On 7/18/2006 1:25 PM mgb wrote:
> Steel Cutlass wrote:
>> I took a major cruise line down the coast of Alaska a few years ago.
>> The cruise staff and ship ALWAYS have their hands out for tips, etc. It
>> feels almost
>> like you are being shaken down once you are on the ship. First, they
>> charge you big time for soft drinks, etc. you buy when you are not
>> at formal meals. In addition, pizza and snacks are NOT included in
>> your cruise fare. You'd think they would give out free Hot chocolate,
>> etc.
>> when viewing the glaciers from the deck of the ship... not. They will
>> announce the glaciers on the side of the deck, and then charge you
>> a handsome price for the hot chocolate. In addition, the cruise ship
>> I took was not American, the ship staff were not American, etc. I feel
>> like the profits, cash, etc. will immediately leave the U.S. business
>> churn and go to some countries with no loyalty to the U.S. at all.
>> I had a bad time and decided to leave the cruise early. To get off the
>> ship
>> at a port, they will incur an additional charge of hundreds of dollars
>> on you just for leaving early. I felt ripped off and shaken down to
>> some extent.
>>
> Let me tell ya something. There isn't one company in the US (or North
> America for that matter) that gives a rat's ass about the country they
> are in or the people or employees they hire. It comes down to money.
> Look how many companies that are outsourcing to India and other places
> - you think IBM or any of those companies care about the people who
> will lose their livelihood because of cheap labour? Nope. You better
> get used to it, loyalty to the country goes only as far as the dollar
> allows it to.
Charge for soft drinks? Every cruise ship does that. Charge for
snacks? Every cruise ship does that. If they don't they make up for it
in the cruise fare. If you disembark from a cruise ship mid-cruise,
they have to account for that with Immigration and Customs in the
country where you disembark. It doesn't matter if you are a US Citizen
and you are disembarking in your native country. The ship is like a
country and you have to go through those channels. Or, rather they have
to transmit this information to the nearest port of entry. That
involves computers and satellite transmission which costs money Since
they are prohibited from taking on anyone mid-cruise, your vacant cabin
costs money. So of course the cruise line will recoup its loss by
charging you a penalty fee. (Which was spelled out in your contract.)
I do find it curious that you don't mention the date of your cruise,
which line or which ship. While your experiences may be valid, you
haven't provided the "who, what, where, and when" so others can support
or refute your experience.
I don't think the nationality of a ship's compliment has any bearing on
the quality or level of on board service. I've sailed Holland America
many times. The HAL ship's compliment is usually comprised of Dutch,
Indonesian, Malaysian, Phillipeanos, Germans, British and yes some US
Citizens. I've always had a good time and tip top service. I don't
mind the "automatic" tip of $10 per person on the cruise per day. The
folks who do the prime service jobs really deserve it.
--
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Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
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