More gratuity increases. When will it stop?

[Sotermarler]

Except these are NOT tips. Will you people get that thru your head? The workers are NOT getting the 20%. Overall less then 1/2 goes to the workers thru incentives but out of this increase the workers are getting $0 additional. Stop calling this a TIP!!!!!!!

 

 

 

And...? Tips, fees gratuities whatever you call it, I don't care who gets the extra money. So just like everyone says "if you don't like what NCL is doing find another line", same applies to the workers, "Don't like the pay leave".

 

 

 

 

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[norway olin]

out of the daily gratuities you pay about 1/2 go to the workers in the form of incentives etc but out of the service charges you pay only about 1/3 ends up going to them and out of the increase from $79 to $89 and 18% to 20% the workers are seeing a $0 increase.

 

all you have to do is connect the dots.

 

I don't know what dots to connect to come up with the 1/2, 1/3, and zero figures you came up with.

[Weetahbugdotcom]

You tip 18% for BAD service?

 

 

 

In most states, servers get paid less than minimum wage. Way less. With the caveat that if their tips don’t push them up to minimum wage, the employer makes up the difference. Many of the issues that would cause you to not tip are not your server’s fault. If your food is bad or late or has glass in it, you should still tip 20 percent. If your server tells you to go suck an egg, I’ll give you a pass for not tipping them.

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

In most states, servers get paid less than minimum wage. Way less. With the caveat that if their tips don’t push them up to minimum wage, the employer makes up the difference. Many of the issues that would cause you to not tip are not your server’s fault. If your food is bad or late or has glass in it, you should still tip 20 percent. If your server tells you to go suck an egg, I’ll give you a pass for not tipping them.

 

 

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People have their own criteria for tipping. They have their own amounts they think are reasonable for good service and bad service, despite what justification others may give. If you want to give 20% even if you have a terrible dining experience, good for you, nothing wrong with that. Others will not even entertain that scenario in the least.

 

No one on this forum or any forum are going to change anyone elses minds about this despite the gazillion bazillionth time it gets discussed. ;)

[CruisinHarvey]

My assumption is that the service fee, or gratuity, say which ever you want, has gone from 18 to 20 percent. Given we've had the drink package, I don't remember what it said it was for on the receipt you get from ordering a drink that you pay for. In any case, I assume that means if you order a bottled water, there's a 20% fee associated with it now. Everyone just needs to take into account what the total cruise will cost them. If NCL is no longer competitive and a value to you, then go elsewhere. If it's still a value, then it's a really good, and probably needed, move on their part. While you may complain, if they still provide value at the new price, then they were under priced.

[cheersforbeers]

All you have to do is ask. It isn't exactly proprietary. Even if you don't know anyone that works for NCL all you have to do is connect the dots.

 

 

 

Do you think NCL charges double for their beverage package compared to other cruise lines (and include less) just by coincidence?

 

 

 

Do you think that NCL charges a higher service charge then any other cruise line just by coincidence?

 

 

 

The reality is that the service charges you pay on the UBP pays for most of the liquor cost. That's where the money is going.

 

 

 

I quit playing connects years ago. From the research I’ve done some limit or cap your beverages, so saying include less is bogus.

I know several people inside NCL and I’ve received different info than you.

Covering liquor cost is a mortal sin. Maybe their costs went.

Darn grocery stores or filling stations. Their costs have increased why pass it on to me.

[zqvol]

It is not common practice to tip 20% - it is common practice to tip 20% for good to excellent service. I don't know ANYONE who just automatically tips 20% no matter how bad the service is, and I certainly don't know anyone who tips 20% before they have received any service before they know how well they will be served. A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service. Better servers should get more and worse servers should get less - and really bad servers should get nothing. I give 20% to the best servers, and 15% for "ok" service. But that's not how it apparently works in this case, so the servers have no incentive to improve their customer service (or to not be bad servers!) Tips are supposed to be at the customer's discretion, NOT pre-determined by the establishment!

 

These are NOT tips or gratuities. These fees are service charges and DO NOT go to the servers.

[GlamorousGirl]

If you reward everyone equally, then I guess you penalize everyone equally. How they get paid is their business and their choice but personally my hard earned money won't be given out if I have a bad and less than desirable experience.

 

To each their own.

 

I agree with this response. I actually did in fact work in the service industry for 12 years, and in my field most people just "rounded up" to the nearest dollar. I rarely got 20% even from people who made a point of requesting me repeatedly because my service was apparently so good. I didn't complain because I knew what I was getting into accepting a job in a service industry. I decided the advantages of that job were worth this downside.

 

I'm not going to tip someone who provided poor service just because the tip may be shared with someone who doesn't deserve the shaft. If that is happening, the problem is NOT with the customer, it is with the other employee providing bad service. The "shafted" employee should take it up with them, not hold the customer responsible.

 

There's an easy solution to the sharing problem. Always give your tip in cash to the specific, deserving, server. They won't lose the percentage the credit card companies take out and they can pocket it.

 

As for others who have responded to my posts, even those of you who said you "almost always" tip 20%" you confirmed my argument because no one has said they would tip 20% no matter what, even for terrible service. The customer should be able to decide what the server deserves based on service that was received, not have it automatically charged to them before even being served and at an amount determined by the establishment.

 

We are cruising next week and having paid these tips twice - once for the beverage package and a second time for the "general" tip pool - to the tune of over $400 for two of us - we will not be tipping cash to any servers on board no matter how good their service is. It's a shame - because if we didn't have to tip this much across the board we would have more to give to the servers who really deserve it!

[cheersforbeers]

I agree with this response. I actually did in fact work in the service industry for 12 years, and in my field most people just "rounded up" to the nearest dollar. I rarely got 20% even from people who made a point of requesting me repeatedly because my service was apparently so good. I didn't complain because I knew what I was getting into accepting a job in a service industry. I decided the advantages of that job were worth this downside.

 

 

 

I'm not going to tip someone who provided poor service just because the tip may be shared with someone who doesn't deserve the shaft. If that is happening, the problem is NOT with the customer, it is with the other employee providing bad service. The "shafted" employee should take it up with them, not hold the customer responsible.

 

 

 

There's an easy solution to the sharing problem. Always give your tip in cash to the specific, deserving, server. They won't lose the percentage the credit card companies take out and they can pocket it.

 

 

 

As for others who have responded to my posts, even those of you who said you "almost always" tip 20%" you confirmed my argument because no one has said they would tip 20% no matter what, even for terrible service. The customer should be able to decide what the server deserves based on service that was received, not have it automatically charged to them before even being served and at an amount determined by the establishment.

 

 

 

We are cruising next week and having paid these tips twice - once for the beverage package and a second time for the "general" tip pool - to the tune of over $400 for two of us - we will not be tipping cash to any servers on board no matter how good their service is. It's a shame - because if we didn't have to tip this much across the board we would have more to give to the servers who really deserve it!

 

 

 

Glamorous,

Have a most wonderful cruise, would ya.

 

 

Being Positive makes life better. Look for the Good not the Bad

[GlamorousGirl]

Pardon me but I follow Emily Post when it comes to etiquette and tipping thus I haven't any issue. Should your steak arrive overcooked do you stiff the poor waitress? Or if the kitchen is backed up is it her fault. Lastly most tables of 6-8 or more are already have gratuity added in.

 

I grew up with Emily Post too. I never said I refuse to tip for bad food, I said I would not tip a server for bad service. If a steak were cooked improperly I would not go to that establishment again. My husband would outright complain to the manager. But I wouldn't stiff the server. If the server is outright rude, repeatedly forgetful, clearly ignores us when we are trying to get their attention and they are clearly not busy, or spills food or drink on us - then I will not tip them. As for automatic tipping of larger tables - they should not be forced to auto-tip either.

[OceanBlueWaters]

My son works in the service industry (he is a waiter/server while going to College). We were on recent cruise and he immediately wanted to leave a tip for job well done (even though "gratuities" were already "included.") I tried to tell him no tip is needed since already "wrapped" up in package. I did not argue with him. He left cash out of his own wallet to the wonderful worker(s) who served us. LOL!. He especially liked the sushi which he left another generous tip. That $ went directly to worker(s). Yes, he is 19 and gesture was amazing. There was no fighting with him. My question was did we offend anyone by leaving cash?

[DaCruiseBug]

And...? Tips, fees gratuities whatever you call it, I don't care who gets the extra money. So just like everyone says "if you don't like what NCL is doing find another line", same applies to the workers, "Don't like the pay leave".

 

 

 

 

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I have, don't worry. My next cruise is on the MSC Seaside. Getting YC for Mini-Suite cost and not having to worry about being nickled and dimed.

[DaCruiseBug]

These are NOT tips or gratuities. These fees are service charges and DO NOT go to the servers.

 

Bingo! That's what a few of us have been saying. People don't like to read very much apparently and now we're having this discussion about what percent to tip...except your 20% isn't going to the workers. It's like paying a $25 fee to check your bags when you fly and you assuming that the workers are getting that fee...but they're not, the airline does.

[ColinIllinois]

 

Absolutely not. I'm sure it was greatly appreciated as the nice gesture it was. See, this is one of the things that some people have problems understanding. Tipping is an individual thing and varies from person to person. Do what makes you feel good with gratuities, people don't have to go crazy with tipping, just be FAIR to the good folks that take care of you.

[NLH Arizona]

There is an easy solution for those that don't want to pay this and that is don't be a customer of NCL. There are companies that I don't like their practices and I don't do business with them.

 

As far as where the money goes, I for one am not going to rely on information from an anonymous source on the internet. If one wants everyone to believe them, simply show proof.

 

To the poster who says they have their tips removed, you can remove the DSC, but have never heard of anyone being successful in removing the gratuities/service charge on drinks, drink packages, dining, dining packages or spa.

[OceanBlueWaters]

Absolutely not. I'm sure it was greatly appreciated as the nice gesture it was. See, this is one of the things that some people have problems understanding. Tipping is an individual thing and varies from person to person. Do what makes you feel good with gratuities, people don't have to go crazy with tipping, just be FAIR to the good folks that take care of you.

 

Got it! Roger that! Thanks :)

[GUT2407]

When will it stop?

 

When people refuse to pay it.

 

And perhaps when people stop tipping extra again.

[cheersforbeers]

There is an easy solution for those that don't want to pay this and that is don't be a customer of NCL. There are companies that I don't like their practices and I don't do business with them.

 

As far as where the money goes, I for one am not going to rely on information from an anonymous source on the internet. If one wants everyone to believe them, simply show proof.

 

To the poster who says they have their tips removed, you can remove the DSC, but have never heard of anyone being successful in removing the gratuities/service charge on drinks, drink packages, dining, dining packages or spa.

 

 

 

Well said NHL Arizona. The initial OP started with increase in Grats, and it has evolved into tipping.

 

 

Being Positive makes life better. Look for the Good not the Bad

[fshagan]

I’ve only been on one cruise, and it was Carnival. But I heard a few people saying you could get the gratuities taken off your bill if you had been tipping in cash. Which my wife & I had been doing because we didn’t know they were automatically charging gratuities on the final bill. So I went to customer service and they took it off. Not sure if this is standard or they just made an exception.

 

A lot of people get very emotional over this subject, but the policy can vary from line to line. On NCL you can go to the service desk and ask that the daily service charge be removed. NCL describes the daily service charge as part of the benefits package for the room steward, waiters, and other staff that serves you. The way NCL words it is that if you have a service problem on board that isn't resolved you can reduce your daily service charge. Just remember that if you name an employee, they only get a few complaints until they lose their job and have to go home (I have been told that three complaints get them fired, but I don't know for sure if that's true). I have no direct experience with this, as we always just pay the daily service charge.

 

This thread is about something different, the service charge assessed on every bar bill and on the value of the drink package if you buy it or get it "free". This charge is etched in stone along with the 10 Commandments, and is impossible to have removed, as far as I know. (There are some exceptions to the above if you are not in the US or Canada, as UK bookings have different terms).

[fshagan]

Yes, he is 19 and gesture was amazing. There was no fighting with him. My question was did we offend anyone by leaving cash?

 

Kudos to your son; a lot of people at 19 aren't even aware any one else is alive on the planet! You have obviously done a great job rearing him!

 

You didn't offend anyone. NCL in their FAQ says you can recognize individual crew members with gratuities, so I take that to mean they get to keep the cash you give them.

 

I should rephrase that ... I don't think anyone on board the ship was offended. I'm sure someone on Cruise Critic is offended :^)

[FitchburgWIFamily]

We chatted with a few of the bartenders on the Escape last March. They told us they did get tip money for each passenger that has the beverage package. That is why they are so frustrated with passengers who try to cheat by getting drinks for non beverage package passengers. Bartenders knew exactly how many passengers had the package because they get a share of that service charge. When you think about how many bars and bartenders that serve you during the week the top seems kind of small. I don't know for sure how it gets divided but there are a LOT of bars and a lot of bartender s

[mianmike]

The bartenders should be just fine as there should be plenty of gratuities to go around. For instance; take the Escape. Let's say half of the 4000 guests take the UBP perk. The 20% service fee for the 2000 UBP guests would generate roughly $250K give or take. There are 10 bars. Assuming every bar has three bartenders and two waiters that equates to 50 workers. Add in another 50 roving waiters for the pool, restaurants, etc. and I come up with roughly 100 beverage workers. That comes out at $2500 per week per beverage worker. If I underestimated the number of beverage servers and there were double my estimate or 200 beverage workers that would still leave $1250 per worker per week or $5,000 per month.

 

I have a feeling much of the UBP service fee goes to subsidize the drink package or who knows what else.

[Vickileethatsme]

Hi Cruisers

with the increase in service fee? does this mean I will have to pay more if I have already pre purchased the Drink Package?

new to NCL? cruising 5th Jan 2018 from Sydney to NZ

[cheersforbeers]

Hi Cruisers

 

with the increase in service fee? does this mean I will have to pay more if I have already pre purchased the Drink Package?

 

new to NCL? cruising 5th Jan 2018 from Sydney to NZ

 

 

Welcome to CC.

No, you are grandfathered in.

Have a great cruise.

 

 

Being Positive makes life better. Look for the Good not the Bad

[Big Kev]

Hi Cruisers

with the increase in service fee? does this mean I will have to pay more if I have already pre purchased the Drink Package?

new to NCL? cruising 5th Jan 2018 from Sydney to NZ

 

If you purchased in AUD on the AU website or it was an included perk in the final price quoted in AU with an agent, the 18% is already included... (in USA bev package quoted price is PLUS the 18%)

 

This is only the beverage service charge... (The daily charges for other service teams are added to your on-board account daily if you did not pre-pay)

 

S and P

 

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