Will you reduce DSC

With all of NCL's new fees for this and that will you be discounting or reducing your DSC on upcoming cruises.

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I intend to reduce the DSC by the amount I have to pay for the new room service charges. NCL can pay its staff out of my "convenience" fee.

With all of NCL's new fees for this and that will you be discounting or reducing your DSC on upcoming cruises.

 

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We sailed on the Breakaway on 3/22 and after meeting and getting to know the staff, we ended up tipping above the DSC. Initially, I didn't think we would but the staff work so hard and are so very accommodating. In the end we decided that a few dollars would not break us and would mean more to them. But to each his own.

Frankly I'd like to reduce my DSC to $0 and go back to the way it used to be and just give tips in cash at the end of the cruise. This way I know the hard working crew are getting tipped and NCL is not taking the tips of my DSC and applying wherever they feel like it.

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No I won't. I don't have a problem paying the additional $2.95 on the DSC and will choose what increased fee items I will use. Why would I penalize the crew, even if I disagreed with any of these changes. Better to just not partake in room service, drinks or specialty restaurants if you disagree.

no charge for room service in suites so no worries

That is, as of now, still unconfirmed. The language on NCL's website is poorly written and some have indicated that the decision has not yet been made on non-Haven suites.

That is, as of now, still unconfirmed. The language on NCL's website is poorly written and some have indicated that the decision has not yet been made on non-Haven suites.

I saw it posted directly from the NCL today, Can't remember where or I would post it but no charge for suites and and all suites, but you believe what you want

Absolutely not

That is, as of now, still unconfirmed. The language on NCL's website is poorly written and some have indicated that the decision has not yet been made on non-Haven suites.

Direct from the NCL Website, please explain how this is poorly written and it is pretty direct as far as suites and haven suites.

Is Norwegian Cruise Line now charging for room service?

Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced an enhanced room service menu that is debuting on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway. The new menu offers an expanded selection for breakfast, in addition to a wider variety of options available 24 hours. Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $7.95 will be added to each order placed (Room Service orders placed by guests sailing in Suites and The Haven will not attract a charge)*. Room service is one of up to 29 dining options offered across the fleet, and guests continue to be able to enjoy a wide array of complimentary choices onboard 24 hours a day.

*Prices subject to change.

According to NCL the DSC is not what pays the employees salaries it is used as a incentive program and crew welfare fund for parties etc.

In the past month not only has the DSC been raised but there is also the addition of 18%. Where I come from that is not a normal tip that is a high tip and for that high tip I will expect above average service. In the past I would have never thought about adjusting the DSC but now if I receive sub par service I will speak to the appropriate people on the ship and if needed I will adjust accordingly.

All the new increases and additions are set at a very high standard I will expect the service to reflect this. No more using the guilt factor on me to tip, tip and tip some more. If everything is as it should be then the crew are doing very well indeed for themselves.

If service is good the DSC will remain in place . If someone goes above and beyond I will base my decision on whether to tip more on that. I will not worry myself with how others are tipping, everyone else can do as they see fit.

Rochelle

According to NCL the DSC is not what pays the employees salaries it is used as a incentive program and crew welfare fund for parties etc.

 

Rochelle

It is partially used as an incentive program, the majority goes directly to the workers as tips, the other part goes to them as incentives

No I will not reduce the DSC.

It is partially used as an incentive program, the majority goes directly to the workers as tips, the other part goes to them as incentives

You are correct. I worked under a base salary, plus bonus/incentive program. I got my base salary and then had a sales/return goal that the company had to reach to get the bonus/incentive. I'm sure NCL has their own criteria that they use to distribute their incentives to their crew members. I heard that on one cruise a crew member's mother was dying and their airfare home was paid out of the crew welfare fund.

I would feel weird punishing someone else for something they didn't do. It feels like pushing your discontent onto someone else when they can't even do anything about it anyways. I agreed to pay the DSC fees when I booked, and while NCL seems to feel OK about changing things on us after we've booked, I still think two wrongs don't make a right.

No I will not be reducing the DSC.

For years we never ordered room service. Starting with our June 2013 Alaska cruise we got in the habit of ordering "pre breakfast" of coffee, juice and chocolate croissants for the ladies and bran muffins for the gentlemen. We'd relax and then go for real breakfast later. If not in a suite (love Cagney's breakfast) we enjoy the Moderno smaller buffet.

If there is a fixed delivery charge for room service we'll just eat day old pastry treats and juice brought from the buffet the day before :)

We did one Princess cruise, one Costa cruise and I think 14 NCL cruises to date. We have four more booked thanks to really great pricing - three under the current promo. As long as Norwegian continues to provide a quality cruise I'm not going to stress over a few dollars here and there. If the increase in costs is coupled with lesser value to me for the cruise then I'll look at other options.

So how hard is it to get it removed? Do you just go to the desk and tell them to remove it or is it like a time share thing where they won't let you until you tell them 20 times?

I will tell you this much, with all these new and increased service charges NCL is sure raising the bar as to what I expect service wise and I won't accept poor service at the rates they charge. I can forego room service but everything else still costs more than when I booked and so I expect great service. If great service isn't provided I feel there is no issue adjusting DSC and I will tip anyone that is great with cash.

Anyone calling someone scum that removes an optional charge is totally out of touch. The cruise line made the charge optional so no one is wrong to remove it.

No, I will not reduce the DSC. It is impossible for me remember every single person who serves us on a 7-night cruise, and no I won't be carrying tons of dollar bills to tip every person throughout the day either. Which people would I tip at the buffet during lunch? There are many crew members working the buffet while I am eating lunch, and as far as I'm concerned all of them contribute to the meal I'm having, even if not serving me directly.

The fact is that long ago when we had the same waiter for 3 meals a day in the MDR, we knew who to tip and did so at the end of the cruise. But cruising is completely different now, even on cruise lines that have traditional dinner assignments because breakfast and lunch are open seating and several people serve you throughout the cruise even if you eat every meal in the MDR and never utilize the buffet.

Even though we are unaware if NCL is using the DSC ONLY for their crew members, be it for incentive programs combined with part of it given to them for each sailing or whatever combination, there is no other way to make sure that EVERY person who is responsible for serving you gets covered by the money you tip.

So how hard is it to get it removed? Do you just go to the desk and tell them to remove it or is it like a time share thing where they won't let you until you tell them 20 times?

Haha, this reminds me also of the episode of "Friends" where Chandler tried to 'quit the gym', and they tried to entice him to stay by telling him about all the bells and whistles they currently have. He kept saying "I want to quit the gym" and the. They brought out "Maria". ;)

He went to the bank to close his account, in order to stop payment for the gym membership. Ross had accompanied him to both the gym and then the bank. In the end, Ross and Chandler ended up getting a joint checking account! ;)

Ok, sorry to go off on a tangent there and I apologize also to anyone who has no idea what I am talking about, but I'm sure someone does! Carry on!

I've never reduced a tip, my last 5 or so cruises I did the auto tip and we always tipped extra ..We plan on dining at Cagneys one nite ( family of 4) , dining room and buffets the rest of the time and room service for "breakfast" twice, if service is not up to par with any of the dining venues , I will be tempted to reduce my DSC ..

Why would I do that? The crew has always supplied me with the service I expect. They are well worth the extra fee. Hey, if I couldn't afford it I would find a different vacation that I could. Beats staying at Motel 6.

With all of NCL's new fees for this and that will you be discounting or reducing your DSC on upcoming cruises.

 

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No, of course not.

It is partially used as an incentive program, the majority goes directly to the workers as tips, the other part goes to them as incentives

Yes and in its inception it covered waiters, assistant waiters, maitre d' and cabin stewards and at that time was in place of directly tipping people. The freestyle concept meant people moved around and they wanted to ensure the staff was taken care of. Now almost everyone is getting a piece of the pie. As I asked in another thread who was paying the cleaners and laundry staff before?

In the past I never worried about it. I trusted the company to pay it out as they seemed fit. I never would have thought about adjusting or removing the DSC.

Fast forward to March 1, 2015 and the DSC is increased by 8% for regular cabins and by 25% for suites. I was perfectly fine with this as well. Then within two weeks we are finding out that we will be tipping 18% to the wait staff in the specialty restaurants regardless of the service. The same for anything purchased at the cafe or to have a pizza delivered. When cries of double dipping ring out suddenly we are told that these folks are no longer a part of the DSC. They would like us to believe that the auto tips they will receive will be enough to take care of them. Is their no incentive programs for these staff members? Were they removed because there was not enough in the DSC to take care of them? Should the new increase not cover this? Or why the increase if there is now less people in the pool? Come the end of the month we find out they are 'testing' a new service charge for room service, which will no doubt be implemented fleet wide within a couple of weeks.

So if I am faced/forced to pay a high amount for service at every turn I will expect the service to be at least good. I am not a tough customer, pretty easy to please actually. I can roll with the flow but no longer will I shrug off bad service as I have been inclined to do in the past. If service is bad I will take the time out of my holiday and deal with it and if in the end that means I should be making some adjustments to the DSC then that is what I will do.

If I just show up, order room service in the morning, eat in a specialty at night and have a few cocktails or wine during the day I could very easily be tipping upwards of $40 each and every day. Will I leave it all in place regardless of service...not any more, I will adjust accordingly. Everyone else can do what they are comfortable with and I will do the same.

Rochelle

Where did I say a customer should sacrifice their enjoyment? If one gets poor service, they should contact management to get it corrected. In everything I've read on cruise critic, sans a few, NCL bends over backwards to solve ant service issues.

You said; "Better to just not partake in room service, drinks or specialty restaurants if you disagree."

Why would I not partake? It is NCL who has set the bar high with the DSC and 18% automatically on all the extras. The 18% is not discretionary on my part and is now in addition to the new DSC. This is what I disagee with. In the past I have always tipped extra, to my cabin steward, in the specialties and on beverage service and this was always at my discretion and I based it on service. If a server was run off their feet because they are busy I would not penalize them because the service is slow. It is NCL who has determined that the service in a specialty restaurant goes above and beyond what has previously been covered by the DSC and has instituted an automatic 18% be added to the bill. I don't like a company telling me exactly how I should rate and tip for the service I receive, that should be for me to decide. But I will play by the new rules and if, as you said, the service is bad I will contact management and if the problem is not corrected then I will adjust.

The original question was whether or not I would adjust my DSC in light of all the new increases and fees. And my answer is yes I would if warranted. In the past I would have just left them in place even if I had some awful service issues. In the past I would have just felt sorry for the staff and used my own discretion to tip extra or not. Now that I have no discretion it is NCL who forces me to adjust using the DSC as this is the only avenue they have left me in cases of bad service. Let me clarify I am not talking about things being a little slow or an order not coming out as requested etc. I am talking about BAD service

NCL has established their level of service, now they should make sure they provide it.

Rochelle

Awesome idea take it out on the hardest working employees who bust their ass every day to make your vacation awesome, good plan. If anybody does this they are worse then pond scum .

 

And don't give that fake response that I will tip as I go or at the end, people will be missed and left out.

Couldn't agree more! Every crew member I interacted with was great. I had a different waiter/waitress each night so tipping at the end would be nearly impossible. would rather not have to pay more, but unfortunately it is what is is. Punishing the hard working crew members is not the answer!