Auto Gratuity At Specialty Restaurant Implemented

[insidecabin]

Why apologize CC if full if people so full of their own self importance they fail to realise the cruise lines don't care what they think or do.

[Demonyte]

Kindly accept my apologies. It was not my intention to "complain", I was merely voicing my opinion on a thread I assumed was open to all CC members, not just past NCL cruisers. I certainly didn't mean to intrude. I simply based my opinion on previous posts I've been reading on this thread and my own past cruise experiences with other cruise lines.

 

You didn't answer my question. I do understand if you have facts to base your claim on, but now you state that you have "an opinion" that you are receiving less but have not explained what exactly are you missing out on? Because you have not sailed with NCL it is quite interesting that you made that claim as you have never received anything from them (onboard service wise).

 

Yes, I do know about nickel and diming (NCL is probably the most accused of doing that by people who don't get it) but specifically in this case I don't know about any thing that would have been removed or cut back so I'm genuinely interested about why do you think that.

[Arizona Packer Backer]

I haven't read all 33 pages of this thread, as I was away on our cruise this past week. But here is my take; please don't flame me if it has already been said:

 

Yes, we were charged the extra 18% autogratuity for the specialty restaurants. We did not have the UBP or the UDP.

 

Yes, I was surprised about the 18%, as I didn't remember reading anything about the autograt on NCL's website or my cruise documents beforehand. I'm guessing they changed the policy right before our cruise? As I said, I haven't read every page of this thread, so I don't know when things changed.

 

Yes, we paid it, because we usually tip extra anyway, but the kicker is that the largest bill at Le Bistro (and subsequently the largest auto tip) was accompanied by the poorest service. Go figure.

 

Yes, we had a great time on our cruise! But will we cruise NCL again? Maybe, but we plan to try other cruise lines again first. I don't like being nickled and dimed, and the service was a very mixed bag on our cruise. I agree with those who said you speak with your dollars. Their new CEO worries me, though; I'm not sure he's listening.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Arizona Packer Backer

[backsbanny]

If noone agrees to pay this ridicilous double tip then the new ceo is going to hear and believe there are going to be a lot of us refusing to double tip...if i want i will tip much more than they want me to but i will do it because i want to no because a new ceo tells me to do that just for making revenue

[SJ]

If noone agrees to pay this ridicilous double tip then the new ceo is going to hear and believe there are going to be a lot of us refusing to double tip...if i want i will tip much more than they want me to but i will do it because i want to no because a new ceo tells me to do that just for making revenue

 

New CEO don't care if you tip the staff more in cash since NCL can't claim it, he only care what's on your bill. It's not about the employees but about NCL s bottom line. People should realize this but can't or won't. Just like I can't convince someone to buy a bigger size juice because it's on sale at the supermarket but he won't because he said he can't finish it. Instead he pays more for the smaller size that he can finish. He can't be helped.

[Out to sea!]

If noone agrees to pay this ridicilous double tip then the new ceo is going to hear and believe there are going to be a lot of us refusing to double tip...if i want i will tip much more than they want me to but i will do it because i want to no because a new ceo tells me to do that just for making revenue

 

This is what I don't get. All gratuities are supposed to go only to the crew so how does anyone think NCL will make a penny off of the increase? That money should be passing along to the workers so NCL won't see anything from that particular increase.

[backsbanny]

The cash goes to the crew the money that is processed auto as 18% we are not sure it goes to the crew it goes first to ncl and then ncl distributes it as they feel like as any company does..by removing the 18% you reduce the bill paid to ncl..by giving cash only ncl does t control this amount..thats why i believe they made this change because they want to control how to distribute tips

 

 

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[backsbanny]

As you said that money SHOULD pass to the crew you are not sure this actually happens!!if you give cash though it sure passes on the crew because ncl doesnt have a clue who did you tip and how much

 

 

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[momellis]

Do you have a choice of paying the 18% which is reflected on the bill or paying your tip in cash?

[Demonyte]

Do you have a choice of paying the 18% which is reflected on the bill or paying your tip in cash?

 

The auto-gratuity is added on the bill "for your convinience" and can be removed if you wish.

[Out to sea!]

If you stopped cruising a line because they did something wrong you would not be cruising, EVERY cruise line has done something in the last few years.

 

Sure, every cruise line does things that irritates some people. As to whether someone stops cruising with a particular line, I guess that last irritation was the final straw. Personally, I won't be sailing NCL any more after my upcoming cruise but it's simply because I find Carnival does cruising more to my liking than NCL does. Not that NCL is bad, but enough little things make me wonder why I should spend my money with them when Carnival (and Princess and RCCL) do it so much better (and with Carnival at least for the same or less amount of money).

Edited March 25, 2015 by Out to sea!

[Out to sea!]

The auto-gratuity is added on the bill "for your convinience" and can be removed if you wish.

 

At the time of the meal or do you have to go to GS?

[hpecorari]

At the time of the meal or do you have to go to GS?

 

My take on this is since it was added for my convenience I'll cross it off the bill and change the total at that time. Going to GS is not at my convenience!

 

Harriet

[Out to sea!]

My take on this is since it was added for my convenience I'll cross it off the bill and change the total at that time. Going to GS is not at my convenience!

 

Harriet

 

Adding it to begin with is not for my convienence as well! :D

Edited March 25, 2015 by Out to sea!

[monkeybone]

Adding it to begin with is not for my convienence as well! :D

 

Agreed!

[Arizona Packer Backer]

My take on this is since it was added for my convenience I'll cross it off the bill and change the total at that time. Going to GS is not at my convenience!

 

I agree entirely. And going to GS to get any charge removed is a hassle.

[dna529]

My take on this is since it was added for my convenience I'll cross it off the bill and change the total at that time. Going to GS is not at my convenience!

 

Harriet

 

I agree. I will be testing this out in 10 days on the Sky.

 

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[rochelle_s]

I agree. I will be testing this out in 10 days on the Sky.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

 

Please let us know what happened.

 

 

Rochelle

[dna529]

Please let us know what happened.

 

 

Rochelle

 

I will. My husband isn't really bothered by the 18% add on, but I told him I don't plan to pay it.

 

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[Demonyte]

We are also cruising soon (leaving on Jade this Saturday), altough I haven't decided yet if I'm going to avoid speciality restaurants alltogether except for our complimentary Platinum dinners.

 

I too will report back if we end up paying for speciality dining (usually we do couple of times a week but now I don't honestly know if we are going to - I don't see the "convinience" here either).

[Mikew0805]

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.

 

Based on this comment, I am getting that the experience should be in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants???

 

Great, so I will board the ship, and automatically remove all DSC's, and provide gratuities to those who provide me service along the way. :eek: That is how it is done in land-based restaurants.

 

Thanks for clarifying. :D :rolleyes:

Edited April 9, 2015 by Mikew0805

[njhorseman]

Based on this comment, I am getting that the experience should be in-line with current tipping practices at land-based restaurants???

 

Great, so I will board the ship, and automatically remove all DSC's, and provide gratuities to those who provide me service along the way. :eek: That is how it is done in land-based restaurants.

 

Thanks for clarifying. :D :rolleyes:

 

The new 18% specialty restaurant gratuity has nothing to do with the DSC, and NCL has clarified that specialty restaurant wait staff are not participants in the DSC pool, contrary to what they have said in the past. Removing the DSC only affects other crew not specialty restaurant wait staff.

[maywell]

The new 18% specialty restaurant gratuity has nothing to do with the DSC, and NCL has clarified that specialty restaurant wait staff are not participants in the DSC pool, contrary to what they have said in the past. Removing the DSC only affects other crew not specialty restaurant wait staff.

 

Now you know - that when someone posts what that guy wrote; they're not thinking clearly nor thoroughly, NJHorseman. And explaining whose in the DSC pool and not along with what UDP really covers, is just not going to sink in or click with them. Just saying before the thread gets deleted and/or goes up to 50-60 pages arguing over DSC for pretty much nothing...

[emcelh]

We always left a tip at the specialty restaurants anyway, usually at least 20% unless service was poor. I'm wondering now if we're in the minority with so many posting they intend to remove it. Is it because most don't tip beyond the normal charge or is it just because of the way it was implemented and people are understandably angry.

[Mikew0805]

The new 18% specialty restaurant gratuity has nothing to do with the DSC, and NCL has clarified that specialty restaurant wait staff are not participants in the DSC pool, contrary to what they have said in the past. Removing the DSC only affects other crew not specialty restaurant wait staff.

 

Now you know - that when someone posts what that guy wrote; they're not thinking clearly nor thoroughly, NJHorseman. And explaining whose in the DSC pool and not along with what UDP really covers, is just not going to sink in or click with them. Just saying before the thread gets deleted and/or goes up to 50-60 pages arguing over DSC for pretty much nothing...

 

You both should really pay attention to the emoticons.. they help clarify the sarcasm, that so many have a hard time with. Please read what I quoted, and maybe that will help ya. The next time I cruise with NCL, if I do, I will not likely reduce or remove anything.

 

However, stating that the specialty servers are not included in the DSC any longer seems odd. Were they included before... or not? If not, were they working for free? If they were, why were they removed, and why was the DSC raised if there are now less people it is paying? If true that they are not being paid part of the DSC, and they were before... then the rest of the crew that are paid from it, just got a huge raise. Basic math, and reasoning.

 

If those servers are being rotated through the dining rooms, then they ARE getting their part of the DSC, no matter what NCL tries to make foolish people believe. :rolleyes: