As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Thank you for the wonderful tip calculator. I have a question. Do you leave tips in the room for the room service on the ship, or do you put it in an envelope and give it to the guest services counter at the end of the trip? Im confused as to what to do since I have never been on a cruise before. I was thinking it was like at the hotels...you leave some in an envelope for them each day but I was talking to hubby and he was saying no...you put it all in an envelope and give it to them at the end of the trip...which do we do?
Your hubby is right You will be provided with envelopes labeled for the tipped positions and you give them to your dining staff and stateroom attendant on the last night. You can either put cash in the envelopes or you can pay at the desk on a credit card. I paid cash, so I'm not sure how the staff gets the tip if you pay for it on credit. I know the answer must be in my Passporter, but it's not handy right now!
This is so helpful--but I have one question, and anyone can answer this. By the place where you input the number of children in your party, you can check or uncheck the "full tip" box. What is the protocol for tipping? Does it depend on the child's age whether or not you do the full tip? I certainly don't want to stiff anyone, but wonder if for example my 1 year old will warrant a full tip. Thanks in advance!
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I guess I should have asked what the protocol is on DCL. I see on the calculator that many patrons tip at 50% for children, but didn't know if that was the case on the DCL. Thanks!
This is so helpful--but I have one question, and anyone can answer this. By the place where you input the number of children in your party, you can check or uncheck the "full tip" box. What is the protocol for tipping? Does it depend on the child's age whether or not you do the full tip? I certainly don't want to stiff anyone, but wonder if for example my 1 year old will warrant a full tip. Thanks in advance!
That is i think more of a personal feeling as to whether to tip or not for a 1 year old. But if it were me I would probably still tip the full amount just because I would feel bad knowing how hard they work to clean the staterooms, or help in general that I would want them to feel appreciated. Not everyone feels this way and may tip less for their child but thats what I would do. Since you don't tip until the end of the cruise maybe plan on tipping the full amount but change it if you feel differently when your cruise is over and its time to tip. Base it on the service you received.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Give_Me_Five
I guess I should have asked what the protocol is on DCL. I see on the calculator that many patrons tip at 50% for children, but didn't know if that was the case on the DCL. Thanks!
I think the protocol would be the full amount but you still have the option of changing it when the time comes to tip based on the service you received.
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For kids in your room, I'd tip 50% or so for the room steward, but 100% for your wait staff. As far as room service goes, you tip them at the time of service.
I've never had service, on any cruise, that didn't warrant a tip above the suggested amount. Except once.
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Listen, I hate to come across as cheap, because I definitely am not. I am looking into a Disney Cruise, so obviously I'm not.
BUT, to me giving out envelopes for tips seems a little tacky to me. I mean, I know that just makes it easier for the guests and what not. But, a tip is supposed to be "optional," though nowadays, it isn't. And to give out envelopes seems to make it mandatory.
Furthermore, I was under the impression with all-inclusive, that it includes gratuities, etc. My real beef however is with the sheer amount. According to the calculator, my family of four would be tipping somewhere in the area of $45 a meal. So, we are basically paying for a meal with that tip. So, to say that meals are included is kind of shady, as you will be tipping what it would cost to just eat a meal.
Think about it. Let's assume that the meal itself is worth $80, that is still an over 50% tip. I do not mind tipping, I honestly don't. I just do not like the idea that it is "expected" or that there is a standard amount.
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You will be provided with envelopes labeled for the tipped positions and you give them to your dining staff and stateroom attendant on the last night. You can either put cash in the envelopes or you can pay at the desk on a credit card. I paid cash, so I'm not sure how the staff gets the tip if you pay for it on credit. I know the answer must be in my Passporter, but it's not handy right now!
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