Gratuities going up...minimally

[Envelope21]

I have always assumed that the gratuity for suites is more because the cabins are larger and thus take more time to maintain.

[sundercruiser]

We made final payment on our April cruise several weeks ago. Now NCL comes forward demanding an increase in the DSC.

 

I'm annoyed, not at the comparatively trivial amounts of money, but the high-handed belief that NCL has the right to unilaterally alter the terms under which they received our money in the first place. I got the same emails as everybody else here -- no mention or acknowledgement that we're already paid in full.

 

Of course in the contract DSC is barely mentioned, and certainly there's no actual price assigned to it. So contractually NCL has every right to raise DSC to whatever they want. But just as contractually, we have every right to refuse to pay the increase, or, indeed, pay DSC at al.

 

It's completely discretionary.

[KeithJenner]

You can also pay the DSC now and avoid the increase. The choice is yours.

[sundercruiser]

Keith, sure, that's one choice -- pay now to avoid the increase.

 

I'm choosing a different option -- paying the $12 ppd DSC that was the joint expectation when I made final payment to NCL. Just I'll be giving them the DSC when I expected to -- on the boat.

 

Note that this option leads to identical amounts of money going to workers as your option of paying now, but has two positive benefits: first, I get to keep and play with my money for two additional months and second, it might, on the margin, provide NCL with feedback that retroactive price increases are a sloppy way of doing business and could well lead to customer resistance.

Edited February 14, 2015 by sundercruiser

[emcelh]

I have always assumed that the gratuity for suites is more because the cabins are larger and thus take more time to maintain.

 

That makes sense as long as the additional amount goes to the cabin steward. I wonder how they'll work that out. It would be easy if a steward has all suite cabins to take care of but that's not always the case. On our last cruise he had 3 suites and the rest were all regular cabins.

[Turtles06]

Keith, sure, that's one choice -- pay now to avoid the increase.

 

I'm choosing a different option -- paying the $12 ppd DSC that was the joint expectation when I made final payment to NCL. Just I'll be giving them the DSC when I expected to -- on the boat.

 

Note that this option leads to identical amounts of money going to workers as your option of paying now, but has two positive benefits: first, I get to keep and play with my money for two additional months and second, it might, on the margin, provide NCL with feedback that retroactive price increases are a sloppy way of doing business and could well lead to customer resistance.

 

You're going to take up your time on vacation (only two months away) to stand on line at Guest Services and adjust the charge back to $12/day as a form of "feedback"? Well, that's certainly your option and your right. But I rather doubt that NCL will be impressed by this "feedback."

 

I wouldn't view it as a retroactive price increase unless there were no way for pax who have cruises booked for after March 1, 2015 to pay the amount of DSC in effect when they booked. But there is.

[LMaxwell]

You're going to take up your time on vacation (only two months away) to stand on line at Guest Services and adjust the charge back to $12/day as a form of "feedback"? Well, that's certainly your option and your right. But I rather doubt that NCL will be impressed by this "feedback."

 

I wouldn't view it as a retroactive price increase unless there were no way for pax who have cruises booked for after March 1, 2015 to pay the amount of DSC in effect when they booked. But there is.

My email says prepay at $12 or be charged $12.95 onboard. Nothing says I have to prepay by March 2015 or even by September 2016 final payment date for a Dec 2016 cruise. Why would I pay hundreds of dollars of gratuity 22 months early? That's poor fiscal planning in my household.

[kcwingwalker]

My email says prepay at $12 or be charged $12.95 onboard. Nothing says I have to prepay by March 2015 or even by September 2016 final payment date for a Dec 2016 cruise. Why would I pay hundreds of dollars of gratuity 22 months early? That's poor fiscal planning in my household.

 

Never received the email, but thanks to CC made my payment before March. I like to prepay after I have made my final payment so everything worked out fine for us. It's an individual decision.............there just isn't a right or wrong answer.

[RMS Olympic]

I sailed the Getaway last Nov and was totally impressed with the attitude of the crew, their quality of service which I would expect on a higher priced ship.

Considering how these people work, I see no problem with them getting a raise so I will not be prepaying to save a few dollars. I have yet to meet a person that didn't want a periodic raise. If the cost for me is going up by about .95 per day.....that's not even $10 for the week....the price of one cocktail before dinner. I know that may be a lot for some folks on a budget, so no criticism from me. I just know that traveling on a ship is pure luxury, and service is a big part of it.....if a happy wife is a happy life, then a happy crew is a happy ship:D:D:D

I just consider tipping a part of my traveling exspenses...to think of what I tip on land makes tipping on a cruise minimal.

To each his own.....but the increase is nothing to me. Shoot at the cheap prices for these cruises......to think I paid less last Nov for a balcony on Getaway then I paid on the Southward in 1979 for port hole cabin......these tips seem a bargain.

Just my opinion.......

[luvtheships]

Depending on the circumstances, yes, it is a smart thing which is why I pre-paid my DSC this morning. 14 night cruise in June so 5 months early by pre-paying cost me maybe $1 in interest income but saved me about $27 in increased DSC costs so I'm ahead by $26 (or 3 foofoo drinks in my wife's words). That's pretty damn smart. :)

 

Actually you paying 4 months in advance is not so terrible but paying for say a December cruise for say 4 pax is a bit much. You are talking about the savings I am talking about handing over loads of cash before it is expected

 

I just finished a 12 BA and for 3 people the dsc was $144 x 3 $424 is way to much to pay in advance

 

I don't recall which poster said it but he said.... I'm not prepaying my dsc in February for a December cruise.

 

There is no way I would have paid my $424 10 months in advance either and it has nothing to do with earning Interest. Saving approx $36 would not be enough for me to cough up $424. And yes I know saving $36 by paying $424 now is a nice return but I'm still not giving the cruiseline that much money to help increase their cash flow

 

Btw on my recent cruise. I did prepay about 72 hours in advance though. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[KeithJenner]

But, if the reports earlier in this thread are accurate and you don't actually pay it now then all this discussion is irrelevant anyway.

 

Out to sea!, did you pay online or did you phone? Apparently if you do it online then you pay now, but phoning gets it added to your final bill.

 

This could do with clarifying for sure because a lot of people seem to be basing their decision on what may not be the actual facts.

[njhorseman]

Thanks. I was just curious. I wonder why it's so much more.

 

My guess is it's extra compensation that goes to the steward for having a much larger cabin to clean.

[pieshops]

So if you are before final payment (even if the cruise is in 2 years) and want to avoid the increase all you have to do is call and add on the prepaid option, you will not have to pay anything at that time. When final payment is due you pay the balance including the prepaid DSC.

 

Make sure they email you a new confirmation that will show the amount of the current DSC

[LMaxwell]

My guess is it's extra compensation that goes to the steward for having a much larger cabin to clean.

Don't stewards have less cabins in suite level than regular classes? Could be so they earn on par with someone that has more lost and oceanview/interiors.

[pisenor]

So if you are before final payment (even if the cruise is in 2 years) and want to avoid the increase all you have to do is call and add on the prepaid option, you will not have to pay anything at that time. When final payment is due you pay the balance including the prepaid DSC.

 

Make sure they email you a new confirmation that will show the amount of the current DSC

 

That is exactly how it works. I currently have two reservations, one for January 2016 and the other in January 2017. I always ask for my DSC be included in my final price. The payment for the DSC is due with final payment. After following this thread I decided to call my PCC to confirm my pre-paid DSC were still and will remain at the current price. I was told that they are indeed and they will remain that way unless I get silly and remove them before final payment so I can pay on board.

 

I hope this helps...

[njhorseman]

Don't stewards have less cabins in suite level than regular classes? Could be so they earn on par with someone that has more lost and oceanview/interiors.

 

I've never asked whether they have fewer cabins to clean, although that's a possibility.

[KeithJenner]

That is exactly how it works. I currently have two reservations, one for January 2016 and the other in January 2017. I always ask for my DSC be included in my final price. The payment for the DSC is due with final payment. After following this thread I decided to call my PCC to confirm my pre-paid DSC were still and will remain at the current price. I was told that they are indeed and they will remain that way unless I get silly and remove them before final payment so I can pay on board.

 

 

 

I hope this helps...

 

 

That doesn't exactly confirm it. I also always add the DSC when booking. I'm interested in checking how it works if you add it afterwards. I believe that it is the same, in which case the arguments about having to pay 20 months early are irrelevant, but Out to seas comment above suggests that they have actually paid it now, rather than with final payment.

[njhorseman]

That is exactly how it works. I currently have two reservations, one for January 2016 and the other in January 2017. I always ask for my DSC be included in my final price. The payment for the DSC is due with final payment. After following this thread I decided to call my PCC to confirm my pre-paid DSC were still and will remain at the current price. I was told that they are indeed and they will remain that way unless I get silly and remove them before final payment so I can pay on board.

 

I hope this helps...

 

I wouldn't rely on answers provide by PCCs or other telephone reps. It seems rather bizarre that just adding the service charges to your booking without actually paying for them would satisfy the requirement to prepay them before March 1, very simply because you haven't actually prepaid them.

 

Until we get some official word from NCL, I would be very hesitant to take anything you are told on the telephone as the truth.

[KeithJenner]

So if you are before final payment (even if the cruise is in 2 years) and want to avoid the increase all you have to do is call and add on the prepaid option, you will not have to pay anything at that time. When final payment is due you pay the balance including the prepaid DSC.

 

 

 

Make sure they email you a new confirmation that will show the amount of the current DSC

 

 

Are you asking or confirming?

[KeithJenner]

I wouldn't rely on answers provide by PCCs or other telephone reps. It seems rather bizarre that just adding the service charges to your booking without actually paying for them would satisfy the requirement to prepay them before March 1, very simply because you haven't actually prepaid them.

 

 

 

Until we get some official word from NCL, I would be very hesitant to take anything you are told on the telephone as the truth.

 

 

We have cruise confirmations which include the DSC and state the amount of the final payment. By doing that the amounts are fixed. This is what NCL consider prepaying the charges (i.e. You pay before you cruise).

[emcelh]

Don't stewards have less cabins in suite level than regular classes? Could be so they earn on par with someone that has more lost and oceanview/interiors.

 

I would think it depends on the ship and the area the steward is assigned. We usually book aft penthouses on the Jewel class ship's and there are only 4 on each deck.

[realcindylouwho]

To clarify the increase thread, I spoke with a Norwegian representative on 2/11/2015 @7:30pm CST and was told the following: If the cruise is already booked with a down payment, the current daily services charges are locked in. Any cruise booked AFTER February 28, 2015 will have the charges increased to the new levels. Hope this answers the questions.

So book now for the lower gratuity rate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear (named removed),

 

Norwegian Cruise Line is adjusting its daily service charges, effective for all sailings that depart on or after March 1, 2015.

 

The new rates are:

$12.95 per person per day for any category up to a mini-suite stateroom

$14.95 per person per day for any suite category

 

You can choose to pre-pay your service charges at the current rate of $12 per person per day. If charged on board, the new rates will apply.

 

Norwegian's daily discretionary service charges, which were last adjusted in 2009, make it easy for guests to provide gratuities to key onboard staff who provide superior guest service during the cruise, including their room steward, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff. Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff.

 

 

Sincerely,

Norwegian Cruise Line®

 

This is a direct copy of the e-mail we received from NCL on February 12th at 11:21 p.m. We received three of these e-mails because we have three cruises booked. From how our e-mail reads, our service charges will be increasing for these cruises but NCL is allowing us to pre-pay at the current rate. You may want to call your PCC again to make certain the information you were given is correct. Just trying to prevent you from a suprise increase in cost you hadn't thought would affect you.

[njhorseman]

We have cruise confirmations which include the DSC and state the amount of the final payment. By doing that the amounts are fixed. This is what NCL consider prepaying the charges (i.e. You pay before you cruise).

 

I'm less confident than you...and I assume you're booking in the UK, where things may be different...different consumer protection policies than we have in the US.

[KeithJenner]

I'm less confident than you...and I assume you're booking in the UK, where things may be different...different consumer protection policies than we have in the US.

 

 

Yes, I'm in the UK, but the fact is still that if, when you book with NCL you state at the time that you want to prepay the DSC then it is added to your final payment, and the amount of the DSC is stated on your cruise confirmation. You have agreed to prepay the DSC and you are locked in at the old rate.

 

It's NCLs decision to do it that way. In the extremely unlikely case that they try to charge people more then they will get everything they deserve. Ain't going to happen though.

Edited February 15, 2015 by KeithJenner

[LMaxwell]

I wouldn't rely on answers provide by PCCs or other telephone reps. It seems rather bizarre that just adding the service charges to your booking without actually paying for them would satisfy the requirement to prepay them before March 1, very simply because you haven't actually prepaid them.

 

Until we get some official word from NCL, I would be very hesitant to take anything you are told on the telephone as the truth.

I see nothing requiring prepayment by March 1 or even arrangements to be made by March 1. It only says pay before sailing at lower rate, pay onboard at higher rate.