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daily service charge

megann831

By megann831,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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SJ

SJ

Posted
Posted (edited)
So..... no real clue.

 

No, I don't have a real clue what you're talking about and you don't understand the points I am making. Regardless, we should be able to disagree without insults and sarcasm.

Edited by SJ
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SJ

SJ

Posted
Posted
I'd disengage. This person is looking for ways to continue the conversation not for the sake of a healthy discussion but for opportunities to make insults, much like Out to Sea does

 

Thank you. I will. I am done on this matter. This is the most I have ever posted on a topic. This is exactly why my post total is so low and I have visited these boards plenty in the last 13 years I have been a member.

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GoeCruise

GoeCruise

Posted
Posted

I believe this thread started with someone asking about the daily service charge increase on NCL. Here is something from a website:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line is adjusting its daily service charges, effective for all sailings that begin on March 1st, 2015. The new rates are: $12.95 per guest per day for any category up to a Mini Suite stateroom, and $14.95 per guest per day for any suite category. Guests who have previously booked a cruise and are sailing after March 1, 2015, or who are planning to book a cruise now through February 28, 2015, can choose to pre–pay their service charges at the current rate by February 28, 2015. Guests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre–paid their service charges at the current rate will not be affected.

 

With this information, we (a family of six with a 2 yo) will pre-pay our gratuities and save approx. $100. This money will be used to tip individuals who we feel deserve a tip.

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jjikids

jjikids

Posted
Posted
I believe this thread started with someone asking about the daily service charge increase on NCL. Here is something from a website:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line is adjusting its daily service charges, effective for all sailings that begin on March 1st, 2015. The new rates are: $12.95 per guest per day for any category up to a Mini Suite stateroom, and $14.95 per guest per day for any suite category. Guests who have previously booked a cruise and are sailing after March 1, 2015, or who are planning to book a cruise now through February 28, 2015, can choose to pre–pay their service charges at the current rate by February 28, 2015. Guests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre–paid their service charges at the current rate will not be affected.

 

With this information, we (a family of six with a 2 yo) will pre-pay our gratuities and save approx. $100. This money will be used to tip individuals who we feel deserve a tip.

The email from NCL did not give a date. We had our TA add the DSC added to our bill to be paid when we pay our balance. The code on our paperwork says prepaid charges. That way we will save the money and do not have to prepay months and months before we sail.

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Love my butler

Love my butler

Posted
Posted
Yes. If you leave the DSC in place, that money is theirs. If you remove it, they hand it in to the pool, or they risk losing their jobs. For many these jobs are far better than they could get at home, so they will not take that chance.

 

Completely inaccurate. NCL does not require crew to turn in cash tips received from guests who have adjusted the Discretionary Service Charge (as NCL refers to it).

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hpecorari

hpecorari

Posted
Posted
Completely inaccurate. NCL does not require crew to turn in cash tips received from guests who have adjusted the Discretionary Service Charge (as NCL refers to it).

 

On my most recent contract that was e-mailed to me......they call it 'Onboard Service Charges'.

 

Harriet

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

Posted
Posted
Completely inaccurate. NCL does not require crew to turn in cash tips received from guests who have adjusted the Discretionary Service Charge (as NCL refers to it).

 

If someone else made such a bold statement you would be demanding proof. So, how about it, can you back your statement up with any tangible proof?

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zqvol

zqvol

Posted
Posted
I had asked our steward on Epic about this. We wanted to tip more but wanted to make sure it went to him and not to a pool. He told us about the pooling but we asked how do his bosses know from whom the money came from (either people tipping on top of auto tips or people tipping cash instead of auto tips) and he said there is no way for the boss to know. That lead me to believe any cash they receive is, de facto, for them to keep as no one will know where it came from. It appears the policy might say one thing, but the real world situation is different.

 

 

and you believed that he told you the truth - they can be dismissed for discussing the tipping structure with you.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
If someone else made such a bold statement you would be demanding proof. So, how about it, can you back your statement up with any tangible proof?

 

Honestly, none of us has proof one way or the other. In any event there's really no way for NCL to force crew to turn in cash tips even if they expect them to. NCL has no way to know who has received cash tips from which passengers, and how much they have been tipped.

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arhillbilly

arhillbilly

Posted
Posted (edited)
Honestly, none of us has proof one way or the other. In any event there's really no way for NCL to force crew to turn in cash tips even if they expect them to. NCL has no way to know who has received cash tips from which passengers, and how much they have been tipped.

 

 

I have proof...in the form of an email from an officer (a very dear friend) of NCL that this DOES NOT happen (I also have adopted sons as crew members).....I have in the past, took my service charges off and paid cash...until my friend explained it like this....

 

What happens is this:

 

The daily service charge is divided among all the crew. Any CASH given to a crew member STAYS with that crew member. However, if you take your service charge off and pay a crew member in cash, that crew member still gets a part of the dsc "pot"....so really what happens is the crew member you give cash to "takes" money away from the other crew members that didn't get paid in cash.

 

 

I have a lot of very dear friends that are on several different NCL ships......as crew and officers. I have adopted sons also on ships as crew members.....I KNOW what I am talking about.

 

1)THERE IS NOT a list of people removing the service charges......

2) Since I have done so in the past, I KNOW that you CANNOT remove the service charge until the day before or the last day of the cruise

3) Any cash given to crew members is their money and DOES NOT get put into the "pot"

Edited by arhillbilly
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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

Posted
Posted
Honestly, none of us has proof one way or the other. In any event there's really no way for NCL to force crew to turn in cash tips even if they expect them to. NCL has no way to know who has received cash tips from which passengers, and how much they have been tipped.

 

True, but I also see where NCL could have a policy that if a passenger removes the service charge that staff are expected to turn in any cash tips received. Of course not all would be turned in, but since it could cost them their job most crew would probably comply.

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Kingofwylietx

Kingofwylietx

Posted
Posted
Tips left on tables don't mean that people have removed the DSC. A lot of people leave extra on top of the auto charge.

 

If you see cash on a table after we finish a meal, it is additional to the DSC. We budget the DSC as part of the trip cost, not an elective charge.

 

Cash is for someone that goes above our expectation, or that does something that makes one of our kids or my wife really happy.

 

We would never consider removing the DSC.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
True, but I also see where NCL could have a policy that if a passenger removes the service charge that staff are expected to turn in any cash tips received. Of course not all would be turned in, but since it could cost them their job most crew would probably comply.

 

How does the waiter I just tipped know if I've paid my service charge or not? And no...swiping your card at the dining room entrance doesn't do it. I could be eating with other passengers I'm traveling with, but only one card is swiped for my party of six (for example). No one knows who left the tip and even who the other people at the table are because only my card was swiped. And, even if they could tell, if I wait until the last night after dinner to remove my service charge it would appear as if my service charge was paid all throughout the cruise at every meal I ate. Same with my steward. I tip him before I go to dinner on the last night (that's not a hypothetical...it's how I normally do it) so all along I'm not on that (possibly mythical) list of service charge stiffers. As far as the steward knows I'm one of the good guys who paid the service charge and he's free to keep the tip.

 

That's why IMO the stories about crew being required to turn in cash tips are a Cruise Critic myth. It simply wouldn't be possible to enforce. It fails the common sense sniff test.

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triptolemus

triptolemus

Posted
Posted
That's why IMO the stories about crew being required to turn in cash tips are a Cruise Critic myth. It simply wouldn't be possible to enforce. It fails the common sense sniff test.

 

Spot on.

 

Anyone who has worked for tips even one day in their life knows this is a Cruise Critic myth. Even if one has never worked for a tip, as you said, common sense will tell one everything they need to know.

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titangas

titangas

Posted
Posted
How does the waiter I just tipped know if I've paid my service charge or not? And no...swiping your card at the dining room entrance doesn't do it. I could be eating with other passengers I'm traveling with, but only one card is swiped for my party of six (for example). No one knows who left the tip and even who the other people at the table are because only my card was swiped. And, even if they could tell, if I wait until the last night after dinner to remove my service charge it would appear as if my service charge was paid all throughout the cruise at every meal I ate. Same with my steward. I tip him before I go to dinner on the last night (that's not a hypothetical...it's how I normally do it) so all along I'm not on that (possibly mythical) list of service charge stiffers. As far as the steward knows I'm one of the good guys who paid the service charge and he's free to keep the tip.

 

That's why IMO the stories about crew being required to turn in cash tips are a Cruise Critic myth. It simply wouldn't be possible to enforce. It fails the common sense sniff test.

 

I am not saying it is a myth or true.

But if NCL policy is as some state. I can tell you 100% that the cabin steward WOULD know as that is pretty easy to keep track of and notify.

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titangas

titangas

Posted
Posted
Spot on.

 

Anyone who has worked for tips even one day in their life knows this is a Cruise Critic myth. Even if one has never worked for a tip, as you said, common sense will tell one everything they need to know.

 

It was a long time ago but when I waited tables -- bus boys, dishwashers and bar staff were taken care of out of "my tips" -- so not as much a myth as you think.

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titangas

titangas

Posted
Posted (edited)
You may want to read the posts you're referring to again, as that isn't what they are talking about.

 

No I can read.

I knew of some places that were required to pool their tips and then they were divided out.

Edited by titangas
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