Raising gratuities again!

[LMaxwell]

Oh, I totally agree, and I'm certain they are paid anything BUT a decent salary. I don't mean to say they should rely on a tip from guests, only that people who opt not to pay because they "claim" they don't use the ship's services while in port--they don't give a moment's thought to what it takes "behind the scenes" to make the ship run.

 

that's the system NCL has set up. Unless people lobby to change it, it probably will not change.

[swedish weave]

Since I booked my trip just a few months ago, the dining plan has changed twice, the beverage plan once, DSC raised twice, Nick, Blue Man etc. removed, the room service charge instituted with related policy debacle, port time changes, miscommunication and upgrade offers to change from early 2016 to late 2015.

 

What I speculate is a cash flow issue. All of these things are designed to generate cash fast or reduce payables. The push to prepay grats and packages, reduced fuel, increasing on board prices. New mega ships cost a lot. Earnings reports are coming out.

 

All the changes aside, NCL has not marketed the changes well. Loyal customers are annoyed. Communication is non-existant. The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. I also suspect they have a new IT service provider who is cheaper. The changes seem incohesive an pieced together at the last minute. Changes to policy every month. They have to be chasing something. There is no way any large business would plan to roll out new policies the way they did. Maybe a balloon payment?

 

I find your posts refreshing. Posting truthful information is becoming a rarity and some try to discourage this by calling it "bashing".

 

Keep up the good work !!!!

[hpecorari]

I'm sure the hard working folks that never see a guest would appreciate a reliable and decent salary from their employer that is not at guest discretion.

 

I agree with this. HOWEVER, when they accepted the position they knew what they were going to be paid and what they could expect from the DSC.

 

When people remove the DSC the crew is hurt, financially......NOT NCL.

 

They way crew members are paid is the way they agreed to be paid in their contract......and that's not going to change as it has been this way for years and years and years.....and NCL is the only cruise ship to pay little wages and the crew to be compensated with the DSC.

 

Harriet

[LMaxwell]

I agree with this. HOWEVER, when they accepted the position they knew what they were going to be paid and what they could expect from the DSC.

 

When people remove the DSC the crew is hurt, financially......NOT NCL.

 

They way crew members are paid is the way they agreed to be paid in their contract......and that's not going to change as it has been this way for years and years and years.....and NCL is the only cruise ship to pay little wages and the crew to be compensated with the DSC.

 

Harriet

 

That's right, it is in their contract. Since they have a contract (through a third party employment agency) I have a hard time believing that the crew that receives DSC have been given two unscheduled and non-negotiated raises in a 4 month period.

 

It's a shame that if someone removes or reduces DSC due to bad service that someone who is not a guest facing employee also suffers. Service charges should be used for those that provided guest facing services. I consider things like laundry, cooking, ship maintenance to be part of NCL's obligations of operating a hotel and should not be subject to guest discretion, meaning taking them out of the DSC pool and pay them properly. Leave the DSC pool and guest discretion for those that provide direct guest facing services. The best will rise to the top and those that are not good will not last long.

 

Behind the scenes workers relying on tips is ludicrous. Suggesting they've gotten two unscheduled raises is even more ludicrous.

 

Edit: these are opinions.

Edited July 26, 2015 by LMaxwell

[swedish weave]

I'd like to know when a cruise line gives free gratuities as a promo if they actually dip into their pocket and pay it for you or do they just mark zero on the computer?

 

I see that nobody has answered your question. I have the same question, so maybe one of the experts can enlighten us !!

[time2cruise1]

I see that nobody has answered your question. I have the same question, so maybe one of the experts can enlighten us !!

 

 

They do dip in their pocket and transfer the gratuity to the crews. The accounting was a nightmare thus the reason they now charge the gratuities on the FREE promotions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[LMaxwell]

They do dip in their pocket and transfer the gratuity to the crews. The accounting was a nightmare thus the reason they now charge the gratuities on the FREE promotions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

So you are asserting that anyone that de facto reduces the DSC via pre-payment, that NCL will kick in the additional amount?

[maywell]

I see that nobody has answered your question. I have the same question, so maybe one of the experts can enlighten us !!

 

You mean the 'free gratuities' plus "Free UDP / UBP" that was part of the earlier promo which wasn't free at all since it came out of the higher fare and it just a simple accounting trick of switching a 'portion' of the fare to to pay off the promo just like Celebrity does. You mean to tell never bother to ask why the fares were so high while the promos are going on?

Edited July 26, 2015 by maywell

[swedish weave]

They do dip in their pocket and transfer the gratuity to the crews. The accounting was a nightmare thus the reason they now charge the gratuities on the FREE promotions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

I don't understand how a simple transaction like that could be an accounting nightmare. I also don't believe that the added gratuities were the result of accounting problems.

 

They have computers that can handle much more complicated transactions.

[LMaxwell]

You mean the 'free gratuities' plus "Free UDP / UBP" that was part of the earlier promo which wasn't free at all since it came out of the higher fare and it just a simple accounting trick of switching a 'portion' of the fare to to pay off the promo just like Celebrity does. You mean to tell never bother to ask why the fares were so high while the promos are going on?

 

There is a cruise price tracking website that shows the price for every category room and when it has gone up and down as well as when it has been at its highest and lower points.

 

When they ran the free promos in February of this year many cruises were at their historically lowest point and there was nothing extra charged or padded in for these promos.

 

I'd share the site but then CC would close this post because they don't allow it. But it's not too difficult to find it.

[jb456]

[quote name=

They do dip in their pocket and transfer the gratuity to the crews. The accounting was a nightmare thus the reason they now charge the gratuities on the FREE promotions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

-----------

 

 

LMaxwell]So you are asserting that anyone that de facto reduces the DSC via pre-payment, that NCL will kick in the additional amount?

 

Taking a guess here but I think Jim did not answer or understand the question correctly. I believe he is talking about gratuities being added on free promos like UBP which is not the question asked.

 

The question asked was - When cruise lines offer promos of free DSC or on other lines free auto - tips / prepaid gratuties... Does NCL and other lines really dip into their pocket and pay the $12 - 13.50 per person to their staff or do they just make zero on the computer and move on??

Edited July 26, 2015 by jb456

[swedish weave]

You mean the 'free gratuities' plus "Free UDP / UBP" that was part of the earlier promo which wasn't free at all since it came out of the higher fare and it just a simple accounting trick of switching a 'portion' of the fare to to pay off the promo just like Celebrity does. You mean to tell never bother to ask why the fares were so high while the promos are going on?

 

I never bother to ask because it doesn't concern me unless it affects my booking or unless one of my friends who work on the ships tells me what is true and not true.

[maywell]

There is a cruise price tracking website that shows the price for every category room and when it has gone up and down as well as when it has been at its highest and lower points.

 

When they ran the free promos in February of this year many cruises were at their historically lowest point and there was nothing extra charged or padded in for these promos.

 

I'd share the site but then CC would close this post because they don't allow it. But it's not too difficult to find it.

 

NCL is still running the part of the free promos now minus the 'free gratuities' - depending on when you plan to go, some of those fares are super high compare to last year.

 

 

 

Edit: We would want the thread deleted so soon - there's like 3-4 different ones all similarly negative in these forums and where would people moan & groan while crying that NCL is an 'evil company' go?:eek:

Edited July 26, 2015 by maywell

[maywell]

I never bother to ask because it doesn't concern me unless it affects my booking or unless one of my friends who work on the ships tells me what is true and not true.

 

So in other words, you're complaining like it does affect your current bookings....

[Jane Don]

No, the promos now are not equal to what they were at the end of January and throughout February. The promos arguably were of higher value (less out of pocket to the cruiser, more included) and the prices for the cruise fare were at their rock bottoms.

 

Prices now on all lines are at historic highs for any given open itinerary. If you find the price tracking site you'll see what I mean. You'll want to use the "finder" tab and then click on a price for a category to see all the prices that category has been and on what dates those price changes were. It's the site I use to obtain all my price drops (which there have been none since I booked at the bottom price) but on my 5 past cruises the site probably led me to 11 or 12 price drops that either reduced my final payment or got me extra OBC, etc.

 

As long as a conversation is civil there's no reason for it to be deleted.

 

 

I was considering changing my Dec cruise to Feb. I found it interesting that the gap between inside and OV is dramatically higher in the new year when only the OVs get the promo. Also intersting is that NCL.com says there are only 5 days left to freestyle promo.

[emcelh]

I was considering changing my Dec cruise to Feb. I found it interesting that the gap between inside and OV is dramatically higher in the new year when only the OVs get the promo. Also intersting is that NCL.com says there are only 5 days left to freestyle promo.

 

So the current promotion is continuing through August? I wondered about that.

[Demonyte]

Also intersting is that NCL.com says there are only 5 days left to freestyle promo.

 

 

How is that interesting? Current promotion ends and a new one begins in 5 days.

 

So the current promotion is continuing through August? I wondered about that.

 

 

This one ends and a new slightly modified promotion starts, just like they have been doing almost whole year. There is already another thread about the August promo having all the info about the promo taken or linked from NCL's travel partner site.

[Jane Don]

How is that interesting? Current promotion ends and a new one begins in 5 days.

 

 

 

 

This one ends and a new slightly modified promotion starts, just like they have been doing almost whole year. There is already another thread about the August promo having all the info about the promo taken or linked from NCL's travel partner site.

 

I can't find that thread. Can you help with a link or thread name. Thank you.

[Demonyte]

I can't find that thread.

 

 

What, is your Google broken? O_o

[stoneman56]

We just booked the same cabin on the same cruise at the same dates on the same ship for next year.

 

The price is exactly the same, but we are getting all 4 of the promos. :confused:

[swedish weave]

So in other words, you're complaining like it does affect your current bookings....

 

I didn't complain !!

[fstuff1]

I can't find that thread. Can you help with a link or thread name. Thank you.

 

here you go:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2238256

 

they added free gratuities as an option but downgraded UDP with Ultimate Speciality Dining (USD) package.

Edited July 26, 2015 by fstuff1

[jenseib]

Well if that's the case then you clearly know how sneaky the cruise lines are when it comes to cutting back on things to maximize revenue. If they are that sneaky to do that - then you really think all the DSC or auto tip (on other lines) go to the poor waiter from Philippines? I DON"T THINK SO

 

To each their own.

 

It's not sneaky at all. It's public knowledge that almost all ships are registered to a foreign country. It has to do with a lot more than revenue and taxes though.

[Chuck2810]

This thread, that is.:eek: I don't see a huge change, but it is significant for a bigger group. My thought is simply to pre-pay (I did) and take the additional $100-$150 or whatever it ends up as and hand it over directly in cash, like I normally do. I usually don't go to the bars as I have bottle service and get the wine package, but now with the UBP, that will change. I might offer a buck or two in cash if it looks like my pour is improved. Otherwise I always try to have small bills in hand, $15 for a dinner, $10 for a breakfast or lunch. I might just bump those up a little.

[knight2096]

I'm all for paying the hard working crew but I'm not at all convinced the crew is on the receiving end of these gratuity increases. It seem like a money grab by NCL. They're constantly looking at how to exploit the customers lately and this seems like a method of doing so but using crew as an excuse. :mad:

 

 

Bingo! The cheerleaders will never get this they are to busy kissing NCL's butt. If this increase is for the crew I'm all for it, but something tells me it is not. The cruise lines (not just NCL) are picking the pockets of their own crews more and more everyday. I have talked to several crew members in the past few years and it is disgusting the way the cruise lines treat them.

Edited July 26, 2015 by knight2096