For that matter isn't cancelling your shipboard service charges stealing?
It may be crass but it is not stealing. That is why it is called a gratuity - a sign of your gratitude. If you have a problem with a member of the crew you can have your gratutity adjusted so as not to affect other crew members who provided good service.
If you are displeased with service don't just go away mad, let somebody know about it who can do something about it. Your's might not be an isolated incident. If not - management would be very interested in correcting the situation.
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Bob
A Bad Day At Sea [with power] Always Beats A Good Day At Work
Alaska 2014 - haven't picked a cruise yet
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they tried an experiment on royal carribbean with taking your sail and sign # before you take a photo, and then having them for display on monitors, but it was a disaster!! the queues were much longer, as people didn't always realise you had to have yout card, you all know how long the gangway lines are as soon as the ship docks, can you inagine how much longer it would be?
We experienced this "experiment" on the Liberty of the Seas this past July. Frankly everyone (including us) we talked to found this to be very well accepted. There was (me included) an initial shock when they asked me for my sail & sign card before they took our pictures. (By the way, we always carry a S&S card with us... it's our money.) My first thought was " do I have to pay for the pics before I see them?" No. It only took a second or two to swipe the card and then get your picture taken.
You could buy your pictures like normal or via the kiosk. BUT... the best thing was that you could simply walk up to the kiosk, swipe your card and see all of the pictures taken of you all week. No searching for pictures!! It was also very easy to get several more copies of a good picture... simply order it online. You could check for your pictures 24 hours a day. We did not see any lines ( I think most folks had no idea what the kiosks were for).
I liked the idea. I wonder how long it will be before this is available in your cabin, although I really believe the excitement of everyone looking at their pictures with everyone else does seem to fuel a "feeding frenzy" for buying pictures.
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Ron and Lee
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2010 - April 17 - Oasis OTS
2011 - Asia - THE 14 Day Big One...
Stealing is not acceptable, or justifiable by the price of anything. I really don't think even a tiny minority of cruisers ever actually steal from the cruise lines. If you have seen posts in here I am sure it is just from a few people who haven't really matured enough yet to see that their personal actions lead to consequences - sooner or later.
Kharma is real!
Well, I do take the pens at hotels ... but then I think the pen in your room is meant to be taken. I now have a nice new one to add to my collection from the Pan Pacific Vancouver.
The only thing I have ever taken from the ship, and to be honest it wasn't really stealing because the bar server told me to go ahead and take one ... was one of those "designated smoking area" signs ... you know, the little tent cards that go on the tables? I actually took two ... and they were more for a joke than anything else. I have one in the break area at work (smoking at work?) and one on the table on my enclosed porch ... just about the only place I smoke at home.
But I've heard of people stealing all manner of stuff from hotels and cruise ships, and that disgusts me. I heard of one person who steals silverwear from the dining room on her cruises. Why, I can't imagine. Why do you think cruise lines and hotels don't use logoed items? Because those logos make the items more attractive to steal.
You're right ... kharma is very real ... and it will one day come back to haunt you when you take things that don't belong to you ... especially things that are of value and cost the cruise line money to replace.
On one of our HAL cruises, an older woman wandered around the Lido buffet area and stuffed all the condiments into a huge bag that she carried. She also wore the little "Dutch" caps that they put out on the last formal night day and night. The staff never said a word to her. But, the theft behavior was more like you see from the homeless rather than on a 2 week HAL cruise. Very odd.
Marty
green rb[/quote] If you have a problem with a member of the crew you can have your gratutity adjusted so as not to affect other crew members who provided good service. unquote]
We just now picked up your response to our last posting but would like to reply even at this late date. Firstly, the so-called "tips" applied to your account are anything but a gratuity. The gratuity is allocated after what we call the service charge.
The fallacy of removing that portion of the service charge designated to an employee who has given you a disservice is that this offending employee (hereafter referred to as the offender) is penalized minimumly. Unfortunately, all those who delivered good service are equally penalized.
Of the portion of the daily amount of say $10. the offender was destined to receive, let's say, $3.25/day (or 32.5%). The balance is distributed to other service employees in amounts set out in the contract with the line. Should you decide to remove his portion but allow the balance of $6.50 to remain, the offender will still get $2.11 of that amount. And as stated, all the other good employees will have their portion reduced by 32.5%. In an attempt to penalize the offender, all employees are so penalized.
Whether or not one can consider that stealing is a matter for discussion.
That's where making your displeasure at whatever employee known to the management becomes very important. Simply removing gratuities isn't enough if, as you say, the adjusted amount is simply redistributed among all the staff. Besides, the employee who has offended you deserves the chance to know where s/he messed up so s/he can fix the problem.
Stealing? I get this same kind of argument from the college students I work with when they talk about downloading. "It wouldn't be such an issue if they wouldn't charge so much for a CD." "Well, if they would make better music." etc., etc. I agree with the person who said if you have it but you didn't pay for it and it wasn't given to you, you stole it. You can't justify it. If you think you can justify it, there's a problem in your thinking.
Well...that ought to make me some new friends. Hi, y'all!
Mike, well stated.
Since there are numerous cameras on the ship for passenger safety, it surprises me that there are not cameras in the photo area where the pictures are. If you are caught stealing, there should certainly be consequences. There would be on land. How would you like to spend the rest of your cruise in "lock-up". Where is the cruise security?? That would make people think twice prior to taking something that doesn't belong to them, whether it is in the photo area or any other area. The bottom line is....Don't take something that doesn't belong to you. Whether it is a photo, ash tray, purse, sunglassses. If it's not yours, just flat don't touch it. It would be comforting to know that you can step away from a personal item and not worry about it disappearing.
It would be comforting to know that you can step away from a personal item and not worry about it disappearing.
There is a good reason there is a private safe in each cabin. We more than appreciated that fact when we walked in on our steward while he was pillaging through our luggage.
It would be comforting to know that you can step away from a personal item and not worry about it disappearing.
There is a good reason there is a private safe in each cabin. We more than appreciated that fact when we walked in on our steward while he was pillaging through our luggage.
Wow that is shocking, see I think in this case you need a way to reduce the cabin steward's tip without effecting the other good employees tips. I have never had a bad experience that warranted reduction of the tips, so I never realized the impact on everyone. I do hope you reported that Cabin Steward to management.
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It would be comforting to know that you can step away from a personal item and not worry about it disappearing.
There is a good reason there is a private safe in each cabin. We more than appreciated that fact when we walked in on our steward while he was pillaging through our luggage.
I hope you reported that!
And not to just his supervisor.
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Dan
Peace through superior firepower.
It would be comforting to know that you can step away from a personal item and not worry about it disappearing.
There is a good reason there is a private safe in each cabin. We more than appreciated that fact when we walked in on our steward while he was pillaging through our luggage.
Wow that is shocking, see I think in this case you need a way to reduce the cabin steward's tip without effecting the other good employees tips. I have never had a bad experience that warranted reduction of the tips, so I never realized the impact on everyone. I do hope you reported that Cabin Steward to management.
There is a way to reduce the steward's tip without hurting anyone else's tips...you take away his portion in conjunction with speaking to his supervisor and whoever is in charge of dispersing the tips (is that the purser, maybe?) If they know why you're reducing your tip, it makes a difference, but you have to specifically ask for them to remove his portion only.
Stealing is stealing is stealing . A large amount of the posters claim that the pictures would be destroyed anyways. That argument is the same at any landbased photography store. Go to Sears, Walmart, or any store that does photos and you will not take the photos home for free just because they are going to shred them when you choose not to purchase them. I stand on the cruiselines' side here.
Many consider the drinks to be overpriced . I have a remedy. Do not buy any. The water and non-alcoholic drinks in the eating areas are free That way you aren't overcharged by the bartenders or waitstaff.
Pens and paper at hotels are a different animal. These are complimentary items for your usage, just as the toiletries in the bathrooms of your cabins are. Complimentary means free of charge to use, take with you as you leave. That is not stealing.
So, if you are normally charged a fee to consumer or operate something, then you shall pay for it or be branded by me as a thief
Cue the music...
"Bad boy, bad boy, whacha gonna do? Whacha going do when they come for you!"
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Cruised more times than I can remember.
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[quote="mehawk"]Many consider the drinks to be overpriced . I have a remedy. Do not buy any. The water and non-alcoholic drinks in the eating areas are free That way you aren't overcharged by the bartenders or waitstaff. quote]
While there is an element of Marie Antoinette's "Let them eat cake" about the post, we do agree that the way to reduce a price of something is to not purchase it. Perhaps that is why there are so many posts regarding how to smuggle alcohol aboard. But the fact remains that one of the reasons we embark on a cruise to have a good time and excessive pricing in all regards is not conducive to that aim resulting in the loss of passengers. Sooner or later the cruise lines will understand this point and by today's market results, sooner we expect...
I'd like to see more of a punishment than losing the tip.
What if he saw something he liked while rummaging through the stuff?
The reference to our cabin steward found going through our luggage happened many years ago on our first and only sailing with that line. Attempted theft will do that to passengers. But in addition the steward had an accomplice in an all white uniform that we could not identify in that moment of our shock and his get away. But we did report the incident to the line as well as the tour sponsor giving them the details and name of our cabin steward. We receives neither an acknowledgement or a response from either of them.
Passports should always be kept in your cabin safe when not needed. Glad we did just that.
This doesn't really fall into the category of stealing, but kind of funny. We went to the Captain's Welcome Party on one of our Celebrity cruises. They had the little glass dishes of peanuts on the show lounge tables. After everyone was leaving, there was an elderly woman going around putting all the leftover peanuts in a plastic bag. She came prepared with her bag. Obviously not her first time. And no, I doubt that it had anything to do with the great depression & afraid of not having any food. On a cruise ship !!
But yes, stealing is stealing. If it ain't yours, don't take it. Ditto to the ink pens & toiletries which are meant for us to take.
Not sure I totally agree If they leave in my cabin all sorts of stuff like soap, shampoo, and the night night time on the pillow chocolate FOR ME.
If I don’t use it, then take it home as a souvenir, is that really stealing from the line, as you already paid for it in your cabin price?
So confused when you say
"But yes, stealing is stealing. If it ain't yours, don't take it. Ditto to the ink pens & toiletries which are meant for us to take".
So if it’s meant for us to take, how is that stealing from the line?
Stealing from the line is one thing, personally I don’t get excited about it.
But if I’m in line on the buffet and there are 10 wings available to eat on that hot plate and the guy in front takes them all, ,,greedy B***,,,,,then he just stole from me :evil: . That is what winds me up regarding stealing on a ship,,,stealing from each other 8)
Not sure I totally agree If they leave in my cabin all sorts of stuff like soap, shampoo, and the night night time on the pillow chocolate FOR ME.
If I don’t use it, then take it home as a souvenir, is that really stealing from the line, as you already paid for it in your cabin price?
So confused when you say
"But yes, stealing is stealing. If it ain't yours, don't take it. Ditto to the ink pens & toiletries which are meant for us to take".
So if it’s meant for us to take, how is that stealing from the line?
Stealing from the line is one thing, personally I don’t get excited about it.
But if I’m in line on the buffet and there are 10 wings available to eat on that hot plate and the guy in front takes them all, ,,greedy B***,,,,,then he just stole from me :evil: . That is what winds me up regarding stealing on a ship,,,stealing from each other 8)
Oh. I meant ditto to the previous posts saying that toiletries, ink pens, etc. are meant for us to take. I guess I should have clarified that. OOPS !
IMO, if there is a charge attached to an item, service, etc. and you use it or take it without paying for it, it's stealing. I don't see any gray areas about that.
DayvidB, I'm sure more chicken was waiting in the "wings"....hey, maybe the guy was hungry! 10 little bitty wings isn't much for a man to consume.
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I know this is off topic but the soap, shampoo, etc. made me want to share an idea I got from someone who spends as much time as I do on the road
If you don't use the toiletries takee them anyway and give them to a homeless shelter.
I take the soap and shampoo each day and stash them so that they are replaced.
I will stay in one room smometimes for weeks at a time and I'll walk away with quite a few items.
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Dan
Peace through superior firepower.
"10 little bitty wings isn't much for a man to consume. "
It is for me, being the Adonis of a man that I am, the figure and all that 8)
To preserve it then it’s 4 wings only
Plus the fat or is that fact other people want some as well, so if I was lifting I would take that into account
But if its all for one and one for all in this buffet scramble……and now I have to wait and stand in line because some greedy B, took the lot available?....mmm
The conversation from yours within the buffet Q, would be something like “Hey Fat Boy, leave some for us as well”, stop thinking about you”.
I guess we are the exception to the norm-because we prefer getting a formal night photo on ship and buying it instead of going and having a sitting at Olan Mills or osmeothr studio. Those sales people at those places give you a HARD sale to buy more photos then you could possibly want or need. On ship,there is no hard sale-we simply buy what we want and have them throw away the rest-but we only buy a FEW photos. Very rarely those debarking in port ones and NEVER the stupid pirate ones.
As far as drinks, I do not drink carbonated drinks, so no soda cards for me. I drink very little alcohol. My hubby dirnks a little more than me, but not much. He loves to buy the drink of the day and tells them no souvenior glass, that way it is only $3.50.
There is no justification for stealing. I always wondered why they print out the pictures before they know if anyone wants them. In the digital age, it would certainly cut back on stealing if you reviewed your pictures on a monitor (either at the photo gallery or on the television in your cabin), selected the ones you wanted, and picked up the prints on the last day. No loose unwanted prints to be thrown away, no prints to tempt a somewhat shady passenger to steal.
I just got off the Independance yesterday after a cruise. They have the system onboard where you use your card to swipe a machine to check your photos. Of all the ships ive been on..The Idependance is the best so far..
I read this thread fascinated that people actually STEAL the photos. Then I realized that I, too, am a thief. I steal the after dinner mints!
That's why when I went to get some after dinner mints they said there weren't anymore. I thought they just ran out of them !!
So I was forced to steal some peanuts.
I read this thread fascinated that people actually STEAL the photos. Then I realized that I, too, am a thief. I steal the after dinner mints!
That's why when I went to get some after dinner mints they said there weren't anymore. I thought they just ran out of them !!
So I was forced to steal some peanuts.
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I now have a nice new one to add to my collection from the Pan Pacific Vancouver. 
see I think in this case you need a way to reduce the cabin steward's tip without effecting the other good employees tips. I have never had a bad experience that warranted reduction of the tips, so I never realized the impact on everyone. I do hope you reported that Cabin Steward to management.
. A large amount of the posters claim that the pictures would be destroyed anyways. That argument is the same at any landbased photography store. Go to Sears, Walmart, or any store that does photos and you will not take the photos home for free just because they are going to shred them when you choose not to purchase them. I stand on the cruiselines' side here. 
That way you aren't overcharged by the bartenders or waitstaff. 
If they leave in my cabin all sorts of stuff like soap, shampoo, and the night night time on the pillow chocolate FOR ME.
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