Norwegian Cruise Line Changes Service Charge Policy

[ColinIllinois]

So let me ask this to the people that remove the DSC. Why don't you go to customer service the very first day of the cruise and ask for the DSC to be removed?

 

 

Probably because it hasn't been charged yet.

[maywell]

Probably because it hasn't been charged yet.

That's one of the differences between old and the new way. Why the removers on CC think the new way is a good thing - Because they're not thinking. AT ALL.

 

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Edited September 17, 2015 by maywell

[abe3]

Probably because it hasn't been charged yet.

 

 

They know about it they just wait until the end so hopefully their services won't be affected or be put on a blacklist and then at the end of the cruise go have them taken off.

[swedish weave]

I think you are 100% right. The NCL of present under FDR seems really intent on squeezing money out of passengers under gray wording and poor practices.

 

I would not be a bit surprised to see NCL try to bill "service charges" to those who selected "free gratuities" as a booking bonus.

 

They have tried other ways to extract money from their guests, so nothing is beyond them.

[GUEST080219]

This is precisely what I have been saying for days. Same policy; new procedure. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

You can bet the next cruise where I have not yet prepaid my service charge I will be at guest services with a copy of my central european guest contract and request them to remove the DSC before final statement as it is written there.

I haver never adjusted the service charge on any of the 14 or so cruises but when a company tries to play a game, first allowing your customers something and promise it in the contract and then secretly make it much more inconvenient and annoying to do it in practice. Well then I can play the game with them as well.

[funnybunny70]

Does this mean you can remove the DSC or is it compulsory? ( not that I wasn't to remove it) I know on Costa cruises it's compulsory and cannot be removed .

[funnybunny70]

We've always paid it and also tipped our steward and waitress/ waiters extra but we've only cruised on Cunard where I think you can remove the service charge .

[legion3]

So let me ask this to the people that remove the DSC. Why don't you go to customer service the very first day of the cruise and ask for the DSC to be removed?

 

Because that's not the policy.

[legion3]

Probably because it hasn't been charged yet.

 

What day is it charged?

 

What will they do with a cash account that never has enough $ in it to cover DSC?

[LMaxwell]

What day is it charged?

 

What will they do with a cash account that never has enough $ in it to cover DSC?

 

I suspect they won't let you open a cash account below a certain threshold. Not sure. Never had a cash account

[legion3]

We always use cash but we always pre pay tips or DSC, as we have on this upcoming cruise with NCL.

 

Just wondering what would happen if the cash account stayed low.

 

Could someone have no extra charges?

 

You don't have to pre pay, what if you never opened/funded an onboard account?

 

Stuck to MDR, no Bar drinks, no specialty, no nothing?

 

What then?

[SteveH2508]

Uhhh... no. The word "lien" does not appear anywhere in the contract. Neither does the word "unpaid". "Luggage" appears just once describing the carrier's liability.

 

The UK one does - clause 22 last paragraph.

 

22. Fares, Service Charges & Extra Services Services and goods provided during the holiday, service charge and any port or airport charges and taxes which are not included in the confirmed holiday price must be paid by you. Additionally, fares do not include travel insurance, drinks, hotel meals, shore excursions, UK regional flights (available at a supplement), personal expenses, dining at certain on-board restaurants, any fuel supplement (NCL will continue to closely monitor global fuel prices to assess whether a fuel supplement will be necessary in the future - please see www.ncl.co.uk/fuel) & any other item not expressly included in the fare. Fares published are guideline prices, may be subject to change at any time and are subject to availability. Except where indicated, advertised fares are per person, based on double/twin occupancy and include relevant government fees and taxes in the amounts current and applicable at the time of publication.

We are confident that you will enjoy your Freestyle Cruising experience and that our entire crew will provide you with the standard of service for which we are known. Currently, a $12 discretionary service charge will be automatically added per guest per day (for guests three years and older) to your shipboard account for all staterooms unless pre-paid as set out below. This charge will be shared among those staff members, including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and other behind-the-scenes staff who provide services that enhance your overall cruise experience. We reserve the right to increase the service charge.

The applicable service charge will be added to your booking at the time of confirmation (you will be advised of the then applicable amount per person per day, there is no charge for children under 3). This charge will be shown separately on your confirmation invoice and will be payable at the same time as the balance of the holiday cost. If you do not wish to pay your service charge in this way, you may ask for it to be removed from your confirmation at the time of booking or at any time up to 2 weeks prior to departure. If you do so, the service charge will be added to your shipboard account. Any increase in the service charge applicable to your cruise which occurs after confirmation will also be added to your booking unless you have already asked for this to be removed in which case it will be added to your shipboard account. If you cancel your booking before departure but after paying your service charge, the service charge will be refunded in full. Service charges may be subject to change.

If you have any concerns about the service you receive during your cruise, please let our Guest Services Desk staff know right away, so we can address any issues in a timely manner. In the unlikely event that we can’t resolve your issue, you can have the service charge adjusted on board unless this has been pre-paid. Where your service charge has been pre-paid before departure, refunds are not available onboard and you must apply for a refund, if applicable, after your return home by writing to our Guest Relations department.

Where services or goods are provided on board the ship, payment must be made before you disembark. Without prejudice to any lien over your goods, you agree that we shall be entitled to prevent any baggage or goods belonging to or travelling with you from leaving the ship until all sums owed to us by you have been paid in full.

 

 

http://www.ncl.co.uk/helpful-information/booking-conditions/#!/helpful-information/booking-conditions/booking-conditions-2015-16-17/

 

 

I guess the US contract may be different (I keep getting flipped back to NCL.co.uk:mad:)

 

I do note that it still quotes $12 per day however!

[triptolemus]

Indeed.

 

The US version does not have that language.

 

I stand corrected.

[maywell]

Indeed.

 

The US version does not have that language.

 

I stand corrected.

That's why those that booked through the UK/EU don't need to worry about this, no matter what ship it is technically. Its the ones that booked through the US who want their DSC refund, that's got the problem.

 

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[SteveH2508]

Just got hold of the US Guest contract (a pdf dated 03/2014) - it is very different to the UK one.

 

From a quick skim through, it does not seem to specifically require the Guest to set up an account! Legion3 might be on to an interesting scenario! (I still can't help feeling that NCL might take a very dim view of this course of action and would, in all probability, decline your business in the future, however.)

[sparks1093]

Just got hold of the US Guest contract (a pdf dated 03/2014) - it is very different to the UK one.

 

From a quick skim through, it does not seem to specifically require the Guest to set up an account! Legion3 might be on to an interesting scenario! (I still can't help feeling that NCL might take a very dim view of this course of action and would, in all probability, decline your business in the future, however.)

 

I don't know about loophole but one would not be able to charge anything onboard without something securing the account. The service charges would probably still be charged resulting an arrearage that would need to be paid before disembarking. Whether the cruise line would press charges is anybody's guess but I have heard of that happening when the passenger refused to pay a bill owed at the end of the cruise.

Edited September 17, 2015 by sparks1093

[SteveH2508]

I don't know about loophole but one would not be able to charge anything onboard without something securing the account. The service charges would probably still be charged resulting an arrearage that would need to be paid before disembarking. Whether the cruise line would press charges is anybody's guess but I have heard of that happening when the passenger refused to pay a bill owed at the end of the cruise.

 

That raises an interesting question. If a passenger boarded with no intention of setting up an account, and intended to leave at the end with an unpaid bill (e.g. Service Charges), that could raise allegations of fraud or theft (certainly under UK law and it could well be a criminal charge under US law too).

[Moby0215]

What day is it charged?

 

 

 

What will they do with a cash account that never has enough $ in it to cover DSC?

 

 

 

I suspect they won't let you open a cash account below a certain threshold. Not sure. Never had a cash account

 

 

Cash accounts require $350 per person deposit. Then once the money is used up (I'm guessing service charges already factored in) the room key will no longer allow for any purchases until more money is placed on the account.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

Cash accounts require $350 per person deposit. Then once the money is used up (I'm guessing service charges already factored in) the room key will no longer allow for any purchases until more money is placed on the account.

 

 

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Nope, that is a suggested amount. Our friend put $152 down on her account (we had prepaid the service charges for her when we paid ours).

[sparks1093]

Just got hold of the US Guest contract (a pdf dated 03/2014) - it is very different to the UK one.

 

From a quick skim through, it does not seem to specifically require the Guest to set up an account! Legion3 might be on to an interesting scenario! (I still can't help feeling that NCL might take a very dim view of this course of action and would, in all probability, decline your business in the future, however.)

 

There is something tickling my memory circuits that says many states have laws on the books allowing the proprietor of an establishment (such as a hotel) to hold a customer's goods/property for non-payment of a charge and if that is so then there would be no need for contract language to that effect.

[insidecabin]

to stop getting thrown back to UK

 

http://www.ncl.com/vacations/

[SteveH2508]

There is something tickling my memory circuits that says many states have laws on the books allowing the proprietor of an establishment (such as a hotel) to hold a customer's goods/property for non-payment of a charge and if that is so then there would be no need for contract language to that effect.

 

The legal term for that is a lien, which I referred to earlier - it is mentioned in the UK contract but I have not found it in the US version (I'm cooking dinner at the moment so the reading of legalese takes a back seat at the moment:D).

[Moby0215]

Nope, that is a suggested amount. Our friend put $152 down on her account (we had prepaid the service charges for her when we paid ours).

 

 

I misspoke. It is $300/person for 7 day cruises and $150/person if less than 7 days. It's right on the website FAQ.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

The legal term for that is a lien, which I referred to earlier - it is mentioned in the UK contract but I have not found it in the US version (I'm cooking dinner at the moment so the reading of legalese takes a back seat at the moment:D).

 

Yes, and if it is something covered by state law then there would be no need for the contract language to cover it again, that's all that I'm saying. Bon apetit'!:)

[maywell]

That raises an interesting question. If a passenger boarded with no intention of setting up an account, and intended to leave at the end with an unpaid bill (e.g. Service Charges), that could raise allegations of fraud or theft (certainly under UK law and it could well be a criminal charge under US law too).

 

Ah, I see you notice what one of the dilemmas is for passenger(s) that don't want to pay the DSC. To help you see the difference between EU/UK and the US contract versions - There's no "Whom / When / Where" in the US one, compare to the UK/ EU. I think you'll understand how brilliantly evil this is against someone that removing it just because they don't want to pay. And if you see the copy of the form on the closed thread, you notice all the red flag problems of it and the procedure/manner to get it back. The only other helpful thing I can say on the matter is - only those that genuinely had an service issue will probably get it back faster than others.

 

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