Will you reduce DSC

[mypleasure]

No I will not be reducing or removing ANY service charges

[Cauzneffct]

I always tip $5.00 for my morning coffee, I will not do that anymore and if when I cruise if the fee for the BA is still higher then the GA I will go down and adjust the DSC to the same fee. I have emailed them, made posts to their FB page asking for the reasoning behind this and they have yet to answer.

Until the last month I would have never dreamed of changing my DSC, in fact I always prepay it but the only way I see making a statement (since social media has done no good) is through my wallet.

I will let that speak for me.

 

I guess I don't see how this makes much of a statement. You'll have to tell the desk why you're removing and that info will have to be conveyed up the chain and management would have to say something other than "LOL, ok.". Or, those who benefit from the DSC will have to revolt (at the end of their contracts, of course), explain why, and management will have to say something other than "LOL, ok."

 

If you want to make a statement through your wallet (as opposed to just making yourself feel better), go full bore, don't tap dance around it; cancel all upcoming cruises and choose a different vacation option. Or, get 3000 of your closest friends to book a cruise and then all cancel the day of final payment and force NCL to scramble to fill a ship in 6 weeks.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Cauzneffct

[bobstheboy]

I'm going to be on vacation in April and I'm not interested in battling the new NCL's corporate ham handedness. So I will not adjust my services charges or tips and I will enjoy myself.

 

But I'm also a savvy consumer and NCL will not be seeing me in the future. I'm not brand loyal to anyone, especially if you think I'm stupid, which NCL evidently does. I have a long history with NCL and they have provided me and my family with some great vacations, but lots of companies will do that. I vote with my wallet.

 

Exactly my thoughts. I have two cruises to look forward to on NCL and have already prepaid DSC. I am looking forward to my holiday and will have a great time.

 

However, as always I shop around for the best deal and it might not be NCL.

[bjlaac]

That may be, but in the end you are taking money away from very hard working people that make very little money already. In the grand scheme of things, a few extra dollars means much more to these people. I know I just spent over $3000 for a cruise. I would rather not have to pay any more, but a few extra dollars really isn't going to stop me from taking a vacation. The crew need that money much more than I do!

 

 

You know folks, this just doesn't pass the sniff test. No one is arguing the crew should not be paid or tipped. But how all of a sudden is a group of waitors (in the specialties) no longer in the regular DSC pool? Those restaurents are open 4 hours or so and I see the same waitors in the buffet and on deck doing things employees in the DSC pool are doing when not in the specialties.

 

This added 18% is a joke, its a corporate money grab and just because they say it goes to the crew has as much credibility as them saying these employees are in this pool but these are not. Its arbitray at best and they are playing on our conscience hoping we will ignore it.

[denas]

You know folks, this just doesn't pass the sniff test. No one is arguing the crew should not be paid or tipped. But how all of a sudden is a group of waitors (in the specialties) no longer in the regular DSC pool? Those restaurents are open 4 hours or so and I see the same waitors in the buffet and on deck doing things employees in the DSC pool are doing when not in the specialties.

 

This added 18% is a joke, its a corporate money grab and just because they say it goes to the crew has as much credibility as them saying these employees are in this pool but these are not. Its arbitray at best and they are playing on our conscience hoping we will ignore it.

 

If you have the UDP and only eat in the specialty restuarants, eat lunch in port, and order room service breakfast so you never once step foot in any of the buffets or main dining rooms, why wouldn't you be able to remove the "dining" portion of your DSC? You haven't used any of the waitstaff who draw from it - only the waitstaff who you tip 18% in the specialty restaurants or via the 7.95 room service fee.

[bobstheboy]

You know folks, this just doesn't pass the sniff test. No one is arguing the crew should not be paid or tipped. But how all of a sudden is a group of waitors (in the specialties) no longer in the regular DSC pool? Those restaurents are open 4 hours or so and I see the same waitors in the buffet and on deck doing things employees in the DSC pool are doing when not in the specialties.

 

This added 18% is a joke, its a corporate money grab and just because they say it goes to the crew has as much credibility as them saying these employees are in this pool but these are not. Its arbitray at best and they are playing on our conscience hoping we will ignore it.

 

You make a very good point, one I hadn't thought of. The specialist restaurant staff are part time in there and have other duties, so must be in the DSC, unless their share is reduced and they get a share from both pots.

[NLH Arizona]

Well said. I don't plan on punishing myself by not eating at Cagney's but I do expect excellent service.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

you know what is so funny, I've always gotten excellent service and don't think they could get much better and the majority have said on here they get the same. Wonder how much better service someone wants for an additional $1 a day on the DSC or $5 more at Cagney's. too each their own.

[thistimeplease]

Not sure if I am going to cruise NCL again but on their ships I wouldn't decrease or take off the DSC. On the other hand I will not be leaving anything extra either.

[SAILPRO]

I will reduce the DSC to $0 if they charge room service fees for butler deliveries in suites.

 

Don't give me that fake crap about the poor hardworking underpaid crew. Not my problem. That's NCL's problem and they will see it manifest in the form of attrition.

 

"like"

[RikkuCat]

No, we won't be doing anything differently from usual on this cruise.

 

I've never considered reducing the DSC, but would consider doing so if we received bad service - that has always been my policy and it does not change now. I don't expect to receive service poor enough that I would consider adjusting the DSC, but I don't expect better service than usual, either.

 

As far as bar/dining auto-gratuities go, we have always tipped at least 20% and will continue to do so unless we encounter poor service. Slow service is not an issue (it happens and is rarely the server's fault directly), but rudeness is an issue. We've never met a rude server or bartender on a NCL ship, but we would consider removing the autogratuity if we did.

 

In either case, removing or adjusting the gratuity would be my last-resort option, if a manager could not resolve the problem. We are easy to please - to upset us, you need to do something pretty serious, which should be brought to a manager's attention regardless of how I intend to tip.

[SissasMomE]

No, we won't be doing anything differently from usual on this cruise.

 

I've never considered reducing the DSC, but would consider doing so if we received bad service - that has always been my policy and it does not change now. I don't expect to receive service poor enough that I would consider adjusting the DSC, but I don't expect better service than usual, either.

 

As far as bar/dining auto-gratuities go, we have always tipped at least 20% and will continue to do so unless we encounter poor service. Slow service is not an issue (it happens and is rarely the server's fault directly), but rudeness is an issue. We've never met a rude server or bartender on a NCL ship, but we would consider removing the autogratuity if we did.

 

In either case, removing or adjusting the gratuity would be my last-resort option, if a manager could not resolve the problem. We are easy to please - to upset us, you need to do something pretty serious, which should be brought to a manager's attention regardless of how I intend to tip.

 

I didn't mind the raise in the bar gratuities. I did mind the additional charge for the specialty restaurants though, since those people are already a part of the DSC pool. Of course, the room service charge is just ridiculous.

[dna529]

you know what is so funny, I've always gotten excellent service and don't think they could get much better and the majority have said on here they get the same. Wonder how much better service someone wants for an additional $1 a day on the DSC or $5 more at Cagney's. too each their own.

 

I'm not sure why this is funny to you. Expecting excellent service for a meal I am paying extra for and being told I must pay 18% gratiuity on does not seem odd to me. I would expect excellent service on land at Ruth's Chris if I were tipping my usual 20%. If I did not receive the excellent service, at least I would have the option of not tipping 20%. That is the definition of a gratuity. If the 18% that NCL is charging is not based on service then the customer needs to know this.

[klr6773]

Our TA advised us that we would be " Grandfathered" in to the lower rate if we prepaid them,so that's what I did when I made the final payment. I've almost always tipped additionally to a few of the staff at the end of the week anyway.

 

 

This is our first NCL sailing and I can see their new policies are upsetting many. The NCL boards are certainly fired up! For us, we're just happy with the free UBP and the gratuities prepaid. I know our expenses that week will be considerably lower than what we are used to.

 

Still can't wait to experience NCL for the first time,even with all of the changes of late..I need my wife to cruise and love a line other than Disney ;)

[mbisson]

I will not remove or reduce the DSC at all, and I have no problem with the increase in the amt of the DSC that happened a while back...that said I will make 'some' adjustments to other things

 

When we eat in the Spec Dining rooms we normally tip a bit more than 18%, so I will probably go the 18% (no problem) and still tip some additionally (but not as much as before)

 

I'm not especially happy with the room serv charge. We normally use RS for morning coffee/pastries/juice in the mornings while we sit on the balcony & just let our mojo start flowing. We've normally tipped $1 to $3 per delivery.

 

But now, I might have to change out of my jammies earlier in the morning, head to Blue Lagoon or buffet and get a tray of stuff to bring back to the cabin (still lovin' that balcony ;) ). To me, the proposed charge is excessive...but my thoughts on that could change depending on how annoyed I get by making that morning run LOL

[kchiumento]

No. I will not reduce my DSC. Anyone that does this just because NCL pissed them off is sorely misguided. I'm tired of this topic. Can we quit whining and talk about cruising?

[bangzoom6877]

absolutely if bad service adjust away but please make sure you speak to an officer about the issue first and see if it can be resolved. So many people don't say anything and just adjust away

 

Great point! Yes, I would absolutely say something first and then make a decision once I see a change or not, if there is a problem. I'm not anticipating a problem though.

 

I guess I just assumed that anyone would first try to resolve an issue with management before automatically reducing the DSC. But I should know what happens when I assume...

[BayStateguppy]

I don't see a problem with charging for room service. It's extra work for the employees. Unless you are handicapped, getting something to eat for no extra fee on a cruise ship is not a problem. So charge everyone except the handicapped?

And if the employees are anything like me, they haven't had a raise in over 4 yrs so it seems NCL is using this as a way to increase their pay so they can keep prices artificially the same.

[NLH Arizona]

I'm not sure why this is funny to you. Expecting excellent service for a meal I am paying extra for and being told I must pay 18% gratiuity on does not seem odd to me. I would expect excellent service on land at Ruth's Chris if I were tipping my usual 20%. If I did not receive the excellent service, at least I would have the option of not tipping 20%. That is the definition of a gratuity. If the 18% that NCL is charging is not based on service then the customer needs to know this.

My point was that I've always gotten exceptional service, as has almost review ive read, and I don't know what else they could do for me other than curtesy to me when I walk in. Sorry if you haven't had the same kind of service. If you don't get excellent service, speak to the manager and I'm sure they will have the issue corrected immediately.

[bjlaac]

absolutely if bad service adjust away but please make sure you speak to an officer about the issue first and see if it can be resolved. So many people don't say anything and just adjust away

 

Let's play this out, so we are dining in a specialty and the sevice is terrible, or the food not prepared how its ordered or fill in the blank. What exactly does pointing it out to Management do? How are you expecting it to be resolved?

 

You still had bad service whether the manager acts or not. At home, when service is below what's accepted the tip gets adjusted.

 

I for one do not believe in reducing the DSC but NCL has changed my thinking. The waitors in the specialty do the exact same thing the waitors in the free dining rooms do. So why no gratuity added to the free dining rooms?

 

Too many unanswered questions for me and since NCL has placed an 18% gratuity on dining then my DSC gets reduced by 18% as it obviously is a double dip.

[Marieux]

Yes, I will reduce it by the amount I have to pay for the newly added room service charge. And I will not feel guilty about it.

[grouchomarx]

I would never reduce the DSC. Prices go up on everything over time (justified or not), and it happens on cruise ships too. Personally I've never received the level of service I get on cruise ship at a land based vacation so I feel the gratuities are far more justified on a cruise.

 

The 18% gratuity on drinks is a normal amount to me. I never tip less than 20% for food or drink service, that is just standard, and 15% is quite low ball these days. The 18% in the specialty restaurants just eliminates any possibility that I would tip extra for good service, which I sometimes do.

 

NCL is giving away a lot of stuff these days, the UBP, UDP, etc. We took advantage of the free UBP, which we would have bought anyway, and it saved us nearly $900. That is quite a value and one that NO other cruise line is offering. It evens things out. The fees and increases here and there will not add up to $900 so it doesn't bother me in the slightest. If there was no UBP for free, maybe I would think about it (but I doubt it). I don't use room service ever so I don't care about those charges whatsoever.

 

All that being said, I'm American and there are expected standards for tipping. If you're not American, I could see how these things could be irritating.

 

Ultimately this is the future of cruising, it is happening everywhere. The basic experience will be less than it used to and you can pay to upgrade it in a variety of ways, through food, drinks, adults only spaces, entertainment, special experiences. I'm ok with this as long as the base fare remains reasonable, making the add-ons affordable. If the base cost for NCL was like RCCL, no thanks.

[awaywego0000]

No absolutely not. I don't go on enough cruises for this to impact my finances that much :rolleyes:

[zubee23]

No. I would never reduce the DSC. Feel it's a bargain for me. By the time I tipped wait staff at restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner I'd be close to $12.95 a day. Factor in the $3-5 a day I would usually leave a chambermaid per night at a hotel - NCL is a bargain. I worked at restaurants in high school and college. I gladly tip.

[RuthlessBoss]

We have budgeted $250 for tips on our upcoming cruise.

 

Since the cruise line has added convenience fees and additional mandatory gratuities in the specialty restaurants after final payment, I will be reducing the dsc commensurate with that amount.

 

So if the additional new fees total $150.00, I will reduce the dsc to $100.00. This is the amount I agreed to when we booked.

 

If frank don't think there is enough for their incentive program, let him kick in the additional amount.

 

I don't understand how reducing the dsc offsets anything but your own pocketbook. The gratuities are for specialty dining. The dsc is for all other departments. So to cut out the dsc is hurting the rest of the staff that has nothing to do with the specialty restaurants in the first place.

[awaywego0000]

I will reduce the DSC to $0 if they charge room service fees for butler deliveries in suites.

 

Don't give me that fake crap about the poor hardworking underpaid crew. Not my problem. That's NCL's problem and they will see it manifest in the form of attrition.

 

You make me glad I don't work in the service industry or on a cruise ship.