NJ-traveller

Yes, I always tip, even when I have been comped, unless I receive very poor service. The amount I tip depends on the service I received. Those who provide outstanding service deserve 18% and even more - but why should some slug who provides horrible customer service be entitled to the same tip?? When the tip is collected in advance of the service, there is no incentive to provide good service unless you are a conscientious worker who cares about doing a job. Those that don't not only get to provide poor service, but get rewarded for it! I'm sorry but I will NEVER be "ok" with giving someone who provided poor service an 18% tip. The whole purpose of the tip - to reward great customer services, is defeated with this policy.

AND LETS NOT FORGET - Norwegian added "insult to injury" (the nay-sayers not-withstanding) the 18% is on the value of the "free" drink package NO MATTER how much you drink - in my case $314+ for a 10 day cruise - AND - no way to cancel the thing once on board! Plus, when docked, they add the "local" sales tax on what you actually consume.

Discretionary Service Charge

 

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Which on NORWEGIAN is NOT discretionary - so we were told. Just like FREE BEVERAGE PKG is not free.

The 18% is on the invoice when you book your cruise and choose the UBP as a perk and paid when you pay your final payment, didn't you notice that it was there?

First thought it was for staff service charge, not UBP. In fact, we have in our hands TWO (yes, 2) differing invoices for same cruise... one has staff service tip ($270 or so) which I DID NOT PAY BEFORE boarding, and the other has the $314.50. Yeah, maybe I should have questioned everything when I randomly chose to go to "My Cruise" online during the year that I had the reservation. Live and learn.

Did you ever think of reading the terms and conditions or the invoice? You probably are not going to find sympathy here.

I did read the fine print. You must be better in English than I will ever be. Could the print be confused to suggest the gratuity is on actual drinks purchased? I did.

Some suggestions are that the gratuities are actual revenue source for NCL and not given to staff, same goes for the DSC - from what I have read on various threads this appears true as staff have suggested their actual take home pay does not change. Well an idea is too claw the gratuity back - this is just source income to NCL by removing sufficient DSC from your account to claw back the gratuity, companies should pay staff as expenses from income not by relying on gratuities.

I await the shooting from you all NCL protectors !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES, its income to NCL per the customer service people I talked to when I was charged the 18% on the FREE drink package that I was sure I wasn't going to make sufficient use of to cover the $314.50 gratuity I was charged.

You had the option when booking to not take the UBP and not pay the 18% on the package.

Yes, true... i challenge anyone to find the FINE PRINT where its explained clearly. I got on board, based on my reading of the fine print thinking the 18% gratuity (I mistakenly said tax, above in one place - sorry -) was on the actual consumption.:(

Well, our FREE 10 Day NORWEGIAN Cruise Lines DRINK PKG PROMOTION actually cost us $314.50 --- a lot more than we would have spent on a glass of wine at each dinner! Surprise, surprise... and THERE IS NO WAY OUT OF THE "DEAL" ONCE YOU'RE ON BOARD. Why did we fall for this obvious and we think "sleazy scheme" money maker for Norwegian? We thought the mandatory gratuity of 18% (plus sales tax if you are near a port) was for drinks we actually consumed. Not true... the tax is against the full value of the package... in our case some, some $1700. WHO drinks that much anyway! ... Still annoyed that Norwegian did not give us any leeway.:evilsmile: