Auto Gratuity At Specialty Restaurant Implemented

[hpecorari]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

 

Actually, NCL it was implemented March 15th not today, March 20th! ::shesh!::

 

So, are these waitstaff in the specialty restaurants also receiving a part of my DSC that I pay?

 

Please respond (although I doubt you will)

 

Harriet

[maywell]

So much wrong in that second sentence, I sense I'm going to need a flame-proof shield for that alone......

 

 

Edit: I'm sorry which country's land-based policy because the US doesn't have a set one. People here have passioniate debates if its 15% or x per person, let alone 18% or even 20% along with if it should be automatically / willing added to the bill or paid separately in card /cash. Let's not even get start with the DSC which I thought and others also, was the convenience of tipping for all the waitstaff in all the different restaurants, paid or complementary....That's one way to make people on the fence regarding eating at specialty restaurants, just primarily eat at the free places without stepping foot in a paid one. Good job, NCL!!! *rolleyes*

 

 

 

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Edited March 20, 2015 by maywell

[LaCal]

So NCL finally answers this post BUT leaves out that the current DSC is already suppose to cover tips in the restaurants....Hence the whole double dipping debate

 

I know we"re not leaving cash ever again for a tip

 

After this Free UDP is all over I'm not even going to eat at a specialty restaurant anymore as well

 

 

NCL Oh What a Web We Weave When Át First We Deceive

Edited March 20, 2015 by LaCal

[jaja]

You're right - They could had increased the base fare to $5 per day and no one would had bat an eye.

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

 

Yup--but instead...they try to sneak in a charge -for something we already paid (those of us who prepaid DSC) ! Which really does look like double charging . AGAIN..with no communication to their customers...

 

NCL really needs to have more respect for their customers. We understand how business works, and the need to adjust how money is made and spent. We are not stupid .BUT...we surely want to know officially when things are being done. NCL..YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED.

[bangzoom6877]

Finally, a response from NCL...with a scripted, "tell them this so they shut up and stop complaining and just accept it" statement. I'm starting to feel inclined to remove my DSC altogether and just tip in cash to those who serve us as they serve us (we eat the majority of our meals in the MDR and only two dinners at specialty restaurants), even though it would cost us more most likely. At least it goes into the right hands.

 

However, if NCL raised the cruise price for a 7-night cruise by $35 ($5 per night), or even $70 at $10 extra per night but leave the gratuity policy as it was before, I would have no issue with that whatsoever.

Edited March 20, 2015 by bangzoom6877

[SJ]

Wow, as a convenience to our guest? Don't you mean as a convenience to NCL? Plus we are not in a land restaurant. I don't pay just to get into a land restaurant which is what my fare is. This insults your passengers' intelligence NCL but hey it might work for you. Only first time cruisers wouldn't know any different.

[sixesandeights]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

 

Land based restaurants do NOT auto charge gratuity on a standard size party. They also dont charge a DSC that already tips the servers and then ask for an additional 18%. End this double dipping or end the DSC. Your choice. I for one will NOT be paying both.

 

6&8

[ltjn]

I am in a similar situation with Royal Caribbean and their year long BOGO SALE.

 

I am looking at booking a January 2017 cruise in a Haven Suite on the Getaway. The current promotion for the Haven includes the Dining Package. Is the new policy of adding the 18% gratuity included or is that an extra I will need to pay?

 

Some of you have mentioned since Norwegian has been offering, free beverage package, free dining package, OBC, gratuities, and friends sale free the fares have increased tremendously. The cruise I am looking at goes for about $6370 for 3 including AARP discount and port taxes. Prior to this promotion what would a similar cruise cost in Rear Facing Aft Penthouse be?

 

On Royal a similar cruise in an Owners Suite increased about $2400 with their promotion. We currently have 3 cruises booked with Royal that were purchased before the BOGO. The combined cost of those cruises have increased $1500 since the BOGO.

 

I read several of you are looking at Royal, but the pricing scheme seems to be similar, By the way I know this is not important, but my wife and I have over 25 cruise on Royal.

 

Thanks for any insight

[SeaShark]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

 

I call BS. Plain and simple. :mad:

 

First, this isn't "convienent". I didn't ask for this "convienence". I don't need this sort of "convienence". When I'm in a restaurant, I should have the right to decide a) IF a tip is earned, and b) the AMOUNT of that tip. It should be MY decision, not yours. Or am I missing the whole point of Freestyle???

 

Second, don't you think this is an odd policy for a cruise line that preaches: "Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships ... " So much for "no required or recommended", right?

 

Third, I don't know to which land-based restaurants you refer, but in my experience, land-based restaurants don't pile mandatory gratuities on top of service charges. Especially when the service charges were just INCREASED.

 

 

I hope your actions are worth the results you will see.

[LrgPizza]

Since there is no auto-gratuity being charged at included dining spots, I am not too concerned with this. We had UDP on 2 cruises last year (once bought, once as promo), and had already decided we'd never get it again. No one is being forced to eat in the specialty restaurants, so no one is being forced to pay this. Show your displeasure by avoiding the specialty restaurants, which earn quite a bit of money for NCL. Removing DSC seems to be a roundabout way of doing things that probably punishes the wrong people. Just don't eat specialty. Problem solved, AND you save money.

[NLH Arizona]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

Thank you, it does save, at least, me from having to bring cash down every night to dinner. Edited March 20, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[hpecorari]

Land based restaurants do NOT auto charge gratuity on a standard size party. They also dont charge a DSC that already tips the servers and then ask for an additional 18%. End this double dipping or end the DSC. Your choice. I for one will NOT be paying both.

 

6&8

 

Imagine....

 

My husband and I go to a restaurant. The bill shows a service charge of $12.00 and an 18% gratuity charge for the food and an 18% gratuity charge for the bottle of wine.

 

You bet we'd ask to speak to the manager!

 

Harriet

[sixesandeights]

Thank you, it does save, at least, me from having to bring cash down every night to dinner.

 

You could always write in a tip on the bill, so cash was never required. This is in no way a convenience to anyone.

 

6&8

[newmexicoNita]

Land based restaurants do NOT auto charge gratuity on a standard size party. They also dont charge a DSC that already tips the servers and then ask for an additional 18%. End this double dipping or end the DSC. Your choice. I for one will NOT be paying both.

 

6&8

 

I agree about double dipping: I can't understand how this is happening? That does not mean I will withhold the DSC for any reason. I am not going to screw hard working crew members because management is screwing us. Now though, to set the record straight; you say land restaurnants do not add the 18%, that depends. They certainly do in heavy tourist states, like florida. The first time we saw this was in Miami, about 7 or 8 years ago. We were floored. We have seen it since. According to my daughter this has been created in tourist areas because of so many visiters from other countries not tipping. I don't know if that is true but I do know they add the 18% to the bill. The same is true is some places in the Carribean.

[hawkeyetlse]

This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

Thank you for responding. I have two comments about the two parts of this explanation/justification.

 

I personally prefer to be told how much to tip. I'm not into evaluating the service and rewarding/punishing the server and expressing my individual freedom in this way. Just tell me how much you need me to tip for your restaurant to function, and if I decide to eat there, I will pay it. Add the tip automatically to my check: that is even better, I appreciate the convenience.

 

It would appear that many many other Americans feel completely differently. They want to be in control of the tip. Setting the amount for them, and adding it automatically, really infuriates them. Do not try to tell them that you are doing it for their convenience, because first of all, that is not your primary motivation (you are doing it primarily to collect more money), and second of all, these guests value their freedom of personal choice more than any considerations of convenience in this situation.

 

Second, the comparison with land-based restaurants is also a mistake. Everyone knows that the level of service that we receive on a cruise would cost a whole lot more on land. That is one reason we choose cruise vacations instead of land-based vacations. Reasonable people who have no problem laying down $10 per person as a tip for one meal on land truly believe that $12 per person per day is sufficient to cover the service for 2 or 3 or 4 meals per day, plus housekeeping on board your ships. They believe that because NCL told them that. Raise this amount by 95 cents/day and they will start "shopping around" (in vain) for another cruise line that doesn't nickel and dime them. This is a monstrous attitude, but it is a monster that NCL and other mainstream cruise lines have created.

 

The additional 18% for specialty dining amount to about $3 to $5 per person per meal. This is not in line with US land-based restaurant practices; it's still much lower than one would pay in tips for the same meal on land. If you read this entire thread, most people who are upset do not care about the percentage or the dollar amount. They are concerned about principles like transparency and communication. They believe NCL is double-dipping. They want to know once and for all who is in and who is not in the service charge pool.

 

I'm afraid your brief response will do nothing to address their concerns. On the contrary, it will be seen by many as tone-deaf and missing the point.

[SeaShark]

Since there is no auto-gratuity being charged at included dining spots, I am not too concerned with this. We had UDP on 2 cruises last year (once bought, once as promo), and had already decided we'd never get it again. No one is being forced to eat in the specialty restaurants, so no one is being forced to pay this. Show your displeasure by avoiding the specialty restaurants, which earn quite a bit of money for NCL. Removing DSC seems to be a roundabout way of doing things that probably punishes the wrong people. Just don't eat specialty. Problem solved, AND you save money.

 

Let's just say that there was an auto-gratuity charged at included dining spots. How would that work? Last I checked, 18% of $0 is still $0. :rolleyes:

 

I also don't agree with the whole "Just don't eat specialty. Problem solved, AND you save money." idea. This doesn't solve the problem..not even close. All this would do is mask the symptom. You can't cure the illness by simply masking the symptoms.

 

If you want to be heard, you have to do MORE than just avoid the restaurant. There has to be a COST to NCL. Avoid the restaurants AND skip one excursion. Avoid the restaurants AND reduce your casino budget by $100. They'll hear you loud and clear when they lose money.

[janicemarie29]

Is NCL trying to get away from passengers leaving cash, and therefore a better way of keeping track of what some of their employees are making? And they would probably have to split this $, and not just stick it in their pockets?

[SeaShark]

Thank you for responding. I have two comments about the two parts of this explanation/justification.

 

I personally prefer to be told how much to tip. I'm not into evaluating the service and rewarding/punishing the server and expressing my individual freedom in this way. Just tell me how much you need me to tip for your restaurant to function, and if I decide to eat there, I will pay it. Add the tip automatically to my check: that is even better, I appreciate the convenience.

 

It would appear that many many other Americans feel completely differently. They want to be in control of the tip. Setting the amount for them, and adding it automatically, really infuriates them. Do not try to tell them that you are doing it for their convenience, because first of all, that is not your primary motivation (you are doing it primarily to collect more money), and second of all, these guests value their freedom of personal choice more than any considerations of convenience in this situation.

 

Second, the comparison with land-based restaurants is also a mistake. Everyone knows that the level of service that we receive on a cruise would cost a whole lot more on land. That is one reason we choose cruise vacations instead of land-based vacations. Reasonable people who have no problem laying down $10 per person as a tip for one meal on land truly believe that $12 per person per day is sufficient to cover the service for 2 or 3 or 4 meals per day, plus housekeeping on board your ships. They believe that because NCL told them that. Raise this amount by 95 cents/day and they will start "shopping around" (in vain) for another cruise line that doesn't nickel and dime them. This is a monstrous attitude, but it is a monster that NCL and other mainstream cruise lines have created.

 

The additional 18% for specialty dining amount to about $3 to $5 per person per meal. This is not in line with US land-based restaurant practices; it's still much lower than one would pay in tips for the same meal on land. If you read this entire thread, most people who are upset do not care about the percentage or the dollar amount. They are concerned about principles like transparency and communication. They believe NCL is double-dipping. They want to know once and for all who is in and who is not in the service charge pool.

 

I'm afraid your brief response will do nothing to address their concerns. On the contrary, it will be seen by many as tone-deaf and missing the point.

 

LIKE :cool:

[maywell]

Thank you, it does save, at least, me from having to bring cash down every night to dinner.

If anything, makes me want to bring a pen(s) and fully cell phone with camera that can take video -Why? Because if service is the same as the MDR which some nights was bad, poor plus super slow than I expect the only show at the specialty restaurants, where we're tipping twice (via DSC and 18%) aka don't mess up period.

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

[sixesandeights]

I agree about double dipping: I can't understand how this is happening? That does not mean I will withhold the DSC for any reason. I am not going to screw hard working crew members because management is screwing us. Now though, to set the record straight; you say land restaurnants do not add the 18%, that depends. They certainly do in heavy tourist states, like florida. The first time we saw this was in Miami, about 7 or 8 years ago. We were floored. We have seen it since. According to my daughter this has been created in tourist areas because of so many visiters from other countries not tipping. I don't know if that is true but I do know they add the 18% to the bill. The same is true is some places in the Carribean.

 

I have been to many many restaurants in Miami and have never been charged 18% on any bill. Not sure where you are eating, but tips in my opinion are earned and not an entitlement. There have been many times the service in the Specialties has been terrible, and in no way would these people earn or deserve an auto 18%. This also removes the incentive to actually provide good service.

 

6&8

[OceanDreaming2]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

 

I call BS. Plain and simple. :mad:

 

First, this isn't "convienent". I didn't ask for this "convienence". I don't need this sort of "convienence". When I'm in a restaurant, I should have the right to decide a) IF a tip is earned, and b) the AMOUNT of that tip. It should be MY decision, not yours. Or am I missing the whole point of Freestyle???

 

Second, don't you think this is an odd policy for a cruise line that preaches: "Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships ... " So much for "no required or recommended", right?

 

Third, I don't know to which land-based restaurants you refer, but in my experience, land-based restaurants don't pile mandatory gratuities on top of service charges. Especially when the service charges were just INCREASED.

 

 

I hope your actions are worth the results you will see.

 

Exactly!

[SissasMomE]

As of March 20, 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will include an 18% gratuity on all specialty and entertainment dining. This gratuity has been added as a convenience for our guests, and is in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants.

 

It is NOT a convenience for your guests. It is a blatant double dipping for service fees. How dare you decide what we, the paying customer, should or should not leave as a tip.

[SissasMomE]

Let's just say that there was an auto-gratuity charged at included dining spots. How would that work? Last I checked, 18% of $0 is still $0. :rolleyes:

 

I also don't agree with the whole "Just don't eat specialty. Problem solved, AND you save money." idea. This doesn't solve the problem..not even close. All this would do is mask the symptom. You can't cure the illness by simply masking the symptoms.

 

If you want to be heard, you have to do MORE than just avoid the restaurant. There has to be a COST to NCL. Avoid the restaurants AND skip one excursion. Avoid the restaurants AND reduce your casino budget by $100. They'll hear you loud and clear when they lose money.

 

Agreed 100%.

[SissasMomE]

I have been to many many restaurants in Miami and have never been charged 18% on any bill. Not sure where you are eating, but tips in my opinion are earned and not an entitlement. There have been many times the service in the Specialties has been terrible, and in no way would these people earn or deserve an auto 18%. This also removes the incentive to actually provide good service.

 

6&8

 

We travel a lot, and dine out a lot. We have never, ever, ever had a gratuity added to our bill UNLESS we had a large party. It doesn't matter where it was - hasn't happened. No one deserves an automatic tip. That is just beyond acceptable. Darden restaurant group attempted to do this is 2013. They learned real quick that it was a bad idea, and stopped the practice almost immediately.

[LrgPizza]

Let's just say that there was an auto-gratuity charged at included dining spots. How would that work? Last I checked, 18% of $0 is still $0. :rolleyes:

 

I also don't agree with the whole "Just don't eat specialty. Problem solved, AND you save money." idea. This doesn't solve the problem..not even close. All this would do is mask the symptom. You can't cure the illness by simply masking the symptoms.

 

If you want to be heard, you have to do MORE than just avoid the restaurant. There has to be a COST to NCL. Avoid the restaurants AND skip one excursion. Avoid the restaurants AND reduce your casino budget by $100. They'll hear you loud and clear when they lose money.

You don't think that NCL makes money off those restaurants? Avoiding the restaurants WOULD be a cost to NCL. If those restaurants are sitting empty, NCL would notice. That's a given. The problem is, people will bitch, whine, complain, and then still choose to dine there.