Auto Gratuity At Specialty Restaurant Implemented

[swedish weave]

Everyone is getting all hot and bothered, but we don't know all the facts. Possibly the waiters in the specialty restaurants did not get the same percentage of the DSC as the waiters in the main dining room, because NCL thought (and I think they thought wrong) most would tip those servers in those restaurants. Or now with the change, we have no idea if the servers in the specialty restaurant will get any of the DSC, possibly just the 18% gratuity, which would probably cover them for the three meals they serve. And we don't know, as one poster suggested, that NCL is keeping any of the 18% gratuity for themselves and not passing it on to the servers.

 

What NCL is going to do, is their business. Do you go into a business on land and ask them how they pay their staff. When you go to a land based restaurant, do you ask the server if she or he tips out the back of the house or if their tips are pooled. I'm sure the answer is no, then why is it so important to know how NCL pays their crew.

 

If you don't want to pay the 18% gratuity at the specialty restaurant, you have two choices....either don't go to any of the restaurants or ask the manager to take it off your bill....it is your choice!

 

And, no, this will not stop me from tipping extra if the tip is warranted.

 

I don't believe the main concern here is how NCL pays their staff. The question is why they slipped the charge in unannounced.

 

I do like to know what they are doing with my money. I believe I have explained why the charge is only for the specialties.

[ColinIllinois]

Everyone is getting all hot and bothered, but we don't know all the facts. Possibly the waiters in the specialty restaurants did not get the same percentage of the DSC as the waiters in the main dining room, because NCL thought (and I think they thought wrong) most would tip those servers in those restaurants. Or now with the change, we have no idea if the servers in the specialty restaurant will get any of the DSC, possibly just the 18% gratuity, which would probably cover them for the three meals they serve. And we don't know, as one poster suggested, that NCL is keeping any of the 18% gratuity for themselves and not passing it on to the servers.

 

What NCL is going to do, is their business. Do you go into a business on land and ask them how they pay their staff. When you go to a land based restaurant, do you ask the server if she or he tips out the back of the house or if their tips are pooled. I'm sure the answer is no, then why is it so important to know how NCL pays their crew.

 

If you don't want to pay the 18% gratuity at the specialty restaurant, you have two choices....either don't go to any of the restaurants or ask the manager to take it off your bill....it is your choice!

 

And, no, this will not stop me from tipping extra if the tip is warranted.

 

 

Just curious...What kind of service would prompt you to tip beyond the DSC AND 18% mandatory gratuity?

[vp1]

Wow...we really are beginning to see major changes

CAS--never paid for extras in the restaurants -when comped inside, window, or balcony. Looks like that may of changed.

18%-- double dipping, and probably not going to staff.

 

Also one waiter that we know told us that ALL tips need to be put into a general pool, and if caught pocketing the tip...and not putting it into the pool, you will be in trouble.

We don't mind tipping,but dislike NCL sneaking this in, and double dipping.

If you ever take the behind the scenes tour---you can't believe some of the jobs those workers do....There is even a person who picks thru the garbage--EVERY PIECE!!!

The staff on these ships deserve EVERY penny they get plus more.

 

Last month on our Sun cruise we had dinner with the Executive Housekeeper - Edgar. I figured I'd ask one of the most senior officers directly about individual tipping and he told me that any cash tip handed directly to an employee is theirs to keep - bartender, waiter, room steward, etc. I was heartened to hear this.

 

Regarding the overall thread - we have often eaten at the specialty restaurants and almost always added a reasonable tip. In this case however, I agree with those posters who have echoed the sentiment, "It's not the money, it's the principle…" Many restaurants now include "suggested' tip amounts at the bottom of a bill - and this has been the NCL practice in the specialty restaurants as well. To automatically include an 18% tip, however, is really over the top. If a local restaurant has this practice I can't imagine anyone would dine there. I realize that this is all about marketing and psychology - just like it would certainly make sense to simply increase the posted fare of a cruise by $13 a day and not have to deal with the DSC - but then folks wouldn't "think" they were getting such a great "deal" on their cruise fare…

If NCL really feels that the wait staff in the specialty restaurants are deserving of an "automatic" tip, they should increase the per person charge by $5 and leave it at that - it sure would be more transparent and less disingenuous. I'm hoping the negative PR will outweigh the additional revenue and this won't continue…

~Bob

[SnootieTootie]

It isn't true. We ate specialty EVERY night March 8-14. We were not charged a cent extra.

[SissasMomE]

I don't believe the main concern here is how NCL pays their staff. The question is why they slipped the charge in unannounced.

 

I do like to know what they are doing with my money. I believe I have explained why the charge is only for the specialties.

 

Of course you do. So do I, as it our right.

[sundercruiser]

A related thought.

 

Who thinks that NCL is actually going to pay workers the 18 percent auto-gratuity on beverages received under UBP?

 

For a couple of drinkers who wish to derive full value from their "free" UBP, 18 percent in gratuities could easily exceed $150 for a week's cruise. So on top of foregoing a healthy dose of revenue (from cruisers who in the past actually forked over $55+ pppd for UBP as well as more casual drinkers who used to purchase by the glass) NCL is ALSO going to be PAYING OUT all that gratuity?!

 

Don't make me laugh! Simple common sense suggests that, one way or another, the bulk of these recent increases in "gratuities" and "DSC" will be heading toward NCL's bottom line, not workers' pockets.

 

Nobody would begrudge giving hard working staff more money. But many will have major problems with the cruise line PRETENDING new policies are to "benefit" staff, but which are really about benefitting wealthy stockholders and corporate potentates.

[Djmkab]

I think the "powers that be" at NCL saw people leaving cash tips at the specialty restaurants and wanted to have more control over that income. Now, with the new automated system NCL has complete control over where that money goes whereas they did not when it was just cash being handed over to servers.

[swedish weave]

It isn't true. We ate specialty EVERY night March 8-14. We were not charged a cent extra.

 

I have seen it posted a few times that this charge was started 3/15.

[Jennyyl]

Call back and ask the supervisor if they are doing this.

what good would it do? everyone gets different answers every time they call. not to mention I would rather just give you my bill since you like to pay extra for everything;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

FDR money grab.:(

 

Bill

[jaja]

the 18% gratuity in the specialty restaurants is basically unfair to all waitstaff. They work just as hard in the mdr or possibly harder than those in the specialties. The specialties are usually nearer to the kitchens than the mdr's.

 

The people who work the specialties also work the mdr or buffet for the other two meals.

 

The only reason ncl can assess the 18% in the specialties is the fact that there is a dollar figure attached to the meals where the mdr's don't have a dollar figure.

 

I believe it is an "opportunistic maneuver" by ncl management.

 

i totally agree..!

[PokerDave]

(putting on his flame retardant outfit)

 

Ok, so I'll make a couple of admissions/comments. I rarely have tipped in the specialties (or MDR for that matter). Did some before the forced DSC, but then still mostly decided at the end how the service was for the cruise and adjusted accordingly. But when they implemented the DSC I implemented the same rule I've always done with land restaurants which is if they put a set tip on the bill in advance I will NEVER pay more than that. Just a principal of the matter for me.

 

Also, treating the specialties differently than the MDR just makes no sense to me. We've all paid for meals in advance in our fare. I love the option of paying a little more to get better and more varied options with the specialties. But either way someone has to take your order, bring beverages, some bread, appetizers, entree's and dessert. I don't expect to get any special treatment in the specialties in this regard and would be disappointed to get poor treatment in the MDR. It's a cruise, everyone likes to get good service.

 

If in order to make Cagney's profitable for them they need to get a total of $30 vs $25 for WHATEVER reason, great. Charge $30. I'll go or I won't, it's Freestyle and that's the point.

 

But to suddenly treat the same kind of wait service in the specialties as I was going to get anyway in the MDR as something you need to pay extra for is just inconsistent and stupid.

 

Now before I get called cheap, I tip very well for my Butler and Concierge, for my free casino drinks, and anywhere else I didn't think they had already covered in the DSC. And if for some reason the wait service in the specialties has historically NOT been included in the DSC and they have solely been relying on tips there, then I have been misreading the situation all along (and I've followed these boards for a LONG time) and am at fault, but I don't think that is the case.

[warriorking]

(putting on his flame retardant outfit)

 

Ok, so I'll make a couple of admissions/comments. I rarely have tipped in the specialties (or MDR for that matter). Did some before the forced DSC, but then still mostly decided at the end how the service was for the cruise and adjusted accordingly. But when they implemented the DSC I implemented the same rule I've always done with land restaurants which is if they put a set tip on the bill in advance I will NEVER pay more than that. Just a principal of the matter for me.

 

Also, treating the specialties differently than the MDR just makes no sense to me. We've all paid for meals in advance in our fare. I love the option of paying a little more to get better and more varied options with the specialties. But either way someone has to take your order, bring beverages, some bread, appetizers, entree's and dessert. I don't expect to get any special treatment in the specialties in this regard and would be disappointed to get poor treatment in the MDR. It's a cruise, everyone likes to get good service.

 

If in order to make Cagney's profitable for them they need to get a total of $30 vs $25 for WHATEVER reason, great. Charge $30. I'll go or I won't, it's Freestyle and that's the point.

 

But to suddenly treat the same kind of wait service in the specialties as I was going to get anyway in the MDR as something you need to pay extra for is just inconsistent and stupid.

 

Now before I get called cheap, I tip very well for my Butler and Concierge, for my free casino drinks, and anywhere else I didn't think they had already covered in the DSC. And if for some reason the wait service in the specialties has historically NOT been included in the DSC and they have solely been relying on tips there, then I have been misreading the situation all along (and I've followed these boards for a LONG time) and am at fault, but I don't think that is the case.

 

:cool: Well stated....

[njhorseman]

Even more troubling to me, and I brought this up yesterday but it seems maybe to have been glossed over, is this in the Guest Ticket Contract

 

"The charge , which is automatically

added to your onboard account and subject to adjustment at your discretion, is intended to reward service provided in all departments and job categories and is distributed to employees according to Carrier's evaluation of job performance."

 

How much goes to the employee? What are the metrics NCL judges by? In reality it seems the DSC is just one big pool and NCL doles it out how it sees fit but isn't the one receiving services, the guest is. What happens to money NCL doesn't deem fit to dole out?

 

I've booked two NCL cruises and am dragging a bunch of family to book also; we are all new to NCL. Getting tired of Royal Caribbean pricing games and benefit reductions, thought NCL would be a breath of fresh air. Same old pricing games as Royal. I really don't want to end up being the bad guy to a group of people if NCL misses the mark. All these new charges and unexplained charges give me pause for concern.

 

It was glossed over because the contract has said this forever and it doesn't bother most experienced NCL cruisers who post here. The service charge comprises the lion's share of the hotel department crew salary.

 

When you go into a restaurant, do you know how much of the tip you leave for the waiter/waitress gets tipped out to the bus staff, bartender, hostess? Of course you don't, and you don't really care.

 

When you go to the supermarket, do you know what the company is paying every employee? Of course you don't, and you don't care, but the price you pay for your purchases pays the wages that go to the staff.

 

Royal Caribbean also no longer states how their auto gratuity charges are divided among the crew. When they did provide specific gratuity guidelines there was a footnote in their FAQs stating that in some cases the tip was shared with other (unidentified) crew members, so you never really knew how that money was distributed either.

Edited March 18, 2015 by njhorseman

[jaja]

OK..let me get this straight...

 

I booked a cruise last year for June 2015. I am now paid in full, and have prepaid my DSC. And now NCL has decided that I must pay more...(for Platinum and Shareholder dinners -yes? ). Is that fair ?

 

I recently also booked a cruise for 2016 under the new promo..and since in suite will have all the items. Now, I know that the promo is not exactly as advertised. It will actually cost me more money. AND..who knows what extra costs will be added by our 2016 cruise :eek: (that is the scary part...).

 

I know this sounds naïve..but I booked and paid in good faith...NCL is not acting in good faith....but rather taking advantage of its already booked customers .

 

..

[njhorseman]

I don't believe the main concern here is how NCL pays their staff. The question is why they slipped the charge in unannounced.

 

I do like to know what they are doing with my money. I believe I have explained why the charge is only for the specialties.

 

Of course you do. So do I, as it our right.

 

You never knew what they're doing with your money. They never told you how the service charges and beverage gratuities are divided and paid out .

 

Actually it's none of your business how a company pays it's employees. It's none of your business how much I'm paid and how it's determined, nor is it any of my business how you're paid and how it's determined.

[NLH Arizona]

Just curious...What kind of service would prompt you to tip beyond the DSC AND 18% mandatory gratuity?

For service/treatment which I feel is over and above one's job and. I'm not saying everyone should do as I do, but it is my prerogative to do it, if I feel it is worthy of an extra tip, just as it is the prerogative of those that don't want to tip extra or remove and/or reduce the DSC.

Edited March 18, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[njhorseman]

OK..let me get this straight...

 

I booked a cruise last year for June 2015. I am now paid in full, and have prepaid my DSC. And now NCL has decided that I must pay more...(for Platinum and Shareholder dinners -yes? ). Is that fair ?

 

I recently also booked a cruise for 2016 under the new promo..and since in suite will have all the items. Now, I know that the promo is not exactly as advertised. It will actually cost me more money. AND..who knows what extra costs will be added by our 2016 cruise :eek: (that is the scary part...).

 

I know this sounds naïve..but I booked and paid in good faith...NCL is not acting in good faith....but rather taking advantage of its already booked customers .

 

..

 

Nothing but your fare or other prepaid items are protected and guaranteed by your paid booking, and never have been. If you prepaid a shore excursion, your price is locked in. If you prepaid a specialty restaurant the price is locked in. If you prepaid your service charges your price is locked in.

 

If you don't agree with the new specialty restaurant 18% tip, you can remove it from the bill. You can do the same with beverage service gratuities.

Edited March 18, 2015 by njhorseman

[PokerDave]

but rather taking advantage of its already booked customers .

 

..

 

Totally agree with your sentiment, but if you were to imagine a situation where they tried to be fair what would it look like? They have passengers booked years in advance for an upcoming cruise (you). And someone else books after the gratuity change. Do they pay and you don't? How in the world does NCL keep up with it.

 

Do previously booked passengers still get a lobster tail in the MDR one night but ones who booked after the announcement don't?

 

Or do we expect them to make changes years in advance which just isn't practical.

 

Also, even if they made announcements years in advance, those of us that cruise a lot with them would still be surprised that we weren't getting what we were used to when the change actually arrived. Those of us on these boards tend to know a lot more than the general population but we are a SMALL minority of actual cruisers.

 

So I understand when they have to make a change (Cagney's was $25 when I booked my cruise a year ago but turns out to be $30 when I make a reservation on the ship). What I don't understand is them making an inconsistent change that smells suspiciously like a gouge...

[hawkeyetlse]

I recently also booked a cruise for 2016 under the new promo..and since in suite will have all the items. Now, I know that the promo is not exactly as advertised. It will actually cost me more money.

So far, it has not been confirmed either way if you will be charged this additional 18% for meals included in the UDP. My guess is that you will not be, but we'll have to wait for first-hand reports.

 

Even if they do charge you the 18%, that means that instead of getting a 100% discount with the free UDP, you are getting an 85% discount on specialty dining. That doesn't sound too bad to me, but if you are concerned about this free perk "costing you money", just don't use it. Eat somewhere else. Have another look at your booking, and if it no longer looks like a good deal without the free UDP that you will not be using, cancel it.

[swedish weave]

You never knew what they're doing with your money. They never told you how the service charges and beverage gratuities are divided and paid out .

 

Actually it's none of your business how a company pays it's employees. It's none of your business how much I'm paid and how it's determined, nor is it any of my business how you're paid and how it's determined.

 

Your assumptions are incorrect. When the DSC first started, the cruise line gave me a breakdown of how the money was distributed, and I was able to verify the correctness of it with my friends who work on the ships. That is the ONLY reason I agreed to participate.

 

Now those numbers are not available, and if I am going to be billed for something, I want to know whSo, you see, it is my money and my business. If that information is not forthcoming or is not correct, I can still remove the DSC and do what I feel is right.

 

You may accept the present situation without question, but I do not.

[warriorking]

OK..let me get this straight...

 

I booked a cruise last year for June 2015. I am now paid in full, and have prepaid my DSC. And now NCL has decided that I must pay more...(for Platinum and Shareholder dinners -yes? ). Is that fair ?

 

I recently also booked a cruise for 2016 under the new promo..and since in suite will have all the items. Now, I know that the promo is not exactly as advertised. It will actually cost me more money. AND..who knows what extra costs will be added by our 2016 cruise :eek: (that is the scary part...).

 

I know this sounds naïve..but I booked and paid in good faith...NCL is not acting in good faith....but rather taking advantage of its already booked customers .

 

..

 

Feeling the same...

I booked back in Jan for the 2016 12day cruise to Europe and received the free promos for the OBC and UDP..

Was asked if I wanted to prepay the gratuity in advance which I did..

Now we are told that that payment is insufficient due to a change months after the fact ....

Seems to me that those who have booked and payed before the change was implemented should be exempt just like the gratuity increase earlier in the year.......

I understand that taxes and port fee's are beyond NCL's control and subject to change..

But Gratuity changes are under their complete control...

You can bet that once the cruise is completed a trip to the front desk will be in order having those charges removed....

I will tip extra when I feel it is needed..

We had a bargain when I booked and I expect NCL to uphold their end of it...

Edited March 18, 2015 by warriorking

[njhorseman]

Your assumptions are incorrect. When the DSC first started, the cruise line gave me a breakdown of how the money was distributed, and I was able to verify the correctness of it with my friends who work on the ships. That is the ONLY reason I agreed to participate.

 

Now those numbers are not available, and if I am going to be billed for something, I want to know whSo, you see, it is my money and my business. If that information is not forthcoming or is not correct, I can still remove the DSC and do what I feel is right.

 

You may accept the present situation without question, but I do not.

 

Whether you realized it or not, it's been years and years since NCL gave a breakdown of the service charge distribution, and I suspect you've taken many cruises during that time and paid your service charges without questioning how they were distributed.

Edited March 18, 2015 by njhorseman

[PokerDave]

For service/treatment which I feel is over and above one's job and. I'm not saying everyone should do as I do, but it is my prerogative to do it, if I feel it is worthy of an extra tip, just as it is the prerogative of those that don't want to tip extra or remove and/or reduce the DSC.

 

We are in agreement about good service being worthy of a better tip. It is just my policy that when management decides what the tip should be in advance I won't increase it. Is this unfair to a person that gives exceptional service? Sure, but this is my way of protesting this policy. And the fact that people generally hate this kind of being forced is why you see the kind of response you do on this thread. It is also why you almost never see a land restaurant force a gratuity (other than groups). And while it is POSSIBLE to have gratuities removed for bad service it is embarrassing and a hassle and almost no-one does even when service is bad.

 

Were we all to just pay the forced minimum and then happily pay more for exceptional service every restaurant on land would do this as well. Just another example of bean counters on a ship trying to slip one in on a captive audience.

 

Also, when you tip extra for great service on a ship restaurant it just goes into the pool and ends up helping the lousy waiter as much as the good one. So removing a gratuity for a terrible meal and doubling one for a great one just nets out and means nothing.

Edited March 18, 2015 by PokerDave

[swedish weave]

Whether you realized it or not, it's been years and years since NCL gave a breakdown of the service charge distribution, and I suspect you've taken many cruises during that time and paid your service charges without questioning how they were distributed.

 

Why would you think I don't know that. You are assuming many things here. I keep in touch with my friends and I know what they are doing. I don't want to argue with you over something like this, so you can stop assuming what I know and don't know.

Edited March 18, 2015 by swedish weave