Do you tip beyond the mandatory gratuities?

[NLH Arizona]

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

Here is what NCL says about the DSC for us:

 

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.

[SeaShark]

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.

 

Circling back to the beginning...Yes, people do offer tips in addition to the DSC. And yes, some people don't offer tips in addition to the DSC. There is nothing wrong with either. You have to do what feels best to you.

 

Nobody (here or onboard) would look down on you for not offering a gratuity. Gratuities are a very personal thing...we all don't have the same wants, the same means, or the same experiences. You have to do what is right for you...don't worry about the consensus on what most people do. There is nothing wrong with being the fish that swims against the school (intentional NCL reference ;)).

 

 

As far as this issue goes...and I think this thread shows it...is that the ONLY time people take issue is when people try not to pay the DSC. Especially with those who try to get out of it before even experiencing the service! :eek:

[lowroller]

I have tipped extra for the following,

The room steward for keeping my softsided cooler full of ice all week and

Loungers added to the balcony. Both of these are important to me and worth the extra money.

Also I tip the following people;

Waitstaff at the speciality restaurants.

Servers in the casino.

Dealers in the casino.

Slot personnel.

Once in a while I'll add a buck or two to a bar receipt.

I might be missing someone, but those few come to my mind.

Glenn

[iron9er]

We let the DSC do most of the talking for us. I've had good waiters before that I've given $25 or so to at the end of the cruise (not on NCL but on a line where I had the same waiterr for every dinner), room stewards who were good and I did the same, and very occasionally a member of the bar staff who I'll add a dollar or two tip.

 

That's about it.

[MrsNancyG]

I have tipped extra for the following,

The room steward

Waitstaff at the speciality restaurants.

Servers in the casino.

Dealers in the casino.

Slot personnel.

Once in a while I'll add a buck or two to a bar receipt.

I might be missing someone, but those few come to my mind.

Glenn

 

Sounds pretty much like our list too, except this time we'll add butler and concierge to the mix

[luddite]

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.

 

Yes, we do.

[sdmike]

I will add a tip if I ask for something special, but that doesn't happen often. I'll tip a room service delivery person a few dollars, and we tip the kid's club staff if we use them, but not much else. The DSC does the heavy lifting for us.

[newmexicoNita]

We usually pre-pay our gratuity but I wondered if people customarily tip beyond that? On every cruise I've been on, I didn't see our stewards much but they were always doing their job behind the scenes...everything would be just perfect when we returned.

 

Once, I went to the garden cafe to fix us some plates (so we could eat in the room) and there I was, the dummy trying to carry three plates with two hands. I guess since I've seen professionals do it, I thought I could do it too. Anyway, with the doors being heavier, I tried to push the door open and it pushed right back and all three plates fell out of my hand. I quickly looked left and right and was about to open the door to get a towel so I could start cleaning up my mess but here came one of my cabin stewards right out of the blue. I couldn't believe it and I was mortified. I always feel so uncomfortable when someone is cleaning up my mess. I'm the type that would clean the house before the cleaning lady got there because I'd feel bad making her clean up our messes.

 

Anyway, I tipped her for that specific occurrence and she hesitated to take it which kind of shocked me. I insisted and she did take it. That's why I posted this question. We would frequently leave extra bills in the room for a tip and then when we came back they'd be right there. I could never figure out if she just wouldn't accept it or if she thought it was just loose change left behind in the room so I finally had to leave her a post it note that said PLEASE TAKE THIS TIP!

 

So do you normally tip beyond what you pay in the mandatory gratuities?

 

We usually give something extra to our cabin stewards if they go above and usually they do. Once in awhile we find a cocktail waitress we really like. Of course if we use the services of the concierge, we tip and we leave a tip for the wait staff in the specialty dining rooms.

[Raleigh Traveler]

To sum up this issue, what has been shared:

The DSC becomes part of the crews pay and is not “tips and gratuity”

The DSC replaces “tips and gratuity”. Same thing, different title. My PCC even called the DSC “tips and gratuity” in an email.

NCL states tipping is not expected

We always tip (and you should to)

Website explains this all very clearly

Posters still make statements contrary to these statements

DSC is ethically required…if you even ask if it can be adjusted for anything but a catastrophe you are lower than dirt

DSC can be adjusted for any reason and you are an okay person for doing so

Why do people keep bringing this up when it has been discussed and answered repeatedly?

It has been the subject of many threads but obvious that it is not clear or at least people’s perceptions are not.

[cruisecritiquer]

To sum up this issue, what has been shared:

The DSC becomes part of the crews pay and is not “tips and gratuity”

The DSC replaces “tips and gratuity”. Same thing, different title. My PCC even called the DSC “tips and gratuity” in an email.

NCL states tipping is not expected

We always tip (and you should to)

Website explains this all very clearly

Posters still make statements contrary to these statements

DSC is ethically required…if you even ask if it can be adjusted for anything but a catastrophe you are lower than dirt

DSC can be adjusted for any reason and you are an okay person for doing so

Why do people keep bringing this up when it has been discussed and answered repeatedly?

It has been the subject of many threads but obvious that it is not clear or at least people’s perceptions are not.

 

Thank you for your breakdown. :)

 

I've seen people argue about this DSC or whatever before. :( The issue was always to pay it, not to pay it, or to adjust it and people who removed it were deemed lower than the pus that infects the mucous... that cruds up the fungus... that feeds on the pond scum. Okay fine. My question was if anyone tips above and beyond that DSC and I could not find a particular thread on that issue. I wondered if this maybe wasn't customary (this extra tipping) since my stewards would sometimes not take money I left in our state room for them.

 

That said, I also don't understand why people click on a thread to argue that it should not have been posted or that a topic has been discussed ad nauseum when it takes much less energy to just say nothing and disregard the thread. :) I doubt at this stage of the game there is much of anything you can post that hasn't already been posted before and therefore with that rational we should just close down the forum for posting and make it a "search" forum only. :p

[NLH Arizona]

That said, I also don't understand why people click on a thread to argue that it should not have been posted or that a topic has been discussed ad nauseum when it takes much less energy to just say nothing and disregard the thread.

Amen!!! If they don't want to discuss, ignore it. If they disagree with the topic being asked again, ignore it. Instead of complaining that a thread goes on and on, ignore it, because by posting you continue it going.