Opting out of paying Daily Service Charge

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

OP...I’m still confused.  What do you want from us?  You decided to remove the tips/DSC.

 

Since you’ve made that decision, what are you asking?

 

 

I know it is confusing but the question was "if anybody has successfully had the discretionary DSC waived from their account. ". If you have not done so then I guess there is no point in replying

[troy510]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

 

Completely untrue. The DSC goes to NCL. All crew is paid a salary. The only people who might get a little less each week would be the waiters and stewards.

 

There is no such thing as a tipping pool. The rules for paying mariners changed about  5 or 6 years ago and  you are talking about the way things used to be, not the way theey  are now.

 

Also the OP is in GB, their booking rules are different than in the US.

Wow. So, NCL is basically up charging passengers under the guise of collecting money to distribute to the hard working staff? Where can I learn more about this?

[graphicguy]

It is confusing.  You said you were offered to waive the DSC, and that you would.  You were successful?  If not, why not?  If you were successful, you need “what” from us?

[KeithJenner]

One of the problems here, as is often the case with NCL, is that they make things quite unclear.

 

Just reading the website, it seems that you can only opt out of the DSC is you have a service issue. I may be wrong, but I don't think it actually says that you can opt out just because you would rather tip in cash.

 

However, in practice, opting out of the DSC and tipping in cash (or not, I'm staying out of that argument) does seem to be an option, and I have never heard of anyone reporting that they were unable to do so.

 

It is complicated a little for us in the UK because I believe that there are legal issues if the DSC wasn't completely optional. That is probably why the person that the OP spoke to was more upfront about the option to reserve it onboard.

 

I still wouldn't bother myself. I have far better things to do with my time when on holiday than to start manually doing something which would otherwise be done automatically. 

[liverpoollad]

nikki.  I too thought it was included until I looked at "My Cruise" & there it was as a service charge though.  I rang NCL UK & my agent & both said that NCL do now charge Gratuities/Service Charge. Check your "My Cruise"

 

Problem is we have different cultures USA lower pay & tips make up their wage , GB pay them a wage & tips a bonus. This will always be a contentious issue .

 

The problem with me this time is that I thought the tips were included.

[luv2kroooz]

28 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

I saw that on NCL UK, the daily service charge was included in the costing. However, when I rang NCL last week to actually book, the lady asked me did I want to include the charge or not and I said no. She then said that the charge was optional and that if I preferred not to have them included, then all I would need to do was to go to guest services when on board and simply sign a form to have them removed with no questions asked.That was the reason for my opening post, but unfortunately nearly everybody (certainly from USA) are putting their own spin on the subject 

I answered your question directly and honestly an hour or two ago. End of discussion.

[NLH Arizona]

10 minutes ago, troy510 said:

Wow. So, NCL is basically up charging passengers under the guise of collecting money to distribute to the hard working staff? Where can I learn more about this?

This was posted by a poster who worked for NCL and is very knowledgable about the ins and outs of cruise lines:  The only thing that is "guaranteed" to a crew member is the minimum total compensation, which is currently $614/month for a 40 hour work week, plus overtime at 125% of the base wage for hours over 40/week. This totals out to about $1500/month. If the base wage, overtime, and DSC totals more than this, per their contract, they get that much, if the DSC is reduced, their wages can drop to the above minimum.

[troy510]

3 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

This was posted by a poster who worked for NCL and is very knowledgable about the ins and outs of cruise lines:  The only thing that is "guaranteed" to a crew member is the minimum total compensation, which is currently $614/month for a 40 hour work week, plus overtime at 125% of the base wage for hours over 40/week. This totals out to about $1500/month. If the base wage, overtime, and DSC totals more than this, per their contract, they get that much, if the DSC is reduced, their wages can drop to the above minimum.

So, if I'm understanding correct, the DSC can help raise their monthly wages some. No?

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

17 minutes ago, blcruising said:

I answered your question directly and honestly an hour or two ago. End of discussion.

Yes thanks for your reply. Yours was one of the better responses

[NLH Arizona]

12 minutes ago, troy510 said:

So, if I'm understanding correct, the DSC can help raise their monthly wages some. No?

That is the way I understood it, from what the poster posted.  I take it that the DSC pays the crew's salary.  If there is less than the minimum paid by the DSC, the cruise ship pays the difference to make up the minimum wage, but if the DSC if over the minimum, including overtime, the crew gets more.

Edited June 8, 2019 by NLH Arizona

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

25 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

It is confusing.  You said you were offered to waive the DSC, and that you would.  You were successful?  If not, why not?  If you were successful, you need “what” from us?

I think I must be talking a different language to you. I said that I was asked by NCL UK, did I want to pre-pay the DSC and I declined. That takes the issue onto the ship and hence my question right from the start. I was only looking for answers from anybody who was totally aufait in what they were about

[gooch47]

1 hour ago, fshagan said:

 

NCL says you can give cash tips to the staff if you like:

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#what-about-gratuities

Yes, of course you can give extra.  What I question is what happens if you give them cash INSTEAD of the Daily Service Fee.

[SeaShark]

28 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

I think I must be talking a different language to you. I said that I was asked by NCL UK, did I want to pre-pay the DSC and I declined. That takes the issue onto the ship and hence my question right from the start. I was only looking for answers from anybody who was totally aufait in what they were about

 

Why bother? You never asked a question in the first place and only doubled-down instead of just admitting that you hadn't. You aren't listening to what people are telling you...it is painfully obvious that you, like many other people who start these useless DSC threads, have already made up your mind and you are only looking for someone to tell you what you want to hear so you can justify your decision to yourself.

 

This is an EXTREMELY simple process, yet you seem to want to endlessly complicate it in order to see if it is "easy". You can cheap-out and screw over hard working people who are only there to serve you. That is your choice. Your points and arguments have been made hundreds of times by hundreds of people. We've really seen and heard it all before. You only need to understand that we are not here to offer you absolution and justification for your choices.

[graphicguy]

42 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

I think I must be talking a different language to you. I said that I was asked by NCL UK, did I want to pre-pay the DSC and I declined. That takes the issue onto the ship and hence my question right from the start. I was only looking for answers from anybody who was totally aufait in what they were about

OK....then the DSC will end up as a daily line item on your portfolio vs you paying it up front.  That’s easy, too!

 

You’re better off going to NCL’s site for your info, as it’s there...

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!%23what-is-onboard-service-charge

Edited June 8, 2019 by graphicguy

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

4 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

 "doubled-down instead of just admitting that you hadn't."

Yes, I was right. You are talking a different language. Never mind, I got a proper answer from Liverpoollad. He spoke properly

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

4 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

You’re better off going to NCL’s site for your info, as it’s there...

 

 

Thanks, I just looked. (c) 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

[SeaShark]

2 minutes ago, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

Yes, I was right. You are talking a different language. Never mind, I got a proper answer from Liverpoollad. He spoke properly

 

Ummm...no, it was GraphicGuy (see Post #61) that you were talking to when you mentioned "talking a different language". Once again, quick to argue when in the wrong.

[graphicguy]

So, you went through this whole exercise just to try to justify your action to not pay tips and see if you could bait anyone to go along with you.

 

Interesting!

[Pauser]

As an aside, there was a post a few years ago - I believe it was on Carnival. Some passengers were doing a behind-the-scenes tour and saw a list posted of passengers who had opted out of the daily service fee with their cabin numbers listed. This was in an employee area where passengers would normally never venture, but because of the tour, someone was able to take a photo of it. I don't know the ramifications for those passengers, but at least then, apparently, the employees kept track. If it is truly discretionary, they should not be keeping track. They might call it discretionary, but there's a lot of pressure to make it feel mandatory. We usually prepay our service charges and then give cash tips to employees with whom we have had the most contact on our cruise - usually our cabin steward, bartender(s), specialty coffee, and others we want to recognize. 

[JOHNHOWARTH2]

2 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

So, you went through this whole exercise just to try to justify your action to not pay tips and see if you could bait anyone to go along with you.

 

Interesting!

The replies from so many are now becoming a little repetitive. All I wanted to know was if anybody on here had gone to guest services on board and asked for the DSC to be removed as I have been advised by NCL UK to do if I so wish. However, that question to so many seems difficult to comprehend, so I will take the only decent answers from Keith Jenner and Liverpoollad and call a halt to any more posts. I see now why so many criticise Cruise Critic for having very difficult posters

[graphicguy]

OP...You got your answer (no one here has removed the DSC).  You ignored the lack of evidence of anyone doing it.  Along the way, you tried to blame language barriers (we seem to be able to communicate with each other just fine), or your intent (looking back through the posts, your intent is clear).

 

I think you’re on your own in this quest of yours.

[liverpoollad]

I opt out of this thread also. John asked a simple question & got one & then insults & smart aleck replies. 

[luv2kroooz]

23 minutes ago, Pauser said:

As an aside, there was a post a few years ago - I believe it was on Carnival. Some passengers were doing a behind-the-scenes tour and saw a list posted of passengers who had opted out of the daily service fee with their cabin numbers listed. This was in an employee area where passengers would normally never venture, but because of the tour, someone was able to take a photo of it. I don't know the ramifications for those passengers, but at least then, apparently, the employees kept track. If it is truly discretionary, they should not be keeping track. They might call it discretionary, but there's a lot of pressure to make it feel mandatory. We usually prepay our service charges and then give cash tips to employees with whom we have had the most contact on our cruise - usually our cabin steward, bartender(s), specialty coffee, and others we want to recognize. 

 

On NCL there is a place to indicate why you remove the DSC so there is no mystery involved, perhaps unlike Carnival. The first option says something like the dining room service did not meet my expectations. The second option says the stateroom service did not meet my expectations. The final option says the dining room and stateroom service met my expectations and I am adjusting the charges for the following reason.

 

Again, adjusting DSC is a personal matter and quite frankly, it isn't the crews business any more than it is anyone here on cruisecritic. I've never felt pressured to not reduce the charges, but in my few instances, issues have been well documented and presented for resolution.

 

There is no ramification to the passenger by the crew as the adjustment can't be made until the end of the cruise on NCL, and most are busy with turnaround day. I would think there could be ramifications to the stateroom attendant and dining room staff if they receive recurring complaints, which is why I always advocate trying to resolve issues onboard with the hotel director....actually general manager...the position was recently renamed on NCL.

 

 

[Pauser]

2 minutes ago, blcruising said:

There is no ramification to the passenger by the crew as the adjustment can't be made until the end of the cruise on NCL, and most are busy with turnaround day.

On Carnival, you can opt out up front or at least you were able to at the time. These passengers had opted out and had their names and cabin numbers posted for employees to see. 

[rkelly21]

Yes. I do it all the time. I tip generously those hard workers who do things for me. Most folks don't realize the workers you see don't get that much of the tip. It's spread out to the behind the scenes folks as well as managers, etc. I consider that portion overhead and only wish to reward those you have helped me. By the way it works wonders if you tip a good bartender up front.