Tipping on Norwegan breakaway and other Newby questions

[travelgip]

Just to clarify - if I upgrade to the premium plus beverage package & prepay gratuities, am I still billed the 20% "tip" for each drink?  Prepaying the gratuities covers me for no bar tab?

Thanks

Edited August 31, 2022 by travelgip

[Trimone]

6 minutes ago, travelgip said:

Just to clarify - if I upgrade to the premium plus beverage package & prepay gratuities, am I still billed the 20% "tip" for each drink?  Prepaying the gratuities covers me for no bar tab?

Thanks

No, that’s it, you’ve already paid tip

[LGinPA]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

Your daily service charge covers all tips, for everyone, except bartenders and those who bring you a drink.

 

Thanks, I think I get it now.

 

This (referenced by the quote) is the $16 per person per day service charge I see when I sign into my NCL, Summary and select Pre-Pay Service charges. It says it's shared among the staff including restaurant, stewards and behind-the scenes staff.  I can choose to pay anytime early, and if not paid early will be added to my bill at the end of the cruise.   

 

As you mentioned it does not include bartenders, because....

 

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

 If you choose the Free at Sea beverage package, then gratuity for bartenders and drink servers is added to your bill. If you choose Free at Sea dining package, then gratuity for your specialty dining server(s) is added. 

 

Yes, we do have the Ultimate* beverage package and 3 nights specialty dining* as part of either Free at Sea and/or the affinity group we're in.   

 

I see on my Confirmation .pdf we have a per person Beverage Service and Dining service charge. 

 

So technically all tips are covered.  I understand we can tip extra for exceptional service, and plan to have cash to do so. 

 

*OT - The name of the beverage package changed from Premium (Free at Sea) to Ultimate when our official affinity group was confirmed. I was assured it was the same as premium. And our specialty dining was increased from 2 (Free at Sea) to 3 nights with the affinity group.

 

Thanks so much! 

Edited August 31, 2022 by LGinPA

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, LGinPA said:

I'm new to cruising and I'm confused about tipping. 

 

I think I understand that the DSC I see on my NCL account, that I can pre-pay, covers general services like the cabin steward and maids.  

 

But what about wait staff and bartenders?  There seemed to be a difference of opinion here.  Is it expected that we tip additional, or done only for exceptional service?

 

We'll be in Euro countries, so would it be better that we have €  ? It seems strange to leave US$ for staff that may not be able to use it. 

If you got the drink package as part of Free at Sea, then the tips for your drinks are paid. If you hapen to get a drink that costs more than the allowed amount (e.g. $15 for base plan), then they will automatically add $20% tip on the overage. 
If you didn't get a drink package, then any drink you buy will have 20% added automatically.

Some people tip additional for exceptional service.  I'll do this, particularly if a bar server is giving me good service or perhaps to encourage good service (tip so that hopefully they remember me and give good service).  This additional tipping is entirely discretionary and having a handful of dollar bills with you on board helps.  I'm sure Euros work too.

Where things get confusing is that some people go as far as to say that the DSC is NOT gratuities.  I disagree.  
 

49 minutes ago, travelgip said:

Just to clarify - if I upgrade to the premium plus beverage package & prepay gratuities, am I still billed the 20% "tip" for each drink?  Prepaying the gratuities covers me for no bar tab?

Thanks

Let's be clear - If you get a drink and/or dining package as part of Free at Sea, you will be billed for 20% of the cost of that free package to cover the gratuities to the drink or dining servers.  If you buy a drink or dining package or upgrade a drink or dining package, or you buy a drink or food that is not included in a package (e.g. Starbucks coffee, Coco's sweets), your bill for that package/drink/food will include a 20% adder to cover the gratuity.  That 20% you pay for the "free" packages and the 20% adder on bills is different from the pre-paid Daily Service Charge (DSC).  The DSC covers the gratuities for your cabin steward, main dining room servers, buffet servers, and countless other back of the house workers.  

[LGinPA]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

Also, let me suggest a YouTuber named Gary Bembridge. His channel, Tips for Travelers, is not sensationalized, doesn't have adults acting like giddy nine year olds, and contains great advice. Here's a specific video on tipping:

 

 

 

Thank you, the video was very helpful!  

 

[LGinPA]

16 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

If you got the drink package as part of Free at Sea, then the tips for your drinks are paid. If you hapen to get a drink that costs more than the allowed amount (e.g. $15 for base plan), then they will automatically add $20% tip on the overage. 
If you didn't get a drink package, then any drink you buy will have 20% added automatically.

Some people tip additional for exceptional service.  I'll do this, particularly if a bar server is giving me good service or perhaps to encourage good service (tip so that hopefully they remember me and give good service).  This additional tipping is entirely discretionary and having a handful of dollar bills with you on board helps.  I'm sure Euros work too.

Where things get confusing is that some people go as far as to say that the DSC is NOT gratuities.  I disagree.  
 

Let's be clear - If you get a drink and/or dining package as part of Free at Sea, you will be billed for 20% of the cost of that free package to cover the gratuities to the drink or dining servers.  If you buy a drink or dining package or upgrade a drink or dining package, or you buy a drink or food that is not included in a package (e.g. Starbucks coffee, Coco's sweets), your bill for that package/drink/food will include a 20% adder to cover the gratuity.  That 20% you pay for the "free" packages and the 20% adder on bills is different from the pre-paid Daily Service Charge (DSC).  The DSC covers the gratuities for your cabin steward, main dining room servers, buffet servers, and countless other back of the house workers.  

 

 

My tipping knowledge is now complete.  Thanks so much! 

 

[complawyer]

to tip or not to tip, that is the question (sorry hamlet) this has been discussed many times.

 

regardless of the dsc, my wife and i tip whenever a service is performed. we start by tipping the porter that takes our bags from the dock,  if we are escorted to a haven restaurant, we tip the waiter/waitress. if the guy behind the counter is making me an omelet, i tip him. it's only a buck or two. we always leave a couple of bucks for the bartender, and cocktail waitress. it goes without saying we tip the cabin steward, at the beginning,middle and end of cruise.

 

also, depending on how my luck is running, i usually tip the dealer

 

yes, i know that the daily service charge should cover this, but who knows how much of the overall pie, each employee is getting, so a little extra cash goes a long way. the people get to know you, and appreciate the extra money. i figure after paying X amount of dollars to get on the cruise, a few extra dollars wont hurt, and it does promote really good will among most of the staff that you will come in contact with during  your cruise.

 

i'll probably get a great deal of heat for this position, but bottom line, if you dont want to tip extra "DONT". tipping extra on an ncl ship is totally discretionary!

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

to tip or not to tip, that is the question (sorry hamlet) this has been discussed many times.

 

regardless of the dsc, my wife and i tip whenever a service is performed. we start by tipping the porter that takes our bags from the dock,  if we are escorted to a haven restaurant, we tip the waiter/waitress. if the guy behind the counter is making me an omelet, i tip him. it's only a buck or two. we always leave a couple of bucks for the bartender, and cocktail waitress. it goes without saying we tip the cabin steward, at the beginning,middle and end of cruise.

 

also, depending on how my luck is running, i usually tip the dealer

 

yes, i know that the daily service charge should cover this, but who knows how much of the overall pie, each employee is getting, so a little extra cash goes a long way. the people get to know you, and appreciate the extra money. i figure after paying X amount of dollars to get on the cruise, a few extra dollars wont hurt, and it does promote really good will among most of the staff that you will come in contact with during  your cruise.

 

i'll probably get a great deal of heat for this position, but bottom line, if you dont want to tip extra "DONT". tipping extra on an ncl ship is totally discretionary!

I don't agree with tipping the cabin steward in the manner you do.  But I'm not going to give you heat about it because of course that's your business not mine.  The people I'll give heat to is NCL.  In my opinion there should be an explicit, unambiguous, publicized amount of the DSC that goes to the cabin steward.  Then I can make an informed decision about whether I want to give more and if so how much.  This idea that the DSC replaces the gratuity (the weekly envelopes) but we're really not sure how much the steward actually gets, if any, is for the birds, IMO.

PS - I've never seen anyone tip the omlet chef.    I've done it at hotels but often there is a tip jar there. I usually get  couple things from the omlet station, I might start doing that myself.  Especially if they do a good job. 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by PATRLR

[complawyer]

my 1st ncl cruise was 12 years ago on the pearl to alaska. the cruise prior to that was probably 15 years before, and they still handed out envelopes. i dont have any explanation as to why i thought i should tip the cabin steward, i just thought it was a good idea., and that we'd get a little extra service. and like you, i started tipping a buck or 2 to the guy in the hotel making me an omelet. it just carried over to the guy doing the same at the buffet station.

 

we got off the ncl bliss about 2 weeks ago. we were having breakfast at savor one morning.   we gave the waiter a $5.00 tip and he acted like he had just won the lottery. after that he couldnt do enough for us.

 

im not trying to brag, preach, or change anyone's position on tipping.. it's personal to me. i feel these folks are grossly underpaid, and most of them are overwhelmed when you give them a tip. asked a waiter one evening about it, and he told us that very few people leave tips.

 

believe me they are more than grateful.

 

if youve followed prior  posts, people in suites or haven suites have no problems or issues tipping their butler, concierge or the bartender, .

 

so,again, bottom line tip if you want to, dont tip if you dont want  to. no one else is going to judge

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 7/13/2022 at 12:30 PM, PATRLR said:

To Nurse, most people consider the Daily Service Charge to be the "tips" that are customary in the service industry.  There is no need to tip additional as @complawyerand @MoCruiseFan describe.  Nothing wrong with doing so, but, not expected in the way a tip at a US restaurant is expected after a meal.

This is exactly why I think NCL's process is GREAT!!  It's part of what makes freestyle really freestyle.

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 7/13/2022 at 1:09 PM, cruiseny4life said:

Thus far it has all been heresy, so I continue to fund the DSC with my pre-paid interest free loan to NCL.

How is it an interest free loan?

[cruiseny4life]

10 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

How is it an interest free loan?

Wow! You had me scratching at my memory bank for this one!

 

It's a loan to NCL prior to the cruise as it gives them additional cash flow that they can use until it needs to be paid out as the DSC (in whatever way they do that). It's like taxes. I pay more in taxes than I owe, giving the US a loan, until I do my tax return.

 

Of course I could just wait and pay at the end of the cruise, but by paying when I book it's just easier. And I'm all for easier! 

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Of course I could just wait and pay at the end of the cruise, but by paying when I book it's just easier. And I'm all for easier! 

That makes sense.  In my case, I never pay in advance and they wind up charging my credit card, which I pay a month or so later.  So, in this scenario, I'm the one getting that interest free loan. 😎

[hrmkr]

I occasionally tips the bartenders.  Especially the one's you visit often.  When someone gets a direct tip, it goes straight into their pocket and is not split many ways.  You would be amazed how your drink may be a little stronger and you get served faster when there are a lot of people waiting.  They remember who you are.

 

[MoCruiseFan]

On 7/13/2022 at 4:09 PM, cruiseny4life said:

I continue to fund the DSC with my pre-paid interest free loan to NCL.

LOL interest.  Even on a 15 day haven cruise we are talking less than $10 if you pre-pay a full year in advance.  If $10 is going to break you, perhaps you should not be cruising in the first place!

[BirdTravels]

On 9/1/2022 at 11:46 AM, ChiefMateJRK said:

That makes sense.  In my case, I never pay in advance and they wind up charging my credit card, which I pay a month or so later.  So, in this scenario, I'm the one getting that interest free loan. 😎

But, you don’t make any interest on the money so it doesn’t make a difference. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

55 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

But, you don’t make any interest on the money so it doesn’t make a difference. 

Yes I do!!!  The money I would have paid in advance (or charged to my card upon disembarkation) sits in my money market account and earns 2% - 3% interest until the credit card bill comes.  To @MoCruiseFan's point, a 15 day Haven charge for one year would only be $10.41 (Friday closing 1 year treasury yield), but don't tell me I don't make any!

 

disclaimer: I've never complained about having to make advance payments because I just don't do that.  Others have (even though they don't have to).

[dbrown84]

On 9/1/2022 at 6:42 PM, hrmkr said:

I occasionally tips the bartenders.  Especially the one's you visit often.  When someone gets a direct tip, it goes straight into their pocket and is not split many ways.  You would be amazed how your drink may be a little stronger and you get served faster when there are a lot of people waiting.  They remember who you are.

 

Just like when I'm home, I always take care of my bartenders.  A buck or two per drink makes for much better service and drinks.  I never get the drink package so it's not like I feel that I'm double tipping 

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

I never get the drink package so it's not like I feel that I'm double tipping 

If you buy a drink without the drink package, do they automatically add a gratuity to the charge (prior to any additional tipping by the patron?)

[BirdTravels]

31 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

If you buy a drink without the drink package, do they automatically add a gratuity to the charge (prior to any additional tipping by the patron?)

20%. 

[dbrown84]

25 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

If you buy a drink without the drink package, do they automatically add a gratuity to the charge (prior to any additional tipping by the patron?)

If you're buying the drink, the answer is yes.  They add gratuities to the check.  I get my drinks at the casino bar using the casino drink card, so there is no charge and it doesn't come with a prepaid gratuity charge like the free at sea drink package 

[ChiefMateJRK]

54 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

A buck or two per drink makes for much better service and drinks.  I never get the drink package so it's not like I feel that I'm double tipping 

Based upon the last few responses, it sounds like you are double tipping.  Just fyi.

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Based upon the last few responses, it sounds like you are double tipping.  Just fyi.

How do you figure that?  I'm tipping the bartender or server when they give me my drink.  Where is the 2nd tip?

[MoCruiseFan]

On 7/13/2022 at 4:03 PM, MsMidge said:

Your assuming the DSC affects the crew in any way at all.  I have heard from crew that their pay does not change from week to week anymore.,  Years ago, it was always different depending on how many tips they got, but now not so much.  I believe this line, like the others are using the funds to subsidize their obligations.   Why else would they not be at all transparent or make it removable at all?  

 

And you are ASSujing that it doesn't.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 8/31/2022 at 10:35 AM, LGinPA said:

I'm new to cruising and I'm confused about tipping. 

 

 

Nothing at all to be confused about.  As was stated before, the ONLY correct answer to tipping is to tip whomever you want, however much you want, at any time you want.  End of stort. Kindly move long please.