Daily Service Fees

[insidecabin]

17 hours ago, CruiseMH said:

It doesn`t matter if they call it cruise fare,DSC or whatever.At the end the only thing that counts for NCL is the total income amount.

If from now on 80 % of the guest would request the DSC to be removed from their bill it would only take weeks until the cruise fares would go up by approx. the same amount that the guest are asking to be removed.

At the end you will pay the same amount.

 

When P&O switched from service/tips extra to included there was no  noticeable change in prices.

 

MSC in includes their service fees on UK bookings, US bookings where service is an extra charge are often not cheaper.

 

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

This is the most amazing post I've seen on the subject here on CC!!!!  I know folks will respond and totally ignore the very valid points here.  Most on here simply want the DSC to be gratuities, no matter how much evidence is presented to the contrary 

No, most of those complaining about the DSC believe that it is just another way for the cruise line to nickel and dime passengers.  They fully believe that removing the DSC is a painless way to reduce their cruise costs with no impact to anything except the cruise lines P&L.

 

This argument about whether the DSC is a gratuity is  an excuse/justification for removing the DSC.

Edited September 28, 2023 by RocketMan275

[dbrown84]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, most of those complaining about the DSC believe that it is just another way for the cruise line to nickel and dime passengers.  They fully believe that removing the DSC is a painless way to reduce their cruise costs with no impact to anything except the cruise lines P&L.

 

This argument about whether the DSC is a gratuity is  an excuse/justification for removing the DSC.

somehow, you started by saying no, then proceeded to agree with me.....

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

somehow, you started by saying no, then proceeded to agree with me.....

Re read.  I in no way agreed with you.  I explained a thought process, I didn't agree with the process.

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Re read.  I in no way agreed with you.  I explained a thought process, I didn't agree with the process.

if you say so 🙂 (off to the next thread)

[tw0sugar5]

If you want to tip less, go to Guest Services and sign a form.  They will subtract the amount you want removed.  Some people only eat at buffet and never at table service, so they believe they should be charged less for service-which imo is reasonable.  On land I don’t tip the same percentage for table service, pick up, and buffet/cafeteria service. It takes a different skill level to have to communicate with clients versus clearing a table.  But I don’t understand people who want to remove the service fee entirely.

 

A reasonable adjustment imo for example would be subtracting a percentage of the calculated daily service charge if one does not use table service restaurants.

Edited September 28, 2023 by tw0sugar5

[RocketMan275]

19 minutes ago, tw0sugar5 said:

A reasonable adjustment imo for example would be subtracting a percentage of the calculated daily service charge if one does not use table service restaurants.

Considering that the DSC covers far more than just table service in the main dining room.  For example, your room steward, laundry personnel, those working in the galley, etc.  It would seem that trying to adjust the DSC based upon not using the sit down restaurants would be very difficult to do accurately and would result in such a small amount as not to be worth the effort.

[Asawi]

49 minutes ago, tw0sugar5 said:

A reasonable adjustment imo for example would be subtracting a percentage of the calculated daily service charge if one does not use table service restaurants.

Not sure I agree. When at table service restaurants many (most?) leave an additional tip. My thoughts (that may very well be wrong) are that the DSC is meant to cover all the people that usually don't get tipped. Like for example the buffet staff. But to each their own! 

[insidecabin]

When people started complaining about the no drinks service on some UK cruises in some UK ports

 

The official response on the ship was nothing we can do.

The suggestion offered was reduce/remove your DSC.

 

I can see it happening with the current new NCL  decision to pass on local taxes which they have been setting up for a while by adjusting the wording in T&C's.

[Girr]

7 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

The suggestion offered was reduce/remove your DSC.

I think someone was VERY confused - DSC has absolutely nothing to do with VAT.  The DSC doesn't even have anything to do with the 20% gratuity added to FAS.  I find it difficult to believe guest services would undercut their fellow workers (maybe in a moment of frustration?). 

 

Removing the DSC in lieu of VAT is so wrong on so many levels (regardless of how you feel about DSC).  The behind-the-scenes workers work so hard to give us a wonderful cruise, and to reduce their DSC just because Spain is collecting VAT just does not "compute" with me.

[insidecabin]

7 minutes ago, Girr said:

I think someone was VERY confused - DSC has absolutely nothing to do with VAT.  The DSC doesn't even have anything to do with the 20% gratuity added to FAS.  I find it difficult to believe guest services would undercut their fellow workers (maybe in a moment of frustration?). 

 

Removing the DSC in lieu of VAT is so wrong on so many levels (regardless of how you feel about DSC).  The behind-the-scenes workers work so hard to give us a wonderful cruise, and to reduce their DSC just because Spain is collecting VAT just does not "compute" with me.

A lot of what NCL came out with was unbelievable on those drinkgate UK cruises.

 

 

The ship could do nothing so the recommendation was protest through removal of DSC.

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

A lot of what NCL came out with was unbelievable on those drinkgate UK cruises.

 

 

The ship could do nothing so the recommendation was protest through removal of DSC.

Exactly how is removing the DSC a form of protest?  

Did  you get that 'recommendation' directly from NCL or is that something someone told you?

[tw0sugar5]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

not to be worth the effort.

 

Depends on how much the customer adjusting the fee makes per hour themselves.

 

On my first cruise, no one at my dining table outside of my group tipped the staff.  Two were college students (forgot what their mom did).  

 

2 hours ago, Asawi said:

When at table service restaurants many (most?) leave an additional tip. 

 

There are people who don’t tip housekeeping at land-based hotels.

 

Regarding other services:   I don’t tip dry cleaners. But then I do this like once a year since I try to avoid buying dry clean only clothing (get my wool coats dry cleaned).  Having sent clothes to dry cleaners in both AZ and CA…CA is more than triple the price in AZ.

Edited September 28, 2023 by tw0sugar5

[Girr]

1 hour ago, insidecabin said:

The ship could do nothing so the recommendation was protest through removal of DSC.

I’m sorry, but this statement makes no sense. Cutting the pay your fellow cruise workers is not a protest. 

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Exactly how is removing the DSC a form of protest?  

Did  you get that 'recommendation' directly from NCL or is that something someone told you?

Reasons for removal do get read and collected.

 

Was on one of the cruises the plenty of daily discussion on trying to get clarification for why drinks would not be served, written requests were dismissed.

Having prepaid I could not adjust.

 

Fellow passengers were getting advised to use DSC.

 

Further pressure after the cruise NCL caved in with £100pp FCC and an appology.

 

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Fellow passengers were getting advised to use DSC.

So, you don't have first hand experience of being told by guest services to remove the DSC?  You're only relying upon what others said.  It's easy to see how this could be someone distorting what guest services actually said.  

[CruiseMH]

7 hours ago, insidecabin said:

When P&O switched from service/tips extra to included there was no  noticeable change in prices.

 

MSC in includes their service fees on UK bookings, US bookings where service is an extra charge are often not cheaper.

 

I know what you mean,but especially different countries are hard to compare because prices are subject to the local market conditions. So same cruise line with same itinerary can have very different prices when booked in different countries.

 

the info regarding P&O surprises me a bit but is also very interesting.

 

[cruiser2015]

2 hours ago, Asawi said:

Not sure I agree. When at table service restaurants many (most?) leave an additional tip. My thoughts (that may very well be wrong) are that the DSC is meant to cover all the people that usually don't get tipped. Like for example the buffet staff. But to each their own! 

The history of this is clear.

Back in the day, passengers tipped waiters, bus staff and cabin stewards (the lines also slid in the matre di in the main dining room. Tips were paid in cash, directly to the involved staff. Tipping for drink services would have been as in any land based bar. Of course, a passenger could stiff any of the above.

Next, the lines started tipping the formerly "recommended" amounts, theoretically directly to those same staffers, on your behalf - for your convenience - and charging your shipboard account for same. You had the option to increase or decrease the amount, or, cancel the auto charge and (hopefully for the staff) tip them directly in cash. Or, as I have done at times, left the standard DSC in place and tipped extra.

Nowadays, it is somewhat rare to have the same dining staff throughout the cruise, especially in light of MDR's, buffets and specialties. That muddied the waters re dining gratuities. Cabin attendants, of course remain consistent as before.

The concept of tipping laundry workers, cruise director's staff or whoever else "behind the scenes" is a fairly new concept. This was never around before - you tipped 3 people. Period. Now we have cash pay, enhanced staff meals and shipboard comforts and whatever.

 

Bottom line, this is today's system. If you feel the ship's personnel deserve something - anything - extra, keeping in mind that they are overworked and mostly underpaid, please pay your DSC. And tip more directly when you think it's deserved.

IMHO

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, CruiseMH said:

I know what you mean,but especially different countries are hard to compare because prices are subject to the local market conditions. So same cruise line with same itinerary can have very different prices when booked in different countries.

 

the info regarding P&O surprises me a bit but is also very interesting.

 

 

Prices fluctuate anyway so not always easy to spot an increase except at the bottom end and the low point trends

 

They used to bottom out at £50pppd (with flights when needed like a leg of a round the world) before and after the change.

 

Move onto this year a few 14n have been hitting £600pp £43pppd.

 

Also seeing pretty low prices with NCL add-on the 50% free at sea and the discount coupons getting added to accounts cruising is still cheap.

[IAcruising]

8 hours ago, insidecabin said:

iReasons for removal do get read and collected.

 

 

You are sadly misinformed. Everything is documented, and everyone knows everything, including the laundry guy washing your underwear.

 

I apologize, I read your post as NOT getting read. You are correct.

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by IAcruising

[MoCruiseFan]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:18 AM, hlk08003 said:

 Simple questions...Are the daily service fees mandatory? Would we be allowed to tip directly to whom we wish to, and how much we wish to tip?

How would we stop the automatic fees from appearing on our folio?

 

The DSC has nothing to do with tippimg.  As always simply tip anyone you want, however much you want, any time you want.

[cruiser2015]

16 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The DSC has nothing to do with tippimg.  As always simply tip anyone you want, however much you want, any time you want.

Could not disagree more - DSC is, mostly, about tipping.

 

Specifically, it represents the primary tip (or compensation or whatever form NCL decides) for your cabin attendant and dining room staffers. Did you read my post #43?

[ChiefMateJRK]

I just pay the fee and enjoy my cruise.  If I want to spend less, I'll just book an inside.😎

 

Oh,wait.....🤣

[ontheweb]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I just pay the fee and enjoy my cruise.  If I want to spend less, I'll just book an inside.😎

 

Oh,wait.....🤣

The inside cabins are definitely worth it. And they are so dark that it makes it easy to sleep at night. That last piece of wisdom comes from my DW after our first cruise.

 

We have sailed in insides since then except once when an inside guarantee became an OV cabin. One other time we were upgraded, but I declined because we did not want to be under a noisy bar.

[PATRLR]

23 hours ago, Girr said:

I think someone was VERY confused - DSC has absolutely nothing to do with VAT.  The DSC doesn't even have anything to do with the 20% gratuity added to FAS.  I find it difficult to believe guest services would undercut their fellow workers (maybe in a moment of frustration?). 

I have had customer service ask me to request removal of DSC (or part thereof) as a way to rectify a situation.  I have no doubt that they do it regularly.