I Never Thought I'd Say This, But...

In article om,
Janet Wilder wrote:


You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).
Beside the point.


2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.
Beside the point. People who buy this water probably do it for many
other things. As I said, this isn't about medical grade water that they
charge for. The charge EVERYONE the same for distilled water.


3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.
No they are making an obscene (your words) profit on everyone who
buys distilled water from them for any reason.


4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.
Not unless you have some information that they are charging only
the Pap machine users for their distilled water or charging you extra.
Otherwise, they are doing nothing because of health issues. They are
merely charging everyone for distilled water.
Your main beef is why they decide to charge for something others
don't. That is legitimate to ask in a competitive context. But to
suggest that they are taking advantage of your illness (absent any
evidence that they are only charging machine users or that they are
charging you extra) is petty BS. There is nothing I have seen indicating
that they are taking advantage of anyone because of health problems.
They charge everyone for distilled water.

--
"Even I realized that money was to politicians what the ecalyptus tree is to koala bears: food, water, shelter and something to crap on."
---PJ O'Rourke

In article om,
Janet Wilder wrote:

You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).

2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.

3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.

1) Carnival has limited space on their ships, and must juggle a wide
variety of needs. How badly do they need to keep distilled water on
hand? What is the demand? Can they put the space to better use, to
serve more people?

2) Your health issues are not Carnival's responsibility.

3) You are acting like the sole purpose of this water is to keep
passengers healthy. How many passengers?

3) you are objecting to this solely on the basis of some "large" markup,
and you are ignoring that said "markup" brings the price up to a trivial
amount--that you probably pay in upsizing your McDonald's meal.

You can choose to focus on the markup, like those idiots who buy cars
based on meaningless and invented out of thin air "sticker" and
"invoice" numbers, or you can focus on "well, for ME to go on vacation
costs $5 more than the guy next to me at the dinner table--so be it".

Did no one ever tell you that life isn't fair, and that you're not owed
a damn thing?

Sit and pout about how you "can't" go on a cruise, as if you're entitled
to it on YOUR terms and at YOUR pricing. That's fine. But when you do
it in public, expect to catch hell for your attitude.

On 3/29/2011 12:42 PM, Ray Goldenberg wrote:
In raweb.com,
Janet wrote:

You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).

2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.

3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.

1) Carnival has limited space on their ships, and must juggle a wide
variety of needs. How badly do they need to keep distilled water on
hand? What is the demand? Can they put the space to better use, to
serve more people?

2) Your health issues are not Carnival's responsibility.

3) You are acting like the sole purpose of this water is to keep
passengers healthy. How many passengers?

3) you are objecting to this solely on the basis of some "large" markup,
and you are ignoring that said "markup" brings the price up to a trivial
amount--that you probably pay in upsizing your McDonald's meal.

You can choose to focus on the markup, like those idiots who buy cars
based on meaningless and invented out of thin air "sticker" and
"invoice" numbers, or you can focus on "well, for ME to go on vacation
costs $5 more than the guy next to me at the dinner table--so be it".

Did no one ever tell you that life isn't fair, and that you're not owed
a damn thing?

Sit and pout about how you "can't" go on a cruise, as if you're entitled
to it on YOUR terms and at YOUR pricing. That's fine. But when you do
it in public, expect to catch hell for your attitude.


Ok, that pretty much sums it all up...how about we all agree to disagree
and move on to more exciting things?

On Mar 27, 12:36*pm, Janet Wilder wrote:
On 3/27/2011 11:21 AM, Thumper wrote:





On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:09:50 -0500, Janet Wilder
*wrote:

On 3/26/2011 6:24 PM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In raweb.com,
* *Janet * wrote:

If you had *6th grade reading comprehension skills, you'd have read that
other lines provide it for free. Further, they are not trying to use a
medical situation as a profit source. Carnival is by charging $5 for an
item that costs them 50 cents. It's not like this is an option to those
people who need it to be able to breathe.

* * * But are they charging you more for your use than to anyone else that
asks for the same thing for other reasons? If they are charging you $5
for "medical grade" water but someone else gets the same jug for $3,
then you might have a beef (over and above the why don't they when
others will). It isn't that they are using a medical situation as a
profit source (unless there is the higher price), it is just that the
tight *******s charge for things others give away.

I don't know anyone other the users of C-pap and Bi-pap machines who
would even want a jug of distilled water. It tastes terrible. Not at all
like filtered bottled water.

Find someone with sleep apnea who uses one of these machines. They stop
breathing 10 times or more every minute while they sleep. Their bodies
are starved for oxygen. They need this water for their machines to
operate properly.

That's BS. *The machines work perfectly fine with regular water. *I've
been using one for years and when I run out of distilled I fill it
from the tap. *The companies recommend distilled water but it is only
a plastic reservoir with a heater underneath.

We contacted the company that makes the one my DH uses. *It is a Bi-pap
machine. They said that under no circumstances should he use anything
but distilled water.

I would much rather listen to the manufacturer than a nasty poster on
Usenet.


I use a CPap machine and I'm actually glad that on a cruise ... I
don't need the humidifier at all ... the humidity out on the ocean
especially in a tropical climate is perfect ... Up North in the
wintertime ... the humidifier is indeed helpful and beneficial ... but
not critical even then ...
You can get by with regular water for occasions if you need the
humidity ... but it's best to do that sporadically ...

On 3/29/2011 9:25 AM, Cruise Crazy wrote:
Janet,
Having read all the posts, pro and con, about the gizmo that your DH
uses, I am congratulating both of you on your courage to continue
cruising. GO GIRL!!!

My DH and I both have breathing and heart problems, so I KNOW how
difficult travel can be.

Thank you, Doris. Travel is not easy. I'm usually the one coping with
everything at the airport. He's sitting comfortably in the wheel chair
getting patted down and I'm juggling both of our carry-on stuff, his
pocket stuff, two pair of shoes and two jackets as well as having to go
to the podium while they wipe the inside of the Bi-pap machine case.
Then they have to open the cooler bag with the insulin because the blue
ice thing that keeps it cold looks like a bomb, I guess.


I'm being patted down, too, with the new x-ray machine. Even when I go
through it, they pat me down, so now I avoid the extra radiation and
"assume the position" g I had enough radiation with 30 treatments to
my head. Glad to skip it and hoping for a really cute, young guy to pat
me down, but they always have a woman. :-(

Getting through the airport is always the hardest part of our travels.

It must be doubly harder for you with both of you having health problems.

I often pre-arrange private excursions so that I know he can keep up. Do
you do that, too?



--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 3/29/2011 10:26 AM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In raweb.com,
Janet wrote:


You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).
Beside the point.

That *is* the point.

2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.
Beside the point. People who buy this water probably do it for many
other things. As I said, this isn't about medical grade water that they

Name something people would buy distilled water for other than a
breathing machine.

3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.
No they are making an obscene (your words) profit on everyone who
buys distilled water from them for any reason.


Name another reason people would buy distilled water. Go ahead. I'm
waiting.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.
Not unless you have some information that they are charging only
the Pap machine users for their distilled water or charging you extra.
Otherwise, they are doing nothing because of health issues. They are
merely charging everyone for distilled water.

You have to tell us who else would be using distilled water on a cruise
ship. It tastes awful so they aren't drinking it.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

In article m,
Janet Wilder wrote:


2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.
Beside the point. People who buy this water probably do it for many
other things. As I said, this isn't about medical grade water that they

Name something people would buy distilled water for other than a
breathing machine.
I know quite a few people that use it for drinking water related less
impurities. Use it to rinse hair and skin for similar reasons (not sure
how much more than placebo, but who am I to argue). Baby formulas.
Contacts. Just off the top of my head.


3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.
No they are making an obscene (your words) profit on everyone who
buys distilled water from them for any reason.


Name another reason people would buy distilled water. Go ahead. I'm
waiting.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.
Not unless you have some information that they are charging only
the Pap machine users for their distilled water or charging you extra.
Otherwise, they are doing nothing because of health issues. They are
merely charging everyone for distilled water.

You have to tell us who else would be using distilled water on a cruise
ship. It tastes awful so they aren't drinking it.

Speak for yourself, for once. AGain, you haven't shown that they
are charging you more in a healthcare setting than they would anybody in
any other setting. Of course, if nobody else uses it, then that means
they have to put it on board especially for you.

--
"Even I realized that money was to politicians what the ecalyptus tree is to koala bears: food, water, shelter and something to crap on."
---PJ O'Rourke

On Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:42:20 -0400, Ray Goldenberg
wrote:

In article om,
Janet Wilder wrote:

You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).

2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.

3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.

1) Carnival has limited space on their ships, and must juggle a wide
variety of needs. How badly do they need to keep distilled water on
hand? What is the demand? Can they put the space to better use, to
serve more people?

2) Your health issues are not Carnival's responsibility.

3) You are acting like the sole purpose of this water is to keep
passengers healthy. How many passengers?

3) you are objecting to this solely on the basis of some "large" markup,
and you are ignoring that said "markup" brings the price up to a trivial
amount--that you probably pay in upsizing your McDonald's meal.

You can choose to focus on the markup, like those idiots who buy cars
based on meaningless and invented out of thin air "sticker" and
"invoice" numbers, or you can focus on "well, for ME to go on vacation
costs $5 more than the guy next to me at the dinner table--so be it".

Did no one ever tell you that life isn't fair, and that you're not owed
a damn thing?

Sit and pout about how you "can't" go on a cruise, as if you're entitled
to it on YOUR terms and at YOUR pricing. That's fine. But when you do
it in public, expect to catch hell for your attitude.

Several years ago I read a piece in the Times about people's strange
perceptions about money. I can't remember it much but one example is
a study group where they asked the participants 2 questions. They
asked first whether they would drive 10 miles to the next town to buy
a $200 dollar stereo on sale for $185. Most answered no burt when
they were asked if they would drive to the next town to buy a $30
dollar radio on sale for 50% off. Most said yes even though in both
cases the savings was $15 dollars and the trip was the same 10 miles.

The article was really trying to show how merchants can manipulate
buyers when they understand how people perceive money.

Thumper

On 3/29/2011 3:34 PM, Stu wrote:
On Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:55:04 -0500, Janet
wrote:

On 3/29/2011 10:26 AM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In raweb.com,
Janet wrote:


You missed the entire point of the thread. Let me clarify it for you.

1) Carnival charges $5 for a jug of water that they can probably get for
50 cents (in large quantities).
Beside the point.

That *is* the point.

2)People who purchase this water need it for their breathing machines.
It's a health matter, not a recreational matter.
Beside the point. People who buy this water probably do it for many
other things. As I said, this isn't about medical grade water that they

Name something people would buy distilled water for other than a
breathing machine.

3)Carnival is making an obscene profit from the health issues of their
guests.
No they are making an obscene (your words) profit on everyone who
buys distilled water from them for any reason.


Name another reason people would buy distilled water. Go ahead. I'm
waiting.

4)I object to the price-gouging for a medical need.
Not unless you have some information that they are charging only
the Pap machine users for their distilled water or charging you extra.
Otherwise, they are doing nothing because of health issues. They are
merely charging everyone for distilled water.

You have to tell us who else would be using distilled water on a cruise
ship. It tastes awful so they aren't drinking it.

You've got to be kidding, distilled water is sold for drinking purposes. Just
because you don't like the taste isn't the point, the point is that you're to
cheap to buy the water and expect it free everywhere you go.

No it isn't. That's filtered water. The only people who might drink it
are babies if it is mixed in their formula. Google distilled water.

....but do keep at it. It makes me look more reasonable when you show
your stupidity.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:37:58 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:



Carnival's prices are significantly lower than other lines. I don't
see why you would expect them to furnish you with distilled water.

That is definitely not an excuse. You are really reaching for a
justification. I've had a jug of distilled water supplied by a Holiday
Inn as an accommodation.

As an outsider reading this thread,, YOU come across as the one
reaching for a justification. Nobody but you seems to have an issue
with this practice. If you use this as a reason to not give your
business to Carnival, then fine, but getting yourself this worked up
over 5 bucks when you probably spend thousands on the vacation?????


--
Neal

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.