Gratuities/Daily Service Charges increasing!!

[RocketMan275]

Amazing.  DSC goes  up by $2-$4 PPPD.  At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic.  This increase is less than the cost of four drinks over the seven day period, less than the cost of one shore excursion, or about 1% the cost of a $5000 cruise.  If you're that strapped for cash, perhaps you should be booking inside cabins, forgoing the free drinks, etc, etc.  You probably should be investigating 'staycations' instead of cruises.

[fstuff1]

15 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

 

15 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

I might lower it to $10/day.

 

'"Reason: $20/day dsc too high. Thought $10/day is adaquate and was too lazy to modify Even though the default dsc kept raising.

But $20/day spurred me into action. Thx Del Rio." 😄

 

I think everyone should write this when they adjust their dsc, especially 'thx Del Rio'

 🙂

Edited December 9, 2022 by fstuff1

[geopuzzle]

21 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Amazing.  DSC goes  up by $2-$4 PPPD.  At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic. 

 It is going up by $180 for my family of 5 on a 9 day cruise, for our single O5 cabin.    Now $900 in gratuities.  Yes, I think that is ridiculous.

 

They shouldn't charge children the same amount as adults.  Cleaning a cabin with 5 people is more work than cleaning a cabin with 2 people, but not 250% the amount of work.  There is still only 1 bathroom to clean.   For a family that prefers buffets to table service and only drinks tap water (for health reasons), and whose kids don't enjoy kids clubs, the cost doesn't make sense.

[Oakman58]

Normally when I cruised with NCL I would pre-pay the DSC and then I would leave an additional amount in the cabin every day for the cabin steward.  With this 25% increase in the DSC I will probably quit doing that.  For that matter I wonder if I will be cruising with NCL in the future.  I just completed a cruise with Carnival in September and was impressed with the food and the service.  The entertainment not so much.  I have a future cruise with Princess next month, and another cruise with Holland in June.  NCL pricing has me moving away from their cruises.

[julig22]

10 minutes ago, geopuzzle said:

 It is going up by $180 for my family of 5 on a 9 day cruise, for our single O5 cabin.    Now $900 in gratuities.  Yes, I think that is ridiculous.

 

They shouldn't charge children the same amount as adults.  Cleaning a cabin with 5 people is more work than cleaning a cabin with 2 people, but not 250% the amount of work.  There is still only 1 bathroom to clean.   For a family that prefers buffets to table service and only drinks tap water (for health reasons), and whose kids don't enjoy kids clubs, the cost doesn't make sense.

I partially agree, maybe reduce the amount for additional guests when over 2 in a cabin. To still include the laundry, dishwashing, buffet staff.

[DaCruiseBug]

54 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Amazing.  DSC goes  up by $2-$4 PPPD.  At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic.  This increase is less than the cost of four drinks over the seven day period, less than the cost of one shore excursion, or about 1% the cost of a $5000 cruise.  If you're that strapped for cash, perhaps you should be booking inside cabins, forgoing the free drinks, etc, etc.  You probably should be investigating 'staycations' instead of cruises.

 

Someone posts this every time this happens. So when can we actually add it all up? If you have a $40-50 increase every couple of months do you get to stack it? Great job at being the perfect NCL customer.

[mianmike]

59 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Amazing.  DSC goes  up by $2-$4 PPPD.  At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic.  This increase is less than the cost of four drinks over the seven day period, less than the cost of one shore excursion, or about 1% the cost of a $5000 cruise.  If you're that strapped for cash, perhaps you should be booking inside cabins, forgoing the free drinks, etc, etc.  You probably should be investigating 'staycations' instead of cruises.

 

I'm conflicted.

 

As a NCLH shareholder, I love your attitude.  We don't need budget savvy cruisers.  "A dollar here, a dollar there, who cares!"  Keep the opaque fees coming such that the total cost of a cruise is ambiguous. 

 

But as a budget savvy cruiser who isn't married to one cruise line these fees really complicate the search for the most value.  

Edited December 9, 2022 by mianmike

[hallux]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic.

Except that $56 increase this year is on top of the $20 increase compared to what it was only 3 years ago.  Add that up, $76 increase in 3 years.  At what point is enough enough?  Do these workers deserve raises like everyone else in the world?  Sure, but pay for that through the fares, that are also going up, rather than through the DSC that's eventually going to be as much as the fare if it keeps going...

[Level six]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

At most a $56 increase for a seven day cruise and some here go hyperbolic.

$300 more for a 30 day cruise for us! 

We usually do not cruise unless it is 30 days or more, 48 being the longest. Grats would be $1920 for a 48 day cruise..........for 2 people.  That's a lot!  We usually only eat in the buffet, carry on our own luggage, do not drink, only have service one time a day!  We are not needy people and  and require only minimal service.  Nope. 

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, geopuzzle said:

 It is going up by $180 for my family of 5 on a 9 day cruise, for our single O5 cabin.    Now $900 in gratuities.  Yes, I think that is ridiculous.

 

They shouldn't charge children the same amount as adults.  Cleaning a cabin with 5 people is more work than cleaning a cabin with 2 people, but not 250% the amount of work.  There is still only 1 bathroom to clean.   For a family that prefers buffets to table service and only drinks tap water (for health reasons), and whose kids don't enjoy kids clubs, the cost doesn't make sense.

Just because you have three kids isn't justification for charging children less.   Children often create more mess than adults.

That $180 is $20 more per day or $4 more per person per day.

Edited December 9, 2022 by RocketMan275

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Except that $56 increase this year is on top of the $20 increase compared to what it was only 3 years ago.  Add that up, $76 increase in 3 years.  At what point is enough enough?  Do these workers deserve raises like everyone else in the world?  Sure, but pay for that through the fares, that are also going up, rather than through the DSC that's eventually going to be as much as the fare if it keeps going...

It continues to be a messaging and packaging issue for NCL. Inflation and cost of labor are real world problems that most cruisers recognize. But it is packaged in the ambiguity of a daily service fee that for whatever reason — real or not — is perceived to be a mandatory gratuity. The fact that it is available for pay after “final” payment, makes people uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter if this is the way things are done or there is a long history, critical consumers are not happy with it. It is why any of these threads gets so long.  

[New2cruise2022]

2 hours ago, geopuzzle said:

 It is going up by $180 for my family of 5 on a 9 day cruise, for our single O5 cabin.    Now $900 in gratuities.  Yes, I think that is ridiculous.

 

They shouldn't charge children the same amount as adults.  Cleaning a cabin with 5 people is more work than cleaning a cabin with 2 people, but not 250% the amount of work.  There is still only 1 bathroom to clean.   For a family that prefers buffets to table service and only drinks tap water (for health reasons), and whose kids don't enjoy kids clubs, the cost doesn't make sense.

This sounds like a reasonable assertion to have the DSC removed for you personally. Or adjusted. I believe you could ask to have it removed. 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

Someone posts this every time this happens. So when can we actually add it all up? If you have a $40-50 increase every couple of months do you get to stack it? Great job at being the perfect NCL customer.

It's frequently posted because it points how the hyperbolia in your arguments.  $4 per day when inflation is running over 8%.  

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, mianmike said:

 

I'm conflicted.

 

As a NCLH shareholder, I love your attitude.  We don't need budget savvy cruisers.  "A dollar here, a dollar there, who cares!"  Keep the opaque fees coming such that the total cost of a cruise is ambiguous. 

 

But as a budget savvy cruiser who isn't married to one cruise line these fees really complicate the search for the most value.  

If you think you can find a better deal, then go for it.

I'm sure a bit of research in the other forums on CC will reveal similar complaints.

[hallux]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

It's frequently posted because it points how the hyperbolia in your arguments.  $4 per day when inflation is running over 8%.  

an 8% increase in the DSC would be WELCOME.  For balcony and below this is a 25% increase (since they're now lumped into a "Club suites and below" category)..

[RocketMan275]

5 minutes ago, hallux said:

an 8% increase in the DSC would be WELCOME.  For balcony and below this is a 25% increase (since they're now lumped into a "Club suites and below" category)..

It's still an almost insignifcant increase in the cost of the cruise.  $50 on a seven day $5000 cruise is about 1%.  

[hallux]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

It's still an almost insignifcant increase in the cost of the cruise.  $50 on a seven day $5000 cruise is about 1%.  

But on my Studio at $900 for a 7-day cruise with port fees and taxes, a $28 increase is a little harder to swallow at over 3%...

[RocketMan275]

5 minutes ago, hallux said:

But on my Studio at $900 for a 7-day cruise with port fees and taxes, a $28 increase is a little harder to swallow at over 3%...

Inflation is running at over 7%.  

 

[spanishguy1970]

wow that is quite a hike in price. Hmmm when will the cap be? 50 dollars? 100 dollars a day? I don't mind paying extra for my waiter, for my steward but the raises are getting ridiculous from 16 dollars to 20 is quite a hike in price. Sigh

[New2cruise2022]

The same way that some travelers will tip the bartender and some people won’t, some will pay the DSC and some won’t. Some will continue to sail with NCL and some won’t. NCL will be fine with the results of their packaging and pricing, or they won’t and they will readjust. It may not be a big deal for @RocketMan275 but it may all the difference for @hallux

[spanishguy1970]

13 minutes ago, hallux said:

But on my Studio at $900 for a 7-day cruise with port fees and taxes, a $28 increase is a little harder to swallow at over 3%...

I agree. We just came back from our cruise on the Escape after a 3 year hiatus. We had a good time and good service for the most part, we have another cruise in April and then we will pause cruises on NCL.

[spanishguy1970]

On 12/6/2022 at 4:06 PM, New2cruise2022 said:

Won’t the answer for a lot of people upset with the increases to either reduce to the rate they expected or remove them altogether?

i read somewhere else i think it was facebook that someone had a problem removing it from their cruise, apparently NCL is requiring a good excuse now to remove them, is anyone else having that experience? when we booked our last cruise on the Escape they raised their daily service charge and we were asked to prepay to avoid the raise and here they are doing it again for our April cruise. LOL is a yearly event.

[New2cruise2022]

8 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

i read somewhere else i think it was facebook that someone had a problem removing it from their cruise, apparently NCL is requiring a good excuse now to remove them, is anyone else having that experience? when we booked our last cruise on the Escape they raised their daily service charge and we were asked to prepay to avoid the raise and here they are doing it again for our April cruise. LOL is a yearly event.

I think with any interaction with customer service across any industry, you will get different results depending on the representative. But I don’t know how they could define a good excuse vs a bad excuse. But I don’t have any experience removing the DSC. 

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

It's frequently posted because it points how the hyperbolia in your arguments.  $4 per day when inflation is running over 8%.  

It's a 25% increase, so, let's not talk about inflation.

 

For me the $56 isn't going to break the bank.  The $56 is just one more annoying point where NCL is grabbing more money.   

 

I don't even mind the idea of an increase considering the aforementioned rate of inflation.  What catches my attention is the 25% increase.

Edited December 9, 2022 by PATRLR

[PATRLR]

30 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

i read somewhere else i think it was facebook that someone had a problem removing it from their cruise, apparently NCL is requiring a good excuse now to remove them, is anyone else having that experience? when we booked our last cruise on the Escape they raised their daily service charge and we were asked to prepay to avoid the raise and here they are doing it again for our April cruise. LOL is a yearly event.

As stated, I don't know how they could quantify the quality of your excuse.  Just say something like "dining service, including the buffets, was poor all week" - who's to dispute that?