NLH Arizona Posted August 11, 2018 #376 Share Posted August 11, 2018 We are talking $203 dollars here for our upcoming cruise. That is how much we are paying for the prepaid service charges. From the way this thread is going, it sounds as if are talking about a fortune! If left to our own devices, we would probably tip that much anyway over the course of a week. For me it is convenient to know that my tips are taken care of. It is a convenience. I went and read about the service charges. The website says that certain staff who provide individual services to passengers are not included in the tip pool. These include butlers, concierge, youth staff and beverage service. I knew about the first three, but what beverage service staff are not included? I thought bartenders were included? No, bartenders are not included in the DSC, they are only included in the 20% gratuity for drinks and/or UBP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seminole1975 Posted August 11, 2018 #377 Share Posted August 11, 2018 No, bartenders are not included in the DSC, they are only included in the 20% gratuity for drinks and/or UBP. Thanks. I knew they were included somewhere. We get the UBP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #378 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Let me see - his share of the DSC or a $20 in hand? Which would YOU prefer? Not sure about NCL, but on the RCL and CCL owned cruise lines workers have to turn in any money directly received, if auto tips are removed. They get to keep amounts about and beyond. You have future assignments, promotions and other benefits determined by ratings. I would expect that I would prefer auto tips to remain in place, instead of having a record of having auto tips removed and having to turn in the cash tip anyway. As long as their percentage of tips removed is not higher than average, removing them might not be considered to be a negative, however, I would expect that if they ran a higher percentage of removals than average might raise some questions by their supervisors and HR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #379 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I had not actually considered that they might be moving your gratuity to another ship. Although money is fungible anyway. I had only considered that they might be paying my gratuity money to people on the ship who should be salaried. The idea of moving gratuity to other ships actually makes me more disgusted. Basically you are suggesting that Americans are subsidizing the rest of the world. Again. I am over that. On the other hand the cruise you happen to be on, might be the one coming in low and those is a recipient of a transfer. Keep in mind that the money being moved in the pool is going to be a relatively small percentage. The figure I recall from a conversation from a financial employee from corporate (he was vacationing with his extended family on a vacation) on a different line was a max of 5%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #380 Share Posted August 11, 2018 LOL. Keep donating to the billion dollar company so it can pay its employees on ships you are not even on. While you are at it, why dont you send a check to a competing cruise line to help defray the cost of salaries to those pesky employees? I for one couldn’t care less about the employees on the other ships, nor should I. What about the time when you might be on one of the routes that comes in low. Would you rather have low morale employees, disgruntled over the demographics of the passengers. Or would you rather have them know that they are protected from individuals and benefit by continuing to deliver high performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #381 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Wondering if this is as much of an issue now that they have started including the DSC from ships leaving from some of the countries where tipping culture is not standard. I remember reading a post where the poster said her child worked for NCL and that the crew hated cruising out of the UK, because so many passengers removed the DSC. Have not been on an NCL cruise from UK or Australia so not sure of their practices there. I do know that on CCL owned lines they only do that on ships operating under the local subsidiary (P&O UK, CCL Australia, etc.) and therefore have some isolation from the US financial reporting issues compared to those ships operating under the main companies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdoran Posted August 11, 2018 #382 Share Posted August 11, 2018 What about the time when you might be on one of the routes that comes in low. Would you rather have low morale employees, disgruntled over the demographics of the passengers. Or would you rather have them know that they are protected from individuals and benefit by continuing to deliver high performance. There goes the reason for the right thing. Ncl pays a fair salary and raises fares to compensate. No more dsc and being dependent on pax for their paycheck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seminole1975 Posted August 11, 2018 #383 Share Posted August 11, 2018 There goes the reason for the right thing. Ncl pays a fair salary and raises fares to compensate. No more dsc and being dependent on pax for their paycheck. 6 of one, half dozen of another. Then everyone would be yelling about fare increases and threatening to go to another cruise line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLH Arizona Posted August 11, 2018 #384 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Have not been on an NCL cruise from UK or Australia so not sure of their practices there. I do know that on CCL owned lines they only do that on ships operating under the local subsidiary (P&O UK, CCL Australia, etc.) and therefore have some isolation from the US financial reporting issues compared to those ships operating under the main companies.I might be incorrect, I don't think it is only ship leaving UK, but I believe it is NCL cruises booked in the UK. This change (which included DSC, UBP/SDP perks gratuities are now included in the fare), wasn't that long ago and a lot of complaints on how the price was raised because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #385 Share Posted August 11, 2018 There goes the reason for the right thing. Ncl pays a fair salary and raises fares to compensate. No more dsc and being dependent on pax for their paycheck. Not going to see such a change, as long as their competition does not. Even some of the European lines do the same practice. So nope not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdoran Posted August 11, 2018 #386 Share Posted August 11, 2018 6 of one, half dozen of another. Then everyone would be yelling about fare increases and threatening to go to another cruise line. Vote with your wallet. In the end it’s all about the number on the check. Whether you up my fare $200 and don’t make me responsible for payroll or you play games and charge me dsc in the end the total is the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdoran Posted August 11, 2018 #387 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I might be incorrect, I don't think it is only ship leaving UK, but I believe it is NCL cruises booked in the UK. This change (which included DSC, UBP/SDP perks gratuities are now included in the fare), wasn't that long ago and a lot of complaints on how the price was raised because of it. Is it really any different than us fare plus dsc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted August 11, 2018 #388 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I might be incorrect, I don't think it is only ship leaving UK, but I believe it is NCL cruises booked in the UK. This change (including DSC, UBP/SDP perks gratuities in the fare), wasn't that long ago and a lot of complaints on how the price was raised because of it. I wonder how many folks shifted to using a US TA to get around the increased rates, so they could continue to remove the DSC. Making it non-removable in the UK would have run into the full price rules, so it would make sense that they would just roll it in. Will have to see what I can find out about how they handle the UK fares vs US fares from an accounting perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare KeithJenner Posted August 11, 2018 #389 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Have not been on an NCL cruise from UK or Australia so not sure of their practices there. I do know that on CCL owned lines they only do that on ships operating under the local subsidiary (P&O UK, CCL Australia, etc.) and therefore have some isolation from the US financial reporting issues compared to those ships operating under the main companies. It isn’t where the cruise sails from, but where you book it. I am getting on the Pride of America today and don’t get charged the DSC, as we booked in the U.K. We have totally different pricing structures. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLH Arizona Posted August 11, 2018 #390 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I wonder how many folks shifted to using a US TA to get around the increased rates, so they could continue to remove the DSC.A number of posters have said they now book through US TAs, so they don't have to pay the DSC. Funny, when NCL did what they wanted, include the DSC in the fare, the issue becomes the prices are too high. It seems to be a no win situation for NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirsty_r Posted August 11, 2018 #391 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I actually got a better deal on my last cruise booking in UK than at us prices... it just depends on what cruises the UK are wanting to sell and the offers they put out there. (To the extent I cancelled a booking I made with a us ta) We do still have sailaway rates on some cruises so can choose to not have the extras added on... Remember we don’t pay the gratuities on drinks either so it does work out about the same on some itineraries. (Admittedly more expensive on some too!) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb Nahoumi Posted August 11, 2018 #392 Share Posted August 11, 2018 If people keep removing their DSC, will NCL eventually put them on their NO Cruise List? Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Something fun! Posted August 11, 2018 #393 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I wish the DSC was included in the fare price. My total cost could decrease since I wouldn't be subsidizing cheapskates that remove their DSC. And if they think the total fare is too high...well, I guess there will be less cheapskates on my cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana60 Posted August 12, 2018 #394 Share Posted August 12, 2018 If people keep removing their DSC, will NCL eventually put them on their NO Cruise List? Just a thought You may wish that were the case but I suspect if someone is paying them $5000 per person for their cruise they will probably forgive them for removing their DSC! I’m sure they will think the person is an ass but they’ll still let them cruise! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuufy1 Posted August 12, 2018 #395 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Cheap people disgust me. And ignorance disgusts me. If the service you receive isn't up to par why tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love my butler Posted August 12, 2018 #396 Share Posted August 12, 2018 And ignorance disgusts me. If the service you receive isn't up to par why tip. Entitlement mentality. Purely entitlement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdoran Posted August 12, 2018 #397 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Entitlement mentality. Purely entitlement. Who? From the passenger “I don’t have to tip, I paid for my cruise already and i need at least adequate service to pay more” or from the employee “I’m entitled to a tip even if I do the minimum”? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted August 12, 2018 #398 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Entitlement mentality. Purely entitlement. Probably the first time I have ever agreed with you. Yep, they are cheap for the most part!!! I think the word "entitlement" is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted August 12, 2018 #399 Share Posted August 12, 2018 And ignorance disgusts me. If the service you receive isn't up to par why tip. Because there are jobs that exist in the world where there is little compensation outside of the tip. I used to waitress and we made about $2 an hour. I also was required to tip out the bartenders and bussers based on my sales, not my tips. So I had tables where I lost money when they didn’t tip enough to cover the amount I had to tip out on them. A person who is providing some service for you deserves some compensation for that. How would you feel if your annual review came up and your manager said that your performance needed improvement so you weren’t getting paid. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Ting Posted August 12, 2018 #400 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Because there are jobs that exist in the world where there is little compensation outside of the tip. I used to waitress and we made about $2 an hour. I also was required to tip out the bartenders and bussers based on my sales, not my tips. So I had tables where I lost money when they didn’t tip enough to cover the amount I had to tip out on them. A person who is providing some service for you deserves some compensation for that. How would you feel if your annual review came up and your manager said that your performance needed improvement so you weren’t getting paid. Sent from my iPhone using Forums That’s why we remove the DSC and tip cash in hand. Better going to the people who made our cruise special rather than to some other employees not even working on the same ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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