Pima1988

LMAO maybe somebody should link this to SNF website so they can see how many people can't stand Cris Collinsworth

For my cruise it actually showed up on Tuesday before Thanksgiving and went through Sunday. I remember purchasing on Sunday night, and thinking that if Cyber Monday deal was better we'd just cancel and re-book. It didn't go lower on Cyber Monday. @Weezie57 do you live in the US? I only ask because most Americans know Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. If you are not in the US, let's say you are in Canada, than RCL may not offer Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals in your country. Just like right now we are coming up to Memorial Day, than Father's Day and in July, the 4th, followed by Labor Day in Sept. Those days are big sales days in the US.

I recall stopping in Nassau a few yrs back (2016). The day prior we all had to go down to a specific area and have our passports stamped by customs control. The next day at port there were signs everywhere and every 15 mins over the PA that no passports were needed, just take your DL and sea pass card. It was also posted in the Compass.

I did not know that, but than again I have never read the very fine print when we purchase the specialty. Thanks for that information, because I have questioned if in the end of the day for the waitstaff would it be better to work in the MDR since many passengers do tip privately at the end of the cruise. The only specialty where we tip a little bit more than Chops, Izumi, Wonderland, Hooked, etc is Chef's table. Than again, I find that if I could only afford the Chef's table or a 3 night specialty, I would do the Chef's without a 2nd thought. Than again, my husband and I love doing things like the Chef's table. We are not foodies, but enjoy the wine pairings and the attention to detail that you won't find in any of the specialty restaurants.

I think it is pooled. I remember on the Anthem one morning we were in the enclosed pool area (not the Solarium, but the 1 between the Solarium and outdoor pool) it was probably @ 11. The roaming waitstaff took our drink order. 4 hrs later we went to the outside pool and that same waitstaff was now behind the bar. I would say when we went to Schooners everyday for trivia the bartender was always the same person. This was true for all of our RCL cruises. Personally I think they do have an area that they are assigned to, but since all drinks are charged to a sea pass card, even those that are buying without a DBP, the Beverage mgr knows exactly how much money is in tips, and than divides it among the staff. Now, maybe like the restaurant business, % change. Bartender gets X % of the 18% and bar backs (people that refill the ice, restock the bottles, change over the soda taps when empty, etc) get a different %. HENCE, this is why some desire to give an additional tip to a specific bartender personally. I have to say I don't recall ever seeing a tip jar. That bartender just places it in their pocket and moves on, thus, they do not share it at the end of the night.

Both the olive oil and honey look like something I would want in my pantry at home.

This is why my husband loves watching FB on a cruise.

I have done massages on other cruises, but I had OBC to burn through so it was no money out of my pocket. If it was, I wouldn't do it. I am doing the fire and ice pedicure on my upcoming cruise on a sea day. Only doing it because I felt that the cost was only about 10-15 dollars more and since we will be at sea it gives me something to do. Plus I got the perfect time...10:30-11:30, which means I can have a very leisurely day. Breakfast on our balcony, an hr at the pool, pedicure, than time for my Tutti salad in the MDR.

In case you missed Matt's day at Coco Cay someone while he was doing his video asked for his autograph His reaction was funny. Another person approached him on Chill Island. Again, he was in shock Matt is becoming the RCL Rock Star! OBTW Matt I am sailing in July and already have 1 magnet for my cabin door, (Adventure) along with others in our group. I would def. buy a Matt signature magnet if the price was right. Think about it for the group cruise. MATT APPROVED with your signature might be fun!

I would book it NOW. They have limited time slots. You can always cancel later on. I booked my pedicure 8 mos out from our sail date. It has been running 2x that amount for 4 mos for the same time.

@WAAAYTOOO As I have stated I don't tip at the bar unless we are there quite frequently~~~ We love trivia and we are there everyday at Schooners, so they get a tip, but otherwise the pool bar or the Solarium bar, or the pub bar, I may see the see the same bartender 1x, hence, NOPE no tip, they get the 18% which is not part of the 14.50 I just think that the 14.50 is so cheap as a tip. My 8 night cruise superior outside balcony cost me 2400 for 2 people for 8 nights. In essence it would be @260 total for grats, or @10% of my bill. 29 per day or 261 total for 8 nights divided by the cost of 2400 for the cruise. They now have to share that with multiple people...cabin attendant, waiter and assistant, room service, etc.

LMAO My husband and I have nicknames for each other. You can see my moniker is PIMA. He gave me that nickname 25 yrs ago during a fight. I called him anal, he responded if I am, than you are a Pain in My A... Not only does my husband have blue folders for everything in our life, but different blue folders for each aspect. 1 for our monthly bills due, 1 for paid, 1 for tax deductions, 1 for our DDs wedding, 1 for our cruise (planner to be left with our son while we are away), 1 for cruise docs (excursions pd., etc). I blame this addiction on the Air Force

I totally agree, except I want to place some clarification out there. Bartenders get the 18% grat that is added automatically, so to the best of my knowledge they are not part of that 14.50. I do not typically give any extra tip to the bartender since we are not people that go to just one bar. I have worked in the bar business 18% is a good tip. I actually wonder if those that work in the specialty would rather work in the MDR from a tip aspect. For example many people may purchase The Key (Chops lunch) or Chops +1 or a 3 night as their splurge, but the bulk of their dinners will be in the MDR with the same wait staff night after night, thus they feel a connection with the MDR wait staff and give them an additional tip. Whereas, they see Chops as a night dinner outing and they have already paid their 14.50, so no additional tip. My husband and I have done every type. MDR only with a group of 10 traditional seating, same waitstaff. Gave a tip, everyone in our group did too. MTD dinner in MDR only just my husband and I, but different times, so different wait staff. We gave a small tip every night if the service was good. MDR and a couple of specialty with a group of 5. My husband always tipped a small amount quietly as we left the table at the the specialty. Nobody else in our group did this and actually thought we were crazy because that was part of the 14.50 grat. Just wondering if anyone else also thought that maybe this is true for specialty waitstaff compared to MDR?

I don't think you will see it go under 49. I got mine for 47, but that was 6 months ago on Black Friday. I have not seen it below 49 since that time.

@Ken23 That is true. I have sailed out on Anthem and they only clear the bottom of Verrazano by about 30 feet, so that actually makes more sense to me when you add in the fact that they also had a medical emergency and had to divert to Boston, which already caused a delay issue. Now add in the tides to come back into port, and flip the ship, and than sail away, that impo is probably why the delay. I recall us sailing out at 4 and they said that it was a must due to the tides. I doubt it is a berth issue since Adventure sailed away on Friday, thus, no other berthing issue at Cape Liberty.

My husband is Italian and we grew up in NYC/NJ area so we are very picky. If I wanted a taste of Italian food, I would have had the antipasti. Than done for my diner my absolute favorite... Prime rib.

We actually pay additional too. However, for our cabin attendant we split into 2 tips. 1st day as soon as we meet them we give 50%, and the remainder on the last evening. We have found this works the best. We do tip the MDR staff, but it depends on how many nights we eat in the MDR, it usually is at least the 2 formal nights. IE last cruise we traveled in a group and they only wanted to do the MDR, on this upcoming cruise we will be in the MDR only 3 out of 8 nights, thus the tip to the MDR will be smaller.

Everytime I have sailed during the football season they played NFL games on the outdoor pool screen, and in the pubs too

Same with me. I picked my cabins and it was more expensive than letting them pick. However, I booked 10 months, out.

I don't mind the WJ for breakfast or lunch, but dinner I want to sit down and relax with a glass of wine. Dinner taking 90 mins has never been an issue for me. On this cruise we are traveling with my SIL, she is anti-buffet, so every meal will be in the MDR or specialty restaurants. She is like you @WAAAYTOOO if I told her buffet only it would be a no go for her.

LMAO. My personal assistant (husband) carries all of mine...I am too lazy to carry them....this woman here doesn't ever take a purse if hubby is with me.

We had this done to us, kind of, and it happened with 48 hr notice. We got 50% refund, and 250 OBC pp. We went anyway and the ship sailed at full capacity. Ours was an issue with a hurricane barreling down. We hit some rough water (last night), where they even placed bags out on the stairwells. It didn't bother us except for the fact you walk like you are drunk. I would do it, because at this point I would have everything ready for me to go anyway.

I would do as others have stated and spend the money on Coco cay, maybe even pay for the helium ride as a special treat. This does bring up an interesting point though. I wonder if for Atlantis the new Perfect Day will see them have a loss in revenue since passengers now can skip the water park at Atlantis and just do it at Coco Cay cheaper. That could be a lot of RCCL passengers skipping Atlantis on a daily basis.

Yeah, but that is what it is now. Think about it this way. You go interior, do not beverages because you are happy with water, coffee and lemonade. You don't buy Voom because you want to go unplugged. Your only dining option would be WJ and the MDR included in your sailing. I just basically gave you the bare bones cruise that they offer now. So, except for no housekeeping how could they reduce the bottom rate even lower?

This is true. However, in that same vein, realize these hotels have a target demographic market and part of that is a price point aspect. Many people love Carnival, but many find them to be the cheap cruise line. Now, if RCCL does not want to go head to head with them and lower their image they will stay away from it. Look at a big flop impo for RCCL. I think they were trying to take a bite out of Disney Cruises with them having Pixar characters on the ship. They have decided not to continue with the program. If you ask most TA's how they would describe RCL to NCL to Carnival. RCL they would say is 4 star, NCL is 3 and Carnival is 2. I have never been on Carnival, many of my family members have cruised Carnival, but only 1x. After that they swore they would never go back on their ships, hence, why I have never been on Carnival. They rotate between NCL, RCL and Princess, mainly because all of them sail out of NJ/NY. Honestly, depending on how will Virgin does, to me that is something I could see them aiming for from a marketing aspect. They can overhaul Majesty or Enchantment to make it a hip ship.