Note to those with UBP

[weltek]

A bartender I trust to be honest is reporting tips are pretty much in half since slips/signatures for UBP drinks are no longer being given. I asked because it's what I suspected. So if you used to be inclined to tip an extra $1 with a drink when service was superb, make note of that and throw some cash in your pockets. If you dont give a flying fish about tipping them any more than the mandatory service charge, you can ignore this post and move on.

[ncklhaus]

I was told the same thing on our Breakaway cruise. I just got home today. Since there are no slips to sign with the UBP, you can ask for one to be printed that you can add a tip or you can bring some cash to tip here and there. The bartenders are very happy and really appreciate it.

Edited January 18, 2016 by ncklhaus

[3kidsncats]

I was thinking this, on our recent cruise. We had one bartender in particular that became our go-to guy, but I never had cash on me. On the last night, I saw him in the bar, and made a point of running up to our cabin to get a $20 to slip to him. I got the feeling he really appreciated it. I also took the time to fill out a hero card for him (as well as several other people who helped make the trip great).

 

I would suggest that (doing hero cards) as option for any who don't want to tip any additional (which I completely understand -- we weren't charged the 18% since we were in a suite, so I felt giving that direct tip was an easy call for me, but if I had paid the 18%, I would be very disinclined to tip more)

[mlmalone3]

Thanks for the suggestion....we are new to NCL, and I had already asked about freestyle dining...different servers and tipping each night. We are used to tipping our servers at the end of the cruise. We'll make sure we have extra cash on hand for those behind the bar as well as serving the drinks!

[keep on cruisin]

We sailed on Breakaway in September with the UBP and we signed for every drink. They were charged and credited every night.

 

On a few occasions they didn't bother if it was just a soda.

[Demonyte]

We sailed on Breakaway in September with the UBP and we signed for every drink.

 

This has changed recently as reported in many threads posted here in last several weeks/months.

[3kidsncats]

We were never presented with a ticket to sign for any of the drinks we ordered. Meals on the UDP, yes, drinks on the UBP, no.

[katiecat]

I'm glad we dont have to sign that did seem like extra work for them. I will have to have some cash on me now then so good to know. thanks

[cruisejunkie76]

i'm not much of a drinker and for me it would be a waste of Money to but the UBP.

I pay as I go. That includes the Tip.

[Hibiscus13]

So far on the Epic I have yet to experience service at a bar (or anywhere other than the specialty restaurants) that is worthy of a tip on top of the 18% gratuity already tacked on.

[mjkacmom]

So far on the Epic I have yet to experience service at a bar (or anywhere other than the specialty restaurants) that is worthy of a tip on top of the 18% gratuity already tacked on.

 

If you tipped the bartender, you might have been pleasantly surprised in the attentiveness you then received. Any time we go into a crowded bar, we make sure to tip big early.

[cruzsnooze]

Of course the bar tenders want you to believe they don't get enough with an 18% tip already in place, it's standard MO so you tip more and more.

[jennmaybe]

Ok, so, I'm confused and not being disrespectful, so please don't take it that way.

 

If we have UBP and paid the 18% gratuity, why is it our fault that NCL is not distributing the tips as they should be and that we should be tipping extra to make up for that? That means my $7 dollar drink just cost me $9.26. (18% gratuity plus an extra $1). That defeats the whole purpose of having UBP. And no one thinks that this was the plan all along by FDR? He said months ago that he wants to make an additional $250 per person on every cruise. This is just another way of getting more money from us. Not going to happen with this couple!

 

I'm sorry, but I am not paying 18% gratuity and then leaving additional money on top of that. :( That's double tipping and we're just not doing that.

[LrgPizza]

Ok, so, I'm confused and not being disrespectful, so please don't take it that way.

 

If we have UBP and paid the 18% gratuity, why is it our fault that NCL is not distributing the tips as they should be and that we should be tipping extra to make up for that? That means my $7 dollar drink just cost me $9.26. (18% gratuity plus an extra $1). That defeats the whole purpose of having UBP. And no one thinks that this was the plan all along by FDR? He said months ago that he wants to make an additional $250 per person on every cruise. This is just another way of getting more money from us. Not going to happen with this couple!

 

I'm sorry, but I am not paying 18% gratuity and then leaving additional money on top of that. :( That's double tipping and we're just not doing that.

Don't think about it one way or the other, until you are actually standing there with a drink in your hand. Sometimes we tip extra, sometimes we don't. We seem to have great service either way. It's not that big of a deal that people need to plan and stress months in advance over whether or not they hand someone a buck, yet some will do just that.

Edited January 18, 2016 by LrgPizza

[rvsullivan]

Ok, so, I'm confused and not being disrespectful, so please don't take it that way.

 

If we have UBP and paid the 18% gratuity, why is it our fault that NCL is not distributing the tips as they should be and that we should be tipping extra to make up for that? That means my $7 dollar drink just cost me $9.26. (18% gratuity plus an extra $1). That defeats the whole purpose of having UBP. And no one thinks that this was the plan all along by FDR? He said months ago that he wants to make an additional $250 per person on every cruise. This is just another way of getting more money from us. Not going to happen with this couple!

 

I'm sorry, but I am not paying 18% gratuity and then leaving additional money on top of that. :( That's double tipping and we're just not doing that.

 

 

I have no interest in whether you tip extra or not, your choice. I would like to know where you came up with FDR looking for an extra $250 per person or $500 per couple? I don't believe he ever said that! Source please! Of course now that it is on this post, it will now be quoted for the next 18 months.

[PSUfan1313]

We cruised in October with another cruise line and had the UBP. I usually added $1 when given a slip, and dropped some $1's in the jug when not given one. Our service was much better than most other passengers and at one point I had someone ask why I got such quick and friendly service. At the pool area some sunny days we were 2-3 deep waiting for drinks. Occasionally (most of bartenders) would just make my drink of choice when they saw me in line and serve me before anyone else. For a few dollars a day, it was worth the tip...:D

[jeffregpuck]

I was thinking this, on our recent cruise. We had one bartender in particular that became our go-to guy, but I never had cash on me. On the last night, I saw him in the bar, and made a point of running up to our cabin to get a $20 to slip to him. I got the feeling he really appreciated it. I also took the time to fill out a hero card for him (as well as several other people who helped make the trip great).

 

I would suggest that (doing hero cards) as option for any who don't want to tip any additional (which I completely understand -- we weren't charged the 18% since we were in a suite, so I felt giving that direct tip was an easy call for me, but if I had paid the 18%, I would be very disinclined to tip more)

 

^^This^^

 

We took a cruise to Alaska with the UBP, but when we got that promotion, we didn't pay the "service fee" so we tipped a buck or two with each drink. Ended up being way cheaper for us because we didn't drink anywhere near 180 drinks which is about what the service fee is.

 

The Escape cruise that we have booked for February also has the UBP, but we had to pay the service charge....so I feel that I've already "tipped" more than I would if I were just tipping per drink. What is sad, is that it appears that the money is not actually going to the bar servers as it should be. This is something that makes me rethink Norwegian as my go-to line. If they are pocketing these tips instead of passing them on to the bar service, then perhaps I should cruise with a line that doesn't charge me upfront "tips" and I can tip on my own....saving me money, and giving the money directly to the people who deserve it. I've long heard that the daily service fee doesn't actually get distributed to the crew, but I feel that is probably true on all cruise lines.

[TifffanyD]

If you tipped the bartender, you might have been pleasantly surprised in the attentiveness you then received. Any time we go into a crowded bar, we make sure to tip big early.

 

Definitely. Howl was packed and we couldn't get drinks the first night we were seated. At the end of the night I tipped our bartender and the next time we were there she was constantly at our side asking if we were ready for refills yet - lol.

[mjkacmom]

Ok, so, I'm confused and not being disrespectful, so please don't take it that way.

 

If we have UBP and paid the 18% gratuity, why is it our fault that NCL is not distributing the tips as they should be and that we should be tipping extra to make up for that? That means my $7 dollar drink just cost me $9.26. (18% gratuity plus an extra $1). That defeats the whole purpose of having UBP. And no one thinks that this was the plan all along by FDR? He said months ago that he wants to make an additional $250 per person on every cruise. This is just another way of getting more money from us. Not going to happen with this couple!

 

I'm sorry, but I am not paying 18% gratuity and then leaving additional money on top of that. :( That's double tipping and we're just not doing that.

We tip extra because that extra $50 or so makes our cruise better. When we had the UBP, it was back n the day when you had to actually pay for it - $50 on top of $800 or so was no big deal for excellent service. I expect getting bar service is even more difficult now that they give the UBP for free, so I don't mind paying a bribe!

[jennmaybe]

I have no interest in whether you tip extra or not, your choice. I would like to know where you came up with FDR looking for an extra $250 per person or $500 per couple? I don't believe he ever said that! Source please! Of course now that it is on this post, it will now be quoted for the next 18 months.

 

I read it from a link that was posted here earlier last year. Hubby & I were reading the interview (from the link that was posted here) and after we saw that comment, we just looked at each other and said he wouldn't be getting that from us.

 

I would be glad to try and find it, but I don't have time to do that.

[TifffanyD]

He actually said:

 

"I'm not asking for the moon, but an extra $3 or $4 per person. There are two people per room, for a seven-day cruise that is an extra $50. Can I get $50 from you and your wife to come aboard my ships versus someone else's ships, and how do I get you to do that? I think I have a lot of different levers to pull."

 

From: http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-frank-del-rio-sr-and-new-norwegian.html

[TifffanyD]

You were close, though. Only off by a multiple of 10. :rolleyes:

[detroitlions]

I don't understand how this is breaking news. I also do not understand why anyone would not be able to figure out that if you don't sign a slip you have to give a cash tip. So now we have people explaining how they drop a dollar at the bar. Who cares?

[cruzsnooze]

 

We took a cruise to Alaska with the UBP, but when we got that promotion, we didn't pay the "service fee" so we tipped a buck or two with each drink. If they are pocketing these tips instead of passing them on to the bar service, then perhaps I should cruise with a line that doesn't charge me upfront "tips" and I can tip on my own....saving me money, and giving the money directly to the people who deserve it. I've long heard that the daily service fee doesn't actually get distributed to the crew, but I feel that is probably true on all cruise lines.

 

That's the best to do it if you want to be sure the money gets into the hands of those that serve you. I remove the auto grats and tip in cash in the dining rooms, and for the room steward. Since the bar already has 18% tip I leave it at that, no extra.

 

Anyone crew member who discusses their salary with a passenger should be reported to their boss and taken with a grain of salt. They apparently are a disgruntled employee which isn't good for NCL.

Edited January 18, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[MarysDress]

my husband, 2 of my sisters and 4 friends will be on the Jade in less than 2 weeks :D and sis and I were talking about this last night. We all got the free booze package as part of buying the cruise and I've been wondering about how the bartenders are doing with this financially.

 

So they actually have tip jars now? that is new (we've cruised NCL several times in the last 10 years). I'm definitely planning to bring cash to tip on drinks. It's important to me that the bartenders don't get less money overall due to the UBP that was "given" to me (I might feel differently if I purchased it) by NCL.