1st timers... Tipping: When and how much? (and a few other questions)

[HKittee]

Hi everyone :)

 

My husband and I are not REALLY first time cruisers. We have both cruised when we were much younger and not financially responsible for tipping at the time :o With that said, we're not big travelers. We will be cruising on the Jewel on 11/14 and I have a few questions...

 

I understand there is a $12/pp/per day prepay charge for gratuities. I was reading however that is optional. Is this true and under what circumstances can the prepay gratuity charge be waived? I would much prefer to tip as go. I worked in the service industry while in college and I would much rather have a say to how my tips are allocated. Any insight on this is appreciated.

 

Also, if we are still responsible for the prepay gratuities, when and how much additional tipping is expected? I don't mind tipping for great service. I do mind looking like a fool when I should be tipping for something and I don't know if a tip is expected or not. Which services should we normally be tipping and how much? :confused:

 

Sorry I sound so clueless... Thanks in advance :)

 

Also, has anyone ever done the Universal Studios excursion? If so, how long is the shuttle ride to the park from port. We have already booked it and I'm really hoping we're going to have enough time in the park considering they are closing at 6pm that day. If not, does anyone know how we would handle canceling the excursion? I would happily do Atlantis in it's place. Any suggestions on excursions would help! Thank you again!

[HKittee]

Are there fees for using the gym?

[sottovoce]

Are there fees for using the gym?

There are no fees for using the equipment in the fitness center.

[sjbdtz]

Hi everyone :)

 

My husband and I are not REALLY first time cruisers. We have both cruised when we were much younger and not financially responsible for tipping at the time :o With that said, we're not big travelers. We will be cruising on the Jewel on 11/14 and I have a few questions...

 

I understand there is a $12/pp/per day prepay charge for gratuities. I was reading however that is optional. Is this true and under what circumstances can the prepay gratuity charge be waived? I would much prefer to tip as go. I worked in the service industry while in college and I would much rather have a say to how my tips are allocated. Any insight on this is appreciated.

 

Also, if we are still responsible for the prepay gratuities, when and how much additional tipping is expected? I don't mind tipping for great service. I do mind looking like a fool when I should be tipping for something and I don't know if a tip is expected or not. Which services should we normally be tipping and how much? :confused:

 

 

a) can be 'waived': never. Can be adjusted due to unresolved actual issues....anytime.

 

b) have a say in how your tips are allocated. Fill in a Style Card at the end of the cruise. Promotions, enhanced tips, etc. are based on these.

 

b-1) tip 'extra' if you feel that the service warrants it. Removing the tip simply means that anything you 'allocate' will be turned-in and shared ANYWAY. Those are the rules.

 

c) additional tipping to those covered is not required. Bar, Spa, Kids Club Butler/Concierge (basically all the services which are optional) are not part of the tip pool. Bar & Spa are auto-tipped on the receipt...careful not to double-tip them. Kids, Butler & Concierge are at discretion.

 

 

 

 

Insight: I've asked several different staff whether they prefer the auto-tip or getting a few bucks in cash and universally they have said 'auto-tip' because....while "I" was offering cash instead (as you would), many others would just walk about without tipping.

 

Auto-tip ensures a much higher likelihood that they will receive their tips and therefore they have a preference for it.

 

 

I always figured that I'm offering a tip FOR THEM, not for myself....so if they want it through auto-tip, who am I to argue?

[dow cruiser]

We were first time cruisers on NCL and didn't have a problem with the prepaid gratuities because we did not have to worry about any tipping and if we unknowingly did miss anyone because we are unaware of tipping rules.

 

I'm sure NCL is confident that the tips go to the right people. No one we encountered on the ship acted like they should receive a tip at the time of service. We did tip the cabin steward extra because he did an exceptionally nice job and a bar server who also did a better job than others. But all servers we came across did a great job.

[uppitycats]

Hi everyone :)

 

My husband and I are not REALLY first time cruisers. We have both cruised when we were much younger and not financially responsible for tipping at the time :o With that said, we're not big travelers. We will be cruising on the Jewel on 11/14 and I have a few questions...

 

I understand there is a $12/pp/per day prepay charge for gratuities. I was reading however that is optional. Is this true and under what circumstances can the prepay gratuity charge be waived? I would much prefer to tip as go. I worked in the service industry while in college and I would much rather have a say to how my tips are allocated. Any insight on this is appreciated. While the prepay charge for gratuities can be adjusted..it really is much easier on you..and the crew..to leave them in place. There are several people that are included in the tipping pool that ensure that you have a wonderful cruise that you don't necessarily see every day (but they are there, doing their job!), and wouldn't think of when it comes time to tip. The cruise line has done a pretty reasonable job of figuring out who all those people are, and how much of your $12 per person per day they are allotted.

 

Also, if we are still responsible for the prepay gratuities, when and how much additional tipping is expected? I don't mind tipping for great service. I do mind looking like a fool when I should be tipping for something and I don't know if a tip is expected or not. Which services should we normally be tipping and how much? :confused: Except for bar bills (which come with a 15% gratuity added on), spa bills (if you buy spa services) and child care bills (if you use child care), and for room service (while the food is part of your cruise fare, the people who bring the food to you aren't part of the tipping pool, so a $1-$5 tip, depending on how much you order is nice)

No other tipping is expected. So you don't need to worry about that for the duration of your cruise. You pay the $12 per person (or have it appear on your bill on the last day), and you're done.

 

Sorry I sound so clueless... Thanks in advance :)

 

Also, has anyone ever done the Universal Studios excursion? If so, how long is the shuttle ride to the park from port. We have already booked it and I'm really hoping we're going to have enough time in the park considering they are closing at 6pm that day. If not, does anyone know how we would handle canceling the excursion? I would happily do Atlantis in it's place. Any suggestions on excursions would help! Thank you again!

 

Now, if someone DOES something special for you, and you feel particularly grateful, or feel like they've done something "above and beyond" for you, then you can tip additionally, in whatever amount you feel you want to.

 

And fill out the service cards complimenting people's service to you -- they'll be found in your cabin, or you can ask about it at the purser's desk -- those cards do show up in employee records and help when it comes time for raises for them.

[luddite]

It is easiest to just leave the DSC in place. The crew is happy with the system. There is no additional 'tipping' that the crew is expecting.

If you start out with the acknowledgement that the DSC is just a part of the fare that hasn't been billed in advance, you can simply relax and enjoy.

[roger001]

Although this is a frequent thread, I like to do the following with additional tipping. I tip the drink servers $1 per round they bring myself and my wife. The bartenders are already covered with the 15% add on to the drink price. At the sit down restaurants, I usually tip $2 or $3 for a breakfast or lunch that is served by staff, $5 for a dinner meal. We've never used room service but if we did, I'd tip $2. On the last night I leave $30 if we've just had one room attendant for the cruise or $40 to split if there were two. All of these additional tips add up to just a very small addition to the overall cost of the cruise. I've never seen an NCL employee acting as though they expect an aditional tip. However, I have never had less than wonderful service from all of them, I admire their hard work, and the little extra tipping I do I enjoy doing. But none required.

[Shelli]

I tip the drink servers $1 per round they bring myself and my wife. The bartenders are already covered with the 15% add on to the drink price.

 

The drink servers are also already covered in that 15%.

[tillys mom]

If we eat in one of the speciality venues, do we tip or is that included in the per day amount?

[njhorseman]

If we eat in one of the speciality venues' date=' do we tip or is that included in the per day amount?[/quote']

 

The specialty restaurant wait staff participates in the Daily Service Charge pool. No need to tip above that, unless you feel it is warranted because the service was extraordinary.

[Mr. Luckytoo]

I understand there is a $12/pp/per day prepay charge for gratuities. I was reading however that is optional. Is this true and under what circumstances can the prepay gratuity charge be waived? I would much prefer to tip as go. I worked in the service industry while in college and I would much rather have a say to how my tips are allocated. Any insight on this is appreciated.

 

Kittee, I had the same concern about tipping when I started cruising. I wanted to make sure that the people who provided the service were compensated.

 

After talking to serveral crew members thru the years I have to agree with the other posters - the crew would rather have you leave the gratuities on your account than have you remove that amount and pay them in cash. Ask your room steward when you cruise.

 

As for tipping above and beyond the DSC - that is an individual's choice and I have NEVER felt pressured to add to that amount with ONE exception - spa services. Room service, in my opinion, derserves a tip for their service(s) but everything else is pretty much up to you.

[HKittee]

All of your responses were extremely helpful. If the staff is happy with the current system, why shouldn't I be? It sounds like they handle it fairly... I know now to tip for service I feel goes above and beyond and for those addt'l services listed. Thank you again!

 

I guess no one has done the Universal studios excursion. Is there another board on here that discusses just excursions? I'm getting pretty nervous about the timeline, but my husband and I were really looking forward to it, so I guess we will make it work!

[spacepotatoes]

I guess no one has done the Universal studios excursion. Is there another board on here that discusses just excursions? I'm getting pretty nervous about the timeline, but my husband and I were really looking forward to it, so I guess we will make it work!

 

You might want to try the Ports of Call boards. Even if no one has done it through NCL, there tends to be a lot of similarity with how other lines run their excursions so you may find helpful info there.

 

Enjoy your first cruise :)