Tipping on NCL

[Burnt]

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow morning to San Juan to take a 7 day cruise on the Sky. First cruise for us so we are really excited!

I have read on the NCL site that they include tips on your on board account but that you should tip baggage handleres at the dock.

I'm curious about what people really do. Are you tipping people througout the trip, at the end, only servers at the bars, etc.?

Thanks for the info!

Joe

[AuntieBon]

A 15% gratuity is added on to all bar bills. The tips for waiter, steward etc. can be charged to your room account and adjusted up or down as you see fit.

I always tip the porters as it's much easier to have them carry my bags then it is to wrestle with them myself. I learned that on my Sept. 30th 2001 cruise when porters weren't allowed for security reasons. Those people certainly earn their money IMHO and worth the few dollars I give them. I usually tip a dollar a bag.

Enjoy your first cruise!

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Pink Sand and Blue Waters of Bermuda

[smeyer418]

A $10.00 service charge per day per person is automatically added to your account, except for the NC America(in Hawaii) cruises you can adjust this up or down. If you take it off, any amount you give to any crew member has to be reported by them. If you leave it on your room charge, they can keep whatever extra you give them directly. In NYC the recommended amount for the porters is $2.00 per bag.

Proud charter member of the PPS-Passport Pusher Society

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Celebrity, NCL, Overnight Ferry, hydrofoil between countries, car ferries and river cruise and of course the Staten Island Ferry

[howard6933]

Tipping for your cabin steward and the restaurant personnel will be added to your
account. It will be $10 per person per day.
Tipping to bar personnel is automatically added
to your drink orders at 15%. If you use room
service it's customary to give a small tip
to the person who brings you the order. If you
are unhappy with the automatic tip charges, you
can see the service desk and add to it, lower
it, or remove it entirely. If you remove it
entirely, you're on your own for tips to all
the people you wish to reward for their service.

[ZoneHPH]

well NCL has revolutionized the way tipping is done. some history:

"Traditional" cruising asked for each person staying in a cabin to stuff envelopes (specifically for the cabin steward, maitre'd, and the busboy). Back then it was approximately $10 pp/day = $70 (give or take) when all was said and done. HOWEVER, through the years it has been seen that people would leave the ship with no gratuity for the crew.

So NCL implemented their autogratuity system. $10pp/day, $5 per child under 12/day, infants - no gratuity.

there are pros and cons to all of this. but i will try hard to stifle any onslaught of this topic since you are leaving tomorrow.

the Pros
1) no need to think of tipping. keeps you free from having to save some cash at the end of your cruise
2) the program NCL utilizes is a big pool under which the tips are allocated; the corporate office "skims off the top" and the rest is distributed among the service personnel only
3) bar staff are separate since there is a 15% AUTO gratuity charged each time you buy a cocktail or wine or what have you. the more they sell drinks, the more gratuity they earn.
4) i'm sure there are other pros...but these are my top 3.

the Cons
1) not really sure that the most deserving get a bigger piece of the pie
2) does not seem to create an environment where service staff will go "above and beyond"
3) the fact that the Corporate office "skims off the top"
4) and in some other cases i have seen on these boards..."why should i be forced to have $10 charged everyday? what if i feel that the service i got was less that the default $10pp/day" (NOTE: this can be adjusted with the onboard Auditor, but you'll have to write a statement as to why you are adjusting your autogratuity.

keep in mind it is also proper etiquette to tip your excursion guide $1pp for a half day excursion and $2pp for a full day excursion.

you can always give cash tips of a dollar here...dollar there...or however you see fit. (it does make for good interaction on the ship).

and as for baggage porters, the big cities (NYC/LA) should be $2 per baggage, while other embarkation/debarkation ports are $1 per baggage.

but again...it is really up to you how much or how little.

tipping is such a personal topic with so many people including myself since i waited tables. when your take home pay is based on your tips...you want to have confidence that people you serve will recognize you for your efforts.

and if you happen to fall into this category...(and i forgot who said this)

"if you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to cruise."

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[Burnt]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ZoneHPH:

and if you happen to fall into this category...(and i forgot who said this)

"if you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to cruise."

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Hahaha, I like that quote. It is quite the opposite than that actually. I was a little uncofortable not tipping people for good service and having it come out of my account at the end. I wasn't sure if people had accepted this or if it was common practice to give additional cash tips. $10 seems so small when compared to what I end up tipping on other vacations.

Thanks for the responses.

Joe

[ZoneHPH]

hey, joe.

i know what you mean. i mean it's really tough to imagine how tiny their salary is and just how much is dependant on gratuities.

i tend to overtip. i'll do my $10pp/day...but sometimes i'll try to even win some money in the casinos on behalf of some of the service people i meet.

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[ZoneHPH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>$10 seems so small when compared to what I end up tipping on other vacations.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hehehehe...call me crazy...but...

we did say $10 per person per day, right? not just $10 for the week. either way you slice it i agree with you...it is small.

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[smeyer418]

it is my understanding that all the tips are paid to those on the ship only and no front office skimming takes place..does any one have first hand knowldege that this is not the case?
I do know that the Maitre D and Head housekeeper get a portion but that is not skimming IMO.

[ZoneHPH]

yeah that continues to be a debate...

but i have heard it a couple times on the ship last week.

would be nice to get the word from an official judge on the matter.

To skim or not to skim!

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[smeyer418]

you heard it from a ship employee?

[ZoneHPH]

tertiary information from a fellow cruise critic mate on my sailing who was talking to an employee.

but i'm going to see if i made a big enough impression on my P&C Consultant last week that i can ask her this question.

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[menaceman]

i would agree with the other replies. what caught my eye was your being from san diego. my family lives in and around la mesa. we will be on the same cruise. maybe we can catch up for a beer onboard. this is our 9th cruise if you have any questions feel free to email me ( [email]menace56@att.net[/email] )

Dennis the Menace

NCL - Sea, Dawn, Sky
Disney - Magic , Wonder
Celebrity- Horizon
RCCL - Majesty
Big Red Boat - Oceanic , Atlantic ( back in the day)

[newmexicoNita]

First off: have a great cruise, we loved the Sky and the itinerary. We tipped the baggage handlers right as we got out of our cab. We also gave a few extra bucks to a few special people on the cruise for exceptional service. This was over and above the $10 per day per person. I too have heard they must report extra tips, but give me a break! How knows about that extra $10 or $20 you slip them. By the way HAL has now introduced a $10 per day automatic tip policy. I think it starts May 1st. What a switch! Someone also said Celebrity has or is going to the auto tip at $10.50 a day. I agree, for the service we get $70 a week is very little. NMNita

Commodore 1984, Costa 1985, RCL 1987, Chandris 1989, NCL 1989, Commodore, 1991, NCL 1997, Carnival 1997, Carnival 1998,NCL 1998, NCL 1999, RCL 2000, RCL 2000, NCL 2002,NCL 2003, Celebrity 2003, NCL 2004

[trish1c]

Burnt --

You are going to love the SKY! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I wrote a review & posted in the review section. My kilt wearing friend, the Scottsman, offers his experiences on that same page, different thread. Snorklin' Barb who started our little group posted one on this board. You may find them helpful.

If you get to the bar by the pool, the Obeservation Lounge or Checkers, say hello to our favorite bartenders: Natalie, Paul & Benjamin; all 3 work in all 3 bars. We tend to tip extra on the first day / round & always get great service for the rest of the cruise. That is not to say the service others receive is sub par, it's just our custom.

On our 1st cruise we tipped the cabin steward up front to & got lots of towel animals. This trip we did not tip him up front & alas, no towel animals. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] I do not know if there was a correlation.

We've found that the stevedors were a bit more forthright about their "entitlement" to a tip. $1 - $2 per bag is customary, more if it's particularly heavy (over the airline weight limit).

We also always give the tour guides something, at least $1 - $2 pp for a 1/2 day excursion, more if they actually went above & beyond.

The other thing we [I]heard[/I] about automatic tipping, is that if you take it off your Sign & Sail account all of the people assigned to you have to disgorge all of their tips into the pool. That doesn't seem fair at all to me.

I found this method more convenient then trying to put cash in envelopes on the last night.


Zone --

One Penn Stater to another, 1) what's a P&C consultant & 2). when you're asking for rumor confirmation, can you find out about the pool thing, too, please?

Happy sailing!

Trish

[MOMofONE]

For smeyer -

You mentioned the auto tipping to your shipboard account was able to be adjusted EXCEPT FOR THE AMERICAN FLAGGED SHIPS?

We are on the Pride of Aloha in June.
DId I interpret your statement correctly and can you explain how the NCL America line is operating their tipping structure then?

Although we are expecting excellent service, we were seriously considering tipping cash from day 1 and thru out the cruise - I think many are tipped too little. Also a bit leary of our 1st freestyle experience with regards to a different wait staff every night - would prefer to tip individuals personally and additonal if deserved.

Your posts are always a wealth of knowledge - you are a true asset to the CC boards and I thank you for taking time in so many topics.
Tina

[smeyer418]

It is my understanding from this board and the NCL comments that the $10.00 service charge on the NCL America trips is mandatory. You can always give more but you can't take it off.
Its my understanding that the staff is paid more than the non-US flagged ships and that these funds will be used to provide for paid vacation time.

I like the NCL method and always leave some more than suggested. My personal belief is that the $10.00 is so small that it is a base to be grown upon depending on service. I have been on two NCL trips in the last 6 months on two different ships. I only had one bad experience at any meal, servicewise. I find the service staff tries to please as long as you don't treat them like serfs.

BTW thanks for the comments. I enjoy trying to be helpful and I have learned to stay out of fights with some of the ninny's on the board [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img].

Proud charter member of the PPS-Passport Pusher Society

Mother's Day on the Dawn
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[email]smeyer418@yahoo.com[/email]
Celebrity, NCL, Overnight Ferry, hydrofoil between countries, car ferries and river cruise and of course the Staten Island Ferry

[ZoneHPH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>One Penn Stater to another, 1) what's a P&C consultant & 2). when you're asking for rumor confirmation, can you find out about the pool thing, too, please?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Will do, Trish.

P&C Consultant = Port & Cruise Consultant (i simply fell in love with our P&C Consultant on the Wind...*swoon*...what a babe!)

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[kparam]

I know you've already left for the trip, but on our Star cruise last December, we had an AD Cabin which had a Butler & Concierge. The Concierge isn't include in the tipping program. We gave him $30 - didn't use him much.

Something else we did was to buy about $60 worth of phone cards that could be used for international calls. When we gave a few to our stewards, they were thrilled. Every time we passed them in the hall after that, they thanked us again and even told us who they called at home. - You can get a good deal on them at Sam's or Costco - about 20 to 25 cards.

Karen & Mike

[SailorsMate]

One thing I "missed" until we were a few days into the cruise--- While dining you will notice the waiter and assistant's name on a small card- I didn't realize a "comment" could be entered- Might be a good way, aside from a "tip" to reward good service if merited..