seemoreroyals

39 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

We haven't had a good "how I expect everyone else to dress" debate in a while.

 

Speaking of which, I don't think I've seen anyone in a tux or suit on a cruise in a couple of years.

I did see several families on our Prima cruise this past December all dressed in matching pajamas parading around the ship.  I think that is a new thing people are starting to do on cruises.  Got to admit they looked comfortable.

How about a new rule.  No religion, no politics, and no more discussions on tipping.

@tmal2 see what you started?  Are you still around to reap the benefits?  Since you are the OP I am curious what your plans are going to be for tipping the cabin steward and others.

21 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Holy Moly.....$700 in tips up front?  How long are you sailing?  A month?  In the Haven?

 

I've never paid more than $175 for the DSC/tip, and that's for staying in the Haven.  Admittedly, I'll add another couple hundred for additional tips for the Cabin attendant, Butler and Concierge, but that's still nowhere near $700.

 

WOW....you're a really good tipper.

See post #100 for further clarification.  

2 hours ago, complawyer said:

 

 

some people tip, others choose not to do so. you have made your position abundantly clear.

 

 

Everybody tips.  The cabin steward, free diner staff etal get their tips from the DSC.  It is up to NCL to distribute accordingly.

The bar staff and the specialty dinner staff get their tips from the 20% that is added on .  

It adds up to about $700 in tips for a cabin for two on a seven day cruise.  Seems like more than enough to me.  Just in the last few years the DSC has been raised from $12 to $20 per person per cabin.  

The only way to avoid tips is to go to guest services and have them removed.  

3 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

Hysterical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You choose to insult rather than add value!

You don't know me or how I divvy up my $$$!! Lol 🤣🤑

 

Telling me that I'm throwing away money or what I should be doing with it doesn't add anything to the thread started by the OP. 

And making $20 sound like it's nothing is, not only insulting to me but it's insulting to the cabin steward that truly values that $20 plus any additional money I "tip" him/her throughout the sailing.

 

You are obviously more thrifty/frugal than I and, apparently, it works for you.

Good luck with that!!!

Probably more frugal and thrifty than you but was not meant as insult.  Sorry you took it that way.  To each his or her own.  It is a personal choice how you want to spend your money.  

The DSC when transformed from giving individual envelopes on the last day to cabin stewards, waiters and others years ago was a genius move on NCL's part.  Now they are collecting on average about $700 in tips up front for a cabin for two on a seven day cruise.  That assuming that cabin gets the drink package and the SDP.   

Nothing else is required or expected in tipping.  I have never went down to customer service and had the DSC (cabin steward et al tips) removed and probably never will.  But it takes something above and beyond to get me to tip extra which I do occasionally.  

Let's leave it at that.

11 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

Nobody has said that you can't accomplish the same thing without the $20.

As I've said previously, I too include $20 with my introductory note that has my simple requests on it.

I enjoy doing it, it typically improves the response time for my requests and I perceive that it improves my relationship with the steward.

Again, and I've mentioned it before, I know this first $20 is a "bribe" and I'm happy to do it.

It's not illegal. It's not unethical. It makes my family happy. It makes the cabin steward happy!

It's a win, win for all involved!

 

53 Days until I get to slip my cabin steward a crisp $20 bill!!!!!

Lol!!!

Good for you.  

In the words of the philosopher Sheryl Crow "If it makes you happy it can't be that bad."

For a 7 day cruise for two people you are already paying close to $700 in tips assuming you have drink and specialty dinner package so another $20 not going to break you. 

To me that $20 you chose to throw away up front would be best left in pocket to be divvied out to someone else along the way that provides something exceptional in regards to service during your cruise.  Otherwise keep the $20 and buy yourself a trinklet at one of the ports you visit.

1 hour ago, TrumpyNor said:

Last year I was on my first cruise after NCL changed the cabin cleaning to once per day per cabin, and after reading here on CruiseCritic that several complained about getting their cabin cleaned late afternoon, I did the following:

I wrote a friendly card to the cabin steward, introducing us (my husband and myself) and stating that I knew that he had to clean a large number of cabins, and if it would be possible to clean our cabin amongst the first one in the day. I then enclosed a $20 dollar note to it.

 

Result: On a 11 day cruise, our cabin was cleaned before 10.00 AM every day. To me that was totally worth the extra tipping above the standard daily service charge fee. 😊

You could have accomplished the same thing without the $20.  We do the same thing without forking over the $20 and still maintain friendly interactions with cabin stewards when we see them.  If we need ice or coffee or extra towels for the room we call his extension and they are there waiting for us when we get back to the room. 

All of these services are part of what you are tipping for in the basic DSC.  I do not see any logical reason to tip extra.  None of it is over and above what you would expect in the normal course of your cruise.

7 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Try it and see how the service improves.

We always get great service on a cruise and we seldom if ever tip over and above the tips we pay comprised of the dsc , 20% drink tips and 20% sdp tips.    But we are nice and respectful to the crew and never make unreasonable demands.  

dsc - aka $20 per person per day tips

2 hours ago, tmal2 said:

Does anyone tip their cabin stewards in top of the $20 per person per day service charge? How much additional do you give?

They are paid as part of the DSC.  Unless they really go out of their way and do something memorable they get zero extra from me.  Unlike 20 or 30 years ago when they were like ninjas and seemed to clean your cabin every time you were away more than 10 minutes, now you get one cabin cleaning per day.  If you want ice buckets filled or coffee maker and coffee you have to ask for it. 

You pretty much have to ask for everything.  Level of service from cabin stewards not what it used to be.  It is now not any better than an average hotel room on land.  Keep that in mind as you will undoubtedly get many suggestions to tip extra.  It is not expected or required to tip more.  Be nice to your cabin stewards and try not to be a PITA and I think they will appreciate that more than anything.

6 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

I wonder how many of the almost 50 million posts on Cruise Critic are repeated questions.

They all could call the cruise line directly and get answers but, sometimes people can give experiential answers as opposed to corporate scripted answers? We have cruised often and have asked questions here to confirm or to validate what the corporate websites indicate.

Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

You did not hurt my feelings.  I guess it should be considered a compliment to call me or anyone else on here a know it all?   The subject of tipping has been rehashed here tirelessly on end.  All you have to do is scroll back no more than 10 pages you will find endless discussion on tipping and people's differing opinion on what DSC is or is not etc. etc. etc.

25 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

You may know it all but the OP said "never been on n. cruise ", so they asked.

No need to belittle or mock the question or OP.

Sometimes I wonder if they take the time to go to NCL's website and see for themselves.  Or call someone that works for NCL.  The problem with coming here  is if you ask 10 different people what NCL's tipping policy is,  you will get 10 different answers.  Who knows who is right and who is wrong. 

The OP has cruised before and has a pretty good idea what a tip is.  I do not need or did I ask for a lesson on keyboard etiquette from you.  So you do you and I will do me.

Has this thread been closed yet? If not give me a minute.  I need to go dig out my old football pads and helmet.  I will be right back.

47 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Personal thing....I have "bought" VIBE passes twice.  Once on the Breakaway and once on the Escape.  I think the most I paid was $150 0r $160.  I thought that was expensive but was willing  to pay as I was staying in an inside room on both.  

 

Then, it started to skyrocket.  I found I'd rather take that money and book a nicer cabin. Last I checked, the cost was $230PP on a 7 nite cruise.  

 

That seems a bit much for a lounger and hot tub for a week.  

 

I can always get a drink in the wealth of bars on board.

The vibe is a lot more than a lounger and a hot tub for a week.  It is an oasis of peace and calm.  We were recently on the Prima first part of December.  Our sailing had 3700 on a ship designed the hold about 3000.  I was told close to 1000 of the passengers were under 16.  Not surprised as teens and kids were scrambling everywhere throughout the ship.  The Observation Lounge was packed.  The main pool area was packed.  The outside infinity pool areas on deck 8 were packed.

During the day I would say we averaged about 3-4 hours in the vibe beach club.  It was really nice to have a place to escape the masses in an otherwise overcrowded sailing.  There is a reason it has skyrocketed.  People like the vibe and are willing to pay for it.

We booked our upcoming Dec cruise on Escape in first part of January.  Was told by CAS that vibe would not be available to book until some time end of Summer.  Next day while viewing our reservation on NCL website I noticed vibe passes were already for sale.  

Not wanting to take a chance I took care of booking the vibe then and there.  Moral of the story is if you want to get vibe passes make sure you book as far ahead as possible.  It was the same way when we booked our vibe passes on Prima last year.  

It's worth every penny.  Maybe you should do a poll.  Preface it to say "must have purchased and used the vibe before".  There are many detractors of the vibe that routinely trash the vibe that have never used it and a few that are upset that the price has gone up.

I think you will find that the vast majority that have purchased the vibe are glad they did.  That is why the demand is high and the price continues to go up.

13 minutes ago, dmwnc1959 said:

PAGE 10!!!!

🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉
WE DID IT!

Have we learned any thing new?   Has anyone changed their opinion?

I didn't think so.  

Onward towards page 11.

Anyone up for another round of beat the dead horse?

27 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

 

 

maybe?

 

no, in fact, they don't.

 

it's been confirmed for us several times within this thread by EU residents. sharing is not permitted.

The question I am asking and that has not been answered yet is can cruisers in Europe sailing with two other passengers in the same cabin not be required to purchase the drink package?  OP is saying that was the case on their cruise and I have no reason to doubt that.   

I have no idea why other parts of the world require all three in a cabin to purchase drink package but it is not required on European cruises or cruisers whatever the case might be.  What ever it is I am sure NCL, the food and beverage department, and all of the decision makers whose opinions far outrank what you or I think are on top of it.

To OP enjoy your cruise.  Let your friends buy you a drink.  

2 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

 

 

do NCL's rules for the EU allow sharing of drink packages? if not, then this rationale has no merit, regardless of what a purchaser believes is "baked into" the price.

Maybe they do.  

What about the couple where one drinks alcohol and the other one doesn't?  Is NCL cheating that couple by making them both buy the drink package? 

It goes both ways.  In the grander scheme of things NCL has it all baked into the numbers.  

1 minute ago, Asawi said:

Not really a difference in rules for using the package. Just in how to get it. Sharing still isn't allowed.

OP states that all even though the other two passengers in cabin purchased drink package that they were not required to purchase drink package.  They purchased soda package.  Others have reported that everyone in cabin has to purchase drink package on cruises in other parts of the world. 

I know that NCL prices cruises differently for Europeans than they do for other parts of the world.  I am suggesting than there is at least a possibility that this sharing that everyone seems to be so upset about is already baked into the pricing.  And that we should not be so quick to judge the OP.   If NCL is being taken advantage of as badly by current policy for Europeans as some suggest then they need to change policy and require everyone in cabin purchase drink package.  

1 hour ago, insidecabin said:

One of the changes to the FAS charges aligned the pppd cost to be similar to the cost charged in the US.

 

More recently they added £50 to each range of dates I think it now makes it more expensive than the US.

Sounds like cruisers of NCL in Europe have a different set of rules than we have.  Maybe we should not be so quick to judge what OP does in regards to their use of the drink package.

27 minutes ago, AlmiranteChurruca said:

 

No idea if rules have changed recently. Nobody, TA or NCL, has ever mentioned upon booking that the third guest should buy a package. Soda package has been purchased because I wanted to, not beacuse I was forced to do so. While, for example, MSC requires all passengers in the same party to buy packages for ALL its members, NCL does not. Could be that if you book the cheapest fare and then you want to add drinks packages then everyone must have it. But with the FAS promotion only the guests 1 and 2 get the in-the-fare-included-package and there is zero mention of any obligation for the 3rd guest to have to buy one.

Assuming this being the case again I say go for it.   By not requiring the 3rd passenger to purchase the drink package, NCL condones the third passenger to get free drinks from the other two cabin mates.  If they didn't they would require 3rd passenger to purchase drink package.  This is an issue that NCL has allowed for and until they change it again I say go for it.

13 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

 

 

Now, the question I have is how did the 3rd person manage to bypass the drink package?  Did they have a Dr. note?  One rule that NCL does apply strictly is that all adults in the cabin has to get the drink package if at least one does

If NCL does not require everyone in cabin to purchase drink package I would say go for it.  It is not the same as stealing candy bars from the store or going 1 mph over the speed limit.