rbt001

Well you sir are in the minority. Other jobs the answer would be No. I realize people say, well maybe they will learn a lesson or do a better job, but you don’t know the circumstances behind the bad service. Maybe it took long because the kitchen was backed up. Maybe the server had other tables that were running them ragged. Maybe they were just having a bad day. I’m not going to penalize the a living wage just to make me feel better.

 

 

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While that appears merit full of you, know that a good server will inform you of kitchen delays or circumstances beyond their control, even being pro-active to have the manager stop by. The other server related issues impact the gratuity.

Let's face it: if your $45 steak you ordered rare arrives well done, are you going to say nothing and just eat it? After all, the broiler cook may be having a bad day, in the weeds, etc.

That’s where we differ. 20% minimum.

 

Do you make less money if you have a less productive day? Or let’s say you had an argument with your boss will you take a pay cut?

 

 

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Raised here in the USA and in the hospitality industry close to two decades, customarily waitstaff are tipped 15% - 20% based on quality and level of service, lower than 15% for a buffet where you serve yourself.

Poor service SHOULD receive a reduced tip, perhaps well below 15%.

As for your "less productive day" analogy, you'd be sent home or laid off if business didn't warrant the labor, so yes, you'd make less. Just like the server that provides poor service.

You can argue semantics of the word “tip” all day, but if my bill comes with a line item that says gratuity, that certainly is a tip no ifs ands or butts about it.

 

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You're right about tip vs gratuity

NCL is careful to use SERVICE CHARGE which is different on many levels.

Candi,

You must report ALL of your tips (cash or credit card). Reporting "some of it" is tax fraud. The IRS and California Department of Taxation would be interested in reviewing all of your daughter's tax returns to determine how much back taxes she owes (with penalty).

BirdTravels, are you on hold with 1-800-GET-HER!

I hear there's a reward for turning people in. Please come back and let us know how much you get!

DSC threads are always a good laugh at some point!

Technically true but do you really think those receiving tips in cash, regardless of where they work do this? I know for a fact most do not, or certainly do not report all their tips.

Uh the Wild West days of service staff pocketing cash tips and claiming nothing have been over for decades!

The IRS requires TIP ALLOCATION to tipped employees if insufficient tips are reported by servers, based on sales. Most servers know to fear a tip allocation as it can raise a flag with the IRS.

How far off we travel in these DSC threads.

But remember NCL states the DSC is neither a tip or gratuity but instead what amounts to a labor surcharge

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION there is no such thing as a minimum tip. If I go out to eat and the service is extremely poor, drinks never get refilled, server comes to the table MAYBE once every 25-30 minutes to see if we "need anything", and then when a request is made it takes another 30 minutes for the item(s) to be brought out, I will tip $0. If you are not doing your basic job I will not pay you. At the same time if you are a fantastic server and take care of us well you could easily get a tip of over 100%.

The practice is to leave a penny (or other coin) which sends the message that you did NOT forget to tip.

But remember NCL states the DSC is neither a tip or gratuity but instead what amounts to a labor surcharge

Just got off a 9 day cruise to Alaska (longest one for us). I had no problem with the length of the cruise and food service, but my hubby got tired of the "sameness" of the food onboard. So much so that he is questioning our 20-day Panama Canal cruise.

 

Question for those who have cruises longer than a week-- how did you battle food fatigue? We ate off ship and speciality restaurants but still felt like a dorm experience at the end.

 

I need some strategies/assurances to convince my hubby to go on the Panama cruise.

 

Thank you!

 

 

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After sailing Princess --where even on a 15 day cruise-- the MDR menus never repeated, I immediately noticed the repetitiveness of NCL menus. I can't say I was ever bored with choices, but I just thought it was cutting corners.

That being said, my last NCL cruise was 7 days in The Haven on Getaway where the menu for each meal period does not change. But they are so diversified that I know I would enjoy every meal in there even on a two week cruise!

Last time I participated the answer was

Miss Scarlett did it in the Library with the candlestick

Wait! Wrong game.

Would the simple verbiage "not available in all ports," pacify everyone so the class action lawsuit for fraud can be dropped?

mkmaj-

This is not the first time I've read posts here from guests who have PREPAID items (in your case, the DSC) only to board and find the credit has not been applied to their on board account.

Even when it's been caught by the passenger and reported at the beginning of the cruise, the ones I've read about were NOT resolved before disembarkation. So essentially you're asked to pay TWICE. The others found a resolution with their credit card company, once home, disputing the initial prepaid charge that was never applied, given they had a copy of their paid room account.

The DSC is NOT a gratuity. It's a charge imposed by NCL to help offset their labor expense. [There are plenty of threads that explain this, but if you want the source information, go to the NCL website's FAQ's. For further technical reading, review the Contract of Carriage.]

So.... to avoid the hassle with your credit card company, you CAN avoid the dupe charge on board by requesting the form to have the DSC removed for the 4th guest. Personally, I only suggest this method to AVOID paying twice, since you are sure you paid in advance for all four.

Typically, I am FIRMLY AGAINST removing or eliminating the DSC, as some feel they are entitled to do. They fail to realize it drives up the cost of cruises for the balance of passengers.

Since you asked WWYD, I'll tell you that I would take pictures to document what I thought was a violation of policy, and I would be obvious in taking those photos so that everyone, including the parents were aware that I was taking the photos, since it does NOT require any consent to take photos people. And my right to share those photos is protected by the First Amendment, so I would feel no qualms when I allowed the Hotel Director to review them as I asked if what is seen in the photos follows NCL's posted rules.

And in case anyone wonders, I gave my response careful thought after doing research.

Hard Rock Hotel/Casino in FLL has smoking rooms available...

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is located in Hollywood, Florida-- not at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

The Florida Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking indoors in most buildings, however, as Sovereign Land, Seminole properties claim exemption.

All para-mutual casinos in Florida are NON-SMOKING and seem to do well.

When this thread runs it's course, who's up for another one:

If NCL Offered Barbecue Grills on Balconies....

April 2017 FR was open on port days for Eastern Caribbean but closed port days during both Western Caribbean port days October 2017 & March 2018. I ate at FR two of those port days it was and I remember it was mostly full with both passengers and staff. Sad they've decided to keep it closed during port day lunches.

 

 

The Haven restaurant is pretty good, but I'd say not as groundbreaking as many seem to suggest. The menu isn't that big and literally doesn't change the entire cruise, so it gets old after the second visit.

I was in The Haven on a 7 day cruise and ate 18 of my 21 meals in the restaurant. Next time I'll probably eat all of my meals there and never be bored with the static menu.

Here's what you'll find between the lunch and dinner menus, there are:

9 appetizers including:

• shrimp
  
• ahi tuna
  
• beef tartar
  
• pork belly
  
• short ribs
  
• risotto
  
• seafood plate
  
• sliced meat & cheese plate
  

4 soups including a daily rotating chilled soup.

4 entree portioned salads

3 side salads featuring different greens including: butter lettuce, romaine, and arugula

Entrees include:

• sea bass
  
• salmon
  
• shrimp
  
• scallops
  
• clams
  
• rack of lamb
  
• duck
  
• chicken
  
• pork
  
• veal
  
• filet mignon
  
• prime rib
  
• cheese tart
  
• mushroom ravioli
  

Also available were burgers and sandwiches.

In fact, when I asked if I could order sliced avocado and onion with olive oil as a salad, the response was: "Sure, if they have the ingredients, they will make it."

So... I really didn't find the menu to be limited or lacking variety.

BINGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO:hearteyes:

Yahtzee!

Do you think the message was received and understood?

Play enough during the cruise and they may waive the 3% convenience fee at the end of the cruise by removing it from your final bill.

Don't ask; if you are entitled, you'll find it removed by disembarkation morning.

“Retiree”?? What an offensive term for Life-Experienced people. LOL

Fine: Decrepit woman, probably not retired because she thought social security would be enough, so now she works part time in a local grocery store, scraped all her pennies together to barely afford a low-budget cruise on Carnival.

There: is that less offensive than "retiree"?

Now you can really LOL

Watched a retiree in front of me, at a late lunch without many people in line, use the utensil to put five or six pieces of a fried food on her plate, then take one from her plate to sample it. When she decided that she didn't like it, she tipped her plate, returning the rest back in the serving pan.

I know this is subjective and probably discussed before. At any rate, I'm looking at a 10 cruise on the Epic in January. The price difference from a balcony to a suite/haven is $4400.00

 

What does a suite offer to make it worth so much more than a balcony?

 

Someday, I'm going to get a suite just because... I work hard, and I figure I deserve it. However when I look at the price, I just can't justify spending so much on a few days. $6998.00 before DSC, tips and parking at the port, is a lot for 10 days.

 

Thanks

Plenty of threads on this very topic, and everyone has different and specific things about The Haven that they find valuable.

That "someday" that you choose to enjoy The Haven will be your opportunity to decide if it's worth it.

Darn it! I thought this was about the mayhem that ensued when a passenger spread out a whole suitcase full clothing to reserve two rows of loungers by the pool at 7:30 am for her party of 16 that may want to sun later in the day.

Plus, every time I come to the blinking eye on your posts , I just pass the post, it is sooooooooo annoying. I never read what you have to say.

You might want to ignore the eye, but give the posts a look-see: as someone else already claimed, it sounds like they laugh and laugh.

It seems every ship going serves good that is as close to cold if not actually cold that you can get. Last week I was happy to see a fresh pan of French toast going on the buffet line. "At last," I thought, "It has to be warm now!" But there was NO warmth to it. It seems you can only get a warm meal if you go into a pay for meal. Clearly the food is made hours before use and just sits around. Let's talk food-borne illness.

You people are something else. I have been on 40 cruises. I eat dinner in the main dining room. I get cold or at least not hot food nearly every meal as does my husband. I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

I don't know why there are so many nasty people on cruisecritic.

To help you get an insight into why, perhaps it would be a good idea to step back and re-read how you presented yourself in your original post.

While you may be the most delightful person to hold a conversation with at a community table, I don't think this particular communication demonstrates that.

And maybe it wasn't your intention, but do you see how your words could be viewed as negative, bitter, and perhaps even inflammatory when you accuse NCL of letting food "just sit around?" Your finish appeared to imply that NCL is making people sick.

Maybe the people that replied with comments you didn't like, chose a tone they thought mirrored what they saw in your tone.

This is intended as constructive criticism and is a reply to where you led this discussion with your statement in red.

New item debuts in Princess Gift Shop:

Cabin Door Decorator's Essentials Kit

Includes portable drill, nuts, bolts and washers.

Because you know what they say....

unless it's bolted down....

I got into Rome last night, but my clothes did not. We are on the EPIC this Wednesday. If my suitcase doesn't show up tomorrow, I will need to buy enough clothes to get me through until May 8th. What types of shops are available on board?

I am trying to stay positive and enjoy my first trip to Italy, but this really stinks. I pretty much bought an entire new wardrobe for this trip and a new job, oh and I have an interview the next morning when I get home, and the outfit I was going to wear is in this suitcase :(

If you haven't already and are not familiar, I'd suggest you take 30 minutes to search online for "airline delayed baggage rights." You could be entitled to > $1,700 (international travel) of reimbursable expenses from the airline. But there's a difference between delayed, missing and lost luggage. There's also airline rules to follow to ensure you eventually receive your compensation.

Ideally, your luggage shows up today. Fingers crossed for you!

Me, either!

I don’t understand the thinking that a toddler shouldn’t pay the DSC.

 

I’m sure there won’t be any fingerprints on the balcony door or Cheerios crunched into the rug or crayon marks on the table top.

 

I can’t imagine plotting ahead to decrease the service charge.

 

 

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Sadly, some don't even plot ahead of time, they consider it their right to have it removed, and as a matter of practice, never pay it when they sail.

A few have posted this posture earlier in this thread.

So what better way to discourage or eliminate this behavior than writing a letter to NCL, specifically citing the posts found here that are blatant?

Perhaps if NCL reads some of these posts which encourage others to follow in the practice, NCL will consider a suggestion to modify the policy of DSC adjustments, changing it to allow any adjustments to the DSC to be purely at the discretion of NCL's on board leadership.

Adjustments were intended to be a method of compensating for service failures that NCL just couldn't seem to correct or make right. This suggested policy change would continue to permit this.

However, passenger requests deemed frivolous could be denied.

Gone would be adjustments because:

• "I will decide how I want to tip." Thank you, those crew members will appreciate any additional gratuity you provide. The DSC is an imposed charge to contribute towards the cost of labor: it will remain as is on your account.
  
• "NCL should just pay their employees more: I'm not paying this." We hear what you are saying, but now hear this: NCL feels they fairly compensate their employees and competitively prices the cruise experience for passengers. NCL imposes the DSC which is incorporated in the Contract of Carriage, meaning that you are obligated to pay this.
  
• "It's discretionary. Take it off!" The DSC is not discretionary, it is a fee that you are obligated to pay.
  
• "My cruise was terrible: no one smiled, now remove the DSC!" I'm terribly sorry to hear that, but due take note of this big smile on my face as I inform you that no adjustment will be made to your DSC.
  

So maybe those bullet points won't be in the letter, but they were fun to write!