Europe and DSC/Gratuities

[stoneman56]

I've been pondering over this for a while and thought I would start a discussion after having had a convo with an American on our last cruise. He was complaining that he didn't like MSC because even though he had a drinks package he also got 15% tacked onto the end of each drink. I mentioned that because I booked through the UK site I didn't have these charges. 

 

As I understand it, in the European Union (which we will soon be leaving😁) it's against the law to add anything onto a price that is not already included. (This is why all airfares have to show the total cost first, without adding it later in the booking process). But I see on the cruise I have just booked for 2020 it mentions in the drinks packages that a 15% service charge will be added to each drink. 

 

This  leads me onto the DSC, by the same laws MSC is not allowed to add a daily service charge onto your on-board account if you booked from the EU, but of course they do anyway. They should just be adding it to the final invoice. 

 

This is the reason NCL have a different "free at Sea" offer for U.S. customers than E.U. On the UK site the offer includes all gratuities and service charges but leaves out the Internet or something else.