SPS

I just received notification from my chartered cruise group that the Explorer's amplification is going to continue as planned.

Have you cruised with those other companies during a potential global pandemic?

Have you cruised with those other companies during a potential global pandemic?

Was there a virus outbreak situation when you sailed on those other cruise lines?  If not, it would be unfair to compare your previous cruising experiences with what is going on right now.  The situation is very fluid and the travel industry is being impacted negatively in a big way.  We’ve known Royal to take care of its customers' welfare but it might be overwhelmed by the challenges  of this virus at the moment. A little understanding goes a long way.

Isn't there also a way for the one person that does cruise to get the C&A points for the person that doesn't show? I seem to recall something about that a month or so back.

The title of your post look as though you may think that this is an official RCCL website and asking for these options to be added. It is not. This is a fan site not at all affiliated with Royal Caribbean.
Your comments are a bit puzzling. Each ship we've been on in the past four years has had almond and/or soy milk options and oil based dressings are a staple. As mentioned above, there's no need to suffer in silence if you have food allergies or issues. The staff is always ready and willing to accommodate. My wife is gluten intolerant and she is always appreciative of how little she has to worry about food issues.

The title of your post look as though you may think that this is an official RCCL website and asking for these options to be added. It is not. This is a fan site not at all affiliated with Royal Caribbean.
Your comments are a bit puzzling. Each ship we've been on in the past four years has had almond and/or soy milk options and oil based dressings are a staple. As mentioned above, there's no need to suffer in silence if you have food allergies or issues. The staff is always ready and willing to accommodate. My wife is gluten intolerant and she is always appreciative of how little she has to worry about food issues.

The title of your post look as though you may think that this is an official RCCL website and asking for these options to be added. It is not. This is a fan site not at all affiliated with Royal Caribbean.
Your comments are a bit puzzling. Each ship we've been on in the past four years has had almond and/or soy milk options and oil based dressings are a staple. As mentioned above, there's no need to suffer in silence if you have food allergies or issues. The staff is always ready and willing to accommodate. My wife is gluten intolerant and she is always appreciative of how little she has to worry about food issues.

The bad news is, my dad told me last night that he's moving from where we leave near each other in Michigan to the Seattle, WA area.  I'll be sad to see him go, moving so far away. 
The good news is....what a great excuse to plan an Alaskan cruise out of Seattle!!!!!!  I may or may not invite him along.  LOL

I find this odd. Our experience with this on Freedom was completely the opposite. Each group/couple had all of the ingredients in separate containers on the table while the server/instructor gave tips on how to utilize the different ingredients to suit our tastes.
He also tutored us on making some superb Margaritas and print outs of the guacamole and margarita recipes were provided after the included lunch.
All in all, it was a very good experience.

I find this odd. Our experience with this on Freedom was completely the opposite. Each group/couple had all of the ingredients in separate containers on the table while the server/instructor gave tips on how to utilize the different ingredients to suit our tastes.
He also tutored us on making some superb Margaritas and print outs of the guacamole and margarita recipes were provided after the included lunch.
All in all, it was a very good experience.

I find this odd. Our experience with this on Freedom was completely the opposite. Each group/couple had all of the ingredients in separate containers on the table while the server/instructor gave tips on how to utilize the different ingredients to suit our tastes.
He also tutored us on making some superb Margaritas and print outs of the guacamole and margarita recipes were provided after the included lunch.
All in all, it was a very good experience.

I find this odd. Our experience with this on Freedom was completely the opposite. Each group/couple had all of the ingredients in separate containers on the table while the server/instructor gave tips on how to utilize the different ingredients to suit our tastes.
He also tutored us on making some superb Margaritas and print outs of the guacamole and margarita recipes were provided after the included lunch.
All in all, it was a very good experience.

You do know that the clowns on other sites claiming to leave a years pay in tips are actually the ones that leave near to nothing, right?

"Tipping is not a Chinese city."
Annnnnd swing and a miss on humor. 🙄
If you're the kind of person who has to announce to a huge group of strangers how much you (supposedly, per you...) are giving to the staff, you're not being a good person -- you're tipping for you, no matter what you try to tell yourself.
And the tips were in the casino? Oh, look...yet another way to say "look at me -- I have oodles of money to throw around and make a spectacle of myself..." 😑

First, I agree with everything that everyone has said.
Now, let me come at this from a different direction. Once upon a time, I was a cocktail waitress in college. Meaning, I have worked in an environment where tipping is done. And I saw ALL sorts. From the entitled "you should be paying me for the honour of waiting on me" types to the "hey, you're pretty, here's a hundred bucks for existing" types. And everything in between.
I think, at the end of the day, people who are in the service industry (at least myself and those I worked with as a waitress and later on when I was a bartender) get that not everyone is loaded with cash to throw around. I do think there is a general expectation from those who wait on you to have you pay your bill for what you have ordered and (where/when appropriate) leave a gratuity. And, yes, on the rare occasion, it's super nice if someone rich gives you more out of the kindness of their heart (it happens) or because they are trying to show off.
But here is the thing. On the other side, they can tell usually (especially after spending a week dealing with them) who is showing off, who is being kind, who is being an ass, and who is giving what they can. While you have entitled people everywhere, when working in the service industry personally, I would tell you that if you were a decent client who didn't berate me or demand ridiculous things or constantly complain then I'd already feel like I'd won. If you paid your expected RC gratuity then, excellent. Good to go. If you'd tipped me ON TOP of that, even if only $10, then I'd have been super appreciative that you'd thought enough of my time and attention to go above and beyond.
At the end of the day (as I think you have gathered from the other responses) you have nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone trying to make you feel ashamed has their own issues they are dealing with and chances are you could have tipped double what you tipped and someone would have said it still wasn't enough. There are some people that it will never be enough for. From the other side of the table, from the service side, I'd rather have a kind client who tipped me the absolute minimum but wasn't a PITA all week. Having dealt with PITAs, I can say there is no amount of money in the world for putting up with some peoples' *ahem*.
I'd be like, "Here's your money back. GTFO."
No shame. You were more than generous.