Ultimate Beverage Pkg - tipping

I am considering a NCL cruise on which there is a promo now for free a UBP as one of the perks. I've never used a drink package on board before. I know there is an 18% gratuity. I assume that's even if you get the UBP free? Is the gratuity based on the per day price of the drink package, or on the price of each drink you order? Does the gratuity show up on your bill at the end of the cruise? Thanks in advance for answering my dumb questions. :o

I am considering a NCL cruise on which there is a promo now for free a UBP as one of the perks. I've never used a drink package on board before. I know there is an 18% gratuity. I assume that's even if you get the UBP free? Is the gratuity based on the per day price of the drink package, or on the price of each drink you order? Does the gratuity show up on your bill at the end of the cruise? Thanks in advance for answering my dumb questions. :o

The gratuity is based on the daily price of the package and is paid up front. Yes, it is charged even if the package is free. Also just so you know there have been reports that the 18% doesn't actually go to the bartenders or wait staff so you may still want to tip a little as people say that can get you better service.

I am considering a NCL cruise on which there is a promo now for free a UBP as one of the perks. I've never used a drink package on board before. I know there is an 18% gratuity. I assume that's even if you get the UBP free? Is the gratuity based on the per day price of the drink package, or on the price of each drink you order? Does the gratuity show up on your bill at the end of the cruise? Thanks in advance for answering my dumb questions. :o

I took $100 in ones. Gave a dollar every time I got a drink. They remember you and you get great service every time you get a drink. Sometimes they would come to you while you were in line so you didn't have to wait. Tipping goes a long way.

I booked the Breakaway last night and choose the UBP. On my confirmation there is a charge of 99.64 that says beverage service charge. Could that be the prepaid tip?

I booked the Breakaway last night and choose the UBP. On my confirmation there is a charge of 99.64 that says beverage service charge. Could that be the prepaid tip?

How many people is that for? I think that's the gratuity for the UBP. I guess it's not included when you also book with pre-paid gratuities.

That is per person. I also prepaid gratuities and that is on a separate line.

I booked the Breakaway last night and choose the UBP. On my confirmation there is a charge of 99.64 that says beverage service charge. Could that be the prepaid tip?

Yes.

I took $100 in ones. Gave a dollar every time I got a drink. They remember you and you get great service every time you get a drink. Sometimes they would come to you while you were in line so you didn't have to wait. Tipping goes a long way.

Agree wholeheartedly !

Treasurespast. Yes the 18% is pre-paid on the UBP, daily gratuities are not but can be

The tip is charged on the price of the package...so no additional tips are needed. You may want to tip a little extra now and again...but it's NOT required!

I also have the UBP for free as part of my cruise package, but I don't see anything on my docs about gratuities, other than the gratuities we already prepaid ($14.95/day, we booked before the increase and we're in a suite). So...I think we'll have to pay 18% at the bars, yes? :confused: (doesn't matter as we'd tip anyway, but just curious!)

I also have the UBP for free as part of my cruise package, but I don't see anything on my docs about gratuities, other than the gratuities we already prepaid ($14.95/day, we booked before the increase and we're in a suite). So...I think we'll have to pay 18% at the bars, yes? :confused: (doesn't matter as we'd tip anyway, but just curious!)

You are not charged the 18% service charge on the UBP or dining package if you are in a suite. Be sure to bring $ to tip the butler and concierge as they are not included in the $14.95 dsc you pre paid. We usually tip the room steward extra too.

So, as far as the service/gratuity charges showing on our invoice we were charged $99 p/p for the free drink package and $25 p/p for the free restaurant package.

I'm not a *huge* drinker. Yet, I may have 2 or 3 drinks throughout an entire day.

Even if it works out to 25-30 drinks during the entire seven day cruise that's a $3-$4 tip per drink.

How do the tips get dispersed?

Does the bar staff actually get the tips?

Does NCL calculate how much you drink and divide your $99 to whom it was that served you?

It may seem awkward not to tip at the time of service but I think another one buck tip on site brings the tip total (for me) to $5 a drink. That's a bit high I believe.

 

How do the tips get dispersed?

Does the bar staff actually get the tips?

Does NCL calculate how much you drink and divide your $99 to whom it was that served you?

We're heading into a rat hole here. You would do best to stop thinking of the $99 as a tip and instead think of it as a service charge. NCL takes that money and does what ever it pleases with it. In theory some of it goes to the wait staff, but there is no relationship between your specific drinks and how your $99 is distributed. And it is also doubtful that all of it goes to service staff. Folks on this board like to point out that support staff (e.g. dish washers) also get some of that service charge money. Or so they claim.

That's why people (myself included) advise to tip your wait staff when served. I usually do $1 at the bar and $2 to $5 (depending on how many drinks I order) for walk around waiters like at the pool.

Tips are included. How much more then 18% is really needed? NOTHING unless you want to. The service is the same if you over tip or not, that was my experience and i didn't tip more then then the 18% included.

What NCL does with that 18% is none of your business, it's between employee and employer, you met your obligation. People are obsessed with this tipping. Have a nice vacation, you've met your obligation when you purchased the package.

What NCL does with that 18% is none of your business, it's between employee and employer, you met your obligation.

Yeah, thats a good point.

At home I always tip waiters 20% and $1-$2 for a drink.

Because it is so *ingrained* in me to tip I know it is going to take some getting used to if I decide not to tip on the spot.

That's why I would love to know if the servers actually get their money.

NCL would be a bunch of friggin' S-bags to pocket the servers tips because they are offering a *free* drink package.

...corporate offers a special deal to their customers and then goes and eff's over their own employees while trying to make some of their lost profit back.

Tips are included. How much more then 18% is really needed? NOTHING unless you want to. The service is the same if you over tip or not, that was my experience and i didn't tip more then then the 18% included.

What NCL does with that 18% is none of your business, it's between employee and employer, you met your obligation. People are obsessed with this tipping. Have a nice vacation, you've met your obligation when you purchased the package.

If you didn't tip extra, how do you know the service is the same?

The service is the same if you over tip or not, that was my experience and i didn't tip more then then the 18% included.

I can assure you, extra tipping is noticed and helpful in getting better service. Especially with the wait staff that wanders around delivering drinks.

An example - about 3:00 one afternoon I finally go out by the pool. I see my favorite waiter on the way and say hi. Shortly after I get seated he shows up and takes my order. As he's leaving, others around me give him orders. After he's gone people are asking why he suddenly showed up and went right to me when they haven't see a waiter all day.

So,,, if you are a creature of habit, like I am, you can walk up to the bar, nod at your favorite bartender (who you have given a little extra tip to in the past), and before you can hand them your card, your drinks are ready.

BTW: This is *not* what I recommend when people ask about the UBP. I tell people to order every drink that you wouldn't be caught dead ordering in your local bar. Go down the menu of exotic frozen drinks, then start down on the mojito menu.

I can assure you, extra tipping is noticed and helpful in getting better service. Especially with the wait staff that wanders around delivering drinks.

 

 

 

An example - about 3:00 one afternoon I finally go out by the pool. I see my favorite waiter on the way and say hi. Shortly after I get seated he shows up and takes my order. As he's leaving, others around me give him orders. After he's gone people are asking why he suddenly showed up and went right to me when they haven't see a waiter all day.

Same

You are not charged the 18% service charge on the UBP or dining package if you are in a suite. Be sure to bring $ to tip the butler and concierge as they are not included in the $14.95 dsc you pre paid. We usually tip the room steward extra too.

That's what I thought about the packages. Thank you for the confirmation. We always tip the room steward but didn't even think about the concierge and butler so thanks for bringing that up!

Since the automatic drink tip went from 15% to 18% I have to admit I am tipping less often than I used to. But the service has also been lacking the last few years. I have not seen very many servers near the pool like when I did a couple of years ago and the drinks are taking twenty or so minutes to get to me. The last two cruises I found myself going to the bar to get my own drinks because it was much faster and easier.

Yeah, thats a good point.

 

At home I always tip waiters 20% and $1-$2 for a drink.

 

Because it is so *ingrained* in me to tip I know it is going to take some getting used to if I decide not to tip on the spot.

 

That's why I would love to know if the servers actually get their money.

 

NCL would be a bunch of friggin' S-bags to pocket the servers tips because they are offering a *free* drink package.

 

...corporate offers a special deal to their customers and then goes and eff's over their own employees while trying to make some of their lost profit back.

Do you think the staff would be there long term long term if this was the case? many of the crew have been there for many years and make more money then they ever could in their home countries. Exactly what they earn and how NCL divies up the daily tips is between them but it obviously works for the crew.

If you didn't tip extra, how do you know the service is the same?

Because it was good and prompt and no bribe would have made it any better.

So, pretty much, no one truly knows whether or not the servers actually receive any amount of our pre-paid drink package gratuities?

However, from previous posts, it is assumed that they must be receiving 'something' ....or they wouldn't work for NCL?

 

It may seem awkward not to tip at the time of service but I think another one buck tip on site brings the tip total (for me) to $5 a drink. That's a bit high I believe.

We were on the Epic. We had pre paid service charges. To be honest i don't think it was awkward that I didn't pay extra. No cash changed hands when we were charged, no receipts were brought to be signed. We just handed in our card when we gave the order and it was brought back with, or at times after, the drinks. There was no point at which it felt awkward that we were not tipping on top of what we had given when we booked.

I am European but I do tip often. It just did n't seem necessary on the Epic.