Tip to the server?

[Da-Painter]

If I leave a tip on a restaurant/bar bill, does it go to the individual(s) serving me: Order taker, water person, clean up person, person delivering food? as there may be a number of different folks involved with serving me.

Does each person get a portion or this tip?

If I leave a cash tip, how do I know how it will be handled, will it be split amongst the folks who took part in my entire meal. Do I give each person a cash tip, and what if the person who brings my food, or refills my water glass is not seen again by the end of my meal?

Does it go into the pocket of the person who picks it up?
What about the host who seated me? do they get any of this?

Or does it go into a big pot, which NCL has the discretion to disburse to their employees?

Or is this all a secret with NCL? Does NCL keep any portion of this?
 

[smplybcause]

Considering I don't know how land restaurants handle the tip I leave, it's not something that concerns me. 

[Sauer-kraut]

Film out a Hero Card for that server, maybe have one handy so they can fill in their name.  These are worth a lot to the crew and bonuses are given out based on these cards.

[waterjock]

Their is a space on your bill to leave a tip on your ship board card. This should be shared by every one who serves you. If you leave a cash tip you seam to be rewarding the waiter who served you. I am sure NCL has a rule on this but how do they enforce it i do not know. I see the waiter removing the cash from the bill holder did he keep it or report it?

[casofilia]

If you pay the DSC don't bother to add anything extra.   Fill in Hero Cards.

[KateQ22003]

5 hours ago, waterjock said:

Their is a space on your bill to leave a tip on your ship board card. This should be shared by every one who serves you. If you leave a cash tip you seam to be rewarding the waiter who served you. I am sure NCL has a rule on this but how do they enforce it i do not know. I see the waiter removing the cash from the bill holder did he keep it or report it?

I agree with this. I asked a waiter at Cagney's about leaving a tip on the slip that you sign, and he said he wouldn't get it. He said if I left cash he would. Strange, but I didn't question it.

[pghflyer]

We Americans are really reaping what we sow around the world with the tipping insanity we pioneered such that your mind can go wild wondering what everyone expects. But not on a cruise - it is published and clear as day (well, a Florida day). I tip the normal daily charge as the company intends and put my wallet in the safe and enjoy a stress free cashless vacation - honestly this letting go of constant spending monitoring is a large part of the draw. It would take a horrendous extraordinarily bad cruise for me to adjust it lower because there are just too many contributors to penalize all for a few.....and as I am already tipping for good service, it would take extraordinarily special treatment for me to tip extra. I have filled out a few cards for good staff.  It's wonderful others have personal reasons to tip extra but it certainly isn't obligated and while the staff don't have equivalent prosperity as the cruisers, there are many more places / charities around the world that could benefit from our donations. 

[Oakman58]

12 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Considering I don't know how land restaurants handle the tip I leave, it's not something that concerns me. 

 

DITTO!

[waterjock]

I hear all waiters want to work the specialty restaurants. The free restaurants have no bills so their is no extra tipping. They reward their best people with work in the pay restaurants so they can earn more money. I think they know that some waiters are getting cash tips but do not want to put a stop to it,

[ray98]

Pay the DSC and don't worry about it.

[FLConnie]

We stay in the Haven and since it became a choice, have always pre paid our gratuities without thought.  We do give a cash tip to the Butler.  This past cruise was 21 days, the suite guests were told that NCL (and most major lines that do the pre paid gratuity) are keeping the majority if not all of it themselves, and the staff never sees it.  Since we had pre paid, and for others who had been billed daily, we went to the desk and asked the last day to have our gratuities at $0.  It was amazing the line for people doing this.  We then went ahead and did cash tips to those who had served us so we knew that they were actually getting it and not NCL.  If you are in a suite with a conseirge, you can also have him or her bill your account specific amounts for specific employees, and they will direct it.

 

We thought it was amazing that salaried employees were directing guests to do this, but I think the staff is frustrated with the auto gratuities and not receiving anything.  So basically, we went back to the way cruising used to be with tipping!  Any other input about this would be appreciated!

[smplybcause]

4 minutes ago, FLConnie said:

We stay in the Haven and since it became a choice, have always pre paid our gratuities without thought.  We do give a cash tip to the Butler.  This past cruise was 21 days, the suite guests were told that NCL (and most major lines that do the pre paid gratuity) are keeping the majority if not all of it themselves, and the staff never sees it.  Since we had pre paid, and for others who had been billed daily, we went to the desk and asked the last day to have our gratuities at $0.  It was amazing the line for people doing this.  We then went ahead and did cash tips to those who had served us so we knew that they were actually getting it and not NCL.  If you are in a suite with a conseirge, you can also have him or her bill your account specific amounts for specific employees, and they will direct it.

 

We thought it was amazing that salaried employees were directing guests to do this, but I think the staff is frustrated with the auto gratuities and not receiving anything.  So basically, we went back to the way cruising used to be with tipping!  Any other input about this would be appreciated!

 

No auditor would sign off on a company collecting money specifically for the crew and then not give it to the crew. Would never pass muster in a company that has to follow SEC regulations. It might not be called out as a line called DSC on their paycheck, but it is getting to the employees. 

[casofilia]

All is speculation until ALL cruise lines open their books to close scrutiny regarding any and all gratuities that pass through their hands.

Edited December 29, 2019 by casofilia

[FLConnie]

8 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

No auditor would sign off on a company collecting money specifically for the crew and then not give it to the crew. Would never pass muster in a company that has to follow SEC regulations. It might not be called out as a line called DSC on their paycheck, but it is getting to the employees. 

We still like the idea of tipping those well who actually serve us.  Who knows what percentage they get when it's all divided out.  I will say, the 21 day we were on had the fewest amount of beverage packages the bartenders had ever seen. And we were 2 of 10 guests with Premium!  This was a new sailing for NCL.  They all said they only get 18% of the beverage package gratuity when they serve the customers who have it.  So their tips were way down for three weeks. Plus there were I think 144 cabins who had no add-ons at all (drinks, wifi, specialty dining, excursions through NCL).  So they weren't paying service charges on anything but their cabin.  Servers would run to us for service and practically make us take bottles of wine back to our cabin at dinner!

Edited December 29, 2019 by FLConnie

[FLConnie]

3 minutes ago, casofilia said:

All is speculation until ALL cruise lines open their books to close scrutiny regarding and and all gratuities that pass through their hands.

You were on our sailing! I remember seeing you two with a bottle of wine in Magnum's 🙂

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by FLConnie

[casofilia]

PLEASE do NOT stop paying the DSC.   

 

OR do you go into the Galley and tip everyone who has made any part of any meal you have had.   OR do you go into the Laundry and tip everyone who has washed anything of yours.

 

Without those two groups of people your cruise would be a sorry affair.   Without the galley hands the servers would have nothing to do and/or you would be eating off dirty plates.  Without the laundry workers you would soon be complaining about dirty towels and smelly sheets.

[erdoran]

5 minutes ago, casofilia said:

PLEASE do NOT stop paying the DSC.   

 

OR do you go into the Galley and tip everyone who has made any part of any meal you have had.   OR do you go into the Laundry and tip everyone who has washed anything of yours.

 

Without those two groups of people your cruise would be a sorry affair.   Without the galley hands the servers would have nothing to do and/or you would be eating off dirty plates.  Without the laundry workers you would soon be complaining about dirty towels and smelly sheets.

 

Without laundry workers and galley hands NCL couldn’t sail because they’d violate a lot of health codes.  Perhaps NCL should consider paying them a proper wage, given that there are multiple reports of crew saying that they see only a small percentage of DSC?

 

I wonder if the 18% of the beverage service charge is really 18% tip on the package cost?  NCL takes 20% and that would actually be decent, they take 10% off the top and pass the rest along.  I’d rather see all of it be passed along, but if that’s the correct interpretation then that’s great.

[FLConnie]

4 minutes ago, casofilia said:

PLEASE do NOT stop paying the DSC.   

 

OR do you go into the Galley and tip everyone who has made any part of any meal you have had.   OR do you go into the Laundry and tip everyone who has washed anything of yours.

 

Without those two groups of people your cruise would be a sorry affair.   Without the galley hands the servers would have nothing to do and/or you would be eating off dirty plates.  Without the laundry workers you would soon be complaining about dirty towels and smelly sheets.

This is why I asked for input as this was the first time we had heard this or done anything but the DSC, and we have cruised a lot!  I find it hard to believe that consierges on several NCL ships would tell passengers this and risk their jobs if it wasn't true. Other passengers had heard this on prior sailings too. Thanks for the input!   I still would be curious to know how much of the DSC actually goes to staff and how it is divided since there were many passengers who were told by various staff that "the money never went to the staff".  I asked specifically about the MDR staff, and was told to tip those who waited on us or they would not see the money.  

[smplybcause]

14 minutes ago, FLConnie said:

We still like the idea of tipping those well who actually serve us.  Who knows what percentage they get when it's all divided out.  I will say, the 21 day we were on had the fewest amount of beverage packages the bartenders had ever seen. And we were 2 of 10 guests with Premium!  This was a new sailing for NCL.  They all said they only get 18% of the beverage package gratuity when they serve the customers who have it.  So their tips were way down for three weeks. Plus there were I think 144 cabins who had no add-ons at all (drinks, wifi, specialty dining, excursions through NCL).  So they weren't paying service charges on anything but their cabin.  Servers would run to us for service and practically make us take bottles of wine back to our cabin at dinner!

 

Except DSC covers more than just the people you see. Bartenders aren't covered by DSC and instead are covered by the gratuities on drinks and drink packages. 

 

I never figured out why on cruises everyone wants to know how their money is being distributed. Do you ask a girl that before you pay? Do you ask a restaurant server if they keep all their tip? Do you ask how much the sales person is getting when you buy a car? Do you ask where all your money goes when you buy a TV?

[smplybcause]

Just now, FLConnie said:

This is why I asked for input as this was the first time we had heard this or done anything but the DSC, and we have cruised a lot!  I find it hard to believe that consierges on several NCL ships would tell passengers this and risk their jobs if it wasn't true. Other passengers had heard this on prior sailings too. Thanks for the input!   I still would be curious to know how much of the DSC actually goes to staff and how it is divided since there were many passengers who were told by various staff that "the money never went to the staff".  I asked specifically about the MDR staff, and was told to tip those who waited on us or they would not see the money.  

 

Concierge are not part of the DSC pool. Maybe they were thinking if you removed it they might get a portion of that money from you. 

[FLConnie]

1 minute ago, smplybcause said:

 

Concierge are not part of the DSC pool. Maybe they were thinking if you removed it they might get a portion of that money from you. 

I know that as it is clearly stated who is included in the DSC.  If one has a Butler and Consierge I would hope they would tip them regardless, but I'm sure some don't. As you said, it's an interesting subject on cruises versus "real life". Cruise staff in all areas must do OK, or they wouldn't remain on the ships. 

[mjkacmom]

Where my daughter used to waitress, she was paid $2.13 an hour, tips were pooled, plus they had to tip out bartenders. When you go out to eat, you don’t know where your tips are going.

[smplybcause]

48 minutes ago, FLConnie said:

I know that as it is clearly stated who is included in the DSC.  If one has a Butler and Consierge I would hope they would tip them regardless, but I'm sure some don't. As you said, it's an interesting subject on cruises versus "real life". Cruise staff in all areas must do OK, or they wouldn't remain on the ships. 

 

Yes, but part of that OK comes from the DSC if they are in a DSC eligible position. 

[IrieBajan54]

On 12/28/2019 at 6:57 AM, pghflyer said:

We Americans are really reaping what we sow around the world with the tipping insanity we pioneered such that your mind can go wild wondering what everyone expects. But not on a cruise - it is published and clear as day (well, a Florida day). I tip the normal daily charge as the company intends and put my wallet in the safe and enjoy a stress free cashless vacation - honestly this letting go of constant spending monitoring is a large part of the draw. It would take a horrendous extraordinarily bad cruise for me to adjust it lower because there are just too many contributors to penalize all for a few.....and as I am already tipping for good service, it would take extraordinarily special treatment for me to tip extra. I have filled out a few cards for good staff.  It's wonderful others have personal reasons to tip extra but it certainly isn't obligated and while the staff don't have equivalent prosperity as the cruisers, there are many more places / charities around the world that could benefit from our donations. 

*

*

Ditto on the BOLDED.

In general, I have received the standard service for the DSC that I am required to pay. Additional tip would have to be for "above and beyond." Have not seen that. However, in certain situations, I have completed Hero Cards. In ports of call where service employees are paid a decent wage, I am told that they look for Americans who love to tip. I guess you can say Americans are spreading the wealth and/or stroking their ego. A good thing about the DSC is not having to stress out about who to tip.

[sanger727]

In response to the OP.... I think you are putting way too much thought into this. You are charged a daily service charge to cover the free restaurant waiters, room stewards, and behind the scenes. If you eat in a specialty restaurant or get the SDP you will pay a gratuity to cover the waiters in those restaurant.  If you get a beverage package or purchase a drink as you go, you'll pay a gratuity to cover the bar staff. You are covered on tips; no need to worry about who and when to tip extra (outside of if you have a butler/concierge).