Couple more questions... HAL's new tipping policy.

Tom & Linda wrote:

"Benjamin Smith" wrote in message
hlink.net...

Based on? Have you sailed them? They aren't lux, but they are in a
higher price scale the Celebrity and HAL and have their own clientele,
known as Cunarders. I don't really know the product but I know their
size and pricing, which differ from a Celebrity or HAL.



I have co-workers and have met people who've gone on Cunard.


I have as well, the ones I know don't put them in the same category.

Voyager ships also have pricing higher than Celebrity and HAL.


Not necessarily. HAL and Celebrity tend to have higher onboard charges
and excursions and more high-level cabins. HAL also has the more
expensive Prinsendam and longer voyages than most RCI itineraries.

Ben S.

--Tom

Tom & Linda wrote:

"Benjamin Smith" wrote in message
hlink.net...

Based on? Have you sailed them? They aren't lux, but they are in a
higher price scale the Celebrity and HAL and have their own clientele,
known as Cunarders. I don't really know the product but I know their
size and pricing, which differ from a Celebrity or HAL.



I have co-workers and have met people who've gone on Cunard.


I have as well, the ones I know don't put them in the same category.

Voyager ships also have pricing higher than Celebrity and HAL.


Not necessarily. HAL and Celebrity tend to have higher onboard charges
and excursions and more high-level cabins. HAL also has the more
expensive Prinsendam and longer voyages than most RCI itineraries.

Ben S.

--Tom

"Tom & Linda" wrote in message

But George, you seemed like you SO wanted Mickey to take the Princess to
the
ball.

Actually, I would have much preferred that Carnival Corp take over NCL. As
a supplier, Princess was doing very well on their own and were easy for TA's
to work with. (That hasn't changed). NCL was a nightmare to deal with and
since Star bought them out, they have become even worse. Their cruise
product isn't bad but dealing with them on a daily basis continually
reinforces my opinion that they are the most inefficient, mismanaged company
in the cruise industry.

In the long run, I am not sure that any of this matters. Cruise lines
policies... whether it be pricing, tipping, commissions, advertising, etc...
are all customer driven. If enough people dislike HAL's tipping and NCL's
service fee, they will move to other lines and these companies will change
their policy. If enough travel agents dislike NCL's back office
ineptitude, they will promote other cruise lines.

Things have a way of shaking out.


--
George in PA http://www.countryside-travel.com

r.t.c. Great Land Cruise-Las Vegas http://www.cruisemaster.com/lvbash.htm
Sleazy 3 - Carnival Conquest http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
The Mother of All Group Cruises http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com
Miracle in May - http://www.cruisemaster.com/miracle.htm

"Tom & Linda" wrote in message

But George, you seemed like you SO wanted Mickey to take the Princess to
the
ball.

Actually, I would have much preferred that Carnival Corp take over NCL. As
a supplier, Princess was doing very well on their own and were easy for TA's
to work with. (That hasn't changed). NCL was a nightmare to deal with and
since Star bought them out, they have become even worse. Their cruise
product isn't bad but dealing with them on a daily basis continually
reinforces my opinion that they are the most inefficient, mismanaged company
in the cruise industry.

In the long run, I am not sure that any of this matters. Cruise lines
policies... whether it be pricing, tipping, commissions, advertising, etc...
are all customer driven. If enough people dislike HAL's tipping and NCL's
service fee, they will move to other lines and these companies will change
their policy. If enough travel agents dislike NCL's back office
ineptitude, they will promote other cruise lines.

Things have a way of shaking out.


--
George in PA http://www.countryside-travel.com

r.t.c. Great Land Cruise-Las Vegas http://www.cruisemaster.com/lvbash.htm
Sleazy 3 - Carnival Conquest http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
The Mother of All Group Cruises http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com
Miracle in May - http://www.cruisemaster.com/miracle.htm

ando (RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

I have to say that I almost never shop except when I'm on a trip (and
sometimes not then). I like to get gifts for family members from
someplace I've been - sometimes it is a little difficult because I
insist that what I buy have been produced there, and not in Indonesia
or Haiti (unless I'm in Indonesia or Haiti).

Any other shopping I do, I do by mail order, or now on the internet.
The things I don't do on the internet are things you can't do on the
internet very well, like mail a package. We live in a very rural area
though, and I do not enjoy driving 40 miles to the nearest larger town
or 60-100 miles to the next city. I do go to Best Buy sometimes when
I visit my mom in the city.

My husband does all the grocery shopping and basically all the other
shopping and my daughter buys the airline tickets for us.


grandma Rosalie

ando (RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

I have to say that I almost never shop except when I'm on a trip (and
sometimes not then). I like to get gifts for family members from
someplace I've been - sometimes it is a little difficult because I
insist that what I buy have been produced there, and not in Indonesia
or Haiti (unless I'm in Indonesia or Haiti).

Any other shopping I do, I do by mail order, or now on the internet.
The things I don't do on the internet are things you can't do on the
internet very well, like mail a package. We live in a very rural area
though, and I do not enjoy driving 40 miles to the nearest larger town
or 60-100 miles to the next city. I do go to Best Buy sometimes when
I visit my mom in the city.

My husband does all the grocery shopping and basically all the other
shopping and my daughter buys the airline tickets for us.


grandma Rosalie

ando (RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

I have to say that I almost never shop except when I'm on a trip (and
sometimes not then). I like to get gifts for family members from
someplace I've been - sometimes it is a little difficult because I
insist that what I buy have been produced there, and not in Indonesia
or Haiti (unless I'm in Indonesia or Haiti).

Any other shopping I do, I do by mail order, or now on the internet.
The things I don't do on the internet are things you can't do on the
internet very well, like mail a package. We live in a very rural area
though, and I do not enjoy driving 40 miles to the nearest larger town
or 60-100 miles to the next city. I do go to Best Buy sometimes when
I visit my mom in the city.

My husband does all the grocery shopping and basically all the other
shopping and my daughter buys the airline tickets for us.


grandma Rosalie

Rosalie B. wrote:

(RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell
products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

There is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking when one pays cash.

One cannot pay real, true hard currency over the Internet. One CAN use
currency locally. So, when "paying cash at local retail stores"
"there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking."

Cash (and where you can use it) is the key, not that the store is local.
Obviously, one also needs not to give information when making the purchase.

ando (RTCReferee) wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote:

(RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell
products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

There is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking when one pays cash.

Even when I pay cash at the local Radio Shack they wanted all the
information on my address, phone number etc.

One cannot pay real, true hard currency over the Internet. One CAN use
currency locally. So, when "paying cash at local retail stores"
"there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking."

Cash (and where you can use it) is the key, not that the store is local.
Obviously, one also needs not to give information when making the purchase.

I don't use cash unless I have to - also no debit card and I don't use
an ATM.


grandma Rosalie

ando (RTCReferee) wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote:

(RTCReferee) wrote:

wrote:

Personally, I have no problem paying for added value. $5 or $50 or
more is no problem when I feel I am getting more value than other
options I may have.

Exactly right.

One added value—among many—in paying cash at local retail stores is that
there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking.

(I am not talking about travel agencies, but local stores that sell
products.)

I'm not so sure that there is zero chance just because the store is
local.

There is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking when one pays cash.

Even when I pay cash at the local Radio Shack they wanted all the
information on my address, phone number etc.

One cannot pay real, true hard currency over the Internet. One CAN use
currency locally. So, when "paying cash at local retail stores"
"there is zero chance of ID theft or info-tracking."

Cash (and where you can use it) is the key, not that the store is local.
Obviously, one also needs not to give information when making the purchase.

I don't use cash unless I have to - also no debit card and I don't use
an ATM.


grandma Rosalie