Opting out of paying Daily Service Charge

[NLH Arizona]

9 hours ago, phoenix1975 said:

In future, I'll stick to the threads where I know there will be more supportive comments - I want to look forward to my holiday rather than be lambasted for anything I post.

When one comes on a public forum and brags about not paying something that most do, I would think you would have realized before you posted that you would get negative and non-supportive comments.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

Edited June 27, 2019 by NLH Arizona

[smplybcause]

11 hours ago, somepeople said:

 

Quite a straw man you've built for yourself there.  The tipping is discretionary, it is not a set price.  People opting out of a discretionary tip are treated like thieves by some on here and it's a disgrace.  That being said, I pay the DSC as well as tip my cabin steward if the service is good (it usually is) but who am I to tell anyone else how to spend their money?  Honestly, if saving a few hundred dollars makes a cruise affordable for someone, so what?

 

It's not a discretionary tip though - they allow you to adjust it, but state right in there that removal is supposed to be for bad service they didn't correct. At no point do they say you should remove it because you don't feel like it or don't have the money.

 

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 still stand by if you don't have money for something, then you can't afford it - regardless of how the industry structures the price. I wish the tipping in the US would go away, but I'm not going to punish the workers for it in the meantime. Cruise lines don't bother me as much since it's a set amount that's known and addition is not that hard - cruisers already know to add taxes & fees into the fare price adding one more thing isn't difficult. 

[mugtech]

19 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

When one comes on a public forum and brags about not paying something that most do, I would think you would have realized before you posted that you would get negative and non-supportive comments.

 

 

In boxing it is called leading with your chin.

[rkelly21]

On 6/8/2019 at 11:52 PM, Birdie And Sue said:

 

 

DUH.  They keep 100% of the net amount of sales less the amount of prizes awarded.  The same as any organization that runs BINGO games!  They also keep 100% of the net amount of the cost of the ingredients used to prepare mixed drink netted against the price of the drink and 100% of the cost to run the cruise netted against the combined cruise fares.  Its called the free market system, it works wonderfully!

 

[rkelly21]

You are 100% correct. It's a wonderful business for them. Last time (around the first of the year) on the Bliss I paid $42 for a double Grey Goose. I guess that's fine. Of course it did include the tip. It's free enterprise however I elected not to have it sine the price more than doubled since the last trip.

[cybergremlin]

6 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

This is an old and stale argument: who cares if the charges are added to the cost of the cruise or separate and called a daily service charge. It has to be paid one way or the other. How would this solve the problem with profiting on "free" incentives? They are two totally different things. 

 

No it doesn't, that's why people have the option to remove/reduce it

[cybergremlin]

4 hours ago, liverpoollad said:

We do tip here in the UK but we do not have a tipping culture no matter what Ziggy says.

I know plenty of people who do not tip for anything & why , because it is not expected.

It is different in the US, as a few instances I recall when visiting.   A one minute shuttle bus to car hire, basket requesting a tip.

At the car hire we signed in & awaited while a guy delivered the car, then he put his hand out expecting a tip, same in a restaurant with a waitress who was topping up our drinks.

This was several years ago I don't know if it is still the same.

US have a tipping culture & there is no problem with it, but the UK don't.

totally agree with this, I don't think I've ever seen a bartender expecting a tip in any of the bars/clubs/pubs in multiple cities i've been to. I've Just returned from Vegas and someone was stood at the front of taxi rank opening doors expecting a tip, i can open the door myself but wasn't given the chance

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

1 minute ago, cybergremlin said:

 

No it doesn't, that's why people have the option to remove/reduce it

At last. A post that is to the point. Why do NCL UK Tel you when booking that the daily service charge is indeed discretionary and can be removed if you so wish by asking for a form at guest services. Why in this thread do so many American posters refuse to believe or understand this point made by NCL ? If you wish to pay the £80.71 for a 7 night cruise, then fine. If you don't wish to pay, then simply ask for the form at guest services and ask for the charge to be removed from your account.

[StolidCruiser]

2 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

At last. A post that is to the point. Why do NCL UK Tel you when booking that the daily service charge is indeed discretionary and can be removed if you so wish by asking for a form at guest services. Why in this thread do so many American posters refuse to believe or understand this point made by NCL ? If you wish to pay the £80.71 for a 7 night cruise, then fine. If you don't wish to pay, then simply ask for the form at guest services and ask for the charge to be removed from your account.

 

10 minutes ago, cybergremlin said:

 

No it doesn't, that's why people have the option to remove/reduce it

 

Please see Post #254 for clarification. 

 

Some simply wish to only read the parts that justify their narrow perspective.

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

8 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

 

Please see Post #254 for clarification. 

 

Some simply wish to only read the parts that justify their narrow perspective.

I have read post number 254 and the content is totally erroneous. At the risk of repeating myself to certain posters who do not seem to be able to understand, if you wish not to pay the daily service charge, then simply ask for it to be removed. That is certainly the case for bookings through NCL UK. Just for clarification to make sure that there had been no change, I rang NCL UK today and the lady I administration confirmed to me that was still the situation. It has abdolutely nothing to do with actual lack of any service. The charge is discretionary which means that you have a choice to pay or not

[fshagan]

8 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

I have read post number 254 and the content is totally erroneous. At the risk of repeating myself to certain posters who do not seem to be able to understand, if you wish not to pay the daily service charge, then simply ask for it to be removed. That is certainly the case for bookings through NCL UK. Just for clarification to make sure that there had been no change, I rang NCL UK today and the lady I administration confirmed to me that was still the situation. It has abdolutely nothing to do with actual lack of any service. The charge is discretionary which means that you have a choice to pay or not

 

I think it may have to do with different consumer protection laws in the UK.

[cybergremlin]

22 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

 

Please see Post #254 for clarification. 

 

Some simply wish to only read the parts that justify their narrow perspective.

 

Being rude again... not a narrow perspective at all, if it wasn’t discretionary then there would be no option to remove/reduce it

like I said earlier in this thread NCL should just reintroduce it into the price which it was till not long ago then the “Europeans” would of already paid it and the option would then go

[newmexicoNita]

On 6/27/2019 at 9:55 AM, NLH Arizona said:

When one comes on a public forum and brags about not paying something that most do, I would think you would have realized before you posted that you would get negative and non-supportive comments.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

great post and so very true. I often wonder what people think when they post very controversial statements and then get negative feed back?  

[newmexicoNita]

On 6/27/2019 at 12:30 PM, cybergremlin said:

 

No it doesn't, that's why people have the option to remove/reduce it

ok, tech you are correct but I was referring to the poster that mentioned having it rolled into the cost of the cruise. Of course we all know it can be adjusted and apparently some people choose to do exactly that. 

[beerman2]

Ok hypothetically speaking NCL adds the DSC to the bottom line and adds $120.00 per person to cruise fare. Is that going to make you cancel or not book a cruise??? 

 

I'm guessing probably not and if pax continue to "remove" the charge at some point NCL may say enough is enough and do just that. 

 

So  now everyone PAYS the fee no questions asked. You suck it up and pay it or stay home and find another vacation that fits your budget.

 

You've spent $$$$ on a cruise the DSC is a very small percentage of it. Hell next we'll have pax wanting their port fees back because they didn't leave the ship. 

Edited June 29, 2019 by beerman2

[Newleno]

Hmm I enjoy eating out and I enjoy going on cruises although I really cant afford neither, so the question is if I dine and dash at a restaurant am I "required" to leave a tip?

[beerman2]

49 minutes ago, Newleno said:

Hmm I enjoy eating out and I enjoy going on cruises although I really cant afford neither, so the question is if I dine and dash at a restaurant am I "required" to leave a tip?

Hope, however you take a chance on being arrested for theft if caught Dining and dashing.

 

Which becomes a bigger issue! AH the choices we have!

[cottagers2000]

Just passing on my thanks to the OP. I had no idea that you could go to guest services and ask for a form to waive ALL the service charges. Just been on the Epic and did exactly that and 105 dollars was simply credited to my account with no questions asked. Makes you wonder why NCL even bother in the first place in trying to charge service charges.

[tallnthensome]

56 minutes ago, cottagers2000 said:

Just passing on my thanks to the OP. I had no idea that you could go to guest services and ask for a form to waive ALL the service charges. Just been on the Epic and did exactly that and 105 dollars was simply credited to my account with no questions asked. Makes you wonder why NCL even bother in the first place in trying to charge service charges.

So you took away the staffs tips that served you on your cruise? I'm assuming you tipped them in cash instead, yes?

[HAPPINESS IS]

Absolutely amazes me that 'some' can get so tied up, trying to save what isn't even worth talking about, especially if one earns Dollars, Euros or Pounds!!

I believe that the only way to resolve this pathetic issue and to ensure that 'some' are not able to take up the option to cancel payment of this "discretionary" charge, is for cruise lines to include this "discretionary" charge with the cost of the cruise.  

That 'some' are prepared to cancel this charge, is truly beyond me!!!

[newmexicoNita]

On 6/27/2019 at 9:55 AM, NLH Arizona said:

When one comes on a public forum and brags about not paying something that most do, I would think you would have realized before you posted that you would get negative and non-supportive comments.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

so agree, the forum is not to post something everyone agrees with but to open up debates and to learn how others feel. 

[newmexicoNita]

2 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

So you took away the staffs tips that served you on your cruise? I'm assuming you tipped them in cash instead, yes?

Think we all know the answer to that one.  

[bkrickles1]

I've never cancelled DSC and I never would.

I've always tipped extra, when appropriate and when I choose. It's always made my wife and I feel good to personally give someone a little extra because they made our experience better.

With that being said, I dislike the methodology of the DSC and preferred how it was done years ago.

I know many will say (and I don't totally disagree) that less tips were given out that way and how people behind the scenes were getting nothing but it's not like this new way of doing it has improved our service or even guarantees that everyone gets more. I'd argue that service was actually better with the old way of tipping. Doesn't the DSC somewhat take away the incentive for the employees to go above and beyond for the passengers?

Personally, I believe the people behind the scenes should be taken care of with our cruise fare and the cruise lines need to figure out a better way of making sure everyone else can get taken care of in a more efficient and gratifying way.

I always felt tipping, especially on vacation, was supposed to be a feel good transaction between the tipper and the receiver.

They've kind of taken that away and, most importantly, if you make it so easy for people to remove a charge that they have no connection to, you're going to have plenty of people looking to do it.

I am surprised people admit to doing it here, but I wouldn't bash them for doing something that's within their rights and made so easy to do. Heck, they have a form for it.

Anyway, happy cruising to all! 

I'm looking at 171 days until my next sailing on the Encore. And.......................I've already pre-paid my DSC, which I've never done before but I figured I'd get it out of the way this time.

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, HAPPINESS IS said:

I believe that the only way to resolve this pathetic issue and to ensure that 'some' are not able to take up the option to cancel payment of this "discretionary" charge, is for cruise lines to include this "discretionary" charge with the cost of the cruise.

They have tried that. It didn’t work because the cost of the cruise goes up and people don’t like that, and many booked elsewhere. They have now changed back.

 

Admittedly the prices went up by more than the DSC, but it was quite predictable that it would.

[cottagers2000]

3 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

So you took away the staffs tips that served you on your cruise? I'm assuming you tipped them in cash instead, yes?

To put your mind at rest, I certainly did not leave any money for anybody. I never even saw the steward during the week, so there was no way he was getting anything for straightening the bed and pulling the cover back at night. When I go to work, nobody tips me for the job that I do, so why should I tip anybody on a ship for the job that they get paid for. ? No doubt all the do gooders will be up in arms but "am I boffered" ?