Gratuities going up...minimally

[amarvel]

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

Have you ever tried to do that lol they don't make it easy to do :)

[OceanDreaming2]

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

 

Thank you for posting this information. I'm having trouble finding the original post from Norwegian. Can you also provide a link so I can share it with our group? Thanks.

[asubaru]

Quote:

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

 

Quote

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!"

 

 

I think it's great! If I get a room steward and butler as inefficient as I did on a recent sailing, it will ease my mind by not tipping extra.

[pieshops]

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.

 

 

It's 3 dollars. More per day pp. so for a 7 day cruise 21 dollars extra per person. Should not be a burden for anyone.

[jjikids]

Celebrity has $15 for suites and they say it covers the butler. We felt the butler did deserve more than the $3 per person per day.

[triptolemus]

These employees are exclusive to the suites and hence compensation for their services need to come from the guests accommodating these cabins.

 

 

It always has come from guests accommodating those cabins... From the DSC they already pay.

 

There has been no indication whatsoever that there has been any change in the way these employees are compensated.

There was, in fact, an indication. As found in the text posted in #4 above. Butler and concierge have not previously been included in any descriptor of the DSC previously up until this point, whether official NCL communication, or an e-mail pasted by a TA.

Edited February 11, 2015 by triptolemus

[JohnIreland]

Still too low for the service you get.

Edited February 11, 2015 by JohnIreland

[Bird in Jersey]

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.

 

I don't think anyone is complaining!! I can only speak for myself. I can do a lot with my $28. Some in my family call me cheap. I call it being frugal. I will prepay earlier than expected, because my 14 year old who thinks that I have deep pockets, knows the secret menu at Starbucks, while I make my coffee at home each morning. Heck I just want to know why NCL just didn't make the new fee a nice round number:rolleyes:

Thanks for the information. Just when I think I have learned enough from cc, I find something new.

[triptolemus]

Heck I just want to know why NCL just didn't make the new fee a nice round number:rolleyes:

 

I think you know the answer, but, just for S&G...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_pricing

[jackson bernard]

I booked our cruise it said $12.00. Now they raise it 95 cents pp pd. it's not fair some are paying more than others for the same services. If I have to go to guest services to remove the extra 95 cents pp pd, I am just going to remove the whole thing and tip directly, and no I am not tipping the entertainment staff or laundry or contributing to their fleet wide fund. If the line is too long, I will dispute the charge when I get home.

[NJ Johnny]

Thank you HoopTroop and conanrob for sharing this info with us. Those of us with cruises coming up can prepay now and save a few dollars.

[DMH15]

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.

There are some of us who always tip extra to the room steward and are quite generous with the Butler and concierge. I am one of those that uses them a bit more so I will continue to take what I have budgeted. I prepaid my daily service charges for my April cruise a month ago just to get them out of the way.

 

I am guessing that there is a group of folks who don't tip extra at all for Butler and concierge. Hence the up charge. I am very surprised it is only two dollars more I thought maybe it would be $19.95, at the least.

[DMH15]

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

Agree. It is not fair to generalize. I have friends who are very well-off who never cruise in suites, as they spend minimal time in the room.

 

I like the NCS suite life so I adjust for it. I am mid-50s divorced with no kids. I drive a mile each way to work so my nine-year-old car is sufficient. I've been on my job 24 years have great bosses, i get lots of vacation and a nice bonus every year and I like to treat myself to a suite but I would not call myself rich. But I cannot complain.

[DMH15]

Really

 

Post of the day!!!

[emcelh]

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

Not all suites on all ships are Haven suites though. Outside the Haven, the same stewards service all types of cabins. We usually book aft penthouses, room is a little larger but bathroom is identical to a mini suite. I wouldn't be at all surprised if people who left additional tips for the stewards and other staff servicing suites leave less. While an increase in the DSC is probably due I'm concerned the charging $2.00 more for all suites might hurt the staff.

[OceanDreaming2]

I booked our cruise it said $12.00. Now they raise it 95 cents pp pd. it's not fair some are paying more than others for the same services. If I have to go to guest services to remove the extra 95 cents pp pd, I am just going to remove the whole thing and tip directly, and no I am not tipping the entertainment staff or laundry or contributing to their fleet wide fund. If the line is too long, I will dispute the charge when I get home.

 

I can understand you may not think the entertainment staff does anything for you. Think again.

 

But how can you say you're not going to need clean towels or sheets?

[jackson bernard]

I can understand you may not think the entertainment staff does anything for you. Think again.

 

But how can you say you're not going to need clean towels or sheets?

 

Obviously clean sheets should be part of the fare.

[DrNora]

We have been paying 14.95 on RCL in suites for years-

I find this fair as the suites require more work than a smaller stateroom. It has been 18 months so I do not know if they have increased

 

Also- I have 2 cruises booked and the rep I was connected to told me to pay my DSC now... No explanation.- he just said it was " advised" This was about 3 weeks ago. Guess he was trying to save me some bucks.

[KeithJenner]

When it comes to tipping, there are a number of people (on both sides) who are not interested in a discussion, but just want to once again state their view. There is no point in trying to argue with them. Just move on and don't encourage them.

[OceanDreaming2]

Obviously clean sheets should be part of the fare.

 

You should visit the laundry facilities down in the bowels of the ship. Tons and tons of sheets, towels, etc. The people that work there deserve their portion of the DSC.

[egh170]

Does that imply that final payment also has to be made prior to February 28th to secure the current rate?

Edited February 12, 2015 by egh170

[tawaik]

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

 

Thank you for this detailed information.

[DMH15]

Hey guys. Let's keep this positive. There will always be people who feel differently. If NCL raised the DSC a nickel some would still complain. I know most of the folks on this forum feel about the great crews as I do. Nobody likes to see prices go up but that's life. I feel so blessed to be able to spend some vacation time on a cruise. And the NCL crews make it special. From the butler I love ;) to the laundry staff.

[SeaCookie94]

Hey guys. Let's keep this positive. There will always be people who feel differently. If NCL raised the DSC a nickel some would still complain. I know most of the folks on this forum feel about the great crews as I do. Nobody likes to see prices go up but that's life. I feel so blessed to be able to spend some vacation time on a cruise. And the NCL crews make it special. From the butler I love ;) to the laundry staff.

 

 

Love this!

[aquarianne11]

Does that imply that final payment also has to be made prior to February 28th to secure the current rate?

 

I would like to know as well.

We have a cruise on Dec 2015, can I pre-pay the DSC now?

Thanks in advance.