Gratuities

[LMaxwell]

Again, removing DSC does not affect staff pay.

 

I got this straight from recent and current employees of NCL and other similar lines.

 

They are given a FIXED salary and a FIXED "gratuity" on top of that, and neither fluctuate based upon DSC collected or removed.

 

This is not my OPINION, but rather a carefully researched FACT.

 

Crew now receive higher pay than before the DSC because the cruise line added the FIXED "tip" pay on top of their salary.

 

The cruise line calls the DSC "gratuities" because they are reimbursing themselves for what they pay the crew, some of which is (arbitrarily) marked as "tips" when the crew is paid.

 

However, if NCL collects less DSC than expected (non-full ship, cruisers removing DSC charge), the crew gets the same pay as if the ship were full with no one removing the DSC.

 

Why doesn't NCL just lump the DSC into the base fare, and therefore make the whole thing non-removable?

 

Because then their base fare would appear higher than that of other lines, and would put them at a competitive disadvantage.

 

Due to the fact that the DSC structure is in place, you are not expected to tip the crew. (This is because they raised crew pay in lieu of tips.) However, if any particular crew member gives you great service, you might want to give him/her a CASH tip, as they are otherwise not being tipped by you.

 

Similarly, if you REMOVE the DSC, and then pay out the equivalent amount to the crew in cash tips, the crew has gained from this, as those tipped have extra money, and nobody (except NCL) is out money from your DSC removal.

 

From what I have learned this is accurate information.

[easyboy]

I give tips only to our cabin stewards. I just want to.

[pokerpro5]

So ----- Who are we supposed to believe????

 

The crew members and their parents whose posts are quoted could very well be some of NCL management posting in order to distort the facts. They would have a reason to do this if they chose.

 

The information obtained by the other side of the argument makes more sense, because they have nothing to gain or lose by saying they are not affected by removal of the DSC.

 

Logic tells me that NCL management had an agenda when they took total control of the DSC funds and wrested control from the ships crew and officers. The only place this didn't happen is in the parts of the world where laws and rules prohibit them from doing it.

 

They are controlling a rather large sum of money, and by holding it for a few months and delaying distribution and/or refunds, they gain the interest and whatever increases occur during the "float period".

 

This, plus the fact that NCL raised the DSC twice in a 4-month period last year.

 

Does anyone really believe they did this just to get the crew paid more?

 

These are workers from third world countries who are thrilled to have the jobs in the first place. Do you think NCL gave them TWO raises in a 4-month period? Would these workers have quit en masse if there was only ONE raise in a 4-month period (or none at all?)

 

Come on... get real, people.

 

And then there's all the "gratuities" added to things like the UBP and specialty dining -- again 18% each.

 

Was this also done to keep the crew from walking off the job en masse?

 

Generous man, this Del Rio!

 

Seriously, folks. The destination of the DSC should be obvious at this point (NCL's coffers), even if you didn't have my direct report from present and former crew members regarding the situation.

 

Again, this is NOT just specific to NCL. Other lines with a DSC-like charge do the exact same thing.

[SteveH2508]

I would be VERY interested to hear how the cheerleaders spin the double DSC raise. I don't spot FDR as the type who would give two above inflation increases to his staff in less than 6 months. Two extra additions to his bottom line however...

[fshagan]

From what I have learned this is accurate information.

 

Yeah, I also agree in principle, but don't know about the specifics. I think that removing the DSC would result in lower compensation for the crews overall in the future when the next union contract is negotiated with their home countries. So I think it will affect their future compensation ... be it paycheck, benefits, or on board amenities.

 

Someone said they saw a list of tip-deniers on one cruise and it was about 20 cabins. I'm not sure which ship, but even a Jewel class ship has what, just over 1,000 cabins? That would be less than 2% tip-deniers and 98% who left the DSC in place. So the individual person who removes DSC isn't going to have much effect in the short term.

 

If you look on Glassdoor.com, room stewards, assistant room stewards, waiters, and bartenders are all self reporting the same amount of compensation. The cruise lines are all very similar in this worker-reported compensation. Cruise lines have two areas they have to be competitive in, fares for cruising passengers and compensation for qualified workers.

[pokerpro5]

Yeah, I also agree in principle, but don't know about the specifics. I think that removing the DSC would result in lower compensation for the crews overall in the future when the next union contract is negotiated with their home countries. So I think it will affect their future compensation ... be it paycheck, benefits, or on board amenities.

 

Someone said they saw a list of tip-deniers on one cruise and it was about 20 cabins. I'm not sure which ship, but even a Jewel class ship has what, just over 1,000 cabins? That would be less than 2% tip-deniers and 98% who left the DSC in place. So the individual person who removes DSC isn't going to have much effect in the short term.

 

If you look on Glassdoor.com, room stewards, assistant room stewards, waiters, and bartenders are all self reporting the same amount of compensation. The cruise lines are all very similar in this worker-reported compensation. Cruise lines have two areas they have to be competitive in, fares for cruising passengers and compensation for qualified workers.

 

They couldn't even manage to accurately lower staff pay due to the new way of removing DSC (started last year). Remember, DSC does not get removed until the passenger gets home and mails in a form, of which they have several weeks to do so. So it's not like NCL knows when the cruise is over how much DSC has been removed. Many people who get the form never up mailing it in. (For example, I acquired the form and never mailed it in.)

 

So how are they docking crew pay many weeks after the fact? What if some of that crew has quit? What if there is new crew which wasn't on the cruise where the DSC was removed?

 

See all the issues?

 

Besides, there's no better way to kill morale than to dock pay of an entire ship's crew where no individual (or even whole department) has the power to correct it.

 

"Great job, everyone! Except we had a higher percentage of frugal passengers who removed the DSC, so you get paid less this month!"

 

Yeah right.

 

Look, NCL even admits on its own webpage that the DSC "supports programs" related to crew, rather than being a pool of money divvied up as pay or tips.

 

NCL is very aware that they lose a small percentage of charged DSC every cruise due to the refund requests, but that's just a (very small) cost of doing business.

 

Overall, the DSC is a great thing for NCL's bottom line, as compared to tips.

 

Pre-DSC, NCL got NONE of the tips handed out by passengers to crew.

 

Post-DSC, NCL gets a very large chunk of the DSC for itself, minus the fixed amount they give to crew as "tips" each month.

 

They've also done a great job at making everyone believe that removing DSC = taking money out of the pockets of low-paid workers.

 

In reality, DSC removal does not affect crew pay. Not a bit. NCL already makes a killing on the DSC situation, and losing a small percentage to DSC refunds doesn't matter.

 

As I have stated many times, I never remove the DSC myself. But I also like truthfulness and transparency, so I am providing that, and letting each cruiser make an informed decision.

Edited September 5, 2016 by pokerpro5

[Sissaaaaaa]

Really? So you go and tip the people that do your laundry?

 

I've been cruising for 32 years, and "tipping the people who do laundry" just became a "thing" when cruise lines started adding the DSC to on-board accounts. They are paid a salary. There is no need to tip the laundry personnel :rolleyes:

[luddite]

They couldn't even manage to accurately lower staff pay due to the new way of removing DSC (started last year). Remember, DSC does not get removed until the passenger gets home and mails in a form, of which they have several weeks to do so. So it's not like NCL knows when the cruise is over how much DSC has been removed. Many people who get the form never up mailing it in. (For example, I acquired the form and never mailed it in.)

 

So how are they docking crew pay many weeks after the fact? What if some of that crew has quit? What if there is new crew which wasn't on the cruise where the DSC was removed?

 

See all the issues?

 

Besides, there's no better way to kill morale than to dock pay of an entire ship's crew where no individual (or even whole department) has the power to correct it.

 

"Great job, everyone! Except we had a higher percentage of frugal passengers who removed the DSC, so you get paid less this month!"

 

Yeah right.

 

Look, NCL even admits on its own webpage that the DSC "supports programs" related to crew, rather than being a pool of money divvied up as pay or tips.

 

NCL is very aware that they lose a small percentage of charged DSC every cruise due to the refund requests, but that's just a (very small) cost of doing business.

 

Overall, the DSC is a great thing for NCL's bottom line, as compared to tips.

 

Pre-DSC, NCL got NONE of the tips handed out by passengers to crew.

 

Post-DSC, NCL gets a very large chunk of the DSC for itself, minus the fixed amount they give to crew as "tips" each month.

 

They've also done a great job at making everyone believe that removing DSC = taking money out of the pockets of low-paid workers.

 

In reality, DSC removal does not affect crew pay. Not a bit. NCL already makes a killing on the DSC situation, and losing a small percentage to DSC refunds doesn't matter.

 

As I have stated many times, I never remove the DSC myself. But I also like truthfulness and transparency, so I am providing that, and letting each cruiser make an informed decision.

 

You continually carp about the 'DSC'.

There is no such thing.

[suesings]

I'm not sure what you're asking.

 

No, I can't do that, because I have no access to these people.

 

However, you understand that removing DSC doesn't take away from the laundry people (or anyone else besides NCL), right?

 

I also don't always leave cash tips to the crew, anyway. If they just do an okay job, I don't give them anything extra.

 

I also have never removed the DSC.

 

I'm just giving you guys the facts about it.

 

I'm glad to see that some people are starting to come around to believe this.

 

The DSC is one of the biggest lies in the cruise industry, and it's a common lie across all major lines.

 

Go on social media and make friends with some crew, and you will learn what I've learned.

 

So you are saying that NCL did not take into account the DSC when deciding on employees salaries? In the old days, the employees made very low salaries and then we gave them envelopes at the end (except for the lowlife tacky people who would not go to dinner on the last night but used all the services of the waiters, bus boys, etc. the first 6 nights).

 

So you are saying that NCL just raised all the salaries to a living wage for everyone just out of the kindness of their hearts? I assumed everyone got a raise because NCL changed to DSC to ensure the tacky people that stiffed people couldn't actually do it anymore. It must have been horrible in the old days for the workers who got stiffed and made tiny salaries.

[suesings]

It has always been customary to tip the hotel maids; when I first started traveling it was $1 a day and now it is from $2 to $10 per day, depending on the services and type of hotel. Many hotels include a card from the housekeeper with his or her name on it to remind you.

 

People who don't know this will act like they have never heard of such a thing, but it is the custom and, among my peers, always done. I'm actually a bit shocked to hear people don't tip housekeeping in a hotel.

 

Sadly, there are people who stiff everyone.

[mianmike]

They couldn't even manage to accurately lower staff pay due to the new way of removing DSC (started last year). Remember, DSC does not get removed until the passenger gets home and mails in a form, of which they have several weeks to do so. So it's not like NCL knows when the cruise is over how much DSC has been removed. Many people who get the form never up mailing it in. (For example, I acquired the form and never mailed it in.)

 

So how are they docking crew pay many weeks after the fact? What if some of that crew has quit? What if there is new crew which wasn't on the cruise where the DSC was removed?

 

See all the issues?

 

Besides, there's no better way to kill morale than to dock pay of an entire ship's crew where no individual (or even whole department) has the power to correct it.

 

"Great job, everyone! Except we had a higher percentage of frugal passengers who removed the DSC, so you get paid less this month!"

 

Yeah right.

 

Look, NCL even admits on its own webpage that the DSC "supports programs" related to crew, rather than being a pool of money divvied up as pay or tips.

 

NCL is very aware that they lose a small percentage of charged DSC every cruise due to the refund requests, but that's just a (very small) cost of doing business.

 

Overall, the DSC is a great thing for NCL's bottom line, as compared to tips.

 

Pre-DSC, NCL got NONE of the tips handed out by passengers to crew.

 

Post-DSC, NCL gets a very large chunk of the DSC for itself, minus the fixed amount they give to crew as "tips" each month.

 

They've also done a great job at making everyone believe that removing DSC = taking money out of the pockets of low-paid workers.

 

In reality, DSC removal does not affect crew pay. Not a bit. NCL already makes a killing on the DSC situation, and losing a small percentage to DSC refunds doesn't matter.

 

As I have stated many times, I never remove the DSC myself. But I also like truthfulness and transparency, so I am providing that, and letting each cruiser make an informed decision.

 

You are exactly right. NCL has stated the DSC supports their employee incentive programs, but it's complicated and they aren't going to give specifics as to where the money goes.

 

In 2004 when NCL implemented the mandatory DSC on Pride of Aloha, then NCL CEO Colin Veitch was interviewed for a Chicago Tribune article. Here is an excerpt:

 

"But when I asked Veitch what NCL's service charge on Pride of Aloha went to, he said, "I can't discuss it on that basis. How we use the service charge is a complex pattern that I'm not going to get into detail on."

 

If all passengers have to pay the charge, why isn't it wrapped into the Pride of Aloha's fare?

 

"No one else is doing that, and it will make our pricing uncompetitive," Veitch said.

 

In other words, if we knew what the cruise really cost, we might defect to Norwegian's competitors, which don't make gratuities compulsory. At least not yet."

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-08-15/travel/0408150032_1_automatic-gratuity-tipping-aloha

 

Translation: We use the DSC for anything we want and as a way to hide the actual cost of a cruise.

[pokerpro5]

So you are saying that NCL did not take into account the DSC when deciding on employees salaries? In the old days, the employees made very low salaries and then we gave them envelopes at the end (except for the lowlife tacky people who would not go to dinner on the last night but used all the services of the waiters, bus boys, etc. the first 6 nights).

 

So you are saying that NCL just raised all the salaries to a living wage for everyone just out of the kindness of their hearts? I assumed everyone got a raise because NCL changed to DSC to ensure the tacky people that stiffed people couldn't actually do it anymore. It must have been horrible in the old days for the workers who got stiffed and made tiny salaries.

 

Who is talking about a living wage?

 

"Living wage" is a first-world concept. In third-world countries, a living wage is any amount of money where you and your family can actually stay alive.

 

NCL did not implement the DSC out of any kind of generosity.

 

They implemented the DSC so they could put their hands in the tip till. Secondarily, the DSC also accomplished the objective of removing the immense financial incentives to get certain often-tipped positions on the ship. While some employees still receive cash tips, it's much less pronounced than it was before, and there's a smaller difference between the crew "haves" and "have nots" simply based upon their exposure to cruisers.

 

What do I mean by "their hands in the tip till"? NCL does not distribute all of the DSC to the "tips" portion of the employee paychecks. They keep a healthy portion for themselves, as reimbursement to the company for various expenses incurred on behalf of employees (health care, room and board, team buiding, etc). These expenses are now subsidized by the DSC, whereas before NCL was paying them 100% as part of their operational expenses.

 

It's all a big shell game.

 

The simplest way to think about it is that NCL has already established the amount each crew member will receive in "tips", and your DSC is simply to reimburse NCL for that amount, while also giving NCL plenty on top of that to cover other operational costs.

 

If you were eating at a restaurant, and the owner came up to you and said, "Hey, you know the tip you were going to leave the waiter? Don't do that. Give it directly to me, and I'm going to put it in my pocket. But don't worry about the waiter. I already gave him a little extra on his paycheck and called it a tip, and I'm going to give that same amount every week no matter what happens. In return, I'm just taking all of his tips. So anyway, just hand that cash to me right now and we'll be good."

 

You'd be outraged and never come back there.

 

And I bet you wouldn't leave any tip at that point, knowing the owner was going to pocket all of it (and that refusing to "tip" the owner wouldn't take any money out of the waiter's check!)

 

But that's what the DSC is.

 

This is an industry-wide practice, and not just NCL. As much as people like to hate on NCL here, the truth is that most cruise lines do this exact same thing.

 

It's a big shell game.

Edited September 6, 2016 by pokerpro5

[S.S.Oceanlover]

You continually carp about the 'DSC'.

There is no such thing.

 

and you continually carpthat there is no such thing but always fail to enlighten us as to why you say there is no such thing.

 

Bill

[Sissaaaaaa]

Who is talking about a living wage?

 

"Living wage" is a first-world concept. In third-world countries, a living wage is any amount of money where you and your family can actually stay alive.

 

NCL did not implement the DSC out of any kind of generosity.

 

They implemented the DSC so they could put their hands in the tip till. Secondarily, the DSC also accomplished the objective of removing the immense financial incentives to get certain often-tipped positions on the ship. While some employees still receive cash tips, it's much less pronounced than it was before, and there's a smaller difference between the crew "haves" and "have nots" simply based upon their exposure to cruisers.

 

What do I mean by "their hands in the tip till"? NCL does not distribute all of the DSC to the "tips" portion of the employee paychecks. They keep a healthy portion for themselves, as reimbursement to the company for various expenses incurred on behalf of employees (health care, room and board, team buiding, etc). These expenses are now subsidized by the DSC, whereas before NCL was paying them 100% as part of their operational expenses.

 

It's all a big shell game.

 

The simplest way to think about it is that NCL has already established the amount each crew member will receive in "tips", and your DSC is simply to reimburse NCL for that amount, while also giving NCL plenty on top of that to cover other operational costs.

 

If you were eating at a restaurant, and the owner came up to you and said, "Hey, you know the tip you were going to leave the waiter? Don't do that. Give it directly to me, and I'm going to put it in my pocket. But don't worry about the waiter. I already gave him a little extra on his paycheck and called it a tip, and I'm going to give that same amount every week no matter what happens. In return, I'm just taking all of his tips. So anyway, just hand that cash to me right now and we'll be good."

 

You'd be outraged and never come back there.

 

And I bet you wouldn't leave any tip at that point, knowing the owner was going to pocket all of it (and that refusing to "tip" the owner wouldn't take any money out of the waiter's check!)

 

But that's what the DSC is.

 

This is an industry-wide practice, and not just NCL. As much as people like to hate on NCL here, the truth is that most cruise lines do this exact same thing.

 

It's a big shell game.

 

I never used to agree with you on this, but I do now. You make perfect sense, and I was definitely one of the naïve ones thinking the money went to the crew.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Sissaaaaaa

[Justaddvodka68]

You can remove them and pay cash as you go along. That's what I did since I had already paid the gratuity in my 7 night specialty dinner package and didn't want to double tip. I just used cash for breakfast and lunch and the room steward. I found the cash was well received and service was better then previously when I didn't use cash.

 

This is likely because your steward and other people you tipped in cash didn't know you removed the standard gratuity, so they thought you were generous, rather than a cheap cruiser.

 

You're only paying 18% on the dining package for the added cost/value of your diner and dining experience. I know it's been hashed out here over and over again, but it's not double tipping.

 

Would you tip the same $5.40 for a $30 dinner for two at Denny's as you would a $75 meal at a nice establishment?

[luddite]

and you continually carpthat there is no such thing but always fail to enlighten us as to why you say there is no such thing.

 

Bill

 

Because there is a Service Charge. Note that there is no 'D' in Service Charge.

[NLH Arizona]

This is likely because your steward and other people you tipped in cash didn't know you removed the standard gratuity, so they thought you were generous, rather than a cheap cruiser.

 

You're only paying 18% on the dining package for the added cost/value of your diner and dining experience. I know it's been hashed out here over and over again, but it's not double tipping.

 

Would you tip the same $5.40 for a $30 dinner for two at Denny's as you would a $75 meal at a nice establishment?

Those that tip cash are just trying to save money by not paying the DSC and who knows if they really tip in cash. They can also post all the drivel about the DSC not going to the employees and being told that by current employees. If one really thinks about it, who between the current crew who says they don't get the DSC and those that say they do, benefits the most by their comments. Oh let's see, it is the few that say they don't get it, because they know how naive some are and they will tip them in cash. But if they want to believe what they are told, that is up to them, but their opinion is nowhere near the facts, no matter how many times they try to tell everyone that they are....they are just opinions.

[Justaddvodka68]

Again, removing DSC does not affect staff pay.

 

I got this straight from recent and current employees of NCL and other similar lines.

 

They are given a FIXED salary and a FIXED "gratuity" on top of that, and neither fluctuate based upon DSC collected or removed.

 

This is not my OPINION, but rather a carefully researched FACT.

 

Crew now receive higher pay than before the DSC because the cruise line added the FIXED "tip" pay on top of their salary.

 

This may be true of the cleaning, stewards, etc. But it's not true of the waitstaff.

 

I have become friends with a bartender from NCL and he states emphatically that tips are pooled, including the cash tips amongst the bar staff (and wait staff/casino dealers separately) and they are distributed monthly. Some months are much better than others, their gratuities are not a fixed amount.

 

I asked because he got moved from a much busier bar to a slower bar and I was wondering how that would affect his income/tips. He said it doesn't much matter which bar you work or how busy that bar is, because it's all pooled and distributed via a points system depending on the number of shifts you pulled during the month. (as staff comes on and off weekly.)

 

THey like it best when the ship is very full and when there are good cash tippers to boost the pot!

[suesings]

Who is talking about a living wage?

 

"Living wage" is a first-world concept. In third-world countries, a living wage is any amount of money where you and your family can actually stay alive.

 

NCL did not implement the DSC out of any kind of generosity.

 

They implemented the DSC so they could put their hands in the tip till. Secondarily, the DSC also accomplished the objective of removing the immense financial incentives to get certain often-tipped positions on the ship. While some employees still receive cash tips, it's much less pronounced than it was before, and there's a smaller difference between the crew "haves" and "have nots" simply based upon their exposure to cruisers.

 

What do I mean by "their hands in the tip till"? NCL does not distribute all of the DSC to the "tips" portion of the employee paychecks. They keep a healthy portion for themselves, as reimbursement to the company for various expenses incurred on behalf of employees (health care, room and board, team buiding, etc). These expenses are now subsidized by the DSC, whereas before NCL was paying them 100% as part of their operational expenses.

 

It's all a big shell game.

 

The simplest way to think about it is that NCL has already established the amount each crew member will receive in "tips", and your DSC is simply to reimburse NCL for that amount, while also giving NCL plenty on top of that to cover other operational costs.

 

If you were eating at a restaurant, and the owner came up to you and said, "Hey, you know the tip you were going to leave the waiter? Don't do that. Give it directly to me, and I'm going to put it in my pocket. But don't worry about the waiter. I already gave him a little extra on his paycheck and called it a tip, and I'm going to give that same amount every week no matter what happens. In return, I'm just taking all of his tips. So anyway, just hand that cash to me right now and we'll be good."

 

You'd be outraged and never come back there.

 

And I bet you wouldn't leave any tip at that point, knowing the owner was going to pocket all of it (and that refusing to "tip" the owner wouldn't take any money out of the waiter's check!)

 

But that's what the DSC is.

 

This is an industry-wide practice, and not just NCL. As much as people like to hate on NCL here, the truth is that most cruise lines do this exact same thing.

 

It's a big shell game.

 

So the DSC was indeed calculated into the crews salaries when they switched from regular tips to DSC. Just as I thought. NCL took into account crew salaries, healthcare, team building, room and board, etc. when they calculated the amount of the DSC. So there is no way that people who take the DSC back after the cruise won't eventually affect the crew salaries. It is ridiculous to think that any company doesn't look at what money is coming in when setting the budgets.

[pokerpro5]

This may be true of the cleaning, stewards, etc. But it's not true of the waitstaff.

 

I have become friends with a bartender from NCL and he states emphatically that tips are pooled, including the cash tips amongst the bar staff (and wait staff/casino dealers separately) and they are distributed monthly. Some months are much better than others, their gratuities are not a fixed amount.

 

I asked because he got moved from a much busier bar to a slower bar and I was wondering how that would affect his income/tips. He said it doesn't much matter which bar you work or how busy that bar is, because it's all pooled and distributed via a points system depending on the number of shifts you pulled during the month. (as staff comes on and off weekly.)

 

THey like it best when the ship is very full and when there are good cash tippers to boost the pot!

 

You're correct about the cash tips.

 

You are not correct about all "wait staff".

 

For example, the waiters and waitresses in the specialty restaurants do NOT share your 18% "tips" that you are forced to pay there. Like the DSC, that goes to NCL, and they are given a (small) fixed amount of tips.

 

However, any non-standard tips (cash tips, extra tips left for restaurant servers beyond the forced 18%, etc) ARE indeed pooled and distributed in full.

 

So if you leave another $10 to your server at the specialty restaurant, he won't get it directly (unless you give it to him in actual cash), but the full $10 will be split among all servers, and NCL will not take any pieces of it.

 

Same thing at the bar. If you leave any additional tips above the forced 18%, that will again be split among all the bartenders, and NCL will not take their cut.

 

This is why the bartenders sometimes "encourage" people to leave an extra cash tip, with a sob story of, "We don't get any of that 18%". The sob story is technically true, but the bartenders end up doing quite well anyway (especially by the standards of their home country, where just about all of the money is going), so you shouldn't feel obligated to cash-tip them. As already noted by other posters here, bartenders on NCL report on glassdoor dot com that they make decent money.

 

Also, it's against NCL policy for bartenders to tip-hustle, so if you feel pressured by one to leave cash tips, by all means report him to the food and beverage manager, even anonymously.

 

If you really like your bartender and want to give him something extra, I suggest just slipping him some actual cash in hand. But keep in mind that these are some of the best paid positions on the ship (because of the fact that so many people cash tip anyway), so don't feel obligated.

[esm54687]

This may be true of the cleaning, stewards, etc. But it's not true of the waitstaff.

 

I have become friends with a bartender from NCL and he states emphatically that tips are pooled, including the cash tips amongst the bar staff (and wait staff/casino dealers separately) and they are distributed monthly. Some months are much better than others, their gratuities are not a fixed amount.

 

I asked because he got moved from a much busier bar to a slower bar and I was wondering how that would affect his income/tips. He said it doesn't much matter which bar you work or how busy that bar is, because it's all pooled and distributed via a points system depending on the number of shifts you pulled during the month. (as staff comes on and off weekly.)

 

They like it best when the ship is very full and when there are good cash tippers to boost the pot!

 

You are mixing two groups of people..... waitstaff in the complimentary restaurants are part of the DSC

 

The reason the following tips are not "fixed" is because it's driven by passenger activity:

- Barstaff are part of the 18% gratuity paid per drink or UBP

- Waitstaff in the Specialty Restaurants are part of the 18% gratuity ala carte or SDP charge

- Casino dealers pool their tips much like land-based casinos

 

I could be way off but this is how it was explained to me by staff on board.... now, you could argue how much of the 18% or casino tips are kept by NCL and how much is really passed along.

Edited September 6, 2016 by esm54687

[pokerpro5]

So the DSC was indeed calculated into the crews salaries when they switched from regular tips to DSC. Just as I thought. NCL took into account crew salaries, healthcare, team building, room and board, etc. when they calculated the amount of the DSC. So there is no way that people who take the DSC back after the cruise won't eventually affect the crew salaries. It is ridiculous to think that any company doesn't look at what money is coming in when setting the budgets.

 

You're thinking about this one too hard, inventing nonexistent processes in your head, and coming to an incorrect conclusion.

 

NCL has already figured the DSC removers into their calculations. As only a small percentage of people remove the DSC (especially since it can no longer be done onboard), the effect on NCL's bottom line is negligible. Therefore, they do not dock crew pay when DSC removals occur. DSC removals are considered part of the (small) cost of doing business.

 

Previously, NCL was forced to pay for ALL crew expenses (health care, room and board, salary, team building, etc) from their operational budget. The DSC has now allowed them to put a dent in that, and therefore keep more of their operational budget for other things.

 

In short, NCL and other cruise lines are THRILLED with the way the DSC works, and most passengers (myself included, at first) are naive enough to believe that it's a fair and equitable system to compensate all crew properly.

 

But the reality is that NCL is keeping most of it for themselves, as are most other major cruise lines.

 

I do not remove the DSC because I simply consider it to be part of the cruise fare, which is what it really is.

 

When I sign up to take an NCL cruise, I know the cost, and I agree to that cost. The DSC is part of that cost, and I'm not going to try to worm out of paying it just because I technically can.

 

However, at the same time, I know that the DSC is not affecting tips, and I am not tipping any crew by paying it.

 

Some posters here believe I am posting what I am about the DSC because I am simply a cheapskate who is justifying removing it.

 

However, as I do NOT remove it, I am not gaining anything by taking this (correct) position on here.

 

I am a believer in transparency and honesty in business transactions. I am providing that transparency.

[pokerpro5]

You are mixing two groups of people..... waitstaff in the complimentary restaurants are part of the DSC

 

The reason the following tips are not "fixed" is because it's driven by passenger activity:

- Barstaff are part of the 18% gratuity paid per drink or UBP

- Waitstaff in the Specialty Restaurants are part of the 18% gratuity ala carte or SDP charge

- Casino dealers pool their tips much like land-based casinos

 

I could be way off but this is how it was explained to me by staff on board.

 

You're close. As I explained in my other post, the 18% SDP and UBP charges are again siphoned by NCL in the same fashion the DSC is.

 

However, all additional tips (casino tips, bar cash tips, additional server tips) are pooled and distributed in full to the service employees in that department.

[pcakes122]

If I was working on a ship, I would MUCH rather have a dedicated, regular tip amount added to my salary vs. relying on the generosity of passengers (some of who are from non-tipping cultures.) So, I wouldn't be surprise if cruise unions fought for this new arrangement.

 

Also, just some info on salaries. Below is a link to the International Transport Federation (ITF) Seafarers site which lists minimum wage for cruise positions:

 

http://www.itfseafarers.org/what_wages.cfm

 

You will note that with base pay, compensated time-off and OT pay for the normal required OT, that the MINIMUM steward's monthly salary in 2016 is $919.

 

As someone pointed out, most stewards on NCL are Filipinos. So, the minimum steward's salary translates to about $512K PHP per year (without tips). As a point of reference, 2016 average median salaries in the Philippines for the following professions are:

 

Registered Nurse - 174K PHP

Civil Engineer - 236K PHP

Software Engineer - 409K PHP

Accountant - 267K PHP

 

And folks working on a ship do not have living expenses. Not every steward is married and supporting 10 children at home.

 

My point is that folks continue to argue in favor of adding extra cash tips to benefit the poor and abused and I just want to highlight that they are not so poor - and that they have unions and federations watching over them and setting guidelines to ensure fair wages and practices. It's not all up to "evil" NCL!

 

So, tip cash if you want - or don't. But please don't delude yourself into believing you are saving the world with your extra $20 - or that those who don't tip in cash are rude, inconsiderate or selfish. Live and let live, people.

[NLH Arizona]

This may be true of the cleaning, stewards, etc. But it's not true of the waitstaff.

 

Not true for Cabin Stewards or Servers either.