Bazza

Happy days - appeared today.

Interesting topic and it almost makes my head hurt!! Great example of how countries vary on how they perceive service. In the UK, although not the 'tip dependency' culture of our American cousins, it is the norm to tip at around 10-15% of a total bill for meals. Interesting thing is we vary rarely tip bar staff 'for doing their job' especially when we are at the bar and not having waiter/waitress service which is what we do in most pubs. Many places now automatically add the gratuity to the final bill, especially if more than say 6 people eating. If the service was bad then we would obviously challenge that! To me a service/process involved in getting a drink to a person is the same whether it is a $5 drink or a $25 drink (ok cocktails may be a little more involved and theatrical as per Tom Cruise!) so 18% is either 90 cents or $4.50 in the examples given. If reliant on tips, who is the bar person going to be more focused on - the person with Dr Pepper or with Jack Daniels!?? I agree with one of the previous posters, the gratuity should be personal choice - if they do a better than expected job, tip them. If they are doing what they are getting paid to do then maybe you don't. But their wage should be based on that. If they are guaranteed to get 18% no matter what is there an incentive to do more? Not a moan but an opinion on a hot topic! PS the screen grab below is on the booking page on my cruise - I am in UK, cruise is Australia/NZ/Singapore - is this standard across other areas?

Hi. Anybody on the Ovation in March from Sydney, the cost of the refreshments package and shore excursions are all cheaper today than they have been for last few weeks. Refreshment package down to £15.96 ($20.85 US based on currency rate) which includes the drinks gratuities. Bargain IMO - but will still check back every day as you never know what deal they have hidden away!! Having picked up tips on this great site I have cancelled everything I had already booked and now re-purchased on the lower rates - even if only to save around $60 (every little helps!)....not bad for 5 minutes work.

Wonder if my post confused things. Sorry if it did!! There is a standalone Evian package which seems to be still water only hence my question!! Not sure if the refreshments package will be Evian or RCI's own branded bottled water!

BrianAlt (or any other expert cruiser) - do they offer still and sparking water options with the bottled water? Reason I ask is the Evian package on offer for Ovation appears to be still only so just wondered. We have booked the refreshment package not the Evian package so hoping sparkling is available for the wife! Thanks

OK I am little bit confused about my status!! I have signed up for C&A ahead of my first cruise - which happens to be 3 cruises back to back. I assume day 1 of 1st cruise I am amongst the unwashed despite having a number?! Anybody know how this will work in Sydney please? Day 11 (which is Day 1 of the 2nd cruise) I will have moved into a real Gold position having cruised for 10 nights but as I already have a room will I already have the relevant sea pass to just walk on and off at my leisure?! Day 14 (which is day 1 of 3rd cruise) still loitering about half way up the Gold rankings now, but again hopefully just able to run up and down the gangplank as much as I like without queues?! Somebody able to enlighten me please?!

I am pretty sure it is Dynamic.....

RC could introduce an internal message system - scan your sea pass card or wristband on a fixed terminal/ipad type device so you can type messages to another person/cabin and when they 'sign-in' they can see and reply.... Somebody will tell me this has been around for 10 years!!

Hi again Matt Where will something like this appear on the planner? At present my 'headings' are: Dining & Beverage Entertainment & Activities Internet & More Spa & Fitness Shore Excursions Royal Gifts Photo Packages & Products Also, what do the photo packages actually give? Can't find out from the 3rd party site yet as my cruise is not showing! Thank you (again)

Thanks Matt Not there yet. Will keep checking!

Hi. Are these open to 'anybody' or do you have to be high ranking C&Aers?! If they are open to all, what kind of $$ are you looking at please?! Thanks Barrie

Thanks. I booked through a cruise specialist here in UK and wondered if worth calling RC direct to talk about possible room change/upgrade options so was hoping you had done the same!! Enjoy!

Well done Tplanav! Did you make your original booking directly with RC or through an agent? Thanks Barrie

Hi experienced cruisers Is it quite normal for excursion costs to change even when there is no 'sale on? I booked a number for my Ovation cruise in March/April and purely by chance I saw that one of them had reduced in cost so when I checked I saw all had gone down - so cancelled and re-booked. Saved a fair few £s/$s! I will keep checking back!

Thanks Floski - and for making me feel less stupid! Or trying to anyway! I was assuming they were all different themes and as such different menus etc. but if what you are saying is correct then it possibly just the decor that changes. As we are cruising back to back for 27 days I guess we will venture to a number of wonderful eateries (to give the waiting staff a break as much as anything!) Kind regards. Barrie

Hi all These are probably very stupid questions to many of you so laugh if you must! If there is a link to a previous/existing topic please share. Looking at the Ovation deck plan, I can see what appear to be 4 large dining rooms (Silk, American Icon, Grande and Chic). I have found Youtube videos for each so my understanding is these are the MDRs. Please tell me if I am wrong! The questions... 1 - Do you get allocated one of these as your MDR for duration of the cruise or can you choose? 2 - Can you change your choice each night? 3 - Does the formal night apply to all 4 on the same nights? 4 - I assume the My Time Dining is only for these restaurants? If so, my cruise planner does not let me choose which one it just gives me a time slot? Is this purely because I am still a few months before the cruise? Thanks "Stupid" Barrie

Don't they know who you are?!!!

Just booked the refreshment package for both of us for all 27 days... will just monitor the sales between now and departure! That was around 33% reduction since yesterday - crazy!

All change since yesterday!!

Nothing on my Ovation cruise yet but if they match the offer we may end up taking it even though I am teetotal! How can it be that cheaper to have access to alcohol than not?!!! This is the current list of packages (in British £s):

Hi Rayza. Thanks for taking the time to post. My wife and I spent about 3 hours online last night booking our excursions and apart from Kuala Lumpur we are all sorted!! Appreciate the comments though. And yes I have seen lots of castles in Wales so not on the priority list! We booked https://www.cruisingexcursions.com/booking/excursion/50537#/excursion-price/more-info for Dunedin then bike trip in Wellington though the RC site. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g255109-d1205314-Reviews-Hawkes_Bay_Scenic_Tours_Ltd-Napier_Hawke_s_Bay_Region_North_Island.html for Napier and https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/AttractionProductDetail-g183797-d11473023-Half_day_Guided_Sea_Kayak_Tour_from_Picton-Picton_Prince_Edward_County_Ontario.html for Picton Also booked the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb on the first swap over day - gulp! Hopefully get to see Baldwin Street - had pleasure of driving down Lombard Street in San Fran years ago so will be nice to have a straight road!! Enjoy yours next month

Hi Emerson I am glad I am not only person going on the site every hour to see what is there!! The Shore excursions for the Ovation cruise from Sydney around NZ seem to change every time! However, my Voom packages are all still showing up (at the very high costs unfortunately!) so must be just yours for now?! Barrie

Thanks KW! Found a good bike ride tour for Wellington - well two different tours - one with normal bicycle and one with an electric motor bicycle which may be the better option as it includes a mountain climb for a great view of the city! Definitely looking at the bridge walk/climb as a cousin did it and said it is amazing. Much appreciated.

Thanks again everybody - much appreciated. Craig - I am hoping they allow the 6 bottles based on a post I saw where 2 per cruise seemed ok - even if they take the 4 off us initially and deliver 2 each time we 'start' a new cruise! And 30kg is heavy until you see my wife's handbag and shoe collection!!! Twangster - I will keep looking an hoping that Thanksgiving Day next month does indeed offer a Black Friday super sale (as well as the Cowboys winning on the Thursday!).

Haha I wish! Literally 'pushing the boat out' with the balcony! I did wonder if I move up slightly with the number of days as cruise 1 is 10 days, cruise 2 is 3 and third is 14. I'm sure it will be amazing no matter what. Many more positive than negative reviews across many sites....