Tipping

[JudiH]

Never cruised on NCL before and need to know about tipping. I've read that NCL says tipping is not necessary but that they add $12.00 per person per day to ones bill. It is not called a "tip" or a "gratuity" but is called a "service charge". What the heck is that? To me it sounds like a gratuity for the people who serve us. If this has already been addressed I was unable to fine the posts on it. Any and all info will be most appreciated.:)

[sdmike]

There are hundreds of posts on NCL tipping. Usually they get pretty heated.

 

The DSC (daily service charge) covers fees for your room steward and servers on the ship. Tipping your steward or any waiters and waitresses over and above this amount is completely optional. I generally don't tip on top of my DSC, even at the specialty restaurants, unless I ask for something special where someone goes out of the way. Others like to tip their stewards and servers in addition to the DSC, but it's not required. Any drinks you purchase will have a 15% gratuity added to the bill automatically (bar servers are not covered in the DSC), and if you're in a suite, you will tip your concierge and butler separately. They also are not in the DSC pool, nor are the kid's club staff. I also throw a few dollars to any room service staff since they went out of their way to bring me my food.

 

Having said that, you will also read that the Daily Service Charge is optional. I think it's written that way even in the NCL FAQ's. Some here will argue that it's a person's right to remove it, and there are quite a few that will try on the last day of their trip when they get their bill. Others will try to remove it at the start of the cruise because they "want to tip as they go" or in a more "traditional" manner at the end of the trip, but given how freestyle dining works this is pretty impractical. You won't have the same wait staff each night, and there would really be no way to allocate tips equitably. The DSC was put in place because too many people skipped out on the traditional end-of-cruise tips and it was causing financial and morale issues for the staff.

 

My opinion is, leave the DSC in place and let that take the place of more traditional tipping. If you feel that someone goes above and beyond, or if you use the butler, concierge or kid's care staff, tip them accordingly.

 

This is a heated topic, so I expect all kinds of opinions to follow my own. :)

[satchiesmom]

JudiH I'm glad you asked this question as I wondered the same thing. SD Mike your answer seems like a very reasonable way to handle the situation. We have always added a little extra to the daily charge for gratuities on other ships, if we have had good service.

[luddite]

NCL calls it what it is---- a Daily Service Charge. It isn't a tip.

It IS how the crew gets paid. It is an unadvertised cost of the cruise and it needs to be paid. It isn't a charge for good service( although you will get good service), merely their charge for services rendered by various crewmembers.

Although there is no need to tip anyone in addition to the DSC, tips are most definitely appreciated by the crew.

 

Searching around the CC forums will also lead you to myriad threads that address the issue, although this and SDMIKE'S post have given you all the info that you really need.

[roger001]

This has been covered repeatedly in threads of many pages. Often gets very heated.

[satchiesmom]

Tipping seems to be a heated topic on any of the boards which is why I was afraid to ask.

[sdmike]

Tipping seems to be a heated topic on any of the boards which is why I was afraid to ask.

 

Indeed. Tipping is very personal, and varies by culture as well. That's why you will get a lot of views on things. What NCL has tried to do is reduce complexity by implementing the DSC (as have other lines) as a replacement for suggested tipping policies of the past. Since the DSC makes up most of the compensation for the staff I tend to let it do its job the way it was intended.

[JudiH]

Thank all of you for your input and info. I agree the servers need to be tipped. I am use to RCI's procedures. We always prepay our gratuity and on the last day we are given "vouchers" to give to each of our servers. At that time we can add extra in the envelopes supplied for each person. I have no problem tipping and feel they all work hard for what they do get. I just hadn't run up against a DSC before. Again I thank all of you for your answers.

Happy Sailing

[vols_159]

I think the 12 dsc is about right.. I dont have a problem paying it.. Actually on my 3 cruises ive always left a xtra tip in the room for the room attendant when we left.. And i always fill out the style cards for each waiter or whoever deserves one rather it be the washy washy women or a member of the cruise directors staff our room attendant The best waiter we had was on the SUN in march of 2011 "Lockwood" I dont recall his last name he talked to us about all his travels/ ships and ports he had worked on.. Wherever he seen us on the ship rather it be on the pool deck during a bbq in the buffet in line for passport check at keywest he always spoke to us and knew out names..