More gratuity increases. When will it stop?

[cheersforbeers]

Maniacal

How’s the programming going. Have a great day.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cheersforbeers]

Great, at least some quality time. Leaving on Dawn in January. Take care.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[geegee1]

It is not common practice to tip 20% - it is common practice to tip 20% for good to excellent service. I don't know ANYONE who just automatically tips 20% no matter how bad the service is, and I certainly don't know anyone who tips 20% before they have received any service before they know how well they will be served. A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service. Better servers should get more and worse servers should get less - and really bad servers should get nothing. I give 20% to the best servers, and 15% for "ok" service. But that's not how it apparently works in this case, so the servers have no incentive to improve their customer service (or to not be bad servers!) Tips are supposed to be at the customer's discretion, NOT pre-determined by the establishment!

 

We always tip 20%. On the rare occasions when we get bad service we'll tip less, but usually never less than 18%. And on the rarer occasions when we receive unbelievably great service we'll tip more.

[ColeThornton]

We always tip 20%. On the rare occasions when we get bad service we'll tip less, but usually never less than 18%. And on the rarer occasions when we receive unbelievably great service we'll tip more.

 

 

You tip 18% for BAD service?

[cheersforbeers]

Apparently you have never worked in the service industry. The one that represents you at your table may or may not be your problem. They don’t get the entire tip. Your service was bad at the table, but your food was excellent yet you penalize everyone equally.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[ColeThornton]

Apparently you have never worked in the service industry. The one that represents you at your table may or may not be your problem. They don’t get the entire tip. Your service was bad at the table, but your food was excellent yet you penalize everyone equally.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

If you reward everyone equally, then I guess you penalize everyone equally. How they get paid is their business and their choice but personally my hard earned money won't be given out if I have a bad and less than desirable experience.

 

To each their own.

[cheersforbeers]

Cole,

Amen brother. Hope you never have any bad experiences.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[geegee1]

You tip 18% for BAD service?

 

Yes.

The tip goes to more than the server.

[phissy]

So now if suiteholders get the packages they are charged the service charges?? Hmmmm once again, it makes me sad to see the value of NCL suites being diluted IMO.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

This was another “quiet” overnight change NCL made without notice. They changed policy regarding Suites overnight around June 6. So, now NCL is charging large cruise fares for Suites and have increased DSC, Promo grats and rates for such promos in the last few months. In addition, final payment for cruises has been pushed to 120 days. The landscape of NCL is getting ugly, IMHO. Just getting too greedy.

[dna529]

It is not common practice to tip 20% - it is common practice to tip 20% for good to excellent service. I don't know ANYONE who just automatically tips 20% no matter how bad the service is, and I certainly don't know anyone who tips 20% before they have received any service before they know how well they will be served. A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service. Better servers should get more and worse servers should get less - and really bad servers should get nothing. I give 20% to the best servers, and 15% for "ok" service. But that's not how it apparently works in this case, so the servers have no incentive to improve their customer service (or to not be bad servers!) Tips are supposed to be at the customer's discretion, NOT pre-determined by the establishment!

I completely agree. I typically compare NCL prices with Carnival plus buying their drink package. NCL is going to quickly price themselves out of that comparison for me. I don't think I should have to pay 20% ahead of time for service that has not been received. By the way, we are platinum on NCL and Carnival, so enjoy them both equally.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

[NMLady]

Nothing is hidden unless you blindly pay money without looking at what you are being charged. Gratuity didn't increase as implied by the thread title. The cost of the package increased, which was widely discussed on other threads.

 

How can you say the gratuity did not increase? It went from 18% to 20% on December 1st,

.

[INewman]

I’ve only been on one cruise, and it was Carnival. But I heard a few people saying you could get the gratuities taken off your bill if you had been tipping in cash. Which my wife & I had been doing because we didn’t know they were automatically charging gratuities on the final bill. So I went to customer service and they took it off. Not sure if this is standard or they just made an exception.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cheersforbeers]

How can you say the gratuity did not increase? It went from 18% to 20% on December 1st,

 

.

 

 

 

Don’t think they said “Did Not Increase” in MHO they stated Hidden. It shows up immediately after you choose your cabin type. I may be wrong though.

Don’t want to put letters in other people fingers.

 

 

Being Positive makes life better. Look for the Good not the Bad

[Twinzma]

It is not common practice to tip 20% - it is common practice to tip 20% for good to excellent service. I don't know ANYONE who just automatically tips 20% no matter how bad the service is, and I certainly don't know anyone who tips 20% before they have received any service before they know how well they will be served. A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service. Better servers should get more and worse servers should get less - and really bad servers should get nothing. I give 20% to the best servers, and 15% for "ok" service. But that's not how it apparently works in this case, so the servers have no incentive to improve their customer service (or to not be bad servers!) Tips are supposed to be at the customer's discretion, NOT pre-determined by the establishment!

 

Pardon me but I follow Emily Post when it comes to etiquette and tipping thus I haven't any issue. Should your steak arrive overcooked do you stiff the poor waitress? Or if the kitchen is backed up is it her fault. Lastly most tables of 6-8 or more are already have gratuity added in.

[NMLady]

Don’t think they said “Did Not Increase” in MHO they stated Hidden. It shows up immediately after you choose your cabin type. I may be wrong though. ...

 

The reply that I quoted stated that "the gratuity didn't increase". Reread that post and you will see what I have quoted.

[newbe dave]

If you don’t like the total cost of sailing on NCL, don’t sail them. If you don’t like their revenue creation process, don’t sail them. But whining on this board is a huge waste of your time.

 

I sail when the overall cost of a cruise is acceptable to me. I don’t care if they get my money with a higher initial fare or many incremental side charges. I always look at the total cost and judge from there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cheersforbeers]

I love NCL but these easily hid upcharges are nuts.

 

 

 

https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-cruise-line-raises-gratuity-charges/

 

 

 

Original thread. States hidden. The reply clearly states it is not hidden thus it is not and increase as stated by being hidden. It is however clearly an increase from 18% to 20% but in CLEARLY NOT HIDDEN. MAYBE YOU SHOULD RE-READ the original post and it’s interpretation!!

 

 

Being Positive makes life better. Look for the Good not the Bad

[Sotermarler]

You tip 18% for BAD service?

 

 

 

Yes I do too. It's very rare I tip less than 20%. I figure that's pretty standard these days.

 

While I don't like the NCL increase I'm still ok with it since it's in range of normal tipping.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[CI66774]

20% tip is pretty customary these days unless the service was sub par. I guess we all have the freedom to make choices about our expenditures. If one doesn't like the company's policies, etc., there are many other cruise lines willing to take one's money. We all have the freedom to choose.

[DaCruiseBug]

No they don't. Read the NCL web site. You may THINK that NCL "pockets the money" but that is nothing more that merely your own personal speculations.

 

I actually know they pocket the money. My college roommate works for them in Florida and the increase in service charges is going directly to their bottom line. NCL is hurting because of the Hurricanes (as are other cruise lines) and this is just a way for them to increase revenue. Had this conversation about a year ago and out of the daily gratuities you pay about 1/2 go to the workers in the form of incentives etc but out of the service charges you pay only about 1/3 ends up going to them and out of the increase from $79 to $89 and 18% to 20% the workers are seeing a $0 increase. Stop defending NCL when you have no idea what you're talking about. There's a reason they're no longer called "gratuities" and instead are called "service charges".

[DaCruiseBug]

20% tip is pretty customary these days unless the service was sub par. I guess we all have the freedom to make choices about our expenditures. If one doesn't like the company's policies, etc., there are many other cruise lines willing to take one's money. We all have the freedom to choose.

 

Except these are NOT tips. Will you people get that thru your head? The workers are NOT getting the 20%. Overall less then 1/2 goes to the workers thru incentives but out of this increase the workers are getting $0 additional. Stop calling this a TIP!!!!!!!

[Two Wheels Only]

There's a reason they're no longer called "gratuities" and instead are called "service charges".

 

I neither know nor care where my money goes once it leaves my pocket. I care about the "what I get/what I pay for" ratio. :)

 

However, NCL uses multiple terms (for the same thing) which is why there is no use trying to change what someone else calls them.

 

Looking at what is currently on the website...(ignore the poor grammar)

 

"An 20% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added at checkout."

"Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package"

"Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise."

[norway olin]

I actually know they pocket the money. My college roommate works for them in Florida and the increase in service charges is going directly to their bottom line. NCL is hurting because of the Hurricanes (as are other cruise lines) and this is just a way for them to increase revenue. Had this conversation about a year ago and out of the daily gratuities you pay about 1/2 go to the workers in the form of incentives etc but out of the service charges you pay only about 1/3 ends up going to them and out of the increase from $79 to $89 and 18% to 20% the workers are seeing a $0 increase. Stop defending NCL when you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

This subject has been discussed here for years, encompassing multiple thousands of posts. I find it curious that yours is the first one I've read that purports to have this definitive proprietary data. Forgive me if I'm slightly skeptical about these "facts"

[cheersforbeers]

I actually know they pocket the money. My college roommate works for them in Florida and the increase in service charges is going directly to their bottom line. NCL is hurting because of the Hurricanes (as are other cruise lines) and this is just a way for them to increase revenue. Had this conversation about a year ago and out of the daily gratuities you pay about 1/2 go to the workers in the form of incentives etc but out of the service charges you pay only about 1/3 ends up going to them and out of the increase from $79 to $89 and 18% to 20% the workers are seeing a $0 increase. Stop defending NCL when you have no idea what you're talking about. There's a reason they're no longer called "gratuities" and instead are called "service charges".

 

 

 

And I’m suppose to believe you because you say so and everything on the internet or CC is real. Sorry, show me it writing. Your opinion is just that

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DaCruiseBug]

This subject has been discussed here for years, encompassing multiple thousands of posts. I find it curious that yours is the first one I've read that purports to have this definitive proprietary data. Forgive me if I'm slightly skeptical about these "facts"

 

All you have to do is ask. It isn't exactly proprietary. Even if you don't know anyone that works for NCL all you have to do is connect the dots.

 

Do you think NCL charges double for their beverage package compared to other cruise lines (and include less) just by coincidence?

 

Do you think that NCL charges a higher service charge then any other cruise line just by coincidence?

 

The reality is that the service charges you pay on the UBP pays for most of the liquor cost. That's where the money is going.