JBC

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

Huh. Pretty sure he is coached by his manager to say that, as I have NEVER encountered (or been) a bar tender who did not prefer cash. But good for you asking!

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

I'll start off by saying I always auto pay my gratuities, I just consider it part of the cruise fare.  I would never have them removed.  Then I will tip extra cash to the wait staff, room attendant, bartenders as I go, blah blah.  I've never really had bad service on a cruise.  However, tipping culture and expectations have gotten way out of hand in the US.  I get waiters and waitresses, they have to be tipped.  With inflation driving up the cost of your average restaurant tab though, along with 20% being the new minimum tip, most servers are doing just fine. They are making no where near the minimum wage.  So we need to dispel the myth that anyone working as a waiter or waitress is barely making ends meet because of their job.  That said, we need to go back to tipping being for a service provided that exceeds expectations.  The Dunkin Donuts worker handing me coffee at the drive thru window doesn't need to be tipped.  They really can't exceed the expected service level.  Same goes for the majority of other positions that now have tip jars and gratuity options on payment screens.  Another cruise related one is luggage porters, I throw them a few bucks mostly because I feel like I am supposed to, and so they don't "accidentally" leave my bag off the cart because I didn't tip them. But in reality, them taking my bags from me and putting them on a cart to take to the ship is their only job. There is nothing they can really do to exceed that expected service level.  So I kind of feel like I shouldn't have to tip for that, even though I do.  At the end of the day though, I won't let an extra $50 or $100 in tips negatively affect my $10,000 vacation.         

The one time we did a non Royal cruise many years ago was with NCL on POA and loved it!  We went to Hawaii once on our own but much preferred the cruise.  We flew in a few days early and stayed a day over.  We got to see the same things and more plus did not have to keep packing and taking inter-island flights and changing hotels.  Also, one night we went past a lava flow and one day we went around back of Kauai to see a portion of it and we would not have seen those things unless on a cruise.

That's weird, I don't think I've ever had a 5 pm first seating time.  My cruises have always been 5:30.  I would be annoyed about that too.  

I've done the beach club twice (both times I have been to Coco Cay).  Never paid over $100, and it is worth it at that price.  Very nice area, not crowded, quiet, very prompt drink servers, and a great lunch.  I am going again in August with a large group so we are not doing the beach club, we are going to do the oasis lagoon pool area.  I am looking forward to it in order to compare to the beach club experience.  I have always said $100 was my ceiling price for the beach club, but if the oasis lagoon experience is bad, then that price ceiling may be raised for future visits.  Regardless of how bad other areas on Coco Cay could be though, I would never pay $280 for the beach club, that is crazy.  
 

I have been looking at NCL POA for a future cruise.  It's attractive because it is year round and hits all of the islands, but wow is it expensive (plus the airfare to get there).  Some of these comments here are giving me pause.  I am so used to royal, I would be so disappointed if I went and paid a small fortune and came away with a lot of negatives.  I am wondering if it may make more sense to do a land based Hawaiian vacation instead.  Royal's Hawaiian cruises don't work for me because of the timing (kids in school).   

If I was traveling with OP, I’d likely have been suicidal and jumped off the ship. 

Strong first post 

Wow. Just wow.
The only thing I see RCCL did that is questionable was to let you board in the first place.  
They gave you a second cabin.  You only paid for one.
RCCL is not responsible for your relationship.
Of all the ridiculous complaints I've seen from first time posters, this one takes the cake.
Suck it up buttercup.  You and your friend ruined your vacation... not RCCL.

I fail to see where any of this is the fault of Royal Caribbean. 

I love Labadee. Yes it is different from PDCC but in a laid back type of way. The only thing I don't enjoy is the open air market but it's a beautiful beach day.  If I had to choose I would actually prefer Labadee but the best is when a sailing visits both private islands. Here I am last March living my best life in Labadee!!