NCL Cruise Service Charge Refund

[Crusin6]

So paying your cruise fare, having to buy alcohol if you want it and having to pay for shore excursion are all service issues as well by your absurd definition. You are basically saying "I want a refund because I don't want to pay it". That is not a service issue that is a passenger issue.

 

 

You are not reading correctly

 

 

Alcohol incurs a 18% auto TIP so you can't compare it to dsc. Apples and oranges.

 

Honestly

should shore excursion employees even be part of dsc? However I'm told they are for some reason.

 

Not being able to use your balcony due to smokers and you report it and nothing is done is a service issue...

 

 

The steward who I caught picking up my dirty towels from the floor of the bathroom and re folding them on the racks is a service issue

 

The waiter that was serving drinks to a smoking couple on the non smoking sun deck and just shrugged his shoulders when I asked him why he didn't tell them it's non smoking. The couple stopped when I told them the sun deck was non smoking btw....but said the waiter was with them all day and said nothing and saw them smoking. Not sure why others didn't say something though. Smh

 

 

Oh and as far as shore excursions are concerned....when a crew member behind that desk tells me that there are NO taxis at the port that will take me to cane garden bay and that I needed to pay $39 for a transfer....that is a service issue....because they blatantly lied and I when I went back later to let him know that taxis are indeed available he laughed at me and said "caveat emptor". Um no that doesn't work on me.....bye bye dsc and hello comment card. Yup...the crew is supposed to work as a team....well that team member screwed it up for the rest....and I told them so....it's not about paying the $39 it about the mocking to my face by a crew member

 

With regard to the above....I'm so well traveled I don't even know why I asked or why I bought his line....perhaps it was because I had a senior citizen with me ....

 

I really am Savvy enough to know about $8 taxis. Lol.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Crusin6]

So if they got rid of the DSC and increased the fare by $13.99 a day you would be just as happy as a clam?

 

 

You think they aren't already raising fares by $13.99?

 

Only they are still keeping dsc as well

 

 

How do you defend the free dsc perk that is sometimes offered ?

 

 

Oh never mind...they already added it to cruise fare and then offered it as a perk. Lol

 

 

I still want to know what dsc covers

 

 

I give tips for personal service

 

I pay 18% where required

 

 

So who does dsc cover? And whoever it covers why aren't they just getting paid? Shouldn't our cruise fare cover all the back office/engine room/officers/entertainers salaries?

 

Do you tip the performers at a play?

 

Do you tip the manager of a clothing store?

 

If you tell me dsc covers the engine crew then I'd like to ask you if you tip your oil delivery guy or the guy who cleans the restaurant you went to or the customer service rep at the warehouse store that just renewed your membership for you?

 

You tip for personal service...so waiters and stewards

 

 

Who gets the dsc? And why are those people even tipped?

 

 

Oh and if dsc isnt a tip....then what is it?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[swedish weave]

You did not answer my question.

 

As far as what he DSC covers that is right in the NCL page...

 

 

Why is there a service charge?

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports.

 

You are still making excuses and you are STILL confusing the DSC with tips.

The ILO requires the cruise line to compensate the crew members an amount that is agreed on by contract.

 

If the DSC is not sufficient to provide the contracted amount, the cruise line must make up the shortage.

 

That said, the cruise line does not divulge what happens if the DSC exceeds the required amount.

 

So. nobody needs an excuse to ask for the DSC to be returned to them since it is clearly allowed by the cruise lines on USA bookings.

[swedish weave]

They do not divulge what happens if the cruise fare is in excess of what is required to pay everyone either which is about as relevant as your comment.

 

 

All that people here are giving ARE excuses rather than valid reasons. What the specific policy is about DSC is as follows from the NCL site.

 

If there is a service issue can the service charges be adjusted on board?

Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. We have structured a guest satisfaction program designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let our on-board guest services desk staff know right away, so that we can address these in a timely manner. It is our goal to reach a satisfactory solution to any issue when it happens and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.

 

I am just trying to clear up the idea you presented about people making excuses. They don't need to make excuses.

 

The last line of your post clearly say "you can adjust the charges"

[NLH Arizona]

I wonder what part of "Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges" you do not understand. People saying irrelevant things lig "I tip" or "They won't tell me where the DSC goes" are absolutely excuses. Hey I do not care at all if anyone drops the DSC, but if you are going to do it for no good reason at least man up and say it is because "I am cheap" and stop spouting all kinds of irrelevant EXCUSES.

It is just like everything else; if someone doesn't want to do something, they always find an excuse.

 

I think NCL should require passengers who remove the DSC without a service issue to do it the first or second day of the cruise, so that the crew knows where they stand. Those with legitimate service issues would be allowed to remove or reduce it at any time during the cruise.

[SuiteCruiser]

It is just like everything else; if someone doesn't want to do something, they always find an excuse.

 

I think NCL should require passengers who remove the DSC without a service issue to do it the first or second day of the cruise, so that the crew knows where they stand. Those with legitimate service issues would be allowed to remove or reduce it at any time during the cruise.

 

Those people would "create" a service issue out of thin air, which would be even worse for the staff

[NLH Arizona]

Those people would "create" a service issue out of thin air, which would be even worse for the staff

I would still have the form for them to submit, so there would have to be an actual complaint and attempt to fix the issue on record. Think some would think twice.

[swedish weave]

I wonder what part of "Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges" you do not understand. People saying irrelevant things lig "I tip" or "They won't tell me where the DSC goes" are absolutely excuses. Hey I do not care at all if anyone drops the DSC, but if you are going to do it for no good reason at least man up and say it is because "I am cheap" and stop spouting all kinds of irrelevant EXCUSES.

 

I haven't made any excuses. I am just trying to let everyone know what the cruise line allows.

 

If NCL wants to add more restrictions than they have already, they can do that if it is legal to do so.

[fshagan]

US citizen/residency and i did it about a month ago on Bway, absolutely no problem, service desk just had me fill out simple form.

 

NCL must have changed the policy ... again. I wonder when it changed?

 

Last I heard the policy was that you got a form, emailed it in after the cruise, and they refunded the charges. So now they have gone back to the prior policy, where you just have to fill out a form at the service desk and not pay & be refunded?

[JezzaC]

Are they doing this onboard again?

 

 

In oct 2016 I had to go a website after I got home

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

At least for me it was possible. I hadn't prepaid the service charge - it was charged daily from my onboard account - maybe that was the reason?

[spanishguy1970]

I also wonder if the DSC actually goes to the staff. i became friends with one of the waitress in the MDR so much so that we asked her if she saw a difference in her check aside from what she signed in her contract and her answer was an unequivocal NO. She said actually whispered that she only gets what was promised to her, her salary. Who knows maybe she said that to get more tips out of us or maybe she was truthful about it or maybe her salary reflects her getting the DSC...We cruisers will never know for sure. She is still there and signs contract of 8 months.

[NLH Arizona]

I also wonder if the DSC actually goes to the staff. i became friends with one of the waitress in the MDR so much so that we asked her if she saw a difference in her check aside from what she signed in her contract and her answer was an unequivocal NO. She said actually whispered that she only gets what was promised to her, her salary. Who knows maybe she said that to get more tips out of us or maybe she was truthful about it or maybe her salary reflects her getting the DSC...We cruisers will never know for sure. She is still there and signs contract of 8 months.

I'm always curious about this. One, why would someone ask someone else about their compensation and two, why would anyone answer that questions. Now, the way I see it is that their compensation comes from somewhere. Whether the DSC is put into a separate account and it pays a portion of their salaries or if the DSC is put into their main account and that account pays their salaries, it is all the same to me. People complain about where the DSC goes, but if NCL were to add $14 a day to a cruise to cover the DSC, no one would wonder where that money goes....this is what I don't get.

 

Your friend tells one story and I've read on here that someone's child works on one of the ships and that the crew is always disappointed when the ship sails out of the UK, because so many delete their tips and they are paid less. Who knows what is right and how it works is between the employees and the cruise line. I'm sure that if the crew is not satisified with what and how they are paid, they would go to another cruise line.

[ray98]

The workers are going to be paid either way whatever the going industry standard is, all the lines are shopping for the same talent. If NCL raised the cruise $15 a day and advertised they were a "no tipping line" I guess some would still find something else to complain about.

 

Bottom line, they stick with it because cruising is a service based model where tipping by the passenger customarily is the primary compensation. The industry has changed and the days of assigned servers you took care of at the end with an envelope are long gone. Due to that the way we add our gratuities has changed because no one would support tipping as service is rendered throughout the course of an entire cruise.

 

To fight that or try to delve into how an employee is compensated is absurd and frankly none of your business.

[Gampy1967]

I think all of the DSC should be cashed out at the end of the cruise and compiled/consolidated. On the last night of the cruise, the employees on board that it is supposed to cover are all gathered in the theater and the cruising public can sit in the seats. The consolidated cash is then dumped on the stage from above and the crew are allowed to battle to the death for the DSC winnings. It would be entertaining and every employee would have a chance to get a good chunk of cash. Who agrees??:):)

Edited September 29, 2017 by Gampy1967
typo

[CruisingUS]

I think all of the DSC should be cashed out at the end of the cruise and compiled/consolidated. On the last night of the cruise, the employees on board that it is supposed to cover all all gathered in the theater and the cruising public can sit in the seats. The consolidated cash is then dumped on the stage from above and the crew are allowed to battle to the death for the DSC winnings. It would be entertaining and every employee would have a chance to get a good chunk of cash. Who agrees??:):)

i'd watch that. it'd be better than their "broadway" shows ;)

[LMaxwell]

If you want to change / modify you will fill out a form and it will either be credited onboard against your account or you have to handle it after. You don't need mountains of documentation. There is no court proceeding happening. I modified (not removed) on Escape on 2016 and filled out the form and was credited to my account that afternoon onboard.

[phissy]

Just returned from 7 day cruise. I noticed before last full day of cruise, our room steward kept asking if we were happy with his service.

Finally, he said that he might not be available tomorrow so if there was anything we wanted him to come back for later.

Realized he wanted his tip, which we had set aside to give him the last evening of cruise. I went ahead and gave it to him them. Later that day, I saw him and said hello. He was very curt with me and did not show same friendliness. I guess he was not happy with his tip of $100. I thought it was very generous, but now I wonder. Perhaps, since he was done with us, he moved on to other guests? Really put me off. Did not adjust our DSC , paid in full.

[Cruisingfor40]

Just returned from 7 day cruise. I noticed before last full day of cruise, our room steward kept asking if we were happy with his service.

Finally, he said that he might not be available tomorrow so if there was anything we wanted him to come back for later.

Realized he wanted his tip, which we had set aside to give him the last evening of cruise. I went ahead and gave it to him them. Later that day, I saw him and said hello. He was very curt with me and did not show same friendliness. I guess he was not happy with his tip of $100. I thought it was very generous, but now I wonder. Perhaps, since he was done with us, he moved on to other guests? Really put me off. Did not adjust our DSC , paid in full.

 

Wow, that is absolutely INCREDIBLE to me. Were you in a swanky area/suite? $100 tip. Da-amn!!!!

[ray98]

Wow, that is absolutely INCREDIBLE to me. Were you in a swanky area/suite? $100 tip. Da-amn!!!!

 

 

Yeah....no way I would drop that much. LOL.

 

I am just not tipping $25 a day for the 20 minutes they will spend in my cabin.

[CruisingUS]

Just returned from 7 day cruise. I noticed before last full day of cruise, our room steward kept asking if we were happy with his service.

Finally, he said that he might not be available tomorrow so if there was anything we wanted him to come back for later.

Realized he wanted his tip, which we had set aside to give him the last evening of cruise. I went ahead and gave it to him them. Later that day, I saw him and said hello. He was very curt with me and did not show same friendliness. I guess he was not happy with his tip of $100. I thought it was very generous, but now I wonder. Perhaps, since he was done with us, he moved on to other guests? Really put me off. Did not adjust our DSC , paid in full.

dang...he cold blooded

[NLH Arizona]

Just returned from 7 day cruise. I noticed before last full day of cruise, our room steward kept asking if we were happy with his service.

Finally, he said that he might not be available tomorrow so if there was anything we wanted him to come back for later.

Realized he wanted his tip, which we had set aside to give him the last evening of cruise. I went ahead and gave it to him them. Later that day, I saw him and said hello. He was very curt with me and did not show same friendliness. I guess he was not happy with his tip of $100. I thought it was very generous, but now I wonder. Perhaps, since he was done with us, he moved on to other guests? Really put me off. Did not adjust our DSC , paid in full.

You were very generous and his behavior was unacceptable. Hopefully, you filled out a complaint card on him, because that is the only way his supervisors will know what kind of jerk he was.

[ndhockey16]

They just gave me a piece if paper with the website link I needed to go to to remove the charges

 

It took about 6 weeks for the refund

 

Amazingly the refund came in 48 hours after I disputed the charge with my cc. Lol

 

And nope...it's nobody's business why I removed it

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

What is the link that they gave you to go to?

[CruisingSince1982]

Any topic regarding service charges on this forum should be deleted. I've never seen a civil discussion on the topic yet.

 

Agreed, and I have "been here" since the message board was part of AOL. :D

[CruisingSince1982]

Just returned from 7 day cruise. I noticed before last full day of cruise, our room steward kept asking if we were happy with his service.

Finally, he said that he might not be available tomorrow so if there was anything we wanted him to come back for later.

Realized he wanted his tip, which we had set aside to give him the last evening of cruise. I went ahead and gave it to him them. Later that day, I saw him and said hello. He was very curt with me and did not show same friendliness. I guess he was not happy with his tip of $100. I thought it was very generous, but now I wonder. Perhaps, since he was done with us, he moved on to other guests? Really put me off. Did not adjust our DSC , paid in full.

 

Wow - that was a very generous tip. His attitude is a direct reflection of him, not of you!

[ndhockey16]

They just gave me a piece if paper with the website link I needed to go to to remove the charges

 

It took about 6 weeks for the refund

 

Amazingly the refund came in 48 hours after I disputed the charge with my cc. Lol

 

And nope...it's nobody's business why I removed it

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

What is the link they gave you to go to? Can you please provide this as they are giving me the runaround.