legion3

Then it's definitely time for NCL to increase FARES to INCLUDE the DSC amount.

 

If it's part of the revenues needed to pay salaries, then it needs to be compulsory.

 

When people are looking for the best cruise deal - which seems to be a huge reason for choosing NCL with their Freestyle "don't-pay-for-anything-you-won't-use" model - they ARE going to cut out any NON-compulsory charges!

Well they have certainly raised fares and without adding the DSC to boot!

You have no dog in this fight, want to know why? Because you're booking through the EU/UK that actually gives you government protection against NCL. For those booking through the US? The government laws is actually on NCL side on this and against the passenger that's not paying because they don't want to . Simply as that - that's the difference between the two hemispheres.

 

And yes, its is a simple case of go to another cruise line if you don't like their policies. Why? Because this is meant to be deterrent against those that don't want to pay in the 1st place. Still determine to not pay DSC no matter what and booked through the US? Go right ahead and take your chance - when it comes to screwing citizens over, United States is king of not much recourse, but of course, gives lots of protection to corporations and lobbyists.....

 

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:D Not much else to say, whatever it was.

Abe3's response pretty much answers that post - the best endorsement cames those that hate something but still uses/travels/goes to it anyway than from someone who likes /loves it. Why? A person who hates it, is going to list the all the cons they think is bad but to others deciding , that might actually be plus since the person hating it is still traveling on it. That's actually better endorsement/advertisement than from person liking /loving the line, who's probably listing the positives but the bad about it. Its perfect and greatest thing about it - you, yourself don't want to realize it even when the opposition tell /call you out on. *smirk*

 

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What??? :D I don't get this... not even close to being real.

If it was me and I like a another line better there would be no way I would spend my money on the line I just think is OK or don't like even if a promo exists

 

The Food on NCL is not very good according to posts you have said so I would think the UDP would not be a really attractive promo for someone that just thinks the line is just ok

Food in the MDR is not so good but OK in other venues.

In the end however its not you were talking about and I'm not you. My reasons are my own. Does not change the situation about DSC.

If the line is not important as you claim - why are sailing on NCL instead of Royal / Carnival/ Princess/ Holland/ Celebrity. Because one look at the procedure / explanation is more than enough to make people who want their DSC back easily, to reconsider ever putting a deposit down with NCL due to being smart. Guess not for some people on this thread and forum, I suppose they like waiting for weeks & going through unnecessary drama / exercise of following up on pennies of DSC instead of thousands of dollars of the fare......To each their own.

 

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To each their own.

If my DSC was only $189 :rolleyes:

But I don't sail alone.

It's the perfect free advertisement for a line - hate it so much but still willing to pay thousands in fare to sail it but not $189 in DSC. Literally, the actions and mentality of those removing just to not pay it, makes NCL look good the longer this goes / drags on. The perfect free ad of all time.

 

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Do you actually read what you write? Some of your stuff is really out there in fantasy land. I know its meant to be clever and to be a shot at those who don't agree with you and make you feel better but its not reality.

How is this advertising for the line? :rolleyes:

And some hate them so much but love to sail with them.

This would not be me, I neither hate them nor love to sail with them. Their product is OK but not my favorite. If not for the previous UDP give away, and given the rise in fares since, their product is no longer as attractive as it might have been.

I love to sail, the line is not that important.

I know, all this hate but sailing with them is like free advertisement for the the line - "NCL - The non-plussed curse out line of those that hate to the core, but still cruising it anyway, despite other lines."

 

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What? :D Now that is funny. :p

It's hard for me to understand why so many on this forum hate NCL and yet continue to cruise this line...if you don't like it, book elsewhere. IF you don't like the service, it is as simple as filing a claim when you get home for a refund of the service charge. We have cruised NCL many times and have had very good service and a great time no matter where we cruise. We have encountered bad service from a butler once, and did not tip him. In retrospect we should have talked to the Hotel Director. Bottom line, is no one HAS to cruise this line. If you love being in a rage and a swivet, guess you will continue. We are happy cruisers.

Nobody hates NCL. Although some love it too much. But the DSC is discretionary not based on any type of service.

So, you don't understand how the system works?

It is not a charge for 'good' service. It's a charge for service. Which you will get.Now that you have been informed of how the system works do you still plan to stiff the crew?

Asked and answered.

So its a charge for service, terrible or awful or poor service as well? Counter productive.

This is the reason for the thread.

 

Discretion has been taken away.

 

You now have to seek compensation through a letter to shoreside.

I'm not sure discretion has been taken away, its still the same policy only a different way of implementing it.

Sure its likely done to discourage people from doing it by making it slightly more complicated but I'm not convinced that will be the result.

Time will tell - and so will I

Yes, I do have the discretion to remove it but as long as the service is satisfactory why in the world would I want to:confused:?

Why you would want to I won't guess, why someone else would want to I can guess.

I never had to pay any port taxes or fees for our kids. If it's free, there's nothing to tax. Does it maybe depend on the age? Both of our kids are still under 12.

No the port taxes and fees are levied by the governement's in question and not as a sales tax on the price in question. Only for the use of the port and its facilities.

They are supposed to be charged as seen in my examples above.

My kids are 12 and under but some lines actually use a 3rd and 4th pax are free.

I am sure that many of us would like to know the details but in reality this is between the employer and employee. And tipping is discretionary but since many realize that the server survives on tips they leave a tip of some sort except in egregious cases. This is the method that NCL has decided to compensate their employees and this is the method the employees agreed to. All I can do as a passenger is pay the expected service charge, which is not an unreasonable amount (as a comparision I had to eat in restaurants twice in one day not too long ago and the tips came out to $9.50 a person for both meals, so the service charge amount for three meals and steward service is still a good deal). Now if I really thought that NCL was screwing their crew over by not distributing the service charge as agreed I doubt that I would be sailing with them.

I agree that the employees agreed to it and NCL agreed to it (I bet they did) but that is not my affair nor should I feel obligated to make it up to the employees simply because their corporate bosses fail to compensate them properly.

All I can do as a passenger is pay the expected service charge - No you can remove it at your discretion.

LOL we are all guessing but I am basing my guesses on a lot of background reading and personal experience. I personally don't want to have to carry cash onboard or have to worry about this at all, I am more than content to allow my account to be charged services charges or tips (depending on the line I am sailing with) and let the cruise line distribute them.

Well good for you.

I will say I think I agree that Freestyle may very well be the root cause of this NCL tangle. No other line does it this way as much as NCL.

I wonder if the "Anytime dining" or "my time dining" MDR waiters get some of the clearly defined amount other lines tend to show?

As I said a while back the crew receiving the service charges have to be similar to those on other lines that receive tips and the distribution has to be pretty close to how tips are distributed on other lines. And those other lines also pay a similar base salary to their staff. The service charges came to be because traditional tipping doesn't work with freestyle.

Have to be?

Are you guessing?

because traditional tipping doesn't work with freestyle.

Why not tip the waiter you have that night? or the server, or bar keep or... Just like you would at any other restaurant in the world?

Are you aware that when you eat in a restaurant that the server likely makes less than $2.50 an hour? The rest of the income comes from tips. For the people onboard that participate in the service charge it is the same way.

The standard type restaurant does not require a service charge to be paid before service is rendered. Such a model on land would never fly I imagine.

And tipping is totally discretionary based on good service. Its mandated on a cruise ship.

I'm skeptical of NCL's incentive pay program. I would like to hear from those who benefit from it or don't

Yes, NCL is eager to stop the removal of the service charges because it does impact crew pay but I'm not so certain that they would be quick to pony up the shortfall themselves.

I'm far more certain they won't

Probably,although it suggests not a whole lot of tubes as compared to a land based water park.

Which isn't surprising really given space issues

Both are gratuities in my opinion.

What does NCL consider them? Clearly the word and is there for a legal/finance reason.

If both were gratuities, then no reason to add the second part.

NCL deserves to be poo-pooed for creating a tangled mess.

So which is the 18% a gratuity AND a service charge?

An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price.

Actually neither, the terms and conditions would be the place to look for the legally binding section.

An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price.

So is that added at the end of the meal? or is it part of the package price, even if the package was Gratis?

So with the UDP do you look at the FAQ or what the contract says concerning changes?

Is the UDP part of the cruise contract or is it an add on, incentive item.

As I understand it the FAQ suggests 18% will be added on but those who got it before it changed are not supposed to be charged that 18%

Thus the FAQ is either wrong or deceptive or correct and accurate.

Because not every passenger uses the kids club.

 

Harriet

We already touched on this but, not every passenger uses the MDR or the Buffet either.

Or the Casino, or the bars, etc...