Understanding NCL Freestyle - A synopsis

[Host CMLA]

But they do send Christmas cards ;)

Did they mail this to you or did you get it onboard during a holiday cruise? I've cruised NCL over many holidays and many many times overall and I've never gotten a card. Let's add this to the list of things I've never gotten on an NCL cruise. Never gotten a towel animal, an offer of upsell, a free upgrade, a card for any holiday and no invitations to any private events with the captain and staff. :(

If I go to a restaurant at home and nothing horrendous happens in the way of service, I leave a tip. If service is extra good I leave a larger than usual tip and I also usually thank the server for making the meal a very nice experience. I've never yet had one of the waiters reply yes'masser, thank you'masser.

He said it's reminiscent of this type of phrase not that he's actually heard this phrase in a tipping situation.

When I hear these comments from people, it makes me suspect that they are reflecting their own discomfort with tipping and I do wonder if it is because they are the ones who think that being in a service position is somehow demeaning or makes those people inferior to them.Maybe they feel the tipping action must be uncomfortable for those receiving it because it highlights the fact that the person giving the tip is superior to the person receiving it.( In their minds).

I'm not sure how you take what Stephen said and turn it back on him. I guess anyone here could do that with anything anyone says. I could take your comment about never getting a yes'masser from your hairdresser to mean that you want it and are unhappy because you aren't getting it. My point is that I think it's a huge stretch to take Stephen's words and turn it around to say something negative about him.

[sunshine 229]

I know (from your sig line) that you haven't cruised NCLA, but I have to ask if you've cruised NCL since freestyle came about and if so how have you handled tipping those who deserved it?

 

IMO-freestyle just isn't conducive to the traditional method of tipping. Yes, it would work in the case of the cabin steward, sort of-if the "teams" pooled their tips among themselves.

 

-Monte

 

I've cruised on NCL with freestyle dinning. I had no objection to the automatic tipping. I did seek out one wait team who had given us especially good service on a couple of nights ( we requested them the second time because we had been so pleased the first time at their table) and gave them an extra tip, in cash, in their hands.

 

I hope you don't misunderstand my post. I'm quite happy with the automatic tipping and I don't miss handing out envelopes on the final evening. I just don't understand it when I read posts by people who seem to equate hand delivered tips as some form of putting the waiters, room stewards etc "in their place". I've seen this sentiment expressed before so my post was directed at that type of thinking in general, not at any one poster in particular.

 

I just don't equate seeking out someone to thank them for a job well done, shaking their hand and saying,

"Thank you for helping to make our vacation so great, here is a little token of our appreciation" as synonomous with trying to play the part of slave master. MAybe I'm missing something here.

[mbisson]

I hope you don't misunderstand my post. I'm quite happy with the automatic tipping and I don't miss handing out envelopes on the final evening. I just don't understand it when I read posts by people who seem to equate hand delivered tips as some form of putting the waiters, room stewards etc "in their place". .

 

Thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it.

 

-Monte

[cruizinwithkids]

Stephen,

Thanks for the synopsis. I think it's very useful to people new to NCL. I'm not really too sure however, how the thread become controversial.:confused:

[sjbdtz]

I've cruised on NCL with freestyle dinning. I had no objection to the automatic tipping. I did seek out one wait team who had given us especially good service on a couple of nights ( we requested them the second time because we had been so pleased the first time at their table) and gave them an extra tip, in cash, in their hands.

 

I hope you don't misunderstand my post. I'm quite happy with the automatic tipping and I don't miss handing out envelopes on the final evening. I just don't understand it when I read posts by people who seem to equate hand delivered tips as some form of putting the waiters, room stewards etc "in their place". I've seen this sentiment expressed before so my post was directed at that type of thinking in general, not at any one poster in particular.

 

I just don't equate seeking out someone to thank them for a job well done, shaking their hand and saying,

"Thank you for helping to make our vacation so great, here is a little token of our appreciation" as synonomous with trying to play the part of slave master. MAybe I'm missing something here.

 

Sunshine, my comment was directed at the mindset of the poster who wanted to have the worker end up with more-or-less the same amount of gratuity, but they wanted the pleasure of giving the money themselves, rather than it forming part of the employee's pay packet.

 

It really reeks of "the old way is the better way", and that led to my comment. I tend to be a 15 - 20% tipper generally. Had the poster said I provided an additional gratuity, because I wanted to see the joy...that would have been fine. What's irksome is that they were willing to stiff other people, in order to accomplish this.

 

Bah...it's been a long day & I'm tired....this post may not even make a lot of sense.....

[NJBear]

...................

To clear up some very common misconceptions about Freestyle:

 

DINING

Just like living in any big city, there are different types of restaurants, including buffet, mid-level, and specialty.

 

..........

 

 

Stephen

 

Stephen,

Nice synopsis overall, although I wouldn't think the main restaurants would be classified as "mid-level", sure they are different menus than the specialty restaurants but I would still classify the meals as equal in service and taste...just different