15% gratuity on all drinks !

[mypleasure]

P&O - full of whinging, stiffing Brits eating crap food - no thanks!:rolleyes:

 

 

I wish there was a like button.

 

Having spent 7 years listening to a colleague banging on about her cruises on P & O I vowed never to set foot on a cruise ship. When I was looking to cruise Alaska I found NCL. Not at all what I thought cruising would be like.

[Submariner]

I guess I should chime in.

 

I hate the idea of forced gratuity. Yet, I am perfectly content with giving tips when service is good. I remember I wanted to have a beer with my meal on one of past cruises. Server that was going around came up to me, I ordered, she continued to go around asking people what they want. Um... how about you go get my drink first? Anyway, 10 minutes later, she finally shows up, when I am finishing up my meal. And there's 15% added for "exceptional service". Yeah, I paid it, only because I did not want to make a fuss out of it.

 

Knowing 100% that you will get a tip no matter what, removes the need to perform better. You can do bare minimum, and still get tipped like hardest working person on the ship. So what's the point of overworking yourself?

 

Also, kind of reminds me of this rooftop bar I went to in NYC. I asked for long island ice tea. Bartender takes his time to chat with some hot girl, then finally gets around to making me a drink. It comes in a flimsy plastic cup and he's telling me that it will be $18. I give him $20. He gives me dirty look, and says "Sir, the $18 does not include tip" expecting more. If you want more, maybe you should put some effort into serving your customer, instead of chatting up some girl at the bar.

 

Going back to cruise tipping, I think common "Tip for great service" should be there, with a tip guide printed on receipt; instead of forced gratuity. It will encourage staff to work better, and be properly rewarded for their work. And it will give people an option to tip more, if service was outstanding.

 

 

Nice response, sir. Well said.

 

 

Sent from my iCouch

[Blondie008]

P&O - full of whinging, stiffing Brits eating crap food - no thanks!:rolleyes:

 

 

:D Curry for lunch? Quoits anyone?

 

Worst nightmare which I think could possibly only be bettered by Thomsons!

[Out to sea!]

Threads like this one just reenforce my joy of having stopped drinking. So if NCL raised the prices of all drinks 15% and dropped the 15% mandatory gratuity this would make some people happy to pay the exact same amount but characterize it differently?

 

That is exactly the way some Europeans think. Some can't begin to understand that to have their so-called "living wage" they pay a whole lot more for some product just so they don't have to worry about paying a tip. They will pay $30 for a meal out in Europe and not say a word then come to the US, pay $20 for the same meal and complain about leaving a $3 tip when in reality they will have paid $7 less than back home. Go figure. :rolleyes:

[Out to sea!]

Agreed. But the irony is that we are talking about a cruise and not land vacation in the US. The ship is not US flagged, the itinerary is not in the US, the crew that profits from the 15% on the drinks is not from the US and on a lot of the european cruises the US american guests are way below 50%.

 

So while I agree that there is no need to remove the DSC or the 15% gratitude it is not because of any american cultural thing as those european cruises on NCL have nothing to do with the US.

 

Du hast nicht rechts. :D The vessel is home ported in the US and the company's headquarters is in the US so therefore the practices on board are based on US practices. One could always take a Rhine River cruise for $3,000 on a European flagged vessel and not have to worry about tipping at all is one so chooses.

[Out to sea!]

OP periodically starts stirring posts about tips. If OP came to London for a river cruise they would NOT be happy with booze prices compared to Blackburn.:eek:

 

But the OP has made it plain in many threads that he doesn't care what he pays for anything as long as he doesn't have to TIP someone. :D

[mjkacmom]

Nice response, sir. Well said.

 

 

Sent from my iCouch

 

The tip, in this case, goes directly to the bartender (on land, it would go to the server, who tips out to the bartender). When taking drink orders in a restaurant, the server takes all of the drink orders, brings them to the bar, collects all of the drinks, and brings them to the table.

[maywell]

But the OP has made it plain in many threads that he doesn't care what he pays for anything as long as he doesn't have to TIP someone. :D

 

So in other words, he doesn't mind paying $12-15 a drink as long as it doesn't have gratuities added to it? I must be living in NYC too long, I thought as long the drink and tips was under $12 and it was at least 16-20oz plus made well, it's a good deal. And $12 for beer; that better be premium, imported directly from Europe /Asia or at least 2-3 cheap American ones.

 

If you're not going to to tip the 15% which is like what $2 or less on $15 and under on drinks, then you might as well either bring your own alcohol and pay the fee. Or just don't go drinking on the ship and some ports (I got charge 15% at all the ports I went to on my 1st trip).

[Single Cruiser]

The other thing I find amusing is that US passengers in Europe don't blink an eye at 15% tip to hand you a bottle at the bar (oh and take the lid off) yet complain when 10% VAT is added. Something which is a given whenever you buy goods and services at home..

 

:eek: :D

[SeaShark]

The other thing I find amusing is that US passengers in Europe don't blink an eye at 15% tip to hand you a bottle at the bar (oh and take the lid off) yet complain when 10% VAT is added. Something which is a given whenever you buy goods and services at home..

 

:eek: :D

 

Really an apples to oranges example, no? It's one thing to reward someone for their hard work and service. However, it is another thing to have your money forcibly taken for no other reason than government enrichment.

 

 

The real question is why paying $5 for the drink plus $0.75 for a tip is such an issue? The alternative would be to pay $6 for the drink with no tip. (The tip...along with the admisitrative costs to the business...would be covered by the $1 price increase.) Would everyone be happier with the higher prices?

[njhorseman]

The other thing I find amusing is that US passengers in Europe don't blink an eye at 15% tip to hand you a bottle at the bar (oh and take the lid off) yet complain when 10% VAT is added. Something which is a given whenever you buy goods and services at home..

 

:eek: :D

 

That's rather obvious. Americans are accustomed to tipping wait staff, bartenders etc. at home because they realize that is the way the workers earn their living. We understand how that is also the case on most cruise lines...certain crew depend on the tips to earn their living.

 

However, no one likes paying taxes and we're used to (and appreciate) not having to pay tax on the vast majority of cruise itineraries. European cruises where VAT is added are outside of our normal cruising experience and expectations.

[Single Cruiser]

That's rather obvious. Americans are accustomed to tipping wait staff, bartenders etc. at home because they realize that is the way the workers earn their living. We understand how that is also the case on most cruise lines...certain crew depend on the tips to earn their living.

 

However, no one likes paying taxes and we're used to (and appreciate) not having to pay tax on the vast majority of cruise itineraries. European cruises where VAT is added are outside of our normal cruising experience and expectations.

 

Exactly. Sorry it was a loaded question :) to prove the points already covered. In US and US cruise lines tips added as on mainland. In Europe VAT added just as on the mainland. For cruisers migrating from British lines the initial tips thing comes as a shock. But if you said its $x inc vat most would just accept it. Hence why RCI on Indy just show price and vat.

 

Personally I tip extra (yep, shock horror). I normally buy a beverage package pre-paid. But on day 1 at my fave bars I add a $ extra to certain bar staff. Works a dream and a few days in if bar is busy I catch their eye and my usual appears seconds later ;)

Edited June 1, 2014 by Single Cruiser

[Out to sea!]

So in other words, he doesn't mind paying $12-15 a drink as long as it doesn't have gratuities added to it? I must be living in NYC too long, I thought as long the drink and tips was under $12 and it was at least 16-20oz plus made well, it's a good deal. And $12 for beer; that better be premium, imported directly from Europe /Asia or at least 2-3 cheap American ones.

 

If you're not going to to tip the 15% which is like what $2 or less on $15 and under on drinks, then you might as well either bring your own alcohol and pay the fee. Or just don't go drinking on the ship and some ports (I got charge 15% at all the ports I went to on my 1st trip).

 

That's about the gist of it. The thought of having to tip someone is abhorrent to him because in his country, they just don't do that because their servers make a "proper living wage". Can't seem to understand that the "tip" he hates so much is simply added to the price of the meal so in the few cases he does receive lousy service, he has no recourse in the matter.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Out to sea!

[Out to sea!]

The other thing I find amusing is that US passengers in Europe don't blink an eye at 15% tip to hand you a bottle at the bar (oh and take the lid off) yet complain when 10% VAT is added. Something which is a given whenever you buy goods and services at home..

 

:eek: :D

 

I would think that most Americans don't even know there is a VAT tax since in the UK, like the rest of Europe, the tax is already added into the listed price you see on store shelves. It is not added after the fact at the register as it is in the US.

 

Please tell me what country in Europe has a 10% VAT tax? The UK was 11% when I was stationed there in 1981 and is now 20%. Germany is 19% and Hungary is the highest at 27%. Luxembourg is currently the lowest at 15% but will jump to 17% next year. Now I will complain that the VAT is exorbitant (though not noticeable to a foreign consumer due to the above reason) but I know it has to be high to pay for the socialist lifestyle preferred by Europeans.

[BuffetPantsPls]

I think the tipping thing to us Brits is as alien as the idea of not tipping or removing the gratuity is to Americans (and Canadians?). If we go for a meal and it costs £18 we will tell them to keep the change, but if it's £20 we would probably just give then £1 or £2. To be honest even when we go for a real posh meal and have a bill of £100 for the two of us we would still only tip a few pounds. Having been a waitress for a few years In my student days (at a golf/country club) that's the norm here, but then we have the minimum wage, and more often than not the Living Wage. We would certainly never tip in a bar or pub, unless it was a special occasion, we knew the staff, and had won some money in the horses! :D

 

As for the drink being "cheap" - compared to our drinks prices they are nearly twice what we would pay in our local where a spirit and a mixer is about £3, £4.50 at a more swanky venue. :eek:

 

 

 

But if you did tip at a london pub, you get buy backs ;-) makes it more fun for everyone

[luddite]

It appears that as well as the high cost of beer and wine on board ship, NCL charge a recommended 15% gratuity on all drinks. Is this 15% gratuity enforceable or is it like in a restaurant, when if you do not consider you have good service, you refuse to paying any service charge. When I go to a bar in England, I do not give the barman a tip for him/her to pour me a pint or give me a bottle. If I guess that you sign for all drinks with no actual cash taking place, can you delete the gratuity and sign for the actual drink. I am not too sure whether this may rather annoy or upset the bar staff, but what is the gratuity actually for? I know that all Americans seem to live on tips, but I am not American, and the cruise is in Europe. Just curious therefore as to how common it is to refuse to pay any gratuity on a beer or bottle of wine. It is of course only a recommended amount, so on that basis a zero gratuity should cause no problem.

 

You should cancel and stay home.

[jethrojam]

While I don't anymore, I did work in the service industry for a few years. Here are somethings I can add. If I didn't provide you with the services that you asked for - don't tip me. If I did, then show your appreciation by giving me 15%. If I gave you exemplary service, then 18% is the norm. If I went above and beyond the call of duty (I bartended -opening a bottle and handing it to you is not above and beyond) then give what you think is appropriate (20% or above).

 

So to answer the OP's or anyone else's question: If you get the correct drink then yes 15% is mandatory. If you feel like the service was terrible, then don't give the server something extra. If that person wants to make some money he or she will give good service. If not, well then the server won't make any money. Capitalism 101. Get paid well for doing a good job. If your boss didn't reward you for good work, you wouldn't last very long either, right?

 

 

Oh and as a side note: On average, it will cost you about 1 american dollar for every 10 minutes on the ship. Do you really want to spend 10 minutes in a line then talking to someone about not tipping the bartender a dollar? I'd rather spend it by the pool or in the sun. Just my 2 cents.

[Ewoodspark]

You should cancel and stay home.

Whilst a number of replies have been "interesting", some are just crazy. If posting about the suggested 15% gratuity on drinks, why on earth would I want to cancel a forthcoming cruise and lose my deposit of £320.Just think about it for a minute

Edited June 3, 2014 by Ewoodspark

[TrumpyNor]

While I don't anymore, I did work in the service industry for a few years. Here are somethings I can add. If I didn't provide you with the services that you asked for - don't tip me. If I did, then show your appreciation by giving me 15%. If I gave you exemplary service, then 18% is the norm. If I went above and beyond the call of duty (I bartended -opening a bottle and handing it to you is not above and beyond) then give what you think is appropriate (20% or above).

 

So to answer the OP's or anyone else's question: If you get the correct drink then yes 15% is mandatory. If you feel like the service was terrible, then don't give the server something extra. If that person wants to make some money he or she will give good service. If not, well then the server won't make any money. Capitalism 101. Get paid well for doing a good job. If your boss didn't reward you for good work, you wouldn't last very long either, right?

 

 

Oh and as a side note: On average, it will cost you about 1 american dollar for every 10 minutes on the ship. Do you really want to spend 10 minutes in a line then talking to someone about not tipping the bartender a dollar? I'd rather spend it by the pool or in the sun. Just my 2 cents.

 

Agree to all of the above. I just calculate the auto-gratuity as well as the daily service charge as part of the total cruise price, and never think about it as something I should be annoyed about. They work hard for their money and deserve every penny they get from me. If I should receive bad service once in a while, then I just avoid that particular restaurant waiter or bar waiter in the future. It never crosses my mind to say "Please remove my $1,50 gratuity because of bad service"....

 

Sidenote: I am European myself.... :p

Edited June 3, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[Single Cruiser]

Whilst a number of replies have been "interesting", some are just crazy. If posting about the suggested 15% gratuity on drinks, why on earth would I want to cancel a forthcoming cruise and lose my deposit of £320.Just think about it for a minute

 

But American's don't lose deposits :D:cool: unlike us they can move them around, get price reductions etc.. As opposed to paying twice as much as the cabin next door depending on when you book :)

[MCAT48]

Why not just purchase the beverage package and then you only have to worry about paying the 15% one time and it's done.

[thistimeplease]

While I would never consider removing a gratuity or dsc I will not leave extra for a drink. I will leave extra to my steward if that person does a good job but I can't remember the last time a server got me a drink or a bartender did anything more than pop the top off my beer. For that 15% is more than enough.