How do I calculate prepaid gratuities when booking a cruise?

[Jezo]

On the Norwegian site they don't show you the price of gratuities until after you book the cruise and submit payment.

 

How should I calculate this out to determine the true cost of a cruise? If it's a 10 day cruise would I count the 11th day which you get off the ship as one of the days? What's the price? Just price*# of people*days?

 

This is for a non suite/butler thing.

[KeithJenner]

It's based on the number of nights, so the final morning doesn't count.

 

Basically, it's 13.50 x number of nights x number of passengers.

[Kamloops50]

On the Norwegian site they don't show you the price of gratuities until after you book the cruise and submit payment.

 

How should I calculate this out to determine the true cost of a cruise? If it's a 10 day cruise would I count the 11th day which you get off the ship as one of the days? What's the price? Just price*# of people*days?

 

This is for a non suite/butler thing.

 

They don't count the day of disembarkation as a day . Embarkation is day 1 of a 10 day cruise.

[rvsullivan]

$135 per person for a 10 day cruise.

[computerworks]

The gratuities (tips) are handled with a Daily Service Charge (DSC) of $13.50 per person per day ($15.50 for a suite) for all guests 3 years old and older, added to your onboard account.

[Jezo]

Thanks.

[zqvol]

On the Norwegian site they don't show you the price of gratuities until after you book the cruise and submit payment.

 

How should I calculate this out to determine the true cost of a cruise? If it's a 10 day cruise would I count the 11th day which you get off the ship as one of the days? What's the price? Just price*# of people*days?

 

This is for a non suite/butler thing.

 

 

Number of nights x number of people x $13.50

[DevCruise]

On the Travel Choices screen, below the trip insurance section is the following:

 

Prepaid Service Charges

 

The convenience of pre-paying service charges allows you to plan your budget prior to your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board. A discretionary charge of $13.50 per person per day for all guests 3 years or older will automatically be added to your onboard account. Your service charges will total $189.00 for all guests, for your entire cruise.

 

You have to scroll past it to get to the Continue button that gets you to the payment page.

[cb at sea]

All tips are based on NIGHTS...not days. Multiply the per person rate by number of passengers in your party. Then multiply by number of NIGHTS!

 

The last "day" is to get you gone....you'll be booted off the ship before you know it!

[luckyinpa]

i'm a newbie doing research but i dont think there is such a thing as prepaid gratuities is there?

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#service-charge

 

on that page it says about the service charge

 

when i did a test booking i saw this option:

Prepaid Service Charges

The convenience of prepaying

service charges allows you to plan your

budget prior to your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board. A

discretionary charge of $15.50 per person per day for all guests 3 years or

older will automatically be added to your onboard account. Your service

charges will total $217.00 for all guests, for your entire cruise

 

the one thing i was confused about was if it's optional on the booking page, how is it mandatory according to the FAQ? well i guess its that you dont have to pay it during booking, you can pay it later? however per the above language, i'm still confused. it says it gives you additional freedom on board. inferring it doesnt have to be paid before sailing . so can someone straighten me out?

 

but there's also a section about gratuities

https://www.ncl.com/faq#tipping

 

Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships for service that is generally rendered to all Guests. While you should not feel obligated to offer a gratuity, all of our staff are encouraged to “go the extra mile,” so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities for exceptional or outstanding service if you care to offer them. Also, certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities

 

Additionally, there is an 18% gratuity and spa service charge added for all spa and salon services, as well as an 18% gratuity and beverage service charge added for all beverage purchases and an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining.

 

 

so while its splitting hairs, its not. theres mandatory service charge which i think must be paid before sailing and then there are gratuities.

 

i think the distinction is very important for those people like me which are new to all these charges :)

[KeithJenner]

i'm a newbie doing research but i dont think there is such a thing as prepaid gratuities is there?

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#service-charge

 

on that page it says about the service charge

 

when i did a test booking i saw this option:

Prepaid Service Charges

The convenience of prepaying

service charges allows you to plan your

budget prior to your cruise giving you additional freedom while on board. A

discretionary charge of $15.50 per person per day for all guests 3 years or

older will automatically be added to your onboard account. Your service

charges will total $217.00 for all guests, for your entire cruise

 

the one thing i was confused about was if it's optional on the booking page, how is it mandatory according to the FAQ? well i guess its that you dont have to pay it during booking, you can pay it later? however per the above language, i'm still confused. it says it gives you additional freedom on board. inferring it doesnt have to be paid before sailing . so can someone straighten me out?

 

but there's also a section about gratuities

https://www.ncl.com/faq#tipping

 

Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships for service that is generally rendered to all Guests. While you should not feel obligated to offer a gratuity, all of our staff are encouraged to “go the extra mile,” so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities for exceptional or outstanding service if you care to offer them. Also, certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities

 

Additionally, there is an 18% gratuity and spa service charge added for all spa and salon services, as well as an 18% gratuity and beverage service charge added for all beverage purchases and an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining.

 

 

so while its splitting hairs, its not. theres mandatory service charge which i think must be paid before sailing and then there are gratuities.

 

i think the distinction is very important for those people like me which are new to all these charges :)

 

The $13.50 charge is added to your onboard account, unless you choose to pay it beforehand (in which case it is usually added to your final payment of the cruise fare). Whether this charge is mandatory, or discretionary or something else is a matter which some people on here will be thrilled to argue about until you have lost all will to live, but it is apparently possible to fill in a form to get them refunded after the cruise if you have some issue. If you want any clarification on this process then there are lots of people here with well rehearsed arguments which they have only used 500 times so far this year and they will be only too willing to roll them out again for your education.

 

The 18% gratuity is added to most onboard spend (drinks, speciality restaurants, spa etc) and is totally different. As far as I am aware, this is mandatory.

 

Any tips on top of this are optional.

Edited February 22, 2016 by KeithJenner