Ray

So we get on a non smoking ship so we can travel to far away exotic places without the smell of smoke..what then?

Do we stop people walking in front of us in the streets of these places we visit and ask them to put their cigarette out?

Or if on a beach in the Caribbean do we drag our lounger to another area if the person next to us has sparked up? 

If on a tour do we avoid entering a restaurant or bar thats part of the tour because the smoking area is outside the front door and we have to pass through the smoke to enter? 

The simple fact is some people smoke, just as some people drink, do drugs or eat to much. 

Now personally i would rather have a little bit of smoke in the air than to sit down at a table outside and find someone has been sick all over it because they drank to much and i have just touched it, or my child has then theyve put their hand in their mouth! yet drinking to much is ok, its not frowned upon, no one wants to stop this! despite the fact that if someone was to consume any bodily fluid from another person including vomit they could end up seriously ill or dead. 

Btw i agree smoking should be banned from casino,i said that previously on this thread and im a smoker. 

Instead of rioting they should actually be thanking the captain for avoiding Greenock lol 

41 minutes ago, markm said:

I know it's fine to tip Porters, housekeeping , MDR staff, bartenders and even local tourist guides in US dollars in the Caribbean. Is it acceptable to tip extra in US dollars while cruising out of the UK and EU?

Would be the same as EU citizens tipping in € or £ while in US

Cruiseship crew get paid in $$ into their bank accounts back home, the tips they receive onboard allows them to venture onshore with money in their pockets, as the $$$ is not a recognised currency in Europe any tips they receive in $$$ cannot be spent onshore. 

Any that gives you the opportunity to see the Northern Lights  

1 hour ago, Ladyxsuebee said:

A lot of people walk up to Bars at the same time. It's up to the bartender who they want to serve first, and if they recognize you and/or know you might tip, they most likely will serve you first.  In SpiralQueen's case, she merely pointed out that because she had tipped, while they were serving other people, they handed her waters knowing she would want them since they recognized her. That's not "jumping the que" per se......

Yes however If someone is already waiting at bar and someone who tips comes up later and bar person tries to serve them first just because they tip more then thats wrong, and if it happened to me then i would say something 

When i go to any bar i see who's there waiting in front of me so i dont get served before them, manners and waiting your turn costs nothing

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/individuals/travelling/travellers-leaving-eu/guide-vat-refund-visitors-eu_en

Here you go joe, full rules regarding claim back VAT. 

3 minutes ago, ChessE4 said:

One of the ways to maximize your time is to plan ahead by reserving shows, but that can't be done effectively without some thought to your dining preferences.  I would suggest using the Main Dining Room for most dinners although my wife and I found Central Park 150 perfect for a special dinner together.   You really need to know what the MDR offers in order to judge otherr venues.  If you expect to eat in the MDR, you'll need to choose between a main seating or My Time Dining, both of which are discussed elsewhere.   You should have determined that arrangement as part of your booking.   When you know more about the specialty restaurants, you can try a dining package in a subsequent cruise.

As you peruse the Compass previously suggested, keep in mind you need to arrive to many events early in order to get a decent seat.  Think 30 minutes early for shows and some other events.    Don't try to do everything, but explore.  You should check deck plans in advance and see where your stateroom fits in relation to everything else.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/harmony-of-the-seas/deck-plans/1858/03

This is the link to the deck plans.  My favorite spots are Central Park (when it is cool) and the Promenade.

Some people like cruising because of the ship, others because of the itinerary.  I lean towards the latter, so I put a little effort into researching the ports and checking out excursions.  You can actually download the entire brochure for your cruise instead of spending hours on Cruise Planner.  There is usually an advantage to booking in advance, and other threads discuss how to order and re-book as needed.

Think about what you want to do on the cruise, and that will drive many choices.  We found it difficult to practice ballroom dancing, (Waltz/Foxtrot/swing)  but Boleros almost always has music for Salsa, Chacha, and other Latin dances.

What I have learned with my wife is that we are on different sleep schedules; I rise earlier than she does.   That allows me to exercise or have a cappuccino and watch the sunrise.  It is OK for the two of you to have private time and private spaces...

The above is basically what i planned to do, study cruise compass each day to see what my plans where for that that....however i looked at it on 1st day realised that there was so much to do with conflicting timings so i just winged it for the week, if i walked past bar with good music i went in, if i happened to be in an area where a show was taking place i would see if i wanted to go in etc 

Even doing this my wife and myself were never bored, probably never saw as much as we could have but still had a fantastic time 

My Wife and i went on our 1st cruise last year, getting my wife onto the ship was my main concern due to her dislike of water, however once onboard time passed so quickly. You will never be lost for something to do. 

Be it seeing the shows, sitting in a bar listening to music, watching a movie on the big screen or just people watching you will not get bored, and there is so much to do you will not manage to do everything you want 

3 hours ago, spiralqueen said:

 I also will tip early and often at the bars that I know I will frequent (Solarium mostly for me) and that tends to result in faster service when they are really slammed. 

This part  insinuates that when bar is slammed ( busy ) you get faster service because you tip early and frequently. To me thats unfair on anyone standing waiting in a que 

30 minutes ago, spiralqueen said:

. I also will tip early and often at the bars that I know I will frequent (Solarium mostly for me) and that tends to result in faster service when they are really slammed. 

I get this .....however

Lets say there are 5 people at the bar and you tip $5 per drink,  2nd person $4 3rd $3 2nd $2 and last $1 per drink by your rule of thumb you are getting your drinks before those who tip less or dont tip, thats fare enough but what if you tip $5 per drink 2nd tips $6, 3 tips $7 4th $8 and last tips $10 per drink? Your $5 has just been wasted...bar staff are there to serve whoever arrives first not those with the biggest bank accounts 

1 hour ago, twangster said:

but as you venture further away from the immediate port area it is more French in nature with the Euro being the currency accepted.  

 

 

Martinique is 1 of 4 islands in the Caribbean still governed by France, because of this they are classed as part of Europe so the Euro is the Official Currency, for European visitors when visiting you can use cellphone with EU roaming at no extra cost, but best to switch off on Sint Maarten as the Dutch side is not covered and you will get charges when you cross the border.

5 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

yes, but that wasn't my point; the point is that the underlying wage assumptions are different, and some of those countries round up rather than formally tip, so practices vary by country. when tipping is the custom, the amount varies, too.  finally, when you use your Seapass to buy a drink, the VAT increases your cost on the ship, and some folks don't know what all of that means when they are thinking about extra tip amounts.

Easiest solution is for governments to ensure companies be it on land or at sea pay better wages and employees from other countries have the same rights as any other employee as we do in the UK with the Modern Slavery Act. Then tipping wouldnt be an issue, its not as if those high up the chain of big corporate companies cant afford it. 

I mean 4 weeks ago a filipino RC employee fell from height while working as instructed over the side of a ship while docked with no ppe, they died yet due to legislation all this employees family get is $50000. 

5 hours ago, zillono said:

I too am going on my very first cruise soon. I never know how to tip coz I'm rarely in that situation, and I always feel awkward when doing it. That's why I pre-paid the gratuities and thought that solved the problem.

From what I learn here today, looks like the biggest expense on my upcoming cruise will be tipping. The amount you guys suggested are way more than I plan to give.

Thank god I read this thread. Otherwise I'll probably be labelled as "that cheapie" by the staff.

Just one quick question. I don't drink at all. But do we usually tip servers at the buffet, Cafe Promenade and El Loco Fresh? I mean where the food is "free".

And at MDR, where we're not gonna receive any bill, I can just tip our server before we leave right?

Thanks.

If you have prepaid gratuities then you do not have to tip anymore, tipping extra is then up to each individual. 

We left a tip for room attendant, what it was i will not say because to be honest if i say i left $500 then it puts pressure on others to do likewise and if i say i only left $10 then it make me look cheap. But i left something and they should be grateful no matter the amount left. 

Bar staff i didnt tip until last night, no way im tipping someone extra every drink just to get better service after all its their job to serve people.

Your on vacation to enjoy yourself not worry about whether you are tipping enough. 

47 minutes ago, ChessE4 said:

 in Australia you wouldn't tip as much or as often as in the US.  Also, some countries have Value Added Taxes and different compensation practices. 

Most of the world pay staff decent wages, therefore tips are an added bonus recieved for good service and you leave what you feel is right, no % written down or staff demanding a certain %, while in the US some services such as waitresses etc rely on tips just to survive due to poor wages.

Value added tax ( VAT) has nothing to do with tipping, this is a government tax and they get all the money.

1 hour ago, BeatArmy2010 said:

. The pier next to a small airport is where we have always boarded. 

This is the Pan American Pier

Personally i think the best solution for uncomfortable beds is a bottle of red wine

After downing a bottle you wont care what the beds like! The only concern you will have is whether you actually manage to get in it or end up sleeping on the floor lol

On a serious note Matt is correct 

What one person likes another may hate. I cant sleep with lots of pillows, in fact i can only sleep if my head is on about 2 square inches of the corner, yet my wife likes so many pillows that when she lifts her head up she bangs it off the ceiling. 

Remember you are on vacation dont let little things such as how comfortable the bed is be an issue

Would not recommend walking to Pan American pier from Old San Juan, it may not look much of a distance on a map but with 2 kids +suitcases + the heat and a wife who will just be asking why you didnt call a cab the whole way there it would be better to just splash out the $10-$12 on an uber

3 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

, but I imagine you could leave tips in $$.  

Most crews get paid in USD, this will be paid straight into their bank account and converted into their own currency

they use the tips they receive onboard for when they go onshore, so leaving $$ on a European cruise isnt ideal. 

Tips should only be given for good service and you give what you feel its worth. There is no 15% to 20% wriiten on the bill.

If you get a taxi and driver doesnt help with bags you dont have to tip, if service or food in restaurant is terrible then no tip. People want a tip they need to earn it  

Not sure where your cruise visits but you will need to check the currency for each destination you visit.

Countries such as the UK, Norway and Russia do not have the Euro as their currency

As far as i am aware USD is not accepted on land 

6 hours ago, Phillo said:

If you are in the tourist areas (predominantly Paris) then they generally all speak English. They just dont want to.

If you follow the advice given earlier and show respect by attempting their language and saying "Bonjour... parlez vous anglais?" (good morning... do you speak english) then you are usually fine.

I hate to say this (considering most people on this forum are from the US) but about 10 years ago I was on a round the world holiday and had been in NYC before heading to Paris.  As a result, my wife and I were wearing NY caps and _some_ locals were quite rude.   They said "are you American...?"  and I said " No... Australian".

They just smiled and spoke to me in perfect english from that point on.

I never wore those hats again in France!

 

I agree 100% 

However when they asked if you were american it was probably to see if you were in fact English. 

I have been ignored in numerous bars, restaurants and shops in paris its only been when i point out im from Scotland and not England that their attitude changes. 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

Not sure if this will help

You shouldnt have any issues in Italy, the only country there is really a problem talking English is in France. 

4 minutes ago, Aaron_1990 said:

Ahh thanks for the quick reply, was just worrying a little! HAHA I cant wait for the rough nights!!

 

I was the same as you checking where it was, actually contacted TA asking them about it just to get reassurance. 

Yeah the rough nights were rough, ship was rocking from side to side while walking back to cabin, well i blamed the ship but it may have been me  lol 

5 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

I've never heard of an "all inclusive" option.

We get this in the UK where drinks pack is thrown in as a so called freebie 

I would contact gov site and ask, i know when i visted singapore and Philippines i didnt need a visa and i had left and re-entered both those countries, Obviously Vietnam is a different country but it wouldnt hurt to contact those who would know for sure