adjusting tips

[SeaShark]

Keep paying it. He was right there is one born every day! The execs must love people like you!

Tilt at the windmills all you want...it just further proves you can't defend your earlier statement. Still waiting for you to try to explain how their money was never our money...[emoji57]

[motleyfan]

I wonder how the staff look at the people who walk down to the front desk and ask for that form? Hi people can I have that form that removes the money from your pockets? All the while I expect you to be understanding about it lol.

[motleyfan]

Could you imagine if for now on tipping in all restaurants was mandatory in the only way to remove the tipping charge was to ask your Waitress for the form? You have someone spitting in your food lol

[bobstheboy]

Nope.

You do not understand the system.

Pay the Service Charge. You are not expected to tip anyone.

 

I totally understand the system and why it was introduced and explained just this in a previous post.

 

It is well known in the cruise industry that British passengers, among others, are bad tippers, it is a cultural thing, we do not tip barmen in pubs for instance. To keep service staff happy "Service Charges" were introduced.

 

DSC is just a fancy term for gratuities, and something I personally am happy to pay.

[pieshops]

They can pay them with the money they get from the fare I pay.

I will not fall for donating to their optional funds and will not pay discretionary charges.

 

I was wondering what you and the others who say they NCL should pay its own people and that we should not have to do when you eat in a land based restaurant servers are paid $2.13 per hour and then live off the tips.

 

How do you feel about tipping in restaurants ?

Edited November 27, 2015 by pieshops

[mugtech]

Why not include smoking and formal nights.

 

Is there smoking allowed on formal nights?

[macandlucy]

What do you do when you eat in a land based restaurant servers are paid $2.13 per hour and then live off the tips.

 

How do you feel about tipping in restaurants ?

 

$2.13 an hour? Wow, that's awful, aren't there minimum wage laws?

 

That's akin to some of the questions I have about how crew is paid. If a passenger or patron doesn't pay a tip or sc, then it seems like it's the staff who bear the brunt of that choice. And that does seem unfair, since they really have little recourse except to quit. And some people don't have a lot of options, so they can't quit.

[SuiteCruiser]

I was wondering what you and the others who say they NCL should pay its own people and that we should not have to do when you eat in a land based restaurant servers are paid $2.13 per hour and then live off the tips.

 

How do you feel about tipping in restaurants ?

 

If you read what he says, he claims to tip in cash to the people that he deals with. He's never said he doesn't tip at all.

 

Now whether he actually does this or not is another thing all together.

[mugtech]

$2.13 an hour? Wow, that's awful, aren't there minimum wage laws?

 

That's akin to some of the questions I have about how crew is paid. If a passenger or patron doesn't pay a tip or sc, then it seems like it's the staff who bear the brunt of that choice. And that does seem unfair, since they really have little recourse except to quit. And some people don't have a lot of options, so they can't quit.

 

Minimum wage laws assume employee will receive at least $5.12/hour in tips. The IRS has been investigating tips for many years, starting with dealers in Vegas who get paid more than minimum wage by the casinos but were not reporting any tips. Many restaurants report just enough tips to bring the wages to $7.25 per hour. When auditing such businesses, the IRS in the past has assumed each staff person would receive and should report 8% of the billings as tips.

[SuiteCruiser]

I wonder how the staff look at the people who walk down to the front desk and ask for that form? Hi people can I have that form that removes the money from your pockets? All the while I expect you to be understanding about it lol.

 

Again....do you really think that the cabin steward who has 12 cabins with 5 people each gets paid five times as much one week to the next where he has one person in each cabin?

 

Of course not, she or he's getting paid their base amount of which part comes from the DSC pool and a small part comes from the cruiseline direct.

 

What can happen if too many people remove the DSC for service issues, is that steward's next contract won't be renewed, or they won't be up for promotions.

[pieshops]

$2.13 an hour? Wow, that's awful, aren't there minimum wage laws?

 

That's akin to some of the questions I have about how crew is paid. If a passenger or patron doesn't pay a tip or sc, then it seems like it's the staff who bear the brunt of that choice. And that does seem unfair, since they really have little recourse except to quit. And some people don't have a lot of options, so they can't quit.

 

that is the minimum wage for a waiter or waitress, this is the same across the country, the minimum may vary a bit but it is very close.

 

customers pay the salary of 99% of all waiters and waitresses across the country.

 

Yup, everyone who reduces or does not pay their DSC, takes money from everyone other then officers on the ship. Justify it anyway you want but that is what it boils down to

Edited November 27, 2015 by pieshops

[pieshops]

If you read what he says, he claims to tip in cash to the people that he deals with. He's never said he doesn't tip at all.

 

Now whether he actually does this or not is another thing all together.

 

yes I do understand that but he does tip the behind the scenes people that the DSC Covers and feels he should not have to. Justify it any way you want but some people who receive the DSC are getting stiffed when he does that, does not matter what his opinion is, that is the fact

[LoveyHowell]

I wonder how the staff look at the people who walk down to the front desk and ask for that form? Hi people can I have that form that removes the money from your pockets? All the while I expect you to be understanding about it lol.

 

"I'm going to take off the 30 cents your employer would give you in 4 weeks and instead I will just hand you $10 cash now"

[LoveyHowell]

yes I do understand that but he does tip the behind the scenes people that the DSC Covers and feels he should not have to. Justify it any way you want but some people who receive the DSC are getting stiffed when he does that, does not matter what his opinion is, that is the fact

 

We were on the Breakaway to Bermuda and rarely saw our room attendant. On boarding day there was a 1/4 roll of toilet tissue and no washcloths. Not a big deal. We left a note, but this was not rectified during turn down. Twice we left notes for ice and never received them. I did call housekeeping multiple times for each of these items. A department manager called me back letting us know that there would be no further issues. GREAT! We were very satisfied.

 

On day 6 our towels sat on the floor of the bathroom unreplaced.

 

I don't know what the issue was with the steward but it never got resolved and I got fed up making calls and waiting for items that should have been in our room.

 

We modified our DSC after the trip; downwards by $40. NCL refunded us 18 days later. Had no issues with the form.

 

I get it, some behind the scenes guy loses out a little bit because of that. But that's the system NCL set up with its employees. I really don't appreciate being guilted into paying for services I don't receive after being asked to pay for them. If there is collateral damage, that is NCL's fault, not mine. Is it the fault of the guy who washes the towels? No. Should he be penalized? No. Is NCL penalizing him for the incompetence of the room steward? Yes.

[NLH Arizona]

And can you explain how it is anyone's business who and how I tip, other than me and the recipient.

If you don't want to pay the DSC, don't. If you don't want to tip, don't. If you don't want people to make comments or ask questions about what you do or don't do, then don't post what you do on a public forum.

[rvsullivan]

We were on the Breakaway to Bermuda and rarely saw our room attendant. On boarding day there was a 1/4 roll of toilet tissue and no washcloths. Not a big deal. We left a note, but this was not rectified during turn down. Twice we left notes for ice and never received them. I did call housekeeping multiple times for each of these items. A department manager called me back letting us know that there would be no further issues. GREAT! We were very satisfied.

 

On day 6 our towels sat on the floor of the bathroom unreplaced.

 

I don't know what the issue was with the steward but it never got resolved and I got fed up making calls and waiting for items that should have been in our room.

 

We modified our DSC after the trip; downwards by $40. NCL refunded us 18 days later. Had no issues with the form.

 

I get it, some behind the scenes guy loses out a little bit because of that. But that's the system NCL set up with its employees. I really don't appreciate being guilted into paying for services I don't receive after being asked to pay for them. If there is collateral damage, that is NCL's fault, not mine. Is it the fault of the guy who washes the towels? No. Should he be penalized? No. Is NCL penalizing him for the incompetence of the room steward? Yes.

 

As much as I like to stay out of these discussions it seems impossible! The system has been set up for years and most cruisers know in advance of what it is. No matter how one tries to "spin" the facts, NCL is not taking anything away from the employees when you withhold DSC. The one that is taking it away is you! Period!! The proper way to fix the issue is to make a complaint/complaints to proper management. If your issue is with one employee, you should withhold any extra from them and let the rest of the hundreds/thousand employees on board receive their pay.

Many like to say if NCL were to do it the right way, they would just raise the fare to cover the charge. If they did that, how would you then punish the poor room steward? I'm guessing by complaining to management? Why not do the same now, unless you are just using this as an excuse to not pay?

[TruckerDave]

Is there smoking allowed on formal nights?

 

Only if you smuggle your booze on board, don't have a passport, used a TA for booking and bought your airline tickets at 3:07am on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. :D

[luvtheships]

As much as I like to stay out of these discussions it seems impossible! The system has been set up for years and most cruisers know in advance of what it is. No matter how one tries to "spin" the facts, NCL is not taking anything away from the employees when you withhold DSC. The one that is taking it away is you! Period!! The proper way to fix the issue is to make a complaint/complaints to proper management. If your issue is with one employee, you should withhold any extra from them and let the rest of the hundreds/thousand employees on board receive their pay.

 

Many like to say if NCL were to do it the right way, they would just raise the fare to cover the charge. If they did that, how would you then punish the poor room steward? I'm guessing by complaining to management? Why not do the same now, unless you are just using this as an excuse to not pay?

 

 

Why is he/she always called "the poor room steward"

 

Geez it's a great job for them and their families and they vie for these jobs

 

Just because you don't want it doesn't make it a bad job

 

I don't want to be a lawyer but I hear lots of other people do

 

Point is while there might be a big difference between a steward and a lawyer....they are both sought after positions to particular individuals

 

Stop with the poor steward stuff. It's derogatory and insulting to them

 

This has nothing to do with tipping btw.

[LoveyHowell]

As much as I like to stay out of these discussions it seems impossible! The system has been set up for years and most cruisers know in advance of what it is. No matter how one tries to "spin" the facts, NCL is not taking anything away from the employees when you withhold DSC. The one that is taking it away is you! Period!! The proper way to fix the issue is to make a complaint/complaints to proper management. If your issue is with one employee, you should withhold any extra from them and let the rest of the hundreds/thousand employees on board receive their pay.

Many like to say if NCL were to do it the right way, they would just raise the fare to cover the charge. If they did that, how would you then punish the poor room steward? I'm guessing by complaining to management? Why not do the same now, unless you are just using this as an excuse to not pay?

 

I did call housekeeping multiple times, and as I said, if you had read, I received a call from a manager stating there would be no more issues. That was not right, there were further issues.

 

Due to dissatisfaction and poor performance by the room steward I reduced the DSC by a nominal amount I felt matched the issues we had. Was this intended to penalize the room steward? yes. Did it? I don't know but I clearly listed the reason and name of steward on the sheet, as well as the manager I spoke to. Was it intended to penalize behind the scenes support workers? No. NOT AT ALL. Did it? Likely yes. that's the system NCL designed. NOT ME. They punish everyone when one person doesn't do their job. That's not fair. But I won't be guilted into paying for crap service.

 

Let me ask you, how many more phone calls should I have made (I made multiple). How many more instances of poor service should I have allowed?

 

Don't you think I would have preferred that the steward did their job? that I didn't have to make phone calls? that I didn't need to speak to a manager? That I didn't need to get a form, fill it out, send it in, and wait? I would have FAR preferred to say I had a steward that did everything on their list and deserved every penny. This one didn't. Not by a country mile.

[mugtech]

Only if you smuggle your booze on board, don't have a passport, used a TA for booking and bought your airline tickets at 3:07am on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. :D

 

Will proper documentation be required? Will I have to show them the smuggled booze, hide my passport, fake a TA invoice, and show the required airline ticket? Might be easier to quit smoking.:D

[mugtech]

I did call housekeeping multiple times, and as I said, if you had read, I received a call from a manager stating there would be no more issues. That was not right, there were further issues.

 

Due to dissatisfaction and poor performance by the room steward I reduced the DSC by a nominal amount I felt matched the issues we had. Was this intended to penalize the room steward? yes. Did it? I don't know but I clearly listed the reason and name of steward on the sheet, as well as the manager I spoke to. Was it intended to penalize behind the scenes support workers? No. NOT AT ALL. Did it? Likely yes. that's the system NCL designed. NOT ME. They punish everyone when one person doesn't do their job. That's not fair. But I won't be guilted into paying for crap service.

 

Let me ask you, how many more phone calls should I have made (I made multiple). How many more instances of poor service should I have allowed?

 

Don't you think I would have preferred that the steward did their job? that I didn't have to make phone calls? that I didn't need to speak to a manager? That I didn't need to get a form, fill it out, send it in, and wait? I would have FAR preferred to say I had a steward that did everything on their list and deserved every penny. This one didn't. Not by a country mile.

 

Why not tip the steward a nickel, telling him that was what his services were worth. This is his main source of income, gets the message home.

[cruzsnooze]

In one statement you say the salary structure is none of our business and in another statement you say you want to know who gets what amounts? Sounds slightly contradictory.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Not at all. I don't know or want to know the crews salary or benefit package or how much they make weekly, annually, etc..... I want to know if and how much of my tip which I am paying them goes into their pocket. When I tip in any other situation I feel confident the person I am tipping keeps the money. When you put your tips on an auto pay on a cruise line I have no idea if the money I believe I'm giving is going to the person I want it to go to.

Edited November 27, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[LoveyHowell]

Why not tip the steward a nickel, telling him that was what his services were worth. This is his main source of income, gets the message home.

 

1. NCL already provides a method for unsatisfactory service to be addressed by guests. I took that option when it wasn't resolved on the ship. After spending a few grand for a vacation I'd MUCH rather have decent service than have to ask for $40 back because we can't get toilet paper or fresh towels.

 

2. If I had left that nickel in the bathroom he might never have found it.

[pieshops]

Not at all. I don't know or want to know the crews salary or benefit package or how much they make weekly, annually, etc..... I want to know if and how much of my tip which I am paying them goes into their pocket. When I tip in any other situation I feel confident the person I am tipping keeps the money. When you put your tips on an auto pay on a cruise line I have no idea if the money I believe I'm giving is going to the person I want it to go to.

 

First of all if the workers were not getting what they were supposed to from the cruise line the unions / brokers that negotiate their contracts would be making a big stink about it.

 

Secondly, I have said this numerous, when you go out to eat in a land based restaurant your server does not keep 100% of their tip either, some goes to the busser, some to the runner, some to the bartender (if you order drinks) etc. Do you ask each restaurant you eat at who and how much each gets?

 

Now people will say that they are not automatically charged a tip in a restaurant which may be true but most restaurants when yo have over 6 in a party do auto add on tips, and while you do not have to leave a tip in a restaurant either, it is common practice to do so.

[abe3]

Another dumb thread about the DSC. take it off if you wish. Don't need to keep announcing your intentions on how you tip or screw the employees by reducing the DSC. Just go about your business and leave it at that.