Gratuities going up...minimally

[HoopTroop]

All categories up to mini suite $12.95 per person/per day

Suite $14.95 per person/per day.

 

HoopTroop

[HoopTroop]

Some call it the daily service charge

[johnql]

OP, would you be so kind as to cite a source or provide a link?

[conandrob240]

Norwegian Cruise Line is adjusting its daily service charges, effective for all sailings that begin on March 1, 2015. The new rates are:

 

$12.95 per guest per day for any category up to a Mini-Suite stateroom.

$14.95 per guest per day for any suite category.

Guests who have previously booked a cruise and are sailing after March 1, 2015, or who are planning to book a cruise now through February 28, 2015, can choose to pre–pay their service charges at the current rate by February 28, 2015. Guests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre–paid their service charges at the current rate will not be affected.

 

Norwegian’s daily service charges, which were last adjusted in 2009, make it easy for guests to provide gratuities to key onboard staff who provide superior guest service during the cruise, including their room steward, restaurant servers and behind–the–scenes support staff. Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff.

 

Thank you for your continued support,

 

Norwegian Cruise Line

[conandrob240]

With the differentiation between suites & standard cabins, does this mean that this tip is expected to cover butler, concierge and Haven staff?

 

And for all those people arguing that $20+ a day was "reasonable" for a butler tip, what do you think of the $2 differential to include them? Shows perhaps what NCL considers standard tip for a butler and concierge.

[hawkeyetlse]

Starting when? Edit: Oops, never mind. :) I see a lot of pre-paying of service charges in everyone's near future…

Edited February 11, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[KTEJ]

What is the current daily rate?

[conandrob240]

$12 per day

[triptolemus]

What is the current daily rate?

 

$12 pp/pd

[triptolemus]

$12.95 per guest per day for any category up to a Mini-Suite stateroom.

$14.95 per guest per day for any suite category.

 

Before everyone goes nuts, let's put this intro perspective.

 

2 guests, 7 day sailing, balcony cabin, net increase: $13.30

2 guests, 7 day sailing, penthouse suite, net increase: $41.30

 

4 guests, 7 day, balcony, $26.60 net increase

4 guests, 7 day, suite, $82.60 net increase

 

Some folks will be more upset than others. One probably doesn't want to hear much from someone whose $4,200 cruise went up by a paltry 40 bucks...

 

Cue the "adjust it how you see fit" folks any moment now...

Edited February 11, 2015 by triptolemus

[SeaCookie94]

I'm sure you can always go to guest services and lower the charge back down to $12 [emoji6]

[Single Cruiser]

I always prepay mine, so that's all 4 of mine this year 27nts in total so I've saved about $26 lol.

[amarvel]

Im curious why the suites are being charged more. If it covers the Butler and concierge then that makes sense but if not there's nothing more for that DSC that you get in a suite that you don't get in an any other room.

[KeithJenner]

I always prepay mine, so that's all 4 of mine this year 27nts in total so I've saved about $26 lol.

 

 

I wonder what they will change the uk prepaid tips to. It was very low at £7 wasn't it, so this could end up being a relatively big increase if they adjust the conversion rate.

 

We've prepaid all ours as well. 124 days in total for the three of us. :)

[emcelh]

I wonder why suites are higher too. I doubt it's going to include the butler and concierge tips. Aside from the steward having a little larger room to clean there's no difference.

Edited February 11, 2015 by emcelh

[triptolemus]

Im curious why the suites are being charged more. If it covers the Butler and concierge then that makes sense but if not there's nothing more for that DSC that you get in a suite that you don't get in an any other room.

 

It's not unreasonable, if the text above is any indication...

 

Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff.

 

I don't think I've ever seen the suites staff mentioned in any service charge description. I suspect, though, that this descriptor will not find it's way to NCL.com, and, as usual most folks here will have no idea exactly how the DSC is disbursed and used. I sure as hell don't expect a butler to say "hey, you don't have to tip us, we're in the DSC now!"

[getupgo]

Maybe they think those people are rich so they can afford it.

[nemini]

I generally prepay anyway, and was planning on doing such on my Escape cruise.

 

That said, I just went to prepay on the website and got "We are unable to display this option at this time."

[Single Cruiser]

I wonder what they will change the uk prepaid tips to. It was very low at £7 wasn't it, so this could end up being a relatively big increase if they adjust the conversion rate.

 

We've prepaid all ours as well. 124 days in total for the three of us. :)

 

Mind you the exchange rate has increased a bit in our favour but still works out about $11 a day for us :) .

[triptolemus]

Maybe they think those people are rich so they can afford it.

 

I can assure you they are not all rich. We save to afford our suites.

[amarvel]

I can assure you they are not all rich. We save to afford our suites.

That's us. we got a fantastic deal and then have been saving for a year now. And that is a bigger chunk of change for our cabin at $124.

[amarvel]

And for me it does create a dilemma. I thought I had 3 months to save $500 and now I have to come up with it in two weeks.

[cruzsnooze]

Those who want to can go to can go guest services and adjust your SUGGESTED gratuity up or down.

[rochelle_s]

Im curious why the suites are being charged more. If it covers the Butler and concierge then that makes sense but if not there's nothing more for that DSC that you get in a suite that you don't get in an any other room.

 

It is very likely that the higher charge for suites is due to many factors.

 

The size of the suite cabin is substantially larger than average, some with multiple rooms and more than one washroom. The number of cabins that a steward services would be less in these areas. (If the average steward had to service 15 cabins -- this would be a too many for a steward in the suite areas, therefore more employees dipping into the DSC).

 

In addition there are numerous other employees who are dedicated workers to the upper cabin categories, such as the the Haven restaurant, bar and courtyard staff, cleaning crew etc for these areas. These employees are exclusive to the suites and hence compensation for their services need to come from the guests accommodating these cabins.

 

This increase has nothing at all to do with the concierge and the butler. There has been no indication whatsoever that there has been any change in the way these employees are compensated.

 

 

Rochelle

[pieshops]

Seriously. Any one that complains about 80 bucks more to pay for a week really should not be cruising. Play one less game of bingo.