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thebooler

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    TIp for solo cruisers

    in Solo Cruisers

    Posted

    If anything goes wrong healthwise, the first place a first responder, doctor, nurse, etc. will look is your wallet/purse. I keep a note of the Insurer and their emergency contact details there, along with my prescription for my medication so they can see what's wrong with me, the medication I'm on, and obviously who to contact in an emergency such as insurers.

    Guilty conscience about accessible room

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Don't listen to the grouches. One thing people need to realize wether they like it or not, is the rooms are handicap "accessible" not handicap exclusive. Once the rooms are in open inventory they can be booked by anyone. No bad karma involved.

    Having said that, there is the very rare case that if someone booked in the same class of rooms needs a handicap room they may move you or ask you to move. They can move you up a category but are not supposed to move you down.

    I have been in a handicap room booked once the room was released into general inventory. No guilt involved.

    Wow. Just wow.

     

    I'll bet you'd be one of the first in line to complain if someone sat on your sunbed by the pool as well.

     

    I'd say you're a totally inconsiderate cruiser.

    • Like 1

    Service charge increase fleetwide

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    I never pay them. I tip the staff whom I feel deserve a tip for their service. I've actually tipped close to the service charge on several days throughout a cruise, so it's not like I'm mean or anything.

     

    I wonder if the "Included" service charges in the All Inclusive find their way to the staff?

    Prepaid gratuities/service charge

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    they dont end up paying most of the time. The EEC card covers them here but you try using it from the UK in the rest of Europe you will end up with a bill. This happened to us in France. The NHS don't collect the money we have people arriving from other countries to have twins and triplets at a huge cost to the NHS and it never recoups the money.

    We have immigrants move here and have never paid into thew system and they claim benefits, health care and housing. No wonder we are the go to destination for freebies

    I know where you're coming from, but it's an EU regulation, and works both ways. I've had benefits in another country myself when I became unemployed out of season.

     

     

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    Prepaid gratuities/service charge

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    There are many crew members in different venues who make your cruise special and your gratuitys are their pay so please don't remove your gratuitys which will harm them they don't deserve you doing that.

     

    44 cruises and counting.

    Their gratuities should not be their pay. It's up to the cruise line to pay them a proper wage. If the don't, then that's someone else's problem.

     

    I work on minimum wage, so tips are a lot to me.

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    Prepaid gratuities/service charge

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Sorry to hear about your husband's bad health and hope he is getting better now.

    It makes us realise living in the UK with our free NHS and fairer tax system how lucky we are.

    We took my mother in law on 6 cruises in her 80s her last being on her 90th birthday and she had multiple ailments so never give up and hopefully you might get on a ship again.

    Best Regards.

    Graham&Pauline.

     

    43 cruises and counting.

    Doesn't part of our NI go towards NHS?

     

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    Prepaid gratuities/service charge

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    I have no problem with the US tipping system because it works, and restaurant wait staff does get paid adequately by a sum of the salary and tips. It only fails when some self-righteous know-it-all decides the tipping system is wrong because it's not done that way in their country. Next time I'm in the UK if I happen to dine in a restaurant that adds a service charge, I'll refuse to pay it based on your advice. After all since you say it's wrong, it must be wrong.

     

    There was a great line spoken by Chief Kinyanjui in the movie "Out of Africa" upon finally agreeing to allow children who were taller than he to be taught to read. He said "British can read. What good has it done them?"

    There's a few good quotes from the North American Indians too down the years.................

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    Prepaid gratuities/service charge

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Talk about guilting someone to give them a tip.

    I was on a Thomson cruise on the Red Sea and the rear of the ship bar had 3 really good waiters. I gave them all 10 dollars each on my 2nd last night for the wonderful service I received.

     

    They did have another waiter who was very lethargic and had a bordering on rude couldn't give a **** attitude who got nothing.

     

    On my last night this guy couldn't keep away from me, telling me how difficult life was back home, and that he had 2 small children.

     

    It was obvious his colleagues had let him know about the 10 dollar tips, and it was so annoying.

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    UBP Question

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Depends on what the other perks are worth to you. The service charge on 3 day dining is $12.42 per person ($69 * 18%). Check the menus and see if what you would order at that one restaurant would be more than that - pretty sure you'd save money even if you just order an entrée each in 1 restaurant.

    It's worth remembering when using speciality restaurants that you're also giving up your "complimentary" meal already paid for when you bought your cruise. [emoji15]

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    Premium all inclusive coming to the UK

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    There's a significant jump in prices for 2018 cruises. They increase the price by £150/ £250 and cut staffing numbers to compensate for giving AI Packages.

    Hotels did this years ago - NCL are following suit it would seem. I'm just off the Epic, and staffing levels are way down on normal, and bar staff are not as fast as normal either.

    It was a nightmare trying to get a drink at almost every bar, and the queue of people cancelling their Service Charges was as big as I've seen. I cancelled mine, as I always do, but I heard a whole load of people complaining, and that they'd be cancelling, as they never received the expected service.

    It's the first time in 7 cruises I never met my room maid until departure day when she woke me at 7.30am to clean my room, and the only English she seemed to know was "clean room".

    I'd guess the majority of the staff were training but can't be sure if this was the case, or if they were just pissed off with the UBP too!

     

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

    tips

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    By doing so, you are cheating the behind the scenes crew who ensure you have a great experience. It would be nieve to believe that no one except those you have direct contact with are the only ones who "serve you". Pay the DSC.

    This Service Charge crops up all the time and there never seems to be a definitive answer, especially as most ships have UK and North American passengers.

     

    My view is quite simple, but not necessarily right.

     

    I tip the staff who take care of me, which is ALWAYS more over the cruise than the weekly charge added by NCL, then I cancel the Service Charge.

     

    I believe it's the employers responsibility to pay their employees accordingly for the job they do.

     

    If they don't, then I don't feel that's my responsibility or problem.

     

    Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's the way it should be in my opinion, and as I've already said, I may not be right.

    BA Cabin Crew Strikes

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Thanks for all the replies folks - and the laughs!

     

    BRITISH AIRWAYS strikes called off. Panic over. I do have Insurance and it would cover such an event, but my main concern is actually getting the holiday - not a refund of my money.

     

    Thanks again, and here's hoping you Breakawayers are okay!

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