Gratuity is being increased by 50 cents and more

[shof515]

I am seeing this is being posted in various groups. Looks like it is time for the yearly gratuity/service charge increase that happens all of the time:

Daily Service Charges are increasing 4/1/22
Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,
On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice.
The following is important information regarding your upcoming cruise. Travel partners should share the below information with guests who may be affected.
At Norwegian Cruise Line, we are committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences at every step of the cruise journey, and with the dedication of our shipboard team, we are able to turn your vacation dreams into reality. As such, we make it easy for guests to show their appreciation for these vacation heroes with discretionary daily services charges, which provide gratuities to key onboard team members, including room stewards, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff.
Beginning April 1, 2022, we will be making a nominal adjustment to our daily service charges, as follows:
$20.00 per person per day - The Haven & Suite
$18.00 per person per day - Club Balcony Suite
$16.00 per person per day - Balcony and below
Guests who make a reservation on or before March 31, 2022, will have the option of pre-paying their service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date.
.

Sincerely,
Norwegian Cruise LineGuests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre-paid their service charges at the current rate are not affected.

Service charges can be prepaid in the Vacation Summary section on My NCL

 

--------------------

 

The previous rates were:

For bookings made on or after April 1, 2020, that prepay their service charges before their sail date:

$18.50 USD per person per day for The Haven and Suites;
$18.00 USD per person per day for Club Balcony Suite;
$15.50 USD per person per day for all other stateroom types
For bookings made prior to April 1st, 2019, that prepay their service charges before their sail date:
$17.50 USD per person per day for The Haven, Concierge and Suites;
$14.50 USD per person per day for all other stateroom types

For bookings made on or after April 1, 2019 or for sailings April 1, 2019 and beyond whose service charges have not been prepaid:

$18 USD per person per day for The Haven, Concierge and Suites
$15 USD per person per day for all other stateroom types

[luckyinpa]

who's gonna boycott and cancel ncl..no one! 🙂 cause every bill you pay goes up every year. even your fixed cable contract goes up every year with fees. i welcome the chance to give my steward more money. i wouldnt wanna clean up after me. thats why i go on a cruise. 

[Sand and Seas]

I'm not surprised at the increase and I'm OK with paying it.  Still, wondering why a Club Balcony is $2 more per person per day?    

We haven't been in a Club Balcony since prior to shutdown but will be in one next month.  We love the bigger bathroom/shower, but are you really getting more service per day?

Edited March 2, 2022 by Sand and Seas

[karmamule]

In reviewing the perks I am guessing it is because it has more service-intensive benefits like free pressing, snacks delivered to room, and options to pre-book ahead of cruise date. 

[luckyinpa]

4 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

I'm not surprised at the increase and I'm OK with paying it.  Still, wondering why a Club Balcony is $2 more per person per day?    

We haven't been in a Club Balcony since prior to shutdown but will be in one next month.  We love the bigger bathroom/shower, but are you really getting more service per day?

 

i didnt notice more service in october. matter of fact, i read the terms of the room after my cruise and realized i was to actually get a few minor things i didnt..bad me for not reading up on them!

[shof515]

10 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

who's gonna boycott and cancel ncl..no one! 🙂 cause every bill you pay goes up every year. 

it is very strange how NCL is the only cruise line doing yearly increases compare to other cruise lines 

[luckyinpa]

3 minutes ago, shof515 said:

it is very strange how NCL is the only cruise line doing yearly increases compare to other cruise lines 

 

i dont own a business but when things like sporting tickets go up and people still pay, they know they have something and keep raising pricing. if zero people showed up at a major league game, salaries wouldnt be so high. if no one paid higher grats, they wouldnt charge them. they can. they do. they know it. last minute haven pricing itself has been a steal from the little ive been following since fall. future haven pricing is nuts. yet things like prima sell very very well. they know more than  me and are richer than me. id personally feel guilty raising pricing 

[FlGoodShips]

Still a bargain to me. Crew members work so hard. They deserve it.

[BermudaBound2014]

Doesn't NCL raise gratuities in the spring each year (minus covid years)?

 

This article says updated as of November 2021. I expect all cruise lines will raise gratuities soon if they haven't already. In the grand scheme of things, these seem quite nominal. Full Guide to Cruise Ship Gratuities for 2021 (Amounts, Etiquette, and More) | Cruzely.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Middleager]

52 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

I'm not surprised at the increase and I'm OK with paying it.  Still, wondering why a Club Balcony is $2 more per person per day?    

We haven't been in a Club Balcony since prior to shutdown but will be in one next month.  We love the bigger bathroom/shower, but are you really getting more service per day?

Bigger rooms, more carpet to vacuum, bigger bathroom/shower have more glasses/spaces to wash/wipe...

 

Just like detailing cost is higher for vans than small cars.

[japit]

If $7 is going to break you on a 7 day cruise or $14 for a couple in the haven, maybe you shouldn't go.  With all the extra they are cleaning sanitizing and supplying for their employees, (let's not forget testing)  and their passengers, masks gloves etc. That $1-$2 a day isn't bad.  .  

Edited March 2, 2022 by japit

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

Guests who make a reservation on or before March 31, 2022, will have the option of pre-paying their service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date.

 

Just pointing this out before the Chicken Little crowd chimes in....

 

[luckyinpa]

im probably in the minority but i've been fortunate to get a raise in the past year that is more than 2 bucks a day. so im still even on the grat increase. 

[Sand and Seas]

I've received multiple emails from NCL for two of my cruises.  However, all but two have other people's names & reservation numbers😕      I will happily pre-pay my own DSC, but I don't know what to do about these others.  (NCL sent from a 'do not reply')

[cruiserbear55]

17 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

im probably in the minority but i've been fortunate to get a raise in the past year that is more than 2 bucks a day. so im still even on the grat increase. 

Retired. Fixed income. Starting to know my new buddy, inflation, much better than when i was working.But you know what? The DSC could go up $5.00 a day pp, and we're still getting on a ship once or twice a year!! Everything else be d**ned! One must cruise!!

[Seafan22]

I'll tell you how long I have been playing around with cancellations, future cruise credit, and rebookings; the cruise I have coming up in October - which heaven help us let's hope this one happens - I am in a Club Balcony Suite, and it has been booked so long ago I have pre-paid the gratuity at $15.50 a day.  I am only saying that as a say statement on how long it's been since I've been on a cruise.  I am guessing that this is three or so gratuity increases since I booked.

[Twocoasts]

I appreciate the thread. I hadn't prepaid my gratuities but just did as result of reading this. Saves a few bucks...

[Sand and Seas]

Just now, Twocoasts said:

I appreciate the thread. I hadn't prepaid my gratuities but just did as result of reading this. Saves a few bucks...

I like to prepay.  Less line entries on my onboard bill to search through.

[Sand and Seas]

1 hour ago, Middleager said:

Bigger rooms, more carpet to vacuum, bigger bathroom/shower have more glasses/spaces to wash/wipe...

 

Just like detailing cost is higher for vans than small cars.

Maybe, but the Club Balcony isn't that much bigger than a regular Balcony.   

However, there is a much greater  difference in size between some of the Haven categories and some with two bathrooms to clean🤔

 

[n4w]

2 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

but are you really getting more service per day?

Exclusive Club Balcony Suite Amenities

• Complimentary treats delivered to your stateroom
• Complimentary bottle of sparkling wine
• Complimentary choice of one valet laundry or pressing service

[cruiserbear55]

6 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

Maybe, but the Club Balcony isn't that much bigger than a regular Balcony.   

However, there is a much greater  difference in size between some of the Haven categories and some with two bathrooms to clean🤔

 

It's cleaning the extra 18 square feet on a jewel class balcony!!

[nhtravels]

We have 2 upcoming bookings through CAS.  We chose to upgrade our comped cabin to the Haven.  But the prepaid gratuity is $15.50 pp/pd.  Is that normal that the gratuities are based on the comp, not the upgrade?  

 

(Thanks to anyone who may have this answer, instead of me creating a whole new gratuity thread! LOL)

[Cruiser933]

33 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

I've received multiple emails from NCL for two of my cruises.  However, all but two have other people's names & reservation numbers😕      I will happily pre-pay my own DSC, but I don't know what to do about these others.  (NCL sent from a 'do not reply')

Me too. Four emails, only one of which has my name and reservation number on it. I assume total strangers received emails with my name and reservation number. I don’t care that they are raising the gratuity, but do care that they are sending strangers my personal information.

[dalmoradie]

We're in a Club Balcony Suite and after reading this, went and prepaid our service charges.  They only charged us $15.50 per person per day, though.  Could it be because it's a free cruise from Casinos at Sea?  I was given a free Oceanview and I upgraded to Club Balcony.

[Brian V]

11 minutes ago, n4w said:

Exclusive Club Balcony Suite Amenities

• Complimentary treats delivered to your stateroom
• Complimentary bottle of sparkling wine
• Complimentary choice of one valet laundry or pressing service

Not to say the gratuities are out of line but you are paying a significantly higher fare for these amenities...US$150.00 pp more for an MA as opposed to our BA cabin for our September Greece cruise.

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by Brian V
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