Change in NCLA's tipping

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Starting this Saturday all bar tabs will have the 15% auto tips added like on the International ships.

James

[Jana]

I bet the bartenders are happy about that. It's confusing to the average cruiser, who thought that the tips were included all along! Luckily, my daughter asked, and we brought cash with us every time we visited a bar.

 

Jana

[whale-watcher]

This is a good idea...I think that many PAX don't realize that a tip was not included, and I'm sure it was awkward for the serving staff to have to mention this...plus a lot of drinks (soda, etc.) are ordered by kids, who might not understand the concept of tipping at all.

[bagelsnbrew]

A tip or gratuity is given for superior service, if it's mandatory it's a SURCHARGE. Semantics? Yes. But I've always viewed mandatory tipping as a way to double dip, that is many customers won't notice the mandatory tip and tip on top of that. For me, whenever there is a mandatory tip, I will not give any additional money no matter what the service is and I generally tip better than 15%.

[cruizinwithkids]

I'm so glad they made this change because while I'm sure I read about it along the way, I had no idea tips for drinks weren't included and I'll be on the Aloha next week.

 

Thanks James:)

[DieHard]

Also, a 15% charge is also added on to items taken from the fridge in the cabins. My wife used a bottle of water and and a tip was added to the bill even though she served herself.

[cruizinwithkids]

A tip or gratuity is given for superior service, if it's mandatory it's a SURCHARGE. Semantics? Yes. But I've always viewed mandatory tipping as a way to double dip, that is many customers won't notice the mandatory tip and tip on top of that. For me, whenever there is a mandatory tip, I will not give any additional money no matter what the service is and I generally tip better than 15%.

 

That's fine, but as part of what I consider the industry standard I would have assumed it was there. I can remember coming home from my honeymoon in 1988 and torturing my husband because of all his on board account slips for $1.73 for his Budweiser. $1.50 plus tip. So after 20 years of cruising, I don't think I would have noticed there was not a tip.

 

I could never understand the comments people made about not getting drinks served quickly on the American ships and having to get them themselves. Maybe it was because they weren't tipping and didn't even realize it. Bar servers tend to love my husband and me.:D

[CruizeVirgin]

I know this is common on Carnival so it not a surprise that NCL is finally doing this. I am not a fan of it for purchases like water and soda because there is no service involved there. I think it should only be on drinks with alcohol...

[cruise4kicks]

I know this is common on Carnival so it not a surprise that NCL is finally doing this. I am not a fan of it for purchases like water and soda because there is no service involved there. I think it should only be on drinks with alcohol...

Just a point of clarification: NCL has been doing this for as long as I can remember. This is a change to NCLA (Pride of Aloha, Pride of America) policy.

[avalanche2]

the bartenders will lose out here as I always tip more than 15% and mostly always CASH.

[cruizinwithkids]

the bartenders will lose out here as I always tip more than 15% and mostly always CASH.

 

Since I have only cruised NCL or CCL in the last 5 years I guess I thought the 15% was pretty standard. Are you saying other lines don't add the 15% or are you saying you take it off and then use cash? :confused:

[mbisson]

Personally, I'm glad they're doing this. I was a bit confused when we sailed a couple weeks ago (Aloha) on the first drink so I asked and was a bit surprised there was no tip included. Of course I'm usually confused so that wasn't a surprise

[BennyBob]

A tip or gratuity is given for superior service, if it's mandatory it's a SURCHARGE. Semantics? Yes. But I've always viewed mandatory tipping as a way to double dip, that is many customers won't notice the mandatory tip and tip on top of that. For me, whenever there is a mandatory tip, I will not give any additional money no matter what the service is and I generally tip better than 15%.

Surcharge it is. TIP To Insure Promptness. Any company that uses the mandated tipping is only looking for a way to under pay their staff. I believe that if the company feels that the employee is worth the 15% addition they should pay it and if they have need to, add it to the ticket. Don't offer a cheap ticket. It's not double dipping because the company mandates, not the employee. Of course a bar bill is a good place to put add ons. Where is the incentive to give good service? Modern tipping is 18-20% for good service.

[cruise4kicks]

Modern tipping is 18-20% for good service.

If people would only tip that. But they don't -- too many stiff the servers completely -- which is why the autogratuity. We can sit here all day and talk about what wonderful tippers we all are, but the fact remains that too many people stiff the servers. If people want an all-inclusive cruise then they need to go to the cruiselines which forbid tipping and stop trying to treat the mass market lines as if they should be the same.

[mbisson]

Bravo Becky Bravo

 

And for those wondering the word TIPS actually isn't an acronym To Insure Promptness or To Insure Prompt Service as many believe. At least according to the following which calls that an urban legend. (To Insure Prompt Service works for me though. IMO an acronym is whatever we make it ;) )

 

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

[jsnun]

First let apologize if my question has already been addressed on another thread :)

 

What/who does the daily "service charge" tip of $10 per person cover ? I am going on my 1st cruise on the Jewel on March 23 and I certainly don't want to neglect the staff.

[cruise4kicks]

First let apologize if my question has already been addressed on another thread :)

 

What/who does the daily "service charge" tip of $10 per person cover ? I am going on my 1st cruise on the Jewel on March 23 and I certainly don't want to neglect the staff.

It covers your room stewards and restaurant wait staff. It does not include bar servers (who are in the 15% autogratuity on beverages tip pool on NCL and will be soon on NCLA), butlers and concierge.

[mbisson]

First let apologize if my question has already been addressed on another thread :)

 

What/who does the daily "service charge" tip of $10 per person cover ? I am going on my 1st cruise on the Jewel on March 23 and I certainly don't want to neglect the staff.

 

That's a good question, and by asking it, I bet you're one of those who enjoys taking care of the staff! :D

 

My understanding is that everyone is covered (who should be) except for room service deliveries and the kids club staff. For outstanding service you may want to tip additional direct to the person. There has been some discussion if those additional tips are pooled by the staff, but I'm not even gonna try to go there ;). Oh yes, butler & concierge also is not covered (should you have those services)

[ohioNCLcruiser]

First let apologize if my question has already been addressed on another thread :)

 

What/who does the daily "service charge" tip of $10 per person cover ? I am going on my 1st cruise on the Jewel on March 23 and I certainly don't want to neglect the staff.

 

This is mainly for the waiters, jr waiters, buffet crew etc and housekeepers.

 

 

And this wont be a hidden cost like its added to the drink total it will say

 

$5.00 drink

$.75 grats

total: $5.75

[ohioNCLcruiser]

the bartenders will lose out here as I always tip more than 15% and mostly always CASH.

 

They might lose out here from you but this will help them out a lot when most people don't tip.

[formerjar]

A tip or gratuity is given for superior service, if it's mandatory it's a SURCHARGE. Semantics? Yes. But I've always viewed mandatory tipping as a way to double dip, that is many customers won't notice the mandatory tip and tip on top of that. For me, whenever there is a mandatory tip, I will not give any additional money no matter what the service is and I generally tip better than 15%.

 

In fact, you are wrong. Wait staff who in practice receive tips as a part of compensation (i.e waiters, bartenders) see that practice reflected in a reduction in the federally enforced minimum wage. ($2.12/hour is the norm). Further, to insure that the government gets it's fair share of service personnel income, an automatic income tax deduction is taken from 10% of recepits -- whether there was a tip applied to those receipts or not. (10% being the assumed average of good vs bad tippers -- in pracitice, especially in circumstances like this, it is much less). So do the math -- if a server averages under 10% on a sale, he breaks even on that big $2.12/hour. Less than that and it costs him money to come to work.

[jsnun]

Thank you for clearing that up for me!!

[Jana]

In fact, you are wrong. Wait staff who in practice receive tips as a part of compensation (i.e waiters, bartenders) see that practice reflected in a reduction in the federally enforced minimum wage. ($2.12/hour is the norm). Further, to insure that the government gets it's fair share of service personnel income, an automatic income tax deduction is taken from 10% of recepits -- whether there was a tip applied to those receipts or not. (10% being the assumed average of good vs bad tippers -- in pracitice, especially in circumstances like this, it is much less). So do the math -- if a server averages under 10% on a sale, he breaks even on that big $2.12/hour. Less than that and it costs him money to come to work.

 

You're so right. My daughter was a server all through her college years (and a bit before she graduated from high school). I don't think I would have appreciated good service as much if she hadn't had that job; she'd come home with bloody feet, stinking of grease, exhausted... and more than once told me how she had paid to go to work that night.

 

What's even more galling is that openers (who go in about an hour and a half before the restaurant is open) and closers (who stay afterwards to clean) are still paid the $2.12 even when there are no customers to augment the salary. One restaurant, in upscale Cary, NC, had their closers painting baseboards at midnight, for $2.12 an hour.

 

I've become a much more generous tipper after witnessing what really goes on, and much more appreciative of the service I receive.

 

Jana

[dtiger]

There's already been a 15% tip added to purchased beverages. It's not new.

[mbisson]

There's already been a 15% tip added to purchased beverages. It's not new.

 

 

In a couple days it'll be new to NCLA.