First cruise and I have questions

[canadadreamer]

We are booked on the Escape in August on a 7 day cruise, and with the Canadian Dollar the exchange is adding up really fast, so trying to budget accordingly :).

Our booking included the premium drink package, and I am just wondering if every time we get a drink, do we get billed an automatic gratuity that is added onto the bill that we pay at the end of the cruise? If not how much do people tend to tip for drinks, your server at the restaurants, room service, house keeping staff ect?

 

 

Can anyone explain the disembarking process? I understand you have options, and what time do people leave the ship? Also, a silly question but do they have breakfast that morning? Just want to know what to expect.

[www3traveler]

I can answer part of your question if you did not pay the DSC (Daily Service Charge) in advance, are certain amount each day to cover tips to bartenders, waiters, housekeepers etc. Of course you a free to tip anything extra you wish to any one particular person.

 

Yes, breakfast is available in several locations on Disembarkation Day. You will be given a flyer to explain the disembarkation process. Basically you can leave the ship from the time it is cleared by the local officials until Last Call which is about 9:45 A.M. or so. There will be information toward the end of the cruise available by the Guest Service Desk to help you chose what is best for you. If you have booked a post cruise excursion or airport transfers from Norwegian, you will be given specific information as to what time to meet and where.

 

Sorry, I do not know how the drink packages work.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[KeithJenner]

The gratuity for your drinks is charged based on the value of the package. This is actually paid up front and you should do it on your confirmation documents.

 

The DSC doesn't cover bar staff as the gratuities that is supposed to cover them comes from the amount charged on the beverage packages or what is charged per drink for people who don't have the package.

 

Nobody who has the beverage package pays any gratuities per drink, as the gratuity is paid up front. Feel free to tip some extra in cash as you go along, but it isn't required or expected.

[roger001]

We are booked on the Escape in August on a 7 day cruise, and with the Canadian Dollar the exchange is adding up really fast, so trying to budget accordingly :).

Our booking included the premium drink package, and I am just wondering if every time we get a drink, do we get billed an automatic gratuity that is added onto the bill that we pay at the end of the cruise? If not how much do people tend to tip for drinks, your server at the restaurants, room service, house keeping staff ect?

 

 

Can anyone explain the disembarking process? I understand you have options, and what time do people leave the ship? Also, a silly question but do they have breakfast that morning? Just want to know what to expect.

 

As already mentioned, the drink package gratuities have already been billed to you. It is based on an average amount of drinking expected, I guess. And for any additional tipping, strictly up to you. No right or wrong....and none is expected. However, for us we do the following. For each time drinks are served us, I usually tip the bartender or server $1 (maybe $2). For cabin steward, at the end of the cruise I usually give a $40 tip. For restaurant sit down meals, I usually tip $5, occasionally $10 if two servers were actively involved. I give the dock porter who takes our checked luggage $5. I seldom use room service, and only the still free morning service if I do, but I usually tip that person $2. Again, just do as you feel you wish with tipping. Probably many more guests do tip something rather than those that don't, but a guest's country culture can have a lot to do with that. Just go cruise and relax and have FUN! Hope you do!

[canadadreamer]

As already mentioned, the drink package gratuities have already been billed to you. It is based on an average amount of drinking expected, I guess. And for any additional tipping, strictly up to you. No right or wrong....and none is expected. However, for us we do the following. For each time drinks are served us, I usually tip the bartender or server $1 (maybe $2). For cabin steward, at the end of the cruise I usually give a $40 tip. For restaurant sit down meals, I usually tip $5, occasionally $10 if two servers were actively involved. I give the dock porter who takes our checked luggage $5. I seldom use room service, and only the still free morning service if I do, but I usually tip that person $2. Again, just do as you feel you wish with tipping. Probably many more guests do tip something rather than those that don't, but a guest's country culture can have a lot to do with that. Just go cruise and relax and have FUN! Hope you do!

 

Good advice! I appreciate the suggestions. I think I am over thinking it all

[Mac4YYZ]

As already mentioned, the drink package gratuities have already been billed to you. It is based on an average amount of drinking expected, I guess. And for any additional tipping, strictly up to you. No right or wrong....and none is expected. However, for us we do the following. For each time drinks are served us, I usually tip the bartender or server $1 (maybe $2). For cabin steward, at the end of the cruise I usually give a $40 tip. For restaurant sit down meals, I usually tip $5, occasionally $10 if two servers were actively involved. I give the dock porter who takes our checked luggage $5. I seldom use room service, and only the still free morning service if I do, but I usually tip that person $2. Again, just do as you feel you wish with tipping. Probably many more guests do tip something rather than those that don't, but a guest's country culture can have a lot to do with that. Just go cruise and relax and have FUN! Hope you do!

If only all cruisers were as generous as you Roger. Bravo.

 

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[BirdTravels]

We are booked on the Escape in August on a 7 day cruise, and with the Canadian Dollar the exchange is adding up really fast, so trying to budget accordingly :).

You picked a beautiful ship for your first cruise! We have sailed on the Escape twice and would not hesitate to book her again.

 

Our booking included the premium drink package, and I am just wondering if every time we get a drink, do we get billed an automatic gratuity that is added onto the bill that we pay at the end of the cruise? If not how much do people tend to tip for drinks, your server at the restaurants, room service, house keeping staff ect?

The drinks package includes gratuity. Depending on where you booked the cruise, you are charged in advance or (like for UK and EU passengers, the gratuity is waived - not charged at all). In either case, you are NOT charged anything on the ship. If you have a favorite bartender, throw a dollar on the bar for each drink as an additional tip.

 

Can anyone explain the disembarking process? I understand you have options, and what time do people leave the ship? Also, a silly question but do they have breakfast that morning? Just want to know what to expect.

You can have the porters take you bags ashore (you leave them outside your cabin by midnight the last night of the cruise), or you carry them yourselves off the ship and down the gangway. If you want the porters to move your bags (we do it every cruise), you pick up a luggage tag at guest services starting the second the last day of the cruise. The color of the tag determines when the bag will be available in the baggage hall ashore. You pick the time (early or later). In all cases, you exit the ship, go down the gangway one last time, through the terminal, down into the baggage hall, and to US Customs. The lines move quickly, but there are 4200+ passengers all trying to get through customs.

NCL asks that you are out of your room by 8:00 and off the ship by 9:45. Breakfast will be served in the buffet and the main dining room (one last meal on NCL).

 

Have a wonderful cruise. Ask as many questions as you want.

[C-line]

I know you didn't ask this, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway.

 

If you booked in Canadian dollars you have an exchange rate that was set with NCL when you booked and this stays locked in until you sail. Keep an eye on the current exchange rate. When you get close to sailing if it seems the exchange rate is the same or worse for the Canadian dollar than what you have with NCL you might want to consider prepaying your daily service charge and buying some onboard credit. (I think there's a limit to the onboard credit you can purchase - $1000 per cabin maybe?) If the exchange rate has improved for the Canadian dollar don't prepay. Your bill at the end of the cruise will be charged to your Canadian credit card in USD. Of course you need to take into account any fee your credit card company may tack on for a charge in USD.

 

It's just something to keep in mind. We're sailing next weekend and I just prepaid our daily service charges because the exchange rate is slightly worse now than it was when we booked, and it's also nice not to have the charges on the onboard account every day. The change in the exchange rate wasn't enough to prompt us to purchase onboard credit though.

[Maddona]

Thanks for this information .i am also a first time cruiser from the UK. I didn't even consider exchange rates .do I check £ to dollars or euros? I'm booked on ncl European tour starting in Venice .thanks in advance

I know you didn't ask this, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway.

 

If you booked in Canadian dollars you have an exchange rate that was set with NCL when you booked and this stays locked in until you sail. Keep an eye on the current exchange rate. When you get close to sailing if it seems the exchange rate is the same or worse for the Canadian dollar than what you have with NCL you might want to consider prepaying your daily service charge and buying some onboard credit. (I think there's a limit to the onboard credit you can purchase - $1000 per cabin maybe?) If the exchange rate has improved for the Canadian dollar don't prepay. Your bill at the end of the cruise will be charged to your Canadian credit card in USD. Of course you need to take into account any fee your credit card company may tack on for a charge in USD.

 

It's just something to keep in mind. We're sailing next weekend and I just prepaid our daily service charges because the exchange rate is slightly worse now than it was when we booked, and it's also nice not to have the charges on the onboard account every day. The change in the exchange rate wasn't enough to prompt us to purchase onboard credit though.

[C-line]

Thanks for this information .i am also a first time cruiser from the UK. I didn't even consider exchange rates .do I check £ to dollars or euros? I'm booked on ncl European tour starting in Venice .thanks in advance

 

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question because we only have to deal with Canadian and US dollars. Hopefully someone will be able to chime in and help you out. :) Maybe even search for a previous post or start a new one because you'll reach a larger audience than in this thread.

[KeithJenner]

Thanks for this information .i am also a first time cruiser from the UK. I didn't even consider exchange rates .do I check £ to dollars or euros? I'm booked on ncl European tour starting in Venice .thanks in advance

 

 

 

The benefit here depend when you booked. As stated, the exchange rate is set when you booked, so it's only a big benefit for us if you booked before the pound rate collapsed last year.

 

Log into myncl and go to the section where you can purchase gifts. Look for on board credit and see what they are charging you for, say, $10. Divide one by the other to get the exchange rate.

 

That will be the rate that you will pay if you buy anything online prior to the cruise. So, if it is a good rate then consider prebooking anything that you know you are going to buy (beverage packages, dining packages, shore excursions, internet etc). Alternatively, buy the OBC to cover your purchases onboard.

 

If you booked recently then it probably isn't worth it (except for the dining plan which is $10 cheaper online anyway).

 

One thing that is always worth it is prepaying your gratuities (DSC), assuming you aren't planning on adjusting them. If you prepay then it's at a fixed rate of £8.50 which is an excellent rate.

 

There is nothing you can do here about Euros you may want I'm afraid. It is just putting dollars on your shipboard account.

[C-line]

Log into myncl and go to the section where you can purchase gifts. Look for on board credit and see what they are charging you for, say, $10. Divide one by the other to get the exchange rate.

 

I forgot to explain this key piece of information. Thanks Keith!

[Maddona]

Thanks so much ,i understand this now and will check..

The benefit here depend when you booked. As stated, the exchange rate is set when you booked, so it's only a big benefit for us if you booked before the pound rate collapsed last year.

 

Log into myncl and go to the section where you can purchase gifts. Look for on board credit and see what they are charging you for, say, $10. Divide one by the other to get the exchange rate.

 

That will be the rate that you will pay if you buy anything online prior to the cruise. So, if it is a good rate then consider prebooking anything that you know you are going to buy (beverage packages, dining packages, shore excursions, internet etc). Alternatively, buy the OBC to cover your purchases onboard.

 

If you booked recently then it probably isn't worth it (except for the dining plan which is $10 cheaper online anyway).

 

One thing that is always worth it is prepaying your gratuities (DSC), assuming you aren't planning on adjusting them. If you prepay then it's at a fixed rate of £8.50 which is an excellent rate.

 

There is nothing you can do here about Euros you may want I'm afraid. It is just putting dollars on your shipboard account.

[canadadreamer]

Again thanks so much!! Honestly, these boards offer such valuable advice.