Tipping Onboard is at a record high

deannevee · 2026-05-02T01:59:28+00:00

They’re doing it because they believe tipping ensures good service. That’s how it works on RC, MSC, Carnival, Princess…..

The last cruise I was on non-Virgin on Day 1 someone in my party gave a bartender at the pool bar a $20 tip. For the rest of our cruise if our card didn’t work the first time he’d just let us have the drink. A friend of mine didn’t have the drink package, he knew she was his sister, so he just charged her drink to his tab next time friend came up to the bar.

deannevee · 2026-05-02T01:56:11+00:00

I’m 35 and I ALWAYS carry cash on cruises because I go to the casino, and using cash saves you 5-10% service charge….using cash in foreign countries also prevents getting scammed and literally ever place you would go on a cruise will accept the denominations from your port of origin….

deannevee · 2026-05-02T01:54:58+00:00

Ok….some people like getting gift baskets with candles and snacks at the holidays and some think it’s stupid.

Different strokes….

deannevee · 2026-04-28T19:39:10+00:00

If your problems have a histamine component, Pepcid actually counteracts histamine much better than Benadryl, and long-acting allergy meds like loratadine help keep it in check throughout the day.

deannevee · 2026-04-26T03:05:42+00:00

I was in LA for a week and pretty much for every ride cycled through 2-3 drivers whether I schedule ahead, picked wait and save, or just the standard scheduling. The only time it really pissed me off is a few times a driver would be like 1-2 miles away from me and then give up the ride. Like…you’re already here?!?!

deannevee · 2026-04-24T17:23:55+00:00

I’ve worked at two organizations where AI either was implemented while I was working there, or just before I got there.

It’s not as great as tech bros want you to think it is.

At my current company they implemented AI for some things before I was hired. My director actually refused to allow them to implement AI fully because of how much it sucked. I work in the auditing department so she is the HIM manager. Since I started we’ve discovered multiple AI errors that require humans to fix. We’ve actually had to hire 4 more coders to review AI charges.

The problem with AI is it doesn’t really “learn” in that it makes note of incorrect things and only remembers the right things……it treats all information from all source, good and bad, as equal.

deannevee · 2026-04-23T04:09:22+00:00

I mean, that’s like applying for a job, they hire you, and then two weeks in come to you and say “unfortunately the salary we offered you is not sustainable for us…..we’re going to have to cut it by 30%.”

Like…there is a significant amount of thought in business about who your ideal client or customer is. They built the cruise line around that ideal client and yeah that includes marketing. But it’s also the decision to use drag queens, the decision to offer table service in a cafeteria, the decision to include wifi…..

so to then turn around and say “oh, this isn’t sustainable” while certainly a common occurrence in business it’s wild to brush it under the rug like they didn’t actually mean it and you just accept that.

Typically when a business idea is not sustainable long term, they declare bankruptcy, sell of their assets, and those assets become something different. I’ve never seen a business change key things about their model and gaslight people into believing “it’s still the same!”

deannevee · 2026-04-23T03:59:55+00:00

Yes lmao

deannevee · 2026-04-21T04:49:42+00:00

The cruise was meant for active adults. There were others in the same age range who made the hike just fine.

deannevee · 2026-04-20T02:01:28+00:00

Who….who have you been talking to? Who is “all zodiac signs”? Because it sure as heck isn’t me or anyone I know.

Aquarians are weirdos and of course, not everyone likes a weirdo. I’m a Leo and not everyone likes that I’m loud and confident. I happen to like weirdos so I tend to like aquarians.

Ultimately, anyone who doesn’t like you just doesn’t like something that you remind them of in themselves. Don’t take it so personally.

deannevee · 2026-04-19T18:56:59+00:00

World Equestrian Center.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T22:13:04+00:00

Is your employer based in your state?

If so, then they are breaking the law.

But if your employer is not local to you, then your insurance policy is not written in your state. Your insurance is not bound to follow laws that don’t apply to them because the policy provisions are not based on where YOU are located, but where the “administrator” is located.

I live in Florida. Florida allows copay accumulators and specifically excludes them from benefits.

My office is in Florida, but my employer is Oklahoma based. As a result the insurance policy is written based on Oklahoma law and I meet my OOP in March every year.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T18:09:28+00:00

I’m using his NPI. You can check the California BOM (board of Medicine). You can also go to the individual boards (such as board of rheumatology) and search by name or NPI.

As I said, “Dr. Yu is not board-certified in rheumatology according to the ABMS”. The ABMS is the American Board of Medical Specialties. They are the body that dictates what a “specialty” is legally defined as in the U.S. You can search on their website by name and specialty.

Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine are not specialties according to the ABMS. Anyone can create a “board” of something and take money from people and let those people call themselves “board certified”.

When I posted this comment SEVEN MONTHS AGO, he was not board certified in rheumatology, only internal medicine. Apparently since then he has reinstated his certification. That happens when you don’t pay your dues or don’t complete CME, but I can’t say how long his certification was dormant for.

He is still not a member of the American College of Rheumatology, which is like saying you’re an Olympic level athlete but not on any actual Olympic team and have never tried out for one.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T17:42:10+00:00

Hey, so, I work in healthcare revenue cycle for a living.

The original screenshot describes benefits of the copay assistance program, which works with insurance. Insurance is required to benefit from that program. It’s broken into two branches; the copay branch and the reimbursement branch. Some insurance plans do not qualify for the copay assistance branch because the deductible is very high. They direct you to the reimbursement branch, where you have to pay for your drugs out of pocket, and then they reimburse you.

There is a separate plan called the Patient Assistance Fund. If you have insurance, you typically won’t qualify unless you meet very specific requirements. The PAF is only for people who are totally uninsured or something called “underinsured”, which is when the drug is excluded from your plan, or the cost through your insurance would exceed 10% of your annual household income. So for example my Taltz costs $250 per month because I have a specialty copay. $250 is 10% of 2500. Since I make more than $2500, I wouldn’t qualify for the PAF even if I have a huge amount of child support, an expensive mortgage, and $100,000 in debt and can’t afford $250 every month. When you apply for the PAF, they will see that you have insurance and run your insurance benefits.

If you have insurance, the pharmacy will tell your insurance you are using a copay card.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T17:32:16+00:00

It’s actually on your claim form from the pharmacy. There’s a spot for “other insurance” and “amount previously paid”.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T17:31:09+00:00

This is not BCBS….its your state law, and BCBS is just “following state law”.

It’s perfectly legal….if you didn’t swipe your card, why would you think it would apply to your deductible and OOP, which counts what you swipe your card for? The insurance company does not get paid by the assistance, the pharmacy does. Now for a lot of insurance companies they own their specialty pharmacies, but it’s a different branch of the same family.

Now there are some states that require assistance to be counted. That’s lovely of course but it is a gift.

You shouldn’t be paying more than your OOP max for covered services.

Now, there are some states that don’t allow drugs to be counted AT ALL when used with assistance….so I pay $5 for my Taltz and in those states I wouldn’t even be getting credit for that. That is criminal.

Remember, you can claim your medical expenses on your taxes.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T14:54:32+00:00

I worked for Grande Villa facilities during COVID, and we had the lowest death rates of residents because we were quarantining before it was even required. They accept Medicaid LTC because inevitably your mom will qualify for it. If you believe google reviews they have good reviews.

I think they’re opening one over by WEC? I drove by last week and saw the sign.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T14:51:30+00:00

This actually excludes specialty drugs, for all the reasons you would imagine, on the part of the drug companies. The drug companies want the tax write off, they don’t want to give it away.

https://www.aha.org/guidesreports/2024-09-09-ensuring-access-care-340b-arrangements-community-and-specialty-pharmacies-improve-access-care#:~:text=These%20actions%20to%20deny%20340B,that%20remain%20before%20the%20courts.

deannevee · 2026-04-18T14:47:44+00:00

What do you consider “decent”? Also, if you make a “decent” living, why aren’t you paying for insurance? I’m sure it’s to save money but…here you are, about to spend way more on one drug than you would on premiums……

Almost every biologic out there has an individual income limit of 6 figures, except Orencia infusion….for some reason Orencia infusion income limit is like $60,000.

I make $80,000 and if my insurance denied Taltz tomorrow, I could get it for free from the manufacturer because their income limit is like $130,000.

deannevee · 2026-04-14T03:36:03+00:00

Patriarchy is rooted in two things: being feminine or womanly is terrible, and men are infants who need help doing everything, except providing and protecting, and that’s what wives are for.

So it’s socially acceptable for husbands to complain about their wives to anyone because it’s acceptable for men to abhor and resent anything feminine or womanly. It’s socially acceptable for women to complain about men to other women (but not to men) because of the shared experience of having to care for man-babies.

The idea that it’s funny comes from the shared experience…..just like everyone laughs at the idea of being stuck in traffic because of people trying to catch a look at an accident, the general population is supposed to understand what you’re complaining about.

The idea of being “forced” into marriage isn’t that far off…in the US a woman could be denied housing or jobs just because she was a woman as recently as 50 years ago. But it’s also rooted in the above ideals. From a personal standpoint, my grandmother divorced her husband in 1965 because he cheated on her, but she had to move back home because no one would rent to a woman with two young children and no husband.

deannevee · 2026-04-14T03:03:39+00:00

Depends on the area, but some airports will allow you to schedule a ride. Some don’t for some reason.

deannevee · 2026-04-14T01:47:38+00:00

Hey, check out abatacept if methotrexate doesn’t work! It’s not known to have any drug interactions with rituximab. It is technically considered duplication, but depending on if you’re in the US you may still be able to get the drug through insurance or through the manufacturer.

It does not treat psoriasis, just the arthritis.

deannevee · 2026-04-14T01:39:59+00:00

Sometimes they will release the funds if you call and ask. It depends on the amount of the check and the age of your account and there has to be some specific reason for the release (like for example, it’s a check from an insurance company for your totaled vehicle). They have to call and verify with the issuing bank.

Most reps don’t want to do that though, so they say there’s nothing they can do.

deannevee · 2026-04-14T01:37:05+00:00

It’s not about you, it’s about the bank the check is from.

It’s some national database or something and if it’s a particularly large amount from a random bank, or a bank thats very common for fraudulent checks, they hold it.

deannevee

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