Traveller20074

too expensive for the drink package I think. $6.50/day per person?

we have 6 sailing :)

So....they show an NCL cup at the beverage package page. Is that how it's refilled? Or, do you have to have a crew member fill it at the Buffet?

Norwegian Pearl :)

If you are worried about side effects, since the patch is a very strong medication, try this. Place a small round bandaid behind your ear. Place the patch so that it is half on your skin and half on the bandaid. This will reduce the transmission area of the patch, reducing the dosage (which means less side effects but also less motion sickness reduction), and sometimes increasing the duration of the patch. Do not cut the patch in half, as this will cause the scopolamine to leak out the cut edge, dosing you quicker.

good idea :)

I have used the patch for years; every cruise, flight, amusement park visit, etc.

I've never had any side effect other than dry mouth on the first couple of days of wear. Bonine makes me drowsy, patch doesn't. Ginger, wrist pressure bands don't work for me. No blurred vision, either. I am VERY prone to seasickness. Get ill on a boat still sitting at a dock on a lake!

I am 63 and not sure if thats considered "elderly" but I assure you, no hallucinations or naked hall wandering.

my mouth is so dry, I'm sucking on candy lol

I'm going to try the SeaBands, ginger and peppermint essential oil and ginger pieces (just ordered them) along with the patch

Well, the patch has been on since 6:30 this morning, so about 9 hours.

I feel a bit tired, and a tiny bit loopy, not much.

I'm glad I am trying it, at least now I know.

I searched the forum, and the answers are all OVER the place.

They don't allow cases.

The DO allow cases of soda, and you have to tag it with your luggage tags, and it will be delivered to your door.

Not sure I want to drag around a 12 pack with me before I get to the room.

wandering halls naked. That would be interesting with my 3 grandkids

LOL!

I'm going to try it tomorrow. Will let you all know. Maybe going nekkid in my own house is ok lol

What are your experiences with this? I got some today at the doctor, and am afraid to try it. She gave me a couple extra to see how they affect me.

I'm afraid to take it lol I'm pretty sensitive to meds, even non-drowsy Bonine made me drowsy. if I'm loopy a bit, that's ok lol just don't want to sleep the day away.

I also read that hallucinations are a possible side effect?

fun reading about all of your cruises coming up :)

I could just cruise the rest of my life lol

thank you :)

we'll be having 3 kids....2 1/2 (which is the Guppies I guess and a parent is required to attend) a 4 year old and one 9 year old.

I think the 4 and 9 year old would love the activities :) when I was on the Pearl one time, going down stairs, a large group of kids with a teen were going up the stairs loudly lol looked like they were having a blast.

my cabin mate drank a $5 soda out of our frig.

I worry about my grandkids. I might take it all out and put it up high somewhere lol

You must fill out said form while walking as you juggle a purse, carry on, cruise docs and passport, else you lose your place in line. Answer "No" to every question or you will not board, OR go straight to quarantine!:eek:

LOLOL! I was just going to say that :D I HATE the boarding process.

but, that first time up the gangplank when you're getting on, is HEAVEN!!

It doesn't matter what any other cruise calls it or how they handle. NCL's written policy clearly distinguishes the service charge from tips (gratuities)...that's why NCL has separate FAQs for the service charge and tipping.

 

Your post is no more correct or relevant today than it was when you originally made it.

this is from NCL's pdf on their website

the service charge IS a tip.

Service Charges: • Simplified system eliminates the traditional last night rush to distribute tipping envelopes to dining staff and cabin stewards; • Service charges are automatically added to each guest’s onboard account; • Guests have the option of leaving an additional gratuity for exceptional service or can choose to deduct the service charge from their bill.

# # #

From the NCL pdf on their website

Service Charges: • Simplified system eliminates the traditional last night rush to distribute tipping envelopes to dining staff and cabin stewards; • Service charges are automatically added to each guest’s onboard account; • Guests have the option of leaving an additional gratuity for exceptional service or can choose to deduct the service charge from their bill.

# # #

If you want to worry about what other cruise lines do, sail on those lines (and they expect those monies as well no matter what word they call it). If you sail on NCL, you do what NCL expects.

the point was to say that the service charge (as NCL calls it) IS a tip.

To call it anything else, is nuts.

ALL the other cruiselines call it a gratuity.

I'm not WORRIED about anything. It just seems so clear to me that it's a TIP.

and, THIS doesn't make sense. If the service charge ISN'T a tip, then why do they tell you you don't HAVE to? THAT is confusing.

What about Tipping?

Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for good service. However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile," and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.

from cruisecritic's insiders guide to tipping

First of all, it's important to understand that, technically speaking, no tip is ever required. A tip is a voluntary expression of thanks. The gratuities distributed onboard the modern cruise ship, however, are not just tips. There are exceptions, but most cruise lines pay the men and women who serve their passengers an extremely low base wage (by Western standards). On nearly all big-ship mainstream lines, the service crewmembers are dependent on the generosity of travelers for the vast majority of their salary. Luxury cruise lines often have no-tipping policies. In these cases, the gratuities are built into the fares.

Part of the difficulty with tipping is the English language. Where other tongues have two words for tip, English has only one. The French draw a distinction between service and pourboire. The first is the unavoidable cost of being waited on; the second is an expression of thanks for exemplary service.

It is only somewhat recently that cruise lines began placing automatic service charges on shipboard accounts. They did this for two reasons. The first reason was the rising number of Europeans traveling on cruise ships. Europeans are accustomed to having a service charge added to their bills at first-class hotels. It is not in their culture to tip further. Likewise, it is not the custom in Japan to tip at all. As cruise lines attracted passengers from countries where tipping is not customary, they added service charges to guarantee their employees' compensation.

Wow. I can't believe no one answered this :eek:

it's the best part of the Pearl. Well, all parts of the Pearl are great LOL

I am thinking it's $119/week, but they might have changed it by now.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the spa. Heated tile beds, views, pools. Very relaxing.

Another person in another thread said they did the spa on a day by day basis for $30. that would be cheaper for me, as I can't use it every day usually because of excursions, and dinner etc.

Oh! I wonder if they'll let me do just a few days on the Pearl instead of the whole week. there are inevitably times that I can't go, and the day is too packed. Would be great to just do a few days.

Just returned from my first family cruise ever, on NCL Star to Mexican Riviera. Best. Vacation . Ever. All I want to do is be on Cruise Critic now. Since I got so much info from here, I will reply if I know something to start to "give back."

 

Anyhow, the spa pass on the Star was $119 for the week, or $30 per day. I did one day for $30 to see how I would like it. It was ok. The pool was wonderful... not stinky, hardly anyone in it. The views and quiet were also wonderful. Was pretty disappointed with other aspects. The shower was not as nice as the one in my room. Only amenities were tubs of shampoo and shower gel. I am used to fine places that place all their spa products in the ladies room... you get to use the finest shampoos, conditioners, lotions, with hairspray, face cream, etc... This was furnished more like my local "Y". For $30 to use it, I was expecting more.

 

The other thing I would mention is that the services menu is like many fine spas; based on what they offer and the prices. I think a 75 minute hot stone massage was approximately $200 including the mandatory 18% tip. However, there were TONS of specials. Everyday a new special. I ended up having 50 minutes for $89+tip. I could choose whatever I wanted in that time, basically. Just swing by and pick up all their specials fliers.

 

FYI, getting spa services does NOT let you go into the spa pass area. They are like two separate businesses.

I talked to a merchant there the last cruise.

They said that people always say they don't have enough time there.

I wish they would change it to more hours.

I always got a kick out of the Freestyle Daily, and what it says at the bottom.

"this might look like a schedule (GASP!) but, you're free to do..whatever.

so true.

which ship?

The Pearl has an incredible spa! I always get the spa pass.

the heated tile beds, the tropical showers, the wonderful view.

that's the best part of the Alaska cruise other than Glacier Bay :D

the 1st time, it was $99, the last one was $119.00

Boy...lots of folks quoting the international sites today.

 

First of all, the service charge is never defined as "optional"...as in "you can pay it if you feel like it." That said, we shouldn't fixate on "discretionary" as that word also doesn't mean "optional". It means "with discretion". Whose discretion you ask? Well, since a service charge is the property of the employer, it would be at the discretion of that employer.

Q. Is a mandatory service charge considered to be the same as a tip or gratuity?

 

A. No, a tip is a voluntary amount left by a patron for an employee. A mandatory service charge is an amount that a patron is required to pay based on a contractual agreement or a specified required service amount listed on the menu of an establishment. An example of a mandatory service charge that is a contractual agreement would be a 10 or 15 percent charge added to the cost of a banquet. Such charges are considered as amounts owed by the patron to the establishment and are not gratuities voluntarily left for the employees. Therefore, when an employer distributes all or part of a service charge to its employees, the distribution may be at the

discretion of the employer

and the service charge, which would be in the nature of a bonus, would be included in the regular rate of pay when calculating overtime payments.

- - - > A service charge belongs to the employer. The employer gets to determine how it is distributed. ("discretion of the employer") THIS is what the "discretionary" in DSC refers to.

as I stated in post #397....every cruiseline that I could find other than NCL made it pretty clear the service charge IS a tip. Gratuity=tip

April 14th, 2014, 09:39 AM

Traveller20074

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Dec 2008

Posts: 1,617

here's Carnival's policy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tipping policy onboard?

Service Gratuities

For your convenience, we automatically charge the gratuities for dining and stateroom staff to your onboard Sail & Sign account. The total amount is $10.00 per guest, per day (our recommended guideline) as follows:

$ 3.50 Per Day Stateroom Services

$ 5.50 Per Day Dining Room Services

$ 1.00 Per Day Alternative Services: distributed to other kitchen and hotel service staff

For Cruises-To-Nowhere, gratuities of $10 per guest, per day must be prepaid.

Our Staff is totally committed to exceed your expectations in every way possible. If you are not satisfied with the service you receive, we encourage you to contact the Guest Services desk while onboard. This will allow us to address your concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. At your discretion, you may adjust the gratuities at any time while onboard. Gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship.

For beverage purchases, fifteen percent of the bill is automatically added to the Sail & Sign charge. Room Service staff may be tipped as service is rendered. Tipping your Maître d’ is at your discretion, based upon the service you receive.

NOTE: BARBADOS CRUISES

All gratuities are pre-paid and automatically added during the booking process for Barbados itineraries.

here's Oceana's policy.

funny how vague NCL is on this "service charge" thing on their website. Everyone else calls it a tip, from what I can tell.

How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. For your convenience, gratuities of $12.50 per guest, per day are automatically added to your shipboard account. An additional $4.00 per guest, per day will be added for guests occupying Penthouse, Vista or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities at their sole discretion.

Here's Princess

During your cruise, you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. Many more crew support those who serve you directly. To save you the worry of who to tip and how much, Princess makes it easier for you to reward excellent service by automatically adding a discretionary Hotel and Dining charge of $11 USD for suites and mini-suites and $10.50 USD for all other staterooms per person per day (including children) to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This charge will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including the wait staff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Casino dealers and Lotus Spa personnel do not share in the Hotel and Dining charge as not all passengers utilize these services.

Royal Caribbean

As of March 1, 2013, Royal Caribbean will automatically add a $12.00 USD gratuity ($14.25 USD for Suite guests) to each guest’s onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis. This gratuity is shared by Dining Services staff, stateroom Attendants other Housekeeping Services Personnel that work to enhance your cruise. The daily automatic gratuity amounts are recommended and are based on customary industry standards

gra·tu·i·ty

/grəˈt(y)o͞oitē/

noun

noun: gratuity; plural noun: gratuities

1.

a tip given to a waiter, taxicab driver, etc.

__________________

does anyone know if these are still the correct hours? I will call tomorrow, I don't think NCL is answering phones today...

Splash Academy Sea Day Hours of Operation as of 5/16/13

Morning: 9:00am – 12:00pm*

Afternoon: 2:00pm – 5:00pm*

Evening: 7:00pm – 10:30pm**

*Center closes at 12:00pm and 5:00pm. Children need to be picked up at these times.

**Splash Academy ends at 1030pm nightly. Fifteen minute transition time offered before Late Night Fun Zone charges apply.

Splash Academy Port Day* Hours of Operation

Arrival into Port to 10:30pm

*On Port Days, children ages 3-12 are combined from Arrival to Departure or 6:00pm whichever comes first.

*During Port Day lunch and dinner meal times, Splash Academy will not facilitate drop offs.

*10-12 year old sign out authorization does not apply when the ship is docked.

Please refer to the FAQ's for additional information.

eYOUTH TABLETS

Norwegian Youth Programs is proud to announce the use of EYouth Automated Tablets in Splash Academy and Entourage on the Norwegian Breakaway, Dawn, Epic, Gem, Getaway, Pearl, and Pride of America. The eYouth Tablet system is the onboard automated system for registration of participants ages 3-17 year olds, and drop off and pick up system during operational hours for children 3-12 years old.

what's Illusionariam?

Been on both to Alaska multiple times. The Pearl outshines the Jewel in a number of ways.

having only been on the Pearl (love this ship!!!) can you be specific? would love to know the differences.

:(

I have a soft spot in my heart for Roatan. It was my 1st stop on my 1st Caribbean cruise. the dancers welcomed us, and the sparkling blue water.

sad to hear of a murder :(