Do you tip beyond the mandatory gratuities?

[Love my butler]

 

A gratuity is the property of the employee to whom it is given. The company has no say or control over that money.

 

I can prove that statement is incorrect. On NCL if you remove the DSC (auto-tip) the staff is required to give any gratutity (tip) you hand to them back to NCL. According to your statement the company has no say over that gratuity once I hand it to the employee.

[Single Cruiser]

I pre-pay the service charges.

 

During the first two days I'll often add an extra tip for certain bar staff at my regular bars, result Everytime is next time and the bar is busy catch their eye and get served :) ..

 

I leave a cash tip for room steward at the end of the cruise (unless they are really bad!)

[meltingmoments]

Yes, you are exactly correct. About 12 years ago when NCL switched from voluntary tips to the DSC it was made very clear the DSC was the new tipping method. Additional tipping was discouraged. As the years have gone by, NCL is cutting corners more and more and to pay the staff the DSC and 'additional' tipping are used to attract workers.

 

Gratuity/tip/DSC. Different names, but all the exact same thing. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise.

 

I found this by Googling......

 

Definitions

 

• A gratuity is a voluntary payment that customers may make to service professionals. Gratuities are usually expressions of appreciation for exceptional service, though some customers give intentionally small gratuities as a means of showing their displeasure. A service charge is similar to a gratuity only in the sense that it is also an additional payment in a situation involving a service professional. However, service charges are mandatory rather than optional, and may or may not deliver additional pay to the service professional who works for the customer.
   
   
  

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/info_8399595_service-charge-vs-gratuity-charge.html#ixzz2XjWpGBlh

 

Helped it make a bit more sense to me!

 

In answer to the OP's original question, yes we DO tip over and above if we receive super service.....and we have each time we've sailed NCL. :)

[cruisecritiquer]

This is what the website says:

 

What's the service charge?

Why is there a service charge?

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports.

How much is the charge?

Onboard Service Charges are additional. A charge of $12 per person per day will automatically be added to your onboard account.

Are service charges across the board for all guests?

All guests 3 years or older.

How do I prepay my service charges?

Contact your travel professional and request that it be added to your cruise reservation. If you have not made final payment this will be included in your final payment amount or if final payment has already been made we will require full payment at the time it is added.

At what point in the booking process can the prepaid charges be added?

They can be added at anytime up to 24 hours prior to sailing.

Why would I prepay my service charges?

The convenience of pre-paying the service charges allows you to plan your budget prior to your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board.

If I cancel my cruise are the service charges refundable?

Yes! The service charges are 100% refundable.

If there is a service issue can the service charges be adjusted on board?

Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. We have structured a guest satisfaction program designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let our on-board guest services desk staff know right away, so that we can address these in a timely manner. It is our goal to reach a satisfactory solution to any issue when it happens and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.

 

This is what it says under my booking summary about service charges:

 

Service Charges: We are confident that you will enjoy your Freestyle Cruising experience and that our entire crew will provide you with the standard of service for which we are known. A $ 12.00 discretionary service charge will be automatically added per guest per day (for guests three years and older) to your shipboard account for all staterooms. This charge will be shared among those staff members, including the restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and other behind-the-scenes staff who provide services that enhance your overall cruise experience. If you have any concerns about the service you receive during your cruise, please let our Guest Services Desk staff know right away so we can address any issues in a timely manner.

 

 

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.

 

Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent. For guests purchasing spa treatments the recommended gratuity is 18 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.

[Single Cruiser]

From my discussions with crew members I think Sea Sharks interpretation is nearest.

 

The service charge is pooled into an incentive fund and performance related pay for meeting targets. Like number of feedback comments. One of the bar staff was telling me as I filled in one if those "hero" type comment cards.

 

The cash tips were carefully pocketed out of sight. My room steward said they used them for whoever went ashore to buy pre-pay mobile top ups so they could call home..

 

Oh and because of the latter they prefer tips in the local currency (so in Europe Euros) else they have to "bank/declare" and get ships commissioned exchange rate or Stick in the safe.

[SeaShark]

I can prove that statement is incorrect. On NCL if you remove the DSC (auto-tip) the staff is required to give any gratutity (tip) you hand to them back to NCL. According to your statement the company has no say over that gratuity once I hand it to the employee.

 

Correct. However what you overlook is the fact that the employee's employment contract does not permit them to accept gratuities from guest who have not paid their bills. The DSC is considered to be a part of your bill...you don't pay it, and the employment contract comes into play.

 

If you have paid your bill, then the employee can keep any and all gratuities and the company has no say in the matter.

[Love my butler]

I found this by Googling......

 

Definitions

 

• A gratuity is a voluntary payment that customers may make to service professionals. Gratuities are usually expressions of appreciation for exceptional service, though some customers give intentionally small gratuities as a means of showing their displeasure. A service charge is similar to a gratuity only in the sense that it is also an additional payment in a situation involving a service professional. However, service charges are mandatory rather than optional, and may or may not deliver additional pay to the service professional who works for the customer.
   
  

The problem with your definition is that on NCL the DSC is NOT mandatory. It is optional. The DSC can be adjusted up or down as the passenger wishes.

[Milaandra]

Elsewhere here, in a review written by Dan Askin, News Editor; updated By Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor in Chief, there is a quotation from NCL; "guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for service that is generally rendered to all guests"

 

(http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=438)

 

Now, I can't find that phrase on the NCL website, but I can't get onto NCL.com because of my internet provider, only NCL.co.uk

[Love my butler]

Correct. However what you overlook is the fact that the employee's employment contract does not permit them to accept gratuities from guest who have not paid their bills. The DSC is considered to be a part of your bill...you don't pay it, and the employment contract comes into play.

 

If you have paid your bill, then the employee can keep any and all gratuities and the company has no say in the matter.

 

I didn't overlook anything. I proved you made an incorrect statement. The DSC is NOT part of your bill. It is optional and can be adjusted up or all the way down to zero. Are you really trying to say if I adjust my DSC to zero then NCL will claim I didn't pay my bill and still let me off the ship? Seriously?

[Milaandra]

Oops! I see people were busy while I was fact-checking, and my post is old news :)

[meltingmoments]

The problem with your definition is that on NCL the DSC is NOT mandatory. It is optional. The DSC can be adjusted up or down as the passenger wishes.

 

 

Not actually * my * definition.....but Googles! ;)

But I take your point....which actually now makes me even more confused than ever about gratuities and DSC! :o

[NLH Arizona]

Ummmm, no that isn't what the service charge is for. A service charge is the income of, and therefor the property of, the cruise line. They can use it as they see fit.

 

A gratuity is the property of the employee to whom it is given. The company has no say or control over that money.

 

NCL has stated on their website what they use the service charge to "support"...it goes to become PART of the crew salaries and it also funds incentive programs.

 

We are better consumers when we understand exactly what our money is being collected for and where it goes.

 

As I advised at the beginning of this thread, there are some great articles out there in Google-Land explaining the difference between service charges and gratuities. We'd all be further ahead if more of us knew the difference.

If NCL wants the majority of their passengers to leave tips for the crew, then they need to make the DSC a part of the cruise fare instead of an add on to it.

[Single Cruiser]

The DSC forms part of the pool of money to pay staff so I can see if the staff have met their targets but the DSC pool isn't there NCL wanting any tips in lieu adding to that fund..

 

:(

[SeaShark]

I didn't overlook anything. I proved you made an incorrect statement. The DSC is NOT part of your bill. It is optional and can be adjusted up or all the way down to zero. Are you really trying to say if I adjust my DSC to zero then NCL will claim I didn't pay my bill and still let me off the ship? Seriously?

 

NO...those are YOUR words. What I said was that employees are not permitted to accept tips from guests who don't pay their bill in full. Whether NCL permits you to leave or pursues the unpaid amount is completely up to their discretion. The fact remains that if you "adjust" it, your "tips" have to be turned over. All employees are very happy to comply as not doing so would be cause for dismissal...and the tip isn't worth it to them.

 

 

I give NCL my credit card and authorize them to charge my bill to it. When I can cruise without the DSC being paid by this credit card, then maybe you can claim it isn't part of my bill. Till then...

[Single Cruiser]

If NCL wants the majority of their passengers to leave tips for the crew, then they need to make the DSC a part of the cruise fare instead of an add on to it.

 

It generally is with most UK agencies. Mine adds it to my invoice and gets paid with the final invoice..

[NLH Arizona]

It generally is with most UK agencies. Mine adds it to my invoice and gets paid with the final invoice..

Here it is not included in our cruise fare. When I make my final payment, I pay for the fare, port charges and taxes. I can then go on line and pre-pay the DSC with my credit card or can wait until I'm onboard and it is charge to my shipboard account.

[meltingmoments]

It generally is with most UK agencies. Mine adds it to my invoice and gets paid with the final invoice..

 

Same here!! Hence why I ....in my limited experience.....thought it was compulsory! :o

[SeaShark]

If NCL wants the majority of their passengers to leave tips for the crew, then they need to make the DSC a part of the cruise fare instead of an add on to it.

 

"IF" is the key, but NCL doesn't want you to tip the crew. You can...if YOU want to, but it is not required, and NCL goes out of their way to say so.

 

By controlling the money used for INCENTIVES, NCL can control the criteria for which that money is awarded. This gives them the ability to encourage and reward behavior(s) instead of letting the guests do so.

 

Forget the DSC being part ofthe cruise fare...there is no reason to do so. They would have to raise rates above that just to pay the TAs the additonal commission. Also...the DSC only has to be paid for cruise days taken. If you cancel and don't go, you don't have to pay it...even if you cancel close enough to the cruise that you forfeit the fare paid.

[NLH Arizona]

Same here!! Hence why I ....in my limited experience.....thought it was compulsory! :o

It is charged to everyone, one way or another. Someone (don't know about UK passengers) could, if they choose to, go to guest services and have all or part of it removed.

[NLH Arizona]

"IF" is the key, but NCL doesn't want you to tip the crew. You can...if YOU want to, but it is not required, and NCL goes out of their way to say so.

 

By controlling the money used for INCENTIVES, NCL can control the criteria for which that money is awarded. This gives them the ability to encourage and reward behavior(s) instead of letting the guests do so.

 

Forget the DSC being part ofthe cruise fare...there is no reason to do so. They would have to raise rates above that just to pay the TAs the additonal commission. Also...the DSC only has to be paid for cruise days taken. If you cancel and don't go, you don't have to pay it...even if you cancel close enough to the cruise that you forfeit the fare paid.

Sorry, we will have to agree to disagree on all points.

[Single Cruiser]

It is charged to everyone, one way or another. Someone (don't know about UK passengers) could, if they choose to, go to guest services and have all or part of it removed.

 

If its pre-paid we can't adjust onboard, only via head office after the cruise..

 

 

 

What’s the service charge?

A fixed service charge of $12 per person per day will be payable, at your discretion. The service charge will be added to your holiday price and shown separately on your confirmation invoice. If you do not want to pay this up front with the balance of your holiday cost, but would rather decide whether or not to pay the charge on board, please ensure you tell us at the time of booking or any time up to two weeks before departure and we will arrange for the charge to be added to your stateroom account.

 

Why is there a service charge?

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programmes that your service charge supports.

 

Who pays the service charge?

All guests three years or older.

 

At what point in the booking process can the pre-paid charges be added?

They can be added at any time up to 24 hours before sailing.

 

Why would I pre-pay my service charge?

The convenience of pre-paying the service charges allows you to plan your budget before your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board.

 

If I cancel my cruise is the service charge refundable?

Yes! The service charge is 100% refundable.

 

If there is a service issue can the service charge be adjusted on board?

Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. We have structured a guest satisfaction programme designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let our on-board reception desk staff know right away, so that we can address it in a timely manner. It is our goal to reach a satisfactory solution to any issue when it happens and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.*

 

*Where your service charge has been pre-paid before departure, refunds are not available on board and you must apply for a refund, if applicable, after your return home by writing to our Guest Relations department.

back to top

[cruisecritiquer]

The thread is getting a bit derailed. I guess I see why these threads get closed. I just wanted to know if people tip above what you pay ...12/pp/day. Perhaps I used the wrong phrase but honestly, all of this is just too much energy being used up. I wanted to just know the general consensus on what most people do.

[NLH Arizona]

If its pre-paid we can't adjust onboard, only via head office after the cruise..

UK is totally different that US.

[cruisecritiquer]

Sorry, we will have to agree to disagree on all points.

 

Agreeing to disagree is a great skill!

[Single Cruiser]

UK is totally different that US.

 

Yes, you get preferred rates, advanced booking (UK site does not even list 2014

Itineraries), price guarantees, transferable deposits, coupons onboard...

 

 

But anyway.. To the OP, it's up to you and at your discretion