Norwegian cruises gratuity increase ?

[Justaddvodka68]

I saw large increase on the Sky. The only reason I can think of, is because the drinks are free. I'm glad to see that those poor bartenders are going to get an extra $5 from every passenger that boards the ship. :rolleyes:

 

I'm friendly with one of the bartenders and he told me that every bartender wants the Sky because the salary is fixed and higher than other ships and not tip dependant. Cash tips are still kept by the staff, but because drinks are included, NCL pays bartenders more on the Sky.

[KeithJenner]

the faq still has the old $13.50 price, no mention of $13.99

 

It has all the new prices when I look at it.

[ColinIllinois]

It has all the new prices when I look at it.

 

 

Keith, are you looking at the US or UK site? I still show the old information.

[NLH Arizona]

Keith, are you looking at the US or UK site? I still show the old information.

US site has the new costs:

 

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

[KeithJenner]

Keith, are you looking at the US or UK site? I still show the old information.

 

I'm automatically taken to the UK pages, but the link provided earlier is to a US page and that apparently has the new details. Others in the US seem to be seeing it as well.

[shof515]

It has all the new prices when I look at it.

I had to use a different PC for the FAQ page to update. the other PC still has the old information. Screenshot:

[rbell]

NCL have said nothing. Even an employee of the TA concerned has not heard the news. Check the date folks. Is this just another employee at thecsameTA having an early joke?

 

here is a link to ncl http://www.ncl.com/faq#service-charge :rolleyes:

[KeithJenner]

To try to answer some of the inevitable questions, based on previous increases.

 

This doesn't mean that you have to pay the service charge now for a cruise a long way in the future.

 

As stated above, with previous increases you have been grandfathered into the old rate even if you prepay after the price increase, so if that is the case this time, you could call in September to prepay them for your October cruise at the old rate.

 

However, we don't know for sure whether that will be the case this time (although I suspect it will). Prepaying the service charge usually means that it is just added to your final bill, so is paid with final payment. This is what happens if you say that you want to prepay them when you book, and there is an example above where it has happened for someone who has added them today.

 

Some people report being asked for payment straight away. I've never encountered that, but suspect it may happen if you do it online rather than phoning. If your cruise is some way away, don't give payment details when trying to prepay. Phone up and request that it is added to final payment. That is classed as prepaying them and you will get the old rate.

[Regguy]

I just wish NCL would add the service charge to the cost per night of the room and be honest about the amount the trip costs. Of course I feel the same about resort fees and baggage fees. Just give me a price for a product I can easily compare across competitors, would ya.

 

 

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Yeah, it's a disturbing trend, although baggage fees are a bit different give that it is somewhat closer to an optional service. But it's clearly done precisely to be confusing -- or at least to attempt to get to the top of aggregated price searching tools and to be able to market certain price points. "$699" is much easier to market than "and don't forget to add $392 for a family of four!" The dance that the lines have to go through to make it possible to do without committing consumer fraud -- claiming the fee is "discretionary" but making it as hard as possible to truly avoid -- is also a bit of a charade.

 

One thing that's kind of interesting is what would happen if the revenue the lines are pricing into dsc were priced into the cruises themselves. It would probably fall more regressively. For example, if the cruise needed to add 15 per person per day to make up the revenue, they likely would distribute it differently over the cabins. And there is some merit to that. You can make an argument that a family of 4 sharing a 145 square foot cabin should pay less than two couples in large cabins.

 

I don't mean to start a debate on that. Yes, yes, yes, the family of four eats in the same restaurant, etc. But the point is that there are winners and losers resulting from the lines relying on DSC for revenue at flat amounts, instead of pricing it into the cruise cost. The losers are those who pay for cheaper cabins and the winners are those who pay for more expensive cabins. The same is true of hotels. If instead of a $25 resort fee, hotels had to price the revenue into their room rates, they would do it regressively and add more to the flexible rates and higher view categories and add less to the prepaid basic rooms.

[BostonGal35]

i see no reason to sail the Sky unless you really want to see Cuba via cruise ship OR you live a short enough driving distance that a long weekend getaway is doable (and i envy those people, i talked to one lady who was on the Sky once a month!). so the fact that those fees are significantly higher doesnt affect me as i never intend to sail her (although i do want to see Cuba, but airfare for that short of a short cruise isnt worth it to us).

[NLH Arizona]

You can make an argument that a family of 4 sharing a 145 square foot cabin should pay less than two couples in large cabins.

It should be per person, not per cabin size. It takes more time to clean a small cabin with 4 people (more beds to make, more towels to pick up and replace, etc.) then it does a couple or one person in a larger cabin. Not to mention, it takes more time for the waitstaff to serve 4 people than it does 1 or 2.

[kerryincork]

But it is not the same. I would think most people when they give tips to waiters, expect that money to go the waiter and those who help them. Not you give a waiter a tip who then gives money to manager who puts it in their pocket. With NCL for all we know a $1 goes to the crew while $13 furnishes the $50 million bonus of the company directors.

$14 pppd is not that large expense, if actually going to crew , who on the whole work very hard. It's the thought of duplicity, NCL making increases , for our convenience , while using the money increase their own profits. That sticks in people's craw.

 

 

Ok maybe I am stupid but where is the fact stated that only $1.00 goes to the crew and the rest to corporate greed?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to use a different PC for the FAQ page to update. the other PC still has the old information. Screenshot:

I am not saying that a $1, goes to crew, I am saying we don't know, because it's only stated in fuzzy language, you wouldn't need fuzzy, unclear statements if all the money was going to staff. Unfortunately I don't see NCL as a particularly trustworthy or ethical company.

 

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[NLH Arizona]

I am not saying that a $1, goes to crew, I am saying we don't know, because it's only stated in fuzzy language, you wouldn't need fuzzy, unclear statements if all the money was going to staff. Unfortunately I don't see NCL as a particularly trustworthy or ethical company.

 

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Do you know what the total yearly salaries to crew amounts to? Do you know what the yearly DSC paid amounts to? Is there any money left over from the DSC after the crew is paid?

 

Also, if NCL included the DSC in the fare, you would be paying it, so what really would be the difference?

[broberts]

;pSo for a family of 4 I will now be paying a whopping 14 dollars more for a 7 day cruise. I'm out, will never cruise again with NCL, horrible company, how can they do this

 

Ever hear the story about frogs and boiling water?

 

this is an idiotic statement, when you go out to dinner and leave a tip do you ask how much they have to tip out to the bartender or how much they have to tip out to the bus boy or barrack etc, no you don't, you just leave a tip. What is the fascination on who gets what and how much they get, my god. Don't like it don't cruise NCL.

 

Perhaps because I have some familiarity with the industry, I have on a number of occasions asked about tip distribution before paying a restaurant bill. I have also inquired about how cc tips are handled. It is not a ridiculous practice if one wishes to recognize good service with a gratuity as the distribution may affect how the tip is paid and/or the amount.

[FranknBeans]

;pSo for a family of 4 I will now be paying a whopping 14 dollars more for a 7 day cruise. I'm out, will never cruise again with NCL, horrible company, how can they do this

 

With 5 cruises under your belt since 1991 I doubt your business will be missed.

[ColinIllinois]

With 5 cruises under your belt since 1991 I doubt your business will be missed.

 

 

You might want to turn on your Sarcasm Detector.

[FranknBeans]

You might want to turn on your Sarcasm Detector.

 

It's on full force.

[asubaru]

I don't understand why people debate the salaries, wages, gratuities, service charges, and the like, when there are increases like this. I also don't understand why people often state that they don't care about increases in daily charges nor the 18% charge on the open bar cost (the later 18% has increased due to the ridiculous increase of the drink prices and UBP).

 

It seems that the main reason people don't mind the increases is because of the poor overworked staff; they feel strongly that they deserve it. People that object to the increases are often referred to as cheap.

 

The resulting implications are that many people really believe the staff is benefiting from these increases. It amazes me and bothers me. If this was the case, NCL employees would be the best paid in the industry. There have been (3) DSC and how many beverage increases in just the last year.... (4)?

Along with ridiculous per drink increases, every time there is a drink price increase, the 18% "free" pkg amount increases, as well as the paid UBP and 18%.

 

I'm sure my opinion won't stop the wage/salary/service charge/gratuity debates, but I am sure the NCL employees have not received approx. 7 increases this year!

IOW, the increases result in revenue for NCL.

 

Yes, I still get it; it doesn't affect the "cheerleaders" one bit because the staff deserves it...lol

[ashley@cruisecritic]

If I'm not mistaken, Norwegian hasn't raised its gratuities since mid-2015: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6449. Of course, they did raise them twice within five months in 2015, but ....

[Oakman58]

I guess my travel agency wants to ensure that I know about the increase because they sent me a second email today containing exactly the same information. I decided to go ahead and pay the service charge now since I'd be paying it at some point anyway.

[rfs7306]

I booked through CAS and received a "comp" cabin I still have to pay government taxes and fees. I was wondering if I have to also pay gratuities and at what rate. I always tip for good service. On the Sky end of April. The increase should be waived for people who booked before notice of increase was given. It really will not stop me from sailing on NCL but I do feel I was not made aware of increase until today and that is not good customer service. I am also a silver member.

[NLH Arizona]

I booked through CAS and received a "comp" cabin I still have to pay government taxes and fees. I was wondering if I have to also pay gratuities and at what rate. I always tip for good service. On the Sky end of April. The increase should be waived for people who booked before notice of increase was given. It really will not stop me from sailing on NCL but I do feel I was not made aware of increase until today and that is not good customer service. I am also a silver member.

Yes, rate is based on your cabin category. Pre-pay them an you get the rate before the increase.

 

- For bookings made prior to April 1st, 2017, regardless of the date of your cruise:

PREPAID service charges will be charged the CURRENT price of:

• $15.50 USD per person per day The Haven and Suites; $13.50 USD per person per day for Mini-Suites and below - FOR ALL SHIPS

 

(To pre-pay your service charges, Log In to My NCL or contact your travel professional)

[Seafan22]

I have a trip booked for October of 2018 for which I have pre-paid the gratuities. I'm sure by the time that trip comes around the rate will have gone up at least three more times.

 

I would rather they just bundle the gratuity into the price and let me decide if the trip is worth the price. The two down sides of that are you can't unpaid it for bad services; and second they will hope people will forget that it's in the price at some point and then begin charging separately for it again like the airlines did with food and luggage.

[peacefulOR]

We received our e-mail today about the service charge increase. I appreciated the option of prepaying the charge but will still wait. Only $14 more when you consider the thousands that are in their account instead of ours with another six weeks until sailing, I know.

On this same morning, we read a review of the Getaway, the ship we will live on for 16 nights , that spoke of deplorable service and terrible food. Not the first one to complain about service (and lack of). Even a few who were in Haven. If the service charges keep going up, shouldn't we be able to expect : clean cabins, courteous, timely dining service, an experience where we don't have to say, "Remember the good old days?". We will continue to add cash gratuities for cabin attendant and wait staff. If service is sub-par, I believe in addressing it on the ship, not after the fact, but have only had to do so once in 9 cruises.

As far as the Haven goes, I would hope that they would get outstanding service without question. Most have paid a great deal for the same plus they have butler and concierge tips on top of the increases. We will stay optimistic about our cruise next month and treat others the way we wish to be treated. Happy sailing to everyone! Rainey

[richstowe]

This is completely normal with NCL communications - most people learn about changes like these on this board and the updated info appears on the website maybe a week or two later (or sometimes only after the change has already taken place on ships).

Perfect ! It's clear that NCL is leading the pack in transferring payment of staff from their income to passenger gratuity's . Can't wait until even the captain is no longer paid a direct salary . :eek:

 

Strange that there is no mention on any NCL website about the increases. I would check with NCL before jumping to conclusions.

Maybe its the TA who sent it putting the cost up and then passing it on to the customer

 

This is completely normal with NCL communications - most people learn about changes like these on this board and the updated info appears on the website maybe a week or two later (or sometimes only after the change has already taken place on ships).

Yep . This is what happened shortly before last Summer's Epic cruise . I read on CC that they would be enforcing a no carry-on drink policy before I was ever informed by NCL . Seems like this is their modus operandi .