Norwegian Cruise Line Changes Service Charge Policy

Does anyone know the average lifespan of a recent tipping (which the service Charge is not) thread on the NCL boards is?

LOL - Long enough :D

Does anyone know the average lifespan of a recent tipping (which the service Charge is not) thread on the NCL boards is?

Depends on how civil BOTH sides can be in the discussion without derailing the conversation completely- pretty much a super short span....

I give this thread about a week, since it technically coming directly from a CC editor and not a poster. And that's me being hopeful and wishful thinking....[emoji52]

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How long before A LOT of this happens, plenty I am sure. All the people that go to GS on the last day only to be told they cannot get an instant refund.

Check out the latest Norwegian Cruise Line news from Cruise Critic:

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Changes Service Charge Policy

Can't wait to hear from Love My Butler.:D

Now I won't have to stand in line I'll load the form into my computer for use and send it off to guest relations. Great convenience, thanks NCL. I tip in cash to those that actually serve me. I get the dinner package so have already tipped 18% and will not double tip by leaving the DSC intact. I love the new system, it will simplify things and avoid that long line at guest services.

That's is the problem they should be not charged on request(which is refundable immediately).

 

No service issues are needed,

 

Just a refund my services charges because I don't want to pay them.

I received this letter today in response to my emailed request for the form itself (so I obviously hadn't submitted a form lol).

However, although this denial is purely based on no form having been submitted, this letter does make it clear that NCL intends to only honor refunds in cases of service issues and they can and will deny requests from anyone who hasn't reported a service issue!

"Thank you for your recent letter. We appreciate you choosing the Norwegian Norwegian Getaway for your vacation at sea.

To cover the services rendered by our various dining and housekeeping staff onboard, a service charge per person per day is added to your onboard account. This is distributed to the onboard staff, including the restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and other behind-the-scenes staff, who provide services to enhance your overall cruise experience.

It is our expectation that our entire crew in all areas of the ship will provide you with the standard of service for which Norwegian Cruise Line is known. Therefore, if you had any concerns about the service you received during your cruise, we ask that you please bring them to the immediate attention of our reception desk staff on board so that we can address any issues in a timely manner. In the event that a guest is unhappy with our efforts to resolve their service issue and still requests to adjust their service charges, guests are requested to complete a form indicating the amount of the adjustment, within 30 days time after debarkation. Our records do not indicate that a form was completed.

Therefore, we are unable to honor your request for a service charge adjustment. We do apologize for any misinformation that you may have received regarding this issue.

Thank you for offering us the opportunity to address your concerns. We do value your business and hope that you will consider a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing in the near future.

Sincerely,

Frank Lazo de la Vega

Coordinator

Guest Relations"

This is another step until they make it a Mandatory DSC. I hope most forms get a letter back saying......Thank you for your business but denied refund!

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This is another step until they make it a Mandatory DSC.

 

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Yup.

And my prediction is that an amount for "suggested gratuities" per person/per day added to onboard accounts will follow shortly. ;)

This is another step until they make it a Mandatory DSC. I hope most forms get a letter back saying......Thank you for your business but denied refund!

 

 

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NCL is going to refund them but that wait time is going to be murderous on some people. Let's be honest - its NCL, its takes them 4-6 weeks at the end of a trip to refund back via check, refundable OBC....Yeah, 2 weeks processing form / claim, what's the actual time in seeing the money back via credit card or a check? Now, that's a good question!

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Now I won't have to stand in line I'll load the form into my computer for use and send it off to guest relations. Great convenience, thanks NCL. I tip in cash to those that actually serve me. I get the dinner package so have already tipped 18% and will not double tip by leaving the DSC intact. I love the new system, it will simplify things and avoid that long line at guest services.

That won't work. From my understanding you have to go to GS anyway to get the form, they put a number on your copy and keep a copy with the same number. When you e-mail your copy to them it has to match the same number that NCL GS put on their copy.

Harriet

Love my butler is the advocate of the decreasing and eliminate the DSC from any cruise. Would like to know butlers opinion on how to handle paying the DSC before leaving the boat and the excuse that might be used when filling out the form and sending it online.

NCL is going to refund them but that wait time is going to be murderous on some people. Let's be honest - its NCL, its takes them 4-6 weeks at the end of a trip to refund back via check, refundable OBC....Yeah, 2 weeks processing form / claim, what's the actual time in seeing the money back via credit card or a check? Now, that's a good question!

 

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Yep to me it is not worth the hassle and just pay the hard working crew and leave the DSC alone.

Yep to me it is not worth the hassle and just pay the hard working crew and leave the DSC alone.

Absolutely! Actually I'm never thought of it until I read about it on these forums. I did have a heated debate with some of the DSC removers. Now I think Mr. Frank is my hero (on this case only of course). And no I'm not a shareholder or invest in NCL. I was just a new NCL cruiser on the Getaway. One of the best times I've ever had. The crew was wonderful! They deserved my DSC and my extra cash tips.

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Absolutely! Actually I'm never thought of it until I read about it on these forums. I did have a heated debate with some of the DSC removers. Now I think Mr. Frank is my hero (on this case only of course). And no I'm not a shareholder or invest in NCL. I was just a new NCL cruiser on the Getaway. One of the best times I've ever had. The crew was wonderful! They deserved my DSC and my extra cash tips.

 

 

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Agreed. The crew is is really hardworking and it is worth the daily charge. I have always had wonderful service every time.

The link in the first post is to the cruise line news, not to the other thread.

The only link in that article/news is to the other thread which was closed.

kind if indicated that was the source for the "news" and "no comment" from NCL backs that up.

If NCL hadn't raised the DSC to higher the any other mass market cruise line it wouldn't be an issue. It appears they are stuffing their own coffers and not the crews. They also are taking the opportunity to aquire a double tip for those that buy the specialty dinner package and already paid 18%. For a 7 night cruise that's an extra $20 on top of their ridiculously high DSC.

I will do it my way and remove the DSC and tip all 3 meals in cash and the room steward in cash too.

If NCL hadn't raised the DSC to higher the any other mass market cruise line it wouldn't be an issue. It appears they are stuffing their own coffers and not the crews. They also are taking the opportunity to aquire a double tip for those that buy the specialty dinner package and already paid 18%. For a 7 night cruise that's an extra $20 on top of their ridiculously high DSC.

 

I will do it my way and remove the DSC and tip all 3 meals in cash and the room steward in cash too.

Will you tip the dishwashers and the laundry people with cash?

Yep to me it is not worth the hassle and just pay the hard working crew and leave the DSC alone.

It literally go back to - if you knowing go on a cruise line that has the DSC and cruise fare as 2 separate things that is expected cost of traveling with them, why would you sail on them again or ever? Especially now that they pulled the ultimate ping pong/switcheroo with their own guest contract and FAQ - they did what cheapskates have done to them in past, they took advantage of contract's language.

And the sad /humorous part (depending on how one wants to view it) is, the DSC-Removers think this is a good thing that they now switch to form/email when it actuality its a bad thing because NCL corporate office can take their sweet time 'processing' forms and then there's the matter of the actual reimbursement timeframe. Maybe, its because I been working in corporate for so long but that initial form that was presented in the closed forum, just raises too many red flags from top to bottom to me - Helping people that have a genuine service issue(s) who've been told they can actually get a refund, also means giving out extremely useful information to the cheapskates on the forums as well, so I won't.

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If NCL hadn't raised the DSC to higher the any other mass market cruise line it wouldn't be an issue. It appears they are stuffing their own coffers and not the crews. They also are taking the opportunity to aquire a double tip for those that buy the specialty dinner package and already paid 18%. For a 7 night cruise that's an extra $20 on top of their ridiculously high DSC.

I will do it my way and remove the DSC and tip all 3 meals in cash and the room steward in cash too.

I think it still would be an issue. This debate has been going on for years.

If NCL hadn't raised the DSC to higher the any other mass market cruise line it wouldn't be an issue. It appears they are stuffing their own coffers and not the crews. They also are taking the opportunity to aquire a double tip for those that buy the specialty dinner package and already paid 18%. For a 7 night cruise that's an extra $20 on top of their ridiculously high DSC.

I will do it my way and remove the DSC and tip all 3 meals in cash and the room steward in cash too.

Then why are you sounding like you're planning to sail them again, knowing that?[emoji58]

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This is a change from discretionary to mandatory.

You now have to pay before you leave the ship.

Dress it up all you like we are there,

NCL service charge is no longer discretionary.

http://www.cruisemapper.com/news/478-ncl-changes-gratuity-policy

Basically no comment from NCL...

I pay the DSC and never remove it as I make sure any issue is resolved at the time it occurs. I also tip when I feel someone has done a great job such as wait staff, our hard working room steward, and the bartender who keeps me happy. And never to be forgotten wonderful Cagney's breakfast/lunch greeter who is always is pleasant and remembers my name.

Don't blast me for tipping...it is my choice. Though as I agreed with another poster earlier perhaps just pay the staff.

Why do you have to give a reason for removing dsc? Guest contract says "Can be adjusted at consumers discretion" it does not say "give reasons of poor service and if it's valid we may decide to let you remove them".

So NCL can't deny someone from removing them... if they did it would be easy for the consumer to contact visa /mastercard with the guest service contract and ask that they reverse the charges..

Also if NCL form states 2 weeks or a specific timeframe they can't hold and delay the refund for months as that will also give grounds for credit card companies to simply reverse the charge.

So thanks NCL for making it easier to remove DSC. No need to wait in long GS lines on the ship.

Why do you have to give a reason for removing dsc? Guest contract says "Can be adjusted at consumers discretion" it does not say "give reasons of poor service and if it's valid we may decide to let you remove them".

 

So NCL can't deny someone from removing them... if they did it would be easy for the consumer to contact visa /mastercard with the guest service contract and ask that they reverse the charges..

 

Also if NCL form states 2 weeks or a specific timeframe they can't hold and delay the refund for months as that will also give grounds for credit card companies to simply reverse the charge.

 

So thanks NCL for making it easier to remove DSC. No need to wait in long GS lines on the ship.

Actually I think you do need to wait in line. From what I've read in another thread (I've been reading quite a few so I'm not sure where), you have to go to Guest Services for the form an tell them what's wrong. You fill out the form (with a number on it), you get the form (with the same number on it) and send it in.

Read Post #64 in the "ask a cruise question" forum. NCL will deny your refund if it is not service related and if you did not give them a chance to fix it onboard.

NCL is going to refund them but that wait time is going to be murderous on some people. Let's be honest - its NCL, its takes them 4-6 weeks at the end of a trip to refund back via check, refundable OBC....Yeah, 2 weeks processing form / claim, what's the actual time in seeing the money back via credit card or a check? Now, that's a good question!

 

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I complained to NCL and despite many follow-ups couldn't get any response at all from them for two and a half months. I wouldn't have any confidence in their desire to process a refund either and the time you might waste chasing them could be more valuable than any refund you might get. So it may be that you should really regard the DSC (Discretionary Service Charge) as a CSC (Compulsory Service Charge).

It is reasonable to assume that there were a significant number of customers who exercised their discretionary right as they were unhappy with NCL's service in order to need this change in policy. To my knowledge (and do correct me if I am wrong), every other cruise line is still confident that their service is so good that few passengers will exercise their discretionary right to refuse to pay a gratuity.