10 dollar a day

[GTVCRUISER]

Can you still add or subtract on the ten dollar a day gratuity , if you like or do not like the service? Thanks

[shoreguy]

Can you still add or subtract on the ten dollar a day gratuity , if you like or do not like the service? Thanks

 

Not exactly. You need a valid reason other then I did not llike it enough to provide a minimum tip.

 

Both NCL and NCL America have a structured guest satisfaction program on board designed to handle any concerns raised by our guests relating to the service or on board product quickly and efficiently. In almost all cases we are able to come up with a satisfactory solution to any issues which are raised and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise vacation. In the unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve the issue through our guest satisfaction program, guests will be able to adjust the service charge according to the level of inconvenience

[GTVCRUISER]

What if you want to pay cash to waiter and Cabin person ?

[smeyer418]

You can always leave more. NCL takes the position that you can give more but can't subtract unless there is a proven service problem that they tried to remedy and can't. There have been extensive discussions about this. NCL states that one of the reasons they did this is that people say they will leave cash and leave nada. I am sure you are not one of those people.

[newmexicoNita]

I think smeyer just about answered your question. The service charge of $10 per day is pretty well split. If you want to leave cash to crew members that have gone above and beyond you can do that as well. To reduce the $10 per day, as stated you would need a really valid reason. Why would you want to pay cash to them, they will get the same amount either way and this is so much easier.

 

NMNita

[robsvacation]

I have mixed feelings on this. I like that the staff is not being stiffed by people skipping out on the last night and not tipping. Tipping on a ship is not giving someone extra, it's pretty much their entire salary.

 

The trouble is when you do have a problem I find it seldom gets fixed, be it NCL or any other cruise line. The pursers desk is about as much help as, well, they usually just blame you for what's wrong and give you a bunch of attitude. There is such a chain of command on a ship that no one seems empowered to fix anything or help with an issue. You end up writting letters after the fact which turn into onboard credit for your next cruise on the same line.

 

It's odd, a cruise is great until something goes wrong, and then none of the lines I've been on (Carnival, NCL, RCCL, Regal, Imperial Majesty) seem to have procedures in place to deal with it. It's like "well, we may lose this passenger but who cares, there's penty more where they came from." It's certainly an odd attitude for a service industry.

[newmexicoNita]

I have mixed feelings on this. I like that the staff is not being stiffed by people skipping out on the last night and not tipping. Tipping on a ship is not giving someone extra, it's pretty much their entire salary.

 

The trouble is when you do have a problem I find it seldom gets fixed, be it NCL or any other cruise line. The pursers desk is about as much help as, well, they usually just blame you for what's wrong and give you a bunch of attitude. There is such a chain of command on a ship that no one seems empowered to fix anything or help with an issue. You end up writting letters after the fact which turn into onboard credit for your next cruise on the same line.

 

It's odd, a cruise is great until something goes wrong, and then none of the lines I've been on (Carnival, NCL, RCCL, Regal, Imperial Majesty) seem to have procedures in place to deal with it. It's like "well, we may lose this passenger but who cares, there's penty more where they came from." It's certainly an odd attitude for a service industry.

I agree with everything you say but I don't think the problems lie just with cruise lines, but many companies, hotels, restaurants, car dealerships etc. Most do want satisfied customers, but will not go out of their way to make certain this happens. A few years ago I, with the family went to a well known middle of the road chain restaurant for lunch. The waitress caught my plate on my wine glass and over it went, spilling everywhere including in my lap. BTW it was red wine. What was offered? Another glass of wine and free dessert. No one even offered to do anything in the event my clothes were ruined. Compare this to when I was a car hop one summer while still in college, back before the dinosaur days: I spelt a milkshake on a customer one night, not only did the entire car get their meal free, without asking we offered to pay the cleaning bill. We liive in a different world. Some of it much better, some not so good!!! NMNita

[mbisson]

I have mixed feelings on this. I like that the staff is not being stiffed by people skipping out on the last night and not tipping. Tipping on a ship is not giving someone extra, it's pretty much their entire salary.

 

The trouble is when you do have a problem I find it seldom gets fixed, be it NCL or any other cruise line. .

 

From what you say, I get the impression that if something goes wrong on your cruise you feel that not tipping the staff should be your recourse (even if it were a nonservice issue). I certain hope I read that wrong.

 

-Monte

[CRUISERG]

I don't totally dislike the 10.00 per day but my problem with it is that I had great room stewards and only mediocre waitstaff service. One night the waiter was pretty much rude to us. So I did give extra tips to the room steward but I would have liked them to get my full 10.00 per day tip too not split it with waitstaff that acted like they didn't care. And we only ate in the dining room a few times...

[newmexicoNita]

I don't totally dislike the 10.00 per day but my problem with it is that I had great room stewards and only mediocre waitstaff service. One night the waiter was pretty much rude to us. So I did give extra tips to the room steward but I would have liked them to get my full 10.00 per day tip too not split it with waitstaff that acted like they didn't care. And we only ate in the dining room a few times...

One thing lots of people do not understand: the wait staff who serves you dinner tonight may be working the buffet tomorrow night, so even if one is rude to you,the nice guys will get a fair share; maybe Mr Rudey was just having a bad night and is the friendliest waiter around. As for giving the room steward a little extra or anyone else for that matter, just figure out how much tips would be if you were eating 4* food and staying at a top hotel. $10 a day is a bargain. NMnita

[johnql]

$10 a day is a bargain. NMnita

$10 a day is definitely a bargain! I have never seen fit to reduce the recommended tip amounts on any of my cruises.

 

I happen to feel that NCL's new policy is very reasonable. They should be given a chance to rectify whatever situation is bothering a cruiser. Too often, a passenger has a problem, doesn't speak up about it, and then reduces the tip as a recourse, which I don't think is fair. If there's a problem, the passenger should tell someone about it and give them a chance to make it right. If the situation isn't rectified satisfactorily, then I think the cruiser has every right to reduce the gratuities, assuming we're talking about an onboard service issue. The cruise line and ship's staff cannot improve services if bad situations aren't brought to their attention.

[CRUISERG]

NMita...you make a good point about the money also going to the people working other places other than the restaurant you are in, such as the Buffet. I guess I'm just used to going out to dinner and before tipping thinking about the service I rec'd. I never base a tip on the food as that isn't something the waitstaff can control. I guess I was just thinking about it because I was very disappointed in the dinner service (and the food was not 4*) - but it was my first cruise so I really have nothing to compare it to. Now the attention and service from the room stewards was 4* hotel quality and I certainly gave them extra tips.

[herewego]

For me, I think where it can get to SEEM like a lot is when we travel with our kids. On the Spirit we had excellent service and the $20 for DH and I was a bargain! The trip before that we had 3 children with us, for a total of $50 per day.

 

Granted, they are 3 more people to serve and clean up after BUT ALL of them only ate in the dinning room 1 time as they usually either called room service (which we tipped) or picked up pizza at the pizza place. We ate there twice. we also ate in specialty restaurants 3 times (which we tipped) and only had one lunch in the dinning room OR buffet - we were either off the ship or had room service and ate on the balcony -- again we tipped extra. So, for 5 people we ate in the dinningrooms and/or buffet a big total 12 people to serve as opposed to 5 per day times 3 meals times 7 days or 105 (if I did that right LOL) Therefore we paid "extra" for ALL of our meals from room service and in the speciality restaurants and yet we still paid the same as if we had all dinned in the main restaurants each day.

 

I know these were our choices but I am just pointing out that while $10 a day pp IS a bargain when you start adding in kids and skipping the waitstaff, it adds up -- especially when you are dropping a $5 on room service over and over and over and a $20 (x3) in the speciality restaurants.

 

That being said, we did pay it without grumbling (until now LOL) and when we sail on the Dream next month with 2 of the kids, we'll pay it again. I just wanted to point out there are times when the $10 pp per day does seem like a lot -- especially when there are 4 or 5 and the cruise is 10 days as our next one is! Maybe I should insist we all eat in the dinning room - not really why we choose to sail, but...

 

I actually include it in our "sailing budget" when we are pricing cruises but a newbie might get a shock when they have that on there bill -- along with the pop that they THOUGHT was free ;)

[shoreguy]

For me, I think where it can get to SEEM like a lot is when we travel with our kids. On the Spirit we had excellent service and the $20 for DH and I was a bargain! The trip before that we had 3 children with us, for a total of $50 per day.

 

;)

 

Children are $5 per day for the reasons you posted. How did you get to $50. If they were in fact children (3 -12) and not teens then it would have been $35 :confused:

[herewego]

They are teens -- but still kids (even the 6'4 15 year old) LOL

[newmexicoNita]

For me, I think where it can get to SEEM like a lot is when we travel with our kids. On the Spirit we had excellent service and the $20 for DH and I was a bargain! The trip before that we had 3 children with us, for a total of $50 per day.

 

Granted, they are 3 more people to serve and clean up after BUT ALL of them only ate in the dinning room 1 time as they usually either called room service (which we tipped) or picked up pizza at the pizza place. We ate there twice. we also ate in specialty restaurants 3 times (which we tipped) and only had one lunch in the dinning room OR buffet - we were either off the ship or had room service and ate on the balcony -- again we tipped extra. So, for 5 people we ate in the dinningrooms and/or buffet a big total 12 people to serve as opposed to 5 per day times 3 meals times 7 days or 105 (if I did that right LOL) Therefore we paid "extra" for ALL of our meals from room service and in the speciality restaurants and yet we still paid the same as if we had all dinned in the main restaurants each day.

 

I know these were our choices but I am just pointing out that while $10 a day pp IS a bargain when you start adding in kids and skipping the waitstaff, it adds up -- especially when you are dropping a $5 on room service over and over and over and a $20 (x3) in the speciality restaurants.

 

That being said, we did pay it without grumbling (until now LOL) and when we sail on the Dream next month with 2 of the kids, we'll pay it again. I just wanted to point out there are times when the $10 pp per day does seem like a lot -- especially when there are 4 or 5 and the cruise is 10 days as our next one is! Maybe I should insist we all eat in the dinning room - not really why we choose to sail, but...

 

I actually include it in our "sailing budget" when we are pricing cruises but a newbie might get a shock when they have that on there bill -- along with the pop that they THOUGHT was free ;)

I am assuming (I know a bad thing to do) that all the children were over 12. If not the recommended amount is $5 per day. Again, I think you may be forgetting all the people who are sharing the $10 per day. Of course for a family of 5 that is a huge amount at the end, but it is the price for cruising or doing any other type of family vacation. I feel sometimes the same when tipping the concierge but realize if we are lucky enough to be able to use the services we have to pay for them. Try going to Vegas and see how much tips are per day!!! NMNita

[katiel53]

I don't understand why people feel that they don't need to tip the $10 p/p per day because they aren't eating in the dining room. The waiters in the dining room aren't the only people who benefit from the charge. The cabin steward, assistant cabin steward, the maitre 'd who seats you where you'd like, the waiters/waitresses in the free specialty restaurants and probably someone I have forgotten.

 

When traveling with children, who many times aren't paying the same rate as an adult by being the 3rd of 4th in a cabin are not charged the full rate as an adult. Kids many times make more of a mess in the dining room, buffet or wherever and in the cabin. The older kids eat tons more (based on experience) in the buffet, dining room etc. The service charge is not going to go away.

 

Sooner or later all lines will just add this to the charge of the cruise up front. It will be included as part of the cruise charges and then you won't be able to have anything reduced, even if there is poor service and you report it. I'd like to only tip where I felt there was good service, but sooooooooo many people felt they didn't have to tip for whatever reason, including kids, that now there is the service charge. I cruised when my son was young and I always tipped for him, so I am not just talking thru my hat.

 

Cruise employees seem to go out of their way for kids and I feel the service charge is part of cruising.

 

Katie

[SailAways]

OK, lets say that the NCL Spirit, with a capacity of 1,966 double occupancy, and a crew of 965 is fully booked.

A family of four - all over 12 years of age, just for the sake of calculations.

This is $40 per day total if you choose it to be. If you desire to add extra for exemplory service from whom ever, that is your choice.

So, for a 7 day cruise, we are looking at $280 total for 4 people.

How in the world could you do better if you were doing any other type of vacation??.

This is room and board, plus personal service at your beck and call on a huge cruise ship.

$280 for a crew of 965 for 4 people for 7 days - Hmmmm... Sounds pretty sweet to some of us.

And, yes, I do intend to acknowledge those who go the extra mile, and make my trip as pleasurable as possible.

[Don Haynes]

Lets see, Carnival and Princess have gone to the auto-tipping policy too in some form or anoher. I believe Holland American, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity still hand out envelopes on the last day.

 

So many times when I eat out at a 4* restaurant at home, I see so many people skimp on tips..... I can imagine how many would skimp out with 7 days of tips eating in a 4* restaurant at sea compared to the one night a week at home.... TOO MANY!

 

If you don't want to tip, stay at home and eat at McDonalds.....

 

I prefer the auto-tip being added to my ship board account than having to dig up the money to put in envelopes on the last day. And with Freestyle cruising, with different waiters and restaurants, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE TIPS RIGHT!

 

Your cruise costs you two grand, add 70 dollars a day each ...thats the price of your cruise..... What's so difficult?

 

On my last cruise last week to Bermuda on the Majesty, one young lady complained that her buzzer went off and she had to change her baby's diapers when she was eating at Le Bistro.... NCL is not a baby sitter, and does not offer a baby sitting service. Leave your babies at home if you don't want to change their diapers in the middle of your expensive meals, or better yet, don't have a baby....

[mbisson]

or better yet, don't have a baby....

 

I agree with much of what you said, but aren't you glad your parents didn't do as you said in that last line?

 

-Monte

[angeldust4300]

I believe you can adjust your gratuity. I am not saying this is right or wrong, just trying to answer the question .:)

 

(can you still add or subtract the $10 a day gratuity if you like or do not like the service?)

[pvtbear]

Just got off the Star a couple days ago and the whole tipping thing perplexed us (maybe we were too relaxed at the end of the trip).

 

This was our first time on NCL but have cruised a lot on HAL and Windstar. Are used to the $7.50 pp daily tip for waiter and cabin steward and then $3 pp daily for Maitre'D, cabin asst and supervisor. This is $49 per day for a couple or about $350 for a week's cruise. The $10 NCl added to the bill seemed inadequate (service exceeded our expectations most of the time this trip). We tipped extra at the specialty restaurants (when warranted) and handed a few $5s out in Versailles the last breakfast to people we always saw who were great. Then we gave the cabin steward and asst $30 each.

 

Always wanted to know how much of the specialty restaurant cover charge went to wait staff. Thought cover charge should have been about half what they are charging (based on comparing food/service to specialty restaurants on HAL, Celebrity and Oceana).

 

Just seems like we've overtipped on other cruises or mandatory amount was short on NCL for what we got.

 

Would have preferred if $10 mandatory amount went to dining staff tip pool and that we could handle the cabin staff on our own. Unfortunately this sounds like an administrative nightmare for the ship but would have worked good for us.

 

Pretty good that this was our biggest dillema on a week's cruise!

[shoreguy]

I believe you can adjust your gratuity. I am not saying this is right or wrong, just trying to answer the question .:)

 

(can you still add or subtract the $10 a day gratuity if you like or do not like the service?)

 

Yes you can based on the extent of the problem. One bad waiter will not result in the ability to remove the whole $10.

[newmexicoNita]

I believe you can adjust your gratuity. I am not saying this is right or wrong, just trying to answer the question .:)

 

(can you still add or subtract the $10 a day gratuity if you like or do not like the service?)

Not quite true anymore as it is a service charge, not a gratuity. Yes, with a reason you can, but you can't just walk up to the purser, say I don't want to give $10 a day and get it reduced anymore than you can get the service charge reduced in other countries that automatically add it to you bill. NMNita

[Log42]

You can still adjust your gratuities. However, you will first need to speak with the Front Office Manager, and then the Hotel Director about why you wish to make an adjustment. The only way it will be adjusted is with the Hotel Director's approval. Up until this point, the adjustment process was far too easy: simply walk up to the reception desk and fill out a form. Too many passengers were removing all their gratuities for "financial reasons," or for very minor service concerns. Hope this helps...