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JBC

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  1. Like
    JBC got a reaction from Lovetocruise2002 in What about Odyssey 11 day Caribbean?   
    Odyssey also wins for having the worst elevators on any ship.  The touchless buttons are sensitive, they light up anytime anyone gets near them and you can't unselect them, so the elevators are constantly making stops at floors that no one wants to get on or off at.  So the wait for elevators is terrible.  Just got off Odyssey, and I had read about the elevator issue on here before, but experiencing it in person, I can confirm it's accurate.  
    Our cruise was apparently sold out, and boy, it was noticeable everywhere.  Long wait times to get drinks everywhere, the pool chair situation on sea days was beyond ridiculous (every chair "reserved" by 7am), every venue packed in the evenings, hard to get seats to anything without going exceptionally early.  Heard lots of complaints all week long from people, and witnessed a lot of testy exchanges. 
    The ship itself is beautiful, but IMO it cannot handle a sold out sailing.    
  2. Like
    JBC reacted to tonyfsu21 in Boarding earlier than assigned time.   
    Official Statement: you should follow the rules and stick to assigned boarding times. RC will follow up with a stringent message 24hr prior to embarkation telling you NOT to arrive early. 
     
    Unofficial statement: arrive when you want and jump in line. I have never been turned away. I don’t like how embarkation is considered day one of a vacation yet 1/2 a day is blown by the time you arrive to the ship for a late assigned boarding time. 
  3. Like
    JBC got a reaction from RCIfan1912 in $100,000 cup + lifetime DBP. Any takers?   
    Nobody with the disposable income to buy this would.  It makes zero sense.  You can't even calculate the break even point when considering the free drink vouchers someone already gets with that many cruises, plus the time value of money factor.  This is just an advertisement / marketing ploy to spur RC discussion.  
  4. Like
    JBC got a reaction from USCG Teacher in Drinks with floaters   
    A tip in hand when making the order will usually take care of the floater cost.  
  5. Like
    JBC got a reaction from WAYNO in Drinks with floaters   
    A tip in hand when making the order will usually take care of the floater cost.  
  6. Like
    JBC got a reaction from Ryan79 in Drinks with floaters   
    A tip in hand when making the order will usually take care of the floater cost.  
  7. Like
    JBC got a reaction from OCSC Mike in Cozumel in view   
    I really liked Paradise Beach.  Lots of room, huge pool, food was decent, and the drink servers come fast and often.  Get there when they open and you will have free reign of the place, it didn't start getting crowded until around noon when I went.  I've never been to Nachi but I've been to Mr Sanchos and Paradise Beach is way better.  I will definitely return to Paradise the next time we are in Cozumel.  
  8. Haha
    JBC reacted to jbrinkm in WiFi   
    My interpretation was that
    1. He booked the Internet when they still offered "Surf+Stream" and Surf only packages. Perhaps calling the "surf & stream" the Advanced Internet. So he paid for the higher priced Internet on board.
    2. Then he ALSO paid through his phone/service provider (Xfinity), a cruise fee or overseas fee or something that was $10/day - not sure if he did this beforehand as a precaution, or once he started having trouble with the ship internet.
    3. When the rep messed with his settings to try to get the ship Internet to work, he inadvertently messed up the Xfinity settings too. 
    4. He's mad.
    Mark, if you end up checking back in, complaining here is not a complaint to RCI:
     
  9. Haha
    JBC reacted to tonyfsu21 in Gratuities raised   
    Yep. It’s very obvious. I 100% consider the loyalty program to be the best in the industry but that doesn’t necessarily mean legacy cruisers are actually valued. I do not believe Mr Liberty considers Pinnacle Grandma the long term gameplan as she rolls through the promenade like she owns the place (and gets everything for free). Mr Liberty wants money to feed the Royal Caribbean beast and that money is not coming from Pinnacle Grandmas 30 cruises per year in an inside cabin sipping her free rose with the captain. 
  10. Like
    JBC got a reaction from PPPJJ-GCVAB in Gratuities raised   
    I have no idea what a base pay is for a cruise ship employee that is part of the tip pool, but with just some conservative simple math, an Oasis class ship with 6,000 passengers is probably about $800,000 in gratuities for a 7 night sailing (blending the regular rooms with suites, less people that remove the tips).  Then say another 1,000 drink packages so that's another $100,000.  Then gratuities on dining packages, say another $100,000.  Is it crazy to say a mostly full Oasis class ship will take in a million dollars in gratuities for a 7 night sailing at least, if not more?  Not counting cash tippers on top of that.  Of the 2,200 crew, how many are in the tip pool, 2,000?  Do gratuities account for more of their pay than salary?  Either way, to me it doesn't seem as much like indentured servitude like people sometimes make it out to be.  And I am with most when I say it won't stop me from going, it's just annoying when services are being reduced.   
  11. Like
    JBC got a reaction from SweetPea in Gratuities raised   
    I have no idea what a base pay is for a cruise ship employee that is part of the tip pool, but with just some conservative simple math, an Oasis class ship with 6,000 passengers is probably about $800,000 in gratuities for a 7 night sailing (blending the regular rooms with suites, less people that remove the tips).  Then say another 1,000 drink packages so that's another $100,000.  Then gratuities on dining packages, say another $100,000.  Is it crazy to say a mostly full Oasis class ship will take in a million dollars in gratuities for a 7 night sailing at least, if not more?  Not counting cash tippers on top of that.  Of the 2,200 crew, how many are in the tip pool, 2,000?  Do gratuities account for more of their pay than salary?  Either way, to me it doesn't seem as much like indentured servitude like people sometimes make it out to be.  And I am with most when I say it won't stop me from going, it's just annoying when services are being reduced.   
  12. Love
    JBC got a reaction from RCIfan1912 in Gratuities raised   
    I have no idea what a base pay is for a cruise ship employee that is part of the tip pool, but with just some conservative simple math, an Oasis class ship with 6,000 passengers is probably about $800,000 in gratuities for a 7 night sailing (blending the regular rooms with suites, less people that remove the tips).  Then say another 1,000 drink packages so that's another $100,000.  Then gratuities on dining packages, say another $100,000.  Is it crazy to say a mostly full Oasis class ship will take in a million dollars in gratuities for a 7 night sailing at least, if not more?  Not counting cash tippers on top of that.  Of the 2,200 crew, how many are in the tip pool, 2,000?  Do gratuities account for more of their pay than salary?  Either way, to me it doesn't seem as much like indentured servitude like people sometimes make it out to be.  And I am with most when I say it won't stop me from going, it's just annoying when services are being reduced.   
  13. Like
    JBC got a reaction from Cactus527 in What's a shore excursion you'll never do again?   
    This.  I don't do any excursions thru Royal anymore, the 3rd party ones are always better and always cheaper.  Just do your research (read reviews and such) to make sure you are getting a reputable operator, and allow yourself enough of a buffer for the all aboard time and you will be fine.  No reputable 3rd party excursion operator will let you miss your ship as the reviews that would come from this would kill them.  
  14. Like
    JBC got a reaction from OCSC Mike in What's a shore excursion you'll never do again?   
    This.  I don't do any excursions thru Royal anymore, the 3rd party ones are always better and always cheaper.  Just do your research (read reviews and such) to make sure you are getting a reputable operator, and allow yourself enough of a buffer for the all aboard time and you will be fine.  No reputable 3rd party excursion operator will let you miss your ship as the reviews that would come from this would kill them.  
  15. Like
    JBC got a reaction from RCIfan1912 in What's a shore excursion you'll never do again?   
    This.  I don't do any excursions thru Royal anymore, the 3rd party ones are always better and always cheaper.  Just do your research (read reviews and such) to make sure you are getting a reputable operator, and allow yourself enough of a buffer for the all aboard time and you will be fine.  No reputable 3rd party excursion operator will let you miss your ship as the reviews that would come from this would kill them.  
  16. Like
    JBC got a reaction from WAYNO in Cigars   
    Cigars are a different world entirely from cigarettes, pot, vaping, etc.  It's a shame they are still shunned all the same, and now relegated to the same outdoor area on deck as anyone smoking anything else.  The connoisseur clubs were great, I am glad I got to experience one on Freedom before they took them away.  I am not a huge cigar smoker, only have them occasionally, but there are few better spots to enjoy a cigar than on the high seas!    
  17. Like
    JBC got a reaction from PL8SWPR in Pets   
    Serious question, because I have never heard of a dog for detecting low blood sugar.  Why would a dog be used for this task in place of a continuous glucose monitoring device?  I am not diabetic so I know nothing about it, but I would think now a days with advances in wearable tech (things like apple watches and such) would make it way less of a hassle on a daily basis than the logistics of bringing a dog everywhere.  I would also think a service dog trained for this task would be extremely expensive.  Again, I am genuinely curious, and am not judging you.    
  18. Haha
    JBC reacted to Fuzzywuzzy in Pets   
  19. Like
    JBC got a reaction from tjcruisers in Pets   
    Serious question, because I have never heard of a dog for detecting low blood sugar.  Why would a dog be used for this task in place of a continuous glucose monitoring device?  I am not diabetic so I know nothing about it, but I would think now a days with advances in wearable tech (things like apple watches and such) would make it way less of a hassle on a daily basis than the logistics of bringing a dog everywhere.  I would also think a service dog trained for this task would be extremely expensive.  Again, I am genuinely curious, and am not judging you.    
  20. Thanks
    JBC got a reaction from Vancity Cruiser in Pets   
    Serious question, because I have never heard of a dog for detecting low blood sugar.  Why would a dog be used for this task in place of a continuous glucose monitoring device?  I am not diabetic so I know nothing about it, but I would think now a days with advances in wearable tech (things like apple watches and such) would make it way less of a hassle on a daily basis than the logistics of bringing a dog everywhere.  I would also think a service dog trained for this task would be extremely expensive.  Again, I am genuinely curious, and am not judging you.    
  21. Like
    JBC reacted to TXcruzer in A decent living   
    They will take home 1.5X-2X the average annual income of their home country on each contract.  That's a pretty great wage 
  22. Like
    JBC reacted to twangster in A decent living   
    Absolutely.  
    There is much more to it.  There are elements of less government regulation and less government in our lives in general.   
    At the end of the day it's also about total compensation but also motivating people to work.  If I am guaranteed a wage from society regardless how much effort I put forth why would I desire to work hard?  Socialism is a fine concept on paper until you bring the human into the equation.  America is more about individual freedom which goes hand in hand with capitalism.  To your point it is largely the overall culture.  We enjoy a lot of freedom, especially from government, but that includes not having government dictate things like wages for every position and every citizen.  There are ripple effects to less government that changes the landscape of so much more.   That is our culture.  
     
    Tipping and cruise ship salaries are very different topics that are unrelated. 
    The cruise industry as we know it exists largely due to inexpensive labor from less developed countries.  If that bothers you, you shouldn't cruise.  
    In those source countries where most cruise ship labor comes from the wages offered by the cruise industry is very appealing and often much higher than anything available for the same people who are drawn to work in the cruise industry in their home countries.  On top of that they get to see the world while not paying for room or food.   In exchange they have to work and work hard they do.  That seems like a fair deal to me.  
    It's not for everyone and some who give it a shot don't enjoy it.  Yet there are many who have embraced it and are putting their children into private schools in countries where public schools are a disaster.   Then they put their children in higher education so that their children have opportunities that are unavailable to the masses back home.  In the end they sacrifice a lot so that their families have better lives in the long run.  They do all this through many years of working on cruise ships.  I respect them for doing so.
    They are not forced to pick this industry.  They work relatively short contracts measured in months.  If they didn't want to work in the industry they would soon have an opportunity to find something else.  There is no such thing as a multi-year contract, most are 5 - 7 months long with a few that are 9 - 10 months long.  Once that month's long contract is over they are free to choose a different industry to work in.  Yet so many come back and they sign up for another contract, and another contract.  That is a choice they make.  That is freedom.  
     
  23. Like
    JBC reacted to smokeybandit in A decent living   
    There's a reason cruise ship employees work the hours they do, because it is a good living compared to other options in their home countries.
  24. Like
    JBC got a reaction from brdjnr in Trip report Mariner 6 night Aug 26   
    I was on Mariner two weeks ago, and I echo most of your sentiments.  MDR food was ok, not great.  Portions definitely smaller.  The upcharges for the specialty restaurants are getting to the point of them not being worth it in my opinion.  Bar service was also wildly inconsistent.  If I didn't have the DBP and was actually paying $14 for a drink, I would have definitely complained at times. 
    The star lounge on mariner is huge, and it seems underused at times to me.  Trivia is wildly popular at schooner, to the point that you better get there 20 minutes before it starts or you won't get a seat.  They should hold more of those trivia sessions at star lounge instead of schooner.
    Gallery of Dreams is a "original royal production", and like almost all of royal's original productions, it's just singing and dancing with some costumes, and good luck trying to discern what the story actually is or what is going on.  I actually look forward to these productions just so I can walk out and say I have no idea what that actually was.  We had two different comedians, one was laughably bad.  His adult show was not adult at all, very PG.  Not a big deal other than it not being funny.  The second comedian was Drew Thomas, and both of his shows (regular and adult) were hilarious.  One of the best comedians I have seen on a royal cruise.  We had a juggler that was great, frequent royal performer "el gaucho" who was decent, and a trio of female singers that were good.  The ice show was good as usual.  Overall for not being an Oasis ship, I was pleasantly surprised by the on board entertainment.  The reggae band that played on the pool deck a few days was really good too.           
  25. Like
    JBC got a reaction from CanHardlyWait in survey I just received   
    This is spot on from the first page.  Add steeply increased prices on drink packages and internet packages to the list as well.  One at a time these things don't seem like huge issues but add them up and you get to a huge issue quick.  I will be at Coco Cay this Saturday, will be my first time going there not going to the beach club.  The price is insane and I refuse to pay it.  So I will see what the "complimentary" Oasis Lagoon experience is like.  Odds are it won't be nearly equal to the beach club.  So that will lead to the line of thinking that maybe it's time to check out another cruise line, just on the principal of it. 
    As everyone says, Sorrento's is bad to average pizza at best.  But at midnight after hitting the bars, it's good enough.  I will not pay a fee for it though.  Honestly that might be the nail in the coffin.  There is nothing else available late, and I don't want a cold sandwich that has been sitting out for hours.  If they take Sorrento's out of new builds, what are they replacing it with?  What hot food option could be cheaper for RC than Sorrento's?
    I really hope people start speaking with their wallets.  Although Disney Cruises did this same thing (extraordinary price increases across the board) many years back and it didn't seem to slow their demand.   
          
     
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