Breakdown of Cabin Tips

[fstuff1]

 

Saw this on a social media website. Claims to be the breakdown of NCL cabin tips precovid.

(Current cabin tips is $20/day. The pic is $14.50/day)

 

For all the years i've been sailing NCL, i've never seen a precise breakdown of the tips.

If this was accurate, anyone have the current  breakdown amounts?

 

And yes, more $ goes to restaurant staff than room attendants because there's ALOT more people working in restaurants than cleaning cabins.

[shoptom]

$3.55 to make my bed and empty the trash can?  Don't tell my wife at home!

[schmoopie17]

Never mind the $20 current rate. It will probably be going up again soon.

For your convenience, of course.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@fstuff1

 

It would be interesting to see the definitive source of the document you show.   I bet NCL had nothing to do with providing it.

[shof515]

this image been posted around on social media for over a decade now or longer. its not new

[Capitan Obvious]

Right...and this MUST be real because a) it was posted on social media, and b) it would be impossible for someone to make up something like this using Microsoft Word and a printer. Just no possible way that it could be faked.

 

Never trust someone who thinks their ambassador pin will have the CEOs name engraved on it.

 

11 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

And yes, more $ goes to restaurant staff than room attendants because there's ALOT more people working in restaurants than cleaning cabins.

\Or it could be that people eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the restaurants, thus reducing the "tip" to slightly more than $2.08 per meal.

[MoCruiseFan]

15 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

Saw this on a social media website. Claims to be the breakdown of NCL cabin tips precovid.

(Current cabin tips is $20/day. The pic is $14.50/day)

 

For all the years i've been sailing NCL, i've never seen a precise breakdown of the tips.

If this was accurate, anyone have the current  breakdown amounts?

 

And yes, more $ goes to restaurant staff than room attendants because there's ALOT more people working in restaurants than cleaning cabins.

 

Well seeing as there is no such thing as cabin tips in the first place, I doubt it is legit.  Most likely something someone typed up based on opinions and other people's post across the internet.  There is a DSC (Daily Service Charge) that, according to NCL is used to fund employee incentive programs.  How that all is handled, no one outside ncl knows and honestly it is not anyone else's business.    Enjoy your cruise!

BTW per the FAQ on ncl's web site, while it is encouraged, tipping is not at all required on ncl.

[seemoreroyals]

2 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

Well seeing as there is no such thing as cabin tips in the first place, I doubt it is legit.  Most likely something someone typed up based on opinions and other people's post across the internet.  There is a DSC (Daily Service Charge) that, according to NCL is used to fund employee incentive programs.  How that all is handled, no one outside ncl knows and honestly it is not anyone else's business.    Enjoy your cruise!

BTW per the FAQ on ncl's web site, while it is encouraged, tipping is not at all required on ncl.

 

Tipping is not required because it is covered by DSC.  Go back and study from the beginning when envelopes with tip money for waiters, cabin stewards, etc were replaced by DSC.  Brilliant move by NCL and other cruise lines as now they get to collect the tips up front, gradually raise them as time goes by, and along the way have many people that continue to not realize this and double tip.

 

I have no problem with an occasional something extra if service by room steward , wait staff, or other NCL employee goes above and beyond.   But when I pay our  $280 per week for DSC and extra for tips on drink package and extra tips for specialty diners for my wife and I that covers what is expected from us for tips, gratuities, whatever you want to call them.  

 

If NCL chooses not to give that money to the room stewards, wait staff, etc then that is an issue for possible legal action between NCL and them.  You do it your way and we will do it our way.  In the end we can agree to disagree.

[carohs]

On 11/7/2023 at 6:48 AM, shoptom said:

$3.55 to make my bed and empty the trash can?  Don't tell my wife at home!

Don't forget clean towels! If the OP's pic is to be believed it's actually more like $4.90 per day (per person!) given the $20 DSC now. For a family of 4, that's almost $16 per day "just" to make our beds. 

[Smitheroo]

On 11/7/2023 at 9:48 AM, shoptom said:

$3.55 to make my bed and empty the trash can?  Don't tell my wife at home!

they also get paid a salary 

[Smitheroo]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:17 PM, seemoreroyals said:

 

Tipping is not required because it is covered by DSC.  Go back and study from the beginning when envelopes with tip money for waiters, cabin stewards, etc were replaced by DSC.  Brilliant move by NCL and other cruise lines as now they get to collect the tips up front, gradually raise them as time goes by, and along the way have many people that continue to not realize this and double tip.

 

I have no problem with an occasional something extra if service by room steward , wait staff, or other NCL employee goes above and beyond.   But when I pay our  $280 per week for DSC and extra for tips on drink package and extra tips for specialty diners for my wife and I that covers what is expected from us for tips, gratuities, whatever you want to call them.  

 

If NCL chooses not to give that money to the room stewards, wait staff, etc then that is an issue for possible legal action between NCL and them.  You do it your way and we will do it our way.  In the end we can agree to disagree.

the DSC  is in lieuw of tips .  I've been told you can have it removed.  I know you can have it removed on Cunard so its probably the same on NCL 

[Smitheroo]

On 11/7/2023 at 8:17 PM, seemoreroyals said:

 

Tipping is not required because it is covered by DSC.  Go back and study from the beginning when envelopes with tip money for waiters, cabin stewards, etc were replaced by DSC.  Brilliant move by NCL and other cruise lines as now they get to collect the tips up front, gradually raise them as time goes by, and along the way have many people that continue to not realize this and double tip.

 

I have no problem with an occasional something extra if service by room steward , wait staff, or other NCL employee goes above and beyond.   But when I pay our  $280 per week for DSC and extra for tips on drink package and extra tips for specialty diners for my wife and I that covers what is expected from us for tips, gratuities, whatever you want to call them.  

 

If NCL chooses not to give that money to the room stewards, wait staff, etc then that is an issue for possible legal action between NCL and them.  You do it your way and we will do it our way.  In the end we can agree to disagree.

I think that the DSC is also a positive thing because it eliminates tipping anxiety. Some people are confident about social customs  but others are not. Being told that the DSC is in lieuw of tips can be a relief.  And so more people cruise because the anxiety has been removed. (although it can be replaced by should I tip extra lol)  I know some people here probably think this explanation is ridiculous but believe me, many people have much anxiety about social customs and one way to get around that is to avoid it- thus they dont cruise.  Which isnt a good thing for the cruise line business.  I'm sure the DSC also came about as a result of complaints from the forgotten staff behind the scenes. 

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

the DSC  is in lieuw of tips .  I've been told you can have it removed.  I know you can have it removed on Cunard so its probably the same on NCL 

Yes, it can be removed.

[SpainAlien]

I remember seeing this breakdown on the NCL website the first year I went cruising (2014), it used to be in the FAQs.

 

Based on current rates that's $4.89 per person for the steward. Assuming 2 people per room and the new normal of 22 rooms that's $215 per day plus the minimal salary. That's good money based on Spanish wages for example.

 

I have to believe that this will have been redistributed sinve 2014 because I can't believe that he would be getting almost $6500 per month can you?

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by SpainAlien

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

I think that the DSC is also a positive thing because it eliminates tipping anxiety. Some people are confident about social customs  but others are not. Being told that the DSC is in lieuw of tips can be a relief.  And so more people cruise because the anxiety has been removed. (although it can be replaced by should I tip extra lol)  I know some people here probably think this explanation is ridiculous but believe me, many people have much anxiety about social customs and one way to get around that is to avoid it- thus they dont cruise.  Which isnt a good thing for the cruise line business.  I'm sure the DSC also came about as a result of complaints from the forgotten staff behind the scenes. 

The history of the DSC seems to be that it was the replacement for the former "standard" tip set. There were "suggested" tip amounts for the cabin steward, main dining waiter, MDR bus boy and sometimes the maitre'D of the MDR. Tips were given directly to those workers. 

Eventually, the cruise lines offered to provide those tips directly to the personnel by charging your ship's account and taking care of the rest. You could use the default amount; also offer more; or, remove the auto charge and pay directly as in the old days.

Way back there were no specialty restaurants; when they started up, tips there were "optional" as an extra amount (presumably they got a share of the DSC, which is why tipping was optional).

 

At some point, the DSC apparently evolved into adding additional "behind the scenes staffers" in positions other than the ones I mentioned above (obviously, those staffers are not behind anything. And, at least for NCL, only a portion is given to crew as cash; some is used to pay for some perks; some may be retained for other uses - only NCL knows for sure how it is fully used.

[Smitheroo]

5 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

I remember seeing this breakdown on the NCL website the first year I went cruising (2014), it used to be in the FAQs.

 

Based on current rates that's $4.89 per person for the steward. Assuming 2 people per room and the new normal of 22 rooms that's $215 per day plus the minimal salary. That's good money based on Spanish wages for example.

 

I have to believe that this will have been redistributed sinve 2014 because I can't believe that he would be getting almost $6500 per month can you?

 

It was my understanding the tip was redistributed so that the workers behind the scene benifited as well which means this little chart is hogwash, or at least its not the current practice.   22 rooms is a *lot* of rooms to take care of but no, they are not getting $6500 per month.   This is why I feel that giving the room stewards extra has to be appreciated by them. I dont do it only as a thank you for service given to me because I dont require a lot of service plus I am just one person (a family would make more work) I make my own bed  (I prefer that) and have few requests. I tip extra as a thank you for doing the work they do because if they didnt (or if we were relying on American workers) there would be no cruises to go on. Like I said in another post, both times (since I started up crusing again) I've had to go look for my room steward to give her the xtra tip at the end of the cruise. I eventually found her working in a cabin   So they are not standing around with their hand out, at least not my experience.