Tip question

[LuvTheSea14]

We have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package for our Breakaway Cruise. Can we stop our tips from being put on our bill so that we can tip as we eat at each different restaurant? We will then tip our room steward on our own. Thank you!

[Sauer-kraut]

The Daily Service Charge is in place for a reason. Since you won't have the same staff every meal, nor will you be able to hand out tips to the behind the scenes people you will stiff if you do remove the DSC, just leave the DSC in place and IF you feel to tip more please do it on top.

 

The beauty of the DSC is that you don't have to walk around with bills at every meal to leave something on the table. :D

[luddite]

You can tip anyone at anytime. The Daily Service Charge isn't a tip.

Tips are not expected, the Daily Service Charge IS.

[hawkeyetlse]

Can we stop our tips from being put on our bill so that we can tip as we eat at each different restaurant?

Yes, you can. How much are you thinking of tipping for each dinner, and how much will you give your steward per day?

[LuvTheSea14]

We are a family of 21 people and we are always generous with our tips. We would never under tip anyone. Was just asking if it was allowed. We wanted to tip those who served us to directly get the money.

[Inuvikcouple]

I think I will tip the 3 people that I have to come face to face with but those that I don't actually meet can go without. Correct me if I misunderstood the post and I am sure many of you will.

[Sauer-kraut]

[LuvTheSea14]

Yes I am being misunderstood. I am a nice person and was just asking a question. Sorry if I have offended anyone. Will leave the daily service charge as it is.

[jenn-]

We have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package for our Breakaway Cruise. Can we stop our tips from being put on our bill so that we can tip as we eat at each different restaurant? We will then tip our room steward on our own. Thank you!

 

I might be mistaken (and I'm sure some will correct me), but I think the way NCL does the DSC is they keep up with who served you at each meal and they get that part of the tip for the day. You give them their card and the put in which server you have. That way the whole chain of helpers for that one main waiter also gets their tips. I agree with leaving it in place and just giving anyone you think did a really great job a little extra.

[hawkeyetlse]

We are a family of 21 people and we are always generous with our tips. We would never under tip anyone. Was just asking if it was allowed. We wanted to tip those who served us to directly get the money.

It is allowed (almost anything is allowed when it comes to tipping). But it creates extra work for you, extra work for the front desk, extra work for your servers and your cabin steward… And in the end I'm not sure if anyone is really any better off. If you asked the crew for their opinion, I believe they would all prefer for the 21 of you to leave the $12 automatic service charge in place.

I might be mistaken (and I'm sure some will correct me), but I think the way NCL does the DSC is they keep up with who served you at each meal and they get that part of the tip for the day.

I don't know if you are mistaken or not. Nobody does. Nobody here knows exactly how NCL distributes the DSC to their crew.

[ColinIllinois]

Yes I am being misunderstood. I am a nice person and was just asking a question. Sorry if I have offended anyone. Will leave the daily service charge as it is.

 

 

Don't worry about it for a second. It's just one of those hot-button topics on the forum like smoking and chair hogging.

 

No harm in asking a question. :)

[LuvTheSea14]

Thank you.

[jackson bernard]

We have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package for our Breakaway Cruise. Can we stop our tips from being put on our bill so that we can tip as we eat at each different restaurant? We will then tip our room steward on our own. Thank you!

 

It is a discretionary service charge, not a daily service charge, and you can have it removed by visiting the front desk.

 

You can then tip those you wish and let them control their own money rather than let the cruise line hand it out however they want.

[SuiteCruiser]

It is a discretionary service charge, not a daily service charge, and you can have it removed by visiting the front desk.

 

You can then tip those you wish and let them control their own money rather than let the cruise line hand it out however they want.

 

Except that they have to hand it in and can't keep it or they will lose their jobs. As the other posters said, leave it in place. If you leave it in place, your servers and your cabin stewards can keep their extra money.

[valleyvillage]

Must. Look. Away. Can't. Look. Away.

[triptolemus]

Better than popcorn...

 

[luddite]

It is a discretionary service charge, not a daily service charge, and you can have it removed by visiting the front desk.

 

You can then tip those you wish and let them control their own money rather than let the cruise line hand it out however they want.

 

For the OP---this is bad advice and wrong info.

[njhorseman]

I might be mistaken (and I'm sure some will correct me), but I think the way NCL does the DSC is they keep up with who served you at each meal and they get that part of the tip for the day. You give them their card and the put in which server you have. That way the whole chain of helpers for that one main waiter also gets their tips. I agree with leaving it in place and just giving anyone you think did a really great job a little extra.

 

You give them your card, but you only give one card even if there are passengers from multiple cabins in your party. So they don't allocate your service charge to that waiter because they have no idea who all the other people in your party are and can't possibly allocate your dinner companions' service charges.

 

Say you're a couple having dinner with two other couples you're traveling with. You have a party of six and hand over your card. They can only identify you, because it's your card that was swiped. They have no idea who the others are. All they know is it's a party of six...not who everyone is. What if the other two couples had removed their service charges? That wouldn't be known.

 

As another poster already said, we have no idea how NCL allocates the service charges.

Edited January 22, 2015 by njhorseman

[luvtheships]

I hate to break this to you but in addition to leaving the $12 dsc in place.....

 

The staff that serves you at the specialty places is expecting a little tip too

 

We left $10 for the 3 of us the night we chose to pay $45 to eat at la cucina

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 22, 2015 by luvtheships

[cruiseseal]

From NCL website:

 

Why is there a service charge?

 

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports.

 

It's basically part of staff salary. Obviously it's done this way for financial reasons, tax implications, etc. Most people don't adjust the charges, which is expected. If the service was bad, complain about specific staff members, don't punish the cook who you made your nice meal, unless of course, the meal was the problem.

[johnql]

I hate to break this to you but in addition to leaving the $12 dsc in place.....

 

The staff that serves you at the specialty places is expecting a little tip too

 

We left $10 for the 3 of us the night we chose to pay $45 to eat at la cucina

I have never been given the impression by the staff in the surcharge restaurants that they are expecting a tip. Sometimes I leave one; sometimes I don't. It all depends on the level of service, which is how I believe it should work. No one should feel obligated to tip in the specialty restaurants if they have left the DSC in place.

[Love my butler]

We have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package for our Breakaway Cruise. Can we stop our tips from being put on our bill so that we can tip as we eat at each different restaurant? We will then tip our room steward on our own. Thank you!

 

Yes you can. Simply head to the guest services desk and request to adjust the Discretionary Service Charge (as NCL refers to it). You can adjust it up or down and then cash tip anyone you feel deserves it. Some complain you won't be able to tip those that wash your sheets, dishes etc but if they don't provide me with face-to-face service I don't feel they deserve a tip. Everyone has their own opinion on tipping, but the system most definitely allows you to cash tip only those you think deserve it.

[luvtheships]

I have never been given the impression by the staff in the surcharge restaurants that they are expecting a tip. Sometimes I leave one; sometimes I don't. It all depends on the level of service, which is how I believe it should work. No one should feel obligated to tip in the specialty restaurants if they have left the DSC in place.

 

You are correct no one should feel obligated but the service usually warrants a bit extra

 

I am not one to tip to be a big shot trust me but I was generous on my recent BA 12 day because the steward was the best in 10 cruises.... The mdr staff when ordering wine was incredible ( fwiw we didn't get a wine steward so don't know if they have them or he was just busy) and the specialty mdr staff went overboard

 

As I said I don't tip to be a big shot but this cruise warranted something extra

 

Btw I prepaid my dsc for the first time ever on this cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited January 22, 2015 by luvtheships

[sjbdtz]

I hate to break this to you but in addition to leaving the $12 dsc in place.....

 

The staff that serves you at the specialty places is expecting a little tip too

 

We left $10 for the 3 of us the night we chose to pay $45 to eat at la cucina

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I hate to break this to you, but the staff in specialty places are NOT expecting a little tip too.

 

 

They are compensated through the DSC.

 

 

 

.

[cliffd64]

I hate to break this to you but in addition to leaving the $12 dsc in place.....

 

The staff that serves you at the specialty places is expecting a little tip too

 

We left $10 for the 3 of us the night we chose to pay $45 to eat at la cucina

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

This is simply not true. When you pay the cover charge for a specialty restaurant, you are paying for the better service and experience of the specialty restaurant. It should be and is expected that your service will be excellent. No tipping is expected or required. If someone goes way beyond what you expect, then feel free to tip. But no one should feel obligated to tip in any specialty restaurant. You should arrive with expectations of excellent service, and your expectations should easily be met. If they are exceeded then by all means tip some more if you choose.