November 3, 2012 - Election Escape Eastern!!

[MrsMas]

We also have a facebook group, it is a bit more active than this thread if you wanna peek over there.

Thanks! I am now on the FB group!

 

[ntheory]

DH, DD(16) & me will be on this cruise. We are so excited!!! We are celebrating DH's birthday!!!

Awesome!!! I have a 16 ds that will be with us.

Greetings. We have been missing since page one of this thread because we have been back and forth as to whether we can keep this sailing due to school stuff and swim team for the oldest daughter. It is looking much more like we WILL be sailing with you all ! So I will reintroduce ourselves. I'm Jeff and traveling with DW and DD14 (at sailing) and DD8.

Hope to be more "regular" on the board so I can keep up with the happenings and get to better know the group!

happy friday!

Welcome back!

I had not seen this. Not sure I like it so much. Perhaps too many servers were getting stiffed? I usually tip extra, but I'm not sure that REQUIRING gratuity is the right way to go. Do other cruise lines do anything similar?

Edited to add: I just talked to my TA and she said DCL told them they had to make this policy shift because so many of the guests, especially Europeans, were not tipping the crew at all. If you wish to change the amount you can go to guest services and request to lower/raise the amount. But if you lower it, you will be questioned as to why so that if there is an issue of performance by a crew member, it can be handled.
I've only given less than the suggested amount one time and that was for the Head Server that we did not see for the entire cruise until the last day...tip day. Even then I didn't stiff him totally.

I do understand it, but I hate it. Typically, when we are 'required' to tip in a restaurant, we almost always choose NOT to add any for exceptional service. We hate to be forced to tip. We always tip well, I might add.





Wow .... we're getting close, aren't we??? I have GOT to get those FEs done!!!

 

[scootch]

A good time to go to Guest Services is right after dinner. We could not even think about having dessert, we were so stuffed and we left a little early and the whole ship was rather empty(we had early seating). Guest Services had no line at all.

 

[jd99]

Awesome!!! I have a 16 ds that will be with us.





Welcome back!




I do understand it, but I hate it. Typically, when we are 'required' to tip in a restaurant, we almost always choose NOT to add any for exceptional service. We hate to be forced to tip. We always tip well, I might add.





Wow .... we're getting close, aren't we??? I have GOT to get those FEs done!!!

I'm sure this is all driven by the European cruises. We talked to some favorite CMs on the Magic last year in Europe and they couldn't wait to get back to the US because in general Europeans tip very differently than Americans (kind of not at all in many cases) as restaurant workers in their countries are very differently compensated. We visited some family in Greece before the cruise last year and they were appalled the first night we paid for dinner and left a 20 percent tip. They said we made that waitress's week - if not month. She was clearly surprised when she said she was going to bring us back change and we said no that was hers. We all got a great laugh by the look on her face - and our relatives made fun of us for the rest of the trip!

 

[AquaDame]

I'd go so far as to say tipping is discouraged in many countries... in Japan it is downright insulting to tip! China is 3% etc, so when you talk about places that many many foreigners go, there is a high risk of the 'rules' not being followed, especially when the language says 'suggested'.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Greetings everyone! Wow this is an active group. We just got off the Dream last Thursday and re-booked on board for this cruise. There's so much we missed doing so we felt we needed a longer one to really enjoy it!

I'll be travelling with my DH, my DD (8) and DS (7). Guess I need a new ticker!

 

[Daniellenbella]

Greetings everyone! Wow this is an active group. We just got off the Dream last Thursday and re-booked on board for this cruise. There's so much we missed doing so we felt we needed a longer one to really enjoy it!

I'll be travelling with my DH, my DD (8) and DS (7). Guess I need a new ticker!

Welcome!

 

[Va-NanaTink]

Greetings everyone! Wow this is an active group. We just got off the Dream last Thursday and re-booked on board for this cruise. There's so much we missed doing so we felt we needed a longer one to really enjoy it!

I'll be travelling with my DH, my DD (8) and DS (7). Guess I need a new ticker!

We are gonna be reaching milestone dates here soon!

 

[MrsMas]

170 days!!! So excited!!

 

[kuhltiffany]

I requested to join the FB group, does it take a while to get approved?

Thanks!

 

[AquaDame]

170 days!!! So excited!!

We are getting excited too! We went and purchased some more giftcards since it is time to start paying our balance down and I had totally forgotten the jump we had to accept to move from 9/29 to 11/3! I was thinking we owed about $500 less than we really do... and now I can't find the GCs I thought we had left over from Disneyland... Its all good, and will be a wonderful cruise, but I think I better go for a nice hard run now and take a bath while it settles in..

 

[TomsRiverNJMickeyFan]

I requested to join the FB group, does it take a while to get approved?

Thanks!

It should be pretty quick, If you did request it yesterday I know tht ntheory (Shell) who monitors the facebook page had a pretty full plate the last couple of days, I would think you should get approved very soon.

 

[Spinks1800]

Hello Everyone

My DD and I have booked this cruise. We were originally booked on the October Hawaii Cruise but decided to fly to Hawaii instead. I will read the post to get caught up.

I requested to join the group in Facebook and we would like to be added to the list. If we are allowed to add ourselves I am sure I can locate. If not listed below is our information.

Sharon Spinks - spinks1800
Nichole Jones - nyck76

 

[TomsRiverNJMickeyFan]

Hello Everyone

My DD and I have booked this cruise. We were originally booked on the October Hawaii Cruise but decided to fly to Hawaii instead. I will read the post to get caught up.

I requested to join the group in Facebook and we would like to be added to the list. If we are allowed to add ourselves I am sure I can locate. If not listed below is our information.

Sharon Spinks - spinks1800
Nichole Jones - nyck76

Welcome to the group Sharon and Nichole!

Shell (ntheory) updates the list every couple of days on the first page of the thread! She also is the moderator for our facebook page, and also is the moderator for our Chatzy chat room.

Happy to hear that you will joining us!

 

[MrsMas]

We are getting excited too! We went and purchased some more giftcards since it is time to start paying our balance down and I had totally forgotten the jump we had to accept to move from 9/29 to 11/3! I was thinking we owed about $500 less than we really do... and now I can't find the GCs I thought we had left over from Disneyland... Its all good, and will be a wonderful cruise, but I think I better go for a nice hard run now and take a bath while it settles in..

Awww...the pay off balance is scary. I plan on paying some more tomorrow. I can't wait til it is paid off. And I really can't wait until I board the ship & start vacation.

 

[MrsMas]

Since we are cruising in November, do you think they will have Christmas decorations up?

 

[AquaDame]

I wouldn't think so since it is so early... they will barely be doing anything to the parks by the time we sail and there is less to do to get the ship ready. It would be fun if they do though!

 

[Daniellenbella]

Since we are cruising in November, do you think they will have Christmas decorations up?

We sailed the same week last year and they were only just starting the gingerbread house on CC day. There were no other decorations out yet.

 

[rosermama]

I have to tell everyone much to my sadness we may have to move our trip on the Fantasy

My husband is starting a new job and gets no vacation time until he has been there for 6 months, then he gets a week of leave. His 6th month is the Nov 11th. What luck huh, I can't complain at least he has a job and he is really happy with the company he is going to work with as he has waited a long time to get on with such a stable company.

He will find out this week if they will let him take the vacation a week early or if we have to move to another week. The thing is we got such a good price on this cruise I am afraid I won't be able to get such a good price before the year ends, also I have met such great people on this board I don't want to move and mis not meeting all of you.

I will let everyone know as soon as I know

 

[katzs13]

I requested to join the FB group, does it take a while to get approved?

Thanks![/QUOTE

Welcome Kuhltiffany
No there is no approval time, I have all of your information. Thank you

How is everybody doing?