Just off the GEM - my thoughts

[sjbdtz]

I think there is absolutely no logic in leaving it out until the end (apart from this claim earlier in the thread about taxes not applied to the amount in this way).

 

 

Taxes

 

Commissions

 

Letting people realize that the staff are in American terms "taken care of"

 

Deferring the charge from before, until after the cruise

 

Enabling REAL service issues to result in reduction of the DSC (you couldn't do that, if it had been an integratl part of the cruisefare)

 

 

These are quite possibly not the only reasons.....

 

Others which have been suggested include:

 

- distinction between full-time and contract workers. If you are paying a salary, you may be obligated for things such as paid vacation, whereas if you are putting them essentially on a 'commission' basis (share of the DSC after-the-fact), then they are independent contractors

[bob brown]

The ccruise lines basically do not incoporate the service charge into the cruise fare mainly for competitive reasons....to advertise the lowest possible fare to sell. At one time Holland American Line prominently claimed "No Tipping Required" in its brochures and advertisements, but also charged a bit more than other "mainstream" cruise lines. They were losing too many sales with this policy, so they changed and joined the rest.

 

Re: No tax on service charge....too bad the lines don't reverse the fare to service charge ratio.....make the fare $12./day and the larger amount the service charge.....;)

[tdcjerry]

In the old days you would throw some cash on the bed on your way off the ship, no service charge. To many people got cheap and would not leave anything so no we have a service charge to get the staff paid. Just trying to be simple.

[sjbdtz]

In the old days you would throw some cash on the bed on your way off the ship, no service charge. To many people got cheap .....

 

 

I don't know.....I still feel pretty cheap, everytime I have to leave cash on the bed on my way out.... :p:eek::cool:

[tdcjerry]

Now that is just dirty

[PanamaJoe]

At one of the most upscale resorts I've stayed in, La Costa just north of San Diego, there's a $22/day resort fee.....outside of the $400 daily room rate.....just saying.

 

Most of the casino hotels in Vegas started adding so called resort fees early last year of 10/12/15 bucks a day.

[laumicmah]

I will be on this cruise Sept. 4th. It was said on our roll call that the pitcher cost $26 and filled 6 good sized glasses.

 

JoAnne

I know what DH and I will be drinking for a week in April!!!:D

[hamrag]

How about this as a separate reasonable answer:

 

 

 

The daily service charge is NOT a gratuity. It is a....get this.... DAILY SERVICE CHARGE. That is a charge, for service, daily.

 

 

Gratuities are not required, though you are welcome to offer them if you choose.

 

You really can't help yourself....and this not even a gratuity/tip thread!!

[DMH15]

Most of the casino hotels in Vegas started adding so called resort fees early last year of 10/12/15 bucks a day.

 

I know I pay a hefty resort fee at Red Rock in Vegas, but I just love the place.

 

Also, stayed a week at La Costa too. One of the best weeks of my life.

[sjbdtz]

You really can't help yourself....and this not even a gratuity/tip thread!!

 

 

You're right. Whenever the incorrect information is being presented as fact, I cannot help myself wanting to correct it.

[sjbdtz]

I know I pay a hefty resort fee at Red Rock in Vegas, but I just love the place.

 

Also, stayed a week at La Costa too. One of the best weeks of my life.

 

 

Stayed in both places too....very chic @ Red Rock...great photos of the rocks. Even won something.

 

@ La Costa, sat next to Britney Spears & her baby-bump at the pool.....

[Zoom77]

You're right. Whenever the incorrect information is being presented as fact, I cannot help myself wanting to correct it.

 

What incorrect information was presented as fact? The fact is there is $12 per person per day fee which is not clearly shown when one is purchasing the cruise. It is only shown with small letters in the sidebar. Some people are fine with this fee, some are not.

 

Why do some of you get so annoyed when others say that this fee and the way it is charged is something which they do not like? Should everybody like everything with NCL (or any other cruise line)?

 

When somebody is giving a review of a cruise he/she should be free to post what was liked and what was disliked about the cruise. And if this fee is something that one disliked then why not to say it in the review?

[sjbdtz]

What incorrect information was presented as fact? The fact is there is $12 per person per day fee which is not clearly shown when one is purchasing the cruise. It is only shown with small letters in the sidebar. Some people are fine with this fee, some are not.

 

Why do some of you get so annoyed when others say that this fee and the way it is charged is something which they do not like? Should everybody like everything with NCL (or any other cruise line)?

 

When somebody is giving a review of a cruise he/she should be free to post what was liked and what was disliked about the cruise. And if this fee is something that one disliked then why not to say it in the review?

 

You said "it should be listed near the top of the page, and also at the end" and it is.... end of story.

[rian90]

I don't mean this to be snide or negative or anything but I am very curious. I would feel very uncomfortable about NOT tipping a waiter or waitress in Europe. The only consolation is that I know they are paid decent wages.

 

In the US, the waiters and waitresses are paid far below minimum wages and they are expected to make this up with tips. They do not typically have health insurance or disability insurance. I know because I worked as a waitress while in college. While the prevailing minimum wage rate was about $5.00/hr then, I was only paid about $3/hr. The company did not give me any health insurance and most companies do not if the employee works less than 40 hours a week, which most waiters and waitresses do. In fact, many companies will not give people more than 40 hours in order to avoid paying for health care. Our government did not offer health insurance either so all health care had to be paid for out of my pocket, especially in graduate school when I no longer received benefits from my parent's insurance company. If I was sick, I would get no pay and if I were hurt, no disability pay. If I had children, I would have had to pay for daycare since the government does not pay for that either. Maternity leave for part-time workers was nonexistent and it may still be for part-timers.

 

In Europe, waiters and waitresses have better wages and have health care through their government...at least in most places. So I completely understand why Europeans do not feel the need to tip. But I do hope, that when coming to the US and eating in a restaurant and having drinks, you tip the service people. Many of them live below the poverty line and work very hard at their jobs.

 

Please realize that customs and the reality of our world make things different in each country. Just because one does not tip in Europe does not mean they shouldn't in a country where tips are part of the culture and the people who typically receive tips are not paid as well because tips are expected. When I travel, I try to understand and respect the differences rather than refuse to accept them. It makes me less of an Ugly American and much less ethnocentric.

 

Cruise ship service people make even less than the US waiters and waitresses and work even longer hours. The tips are important to their livelihood. It might be uncomfortable to tip but if you think of the fact that many of these people send money home to poor families or use the money to pay for their future education, it might help.

 

Yes, the cruiseline and the US businesses should pay everyone minimum wage and everyone who works hard should live above the poverty line. But reality doesn't always match the ideal, unfortunately.

[Zoom77]

You said "it should be listed near the top of the page, and also at the end" and it is.... end of story.

 

Are you referring to the link to an FAQ page that has a "What is a Service Charge?" as its 23rd question?? :rolleyes:

[Zoom77]

I don't mean this to be snide or negative or anything but I am very curious. I would feel very uncomfortable about NOT tipping a waiter or waitress in Europe. The only consolation is that I know they are paid decent wages.

 

In the US, the waiters and waitresses are paid far below minimum wages and they are expected to make this up with tips. They do not typically have health insurance or disability insurance. I know because I worked as a waitress while in college. While the prevailing minimum wage rate was about $5.00/hr then, I was only paid about $3/hr. The company did not give me any health insurance and most companies do not if the employee works less than 40 hours a week, which most waiters and waitresses do. In fact, many companies will not give people more than 40 hours in order to avoid paying for health care. Our government did not offer health insurance either so all health care had to be paid for out of my pocket, especially in graduate school when I no longer received benefits from my parent's insurance company. If I was sick, I would get no pay and if I were hurt, no disability pay. If I had children, I would have had to pay for daycare since the government does not pay for that either. Maternity leave for part-time workers was nonexistent and it may still be for part-timers.

 

In Europe, waiters and waitresses have better wages and have health care through their government...at least in most places. So I completely understand why Europeans do not feel the need to tip. But I do hope, that when coming to the US and eating in a restaurant and having drinks, you tip the service people. Many of them live below the poverty line and work very hard at their jobs.

 

Please realize that customs and the reality of our world make things different in each country. Just because one does not tip in Europe does not mean they shouldn't in a country where tips are part of the culture and the people who typically receive tips are not paid as well because tips are expected. When I travel, I try to understand and respect the differences rather than refuse to accept them. It makes me less of an Ugly American and much less ethnocentric.

 

Cruise ship service people make even less than the US waiters and waitresses and work even longer hours. The tips are important to their livelihood. It might be uncomfortable to tip but if you think of the fact that many of these people send money home to poor families or use the money to pay for their future education, it might help.

 

Yes, the cruiseline and the US businesses should pay everyone minimum wage and everyone who works hard should live above the poverty line. But reality doesn't always match the ideal, unfortunately.

 

I don't disagree with you Rian. But the discussion here is not really about if one should leave tips or not, but about the Service Charge and how this charge is shown. Since there is a standard service charge rate then NCL should indicate this charge clearly at the time you book (like they do with the taxes and other fees).

 

Beyond this I fully agree with you. In my country I always tip the waiters, I don't know if there are other European countries where they don't. But when I lived in the US (Florida) the custom was to also tip the hairdressers, so I did. I am not against tips, I just don't like hidden charges.

[Chloe's mom]

I know that this thread has gotten into a discussion of the DSC, but if the OP is still available, would appreciate any information about what you did in the ports, whether you took ship's excursions or private tours or DIY, etc. Thanks.

[oladunk]

I don't mean this to be snide or negative or anything but I am very curious. I would feel very uncomfortable about NOT tipping a waiter or waitress in Europe. The only consolation is that I know they are paid decent wages.In the US, the waiters and waitresses are paid far below minimum wages and they are expected to make this up with tips.

 

I don't know if this reply is meant to my initial posting or to any posts later in the thread. But anyway...

 

I just want to underline that I am fully aware of the tipping system on the cruises (and in the US) and that they are paid below minimum wages (which is a contradiction in itself).

There is a reason why former norwegian based lines like RCCL (Still 51% owned by Wilhelmsen (norway) unless something has changed recent years) and Norwegian is no longer sailing under Norwegian flag. They now sail under NASSAU/BAHAMAS as far as I know...and guess why?

 

BTW...as far as I know Norwegian should now be renamed Malaysian if memory serves me right when it comes to present owners.

 

The "funny" thing about my experience is that I was tipping the waiters the first half of my cruise. Halfway through the cruise I checked the bill on my tv in the cabin and then remembered the service charge per day (12 USD x 4 persons x 7 days = 336 dollars). After that I stopped tipping. (I would of course tip extra if someone went out of their way to give me extra service).

 

So I blame myself for forgetting how this works now, but I still thinks there is no reason to save a mandatory payment for later in the cruise just so that people should think the price of the cruise is lower than it really is.

 

This is not a discussion about tipping or not (at least not for me).

[Freckles_51]

oladunk

Thanks for posting all the info. :) I will be on the same itinerary in September and wonder if you can tell me about getting off the ship in Pireaus port. Can you remember how long it took you to actually get off the ship, and how long to get to the terminal building in this port? If I understand correctly, it is a long walk from the ship to the main terminal building, where we are to meet our pre-arranged taxi at 8:50am. Just wondering how much time to allow.:confused:

Thanks

[dahirsh]

oladunk

Thanks for posting all the info. :) I will be on the same itinerary in September and wonder if you can tell me about getting off the ship in Pireaus port. Can you remember how long it took you to actually get off the ship, and how long to get to the terminal building in this port? If I understand correctly, it is a long walk from the ship to the main terminal building, where we are to meet our pre-arranged taxi at 8:50am. Just wondering how much time to allow.:confused:

Thanks

 

you can walk right off the ship once it's been cleared. There will be shuttle busses to the terminal building. We arranged to meet our driver at 7:30 and had no trouble.

[oladunk]

oladunk

Thanks for posting all the info. :) I will be on the same itinerary in September and wonder if you can tell me about getting off the ship in Pireaus port. Can you remember how long it took you to actually get off the ship, and how long to get to the terminal building in this port? If I understand correctly, it is a long walk from the ship to the main terminal building, where we are to meet our pre-arranged taxi at 8:50am. Just wondering how much time to allow.:confused:

Thanks

 

I'm confused too. When I was there in in beginning of august the ship parked right by the terminal building. It was 50 meter walking to enter there. So I guess it depends on which ship comes first that day, availability etc. I think there was another big line there the same day which used shuttle buses.

[Freckles_51]

Thanks for replies...I guess we will just wait and see...just a 3 weeks to go :)

[hallaballa]

I'm a newbie to the post. We travel in Oct. and I would also like to have first hand information about shore excursions

[oladunk]

I'm a newbie to the post. We travel in Oct. and I would also like to have first hand information about shore excursions

 

I think the NCL site has info.

But if you are talking about cruise critic forum readers/posters experience there is a separate forum area for the most common port of calls.

 

I have the shore excursion leaflets from my cruise on the GEM a few weeks ago (adriatic 7 day cruise) and could scan them if there are any interest.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm just off the 7 day adriatic cruise on the GEM. Here's my pros/cons & "hidden" gems....

 

Pros:

 

• Over all a very nice cruise
  
• Cruise director Glading impressed us (language, knowing which people spoke which language, his language abilities, friendliness etc)
  

Cons:

 

• Pepsi-card/soda card: No big thermo-cup included like I got on my RCCL-cruise 2 years ago. When you asked for soda you got a very small glass filles with ice (unless I remembered to tell not to use much ice).
  
• Pool area too crowded. An american said the special cabins immediately behind the pool area stole too much space making the pool area to small.
  
• People taking up sunchairs/poolside chairs even if they didn't need them. Jeeeeez...did they put their towel there before they went to bed or did they set their alarm clock at 5 o'clock in the morning? Disgusting/selfish behaviour. NCL need to do something about it. If no better solutions I suggest a chair-police checking chairs every 45 mins (30 mins max reservation time) and marking unused with different chalk-colors for next inpection round. If still unoccupied, remove towel/personal belongings and free chair for others to use.
  
• Too much selling/merchandising push
  
• Service charge should be in initial price. The tipping and extras are normal for Americans but not for us Europeans.
  
• Bar-waiters in restaurants seemed to miss orders frequently
  

"Hidden" gems:

Sorry. I don't have many. Others should add theirs.

 

• Free popcorn in Spinnaker Lounge
  
• Use La cuisina italian restaurant when Garden Cafe is crowded. Just bring your plate from Garden Cafe or Great Outdoor buffet into La Cuisina.
  
• Recommend a romantic peaceful sunset at FWD (and AFT?) on deck 14 in big black couple sofas. Add in a pitcher of Sangria for extra pleasure ;-)
  
• Book any restaurants (free or speciality) at booking desk or dial 050. Bookings are more difficult at end of week, so you should book earlier the closer to the end of the cruise you are.
  

 

The tipping suggestion comes up often, I guess, because we are Americans it is hard to understand your point, but I will add, 1-could you tell me the difference between having the tips in the price or paying them on the ship? It is the same.

 

2-If they are paid in the cost of the cruise 2 things would happen, 1-the crew would need to pay full taxes on the tips as well as whatever else and 2-the cruise line would have to pay commission on the tips as well as the cruise rate, costing them money.

 

3-nearly all countries now have either a tipping policy or a service charge added to rates and bills. A service charge is just another name for a tip. of course I can not speak for Scandavavia as we haven't traveled there, but we have many other places throughout the world. The ones that do not have any form of tipping are becoming fewer and fewer yearly.Many European countries have some form of service charge.

 

4-the pool chair situation, yes, it is the pits but it is common on so many lines today. This holds for resort hotels as well. It seems so unfair to think you can not get a lounge or chair near the pool or in the shade unless you mark your spot at 7am...

 

Nita