Do you tip beyond the automatic gratuity?

[Manbo]

We were wondering what is the norm, extra gratuity or just the automatic for drinks? :confused:

[phissy]

Yes, depending on level,of service.

[roger001]

We do. But I've never felt it was expected or at all necessary. Strictly up to you.

[Shih-tzu]

Depends on service, etc.

 

There were a couple of drink servers that we so great on my last cruise that I gave them some extra. Our room stewards were also given extra (I ended up with a minor ankle injury and they would always have extra ice in the room in a bag - I didn't even ask :-).

 

I wanted to make sure that the people that actually PERSONALLY helped me or gave me good service got something from ME - that they didn't have to share :) and also to know that their above and beyond was noticed and appreciated.

[ColinIllinois]

No, never. 18% on the check is plenty.

[trex-de]

For the past several months I have been thinking about this ever since They started changing things. We always bring empty envelopes and a lot of extra cash for tips. I don't know what I'm going to do this time. Normally we give a little bit to the steward; we give a little bit to the dining staff. Now it seems as though 18% plus plus plus plus plus.

 

I have no idea, but I have come to the conclusion that NCL has their internal rules that they do not necessarily share with us. That's fine. There are business.

 

I think this time I bring a lot of ones. And I'm going to give a lot of individual tips. NCL can deal with how they want to tell the employees what the gratuity is and what the gratuity is not. It's not my business. I just want to have a good vacation

Edited June 13, 2015 by trex-de

[ronandannette]

In recent years - very seldom. We always go with the auto-grats but it seems ever since they became a the norm, service standards have declined. Not saying one thing leads to another exactly but it's uncommon to be truly delighted by a steward, waiter or bartender any more. Everybody's busy, harried and just getting through it, it seems. We're also not the types to purposely try to "bond" with any particular crew member or request too much in the way of extra attention. They do their thing and we do ours.

[phoenix1181]

We always do. For drinks ($1/ea), specialty restaurants ($5/pp) & Cabin Steward ($5/day). When we cruise another line & have the same wait staff at dinner, we do $5/day for the waiter & $2.50/day for the assistant waiter.

 

It certainly isn't required & I'm not going to give anyone a song & dance about why they should do the same. We do it because we want to & I come from a family of "overtippers". Do what feels right for you.

 

[sail7seas]

We always find our favorite lounge or two and at the end of the cruise, we have an envelope with additional tip for bartenders there and/or bar stewards who may have given us very good service. :)

 

Assuming we have enjoyed the usual wonderful service, we have envelopes for our cabins stewards, concierge, dining steward and anyone else who may have made our cruise more special.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2015 by sail7seas

[JPV072900]

We were going to go along with the DSC when we were on the Dawn last year, but the service was so bad that I demanded a $100 refund and used it to go to Moderno. I think this year I will request to tip on my own!

[cruzsnooze]

Very few on these boards will admit to it.

I never tip more and plan to remove my daily tips next time and tip as I go along because the new daily rate is outrageous. It doesn't even go to in full to staff, it goes to employee of the month and other incentives.

[RMLincoln]

This is our first cruise on NCL in 10 years and we think the new rate is a bit high so we'll see. Sometimes, not always, (on other lines) we gave a little extra to cabin stewards and waiters if we have the same all cruise and we felt they consistently went out of their way to make our cruise special, plus a dollar or two for a room service delivery. But we'll see how it goes on NCL this time... we may just fall back on the standard gratuity and leave it that.

 

I can't imagine such a horrendously bad situation to make us reduce the standard gratuity because I believe that punishes the wrong people. We have never done that and don't expect to ever do it. m--

[drvalo]

We have tipped extra, but it was because of something extraordinary. It does not happen every cruise. No one really knows who tips extra and even when we have done it has been very discreet. It certainly is not expected, but I also have never had any thing extra refused. If someone goes out of his or her way, then extra is fine. But it's not expected.

 

Honestly, for me the hardest thing about cruising was not tipping (extra). I was so used to doing that in restaurants or for other services. I felt guilty just getting up from the table, for example. But I am with Colin. 18% is enough. I don't feel guilty any more. Some people say they get better service if the server knows he or she will get extra tips. I have found service to be consistent regardless.

 

When I went on my first Platinum ship tour on the Epic, I was able to observe some of those hard workers behind the scenes who likely benefit from the DSC and auto tips; those people would not benefit if I paid my own as I went. And I would not even know who to tip extra. I am happy to let the NCL do it.

Edited June 13, 2015 by drvalo

[don't-use-real-name]

Very few on these boards will admit to it.

I never tip more and plan to remove my daily tips next time and tip as I go along because the new daily rate is outrageous. It doesn't even go to in full to staff, it goes to employee of the month and other incentives.

 

Interesting - How do you know this?

 

If true and this is made common knowledge then the whole concept of DSC

would change proportionately !

The employee of the cruise ship month if not in my area of service should

only receive the standard that every other cruise worker gets. And the

employee of the month could well be on a previous cruise that I was not on !

My tips are paid on an earned basis for what I have experienced now/today

and not on some previous voyage.

[GUT2407]

I think the 18% is plenty, that's $1 (on $5) or $2 (on $12) per drink.

 

So f you give an extra $1 per drink that means you are tipping 30+% per drink. I just wish I could be sure that the person who served me got it.

 

However do as you please.

[ExpatBride]

We just came off The Star and there were 2 bartenders who gave us exceptional service throughout the cruise, we tipped them $10 apiece twice during our cruise. We also had one exceptional waiter who was just a notch above the others, so he got $10 each time he served us. We also tipped an additional $25 to the room steward.

 

My husband and I are grateful for the breaks we've been given in life and having both worked service jobs in our 20s, we know how hard the crew works, and how a nice tip can make someone's day, so we're happy to tip above what's required.

Edited June 13, 2015 by ExpatBride

[hypercafe]

No, I go with what the line does automatically. At this point it seems I am paying a tip or service charge on just about everything except the gift shop. I guess NCL sales tax is next.

[aberdare_chick]

I'm going to be on a med cruise in January - do I tip dollars or euros?

[ExpatBride]

I'm going to be on a med cruise in January - do I tip dollars or euros?

 

Either should be fine. The onboard currency will likely be dollars, but the crew can go ashore, so I'm sure they'd be happy to have Euros, too.

 

Most of the crew isn't American or European so they'll likely have to exchange it to their home currency anyway.

[legion3]

Yes, if the service is particually good or the person was deserving.

 

Not if the service sucked.

[Out to sea!]

For drinks, never. 18% to pop the top off a beer is over generous already....not going to add more to it.

[newmexicoNita]

Very few on these boards will admit to it.

I never tip more and plan to remove my daily tips next time and tip as I go along because the new daily rate is outrageous. It doesn't even go to in full to staff, it goes to employee of the month and other incentives.

 

first of all where are you getting this information? Comments like this are just rumor, whether true or not and second, if it is true so what?

 

At least you admit you will remove the DSC, but I think you are far in the minority. Is your complaint, it is too much or is it you don't like where you think the money is going?

Edited June 13, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[newmexicoNita]

We rarely tip above the auto tip for drinks. If we find a bar person that really goes above and beyond and super friendly we will give him/her a little extra at the end of the cruise. As for our cabin steward, for good service, which we have always gotten we do give him an envalope at the end with a thank you note and a little extra. It would be a cold day in you know where before I would remove the DSC or decrease it. Even if I received poor service, I would not. I would talk to the hotel director though and let him know I was not satisfied. The minute one starts removing DSC they are punishing others.

Edited June 13, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[Badger-Badger]

I prepay my auto-grats and never think about tipping the entire cruise with the exception of room service. I feel good with that.

[punkincc]

It doesn't even go to in full to staff, it goes to employee of the month and other incentives.

 

first of all where are you getting this information? Comments like this are just rumor, whether true or not and second, if it is true so what?

 

Well, the DSC does go to "incentive pay" per NCL. Per the website, employee pay is a combination of salary plus incentive pay "which your Daily Service Charge Supports". They do not tell us exactly who gets what portion, or how and when it is distributed, but I think it is safe to say that at least a portion, if not all of it, is based on performance. Otherwise, there would be NO "incentive".;).

 

And the 18% is both a "gratuity" AND a "service charge" per it's title, so we don't really know what the actual percentage is that is considered "gratuity" and goes into the pool.

 

For anyone who is imagining that their DSC is going straight into the pocket of "their" employees on "their" cruise soon after they disembark, dream on. It goes into a pool of money. It gets distributed to employees at some point. The only way to reward someone directly is to hand them cash. This is what we do for exceptional service. Otherwise, we pay the DSC and service charges and let NCL handle it.