Tipping

[Donh44]

I will be going on my first NCL cruise on the Epic in October. On all of the other cruises, tipping was taken care of at the end of the cruise or you could arrange to have it prepaid. What is the policy on NCL in the different restaurants? Does one tip at the end of the meal? What about in the specialty surcharge restaurants? I want to do what is appropriate. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Don

[DAGVBSB]

With Freestyle on NCL, the "tipping" is called a "service charge" and is added to your bill at the end of the trip. It is $12 per day per person. Since you don't usually have the same waiter each night, this service charge tip pool goes to all the service employees including room stewards, waiters, maitre'd's, those who clean the public areas, those working the buffet, etc.

 

You are certainly welcome to give an extra tip to anyone who you have felt have given you personally outstanding service. (we usually give a little extra directly to our room stewards and we gave a very nice tip to a very special maitre'd on the Dawn), but that is not necessary or expected.

 

There is a 15% service charge added to all bar and spa bills which takes care of tipping those employess. There are a few positions (Kids Club Counselors for example) that are not part of the tip pool.

[roger001]

There's probably hundreds of threads on this if you want more thoughts. However, mine are , in theory there is no tipping required. The $12 pp service charge covers tippping. Additionally, bar type drinks have an automatic 15% charge added to them that covers the bartender. So if you never tipped anyone at all you wouldn't be wrong. And I might add, I've never seen an NCL employee appearing to be working for or expecting tip. However, many persons do tip extra occasionally. I do the following. When being served drinks, I tip the server $1 for each round (wife and myself). At any sit down restaurant, I tip $2 or $3 for breakfast or lunch. For an evening meal I tip $5. I have never used room service but tipping one or two dollars when delivered is pretty much common. At the end of the cruise (last night) I leave $30 to $40 total for our room attendants we have had during the cruise. All of this assumes that the service and persons have been deserving of this additional tipping. I am delighted to report...they always have. If you're in a suite with butler, etc., then some tipping for that staff is expected.

[canpass]

My rule of thumb is that I always give a little extra for good service. If a find a good waiter around the pool early in the cruise I will give them a tip and they will always find you when ever you go out to the pool. I remember on the Wind we got to know this super waitress around the pool and she never forgot us. When we were at the Lattitutes party she was working it and made sure we never had an empty glass. A little kindness goes a long way with these folks, Make sure you always tip in cash so that they get directly.

[Cruiser1978]

The $12/day does NOT include bar staff or the Kids' Club personnel.

 

On the past two NCL cruises, everyone in my group gave an additional $10-20 / per person to the bar staff members who served us day and night (pool side, theater, lounge). We actually would wait for them to order drinks, and because we were consistent customers, they always sought us out, without pressure, gave us water when we weren't drinking other drinks, etc. They do receive a small gratuity on each drink, but its less than what we would have given if we were in a bar, so we always felt it was appropriate to give a little extra at the end for the attention they had showed us during the cruise.

[BIG_Steve]

You got a good run down. Just wanted to clarify. If you get a drink from a bar directly, the bartender gets the tip. If you order a drink from a server, the server and the bartender split the 15% that is automatically added. Room stewards share in the service charges. Apparently, room service waiters are dining room waiters who work a shift or two running room service calls, therefore, they probably don't need to be tipped, but I always give a couple of bucks regardless. If you have a suite, butlers and the concierge do not share in the service charge.

 

In the upsell restaurants, tips are not required, since the wait staff shares in the service charge. On my first NCL cruise, I didn't tip in those restaurants. This time I left 15% of the total. Either way works.

 

With Freestyle on NCL, the "tipping" is called a "service charge" and is added to your bill at the end of the trip.

 

There are some here that split hairs and argue semantics that a service charge is not a tip. But from a practical point of view, the service charge is a tip added by NCL so that a cruiser doesn't "forget" to tip.

[Donh44]

I will be going on my first NCL cruise on the Epic in October. On all of the other cruises, tipping was taken care of at the end of the cruise or you could arrange to have it prepaid. What is the policy on NCL in the different restaurants? Does one tip at the end of the meal? What about in the specialty surcharge restaurants? I want to do what is appropriate. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Don

Thanks for the info everyone. I have been on other cruises with the dining room atmosphere but didn't know how the tipping was handled in the restaurant style of NCL. Your help is appreciated.

 

Don

[mickey557]

The $12/day does NOT include bar staff or the Kids' Club personnel.

 

I called NCL and they stated the tip does cover the kids club personnel. They stated the only tips not covered are the Butler, drinks and spa services which are tipped seperate from the $12 day per person.

[mpk218]

Unless just very recently changed , the Kids club staff is Not part of the "pool" . They service a small number of pax and it would be wise to ask them if they are included because they deliver alot for mostly tips.. ;)

[mickey557]

Unless just very recently changed , the Kids club staff is Not part of the "pool" . They service a small number of pax and it would be wise to ask them if they are included because they deliver alot for mostly tips.. ;)

 

This is why I called and wish they would make it clear since I would hate for anyone not to be taken care of especially after dealing with my kids :)

I am making my husband call again and then I have to budget aside for this.

I will plan to tip in case we are given the wrong information from NCL though just in case.

[mpk218]

Thats wise. I can tell you this much . We use the kids club quite often for our kids ( they love it ) and as of our last cruise the staff was quite willing to let us know they were not a part of the pool :D

 

Edit again : when calling NCL customer service with questions , you can call 5 times and get 7 different answers.. : )

[mickey557]

Thats wise. I can tell you this much . We use the kids club quite often for our kids ( they love it ) and as of our last cruise the staff was quite willing to let us know they were not a part of the pool :D

 

Edit again : when calling NCL customer service with questions , you can call 5 times and get 7 different answers.. : )

 

OMG I am laughing because that is what happened we got different answers. This may be my first and last cruise if this keeps up I don't like not knowing things ahead of time.

If you don't mind how much did you tip them?

I send my kids to camp here all summer and always tip their leaders but this is only for a week and I they most likely won't be there on port days at all.

Thanks for the laugh too and the information :confused::)

[johnql]

This may be my first and last cruise if this keeps up I don't like not knowing things ahead of time.

I hope you're not serious about this because unfortunately the customer service reps of pretty much all the mainstream cruise lines are notorious for being poorly informed.

[mpk218]

Thats a tough one because it varies so much . Some days its several hours , other days nothing . So I'd say on average $10 a day , some times less some times more .

You'll Know when the kids let you know ;)

 

Edit AGAIN :: I too would like to say Please dont get discouraged with the reps they dont know much and once you cruise and get a little time under your bet you will be addicted like the rest of us...

[mickey557]

I hope you're not serious about this because unfortunately the customer service reps of pretty much all the mainstream cruise lines are notorious for being poorly informed.

 

Thats a tough one because it varies so much . Some days its several hours , other days nothing . So I'd say on average $10 a day , some times less some times more .

You'll Know when the kids let you know ;)

 

Edit AGAIN :: I too would like to say Please dont get discouraged with the reps they dont know much and once you cruise and get a little time under your bet you will be addicted like the rest of us...

 

I am just very nervous and reading some of these boards makes me more so :) Thank you both for being kind and not attacking me as it seems alot of the people on these boards think everyone has the knowledge they do. I would never have dreamed the cruise reps would not have the correct answers since I assumed ( now I know wrongly LOL) they knew everything about the line they worked on.

My family seems to think once I have gotten on the cruise I will be addicted but like I said I am nervous and like my husband said usually I have him there and don't even think about these things ( I know I am bad about that but its so much better when he takes care of these things :o)

[DAGVBSB]

I hope you're not serious about this because unfortunately the customer service reps of pretty much all the mainstream cruise lines are notorious for being poorly informed.

 

NCL's customer service reps are the worst in the business for giving out wrong information. Sometimes I think they try to give you the answer that you want to hear and that way you will go away happy and then deal with their false information later.

 

I could write a book of all false information that NCL's Customer Service Reps have given out to me and my family and friends over the years. (one from our group called this year without checking with me first and of course got the wrong information that I had to correct.)

 

It appears that it is spreading to some of the ship board crew now as both the art auctioneer and shore excursion staff gave out erroneous information on our most recent cruise.

 

 

NCL: Please stop trying to tell people what they want to hear and tell them the TRUTH when they call. All it does is create problems and hard feelings later and makes the person look unprofessional and a liar.

[BikerAl]

I am just very nervous and reading some of these boards makes me more so :) Thank you both for being kind and not attacking me as it seems alot of the people on these boards think everyone has the knowledge they do. I would never have dreamed the cruise reps would not have the correct answers since I assumed ( now I know wrongly LOL) they knew everything about the line they worked on.

My family seems to think once I have gotten on the cruise I will be addicted but like I said I am nervous and like my husband said usually I have him there and don't even think about these things ( I know I am bad about that but its so much better when he takes care of these things :o)

 

I know there are a few who attack, pro or con of a subject, but I really hope the majority of posters don't come across that way. Where most regulars get testy, is where someone asks a question, but then argues that the answer is wrong. This happens a lot in tipping threads. Fear not, enjoy your cruise, relax on here, and get addicted. We are, and we are passionate about cruising.

 

Al

[DMH15]

Mickey557-

 

You are ahead of the game because you have found CC. Wish I had earlier.

 

Have a great cruise, don't stress out. You will love it.

[Dale]

Edit again : when calling NCL customer service with questions , you can call 5 times and get 7 different answers.. : )

Just like asking a question here on cruise critic.

[Powriv]

I wish the cruise lines would just add the tips to the cost of the cruise and then people wouldn't have to worry so much about how much and who to tip before during and after the cruise.

 

this would allow the passengers to just tip service staff as they would/wouldn't do on land based vacations or at restaurants/hotels, knowing staff are better paid through prepaid tips/service charges that we paid before stepping foot on the ship.

 

On my previous cruises I have tipped what the lines suggested amounts are and given $20 extra to room attendant and wait staff. I don't tip the maitre'd if he/she does nothing for me. Have always received excellent service from Bar Staff and it hasn't cost me anymore than the 15% they charge/drink. A smile and quick conversation seem to mean a lot to the staff that have served us

 

Did give my bar server a bottle of hot sauce that I used during the cruise and he was very happy to get it. Still get emails from him telling me all about the hot sauce and what he used it on

[sjbdtz]

I don't tip the maitre'd if he/she does nothing for me.

 

Did you get a seat? Get a waiter? An Assistant Waiter?

 

 

Thank the Maitre d'hotel (master of the house). This person is essentially the restaurant manager, and the smooth operation of the dining room is their job...from seating, bussing, load-balancing and section distribution by wait-staff....these are all functions managed by the Maitre.

 

That's why they are instrumental to your experience.

[mickey557]

Mickey557-

 

You are ahead of the game because you have found CC. Wish I had earlier.

 

Have a great cruise, don't stress out. You will love it.

 

 

Thank you all for being ver informative. I do feel good having found this site.

I am planning carefully :)

[Powriv]

Did you get a seat? Get a waiter? An Assistant Waiter?

 

 

Thank the Maitre d'hotel (master of the house). This person is essentially the restaurant manager, and the smooth operation of the dining room is their job...from seating, bussing, load-balancing and section distribution by wait-staff....these are all functions managed by the Maitre.

 

That's why they are instrumental to your experience.

 

Never had the experience of freestyle dining or whatever the other lines call their similar dining experience. Always had set dining times so we knew our table number and just wandered around till we found it.. Waiter and Assistant waiter showed up as we were sitting...No head waiter/maitre'd to be seen or heard

[sottovoce]

I wish the cruise lines would just add the tips to the cost of the cruise and then people wouldn't have to worry so much about how much and who to tip before during and after the cruise.

This exactly what NCL's service charge does.

[mickey557]

This exactly what NCL's service charge does.

 

 

See that is what a newcomer thinks until they start reading these boards and see people talking about tipping over and above that for room service, specialty restaurants, drinks ( some people say they tip over the 15% on the tab)

So someone new who doesn't want to do the wrong thing asks how this works and they get more confused :confused:

I was so glad the tips were prepaid until I started reading these boards on the subject and learned other people don't see it that way. Now I am still confused but know I will definitly tip the staff at the kids club and have money available to tip others if it seems warrented.:D