question abbout tipping!!!

[richelen]

in the uk a service charge on a bill is interpreted as a tip include, therfore no tip is given as it has already been paid.

 

as i understand it on ncl you pay your service charge, plus a 15% charge on any drink so uk customers imo would not expect to leave an additional tip.

 

most would i think leave a tip for the maid at the end of the holiday.

[newmexicoNita]

"It has got to the point that it would be easier for everyone if they were just included"

 

It would seem that that is already the case, it's just not included in the fare, per se.

Everyone who cruises knows that tipping is part of the experience. We all started out, way back when, with a little stack of envelopes and suggestions on what to tip. Who knows if most folks followed those guidelines or not....I suspect not. Hence, it is now added to your account onboard. Even when they started doing this, you still had the option of asking for envelopes and tipping that way. (at least on RCI and Carnival)

 

I just wonder if they included it in the fares, if it would somehow get "lost" and the staff would suffer?

The whole process is frustrating...even in "at home restaurants". My kids are servers in nice restaurants and their hourly rate is $2.30 which all goes in taxes and they rarely, if ever, get an actual pay check. Then they have to turn around and tip the bar tender a portion of their tips.

Tips are where it's at. It may not seem fare that we are paying wages with our tips, but that is the system that is in place. ;)

It would be easier to include it, but I want to keep it the way it is now..

 

Nita

[mbisson]

It would be easier to include it, but I want to keep it the way it is now..

 

Nita

 

If it were included in the fare, might it be subject to being taxed? If so, I'm all in favor of keeping it the way it is now....AND I doubt many of the lines would want to add it to the fare anyway (I think they like advertising prices as low as possible ;))

[*Wink*]

If it were included in the fare, might it be subject to being taxed? If so, I'm all in favor of keeping it the way it is now....AND I doubt many of the lines would want to add it to the fare anyway (I think they like advertising prices as low as possible ;))

Yes, we'd have to pay tax on it, but NCL wouldn't. It'd be payroll, therefore a business expense.

[Dukegirl5577]

It would be easier to include it, but I want to keep it the way it is now..

 

Personally, I don't want to be taxed on the service charges, so I'd rather it remain the way it is. If it was added to the base fare, that would increase the base rate on which you're taxed.

[falken]

Personally, I don't want to be taxed on the service charges, so I'd rather it remain the way it is. If it was added to the base fare, that would increase the base rate on which you're taxed.

 

good news! You are not taxed on the cruise fare. If your ticket cost $80,000 or $8, your taxes are the same.

[smeyer418]

good news! You are not taxed on the cruise fare. If your ticket cost $80,000 or $8, your taxes are the same.

actually the US taxes cruise fares. Its a small tax about 1/4- 1/2 of 1%. How this was calculated was subject to a US Supreme Court decision....the cruise companies lost...

 

04-1110, -1219

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, INC.,

HAL ANTILLEN, N.V., HALL SHIPPING LTD.,

WIND SURF LIMITED, HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, N.V.,

and HAL CRUISES LIMITED,

Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.

UNITED STATES,

Defendant-Cross Appellant

[Dukegirl5577]

good news! You are not taxed on the cruise fare. If your ticket cost $80,000 or $8, your taxes are the same.

 

If we're talking about my income taxes, then yes, you are correct. However, anyone taking a cruise does pay taxes for the purchase of the cruise fare service, just like with other services for which you pay a portion in taxes when you use it.

 

So yes, it is likely that not only would my cruise fare go up, but the amount paid in taxes would go up, as well. Admittedly, it would not be a huge amount, but it would still be there.

 

However, the reason why cruise lines aren't likely to add in the service charge into the base rate is because they like to advertise the lower rate.

[CC Help Michell]

You know, I've been thinking about this and I never thought I'd say this. But I think that this poster should go to the desk and have their tips adjusted. Not removed, adjusted.

 

Yes, I realize that the auto gratuity is not part of the contract and NCL can raise the gratuity at any time. However, I know that if I were booking a cruise, I would see what the expenses were at the time and it probably wouldn't occur to me that the auto gratuity might increase drastically. And yes, going from $40 per day gratuity to $72 dollars a day is drastic IMO. That's $224 extra for the weeks cruise.

 

So, for the first time ever, I would suggest that this person go to the desk and tell them they want their gratuity adjusted. Explain the situation and the huge increase that they were not expecting. Adjust the tips down to what they were previously....$40 per day.

 

Okay, I'm putting on my protective flame suit now! :D

 

CG

 

You shouldn't need it. I said the same thing several days ago on this thread -- that I agreed that those who booked prior to the announcement of such a substantial increase should have been "grandfathered." Nobody flamed me (or was it just that nobody noticed I said it? :D )!

[falken]

NCL Dawn - 9 Day

Inside:

Cruise Fare $1,998.00

Gov't Taxes & Fees $150.22

Total Price: $2,148.22

GV:

Cruise Fare $24,398.00

Gov't Taxes & Fees $150.22

Total Price: $24,548.22

 

I'm not seeing it...

[falken]

actually the US taxes cruise fares. Its a small tax about 1/4- 1/2 of 1%. How this was calculated was subject to a US Supreme Court decision....the cruise companies lost...

 

04-1110, -1219

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, INC.,

HAL ANTILLEN, N.V., HALL SHIPPING LTD.,

WIND SURF LIMITED, HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, N.V.,

and HAL CRUISES LIMITED,

Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.

UNITED STATES,

Defendant-Cross Appellant

 

I stand corrected based on that decision, there is a tax that cruise line pays based on your cruise fair. of 0.125%.

If they included the service charge in with cruise cost it could increase the taxes they pay by 1.5 cents pp/day.

[lomo4]

Wow! I have lived in Florida for almost 13 years and had Disney passes most of that time, we have also travelled to Disney in the years before we lived in Florida and I have NEVER heard of "free dining". :confused: My brother is in the Disney Vacation club and has never heard of that either. When did/do they offer that and how the heck do you qualify for it? I have heard of the meal plan that you pay a fee for the length of your stay, but never "free" dining.

 

 

For the past four years Disney has been offering "free dining" during their slower months (Aug-Sept). That means you get the dining plan for free as long as you stay in one of their resorts and buy at least a one day park pass. It is an amazing deal especially if you stay at one of their value resorts for $82 a night. They have been announcing this offer at the end of March. They have not announced this promotion for this coming year, but it is expected that they will.

 

Your brother would not be able to get this promotion because he owns his DVC--you have to stay at a resort. Disney has many great promotions that are not available to those who own DVC resorts. Obviously he can get it if he does not stay at his timeshare.

[suzyed]

For the past four years Disney has been offering "free dining" during their slower months (Aug-Sept). That means you get the dining plan for free as long as you stay in one of their resorts and buy at least a one day park pass. It is an amazing deal especially if you stay at one of their value resorts for $82 a night. They have been announcing this offer at the end of March. They have not announced this promotion for this coming year, but it is expected that they will.

 

Your brother would not be able to get this promotion because he owns his DVC--you have to stay at a resort. Disney has many great promotions that are not available to those who own DVC resorts. Obviously he can get it if he does not stay at his timeshare.

OK..I will have to look for that.

BTW, with my brother's DVC he does stay at a resort. He always stays at the Wilderness Loge.

[fieldmom35215]

Excuse me for being just plain stupid and while I am enjoying reading the back and forth, I would just really like clarification on the tipping issue cause at this point I'm real confused:

 

DH and I can look to have $170 charge applied to our credit card at the end of our 7 day, correct?

 

If I see fit to leave additional monies in the cabin post cruise it's ok to leave whatever amount I choose, correct?

 

Lastly, this is the first I've heard of the $12. I was told $10 by TA at time of booking. I haven't heard from her since the fuel charge dropped and THEN I had to make the initial contact. I'm grateful for these boards.

 

thx for your time

[judybooty]

Fieldmom- per the NCL website, as of Jan. 2009, tipping increases to $12/ per person per day. So you'd be looking at $168 for 2 people on a 7 night cruise (if my math is correct).

[Dukegirl5577]

I stand corrected based on that decision, there is a tax that cruise line pays based on your cruise fair. of 0.125%.

If they included the service charge in with cruise cost it could increase the taxes they pay by 1.5 cents pp/day.

 

And I stand corrected in my misunderstanding. I'd vaguely recalled this case from law school, but couldn't remember exactly how the tax applied. Hadn't remembered it being that de minimus.

[Arwenmark]

Excuse me for being just plain stupid and while I am enjoying reading the back and forth, I would just really like clarification on the tipping issue cause at this point I'm real confused:

 

DH and I can look to have $170 charge applied to our credit card at the end of our 7 day, correct?

 

 

The $170 or whatever it is for your length of cruise will be applied along with any other on board charges you incur while on board, to the credit card you file with them when you check in.

 

If I see fit to leave additional monies in the cabin post cruise it's ok to leave whatever amount I choose, correct?

 

Yes you can leave or hand over any amount you choose to whomever you choose over and above the auto tip. and if you have not removed the auto tip those individuals you do tip extra will be allowed to keep that money.

 

There is no need to raise your tips before you cruise.

Lastly, this is the first I've heard of the $12. I was told $10 by TA at time of booking. I haven't heard from her since the fuel charge dropped and THEN I had to make the initial contact. I'm grateful for these boards.

 

Sounds like you need a different TA.

 

thx for your time

 

 

...

[smeyer418]

I stand corrected based on that decision, there is a tax that cruise line pays based on your cruise fair. of 0.125%.

If they included the service charge in with cruise cost it could increase the taxes they pay by 1.5 cents pp/day.

 

I knew it was small but never how small...whether that is fair or fare is a topic of another discussion.....they must hide it somewhere....it does add up for the cruise lines however....