Tipping, service charge, etc.

[swedish weave]

Take a look at how NCL distributes the DSC and you will see that they do it "at managements discretion" and based on "employee evaluation by management" and it can be distributed "fleet wide".

 

You can't tell if your server or your steward will get ANY of the DSC that is charged to your account.

Edited October 9, 2015 by swedish weave

[BirdTravels]

Whatever they choose to call it, to me it's just a backdoor way of collecting more money without telling you upfront, then making silly excuses for doing it. We travelled Norwegian once but, since have become regulars on Princess and love it. They have optional 'tipping', 'service charge', or whatever, as it should be. Anyway, I have searched this website and I an unable to locate current information about NCLs policies. Is it mandatory or optional? We are considering a NCL cruise this December because it's a last minute thing and Princess has nothing interesting available. This could be a deciding factor. Thanks.

 

Pay your DSC or cancel your cruise. Don't screw the crew. The work very hard for you.

[swedish weave]

Pay your DSC or cancel your cruise. Don't screw the crew. The work very hard for you.

 

If you read how the DSC is distributed by NCL, you may change your tune.

 

Check it out if interested, but I think those who eliminate the DSC and tip in cash are doing the crew a favor.

Edited October 9, 2015 by swedish weave

[maywell]

If you read how the DSC is distributed by NCL, you may change your tune.

 

Check it out if interested, but I think those who eliminate the DSc are doing the crew a favor.

 

Yes, they did the crew such a favor that their employee (NCL) come up with one of the most evilest no-win catch-22 to a refund policy I've ever seen, to those that remove it. Perfect karma for wanting back pocket change / lunch money (which is what the DSC is) instead of wanting the thousands in fare back before final payment. :cool:

[Ctrinh225]

If you read how the DSC is distributed by NCL, you may change your tune.

 

 

 

Check it out if interested, but I think those who eliminate the DSC and tip in cash are doing the crew a favor.

 

 

And this is the point. Most DSC removers don't tip AT ALL. They want top notch service but in the end they waiting in line to remove the tips. I'm sorry to say but Cheapness is a Sickness!

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

That makes sense, I understand. Even you , unless I took it the wrong way, do not want to pay for poor service. How about this: Can you paint my door and what will it cost. At completion the job looks like s**t. What do you do; give him a tip?

I don't think anyone wants to pay for poor service and I believe that is why NCL tells the passengers if they have a service issue to report it and if it is not corrected to their satisfaction, then they are free to reduce their DSC. BTW, I've never had bad service on NCL, so I've never had to pay for something I didn't get and, not only do I leave my DSC in place, I tip addition on top of it.

[NLH Arizona]

Yes, they did the crew such a favor that their employee (NCL) come up with one of the most evilest no-win catch-22 to a refund policy I've ever seen, to those that remove it. Perfect karma for wanting back pocket change / lunch money (which is what the DSC is) instead of wanting the thousands in fare back before final payment. :cool:

If the crew wasn't happy with the system, they would go to another cruise line who has a different compensation system. But then you have some crew members who are trolling for tips from naïve passengers, when they say they would rather get cash tips than have them pay the DSC.

[maywell]

That makes sense, I understand. Even you , unless I took it the wrong way, do not want to pay for poor service. How about this: Can you paint my door and what will it cost. At completion the job looks like s**t. What do you do; give him a tip?

 

Sorry but no point in me removing DSC to penalize the staff over 2 people -which what happen on my last trip - 2 different waiters on 2 different nights at 2 MDRs took too long to serve the people they were assigned table to s. What did the Maitre'd do to apologize to those affected by the service? Free bottles of wine - NCL does their darnest to make it up to people, especially when they know their staff did wrong.

[maywell]

If the crew wasn't happy with the system, they would go to another cruise line who has a different compensation system. But then you have some crew members who are trolling for tips from naïve passengers, when they say they would rather get cash tips than have them pay the DSC.

 

 

Because some of them want the $5 a day or $20 at the end of the trip and not whatever their employers gives them in their paycheck which could be $20-25. I call those hustlers stupid - the really smart ones ask passengers to fill out the Hero card telling how good they were, keep the whatever tips passengers give them while getting the DSC-paycheck too (that was room steward last year).

 

 

In the case of the new DSC refund policy, this was aimed more at the DSC-Removers because some (ok, most) of them remove it and don't tip because of NCL-service setup especially in complimentary dining; where one doesn't get the same server each night. This actually protects/ guarantees pay for complimentary waitstaff and behind-the-scenes staff more - sucks for the DSC-Removers but yay for the staff that the DSC-remover 'doesn't see' or 'not serving them directly".

[Kamloops50]

If they started paying there crew a living wage. Which wage would pay US . British , European or the crews home country. If any except for the last you'll get service similar to Pride of America. Otherwise the cruise cost would be so high that nobody will be able to cruise.

[SuiteCruiser]

It's likely more to free up the staff at guest services on the last day. NCL knows the DSC is discretionary, they wrote the contract.

Edited October 9, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[KarmaElectra]

I've sailed NCL, Princess, and Disney. Sure, maybe a server is slow on occasion...but I have never had such bad service to make me want to remove a service charge/tip.

 

All of the cruise lines have service charges (except for the high-end ones, where it's built into the fare anyway). NCL is not unique in this.

 

I look at it this way...if I traveled to Anytown, USA and stayed in a hotel and ate out for three meals per day...my tips to maid and waiters would be the same or more than what I pay on a cruise.

 

If paying a $94 per person gratuity on a week-long cruise will make or break a person...then I think that person has bigger problems in life and should be saving their money for rent instead of taking a cruise. Seriously.

[fshagan]

If they started paying there crew a living wage. Which wage would pay US . British , European or the crews home country. If any except for the last you'll get service similar to Pride of America. Otherwise the cruise cost would be so high that nobody will be able to cruise.

 

The crew agrees to work for the wage promised on their contract, supported by their union.

 

Every crew member we have talked to says they like their job, and often they will tell us their families rely on their income. Now maybe the first part of that is "company policy", but the second part is offered and probably not the company line.

 

What the filthy rich 1% don't realize ... that's us, by the way ... is that unlike our own governments, most of the workers on board a ship are from countries where a tip is not subject to income tax.

 

Why would you want to re-structure their wages so they pay more tax, and take home less pay?

[dd2355]

Every crew member we have talked to says they like their job, and often they will tell us their families rely on their income.

 

"Crewmember retention rates exceed 80%" -- http://www.cruiseforward.org/accountability/crew

 

The reality is, however much the job might suck on board the ship, many of these people's prospects back home suck even worse. Ships crew work really hard, long hours with few days off, but they also have a roof over their heads and food to eat. That's not necessarily true if they were back home.

 

For comparison, hourly wages in the Phillipines: http://www.salaryexplorer.com/hourly-wage.php?loc=171&loctype=1

29 Phillipines pesos per hour for cleaning and housekeeping. That's about 63 cents per hour back home. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/USD-PHP-exchange-rate-history.html

Edited October 9, 2015 by dd2355

[4774Papa]

"Crewmember retention rates exceed 80%" -- http://www.cruiseforward.org/accountability/crew

 

The reality is, however much the job might suck on board the ship, many of these people's prospects back home suck even worse. Ships crew work really hard, long hours with few days off, but they also have a roof over their heads and food to eat. That's not necessarily true if they were back home.

 

For comparison, hourly wages in the Phillipines: http://www.salaryexplorer.com/hourly-wage.php?loc=171&loctype=1

29 Phillipines pesos per hour for cleaning and housekeeping. That's about 63 cents per hour back home. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/USD-PHP-exchange-rate-history.html

We frequently get to know our servers and other wait staff. While they miss their families and home country, they make it clear to us that their jobs are a great opportunity for them. Many work for several years and save to go home and open a business. Their pay is modest by our standards, but significantly better than what is available in their countries.

We have never considered not paying the gratuities. Service may not be perfect, but generally on Celebrity it is very good.

We also add a cash tip, and do so at the elite happy hour. I usually have a roll of dollar bills and five dollar bills for this.

[rochelle_s]

If they started paying there crew a living wage. Which wage would pay US . British , European or the crews home country. If any except for the last you'll get service similar to Pride of America. Otherwise the cruise cost would be so high that nobody will be able to cruise.

 

Not sure how you reached this conclusion. Wouldn't the fares need to increase in the amount of the DSC in order for the crew to make a decent wage? In the case of NCL approximately $13.50 more per person per day. So less than $100 more per one week cruise, which most pay as they leave their DSC in place. How does this equate to making cruising not affordable?

 

 

Rochelle

[swedish weave]

And this is the point. Most DSC removers don't tip AT ALL. They want top notch service but in the end they waiting in line to remove the tips. I'm sorry to say but Cheapness is a Sickness!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Your statement is not supportable with FACTS. Nobody knows how much others tip unless the person tells them.

[luddite]

Not sure how you reached this conclusion. Wouldn't the fares need to increase in the amount of the DSC in order for the crew to make a decent wage? In the case of NCL approximately $13.50 more per person per day. So less than $100 more per one week cruise, which most pay as they leave their DSC in place. How does this equate to making cruising not affordable?

 

 

Rochelle

 

Uhhh....., the fares would need to be raised considerably higher than the current Service charge rate if they were to roll into the advertised fare.

[swedish weave]

Because some of them want the $5 a day or $20 at the end of the trip and not whatever their employers gives them in their paycheck which could be $20-25. I call those hustlers stupid - the really smart ones ask passengers to fill out the Hero card telling how good they were, keep the whatever tips passengers give them while getting the DSC-paycheck too (that was room steward last year).

 

 

In the case of the new DSC refund policy, this was aimed more at the DSC-Removers because some (ok, most) of them remove it and don't tip because of NCL-service setup especially in complimentary dining; where one doesn't get the same server each night. This actually protects/ guarantees pay for complimentary waitstaff and behind-the-scenes staff more - sucks for the DSC-Removers but yay for the staff that the DSC-remover 'doesn't see' or 'not serving them directly".

 

Please try to be reasonable with your statements. NOBODY (including you) knows how much others tip unless they are told.

[swedish weave]

The problem with the DSC is not necessarily service as some would like you to believe.

 

The problem is that NCL is purposely vague about how the funds are distributed. Some of the other cruise lines give you a breakdown showing who gets what amount.

 

If you read NCL's description of the distribution, you can't tell what they do with the funds.

[maywell]

Uhhh....., the fares would need to be raised considerably higher than the current Service charge rate if they were to roll into the advertised fare.

 

True, it would be $13.50-15.50 builted in per person per day in the fare and port fees per reservation, even if the 3rd-4th fare was 'waived/free'. (Which is what's currently happening now but the difference is, DSC can be paid anytime before the trip ends.) So the only people pretty much getting away with 'murder' if it added in the fare reservations by final payment would be soloers and twosomes - built-in DSC in fares for mass/premium lines does not benefit large groups.

 

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[meandmaboy]

Hi,

Was on Epic Barcelona to Southampton & a gran & granddaughter we had met had theirs removed on the afternoon of the last seaday.Their request wasn't met with a good reception, but the form was given to them (I was with them & seen the form) it asked them for reasons for not paying :o:o:o:o:o & they later told me it was removed a few hours later from their account. So I would say its possible to get it removed whilst still on the ship.

 

 

HTH

Evie

[luddite]

True, it would be $13.50-15.50 builted in per person per day in the fare and port fees per reservation, even if the 3rd-4th fare was 'waived/free'. (Which is what's currently happening now but the difference is, DSC can be paid anytime before the trip ends.) So the only people pretty much getting away with 'murder' if it added in the fare reservations by final payment would be soloers and twosomes - built-in DSC in fares for mass/premium lines does not benefit large groups.

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

 

To add the SC to the fare would probably entail an additional 30-35%.

[Wavesprite]

When we booked our cruise, we had a promo for the 1st and 2nd passengers to receive paid DSC. I'm curious if you think that NCL will put the equivelent money into the "pot" or if the crew will get "screwed" by NCL's promo???

[luddite]

Hi,

Was on Epic Barcelona to Southampton & a gran & granddaughter we had met had theirs removed on the afternoon of the last seaday.Their request wasn't met with a good reception, but the form was given to them (I was with them & seen the form) it asked them for reasons for not paying :o:o:o:o:o & they later told me it was removed a few hours later from their account. So I would say its possible to get it removed whilst still on the ship.

 

 

HTH

Evie

 

I hate it when I meet crummy people on a cruise.......