Auto Gratuity At Specialty Restaurant Implemented

[njhorseman]

No, because than it wouldn't be any transparency and accountability to pay all the DSC-covered employees on the ship. They don't want to pay the room steward of another cabin while paying for their own, when through that covers both especially since other room steward could be helping out theirs when he's swamped. :rolleyes: NCL needs to tell them the exact dollar of where their money is going, when though NCL is not obligated to give an exact monetary amount just like any other business. :cool:

 

Edit: Before someone says, "Well Royal and Carnival do..."; well NCL is not them, now are they?

 

And Royal no longer does anyway. They stopped providing a breakdown when they adopted the automatic daily gratuity program (similar to NCL's automatic charging of the service charge to your onboard account). Even when they did provide a breakdown they had a footnote in their FAQs stating that the gratuities for some crew positions were shared. So you may have given your cabin steward $X per day, but they didn't get to keep $X.

[DaisyGoldberg]

There are plenty of opportunities on every cruise for those frustrated by not knowing precisely who is included in the DSC/how DSC funds are distributed to ask the hotel manager those precise questions.

 

If the reason for the dismay/disgust is NCL being purposely misleading, put the front line staff (senior staff, not stewards/wait staff) on the spot and ask.

 

There has been a Q+A session with hotel director/captain on every NCL cruise I've been on. Since there are so many people with upcoming cruises scheduled who feel entitled to the information, ask the question and relay the response. It will be a far more effective way of showing displeasure if you feel it's important for them to feel your displeasure.

[Out to sea!]

The staff get it in their wages - they are payed a living wage - not a slave wage as is apparently paid in the US.

 

Define lousy service - if you are expecting the faux smiley 'have a nice day' stuff then you will likely be disappointed. Prompt service, delivering what you ordered efficiently is usual and is deserving of 12.5% SC.

 

So if British staff are paid a living wage, what is the purpose of the 12.5% SC? Just a ripoff then?

 

As an FYI (which you should know since the British started the slaving industry), there is no such thing as a "slave" wage since slaves were never paid.......they were owned. :rolleyes:

[Out to sea!]

How much restaurants charge in UK is a whole other debate - (hint we eat out rarely because it is expensive). How the cost is broken down (food v service charge) is basically irrelevant because we know the cost up front. Whether that total cost represents good value is another thing entirely - at least the restaurant is required by law to display the prices and add-ons before you sit down.

 

We Brits do not obsess with whether the pan-basher gets his cut or not (Minimum Wage Laws apply) - if he did not then the restaurant would have dirty pans.

 

Which is no different than in the US. We understand that a 15-20% tip will be expected on top of the cost of the meal just as you expect to pay a 12.5% SC on top of your meal costs. So why the bad mouthing of the American system while every establishment in London is "deserving" of the SC?

 

And if one can't make the quick mental calculation of what 20% on top of a $10 meal is they deserve to get snookered.

Edited April 12, 2015 by Out to sea!

[Out to sea!]

Personally, I think the reason why they're 'caring' about where the DSC and 'tips' is 'going' is because its technically going to third-world countries (aka as where most of the DSC-covered employees come from). Because otherwise, there would be no discussion about this at all since it would be 'transparent" at a any land-based restaurant in the world; service charges, tips, or VAT. (no its not, since a employee can spend their paycheck however they wish, even send the money to to China or Pakistan, for example)

 

Actually, I want to know where it's going because I want to know if I'm double dipping someone or screwing someone out of something they should be receiving. This NCL doublespeak "they used to be in the DSC and now they are not" is a bit shady to me. If someone is charging me for something, I have a right to know what I am being charged for. So, if I am expected to pay a DSC I have a right to know what the DSC covers.

[Out to sea!]

I agree, NCL shouldn't be held to "special rules" and that is one of the main problems I have had throughout the thread.

 

A business has the right to choose how transparent they want to be or don't want to be with their customers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Sailings,

 

 

TheCapt

 

So, a business can quote you a price and then say there is an additional charge that covers "Odds-n-Ends" and you're good with not knowing what "Odds-n-Ends" are covered by the extra charge?

[insanemagnet]

So if British staff are paid a living wage, what is the purpose of the 12.5% SC? Just a ripoff then?

 

Ironically it is.

 

It is rare to find a service charge in restaurants outside London. Even across the same chain of restaurants, those in London charge, those outside don't.

 

London is full of tourists (both national and international), and the restaurants take advantage of them, especially the American tourists who leave a tip as well.

Edited April 12, 2015 by insanemagnet

[ColinIllinois]

So if British staff are paid a living wage, what is the purpose of the 12.5% SC? Just a ripoff then?

 

As an FYI (which you should know since the British started the slaving industry), there is no such thing as a "slave" wage since slaves were never paid.......they were owned. :rolleyes:

 

 

Not true. Slavery and the slave trade was around way before the Brits got involved.

[Out to sea!]

Not true. Slavery and the slave trade was around way before the Brits got involved.

 

Sorry, I did not finish my thought, Britain started the slaving industry in the US. But the underlying premise that slaves make no wages is still relevant, even if you're talking about the Jews in Egypt.

[LMaxwell]

Sorry, I did not finish my thought, Britain started the slaving industry in the US. But the underlying premise that slaves make no wages is still relevant, even if you're talking about the Jews in Egypt.

 

Happy Birthday; take a break for the rest of the day. :cool:

[Out to sea!]

Ironically it is.

 

It is rare to find a service charge in restaurants outside London. Even across the same chain of restaurants, those in London charge, those outside don't.

 

London is full of tourists (both national and international), and the restaurants take advantage of them, especially the American tourists who leave a tip as well.

 

Back when I was stationed in Ipswich (RAF Martlesham Heath....1981-1983) I traveled to London quite a bit. Back then there was no SC (though the Indian restaurants near SoHo charged a 2 quid sitting fee for some reason). I know the price of things go up (such as the VAT which was 11% back then) but how did London restaurants pull this off and even get people to believe the fee was "deserved" (as stated here)?

[mypleasure]

I do the Roman thing - that does not stop me from commenting on what a feudal, patronising, cockamamie system the whole tipping thing is.

 

You are implying that I do not 'follow the rules' - I do (on US cruise lines like NCL - I have always pre-paid my OBSC and tipped extra where deserved) - you seem to have the problem - not me.

 

It just amazes me how many brain-cells and electrons are being consumed (wasted?) on debating a fundamentally flawed system which still exists a civilised society.

 

I know I cannot change the system in US and on most cruise lines; that does not stop me expressing my contempt for the system however.

 

 

Bravo that man. I wish I could have said it so eloquently. I will continue to prepay my DSC, I'll pay for my drink service and speciality meals, and having read all of this (I was bored today) I won't be leaving any extras ever again. I will continue to enjoy cruising on NCL and continue to pay for those things that I enjoy that make my trip special but I am totally over this tipping culture thing.

[punkincc]

Back when I was stationed in Ipswich (RAF Martlesham Heath....1981-1983) I traveled to London quite a bit. Back then there was no SC (though the Indian restaurants near SoHo charged a 2 quid sitting fee for some reason). I know the price of things go up (such as the VAT which was 11% back then) but how did London restaurants pull this off and even get people to believe the fee was "deserved" (as stated here)?

 

 

I marvel at this as well. No one ever stops to question where that service charge is going and for what purpose?

 

Reminds me of NCL, where you pay a Daily Service Charge to cover the need for gratuities, and that is fine by me. I will gladly pay it and I don't care how they divide it up. You pay a cover charge at a Specialty, they add an 18% Auto Gratuity Service Charge to the cover ( with no clear explaination, IMO as to whether it is a tip, or a service charge which may actually be merely an increase on the cover fee ), and then US customers will willingly hand the server a big tip on the way out the door.:confused:.

 

Bravo that man. I wish I could have said it so eloquently. I will continue to prepay my DSC, I'll pay for my drink service and speciality meals, and having read all of this (I was bored today) I won't be leaving any extras ever again. I will continue to enjoy cruising on NCL and continue to pay for those things that I enjoy that make my trip special but I am totally over this tipping culture thing.

 

Agreed. Some people it seems will just willingly open their wallets for whomever to extract what they will without really thinking through exactly what it is they are paying for.

[insanemagnet]

Some of us simply look at the total cost they will incur and ask themselves "is that reasonable" and if it is buy it.

[mypleasure]

Some of us simply look at the total cost they will incur and ask themselves "is that reasonable" and if it is buy it.

 

Exactly. I am not really that bothered exactly where the money goes. I only want 2 things. One for NCL to continue to offer me the product I want and Secondly for that product to continue to be at a price that I can afford to pay. Those 2 things make me happy.

 

I really am not that bothered where my charges go, I know many crew members and speak with them daily on Facebook and they don't seem to be at all concerned or worried about anything concerning their work, wages or job security. l would never ask them how much they make as much as I would ever want anyone to ask me about my personal finances. I think if they were not getting as good or an even better deal than they were before they would have said something by now. I just don't understand the way some are getting in a mess about this, it is surely an absolute waste of energy.

[Out to sea!]

Some of us simply look at the total cost they will incur and ask themselves "is that reasonable" and if it is buy it.

 

I agree with that but the problem is with NCL that they are sneaking in many new costs that were not there before or when I booked and did not give me or anyone else the opportunity to say "now this cruise is not worth what I'm being asked to pay" and cancel said cruise without penalty. What may have been reasonable prior to these new fees may not be reasonable now.

[maywell]

I agree with that but the problem is with NCL that they are sneaking in many new costs that were not there before or when I booked and did not give me or anyone else the opportunity to say "now this cruise is not worth what I'm being asked to pay" and cancel said cruise without penalty. What may have been reasonable prior to these new fees may not be reasonable now.

 

Here's the thing about the ' sneaky' costs - majority are extras that are not part of the cruise fare anyway. The one extra that is important, DSC, some people treat it like not anyway, so that's even less to spend.

 

You don't need UDP, UBP, or room service to have a good time - if you're spending money on those its save 'costs' on the 5th Cagney dinner of the week or 10th drink of the day. You don't need them if you're eating once at Specialty restaurant even for 2 people or just drinking twice a day - that waste of money buying those plans if you're not really using them to the fullest each day.

 

The costs are reasonable to me because I don't spend money on the 'sneaky' extras except for DSC, which pays my room steward and whatever waiter / staff member - how NCL breaks down who gets what is not my concern. It's only $90.95 altogether for me which I'm to going use alot, which is a small fee compare to paying $400 for drink plan that I'm barely going to use.

 

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[insidecabin]

So if British staff are paid a living wage

 

Living wage is defined in the UK.

 

many service workers are paid minimum wage which is less than the living wage.

 

Illegal working practices(by majors like MD and many others) mean some are paid below the minimum legal wage.