Pima1988

I agree. 
As I have stated I work for a national retailer.  Outside our door is a big sign and it states "Are you feeling well?  If not we ask you to use our curbside delivery" You cannot miss it as you open the door to enter our store.   Do you think I actually believe 100% of our customers would be honest regarding that question?  Absolutely not, and we are not talking about a vacation that have paid for at least 90 days ago.
 

That is strange to me.  How would the pharmacist or the bank teller know?  I work retail (specialty) I know many of my customers personally, but someone coming in off the street I would not know if they were a nurse/doc, etc.  I have no need to ask, thus, I cannot fathom why the bank teller or the pharmacist would ask since it has nothing to do with the transaction.
Honestly, as I said to @Lovetocruise2002 in that theory, they should keep me off the ship since I have a high risk of exposure.  That bank teller is probably at a higher risk than you.  Think about it, money is not sanitary.  I have to visit the bank to make deposits for the store.  They are not wearing gloves when they do it.  In that theory, they better list a "NO SAIL" order for careers all over the place.   IE my DS works as a Bio Chemist, and deals with blood products.  He could be infected.  My DD is a school teacher.  My other DS is a pilot.  So, just in my family I would have 4 out of 5 that would be considered high risk.
OBTW, thank you and your husband for being there for all of us.  It is a calling, and unfortunately people forget the personal sacrifices that you make.

LMAO.  We were told to SMILE with our eyes when dealing with customers.  I never thought about fake eye lashes!  I work for a men's retailer.  I am the only female in the store.  I can see it now...Pima, can you put on mascara/false eyelashes for me so I can smile?
Back on topic.
One additional thought.     
My Symphony cruise in May looks pretty full.  I tried to do a fake booking for balconies, including the neighborhoods, and they are 95% gone, basically 1 or 2 on every deck.  So how will they limit the capacity?  Should I now be waiting for RCL to say, due to lower capacity, we are canceling your reservation?  How are they going to pick and choose if they have to cancel reservations to reduce the load?  Date reserved?  C& A level?  Cabin level?  $$$ you have spent on excursions (IE, we have purchased the thermal pass, spa couples massage, coco cay beach club day pass, cabana at Labadee, and excursions via RCL at every port, plus UDP, DBP and Voom)?   
 

That is hard for me.  It is a tie.
Coco Cay Cabana and Chef's table....oh maybe I should add the 70s party....oh, but was that better than Quest?  Okay, let's just go with my favorite memory of my last cruise was walking onto the ship so I could have all those memories!
What is easy for me to say, is my biggest negative memory, not because of RCL, but because of crazy passengers.  We loved doing the trivia in Schooners.  It was fun and let's be honest, what did you win... a key chain you never used or a highlighter?  On our last 2 cruises people were acting like they were going to win a million dollars and pulling out their phones to google/bing the question.  They lost site of the fact that is suppose to be fun and laugh at the crazy answers thrown out when they ask for people to scream out the answer before they gave the correct answer, instead it was I have to win!  We stopped going by day 3 of our 10 day cruise.
Back on topic.

That is hard for me.  It is a tie.
Coco Cay Cabana and Chef's table....oh maybe I should add the 70s party....oh, but was that better than Quest?  Okay, let's just go with my favorite memory of my last cruise was walking onto the ship so I could have all those memories!
What is easy for me to say, is my biggest negative memory, not because of RCL, but because of crazy passengers.  We loved doing the trivia in Schooners.  It was fun and let's be honest, what did you win... a key chain you never used or a highlighter?  On our last 2 cruises people were acting like they were going to win a million dollars and pulling out their phones to google/bing the question.  They lost site of the fact that is suppose to be fun and laugh at the crazy answers thrown out when they ask for people to scream out the answer before they gave the correct answer, instead it was I have to win!  We stopped going by day 3 of our 10 day cruise.
Back on topic.

I am one of those retailers.  I have to play mask police everyday.  I have had customers argue with me, telling me it is not a law or mandate.  The only thing I can say is, that for our company we require everyone to wear a mask.  IMPO that is exactly what RCL is saying.  It is their company and they can set regulations regarding health and safety.
The problem that does occur in the retail world and I suspect will happen on the ships is: You become use to everyone wearing a mask, thus, you look at their eyes only.  Eventually, there will be someone that doesn't wear it and it will take quite sometime before you realize OMG they don't have a mask on.  That is when the ire comes out from the customer whom you ask to place on a mask.  They will eventually says it is not a law.  In turn, our response is:  Yes, but our company has made it a requirement.
I don't get the argument regarding the mask.  In VA there is not one place you can go to without a sign saying NO MASK = NO ENTRY.

LMAO.  We were told to SMILE with our eyes when dealing with customers.  I never thought about fake eye lashes!  I work for a men's retailer.  I am the only female in the store.  I can see it now...Pima, can you put on mascara/false eyelashes for me so I can smile?
Back on topic.
One additional thought.     
My Symphony cruise in May looks pretty full.  I tried to do a fake booking for balconies, including the neighborhoods, and they are 95% gone, basically 1 or 2 on every deck.  So how will they limit the capacity?  Should I now be waiting for RCL to say, due to lower capacity, we are canceling your reservation?  How are they going to pick and choose if they have to cancel reservations to reduce the load?  Date reserved?  C& A level?  Cabin level?  $$$ you have spent on excursions (IE, we have purchased the thermal pass, spa couples massage, coco cay beach club day pass, cabana at Labadee, and excursions via RCL at every port, plus UDP, DBP and Voom)?   
 

I am one of those retailers.  I have to play mask police everyday.  I have had customers argue with me, telling me it is not a law or mandate.  The only thing I can say is, that for our company we require everyone to wear a mask.  IMPO that is exactly what RCL is saying.  It is their company and they can set regulations regarding health and safety.
The problem that does occur in the retail world and I suspect will happen on the ships is: You become use to everyone wearing a mask, thus, you look at their eyes only.  Eventually, there will be someone that doesn't wear it and it will take quite sometime before you realize OMG they don't have a mask on.  That is when the ire comes out from the customer whom you ask to place on a mask.  They will eventually says it is not a law.  In turn, our response is:  Yes, but our company has made it a requirement.
I don't get the argument regarding the mask.  In VA there is not one place you can go to without a sign saying NO MASK = NO ENTRY.

I agree.  I am willing to do whatever they require.  Like I said, if the pools are closed and they have removed 50% of the loungers, it will be no biggie to me because I have a balcony with loungers.  
I have no problem doing RCL excursions, just let me cruise.
Guessing the sad fact will be The Quest will no longer exist for at least a while.

I agree.  I am willing to do whatever they require.  Like I said, if the pools are closed and they have removed 50% of the loungers, it will be no biggie to me because I have a balcony with loungers.  
I have no problem doing RCL excursions, just let me cruise.
Guessing the sad fact will be The Quest will no longer exist for at least a while.

I agree.  I am willing to do whatever they require.  Like I said, if the pools are closed and they have removed 50% of the loungers, it will be no biggie to me because I have a balcony with loungers.  
I have no problem doing RCL excursions, just let me cruise.
Guessing the sad fact will be The Quest will no longer exist for at least a while.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

I don't know if your builder does this or Florida allows it, but I did this for many of my new construction buyers.  They actually would take the credit on certain items.  For example, they did not take the appliances.  Why pay a 20-30 yr loan on your fridge, because in essence that is what you are doing with a mtg.  Instead, they purchased on their own the appliances.  The only thing that creates an issue is that you will not get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the county on the day of closing because you do not have your appliances.  They would get keys that day, and have the appliances delivered the same day or the next day.  The inspector would come out and give them the CO the following day.
The other thing I would suggest is to take their bottom line flooring if you are going down there.  My Mom was the one that taught me this trick.  She knew this would be a long time home, or as she always said, they will take me out of this house feet first.  She wasn't going to settle on the flooring.  She took the basics.  The day after closing she had all of it ripped out and had a specialty flooring company come in and do it the way she wanted.  (extended the foyer into other areas), and with the floors she wanted, laid the way she wanted  (she wanted diagonal 12X12 tiles in the kitchen, but they only offered only 8X8 block, that and specific gout colors).  They had it done and move in ready 3 days later.  It actually was cheaper to take their basic, rip it out and place in her higher quality than if she did their top tier upgrade which was still lower than her product.
As someone that built my current house, I don't envy you on that aspect.  As a realtor, I can tell I would cringe on those days, especially if they have a showroom you go to for their site.  It takes a full day because you go from outside to inside including everything from the roof color to the faucet on the sinks.  You will think I got it all, and than when the list is printed, you start to say...wait, I chose black granite with black faucet, but stainless steel appliances...what will the cost be if I change the appliances to black stainless appliances?  Should I now change the faucet to stainless to match the appliances?  If I do that should I change the granite?  If I do that, than should I change the bathroom faucets too?  Every change you make after that 1st print out needs to be re-inputted.  
That being said it is fun picking out the things.  Just be ready for the sticker shock when you do the options/upgrades.   Rule of thumb is add in $$$$ for those upgrades.  For me when I did it with clients in VA, it was 20% of the price of the home if they did everything with the builder.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

I lived in the UK for 4 yrs.  I don't think we never didn't tip.  However, let me preface and say that my husband and I during our college years worked in the restaurant business, thus we know how hard they work and the long hours they endure for every shift.  It really would have to be absolute disgusting service for us not to tip.  Our tips are always tied to the level of service, it increases with the quality.  

I don't know if your builder does this or Florida allows it, but I did this for many of my new construction buyers.  They actually would take the credit on certain items.  For example, they did not take the appliances.  Why pay a 20-30 yr loan on your fridge, because in essence that is what you are doing with a mtg.  Instead, they purchased on their own the appliances.  The only thing that creates an issue is that you will not get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the county on the day of closing because you do not have your appliances.  They would get keys that day, and have the appliances delivered the same day or the next day.  The inspector would come out and give them the CO the following day.
The other thing I would suggest is to take their bottom line flooring if you are going down there.  My Mom was the one that taught me this trick.  She knew this would be a long time home, or as she always said, they will take me out of this house feet first.  She wasn't going to settle on the flooring.  She took the basics.  The day after closing she had all of it ripped out and had a specialty flooring company come in and do it the way she wanted.  (extended the foyer into other areas), and with the floors she wanted, laid the way she wanted  (she wanted diagonal 12X12 tiles in the kitchen, but they only offered only 8X8 block, that and specific gout colors).  They had it done and move in ready 3 days later.  It actually was cheaper to take their basic, rip it out and place in her higher quality than if she did their top tier upgrade which was still lower than her product.
As someone that built my current house, I don't envy you on that aspect.  As a realtor, I can tell I would cringe on those days, especially if they have a showroom you go to for their site.  It takes a full day because you go from outside to inside including everything from the roof color to the faucet on the sinks.  You will think I got it all, and than when the list is printed, you start to say...wait, I chose black granite with black faucet, but stainless steel appliances...what will the cost be if I change the appliances to black stainless appliances?  Should I now change the faucet to stainless to match the appliances?  If I do that should I change the granite?  If I do that, than should I change the bathroom faucets too?  Every change you make after that 1st print out needs to be re-inputted.  
That being said it is fun picking out the things.  Just be ready for the sticker shock when you do the options/upgrades.   Rule of thumb is add in $$$$ for those upgrades.  For me when I did it with clients in VA, it was 20% of the price of the home if they did everything with the builder.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

I don't know if your builder does this or Florida allows it, but I did this for many of my new construction buyers.  They actually would take the credit on certain items.  For example, they did not take the appliances.  Why pay a 20-30 yr loan on your fridge, because in essence that is what you are doing with a mtg.  Instead, they purchased on their own the appliances.  The only thing that creates an issue is that you will not get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the county on the day of closing because you do not have your appliances.  They would get keys that day, and have the appliances delivered the same day or the next day.  The inspector would come out and give them the CO the following day.
The other thing I would suggest is to take their bottom line flooring if you are going down there.  My Mom was the one that taught me this trick.  She knew this would be a long time home, or as she always said, they will take me out of this house feet first.  She wasn't going to settle on the flooring.  She took the basics.  The day after closing she had all of it ripped out and had a specialty flooring company come in and do it the way she wanted.  (extended the foyer into other areas), and with the floors she wanted, laid the way she wanted  (she wanted diagonal 12X12 tiles in the kitchen, but they only offered only 8X8 block, that and specific gout colors).  They had it done and move in ready 3 days later.  It actually was cheaper to take their basic, rip it out and place in her higher quality than if she did their top tier upgrade which was still lower than her product.
As someone that built my current house, I don't envy you on that aspect.  As a realtor, I can tell I would cringe on those days, especially if they have a showroom you go to for their site.  It takes a full day because you go from outside to inside including everything from the roof color to the faucet on the sinks.  You will think I got it all, and than when the list is printed, you start to say...wait, I chose black granite with black faucet, but stainless steel appliances...what will the cost be if I change the appliances to black stainless appliances?  Should I now change the faucet to stainless to match the appliances?  If I do that should I change the granite?  If I do that, than should I change the bathroom faucets too?  Every change you make after that 1st print out needs to be re-inputted.  
That being said it is fun picking out the things.  Just be ready for the sticker shock when you do the options/upgrades.   Rule of thumb is add in $$$$ for those upgrades.  For me when I did it with clients in VA, it was 20% of the price of the home if they did everything with the builder.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

I don't know if your builder does this or Florida allows it, but I did this for many of my new construction buyers.  They actually would take the credit on certain items.  For example, they did not take the appliances.  Why pay a 20-30 yr loan on your fridge, because in essence that is what you are doing with a mtg.  Instead, they purchased on their own the appliances.  The only thing that creates an issue is that you will not get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the county on the day of closing because you do not have your appliances.  They would get keys that day, and have the appliances delivered the same day or the next day.  The inspector would come out and give them the CO the following day.
The other thing I would suggest is to take their bottom line flooring if you are going down there.  My Mom was the one that taught me this trick.  She knew this would be a long time home, or as she always said, they will take me out of this house feet first.  She wasn't going to settle on the flooring.  She took the basics.  The day after closing she had all of it ripped out and had a specialty flooring company come in and do it the way she wanted.  (extended the foyer into other areas), and with the floors she wanted, laid the way she wanted  (she wanted diagonal 12X12 tiles in the kitchen, but they only offered only 8X8 block, that and specific gout colors).  They had it done and move in ready 3 days later.  It actually was cheaper to take their basic, rip it out and place in her higher quality than if she did their top tier upgrade which was still lower than her product.
As someone that built my current house, I don't envy you on that aspect.  As a realtor, I can tell I would cringe on those days, especially if they have a showroom you go to for their site.  It takes a full day because you go from outside to inside including everything from the roof color to the faucet on the sinks.  You will think I got it all, and than when the list is printed, you start to say...wait, I chose black granite with black faucet, but stainless steel appliances...what will the cost be if I change the appliances to black stainless appliances?  Should I now change the faucet to stainless to match the appliances?  If I do that should I change the granite?  If I do that, than should I change the bathroom faucets too?  Every change you make after that 1st print out needs to be re-inputted.  
That being said it is fun picking out the things.  Just be ready for the sticker shock when you do the options/upgrades.   Rule of thumb is add in $$$$ for those upgrades.  For me when I did it with clients in VA, it was 20% of the price of the home if they did everything with the builder.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?
 
 

I don't know if your builder does this or Florida allows it, but I did this for many of my new construction buyers.  They actually would take the credit on certain items.  For example, they did not take the appliances.  Why pay a 20-30 yr loan on your fridge, because in essence that is what you are doing with a mtg.  Instead, they purchased on their own the appliances.  The only thing that creates an issue is that you will not get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the county on the day of closing because you do not have your appliances.  They would get keys that day, and have the appliances delivered the same day or the next day.  The inspector would come out and give them the CO the following day.
The other thing I would suggest is to take their bottom line flooring if you are going down there.  My Mom was the one that taught me this trick.  She knew this would be a long time home, or as she always said, they will take me out of this house feet first.  She wasn't going to settle on the flooring.  She took the basics.  The day after closing she had all of it ripped out and had a specialty flooring company come in and do it the way she wanted.  (extended the foyer into other areas), and with the floors she wanted, laid the way she wanted  (she wanted diagonal 12X12 tiles in the kitchen, but they only offered only 8X8 block, that and specific gout colors).  They had it done and move in ready 3 days later.  It actually was cheaper to take their basic, rip it out and place in her higher quality than if she did their top tier upgrade which was still lower than her product.
As someone that built my current house, I don't envy you on that aspect.  As a realtor, I can tell I would cringe on those days, especially if they have a showroom you go to for their site.  It takes a full day because you go from outside to inside including everything from the roof color to the faucet on the sinks.  You will think I got it all, and than when the list is printed, you start to say...wait, I chose black granite with black faucet, but stainless steel appliances...what will the cost be if I change the appliances to black stainless appliances?  Should I now change the faucet to stainless to match the appliances?  If I do that should I change the granite?  If I do that, than should I change the bathroom faucets too?  Every change you make after that 1st print out needs to be re-inputted.  
That being said it is fun picking out the things.  Just be ready for the sticker shock when you do the options/upgrades.   Rule of thumb is add in $$$$ for those upgrades.  For me when I did it with clients in VA, it was 20% of the price of the home if they did everything with the builder.

This is also why I think wait staff around the world loves the US because we automatically tip.  I lived for 3+ yrs in the UK.  I have traveled across Europe and Australia, I know they have a VAT, but as Americans we still leave another tip on top of the bill.
OBTW, I am a military wife (DH is now retired)  guess what?  If you purchase groceries on base/post you actually do tip the baggers.  They are paid min. wage.  They bag your groceries and walk them out to your car, plus put them in.  So yep, in some parts of the US we tip grocery workers.  They are paid min. wage.   We also pay a 5% surcharge for shopping at the commissary.  
I honestly, do not tip at the bars in the pool.  However, we love Schooners and go there for pre-dinner cocktails.  We tip there, not to get better service, but bc after a few days they are our "local" bartender.  They remember our orders and as we pony up to the bar they ask your usual, followed by the order.  They also would go in the back and bring us a cup of nuts or snack for us.
Finally, I don't think it is about the tip per se.  I think it is about respect.
We all forget that while we are having fun, they have personal lives that have to be placed into the back of their mind.  They have to smile, and maybe they just heard their parent thousands of miles away was diagnosed with cancer.  Yes, they signed up for it, but they are still humans with emotions, yet expected to serve us all with a smile.  
Let's also be honest.  I get the 18% argument, but really, you pay how many thousands for a cruise, not including airfare, and we are now talking about maybe 5 bucks a day for a bartender? I say 5 going with 5 alcoholic beverages.  What is that 1% of your cruise cost?