mianmike

On 9/28/2023 at 9:34 AM, iscruisingdunzo said:

I have the same issue as the OP. And I just checked the website and it states that the same ship is going to NASSAU 1 week later on the 11/19 sailing. 

You are the OP.  

3 hours ago, Ryder101 said:

That's more then I take home after taxes per month. Why does everyone here think cruise ship works are so poor? I genuinely don't get it.

Because that's been the narrative for a long time.  Frankly, I was surprised myself. 

3 hours ago, resetjet said:

That is really low.  If you google ship steward steward salary you will find the range to be between 3000 and 4500 a month.  With a median of $3500 as reported by sources like indeed,  zippia,  glassdoor

etc.  shiplife.org reports a salary on rccl of $1360 which is consistent with other lines and reports.  This would leave ablt least  $2000 a month in tips.  Or about $500 per week in tips.  With 25 rooms that would equate to about $20 per week in tips per room.  Since 25

rooms at double occupancy and the stewards tip per person is $4.44 

per day (collected by the ship) a room would constitute $8.88.  That times 25 rooms = $222 dollars a day collected by the cruise line.  Which times 7 days is $1554 per week.  500/1554 = 32% is what he

gets to to keep in this example.  Now there are variables such as people

stiffing them,  people tipping them extra and more then double occupancy and the number of rooms they are assigned.  I am yet to sail on rcl with one cleaning a day,  but the consensus on cc is 25 rooms.  Carnival is 35 😳. Now whatever the exact number is,  its not super far

from this one.  Its easy to see 2 things:

1 Stewards do not likely make $1554 a week times 4 + 1360 = $7576 a month.

2.  There is a large piece of the pie missing from the steward tip.  As much as 75% if you figure extra tips and more then 2 per room.  
 

where did it go?  If you research the other housekeeping jobs salaries,  its easy to see that they are being tipped out as well.  This combined with a ton of other youtube stuff,  crew posts on message boards,  help wanted ads,  and talking with crew.  I have come to these conclusions.  It shouldnt take more then it is very unlikely a steward makes $2000 a week.  

Your figures appear to be in the ballpark.  Unless cabin stewards have received a huge pay cut in the last 10 years you are probably close.  

From a 2012 lawsuit filed against RCCL the wage of a stateroom attendant was described:

"Pursuant to their employment contracts, the vast majority of Doe’s wages were from tips received from passengers.[4] For a seven (7) day cruise, Doe was, on average, entitled to receive approximately $1,100. Furthermore, under the contract, Doe was entitled to receive $50.00 per month paid directly as wages by RCCL." 

https://www.lipcon.com/work-in-progress/plaintiffs-v-norwegian-seafarers-union/

20 minutes ago, mpcaruth said:

Came across this interesting comparison of gratuities/service charge today:

 

https://cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/index.php

Well at least NCL is number 1 at something . . . 

25% increase in the DSC 10 months after the last increase, now we hear cabin cleaning is cut 50%.  Hard to spin this as a positive for the customer so they brought out the tried and true: in the interest of saving the environment we are charging more and providing less.  

To make the 25% DSC increase more palatable maybe NCL should advertise that a percentage of the DSC will go to incentive programs designed to enhance the environment for the world's cutest animal (as determined by a poll of NCL cruisers)    

Whew!  I was stressed just reading your post.  So glad it worked out for you!

On 12/8/2022 at 7:48 AM, graphicguy said:

Along with the price rise on Crown (which is by no means a premium liquor) and up charges for St Germain and Bailey’s, I wonder if this is the beginning of more of these price up charges on non-premium liquors?

 

This, in addition to the room service up charge increase, fees on what used to be free (like Putt-Putt on Prima), this sounds like a conscious effort by NCL to raise prices without raising fares, which is what most people look at when comparing cruise lines?

That's totally what's happening.  That has been spoken to during investor earnings calls.  They want to keep the price (before fees) as low as possible.  When people price compared cruise lines NCL was not coming up near the top so they introduced the Sail Away rate.  The Sail Away rate enticed people to NCL, but most end up booking the higher rate cabins.   By shifting more and more revenue from the base fare to ancillary fees enables NCL's initial prices to appear competitive.  But that can only go so far and thus the plethora of marketing gimmicks.   

chengkp75 (who worked for NCL) has already settled whether DSC goes to salary.  It does. 

21 minutes ago, BennyandBo said:

OK, IMHO asking someone about their tips and or salary (one and the same) for any reason just seems so wrong and inappropriate. It's not your business what they receive, it's not your business what anyone other then you gives them or doesn't. Directed to all who question staff and other travelers on this subject. 

The cruise line is "charging" me a optional fee and saying it's going to the crew.  If the crew is getting taken advantage of and 100% is not going to the crew, I want to know.  It's an optional fee.  I don't have to pay it, but I want to pay it if 100% is going to the crew.  Looking out for the crew's welfare seems appropriate to me. 

3 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You are making two errors.  Let me help you out:

a) don't believe what other posters say

b) don't believe what corporate officers say to the public

I can't speak for FDR, but I certainly didn't miss econ 101.  Got an A in it!!  😎 (one of the easiest A's in a difficult STEM curriculum)

Since you got an "A" in econ 101 it appears your econ 101 didn't cover SEC regulations.  As you assert, it is possible the NCLH corporate officers could be lying to investors, but that would be a grave error.  When FDR discloses to investors that the company will deviate from previous norms and not price to fill, that's material.  A company that discloses information to investors must do so truthfully and accurately.  A company cannot make partial or misleading disclosures. Disclosures containing material misstatements or omissions “reasonably calculated to influence investors” can expose NCLH to Rule 10b-5 liability.  

25 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

I just popped into 4 different major cruise forums here on CC and on 3 of the 4, there were the same "they are raising X$$$ and Y$$$!  " rants going on.  All were on the first page.  The other had it a couple pages in.

 

So guess what?  EVERYONE is raising their prices.  Don't like it?  Don't cruise.  

On the Royal Caribbean page they are complaining about NCL raising the DSC by 25%.  LOL

21 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Great!  If you (and many others who claim that they are done with NCL for life) actually follow through, that equals less demand, which will reduce my NCL prices on future cruises.  It's econ 101.  Supply and demand. 😎 (it will also reduce those pesky profits which are apparently NOT the reason that a business exists - I must have missed that in econ 101)

Someone missed econ 101 . . , either FDR or you.   FDR has stated multiple times they will not "price to fill."  

3 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

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

 

Oh, I find great deals all the time.  But these assorted fees make comparing "apples to apples" all the more arduous.  That's why corporations keep adding fees, they are counting on most people not putting forth the effort to find real value.  

I wish someone (travel agency) would create a cruise search engine that searches multiple cruise lines, sorts by cabin category, factors in the perks you want, sorts by destination, adds the all the fees and calculates the total cost of the cruise.  

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.  

On 12/7/2022 at 9:13 PM, luv2kroooz said:

NCL can't fill their ships at current pricing, so a further fare increase would reduce demand further. I think their last reported number was somewhere in the 80% range. NCL is collecting zero service charges from the missing 20%. Therefore, the DSC burden needs to be shared by fewer passengers, which results in a higher per passenger charge. It is excessive and unwarranted in my opinion as the service level is not changing. And I will say it here, there is no way I would pay $20 per day for services onboard any cruise line.  I would adjust them back to $16 which is a fair price for the services received.

Bingo.  In Oct we were on the Encore 21 day Panama Canal cruise.  There were many empty cabins.  I heard capacity was around 60%.  We were in an aft cabin on the 9th deck and the aft cabin next door to us was empty as well as the one across the way.   These aft cabins were listed at $6600 pp and they never reduced the price to fill them, so they sat empty.   Fewer passengers, but not fewer crew means less DSC to spread around.  Frank's strategy of: "Market to fill" isn't filling all the ships.  Something had to give, either:

1) Raise the price of cruises

2) Price to fill cabins

3 Or raise DSC to cover the shortfall. 

I see why NCL chose to raise the DSC.  The DSC is a "popular" fee as many people incorrectly think of DSC as a tip directly to the crew that shows the passenger's appreciation to the hard working crew.  It would be unpatriotic to think otherwise.  With inflation at 8%, a 29% increase in 10 months is big pill to swallow though.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

When was it ever otherwise?

We've been tipping ever since we've been cruising.  Years ago, after hearing rumors that crew doesn't get to keep tips we asked numerous crew members if they kept the tips and we were assured they personally keep the tips.  A long time ago we stopped asking.  We want to reward exceptional crew members with an additional tip. 

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

You do know that if you remove all/part of the gratuities and directly give cash, the employee is required to turn the cash into the cruise line?

I didn't know that.  When that change?

28 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

We must have 'Frankie Boy...' in here somewhere.  No thread can go this many pages without him showing up...

Weird.  You'd think he's in charge of the company or something.  

We find the two cruise lines to be more similar, than dissimilar.  We prefer NCL's dining: "eat when you want, where you want" vibe.  We have been cruising Royal more only because we've been finding more value vs NCL.  Additionally, we probably won't be cruising on NCL Alaska cruises as we love stopping at Ketchikan and hate NCL's replacement, Ward Cove.   

On 10/6/2022 at 10:55 PM, haolenate said:

I actually know the person who is in charge of this 🙂

 

The bidding takes into account:

 

1. Your financial contribution to the sailing  (your total fare paid, extras you've paid, history of sailing with NCL and your average onboard spend)

2. Your Latitudes Status

3. #1 factored in to the ability for NCL to then either resell your cabin by sailing date, or accept a bid from someone who wants your cabin.

 

I had a friend who dropped nearly $1700 on his last cruise bid up to a spa balcony from a regular balcony for only $200 and he got it, whereas one of our friends, also on the cruise, 1st time NCL'er, bid $200 and did NOT get it.  

I want to believe you, I do, but knowing Frank Del Rio (after listening to numerous investor conference calls) I find it hard to believe he would not insist on an algorithm that maximizes profit.  #1 and #2 of your list don't add to the profit.  That is so not Frank Del Rio to not focus solely on profit.  I do hope you have inside information and are right though.     

3 hours ago, complawyer said:

i never would have imagined so many people would be up in arms about baileys.  that being said however, i agree with northernjoey.  go ahead and order the baileys, only $1.00  per drink  should show up on your bill.

 

ive mentioned before, i'm addicted t o pepsi (and the switch to coke is killing me) a 12oz can is about $3.00 extra. i usually drink at least 3 cans per day. so for a 10 day cruise its an additional $90. i can live with that, and if i want a baileys or 2 (or3) for the buck extra i can live with that also

As a stockholder, I appreciate your attitude! 

3 hours ago, TheDougOut said:

Current scene in Syd’s Shothouse… we made it up to 18.

 

 

 

 

 

What?!  No famous TheDougOut live review?  Blasphemy! 

Laminate this and leave on the chair hog's chair.

5 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

All good vp is at the $5 denom level ($25/hand) with 9/6 ddb being best.

 

$5 DDB is much too volatile for my blood (and bankroll).  The risk of ruin is off the charts.  

59 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Definitely MUCH prefer Celebrity. My most recent sailing to Alaska on the Solstice was my "worst" cruise experience (ports and itinerary were obviously amazing) and I would still take it over most of my NCL sailings. I have sailed on Celebrity seven times since the restart, both solo and with my husband and fully intend to keep sailing with them after a brief departure for our Panama Canal sailing on the Emerald Princess in December. Next Celebrity cruise is currently booked for May with my husband, but may try to sneak in another solo cruise in late February or early March.  Next cruise I will hit Elite, which is the Celebrity equivalent of Platinum already!

Good to know.  NCL has pretty much priced us over to other cruise lines, but we do like the NCL product.  Since the restart we've achieved diamond on RCCL which we can status match over to Celebrity.  I guess we need to give Celebrity a try.