Are service charges really a scheme to artificially decrease the base cruise fare?

It’s very easy to remove the extra fee. Once we pay our fare, why would we donate our hard earned money to a billion dollar corporation so it could pay its employees?

Because you want to stiff said employees and feel like your paltry little financial triumph will be noticed by NCL?

They do not even come close to that. Please post where NCL states that only a portion of the DSC is use for the crew. That's OK, I'll wait!

Or you could provide something to support your contention that none of the DSC goes to the crew.

At the risk of spoiling all the fun, I will just point out that Seashark hasn’t said that only a portion of the DSC is used for the crew. Neither has Maniacal Cruiser said that none of it goes to the crew.

If you read what the other is actually saying, rather than just being on output then it would be a lot easier for you both (although way less fun for the rest of us). :)

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Because you want to stiff said employees and feel like your paltry little financial triumph will be noticed by NCL?

I feel sorry people buy into that nonsense.

Once you pay your fare, why would you donate extra to the company to pay its employees? There are better charities out there I am sure.

We remove the donation and tip as we go, only to the people who serve us directly. This way we are sure they get the money directly rather than hope our dination somehow trickles down to them. Couldn’t care less how the dishwashers, launderers, entertainment staff, engineers, captains are compensated. That’s between them and their employer.

It’s allowed under the contract so apparently the cruise line don’t have a problem with it.

Have a great cruise!

They would pay those labor cost whether the DSC was a segregated fund or was co-mingled into the cruise fare. The fact it is segregated is purely an accounting issue. Setting up a specific DSC is nothing more than accounting/audit control to identify the funds upon collection.

Incorrect.

It's more of a marketing issue in that base fares are published at lower rates, making them seem more competitive and attractive.

Having an accounting background, I can tell you that if it were simply about accounting, there's a way to accomplish allocations without the need for a separate line item on guest accounts, making it transparent to guests.

That is and never has been my contention. Quite the opposite. I am stating that 100% of it goes to the incentive program as opposed to the tin foil hat folks who swear it simply goes into the pocket of some corporate suit in a corner office.

And as I have repeatedly pointed out, that contention is not correct.

A portion of the DSC goes to support the incentive program.

A portion of the DSC goes to support crew salaries.

A portion of the DSC goes to fleetwide crew welfare programs.

A portion...not "100%".

If 100% went to incentive programs, then none would be available for salaries. 100% simply can NOT be accurate.

Re-read my post. I am saying that 100% DOES go to the incentive program just like the NCL FAQ states.

Perhaps your confusion comes from not being able to see the difference between salaries (which every employee receives) and incentive programs (which only some employees receive)?

GUEST TICKET CONTRACT

© Service Charges: Certain members of Carrier’s crew are compensated by a combination of salary

and incentive programs that are funded in part by the service charge paid by each Guest. The charge ,

which is automatically added to your onboard account and subject to adjustment at your discretion, is

intended to reward service provided in all departments and job categories and is distributed to employees

according to Carrier's evaluation of job performance. A portion of the service charge collected by Carrier

is also used for fleet-wide crew welfare programs.

Since "a portion" of the service charge goes to fleet-wide crew welfare programs, that means that 100% can't possibly go to the incentive programs.

Salary portion (percentage) + Incentive program portion (percentage) + Fleet-wide crew welfare portion (percentage) = 100%. The salary, incentive, and welfare portions MUST each be less than 100%.

It’s very easy to remove the extra fee. Once we pay our fare, why would we donate our hard earned money to a billion dollar corporation so it could pay its employees?

Ever wonder why the service charge keeps increasing? Aside from inflation, I'd guess it's in part because of the number of posts where passengers decide to remove the service charge just for the heck of it, rather than supporting NCL's fare and compensation structure.

I've added to my "To Do" list a note to compose a letter to NCL citing several of these posts and suggesting it's time to modify the policy surrounding alterations to the daily service charge. From reading NCL's website, the intent of reducing the DSC is related to service failures that cannot be resolved on board when brought to the attention of leadership on board.

Maybe it's time for leadership to take control of those adjustments and allow the decision to adjust to lie solely with leadership.

On those rare occasions a service failure occurs, NCL on board leadership can assess the situation and act accordingly.

For frivolous complaints: a simple "Sorry to hear that, do hope the rest of the cruise turns out fine," should be dismissive enough.

You're ignoring my main point. If the crew only gets 10% of the DSC pot on each cruise, and the rest goes to "administrative fees" or padding salaries back in Miami, you don't care?

I would care, because as of now i am assuming 100 percent goes to the crew. As another person said, makes no difference on me enjoying my cruise however is always nice to have transparency.

GUEST TICKET CONTRACT

 

© Service Charges: Certain members of Carrier’s crew are compensated by a combination of salary

and incentive programs that are funded in part by the service charge paid by each Guest. The charge ,

which is automatically added to your onboard account and subject to adjustment at your discretion, is

intended to reward service provided in all departments and job categories and is distributed to employees

according to Carrier's evaluation of job performance. A portion of the service charge collected by Carrier

is also used for fleet-wide crew welfare programs.

 

 

Since "a portion" of the service charge goes to fleet-wide crew welfare programs, that means that 100% can't possibly go to the incentive programs.

 

Salary portion (percentage) + Incentive program portion (percentage) + Fleet-wide crew welfare portion (percentage) = 100%. The salary, incentive, and welfare portions MUST each be less than 100%.

Bingo!

I've quoted the FAQ on this subject and pointed out several times that it is NOT just for incentive programs, that the language provides for support of crew salaries. And I've followed through by stating the daily service charge is a labor cost offset.

Here you point out where the contract also mentions crew welfare programs, which by accounting standards are part of labor costs.

SeaShark, I'll set the table, could you please let Maniacal Cruiser know dinner is served. The crow is coming out of the oven.

Two different things are being discussed.

 

1) Incentive programs that are funded by the DSC.

2) Crew welfare programs, also funded by the DSC.

 

So part of the DSC goes to the crew as compensation as incentive and part goes to the crew as crew welfare programs.

 

Never does it say any of the DSC goes anywhere the than to the crew.

However, YOU have repeatedly stated that incentive programs got 100% of the money...and THAT inaccuracy is what is being discussed. Incentive programs CAN'T receive 100% since some goes to salaries, and some goes to welfare.

Never does it say any of the DSC goes anywhere the than to the crew.

Maybe I’m missing something, but as far as I can see, none of the people who you are currently arguing with are saying that is does go anywhere other than the crew.

The only difference seems to be that they are saying that some goes towards crew salaries, and you aren’t. Other than that, you all seem to be fairly well in agreement.

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So you are saying that I finally convinced them and they are changing their tunes? :D:D:D:D:D

I am saying that this is one of those ridiculous arguments where people on the same side all start arguing with each other because they aren’t listening to what anyone is saying.

Which gives the rest of us a great laugh. :)

It’s been lots of fun.

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You are still making an invalid assumption that part of the DSC goes to NCL. See reply above.

May I sincerely suggest that you SLOW DOWN with your quest to hit the million postings mark. I'm pretty sure that this is the third time you have misread or misunderstood something I've posted. Additionally there are other posted comments that you've misinterpreted.

Literally, all of the DSC goes to NCL --as opposed to Carnival, Royal, or any other competitor-- since NCL assesses and collects this fee. And I have maintained throughout this entire thread and another of the subject that NCL uses this as a labor offset.

The three portions (percentages) you discuss are all components of crew compensation. Two of the three are funded via the DSC. Neither one of those two can logically be where ALL of the DSC goes, but no where does it say ANY of the DSC goes elsewhere. Ergo 100% of the DSC goes combined to those two portions of crew compensation unless of course you can find something that states differently. All your quote says is that the DSC goes to the crew in two different methods, noting more is even hinted.

So you are saying that I finally convinced them and they are changing their tunes? :D:D:D:D:D

Not at all: KeithJenner is stating that you were preaching to the choir, arguing with them on a point where they shared your same position.

Perhaps if you were to read posts a few times before turning to your keyboard, you'd fare better.

I am saying that this is one of those ridiculous arguments where people on the same side all start arguing with each other because they aren’t listening to what anyone is saying.

 

Which gives the rest of us a great laugh. :)

 

It’s been lots of fun.

 

 

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And you mean a great laugh AT rather than WITH, correct?

And you mean a great laugh AT rather than WITH, correct?

Oh yes.

Certainly there are posters on here who are always so keen to prove their superior wisdom and wit that they unwittingly provide huge amounts of entertainment.

As you say, just taking a breath, and actually trying to understand what people are saying before replying would be a useful skill to learn.

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So you are saying that I finally convinced them and they are changing their tunes? :D:D:D:D:D

Plus, every time I come to the blinking eye on your posts , I just pass the post, it is sooooooooo annoying. I never read what you have to say.

Plus, every time I come to the blinking eye on your posts , I just pass the post, it is sooooooooo annoying. I never read what you have to say.

You might want to ignore the eye, but give the posts a look-see: as someone else already claimed, it sounds like they laugh and laugh.

You might want to ignore the eye, but give the posts a look-see: as someone else already claimed, it sounds like they laugh and laugh.

Haha, nice. I am the type that reads every single post, but I just cannot do it. I wish they would take off that option on CC because it is terrible.

Oh yes.

 

Certainly there are posters on here who are always so keen to prove their superior wisdom and wit that they unwittingly provide huge amounts of entertainment.

 

As you say, just taking a breath, and actually trying to understand what people are saying before replying would be a useful skill to learn.

 

 

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There is only one who is King. Who knows everything about everything and everything else. No skills are needed when all skills are already gifted.

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May I sincerely suggest that you SLOW DOWN with your quest to hit the million postings mark. I'm pretty sure that this is the third time you have misread or misunderstood something I've posted. Additionally there are other posted comments that you've misinterpreted.

 

Literally, all of the DSC goes to NCL --as opposed to Carnival, Royal, or any other competitor-- since NCL assesses and collects this fee. And I have maintained throughout this entire thread and another of the subject that NCL uses this as a labor offset.

BINGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO:hearteyes:

BINGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO:hearteyes:

Yahtzee!

Do you think the message was received and understood?

Yahtzee!

 

Do you think the message was received and understood?

LOL with this crowd? who knows...lots of pom poms on here for NCL..:-):')