Gratuities

[redhead621]

I have not prepaid my gratuities. Does NCL allow you to add the tips to your onboard account? Can you include the tips for concierge and butler with this. If I want to add extra can I change the amounts to be charged or does it have to be paid in cash.

I know that RCL gives you a slip and envelope for each tip and we usually add extra cash to it.

[Family Travel Story]

Because NCL's freestyle, it is a little difficult to tip certain people, such as waitstaff, so NCL actaully adds that to your sail and sign account. I do not remember if we were able to tip our concierge and butler on the account though, as I do recall handing them cash at the end of our last trip on the Pearl.

[TPEINC1958]

You can add your butler and concierge tips to your account and they will give you a voucher that you can then hand to these people.

[njhorseman]

I have not prepaid my gratuities. Does NCL allow you to add the tips to your onboard account? Can you include the tips for concierge and butler with this. If I want to add extra can I change the amounts to be charged or does it have to be paid in cash.

I know that RCL gives you a slip and envelope for each tip and we usually add extra cash to it.

 

NCL automatically adds $12 per person per day to your on board account as a service charge in lieu of gratuitites. This covers your room steward, dining room and buffet wait staff and certain behind the scenes crew. If you want to tip an individual above that amount you can give them cash at the end of the cruise.

 

In addition,15% will automatically be added to any bar purchases. 18% is added to spa services.

 

The $12 daily service charge does not cover your butler and concierge, who should be tipped separately. Those tips can either be made in cash, or you can go to guest services and have a tip charged to your account that you can specifically direct to a particular individual. (Note someone once reported here that they were not permitted to do this on some ship...I can't recall which one, and had to tip in cash)

[redhead621]

Thanks for all of the replies but I am still wondering if I am allowed to change the tip amount and have it charged to my account. In other words, does the extra $$$ have to be paid in cash?

[che5904]

Thanks for all of the replies but I am still wondering if I am allowed to change the tip amount and have it charged to my account. In other words, does the extra $$$ have to be paid in cash?

 

This was answered :confused: see njhorseman's & TPEINC1958's quotes below. Yes, you can charge any extra amount you wish to tip anyone on your onboard account. Have the person's name you wish to give the tip to, go to guest services and have them add the tip to your account. Guest services will hand you a voucher back. Easy.

 

Those tips can either be made in cash, or you can go to guest services and have a tip charged to your account that you can specifically direct to a particular individual. (Note someone once reported here that they were not permitted to do this on some ship...I can't recall which one, and had to tip in cash)

 

You can add your butler and concierge tips to your account and they will give you a voucher that you can then hand to these people.

[jdvmd]

Thanks for all of the replies but I am still wondering if I am allowed to change the tip amount and have it charged to my account. In other words, does the extra $$$ have to be paid in cash?

 

Yes, you can increase the tip amount and have it charged to your onboard account.

[sjbdtz]

Yes, the basic gratuities are automatically added ($12 / day / pp)

 

For the concierge / butler / kids club or anyone else that you want to add to, just go to the front desk.

 

They can charge it to your room card (pay by credit card), and then provide you a receipt for yourself, and a 2nd copy to give to the person in question.

 

 

 

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[Dayenu]

"Thanks for all of the replies but I am still wondering if I am allowed to change the tip amount and have it charged to my account. In other words, does the extra $$$ have to be paid in cash?"

 

They poll the tips, so if you want to tip additional, don't change the amount charged to your account, give cash to the person who deserves it. He/she will keep the extra cash.

 

If you change the amount charged to your account:

if you make it less, give cash to somebody - that somebody will have to put cash in the poll bucket, so you cash won't do any good

 

if you make it more, the extra will go in the poll bucket, so the person will get a little more, not what you intended

[redhead621]

Thank you for pointing that out. I will make sure give cash to those that I feel deserve more.

[sunflower47]

Thank you for pointing that out. I will make sure give cash to those that I feel deserve more.

 

 

Would you just hand them the extra cash or are the envelopes for that?

 

Say for instance you wanted to tip your room steward more money, how would you go about doing that since that is most likely the one person who you would want to give an larger tip too.

[redhead621]

In the past I have always put the extra money into the envelope with the voucher. I usually scrawl a little thank you note on the outside.

[che5904]

Would you just hand them the extra cash or are the envelopes for that?

 

Say for instance you wanted to tip your room steward more money, how would you go about doing that since that is most likely the one person who you would want to give an larger tip too.

 

Some people bring thank you cards with them. I just bring small envelopes with me, write my room stewards name on it and a thank you. Put the money in it and leave it in my cabin.

[BadKitteh]

I intentionally horde my singles prior to traveling so that I have what I need for tips. I prefer to hand people cash who I feel deserve it.

 

I also like to give the steward a decent tip from the get-go to ensure my fridge is emptied, ice is full, etc. It works. If you really feel someone deserves more I like to give it to them then and there since they will remember it and so I don't have to drag myself to the desk, remember a name and go through all that when I can pull out cash and do it on the spot.

[newmexicoNita]

I have not prepaid my gratuities. Does NCL allow you to add the tips to your onboard account? Can you include the tips for concierge and butler with this. If I want to add extra can I change the amounts to be charged or does it have to be paid in cash.

I know that RCL gives you a slip and envelope for each tip and we usually add extra cash to it.

 

actually I am not sure about RCI but Celebrity no longer allows you the option of envalopes if you choose the open dining program. This is true about most lines and for good reason. NCL will just add it to your daily account. If you want to tip others above the normal 12.00 per day you can do so.

 

NIta

[njhorseman]

Some people bring thank you cards with them. I just bring small envelopes with me, write my room stewards name on it and a thank you. Put the money in it and leave it in my cabin.

 

That isn't a good idea. On turnaround day there are often crew other than your regular cabin steward working on your cabin. The money could end up in the wrong hands. (I'm not saying it will, but you can't assume everyone is 100% honest and honorable.)

 

If we have a tip to give out, we always hand it directly to the intended recipient.

[njhorseman]

actually I am not sure about RCI but Celebrity no longer allows you the option of envalopes if you choose the open dining program. This is true about most lines and for good reason. NCL will just add it to your daily account. If you want to tip others above the normal 12.00 per day you can do so.

 

NIta

 

Royal Caribbean requires prepaid tips if you are doing their version of Freestyle dining. Otherwise they are the last of the mass market lines to use the "cash in envelop" (or voucher in envelop if you choose to have the tips charged to your on board account) system for tipping.

[che5904]

That isn't a good idea. On turnaround day there are often crew other than your regular cabin steward working on your cabin. The money could end up in the wrong hands. (I'm not saying it will, but you can't assume everyone is 100% honest and honorable.)

 

If we have a tip to give out, we always hand it directly to the intended recipient.

 

Well I can't say we are talking about thousands of dollars. It has their name on it, if there are dishonest workers on board then I guess they have benefitted, and they have to look themselves in the mirror and look at their fellow worker everyday that they ripped off. I have no intention of running around looking for our steward the morning we leave.

 

Seriously I am not going to lose sleep over it, I know I did the right thing and I sleep well at night for it.

[njhorseman]

Well I can't say we are talking about thousands of dollars. It has their name on it, if there are dishonest workers on board then I guess they have benefitted, and they have to look themselves in the mirror and look at their fellow worker everyday that they ripped off. I have no intention of running around looking for our steward the morning we leave.

 

Seriously I am not going to lose sleep over it, I know I did the right thing and I sleep well at night for it.

 

I've never had to run around to find my steward, and if you're worried about that just hand him/her the envelop on the last night of the cruise when they're usually very easy to find.

 

I don't want to argue with you about this, but I just can't see how you can say you've done the right thing. The right thing is to ensure the money gets directly into the right person's hands.

[che5904]

I've never had to run around to find my steward,

 

Good for you!

 

I don't want to argue with you about this,

 

Good then let's not and just agree to disagree about what is the "right" thing to do.

[luddite]

Would you just hand them the extra cash or are the envelopes for that?

 

Say for instance you wanted to tip your room steward more money, how would you go about doing that since that is most likely the one person who you would want to give an larger tip too.

 

If you hand them cash, they will accept it and say 'thank you' with a smile.