How much actual cash would you suggest bringing?

[complawyer]

amberle3

 

as an aside,, what turned me off to tipping, was ncl's 1st southeast asia tour. it was between dec 2016 thru jan 2017. one of the ports was cu chi, in vietnam. location of the 25th infantry division. i wanted to show both my wife and my grandson where i was 50 years ago.  the tour guide must have been in his early 40's. throughout his talk, he kept referring to the "american war". He advised that his people could forgive but never "forget" dont consider he wasnt even born in 1975 when the "american" war was finally over, so there was nothing he had to  forget. also, it was generous for him to say we were  forgiven, especially since the last 50+ years, we've pumped billions of dollars into the vietnam economy.

 

the final straw was just before the end of the tour, they showed a short movie, (consider the old black and white newsreels) this was almost a propaganda film for the viet cong. i was so pissed i walked out after about 5 mintes, my grandson who was about 16 at the time walked out also.

 

granted, i may have a slanted opinion of that particular excursion, but i was livid. after we got back to the ship, i asked to see the shore excursion manager, told him about the tour guide. they needed to do a better job of vetting

 

i also told him if i would have had a 45, i might have blown the guys head off.

 

sorry for the length of this post. on board, we tip almost anyone performing any type of service for us, on a daily basis.

 

this tour guide, not a chance in h**l

 

[ziggyuk]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

amberle3

 

as an aside,, what turned me off to tipping, was ncl's 1st southeast asia tour. it was between dec 2016 thru jan 2017. one of the ports was cu chi, in vietnam. location of the 25th infantry division. i wanted to show both my wife and my grandson where i was 50 years ago.  the tour guide must have been in his early 40's. throughout his talk, he kept referring to the "american war". He advised that his people could forgive but never "forget" dont consider he wasnt even born in 1975 when the "american" war was finally over, so there was nothing he had to  forget. also, it was generous for him to say we were  forgiven, especially since the last 50+ years, we've pumped billions of dollars into the vietnam economy.

 

the final straw was just before the end of the tour, they showed a short movie, (consider the old black and white newsreels) this was almost a propaganda film for the viet cong. i was so pissed i walked out after about 5 mintes, my grandson who was about 16 at the time walked out also.

 

granted, i may have a slanted opinion of that particular excursion, but i was livid. after we got back to the ship, i asked to see the shore excursion manager, told him about the tour guide. they needed to do a better job of vetting

 

i also told him if i would have had a 45, i might have blown the guys head off.

 

sorry for the length of this post. on board, we tip almost anyone performing any type of service for us, on a daily basis.

 

this tour guide, not a chance in h**l

 

 

I sorry, I understand why you would feel like that having experience such a horrific time first hand but isn't forgiveness the right thing?

Forgive but not forget to avoid repeating the past, every year we remember the fallen by forgiving but not forgetting what happened and more importantly remember lost souls.
This tour guide may not be old enough to remember the events first hand but he may not have a grandad to walk out with.

The 45 remark, just unnecessary.

[complawyer]

i dont want/need to get into a debate with you about this. while i usually agree with your posts, this time youre 100% wrong. you cannot tell someone else how to feel. 

 

were you a vet? if so, i can respect your comment, if not the old cliche applies.. dont talk the talk if you cant walk the walk.

 

the 45 comment was extremely necessary.

 

lets agree to disagree and drop any further discussion about this as  i accept it's way, way  way, off topic.

[laudergayle]

@Amberle3 I said I typically tip. My comment you quoted was that I found many of the NCL  excursions to be expensive, sometimes boring, or hokey.  But thank you for more insight on how tour hosts may be compensated.  Before I tip the host again, I will be sure to clarify whether they split with the driver or others.

[ziggyuk]

5 hours ago, complawyer said:

i dont want/need to get into a debate with you about this. while i usually agree with your posts, this time youre 100% wrong. you cannot tell someone else how to feel. 

 

were you a vet? if so, i can respect your comment, if not the old cliche applies.. dont talk the talk if you cant walk the walk.

 

the 45 comment was extremely necessary.

 

lets agree to disagree and drop any further discussion about this as  i accept it's way, way  way, off topic.

 

My apologies if I offended it was not intentional as I know the horror of war.
My reference was to 11th November - Remembrance Day "Least we forget",

As you say, best left now, my apologies.

[PTC DAWG]

13 hours ago, quack2 said:

Cash may be King, but he's being dethroned throughout the world.

 

Suckers are letting it happen right before their eyes.

[Amberle3]

10 hours ago, complawyer said:

i dont see your point, but i'm well aware that the tours are contracted out, and that neither the guide nor the driver are employed by ncl.

 

My point was that the comments seem to somehow differentiate between excursions booked through NCL and others. Your comment was:
"if we're on an ncl booked excursion, i dont tip either  the bus driver or the tour guide"

 

From the passenger's point of view you're paying a premium for an excursion (from what I've seen the NCL excursions are on the pricey side).  From the tour hosts point of view there is virtually no difference aside from the fact that passengers on the NCL-booked excursions are probably less likely to tip. Why do I say this? For the reason you've already listed:

"(1) i've already paid an outrageous fee for the tour "

 

 

[complawyer]

ziggyuk.

 

no apologies necessary, i wasnt in the least bit offended, i noticed just now that you are from the u.k.

so i assume that you really cant relate to the vietnam war. by the same token, we sent 1000's of troops over to help you during wwII. how would you have felt if you were on an excursion somewhere in germany, and the guide made comments about how the german people suffered and sacrificed during the war. by the way most of my parents relatives were killed in *** concentration camps, but at this time i hold no animosity towards either the german people or the vietnamese.

as a final note, and then i hope we can put this discussion to rest, the note about the 45 was strictly to emphasize my anger over this excursion.  think about it ! (1) where could i possibly get any type of firearm on a cruise? (2) even if by some slim chance i could actually get one, how would i know i would come across a tour guide like the one i had (3) why would i place my wife, grandson and myself in any type of jeopardy by having a hand gun in a foreign country. the very last place i'd want  to end up is in a saigon jail.

 

anyway, hopefully "nuff" said on this topic. if we're ever on the same cruise, i insist on buying you dinner and the 1st drink.

 

sail safely and happily

[complawyer]

amberle3. other then they're outrageously overpriced, (and im aware it's part of the costs of doing business) i find that on a great many of these ncl excursions, you get  rushed through the sight. with  this limited time, most of the stops are disappointments. just a few moments to take a picture, then rush back on the bus!

 

last year we took (imho) an incredible cruise from southampton to copenhagen. even though it involved a 3 hr bus ride back and forth from le harve, one of the ports was paris, and on my bucket list was seeing the eiffel tower.  feeling romantic at the time, i booked the lunch cruise on the seine river.

 

while i got to actually see the tower, my wife was disappointed in the entire excursion. i know we only had a few short hours, but if youve never been to paris, it's to be savored, not viewed from a bus window. the cruise before that, our guide rushed us through jerusalem. with over  3000 years of history, it's another city to be explored and savored. i realize that time is of the essence on these excursions, but both costs around $300 per person. sorry, and i know it's not their fault, but i just didnt feel like tipping these people. by the way, i always tip at least 20% even if the service is bad. ive also talked to a number of wait-people on ncl cruises, and by and large they say most people do not tip any extra money.

 

the staff seems over joyed when they do receive an extra cash tip, and trust me, they remember it and you

[graphicguy]

On 4/12/2023 at 1:19 AM, complawyer said:

i dont see your point, but i'm well aware that the tours are contracted out, and that neither the guide nor the driver are employed by ncl. if it was an exceptional tour/guide.i will pop for between $10-20. i have been on tours where the passengers only tip a couple of dollars.

 

that being said, however, if there are 50 people on the bus, and they each pony up $10, that's apretty decent haul, especially if its onlya tour of a few hours

This was right after the restart and I was on a Celebrity Cruise to the ABC islands.  Was talking to an ex pat that lived at our first port (can’t remember which one).  He and his wife were retired school teachers living there and supplementing their retirement income by doing tours.  

 

Started chatting with them after our tour.  They were very open about how they got to the area, what they did year round (a mix of Caribbean tours in the Spring, Fall, winter and spending summers with their daughter/grands).

 

While you’re correct, if they did one or two tours a day (I think they said they averaged 50 participants in total), they’d pick up a nice $500 bill.  But, they could only do that 2X/week, at most. And, if bad weather hit, they couldn’t do any tours at all.

 

More of a life choice, but certainly not enough money to make a living if you didn’t have supplemental income like retirement.

 

They said it was mostly college kids doing the tours in the Summer, which is why they come back to the states at those times.

 

They said the tour company did supplement their housing costs and provided a food stipend but neither was very much.

 

Interesting talking to them.

[complawyer]

ziggyuk. it shows that you responded to my last post,  but nothing came through. am i mistaken, if not, can you repost it.

[schmoopie17]

The topic of this post is regarding how much actual cash to bring. In my experience, I've found that actual cash works better than Monopoly money...😁

[ChiefMateJRK]

Can a person get cash at the casino on an NCL ship by charging it (along with some percentage fee) to their room?  Assume my debit card just got deactivated so I can't use the ATM.

[julig22]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Can a person get cash at the casino on an NCL ship by charging it (along with some percentage fee) to their room?  Assume my debit card just got deactivated so I can't use the ATM.

Yes.  3% convenience fee.  Charged as a travel expense (not a cash advance) so you also get whatever points your card gives you for travel.  I use the NCL card, get a 3% rebate on NCL purchases, so fee is a wash.

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Yes.  3% convenience fee.  Charged as a travel expense (not a cash advance) so you also get whatever points your card gives you for travel.  I use the NCL card, get a 3% rebate on NCL purchases, so fee is a wash.

Thanks!!  You just put my mind at ease.  This wasn't entirely hypothetical.  My bank had sent me a replacement for my ATM/debit card and it was supposed to show up in my mail on Tuesday.  It didn't, so I reported it to the bank (card not received).  Of course, the first thing they do is deactivate all current cards on the account. 😡🤬 

[ziggyuk]

5 hours ago, complawyer said:

ziggyuk. it shows that you responded to my last post,  but nothing came through. am i mistaken, if not, can you repost it.

 

No, I didn't respond I just thanked you, I agree it's best left.
I would love to have a drink with you one day 😀

Edited April 13, 2023 by ziggyuk

[cindyflora]

On 4/11/2023 at 12:29 AM, complawyer said:

it also depends on how long your cruise is and who you expect to tip. $10 for sure to the baggage handler on the dock. for 3 meals a day anywhere from $5-$10 dollars per meal. We dont tip as much for breakfast as at dinner, and a little bit more if we're eating at a specialty restaurant.

$1-2 for your bartender.

 

$100+ to the butler if your'e in a suite or haven. $50 or more (again if you're in a suite or a haven) to the concierge, contingent on often you use his/her services. $20 at the beginning, another $20 at the middle and $20 or more at the end of the cruise to your cabin steward, $5-20 to anyone else on the staff who performs a service for you. if we're eating in the buffet, i usually tip $1-2 to the person making my omlet and/or the crepes.

 

that about covers it for the ship. if at all possible, we try and book cabs in many of the ports, as opposed to paying the ridiculous prices for the ncl shore excursions, so we usually factot in a tip for the driver. oddly enough, if we're on an ncl booked excursion, i dont tip either  the bus driver or the tour guide (go figure)

 

additional tips, if you're staying at a hotel before/after the cruise, to the bellcap, and maybe the person who checks you in.

 

i imagine, that i'll get a lot of flack from people who dont feel it's necessary to tip, since the dsc is rolled into your cruise fare. i've said this before in a prior post. if you wish to tip, feel free to do so, if not, then don't. it's really no one else's business.

again, if we're fortunate enough to be sailing in a suite or haven, i usually give the maitre'd a $20 oor so periodically throughout the cruise. you may not believe it, but it goes a long, long way to make your meals easier.

 

btw, sorry for the length of tis post, but i hope it helps

 

[cindyflora]

Just now, cindyflora said:

Thanks so much for this info. I am cruising w/o husband, and plan on doing my own tipping for this cruise. I am not sure of the amounts, but your note helped clarify. Will be on a 22 day Trans Atlantic, so want to tip my cabin steward well. 

 

[graphicguy]

57 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks!!  You just put my mind at ease.  This wasn't entirely hypothetical.  My bank had sent me a replacement for my ATM/debit card and it was supposed to show up in my mail on Tuesday.  It didn't, so I reported it to the bank (card not received).  Of course, the first thing they do is deactivate all current cards on the account. 😡🤬 

My sympathy.  That’s a huge PITA!!!!

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

My sympathy.  That’s a huge PITA!!!!

Thanks.  It could have been a PITA, except I had already visited the bank ATM to load my wallet for an upcoming B2B.  Other than cruising, I never use any cash, so it's all good. 😎

[wcook]

I bid $1 Bob. (Drew?)

[dbrown84]

I bring between $2K and $5K.  I start a casino fund once I book a cruise, so the longer I have before the cruise, the bigger the bank roll gets.

[Ellipooh]

My goodness. I’ve always considered myself to be a very-above-average tipper, but the numbers being posted here are making me reconsider my generosity. 
I tip hotel housekeepers $5/day, and cruise porters $20. 
Never occurred to me to tip in MDR, much less $5-$10 per meal x3/day. Isn’t that what the prepaid sc is for??? I do tip $10 in a specialty restaurant and $1/cocktail. 
But $50-$60 to the cabin steward on top of the daily fee based on cabin level? That’s what I give the steward when traveling in a Suite.  My next NCL is in a Studio. 

I only tip $5/pp on a tour, not $10-$20

 

Apologies if I’ve hijacked this innocent thread, or caught people off guard and without their popcorn — but, do I really need to up my game?  

Edited April 14, 2023 by Ellipooh

[complawyer]

no, i'm sure that whatever amount you give as a tip above and beyond the dsc is greatly appreciated by the ones being tipped. i once asked our waitress in cagneys about this, and she advised most people DO NOT leave a extra tip. 

 

so ellipooh, dont worry or sweat about it.

 

if we're in a suite or a haven, when we're having breakfast or lunch, you usually get to know the wait staff so i tip them daily.  also advised it wouldnt hurt to give the maitre'd an extra $20 if possible.

 

i try not to appear "entitled" but i do ask our butler for some extra goodies throughout the cruise, so the tip is worth it to me. ive always tipped our cabin steward at least $20 at the beginning/middle and end of the cruise for standard 7 day sailings, and obviously this is doubled on a 14 day cruise.

 

what's nice (at least imho) is that the staff in general do not expect any extra tip money,. so it makes them feel good, and if/when they get to know you, they're a  little happier and inclined to go thelittle extra mile for you.

 

in the end, (and this has been covered many times, and almost beaten to death) tipping extra is entirely up to the cruiser. the staff doesnt expect it, so they are pleasantly surprised, and are not disappointed if they dont get one. i believe this is especially true in either the buffet or any of the mdr"s

 

 

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, complawyer said:

in the end, (and this has been covered many times, and almost beaten to death) tipping extra is entirely up to the cruiser. the staff doesnt expect it, so they are pleasantly surprised, and are not disappointed if they dont get one. i believe this is especially true in either the buffet or any of the mdr"s

The most surprised crewman I've ever seen was the young man who brought our cokes in the buffet when I gave him a dollar and thanked him.