receives a fixed daily amount of a combination of contracted salary and allocation from the gratuity pool.  Thus the comment about it bring fixed.

 

Of course that ignores that part of the pool funds bonuses and awards in addition to the fixed amount.  With the gratuities being fixed in packaged, any small deviation by small minded individuals lowering gratuities because of price increases will not be sufficient to impact the fixed allocation, but it might impact bonus and award amounts, in some small way.

[memoak]

6 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Depends on how  on defines wages.

It is likely that crew receives a fixed daily amount of a combination of contracted salary and allocation from the gratuity pool.  Thus the comment about it bring fixed.

 

Of course that ignores that part of the pool funds bonuses and awards in addition to the fixed amount.  With the gratuities being fixed in packaged, any small deviation by small minded individuals lowering gratuities because of price increases will not be sufficient to impact the fixed allocation, but it might impact bonus and award amounts, in some small way.

 I it just makes those that do reduce gratuities look cheap

[chubbypiggy]

The descriptions of the Club Class Mini Suite says

" Evening Canapés, Nibble on masterfully-crafted canapés delivered directly to your stateroom.

Upon request".

 

Is that consider room service and need to pay $5 each time I request evening canapes?    Thank you.

 

 

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, chubbypiggy said:

The descriptions of the Club Class Mini Suite says

" Evening Canapés, Nibble on masterfully-crafted canapés delivered directly to your stateroom.

Upon request".

 

Is that consider room service and need to pay $5 each time I request evening canapes?    Thank you.

 

 

[Cruise Raider]

On 8/19/2023 at 9:11 AM, chubbypiggy said:

The descriptions of the Club Class Mini Suite says

" Evening Canapés, Nibble on masterfully-crafted canapés delivered directly to your stateroom.

Upon request".

 

Is that consider room service and need to pay $5 each time I request evening canapes?    Thank you.

 

 

There is a card left in your room for evening canapés .. no, you won’t be charged.  

[chubbypiggy]

7 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

There is a card left in your room for evening canapés .. no, you won’t be charged.  

Thank you.

[MissP22]

On 8/2/2023 at 1:47 PM, Therese S. said:

I hope that’s the case, especially regarding movies under the stars. I really hope there are no changes in the works.  

I haven't heard about the MUTS rumor yet.

I hope they'll shut off the sound except for those that have paid for wireless earphones. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by MissP22

[Cruise Raider]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I haven't heard about the MUTS rumor yet.

I hope they'll shut off the sound except for those that have paid for wireless earphones. 

They’ve really lowered the sound on MUTS.  If it still bothers you, you must have bionic hearing!  

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

They’ve really lowered the sound on MUTS.  If it still bothers you, you must have bionic hearing!  

I haven't noticed any difference. Maybe it's just recent. 

[Cruise Raider]

37 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I haven't noticed any difference. Maybe it's just recent. 

 Well, I have not hung out at MUTS recently but a while ago, we could hear it from our balcony on the lido or Riviera deck.  Not so anymore.  If someone is talking near us, I miss part of what’s going on during the movie.  I like the earphone idea.  

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 Well, I have not hung out at MUTS recently but a while ago, we could hear it from our balcony on the lido or Riviera deck.  Not so anymore.  If someone is talking near us, I miss part of what’s going on during the movie.  I like the earphone idea.  

I believe they tried the earphone idea many years ago & it was quickly abandoned. 

We just stay clear of the area when the MUTS screen is active. 

[D&L Thomas]

I am onboard Caribbean Princess with the Plus plan. Happy to answer any questions.

The choices to order from Room Service are either the app or the phone. When you look for it on the TV it says “Call Room Service or use OceanNow in the Princess Medallion Class app.”

 

My limited experience is that the app works just fine and orders arrive pretty quickly. We use the paper door tag for coffee and it has arrived 10-15 minutes before the earliest time selected.

 

I tested positive yesterday morning for Covid - lots of cases onboard - and am self-isolated in our cabin. Had some chicken soup delivered for dinner along with two gin and tonics. I don’t get that kind of service when I am sick at home!

 

[Cruise Raider]

4 hours ago, D&L Thomas said:

I am onboard Caribbean Princess with the Plus plan. Happy to answer any questions.

The choices to order from Room Service are either the app or the phone. When you look for it on the TV it says “Call Room Service or use OceanNow in the Princess Medallion Class app.”

 

My limited experience is that the app works just fine and orders arrive pretty quickly. We use the paper door tag for coffee and it has arrived 10-15 minutes before the earliest time selected.

 

I tested positive yesterday morning for Covid - lots of cases onboard - and am self-isolated in our cabin. Had some chicken soup delivered for dinner along with two gin and tonics. I don’t get that kind of service when I am sick at home!

 

Sorry to hear you got CoVid.  I sure hope it doesn’t make you feel really sick.  Thank you for isolating!  
I tell you, that chicken noodle soup is so good when you don’t feel well but even if you don’t feel sick.  I order it for breakfast off the app sometimes and it is just so yummy!  
 

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, D&L Thomas said:

I am onboard Caribbean Princess with the Plus plan. Happy to answer any questions.

The choices to order from Room Service are either the app or the phone. When you look for it on the TV it says “Call Room Service or use OceanNow in the Princess Medallion App".

 

I am wondering if anyone has asked GS if TV ordering has been axed or if they are modifying the system and will be back soon.