Pre-Pay Service Charges

[duchesslt]

I am so confused about tipping. So, I have to pay $12 (prepay up to 2 days before cruise) but that does not include special restaurants?

I have the free UDP thrown in - so for these restaurants I tip onboard? I did not have to pay 18% on the UDP package upfront - I booked my cruise January of 2015 and at that time there was no tipping fee on the UDP.

[Demonyte]

I am so confused about tipping. So, I have to pay $12 (prepay up to 2 days before cruise) but that does not include special restaurants?

I have the free UDP thrown in - so for these restaurants I tip onboard? I did not have to pay 18% on the UDP package upfront - I booked my cruise January of 2015 and at that time there was no tipping fee on the UDP.

 

 

Since you booked in January, you have speciality restaurant service charges included.

 

Nobody with a dining package will pay those charges onboard, so those that have booked their cruise later than you and do not have the extra charges included, pay them with final payment (promo) or when purchasing the package.

[NMLady]

Yes double dipping as you already paid for dinner service in the double raised DSC and also have to pay for the service again if you go to a speciality restaurant.

 

But the DSC dinner service is for MDR waiters, buffet servers, cabin stewards, not for Specialty restaurant servers.

[hun]

Thanks for this thread, I was confused as well... We just booked the dining package as our second promo and were charged $18 each as a service charge - I hadn't understand why really but now I understand those waiters don't benefit from the $13.50 DSC.

 

On another note, our cruise isn't until next September - has anyone noticed how often the DSC goes up? Not sure if maybe we should prepay?

 

Thanks! [emoji108]🏼

[Demonyte]

But the DSC dinner service is for MDR waiters, buffet servers, cabin stewards, not for Specialty restaurant servers.

 

So why would MDR and buffet staff receive anything when a passenger is eating their dinner in a speciality restaurant?

 

I'm actually quite sad that this is difficult to understand to some people here. It does not matter that the speciality servers supposedly are not covered by DSC anymore - if one eats in a speciality restaurant, they are not using the service they have already paid for in a complimentary restaurant but they still need to pay full service charge in the speciality restaurant on top of what they have already paid, hence double dipping.

 

We all know that NCL does not disclose how the service charges are divided but for the cruise lines that do, the MDR staff gets a majority of the daily gratuities (for example with DCL the MDR staff gets $8 out of $12) so without better info, I can only assume that the ratio is similar with NCL too.

Edited November 28, 2015 by Demonyte

[NMLady]

So why would MDR and buffet staff receive anything when a passenger is eating their dinner in a speciality restaurant?

 

I'm actually quite sad that this is difficult to understand to some people here. It does not matter that the speciality servers supposedly are not covered by DSC anymore - if one eats in a speciality restaurant, they are not using the service they have already paid for in a complimentary restaurant but they still need to pay full service charge in the speciality restaurant on top of what they have already paid, hence double dipping.

 

We all know that NCL does not disclose how the service charges are divided but for the cruise lines that do, the MDR staff gets a majority of the daily gratuities (for example with DCL the MDR staff gets $8 out of $12) so without better info, I can only assume that the ratio is similar with NCL too.

 

Since I eat most nights in MDR or buffet and only a few nights in Specialty I am not worried about it.

[hun]

(We'll only be in the specialty dining on our next cruise because of the "get 2" free promo!🍾[emoji322])

[Demonyte]

On another note, our cruise isn't until next September - has anyone noticed how often the DSC goes up? Not sure if maybe we should prepay?

 

 

Before this year the service charges were static for years. After the new management took over, they have now raised it twice - first in March and again in August.

 

I doubt that they'd do it again anytime soon, but with these erratic changes going on all the time, nobody can tell for sure.

 

(We'll only be in the specialty dining on our next cruise because of the "get 2" free promo![emoji898][emoji322])

 

 

Unfortunately you are still paying the overlapping service charges as the service charges for the "free" speciality dining package were added to your final payment as you said.

 

Even though NCL now claims that speciality restaurant staff is no longer covered by the DSC like they were before, now you are paying a lot for services that you are not using and paying even more for the service you are actually getting.

[bitsey66]

I pre pay EVERYTHING possible, including hotels for the drive down and overnight before embarkation. It's much more manageable for us to pay this way. Just our preference.

[Coastalbreezes]

I have been trying to pre-pay my DSC for the past week and keep getting a message "Sorry, cannot display this option at this time". I have always pre-paid.

 

Anyone else having problems?

 

Tracy

[CasinoCruzGirl]

First time cruising on Feb 28 on the Dawn ....

 

Easy question for someone.... other than for "budgeting" as NCL states in their definition, is there any pro or con of Pre-Pay Service Charges ? :rolleyes: :confused:

 

 

Always prepay and that's only because I don't want it on my bill at the end of the cruise others will say they will not prepay because why should NCL make money on their money.

 

Geri

[hamrag]

So why would MDR and buffet staff receive anything when a passenger is eating their dinner in a speciality restaurant?

 

I'm actually quite sad that this is difficult to understand to some people here. It does not matter that the speciality servers supposedly are not covered by DSC anymore - if one eats in a speciality restaurant, they are not using the service they have already paid for in a complimentary restaurant but they still need to pay full service charge in the speciality restaurant on top of what they have already paid, hence double dipping.

 

We all know that NCL does not disclose how the service charges are divided but for the cruise lines that do, the MDR staff gets a majority of the daily gratuities (for example with DCL the MDR staff gets $8 out of $12) so without better info, I can only assume that the ratio is similar with NCL too.

 

I agree entirely, and also do not understand why some continue to maintain it is not a "double dip". For me, nothing could be clearer than if you are in a speciality restaurant then you are not in the MDR using the service of someone who is part of the DSC pool.

 

Having said that, it doesn't bother me enough to remove an element of the daily autotips but I fully understand why others would choose to do so. Demonyte's assessment seems fair to me, and it is reasonable that those who eat in the specialty restaurants might choose to reduce their autotips by say $4/5 per day. That eliminates the "double dip" for those who wish to avoid what is definitely an unfair twist in the NCL tipping process!

Edited December 3, 2015 by hamrag

[EyeSeaEwe]

Time value of money says to defer payment as late as possible (i.e. on the cruise) unless there is a savings to avoid a cost increase.

 

Time value of money is great and all but when we are talking less than $100 when rates are under ¼% per annum, even in a year you are saving a whole, whopping 25¢...

[NMLady]

I have been trying to pre-pay my DSC for the past week and keep getting a message "Sorry, cannot display this option at this time". I have always pre-paid.

 

Anyone else having problems?

 

Tracy

 

Several people have been having problem online so simply phoned and paid it that way.

[burm]

Thanks Mike, yep found that and mine is the new rate of 13.50 so doesn't really appears to be any benefit.

 

If you got a conversion rate of 13.50 you are still far ahead of the game. When is your cruise?

 

We paid 1.11 conversion and have pre-paid gratuities, restaurants, purchased more OBC than we will ever need and booked one ship excursion which will be cheaper than even a private excursion considering the excellent rate.

 

For Canadians, pre-paying at an old rate can save them a huge amount. Anyone booking now will not get such a deal.

[SullytheBFG]

We had ours added on when we booked and pre pay. Booked directly with NCL in British Pounds at todays exchange rate that makes it $8.92 per day.

 

The exchange rate has hardly changed either just a few cents so not sure why it's so cheap!!

[happytotravel]

First time cruising on Feb 28 on the Dawn ....

 

Easy question for someone.... other than for "budgeting" as NCL states in their definition, is there any pro or con of Pre-Pay Service Charges ? :rolleyes: :confused:

 

Hi,

Since you are from Canada are you being billed in US or Canadian dollars? If Canadian $ I would prepay as whatever will be charged once you are on the ship will be in American dollars.

 

If you are being now billed in US dollars and since the Canadian dollar is so low maybe it will be a good idea to pay ahead not knowing where our dollar is going. I'm from Quebec!

 

Have a great cruise whatever you decide.

happytotravel:)

[Moby0215]

Thanks to everyone for your info....I agree I will pre pay when doing final payment then that part is done. Cleaner invoice at the end of the cruise, since this is my first cruise that in itself will probably help.

 

 

You don't have to pre pay when doing final payment. You can pre pay at anytime before your cruise on the website.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EyeSeaEwe]

Time value of money says to defer payment as late as possible (i.e. on the cruise) unless there is a savings to avoid a cost increase.

 

TVOM is very little; concern when the prevailing rate is >½%.

[RobTheGob]

Anyone booking now will not get such a deal.

 

In our case - the date of booking was less important than the date that our TA negotiated the group rate. We booked recently and the NCL.com rate is 19% - I think the group rate was set much earlier in the year...

[zqvol]

First time cruising on Feb 28 on the Dawn ....

 

Easy question for someone.... other than for "budgeting" as NCL states in their definition, is there any pro or con of Pre-Pay Service Charges ? :rolleyes: :confused:

 

 

No, it is a matter of convenience

[Maverick!]

If you got a conversion rate of 13.50 you are still far ahead of the game. When is your cruise?

 

We paid 1.11 conversion and have pre-paid gratuities, restaurants, purchased more OBC than we will ever need and booked one ship excursion which will be cheaper than even a private excursion considering the excellent rate.

 

For Canadians, pre-paying at an old rate can save them a huge amount. Anyone booking now will not get such a deal.

 

Yup! We purchased OBC at par ! (Doing the happy dance)

Edited December 19, 2015 by Maverick!

[burm]

Yup! We purchased OBC at par ! (Doing the happy dance)

 

Lucky, lucky, you. :D