$3.00 difference

You have a choice. Don’t cruise.

 

At home, don’t go to a restaurant if you want to stiff the server because they are already being paid to serve you.

 

Don’t go and get a haircut if you don’t want to tip the stylist because they are being paid to cut hair.

 

Don’t take a cab if you don’t want to tip someone who is being paid to drive.

 

Don’t tip your housekeeper in a hotel because they are being paid to clean your room.

 

 

 

 

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Wheres the like button? :-)

I would rather debate anything else on this site.

The whole tipping thing has tons of comments on it and I will not add another just wish these

threads would not take up the whole forum.

Along with Kids on ships and Smoking

We talk about things NCL could change what about changing our behavior and not posting this garbage over and over again.

Really?

$3 a day is a big deal?

I think cleaning the extra sf in a suite more than justifies it!

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I always do research on foreign countries to inform myself of their rules and customs.

I understand most do not.

I was appalled by the way many acted inside the Sistine Chapel.

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I always do research on foreign countries to inform myself of their rules and customs.

 

I understand most do not.

 

I was appalled by the way many acted inside the Sistine Chapel.

OK, now you have me curious?

We talk about things NCL could change what about changing our behavior and not posting this garbage over and over again.

Or maybe NCL could take note of the things that passengers care about and are passionate about and address those issues.

Address tipping, maybe add the butler and concierge in to the suite DSC.

Address kids and maybe enforce the rules on no children in adult areas.

Address smoking and maybe stop people from smoking where they aren't allowed.

Suite staff not only have a larger space to clean, but because they are also expected to provide more services, they have less cabins assigned to them. That means less cabins from which to receive tips. In order to compensate them on par with other housekeeping staff the daily tip would need to be bigger.

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Great, so there is no longer any need to pay the DSC at all, nor to tip any staff.

 

End of discussion, stop tipping if they are already charging you for it.

 

 

 

By the way, while I live in the US, I do understand that America does not rule the world culturally. Required tipping is very much an American thing.

 

Do I support tipping staff? Absolutely.

 

 

But see the tipping threads, these employees are actually paid a decent wage, tips are a bonus, not part of their salary.

Doing a search on "YouTube Cruises Undercover: The Truth Below Deck"

To watch this:

It's about 6 minutes, but you won't need to watch that long to hopefully change how you feel about "decent wages."

Doing a search on "YouTube Cruises Undercover: The Truth Below Deck"

 

To watch this:

 

It's about 6 minutes, but you won't need to watch that long to hopefully change how you feel about "decent wages."

I notice you did not link to the same video with comments enabled where all the cruise line employees called BS on this story.

If you believe that people are going back to these jobs over and over for $50 a month from places like the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Italy, ect then you believe that your fellow countrymen are morons.

Especially those who can get jobs in land based resort employment.

Meg actually has some pretty good videos about crew life, she did it for a few years and vblogged about it while on board:

https://www.youtube.com/user/itsmegsface/videos

Michelle Tim has some really good perks of the job here (and mentions why those ratings matter so much):

Here is her collection of videos:

https://www.youtube.com/user/m1chelletim/videos

So yes, some undercover reporter discovered something, your point? Why do these other people keep re-upping their contracts for new ones?

Also, do not travel. Not all countries consider tipping polite. Some cultures consider tipping your wait staff to be rude.

 

I tip my wait staff in the US because they are paid less than minimum wage. I do not tip the person at McDonald's because they are paid minimum wage, I also don't tip the person at any of the fast food places that bring my food to my table for the same reason. If you don't tip the McDonald's employee you are stiffing them on 15% of your bill and are a very rude person by your standards.

In places where wait staff is being paid minimum wage and up, there is no reason to tip them for doing what they are being paid to do.

 

 

Tipping is for going above and beyond in service, it is not meant to be a part of your paycheck. Places where it is meant to be a part of your paycheck means that the employer is too cheap to pay his workers a decent wage. Why are you supporting that business anyway?

I honestly don’t mind tipping, if the restaurants paid fair wages, prices would go up. Dd21 waitresses to pay for room and board at college, gets paid $2.13 an hour. She comes out ahead of minimum wages because she does a great job. Here in the US, tipping at restaurants is for doing A job, the customer decides if it was good or not and can adjust the tip accordingly.

Meg actually has some pretty good videos about crew life, she did it for a few years and vblogged about it while on board:

https://www.youtube.com/user/itsmegsface/videos

 

Michelle Tim has some really good perks of the job here (and mentions why those ratings matter so much):

 

Here is her collection of videos:

https://www.youtube.com/user/m1chelletim/videos

 

 

So yes, some undercover reporter discovered something, your point? Why do these other people keep re-upping their contracts for new ones?

Because enough of us leave the DSC in place and provide decent additional gratuities? Maybe?

Seriously, for a moment, while looking for that video, I did view a few others that make this all a matter of perspective.

Contracts in some cases are re-upped because it's a great opportunity compared to what's available at home in their country.

I watched two videos by USA residents who had worked on cruise lines. The first "Coffee with Sean" is a single guy that packed all his stuff in his parents basement free of charge and worked two contracts of 6 months each in a somewhat skilled position in Audio/Visual for the entertainment. He seemed happy that he was able to save about $10,000 each of two contracts that combined covered a year. He points out it was possible only because he had no expenses, that in reality he earned little.

The other was a USA citizen, female, who was recruited out of college. She used words to describe her experience including: exploitation, abuse, sexual abuse, etc. Somehow she expected glamour and luxury, it seems. It's obvious that she was naive. And that's my point: the majority of cruise passengers don't fully understand what's going on behind the scene to make the passenger experience enjoyable.

Because enough of us leave the DSC in place and provide decent additional gratuities? Maybe?

 

 

 

The other was a USA citizen, female, who was recruited out of college. She used words to describe her experience including: exploitation, abuse, sexual abuse, etc. Somehow she expected glamour and luxury, it seems. It's obvious that she was naive.

So a woman signs up with a cruise line, is exploited and sexually abused, and a CC poster replies that "It's obvious that she was naïve."

I think we have a new record.

So a woman signs up with a cruise line, is exploited and sexually abused, and a CC poster replies that "It's obvious that she was naïve."

 

I think we have a new record.

Watch the video before you comment.

I should have cleared up that she selected "charged words" to give her take on the situation and make her point about conditions aboard ship as an employee.

She felt "exploited" because she was made to work long hours every day of her contract without a day off.

Point is: what she felt was labor exploitation is another crew member's dream job.

I notice you did not link to the same video with comments enabled where all the cruise line employees called BS on this story.

I'd appreciate a link to one with comments. Didn't know there was a different one and I sure will read what's said by other crew members.

So a woman signs up with a cruise line, is exploited and sexually abused, and a CC poster replies that "It's obvious that she was naïve."

 

I think we have a new record.

Yes, she was naive to expect glamour and luxury for herself as she worked on the cruise ship.

Or do you, too, believe the crew works 9 to 5 with paid holidays and sick leave?

INSIDE SCOOP: when the heavy water tight doors shut guest entry to the spa at night, it's NOT so we can't hear all the employees laughing it up as the get manicures and massages after hours at discounted rates.

If you can afford a suite, I wouldn’t think an extra $6 for 2 or $42 a week would be such an issue

Why do suite guests pay $3.00 more per person per day?

It's for your convenience....

Just additional revenue for NCL.

She did say she tips accordingly for her, just prefers to do it herself.

 

Honestly, I think she has a point. I never considered it until now, but I do think I’m going to adjust downward. I don’t think it’s right to charge for each guest in a stateroom when one is three years old. I would rather delete the three year olds daily charge, and give extra to the staff directly that helped with him, such as our room steward and the kids club area. That seems more appropriate.

 

But why should I pay for a three year olds charges that aren’t really being used? Or maybe I’m wrong? I’m interested.

Is your three year old using towels? Sheets? Eating food? Using the kids area under supervision?

I used to take my tips off. Then I befriended (and became very close to, so much as to be invited to his wedding) with an employee on another cruise line. When he opened my eyes to the actual importance of tipping I learned a lot.

First, you can take your tips off. But you aren't hurting NCL. You are hurting the people who work on the ship to support your trip, who you do not interact with. The people who do the laundry, clean the dishes, etc etc etc. You doing this to make a statement also isn't going to change the fact that tips are an important part of the salary of the workers.

You're paying for a three year old to go on a cruise, so paying for the three year old's tips shouldn't even be an issue.

Suites are larger, so you pay more in tips to the cabin/suite attendant. The amount to your waiters remains the same as any cabin.

Amen, Hallelujah! My prayers are being answered. Please enact this worldwide.

I wish they would do it worldwide. One reason is that some posters from countries where it is included are booking through US TA's, where it is not included, so they can remove the DSC and then their price is better. Sad!

Sad, indeed. But proves a scammer will always find a way.

Sad, indeed. But proves a scammer will always find a way.

Is your three year old using towels? Sheets? Eating food? Using the kids area under supervision?

 

I used to take my tips off. Then I befriended (and became very close to, so much as to be invited to his wedding) with an employee on another cruise line. When he opened my eyes to the actual importance of tipping I learned a lot.

 

First, you can take your tips off. But you aren't hurting NCL. You are hurting the people who work on the ship to support your trip, who you do not interact with. The people who do the laundry, clean the dishes, etc etc etc. You doing this to make a statement also isn't going to change the fact that tips are an important part of the salary of the workers.

 

You're paying for a three year old to go on a cruise, so paying for the three year old's tips shouldn't even be an issue.

Are two years olds not doing the same?! Because ncl for some reason doesn’t charge for two year olds. Some of these comments are ridiculous. Ncl charges $17.50 per day per person. To my knowledge, that’s far more than any other cruise line. Certainly more than princess charges for their suites (15.50 a day). And this practice is relatively new as tipping used to be discretionary on cruise lines and left up to the passenger.

In my particular case. One, I do think it’s ridiculous that I am paying an arm and leg for a full price haven suite (not some bull**** upgrade....but full price which is way more by about 20x than a normal nice hotel room nightly). And yet, they then expect to pass on the cost of extras, like the people that wash the sheets. Well, I guess regular hotels better start charging a daily service charge too then. Lmao. No.

Listen, I don’t mind tipping one iota. In fact, I tend to be an extremely generous tipper. But to some degree, it should be discretionary. And in my discretion, if I’m going to mostly be using room service to feed my young child and then get him off to the kids club, that’s where the tips should go. It should go to the butler that is bringing the food to the room, the steward who has the extra work, and the kids club staff. So if I want to reapportion it, I DO think I have every right to do so.

Let’s see. According to all of you I should be paying the $20,000 for my suite for one week, of which they apparently pass none of that on to the staff?!

Then, 17.50 per day per person for room.

Tip the steward extra of $100-200

Butler by peoples suggestions here $210-$250

Concierge 50-100

Not to mention the haven staff

And of course a dollar to the people who bring the drinks, or they won’t come back around. Lol.

Ok, so by your alls suggestions after the high cost of paying for this luxury, I’m also supposed to leave tips totalling about $1000.

Honestly, maybe I shouldn’t cruise. Maybe I should just stay in a nice suite in a nice hotel that doesn’t than suggest I also pay for their employees salary they are refusing to pay themselves.

Again, I don’t mind the tipping, and am generous. But I certainly have some right to decide how that is apportioned and who it goes to.

Are two years olds not doing the same?! Because ncl for some reason doesn’t charge for two year olds. Some of these comments are ridiculous. Ncl charges $17.50 per day per person. To my knowledge, that’s far more than any other cruise line. Certainly more than princess charges for their suites (15.50 a day). And this practice is relatively new as tipping used to be discretionary on cruise lines and left up to the passenger.

 

In my particular case. One, I do think it’s ridiculous that I am paying an arm and leg for a full price haven suite (not some bull**** upgrade....but full price which is way more by about 20x than a normal nice hotel room nightly). And yet, they then expect to pass on the cost of extras, like the people that wash the sheets. Well, I guess regular hotels better start charging a daily service charge too then. Lmao. No.

 

Listen, I don’t mind tipping one iota. In fact, I tend to be an extremely generous tipper. But to some degree, it should be discretionary. And in my discretion, if I’m going to mostly be using room service to feed my young child and then get him off to the kids club, that’s where the tips should go. It should go to the butler that is bringing the food to the room, the steward who has the extra work, and the kids club staff. So if I want to reapportion it, I DO think I have every right to do so.

 

Let’s see. According to all of you I should be paying the $20,000 for my suite for one week, of which they apparently pass none of that on to the staff?!

 

Then, 17.50 per day per person for room.

Tip the steward extra of $100-200

Butler by peoples suggestions here $210-$250

Concierge 50-100

Not to mention the haven staff

And of course a dollar to the people who bring the drinks, or they won’t come back around. Lol.

 

Ok, so by your alls suggestions after the high cost of paying for this luxury, I’m also supposed to leave tips totalling about $1000.

 

Honestly, maybe I shouldn’t cruise. Maybe I should just stay in a nice suite in a nice hotel that doesn’t than suggest I also pay for their employees salary they are refusing to pay themselves.

 

Again, I don’t mind the tipping, and am generous. But I certainly have some right to decide how that is apportioned and who it goes to.

Why should the staff be stuffed because you spent too much on vacation? Would you go out for an expensive dinner and tip 10% because you spent too much on the meal? I spend about $700 in DSC for two steerage balconies, plus tip other staff, such as the steward, bartenders, kids club staff...It’s part of the cost of cruising. Our first NCL cruise was about 15 years ago, no envelopes back then either, just DSC.