Tips on NCL America ships

[Jamrenjer]

Just curious-- does anyone know if Wait staff & Cabin stewards get tips above their hourly wages? We had read something somewhere that they are not making as much $ compared to other ships..... just wondering....;)

[shoreguy]

The only tips they get on NCLA is cash tips from passengers. The service charge on NCLA is not a tip pool.

 

Keep in mind the are being paided a desent hourly wage with overtime and paid leave. Unlike an international ship most of the incoe is from salary not tips. Thus the high cost to operate an American flagged ship.

 

For example here is an open bar staff position

 

Position is onboard with room, meals and uniforms provided.

PAY RATE: $6.50/hr (overtime after 40hrs/week= $9.75/hr)

WORK SCHEDULE: 7 days per week 8-10 hours per day.

Assignment onboard for 16-20 weeks with 4-5 weeks vacation between assignments.

[RoosterSharkey]

I'll be sure to bring extra cash for tipping. Ages ago (35 years?), as a delivery boy, I essentially lived on tips, so I'm a firm believer in tipping for services, with extra for the exceptional.

[honestguy]

shoreguy very few get paid leave. have to be there for a year to get half of ur leave paid and 2 years for all of it. when they first started leave was paid but quickly rolled that back

[shoreguy]

shoreguy very few get paid leave. have to be there for a year to get half of ur leave paid and 2 years for all of it. when they first started leave was paid but quickly rolled that back

 

Thank you for the update. Looks like they are trying to establish some incentive for those that stay with the job.

[FSUNole]

do they not get the tips that are added to your cabin bill? Does anyone?

[Jamrenjer]

Thanks for the replies..... so it sounds like they get paid by the hour with time and a half for over 4o hours-- & then only if guests give them cash tips. So then the tip pool-- (the 10$ a day everyone is paying) is basically covering their hourly wages?? Is that correct?

I still wonder how it compares to the other employees on the regular NCL ship.... thanks again....

[shoreguy]

do they not get the tips that are added to your cabin bill? Does anyone?

 

Not on NCLA - The American crewed ships in Hawaii - there is a service charge to offset some of the high cost of US labor but it does not go into a tip pool like the NCL ships.

[shoreguy]

Thanks for the replies..... so it sounds like they get paid by the hour with time and a half for over 4o hours-- & then only if guests give them cash tips. So then the tip pool-- (the 10$ a day everyone is paying) is basically covering their hourly wages?? Is that correct?

I still wonder how it compares to the other employees on the regular NCL ship.... thanks again....

 

You got it right - not sure how it compares - but I have to believe a bar Server with a good hourly rate and going the extra mile for tips on top of that is making out much better then the guy on the $1000 per month draw against tips.

[Jamrenjer]

Thanks Shoreguy- I was thinking the bar servers would do well-- and the cabin stewards-- but with Freestyle dining- and not having the same guests all week, the dining room waiters would not get that many cash tips. Thanks again.

[DaisyL]

Now I'm really confused, on NCL Dawn, they will automatically add 15% to drink charges and I understand they do not for NCLA PoAM drinks ... not a problem because we will tip cash and it will be more than 15%.

 

My confusion is, do we tip the servers in a main dining room on the PoAm ? If so, how much would be reasonable for good service, per meal? Only tipped the regular dining room servers extra one time, when we made a special request. But we tip addtionally in pay restaurants, on the Dawn. What about the buffet, at home we'll leave 15% ?...

 

The same question for the room stewards on the PoAM, how much for good service daily ? We usually give additional tips for good service on our past cruises. At a land based average hotel, we'll leave the maid $5/day/couple for routine service.

 

I'm glad I read this thread because I thought the service charge was for tips. Will I figure this out before Oct ? ;) ... Also, this has not been expalined in any of my paperwork so far ... will we be informed of tipping guidelines?

[shoreguy]

Now I'm really confused,

 

Not that confusing. The way I see it you pay $10 a day on both lines. In one case it gos to a tip pool on the other it goes to the higher salaries.

 

Anything beyond that is based on going the extra mile. If you tip extra on the Dawn do the same on NCLA. If you find a great wait staff, tip them and return to their station. How much? Up to you;)

 

I would bring a bunch of $5 bills :D

[DaisyL]

Thanks for simplifying, shoreguy .... I get it now..:)