Goodbye NCL and Possibly Cruising Altogether Rant One

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, The Traveling Man said:

Okay, I'll nudge it up to a nine😄

Thanks, I'd argue for a 10 if we had not managed to get the first available flight back home.

 

One thing RCCL actually did well was make the internet cafe free so people could e-mail family, travel agents, airlines, etc. I know my mother in law thought they were going to drop us off in the middle of a hurricane until we e-mailed her. And everyone was considerate and did not hog the computers.

[The Traveling Man]

2 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Thanks, I'd argue for a 10 if we had not managed to get the first available flight back home.

 

One thing RCCL actually did well was make the internet cafe free so people could e-mail family, travel agents, airlines, etc. I know my mother in law thought they were going to drop us off in the middle of a hurricane until we e-mailed her. And everyone was considerate and did not hog the computers.

NCL has done that on a couple of cruises we have taken where things went South.

[icft]

6 hours ago, Beachcreature said:

I am generally defensive of NCL and have enjoyed all of our 9 cruises with them.  One department, however, that needs improving is the whole drink package process.  You pre pay tips which is usually a plus for staff but when you order drinks, if you have the drink package with the prepaid tips you shouldn't have to tip again.  Once a server realizes that you are not tipping it seems that they prioritize other passengers that are tipping.  I don't have a solution but NCL needs to look into this or lose some loyal passengers.

We're relatively new to NCL having sailed extensively on Carnival, where they shove a paper receipt with a tip line in front of you with every drink, but the "no need to tip" aspect on NCL was an unexpected bonus.

 

We have rarely seen cash tipping during our NCL cruises but we usually have bartenders give us preferential treatment; giving us a questioning look as we approach and starting on our drinks when we can't even get to the bar. It has nothing to do with tips. It's  because we get to know them. Find out how to properly pronounce their native name, find out where they are from, treat them as a friend and they treat you well. It is not something we set out to do as a strategy, it is just normal for us to talk to folks.

 

We're darn sure not going to carry around a stack of cash bills and NCL doesn't shove that paper receipt in front of you for a reason (the tip has already been paid). On the last day of the cruise we do put tokens of our appreciation into envelopes and give them to those who have made our cruise special. Without fail we are told it was not necessary and we say we know, but they have been special to us and we wanted to let them know that.

[Maleficent's Dad]

1 hour ago, icft said:

We have rarely seen cash tipping during our NCL cruises but we usually have bartenders give us preferential treatment;

I've actually said this in the past.  We give cash tips, but usually on day one and the day before departure.  I have literally NEVER seen a person give a bartender a cash tip for a drink. EVER. Sure, I don't cruise as much as others on these boards, but I will be platinum come this fall on NCL.  I've also cruised several other lines.  The last time I said as much (re tips), I was told that I don't sail or drink often.

This past July, we sailed on the Joy and spent a lot of time in the Vibe.  We gave the three gents working the Vibe on day 1, and then on the day before departure.  One told us that no one else had given them cash that entire week.

I keep saying that if the bartenders were tipped as much as everyone here claims, they'd be the wealthiest people at sea...

[roxette]

A thing with tipping is that a lot of people really wants everyone to see when they give their one dollar bills to the bartender. Other people tip the bartender in a way that no one else notices. If you tip one dollar, the bartender often puts it in a "pool" to share with others. If you give a ten or more, they put it in their pocket. 

[JimR24]

We will be sailing in 50+ days on the Sky.  One thing I always have on me is a stack of $1s. I’ll tip the bartenders each time I get a drink. These people work their tails off during the trips.  Not sure if it helps but I have seen really good service from the bartenders who serve us. 

[Yesimapirate]

You lost me after the main dining room steak was the best you ever had.  

[KeithJenner]

11 hours ago, icft said:

We're relatively new to NCL having sailed extensively on Carnival, where they shove a paper receipt with a tip line in front of you with every drink, but the "no need to tip" aspect on NCL was an unexpected bonus.

 

We have rarely seen cash tipping during our NCL cruises but we usually have bartenders give us preferential treatment; giving us a questioning look as we approach and starting on our drinks when we can't even get to the bar. It has nothing to do with tips. It's  because we get to know them. Find out how to properly pronounce their native name, find out where they are from, treat them as a friend and they treat you well. It is not something we set out to do as a strategy, it is just normal for us to talk to folks.

 

We're darn sure not going to carry around a stack of cash bills and NCL doesn't shove that paper receipt in front of you for a reason (the tip has already been paid). On the last day of the cruise we do put tokens of our appreciation into envelopes and give them to those who have made our cruise special. Without fail we are told it was not necessary and we say we know, but they have been special to us and we wanted to let them know that.

Absolutely, regarding getting to know the servers and getting good service.

 

We do tend to tip per drink, not in order to get better service, but just because I want to give something extra to these people who work so hard for us.

 

However we often get to know others who treat the staff the same way bit don’t tip extra (sometimes they tip at the end, but the staff don’t know that). They get exactly the same treatment that we do,

 

Tipping probably does have an effect on the service, but in my experience, the way you interact with the staff is much more important.

[Ellis1138]

5 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

You lost me after the main dining room steak was the best you ever had.  

 

Yeah, seriously. Most of the time, it's at least edible or recognizable. One night, I ordered the NY Strip off the classics on the Pride of America (I should have known better). It was so awful, tough and overcooked that I said if it was a NY Strip, it must have been 10th Ave and 39th Street.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

6 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

You lost me after the main dining room steak was the best you ever had.  

Probably ordered it well done and then added some ketchup.

[schmoopie17]

14 hours ago, roxette said:

If you tip one dollar, the bartender often puts it in a "pool" to share with others. If you give a ten or more, they put it in their pocket. 

Not in our case. On the last night of our recent Jade cruise we handed our favorite bartender a twenty and he said he needed to put it in the shared tip jar. No biggie...they all work hard. But we wanted him to keep it. 

[NillaB]

15 hours ago, Maleficent's Dad said:

...

I keep saying that if the bartenders were tipped as much as everyone here claims, they'd be the wealthiest people at sea...

I've often thought the same about the cabin stewards 😉

[marrashadow]

A dollar per order is way less than you would at a restaurant or bar in the states. Its not about excess just appreciation. Also I'm not going to the bar every 5min so yeah its maybe 5-10 a day. Now I get NCL does charge gratuity with Free at Sea for drinks and restaurant but I don't believe that the workers are getting them. I think its their way off making you pay for beverage package.  I've also listened to many workers on these ships and their pay is low and hours long unless they are management level.

[Barb Nahoumi]

On 4/22/2024 at 8:18 PM, BirdTravels said:

So far, not having polka music sounds like a plus. 

 

The weather crossing the Atlantic in winter (or at any time) can be hit or miss. During our last TA, we went through a storm and got hit by a rogue wave, causing the ship to roll. All of the glassware in the cabins went flying. The poor cabin stewards spent most of the night cleaning up broken glass. 

 

Embarkation sounded long, but there was no explanation on why it was long. On our cruise last month, there was a full blown coast guard / health inspection of the ship before it when on a 21 day crossing from Miami to Seattle. 

 

Not sure what the shops should have for a TA. T-shirts with pictures of the ocean? You're not going to stock merchandise for a one-off cruise. And the shops are not run by NCL, they are run by a private vendor. 

 

Roast pig being an "exotic dish" tells me a lot. 

Yeah, Tee shirts with the NCL LOGO, and the name of the ship, with a picture of the ocean and some fish.  That would be cool.  I'd buy one.

[Barb Nahoumi]

On 4/22/2024 at 10:44 PM, fredflint said:

Well with everyone having a free drink package having fewer bartenders lowers the cost.  🙂

Probably someone who tipped him well.

[Barb Nahoumi]

3 hours ago, Ellis1138 said:

 

Yeah, seriously. Most of the time, it's at least edible or recognizable. One night, I ordered the NY Strip off the classics on the Pride of America (I should have known better). It was so awful, tough and overcooked that I said if it was a NY Strip, it must have been 10th Ave and 39th Street.

The last time that I had the New York Strip Steak, it was so tough that I could not chew it.  However, the steak that I had in Cagney's was absolutely perfect.  This was on the Joy. 

[DCGuy64]

So basically what I'm hearing is this: people who choose to tip bartenders on NCL in addition to the gratuities they paid for the all-inclusive beverage package are to blame when people like me (who DON'T carry around a stack of bills for extra tips) end up having to wait around longer for their drinks. Thanks a lot. In the future, I will be reporting this to management, and on the last night, if serving times haven't improved, I'll be removing the DSC and I'll tell management so in my follow-up survey. It's ridiculous to create a two-tiered system where only the people who bribe bartenders get served. EDIT: this might be an idle threat, or it might not be. But I'm not saying whether or not I will ever do this.

Edited April 24 by DCGuy64

[Liljo22]

I agree with you.  NCL and probably cruising as a whole is not right for you.  But you already know that because, as you say, you are correct about everything.  

 

Looks like you bailed but so far this is what we got:.

 

-Pre-Cruise NCL was great (probably the most surprising part of this rant)

-Buffet Staff was great

-Customer Service was great

-Room Steward was great

-Captain was great

-Food was 9.5 of out 10

-Entertainment was good(could have used more Polka)

-Weather sucked

-Because the weather sucked, you couldn't use the outside areas.

-The gift shop didn't have enough variety for you. 

-Embarkation was bad

-You skipped a port

 

I have been on this board long enough to know that the main issue here was Embarkation.  Some people can't get over something that happens before they even step on the ship and it ruins the whole trip for them.  After that point, everything is magnified in there eyes.  The hostess at dinner didn't smile?  The whole staff is rude.  They had to wait more than 5 minutes at 1 bar?  The bartenders are terrible.  

 

If I was on this cruise, I would probably have had a great time.  

Edited April 24 by Liljo22

[Liljo22]

2 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

So basically what I'm hearing is this: people who choose to tip bartenders on NCL in addition to the gratuities they paid for the all-inclusive beverage package are to blame when people like me (who DON'T carry around a stack of bills for extra tips) end up having to wait around longer for their drinks. Thanks a lot. In the future, I will be reporting this to management, and on the last night, if serving times haven't improved, I'll be removing the DSC and I'll tell management so in my follow-up survey. It's ridiculous to create a two-tiered system where only the people who bribe bartenders get served. EDIT: this might be an idle threat, or it might not be. But I'm not saying whether or not I will ever do this.

I don't ever tip per drink and I have never had a problem getting a drink over someone who tips extra.  I have even had bartenders that know what I drink and already have one being poured as I walk up.  At the end of the cruise, I give $20-$50 to the bartenders that made the trip better without me having to bribe them.  

[gknep]

13 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

I don't ever tip per drink and I have never had a problem getting a drink over someone who tips extra.  I have even had bartenders that know what I drink and already have one being poured as I walk up.  At the end of the cruise, I give $20-$50 to the bartenders that made the trip better without me having to bribe them.  

So much this. I have gotten to know one or two bartenders on a number of different cruises and been treated very well by them absent any tipping. I have tipped them in cash at the end of the cruise. I have found the bartenders in the whiskey bar on the Encore on multiple sailings to be excellent. 

[Liljo22]

Waiting breathlessly for the OP to make their comeback where we are all accused of being cheerleaders or NCL employees.   

[Cruising Lynne]

11 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

So basically what I'm hearing is this: people who choose to tip bartenders on NCL in addition to the gratuities they paid for the all-inclusive beverage package are to blame when people like me (who DON'T carry around a stack of bills for extra tips) end up having to wait around longer for their drinks. Thanks a lot. In the future, I will be reporting this to management, and on the last night, if serving times haven't improved, I'll be removing the DSC and I'll tell management so in my follow-up survey. It's ridiculous to create a two-tiered system where only the people who bribe bartenders get served. EDIT: this might be an idle threat, or it might not be. But I'm not saying whether or not I will ever do this.

LOL We often (not always) tip the bartender extra, and do not get preferential treatment. I have seen it though. I wonder how much those people tip?

 

It absolutely should be first come first served at the bars. I think it is the heavy drinkers who get recognized. You know, the people that park at one of the bars all day. We are too busy for that. I often get drinks from one of the drink servers so I do not have to deal with the crowds at the bars. Tipping them extra does help ensure that they return promptly to see if I need another drink. I do not like to worry about having cash for tips every time I leave the room, but will tip if I have some bills on me .Again, not always, and not the amounts that some people claim to tip.

[ontheweb]

27 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

So basically what I'm hearing is this: people who choose to tip bartenders on NCL in addition to the gratuities they paid for the all-inclusive beverage package are to blame when people like me (who DON'T carry around a stack of bills for extra tips) end up having to wait around longer for their drinks. Thanks a lot. In the future, I will be reporting this to management, and on the last night, if serving times haven't improved, I'll be removing the DSC and I'll tell management so in my follow-up survey. It's ridiculous to create a two-tiered system where only the people who bribe bartenders get served. EDIT: this might be an idle threat, or it might not be. But I'm not saying whether or not I will ever do this.

See post #51 in this thread where you say you wonder how many actually follow through on their threats. So are you going to follow through or not? 😉

[Menocchio]

2 hours ago, marrashadow said:

A dollar per order is way less than you would at a restaurant or bar in the states.

But it’s pretty standard in open bar situations. Or maybe it’s just what I do. I get those confused sometimes.

[blackwing]

I'm curious about the "Goodbye NCL and maybe cruising forever" part.  OP willingly embarked on a transatlantic cruise in April.  Weather wasn't great, there were no "I sailed the Atlantic" t-shirts in the gift shop, food and passengers were slightly strange..... and because of that, he's swearing off cruising forever?

 

I do sympathize about missing Gibraltar.  But missing a port can happen on any cruise.