18% specialty dining gratuity

[suziegcruiser]

does anyone know if the new 18% gratuity which applies to specialty restaurants is compulsory? Is it added as part of the bill or just suggested and you get to choose the amount of your tip. We are sailing 28 days on the Jade in October and trying to decide if we should pre-purchase a 7 day dining package, however we don't want to be locked into an 18% gratuity.

[Jane Don]

Mandatory service charge. It is not a like a gratuity that goes directly to the staff that worked hard to provide you a great experience.

[abe3]

Mandatory service charge. It is not a like a gratuity that goes directly to the staff that worked hard to provide you a great experience.

 

Fact or fiction Jane? We need proof that this is a service charge that does not go to the crew. Don't go spreading propaganda unless you have proof,

[LrgPizza]

If you purchase the dining package, the 18% will be added to it when you purchase. You cannot complete the purchase transaction unless you pay it.

[Jane Don]

Fact or fiction Jane? We need proof that this is a service charge that does not go to the crew. Don't go spreading propaganda unless you have proof,

 

I only have the word of former staff. But with the fact that NCL terminates staff who discuss it, calls it a service charge while most major competitors call it a gratuity and provide passengers a breakdown of where the money goes, and admits they use it for purposes other than direct compensation, I believe it. That is why I treat my service people to cash gratutires, it eliminates the middleman.

 

Sorry about the syntax, it is late.

[Oldgoat61]

If you choose the UDP, you do not pay gratuity. We had the UDP last Mar., and because it was "free", we didn't have to pay gratuity. ;)

[Jane Don]

If you choose the UDP, you do not pay gratuity. We had the UDP last Mar., and because it was "free", we didn't have to pay gratuity. ;)

 

It has changed. Guests must now pay 18% service charge on the package price. Whether you use it or not. Also it is charged in specialty restaurants on top of cover. I assume it will apply to a la carte dining as well when it starts.

[abe3]

I only have the word of former staff. But with the fact that NCL terminates staff who discuss it, calls it a service charge while most major competitors call it a gratuity and provide passengers a breakdown of where the money goes, and admits they use it for purposes other than direct compensation, I believe it. That is why I treat my service people to cash gratutires, it eliminates the middleman.

 

Sorry about the syntax, it is late.

 

Do you have proof that NCL terminates staff from what you said? The other major lines CCL and RCCL both have service charge, but call it "gratuity" and also charge on top of that a gratuity on beverages. So you believe that these other cruise lines give it all to their crew? So in your opinion NCL is the bad cruise line, but you probably still cruise on NCL?

Edited August 5, 2015 by abe3

[Jane Don]

Do you have proof that NCL terminates staff from what you said? The other major lines CCL and RCCL both have service charge, but call it "gratuity" and also charge on top of that a gratuity on beverages. So you believe that these other cruise lines give it all to their crew? So in your opinion NCL is the bad cruise line, but you probably still cruise on NCL?

 

I KNOW NCL terminates staff for discussing DSC publicly. And I am not going to argue, you do what you want. I prefer to tip the people who serve me well with cash. I KNOW they prefer it to. Just because I hate the shady DSC doesn't mean I think NCL is bad. I just present my perspective because the staff works hard and deserves cash in hand. I would rather pay workers instead of management and shareholders.

[Oldgoat61]

It has changed. Guests must now pay 18% service charge on the package price. Whether you use it or not. Also it is charged in specialty restaurants on top of cover. I assume it will apply to a la carte dining as well when it starts.

 

Do you know when the empty suits put this into effect? :(

[vinnytman]

It has changed. Guests must now pay 18% service charge on the package price. Whether you use it or not. Also it is charged in specialty restaurants on top of cover. I assume it will apply to a la carte dining as well when it starts.

 

 

It depends when you booked and with WHO. We booked through a TA and received free UDP & UBP for our upcoming Dec cruise and the line items read:

 

Ultimate Dining Package (gratuities included)

Ultimate Beverage Package (gratuities included)

 

All depends when and who you book with whether the gratuities are included or not with the "freebies".

[Demonyte]

With NCL promos gratuities were included for regular cabins until the end of April. Suites still get gratuities included.

 

Also for OP, the 18% both in bars and speciality restaurants when paying by drink/dinner is called auto-gratuity, not service charge - do your math.

[udamom]

I'm confused with this. I picked the UDP with my mini-suite as the free package thing. There is no charge for this that I see on my edocs. Will I be charged 18% of the normal cover charge at each restaurant each time we use the UDP?

[Demonyte]

I'm confused with this. I picked the UDP with my mini-suite as the free package thing. There is no charge for this that I see on my edocs. Will I be charged 18% of the normal cover charge at each restaurant each time we use the UDP?

 

 

No. If you booked before end of April, gratuities were included but after June 1 they were added to your final payment. After final payment you won't see them anywhere separately.

[insanemagnet]

Mandatory service charge. It is not a like a gratuity that goes directly to the staff that worked hard to provide you a great experience.

Unless the speciality dining staff wage bill is lower than the total amount collected in 18% service charges, then how can you say it doesn't go to the staff.

 

One dollar is fungible with any other.

[newmexicoNita]

Mandatory service charge. It is not a like a gratuity that goes directly to the staff that worked hard to provide you a great experience.

 

Interesting: you started posting less than a nonth ago and I have never seen a positive post but maybe I am just missing some of them. Where do you get the crazy idea the gratuities do not go to the wait staff?

[newmexicoNita]

I KNOW NCL terminates staff for discussing DSC publicly. And I am not going to argue, you do what you want. I prefer to tip the people who serve me well with cash. I KNOW they prefer it to. Just because I hate the shady DSC doesn't mean I think NCL is bad. I just present my perspective because the staff works hard and deserves cash in hand. I would rather pay workers instead of management and shareholders.

 

I doubt you know who is terminated for what and you would have no way of knowing the DSC does not go to the crew. For someone who doesn't think NCL is bad, you sure have posted a lot of negative comments in less than a month!!!!

[Cruise4Real]

Also for OP, the 18% both in bars and speciality restaurants when paying by drink/dinner is called auto-gratuity, not service charge - do your math.

 

I may be misunderstanding your point (or maybe NCL has changed the wording?), but I'm pretty sure that NCL labels the 18% on beverages as "gratuity and beverage service charge" and that on dining as "gratuity and specialty service charge."

 

For instance, from here: https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq you can find this:

 

ARE GRATUITIES INCLUDED IN THE SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE PURCHASE PRICE?

No, an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be automatically added to the cost of your package.

 

Not to say that they might use different text elsewhere on their site or on their receipts....:rolleyes:

[BermudaBound2014]

I'm confused with this. I picked the UDP with my mini-suite as the free package thing. There is no charge for this that I see on my edocs. Will I be charged 18% of the normal cover charge at each restaurant each time we use the UDP?

 

I was confused by this also. I mean, what is 18% of free right? Here is how it panned out for me.

 

-I booked in July for an August sailing with a major online discounter.

-Selected the free UDP (which has since been replaced by SDP)

-Since, at the time of my booking, UDP was valued at $119 pp; we were charged $21.42 pp (or $42.84 total).

- Since when I booked final payment (in full) was due immediately, the $42.84 was included in final payment (and I was told it will not show up on-board).

 

Hope that helps,

[rochelle_s]

Do you have proof that NCL terminates staff from what you said? The other major lines CCL and RCCL both have service charge, but call it "gratuity" and also charge on top of that a gratuity on beverages. So you believe that these other cruise lines give it all to their crew? So in your opinion NCL is the bad cruise line, but you probably still cruise on NCL?

 

I too have been made aware that employees who discuss gratuities will be terminated. I have heard this on more than one occasion from more than one source. Not sure what 'proof' you are looking for.

 

As for the gratuities collected, NCL themselves use the term interchangeably with 'service charges'. They also state quite clearly that they withhold a portion of the DSC collected, the exact amount is uncertain.

 

Just because you disagree with some things about a certain cruise line does not mean you do not do business with them. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the world who practice safe sex as a means of birth control and for health reasons but they still attend a Catholic Church. It's okay to disagree with the cruise line on some of their policies and still choose to sail their ships as well.

 

 

Rochelle

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Interesting: you started posting less than a nonth ago and I have never seen a positive post but maybe I am just missing some of them. Where do you get the crazy idea the gratuities do not go to the wait staff?

 

 

Ain't that the truth and furthermore I think there's peeps here under multiple names and just spew the same crap over and over again.

[NLH Arizona]

nevermind

Edited August 5, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[Jane Don]

I doubt you know who is terminated for what and you would have no way of knowing the DSC does not go to the crew. For someone who doesn't think NCL is bad, you sure have posted a lot of negative comments in less than a month!!!!

 

I dislike that NCL is devaluing my vacation after booking. I dislike the emphasis on pleasing the investor more than the cruiser. I have always disliked the DSC and 18% service charges because I have friends on the ships and I know how shady it is. So I remove it and tip generously in cash. I realize that you may not find my friends and colleagues a credible source of information, but I do. I only started posting here because I am frustrated that a product I love is being tinkered to death. I am frustrated with the utter incompetence of marketing the changes. I am afraid that after my next cruise NCL will no longer be the same line I love. I express that.

 

I am critical on Cruise Critic. Shocking. I don't care how many investors this displeases. As long as shareholders are lining their pockets with DSC revenue they have no credibility on the topic, IMO.

[emmak8]

I agree with Jane. Right on!

[roandsteve]

I just got off the Spirit 8/1. I had the UDP, you do not pay gratuity. It is printed on the receipt you sign but the charge doesn't end up on your card. We ate at specialty 7 times and did not get charged. I added tips on the receipt which went directly to the person named on the receipt.