Auto Gratuity At Specialty Restaurant Implemented

[PokerDave]

That's the thing about the daily; it was talked about but not actually shown. There's links in this thread regarding the FAQs / Policies, but without the daily or receipt showing the 18% for the specialty restaurant; it just stories with no backup proof. By next week, if other posters / reviewers that were on this sailing are complaining about it; then I/we will get our answers....

 

Not sure about that. There's still people who think the moon pictures are fake... :D:D:D

 

Just being funny. Your point is taken. Were it false though you would think NCL would have stepped in and put this to rest a long time ago. They are pretty good at watching the board...

[lambchoplady]

"IF" all this is true (and I suspect it is), and if I eat at a specialty restaurant, and if I am forced to pay the 18% gratuity, won't I be able to deduct it from the DSC? I realize that will incur a special trip to Guest Services, but it might be worth it!

[PokerDave]

LOL @ "petulant outrage"! :rolleyes:

 

Why can it simply be a different opinion?

 

There always has to be "attacks", "outrage", etc... I'll never understand the need for all the drama.

 

Differing opinion is fine. Love a good argument. Calling names we should skip... My comment was directed at someone stoking the drama rather than the argument in my opinion. You don't hear someone call someone else petulant very often unless they are hiding behind a keyboard.

[hpecorari]

That's the thing about the daily; it was talked about but not actually shown. There's links in this thread regarding the FAQs / Policies, but without the daily or receipt showing the 18% for the specialty restaurant; it just stories with no backup proof. By next week, if other posters / reviewers that were on this sailing are complaining about it; then I/we will get our answers....

 

As many people have the UDP and it's not added on to that promo, many won't even know about it as they won't see it. It'll only show up if you pay for a specific specialty restaurant.

 

Harriet

[dna529]

As many people have the UDP and it's not added on to that promo, many won't even know about it as they won't see it. It'll only show up if you pay for a specific specialty restaurant.

 

Harriet

 

Yes. Guess I'll be finding out in 17 days on the Sky. We don't have the UDP.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

[maywell]

Not sure about that. There's still people who think the moon pictures are fake... :D:D:D

 

Just being funny. Your point is taken. Were it false though you would think NCL would have stepped in and put this to rest a long time ago. They are pretty good at watching the board...

 

They'll only step in when the entire forum AND NCL customer rep line is in complete flames. I bet when the photo finally does shows up, they'll have a tough PR control problem.:o Right now, to them it just conspiracy talk with no concrete evidence from 1 or 2 people that are not NCL employees but cruise passengers with not much internet access and, sadly right so they're going to ignore for now.....:(

[emcelh]

"IF" all this is true (and I suspect it is), and if I eat at a specialty restaurant, and if I am forced to pay the 18% gratuity, won't I be able to deduct it from the DSC? I realize that will incur a special trip to Guest Services, but it might be worth it!

 

I doubt you'll be alone at guest services with that intention. They may have to increase staff to handle all the requests.

[maywell]

As many people have the UDP and it's not added on to that promo, many won't even know about it as they won't see it. It'll only show up if you pay for a specific specialty restaurant.

 

Harriet

 

Some people may have, can't say many people because not everyone want to pay for the UDP for various reasons. My reasons for not paying for it is because 1) I'm not a steakhouse person nor a heavy meat eater which leaves just Le Bistro, Teppanaki & La Cucina and when I do the cost analysis; I have to eat at 1st 2 alot to make it cost effective, which is just waste in my eyes because I don't like eating at the same spot all week long. 2) Went on the Breakaway last year and didn't mind the taste of the free food especially from the buffet; so that makes paying for the UDP useless for me plus the MDR / buffet rotate most of their meal offerings which is prefect for me. And finally 3) my favorite specialty restaurants are Sushi Bar and Noodle Bar which is a 20% discount but not really free under the UDP. Other people probably have better excuses why they don't buy it, but those are my 3 main reasons.

 

I think there's many people that don't have it but probably think it normal for the 18% tips on the tab and/or haven't come back yet to give a review to say what's going on. We only have the word of 1 or 2 people saying it happening out of 3k passengers with no photo proof - so, of course I'm bit skeptical til next week when more are able to post what's going on or show pictures of it.

[NLH Arizona]

"IF" all this is true (and I suspect it is), and if I eat at a specialty restaurant, and if I am forced to pay the 18% gratuity, won't I be able to deduct it from the DSC? I realize that will incur a special trip to Guest Services, but it might be worth it!

Yes, you can reduce or remove all or some of the DSC.

[LMaxwell]

Honest question here.

 

On my next cruise we don't have the dining plan, but we are being given OBC by our T/A. I had planned to use this OBC for one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Now, it is my understand OBC can't be used to pay any gratuities; does this include the new 18% charge on specialty? Does that mean I can use my OBC on the dinner but they are going to charge my credit card the 18% even if I haven't "used up" my OBC?

[hpecorari]

Honest question here.

 

On my next cruise we don't have the dining plan, but we are being given OBC by our T/A. I had planned to use this OBC for one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Now, it is my understand OBC can't be used to pay any gratuities; does this include the new 18% charge on specialty? Does that mean I can use my OBC on the dinner but they are going to charge my credit card the 18% even if I haven't "used up" my OBC?

 

That's a good question. I don't know the answer! LOL But, I'd like to take a guess......

 

My understanding is that you can't use OBC given by NCL for DSC but can use OBC for gratuities for the Butler and Concierge so because of that I'd think you can use your NCL OBC for it. OTOH, if it's OBC given by your TA and not due to a promo that's given by NCL I think you can use it anywhere.

 

But again, this is just my guess. You could always try calling NCL and ask them......but you'll have to call a few times and hope you get the right answer more than one time!

 

Harriet

[hawkeyetlse]

Now, it is my understand OBC can't be used to pay any gratuities; does this include the new 18% charge on specialty?

Some types of OBC cannot be used to pay the daily service charge. The auto-tips on drinks and spa can be paid with OBC, and I would assume that it is the same with the specialty dining auto-tip currently (allegedly :p) being charged on BA.

 

It should be repeated, though, that NCL has not announced this new 18% auto-tip on specialty dining, so no one can say for sure if it wil be charged on your cruise, or whether you can pay it using restricted OBC.

[hpecorari]

Some people may have, can't say many people because not everyone want to pay for the UDP for various reasons. My reasons for not paying for it is because 1) I'm not a steakhouse person nor a heavy meat eater which leaves just Le Bistro, Teppanaki & La Cucina and when I do the cost analysis; I have to eat at 1st 2 alot to make it cost effective, which is just waste in my eyes because I don't like eating at the same spot all week long. 2) Went on the Breakaway last year and didn't mind the taste of the free food especially from the buffet; so that makes paying for the UDP useless for me plus the MDR / buffet rotate most of their meal offerings which is prefect for me. And finally 3) my favorite specialty restaurants are Sushi Bar and Noodle Bar which is a 20% discount but not really free under the UDP. Other people probably have better excuses why they don't buy it, but those are my 3 main reasons.

 

I think there's many people that don't have it but probably think it normal for the 18% tips on the tab and/or haven't come back yet to give a review to say what's going on. We only have the word of 1 or 2 people saying it happening out of 3k passengers with no photo proof - so, of course I'm bit skeptical til next week when more are able to post what's going on or show pictures of it.

 

Wonder what happens if one has a few drinks with dinner. Are they charged 18% twice....once for the drinks and once for dinner or just once with it all together? If that's the case they might not even realize that the dinner has been included or added to that 18%.

 

Another reason some may not have the UDP is because they prefer to drink so get the UBP.

 

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

 

It should be repeated, though, that NCL has not announced this new 18% auto-tip on specialty dining, so no one can say for sure if it wil be charged on your cruise, or whether you can pay it using restricted OBC.

 

Correct, on the US site. It has been announced on the UK site.

 

http://www.ncl.co.uk/freestyle-cruising/dining/

 

 

Further down in the small print under specialty dining:

 

*Cover charge subject to change at any time. Please note that we charge 18% gratuity. Not all dining options are available on all ships. You can see which restaurants are available on each ship here. The Dining Terms & Conditions of Norwegian Cruise Line apply. Teppanyaki (on bord N. Spirit and N. Sun) ,Ginza Asian Restaurant (on bord N. Star) and Sushi Bar (on bord N. Star, N. Spirit, N. Dawn, N. Jade, N. Sun, N. Jewel, Pride of America, N. Gem and N. Pearl) can not be pre-reserved.

 

Harriet

Edited March 20, 2015 by hpecorari

[SissasMomE]

Can the "tip" not be removed???

 

Good question. I would think you could draw a line through it, write the total in, and just sign.

[hawkeyetlse]

Wonder what happens if one has a few drinks with dinner. Are they charged 18% twice....once for the drinks and once for dinner or just once with it all together?

As insidecabin said earlier in this thread, you are given one check to sign with the dining charges (cover charge, extra entrée charges, upcharge items), and one or several separate checks to sign for drinks. Any applicable tips and taxes will be clearly indicated on each check, separately.

[maywell]

Wonder what happens if one has a few drinks with dinner. Are they charged 18% twice....once for the drinks and once for dinner or just once with it all together? If that's the case they might not even realize that the dinner has been included or added to that 18%.

 

Another reason some may not have the UDP is because they prefer to drink so get the UBP.

 

 

Harriet

 

Here's the thing why I'm skeptical regarding the 18% - Are people who are saying that it being automatically tip for dinner didn't included a drink with that meal? Because if a paid drink was included with the dinner that explains why it automatically add and perhaps a bug in the system where it calculated everything together instead of just the drink alone. Or was no paid beverage added at all with the meal and it truly is case of NCL technically 'double-dipping ' for tips? That's why photo of a receipt showing one of the scenarios or daily showing the language that 18% is now included for specialty restaurants is extremely helpful to clear up any confusion.

 

Reason why I will never buy the UBP, I can't drink 6-8 soda or alcohol every day - rather drink water than shut down my pancreas that quickly like that. You can get another kidney or liver but pancreas affect by diabetes is a different story.....

[pixiedustdawn]

Correct, on the US site. It has been announced on the UK site.

 

http://www.ncl.co.uk/freestyle-cruising/dining/

 

 

Further down in the small print under specialty dining:

 

*Cover charge subject to change at any time. Please note that we charge 18% gratuity. Not all dining options are available on all ships. You can see which restaurants are available on each ship here. The Dining Terms & Conditions of Norwegian Cruise Line apply. Teppanyaki (on bord N. Spirit and N. Sun) ,Ginza Asian Restaurant (on bord N. Star) and Sushi Bar (on bord N. Star, N. Spirit, N. Dawn, N. Jade, N. Sun, N. Jewel, Pride of America, N. Gem and N. Pearl) can not be pre-reserved.

 

Harriet

 

Thank you, I am also looking right at it in my Freestyle Daily from the Gem.

[hpecorari]

Thank you, I am also looking right at it in my Freestyle Daily from the Gem.

 

Anyway to upload a photo of that here.....please!

 

Harriet

[hawkeyetlse]

Thank you, I am also looking right at it in my Freestyle Daily from the Gem.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the end of the world. :p

[hpecorari]

As insidecabin said earlier in this thread, you are given one check to sign with the dining charges (cover charge, extra entrée charges, upcharge items), and one or several separate checks to sign for drinks. Any applicable tips and taxes will be clearly indicated on each check, separately.

 

Thank you, I must have missed that post.

 

Harriet

[maywell]

Thank you, I am also looking right at it in my Freestyle Daily from the Gem.

 

Mind taking a picture of it? Its greatly appreciate!!

[pixiedustdawn]

[hpecorari]

Thank you!

 

Harriet

 

[SissasMomE]

and there you have it. Even for sushi. Unbelievable.

Edited March 20, 2015 by SissasMomE