18% Gratuities Concern

[sparks1093]

Do you know this for a fact or is this just an assumption on your part?

 

Do I know what for a fact? I know that when I leave a gratuity it is for the employee, not the company.

[NLH Arizona]

My money does not belong to the cruise line. If I want to know where that money is going, the cruise line either answers the question or I can take my business elsewhere.

 

Once you give your money to a company, it becomes their money and they can do whatever they want with it. If you don't like the way they spend it, then I wouldn't give any more to them. If you have to know how they spend it and they won't tell you, I wouldn't give any more to them.

[meslt1992]

If NCL, or any cruise line for that matter won't divulge the breakdown of the grat/SC then we should assume that the people that are taking care of us are getting little of it.

We can't change it. All other cruise lines are doing similar.

If we want to bless the people that are taking care of us, then put greenbacks in their hand.

Then you'll know they got something.

Just be generous☺

 

Sent from my LGL33L using Tapatalk

[ColinIllinois]

Come on guys, you all always get the weekly tipping thread to ten pages. DON'T SLOW DOWN NOW!!

[abe3]

Love the weekly DSC threads! People love stiffing the crew.

[sparks1093]

Love the weekly DSC threads! People love stiffing the crew.

 

You've got to keep up better than that, abe3. This thread is about NCL potentially stiffing the crew by not paying them the 18% gratuity that is collected on UBP etc.

Edited February 2, 2016 by sparks1093

[LMaxwell]

You've got to keep up better than that, abe3. This thread is about NCL potentially stiffing the crew by not paying them the 18% gratuity that is collected on UBP etc.

 

Abe doesn't actually care about the workers. He just does what he's told and that's good enough for him. He only stops by these threads to hurl insults. He doesn't take the time to understand, or maybe can't understand, what we are discussing here.

[LMaxwell]

If NCL, or any cruise line for that matter won't divulge the breakdown of the grat/SC then we should assume that the people that are taking care of us are getting little of it.

We can't change it. All other cruise lines are doing similar.

If we want to bless the people that are taking care of us, then put greenbacks in their hand.

Then you'll know they got something.

Just be generous☺

 

Sent from my LGL33L using Tapatalk

 

Spot on.

[sjbdtz]

I know in my state and in several states it is illegal for a company to take a portion of any gratuity left for an employee. The reason that it is illegal is because it's not the company's tip, it's the employee's. Yes, yes, yes, I know these aren't laws that NCL is subject too but I mention it to show that it does matter because laws have been passed about the practice.

 

It's either a gratuity or a service charge. If it's a gratuity it belongs to the staff. If it's a service charge then it's up to NCL how to distribute it.

 

 

Apparently they DO call it a beverage service charge:

 

"...as well as an 18% gratuity and beverage service charge..."

 

 

 

I thought they did, which is why I've been taking this position. ;)

 

 

 

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[sparks1093]

Apparently they DO call it a beverage service charge:

 

"...as well as an 18% gratuity and beverage service charge..."

 

 

 

I thought they did, which is why I've been taking this position. ;)

 

 

 

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They call it both and it can't be both. It is one or it is the other.

[LMaxwell]

They call it both and it can't be both. It is one or it is the other.

 

It can, and is, both.

 

They collect 18% and use that for both service charge (to the house) and gratuity (to the server). It is split in some fashion that none of us knows.

 

However, some report that NONE of the gratuity makes it to the server, which is a shame.

 

And calling it a "gratuity" at all would lead people to believe it is for the server and not the company. As I said, it is very careful wording.

 

I agree with what you said earlier, NCL should change the wording. Call it a beverage service charge and there is no longer any false pretense or ambiguity about what it is or where it is going.

[sparks1093]

It can, and is, both.

 

They collect 18% and use that for both service charge (to the house) and gratuity (to the server). It is split in some fashion that none of us knows.

 

However, some report that NONE of the gratuity makes it to the server, which is a shame.

 

And calling it a "gratuity" at all would lead people to believe it is for the server and not the company. As I said, it is very careful wording.

 

I agree with what you said earlier, NCL should change the wording. Call it a beverage service charge and there is no longer any false pretense or ambiguity about what it is or where it is going.

 

If it is indeed both then I believe NCL has an obligation to disclose the split. One thing that I've been meaning to mention and haven't- NCL has become much less transparent about things than they have been in the past and that concerns me. But yes, I agree that calling it a bar service charge would be much neater.

[vicocala]

Why should they divulge their business practices when they are in a competitive environment. Really, you are splitting hairs and saying the same thing over and over. It is really getting trollish. It is what it is.

[LMaxwell]

Why should they divulge their business practices when they are in a competitive environment. Really, you are splitting hairs and saying the same thing over and over. It is really getting trollish. It is what it is.

 

They should say if the servers are getting the gratuity that the guests are charged. Very easy.

[vicocala]

They do say that PART of it goes to the crew. That would be the gratuity part. They also say that PART is a service fee. That would be their part. This isn't rocket science and you aren't going to get them to change what they call it. What they do call it is what it is, some of both.

[NLH Arizona]

They do say that PART of it goes to the crew. That would be the gratuity part. They also say that PART is a service fee. That would be their part. This isn't rocket science and you aren't going to get them to change what they call it. What they do call it is what it is, some of both.

Not to mention (1) no one knows how much the crew gets or doesn't get and (2) does the part that some feel the crew doesn't get go to incentive programs or other programs that benefit the crew. I love that some say the crew is getting stiffed because they are not getting the 18% or the DSC, when in fact no one knows who is getting what. Edited February 2, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[SuiteCruiser]

Not to mention (1) no one knows how much the crew gets or doesn't get and (2) does the part that some feel the crew doesn't get go to incentive programs or other programs that benefit the crew. I love that some say the crew is getting stiffed because they are not getting the 18% or the DSC, when in fact no one knows who is getting what.

 

Plenty of people know, that's a strange statement.

Edited February 2, 2016 by SuiteCruiser

[CasinoCruzGirl]

My point was that people have an issue with it on here, but no one will stand up for their convictions and ask that it be removed and tell a Hotel Director why, so why would NCL think anyone has an issue with it. If enough folks have an issue, which I highly doubt that there are really that many that have a problem with it, there could be change, but if no one lets the company know their feelings, there will be no change, because they think everything is A okay. It is really easy for some to talk the talk, but it is way more important to walk the walk in my estimation.

 

BTW, if they had to create a form, that would not be a bad thing, it would just show them that folks have an issue with it.

 

How on earth would you know that no one on the ship has an issue with it and did ask the HD? You have no clue unless your actually a HD on an ncl ship. Not everyone who sails ncl is here on cc and that im sure you know.

[monkeybone]

Love the weekly DSC threads! People love stiffing the crew.

 

It would appear that NCL stiffs their crew. What are you talking about?

[sjbdtz]

It can, and is, both.

 

They collect 18% and use that for both service charge (to the house) and gratuity (to the server). It is split in some fashion that none of us knows.

 

However, some report that NONE of the gratuity makes it to the server, which is a shame.

 

And calling it a "gratuity" at all would lead people to believe it is for the server and not the company. As I said, it is very careful wording.

 

I agree with what you said earlier, NCL should change the wording. Call it a beverage service charge and there is no longer any false pretense or ambiguity about what it is or where it is going.

 

 

Did I understand something I heard here before, that SINCE the UBP (and since nobody is signing slips anymore), the bartenders are on a higher salary-structure, generated from a combination of gratuities / salary (from the Service Charge side), much like the waiters / room stewards?

 

This is different from the former draw-against-commission structure they had when you paid for drinks.

 

 

It seems to me that the 18% service charge stands in lieu of gratuities, and to clarify that for MOST people, they refer to it as a gratuity/service charge.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

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[sjbdtz]

It would appear that NCL stiffs their crew. What are you talking about?

 

 

Which ear did you pull THAT out of?

 

 

:mad:

 

 

 

 

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[broberts]

Why should they divulge their business practices when they are in a competitive environment. Really, you are splitting hairs and saying the same thing over and over. It is really getting trollish. It is what it is.

 

When a company makes a claim ("gratuity / service charge") it seems more than reasonable to ask for details. I trust companies exactly as much as they trust me . . . not at all.

 

If a company feels that their business would loose competitive advantage by letting customers know how these fees are split between employees and profit, I would suggest they are in the wrong business. I would be beyond surprised if every other cruise line was not intimately aware of how these sorts of fees are split. No, it is much more likely that the company is withholding this information because if suspects customers might object to the details.

[monkeybone]

Which ear did you pull THAT out of?

 

 

:mad:

 

 

 

 

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Thats what this thread is about. I was replying to Abe.

 

What is it you are talking about? Get your FACTS straight!

 

Or are you posting just to POST again?

 

:p

Edited February 3, 2016 by monkeybone

[Casino Comp Chick]

Which ear did you pull THAT out of?

 

 

:mad:

 

 

 

 

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I know where I have heard it but that doesn't need to be published on a bulletin board or a website as you call it.

Edited February 3, 2016 by iimmie

[Casino Comp Chick]

I'm so happy you're here.

 

Yeah you would be

LWA