Specialty Dining Tipping

[hpecorari]

The staff do not refer to the DSC, they talk about the tip pool, which is where the overages of the tips get split.

 

I was getting confused because the HD said 'gratuity pool' but we all know that DSC does not all go towards the crew as NCL keeps some for.....well, you know :) So wasn't sure if they got all the 18% gratuities in specialty restaurants that go to the 'gratuity pool'.

 

Harriet

Edited December 26, 2015 by hpecorari

[hpecorari]

I agree that if I leave the server a tip, I don't want it going into the owners pocket for operating expenses, but where did the Hotel Director say this was happening? He said the 18% went into the tip pool. If he would have said, 50% goes into the tip pool and the rest goes to the cruise lines bottom line, then that is a different story. Possibly that question could be directed toward the Hotel Director for clarification.

 

I guess I'm just a bit confused. I'd think all the DSC would go into the DSC Pool and then NCL would distribute that like they currently do. We all know that all funds in the DSC pool don't all go to the crew. So, I was wondering if it was the same with the 'gratuity pool'. Also was wondering if the wording the HD used - 'gratuity pool' was actually the same thing as the DSC.

 

However, I don't plan on asking him :)

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

Are they different? That would be another great question to ask the Hotel Director. All I know is that his response was that the 18% went into the tip pool and no where did he say that NCL took anything off the top.

 

As NCL claims they don't require 'gratuities' then this 'gratuity pool' would be what? I mentioned above that I was wondering if there were two 'pools'. The DSC pool and the 'gratuity pool'. I happen to think they are one and the same and if that's the case, the servers aren't getting the total 18% - but then again, who really knows! :)

 

Harriet

[SuiteCruiser]

I was getting confused because the HD said 'gratuity pool' but we all know that DSC does not all go towards the crew as NCL keeps some for.....well, you know :) So wasn't sure if they got all the 18% gratuities in specialty restaurants that go to the 'gratuity pool'.

 

Harriet

 

I wish I could post how it is all split. I have before, but I mean straight from contract. All of the amounts received do not go to the staff either. Some are kept by NCL for.....well you know :) LOL

 

Once it's a "service charge" NCL gets it and decides what to do with it. What we are certain of based on the HD letter is that the server in Cagney's did not get the 18%, and that to me, is not right.

Edited December 26, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[NLH Arizona]

As NCL claims they don't require 'gratuities' then this 'gratuity pool' would be what? I mentioned above that I was wondering if there were two 'pools'. The DSC pool and the 'gratuity pool'. I happen to think they are one and the same and if that's the case, the servers aren't getting the total 18% - but then again, who really knows! :)

 

Harriet

I agree with you, I now think there is probably only one and that is where all the salaries, incentives and crew welfare funds come from, based on what the Hotel Director said, but as you say...who really knows.

[hpecorari]

I wish I could post how the it is all split. I have before, but I mean straight from contract. All of the amounts received do not go to the staff either. Some are kept by NCL for.....well you know :) LOL

 

Once it's a "service charge" NCL gets it and decides what to do with it. What we are certain of based on the HD letter is that the server in Cagney's did not get the 18%, and that to me, is not right.

 

Well, as good and hard working as the crew is.....we all know there are some better than others.

 

Why should Joe who didn't work as hard, was slow, didn't smile, was rushed, etc. etc. etc. get as much from the gratuity pool as Sam who bent over backwards to please...smiled, laughed, was a hard worker, fast, etc. etc. etc.

 

Harriet

[SuiteCruiser]

Well, as good and hard working as the crew is.....we all know there are some better than others.

 

Why should Joe who didn't work as hard, was slow, didn't smile, was rushed, etc. etc. etc. get as much from the gratuity pool as Sam who bent over backwards to please...smiled, laughed, was a hard worker, fast, etc. etc. etc.

 

Harriet

 

Agreed 100%

[NLH Arizona]

Well, as good and hard working as the crew is.....we all know there are some better than others.

 

Why should Joe who didn't work as hard, was slow, didn't smile, was rushed, etc. etc. etc. get as much from the gratuity pool as Sam who bent over backwards to please...smiled, laughed, was a hard worker, fast, etc. etc. etc.

 

Harriet

I agree, they should not all be paid the same, but isn't that where the incentive program would come into play. I thought the DSC was a combination of salary, incentive programs and crew welfare fund.

[swedish weave]

1. Do Specialty Restaurant servers get to keep the 18% gratuity on the bill?

No, this goes into the gratuity pool, all grautiteis are split between all servers regardless where they work, only additional gratuities added to the checks are for those particular servers to keep

 

Read very carefully the statement about how gratuities are split.

 

If the funds are gratuities, why would the money I am charged go to people who work on another ship ?? ( quote - regardless of where they work) These people have not privided any service to me.

[SuiteCruiser]

The first 2 responses to this thread are spot on. The tip is already included and if you feel inclined you can leave a little extra. If you read this far your just too opinionated and need a life.

 

So you don't care that the person who served you doesn't get that 18%? Fair enough, but there's nothing wrong with informing people of the way it really works.

[ColinIllinois]

So you don't care that the person who served you doesn't get that 18%? Fair enough, but there's nothing wrong with informing people of the way it really works.

 

 

True. But it's always good to recognize when the horse is beaten to death. ;)

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Well, as good and hard working as the crew is.....we all know there are some better than others.

 

 

 

Why should Joe who didn't work as hard, was slow, didn't smile, was rushed, etc. etc. etc. get as much from the gratuity pool as Sam who bent over backwards to please...smiled, laughed, was a hard worker, fast, etc. etc. etc.

 

 

 

Harriet

 

 

Joe won't get his contract renewed, Sam will.

[SuiteCruiser]

True. But it's always good to recognize when the horse is beaten to death. ;)

 

This horse was alive until just recently :) Clearly that last poster did not read it, so thinks his server is paid. All throughout these boards people have been spreading that since the service charge was implemented. I happen to think it's a rather important piece of information to share.

[swedish weave]

Joe won't get his contract renewed, Sam will.

 

Joe may be a friend or relative of management. Therefore his conduct will be accepted. AND he may get a bigger share of the tip pool.

Edited December 26, 2015 by swedish weave

[LMaxwell]

Joe won't get his contract renewed, Sam will.

 

Maybe you are right. Maybe not. It depends on the criteria set by management.

 

Did Joe receive adequate scores while minimizing waste and hitting certain time metrics in his sections?

 

Maybe guests loved Sam but his performance metrics were poor?

 

What you say sounds reasonable on the front of it, but we just don't know.

[SteveH2508]

Read very carefully the statement about how gratuities are split.

 

If the funds are gratuities, why would the money I am charged go to people who work on another ship ?? ( quote - regardless of where they work) These people have not privided any service to me.

 

With respect I think you are over-reading this e-mail. It is not written by a legal draftsman with precise meanings attributed to each and every word or phrase - it was probably dashed out quite quickly in a spare moment (e.g. the spelling error).

 

I interpreted 'regardless of where they work' to mean where they work on that ship i.e. the 'behind the scenes' staff - YMMV.

 

IMHO people are trying to read far too much into these various 'sources' - NCL are quite good at obfuscation and inconsistency.

[SuiteCruiser]

Maybe you are right. Maybe not. It depends on the criteria set by management.

 

Did Joe receive adequate scores while minimizing waste and hitting certain time metrics in his sections?

 

Maybe guests loved Sam but his performance metrics were poor?

 

What you say sounds reasonable on the front of it, but we just don't know.

 

Yes, this is another issue. Say NCL wants tables moved quickly, and staff want to give good service, which takes more time. The guests are happy and the management is not.

 

It's been mentioned here before that providing the best experience to passengers often runs in direct opposition to what is best for the cruiseline.

[SuiteCruiser]

With respect I think you are over-reading this e-mail. It is not written by a legal draftsman with precise meanings attributed to each and every word or phrase - it was probably dashed out quite quickly in a spare moment (e.g. the spelling error).

 

I interpreted 'regardless of where they work' to mean where they work on that ship i.e. the 'behind the scenes' staff - YMMV.

 

IMHO people are trying to read far too much into these various 'sources' - NCL are quite good at obfuscation and inconsistency.

 

I agree with you, I think the difference here is that a high level employee has confirmed that they've been blatantly lying to people. We've all known about the inconsistancies but this one is clear, yet some still think that everthing else they've been told is the honest truth, which I think is crazy.

[swedish weave]

With respect I think you are over-reading this e-mail. It is not written by a legal draftsman with precise meanings attributed to each and every word or phrase - it was probably dashed out quite quickly in a spare moment (e.g. the spelling error).

 

I interpreted 'regardless of where they work' to mean where they work on that ship i.e. the 'behind the scenes' staff - YMMV.

 

IMHO people are trying to read far too much into these various 'sources' - NCL are quite good at obfuscation and inconsistency.

 

Their ticket contracts are very specific and concise.

 

They muddy the waters and leave things open to misinterpretation when it works to their advantage or when they want things to be confusing.

 

In other correspondence, they state the DSC or tip pool funds are distributed fleetwide at managements discretion.

Edited December 26, 2015 by swedish weave

[SuiteCruiser]

Their ticket contracts are very specific and concise.

 

They muddy the waters and leave things open to misinterpretation when it works to their advantage or when they want things to be confusing.

 

This is very true! Good point, they're perfectly capable of making things clear, but choose not to, so they can look better, and change their minds down the road.

[hpecorari]

Joe won't get his contract renewed, Sam will.

 

Keep believing that! Joe will get his contract renewed. He just won't get any hero cards which will affect him. It won't make a difference his his share of the 'pool'.

 

Harriet

[cruisebie]

I'm concerned as well that the crew is treated fairly and ethically and haven't seen anything to the contrary. Some might not agree with how the DSC/18% are distributed out, but it doesn't mean that the crew isn't getting everything that their contract states. .

 

 

By implementing the 18% gratuity and service charge in the specialty restaurants, NCL in effect cut the pay of these workers since pax are less likely to leave a cash tip in addition to the 18%. That is not fair and ethical treatment . Is it legal....yes. Are the workers getting the pay stated by their contract....yes. But they are not getting the extra dollars that they had been receiving as a result of providing great service. NCL has managed to skim those funds into its own coffers.

 

I'm afraid that NCL management and ethics don't even have a nodding acquaintance these days.

[SuiteCruiser]

By implementing the 18% gratuity and service charge in the specialty restaurants, NCL in effect cut the pay of these workers since pax are less likely to leave a cash tip in addition to the 18%. That is not fair and ethical treatment . Is it legal....yes. Are the workers getting the pay stated by their contract....yes. But they are not getting the extra dollars that they had been receiving as a result of providing great service. NCL has managed to skim those funds into its own coffers.

 

I'm afraid that NCL management and ethics don't even have a nodding acquaintance these days.

 

I totally agree.

[NLH Arizona]

By implementing the 18% gratuity and service charge in the specialty restaurants, NCL in effect cut the pay of these workers since pax are less likely to leave a cash tip in addition to the 18%. That is not fair and ethical treatment . Is it legal....yes. Are the workers getting the pay stated by their contract....yes. But they are not getting the extra dollars that they had been receiving as a result of providing great service. NCL has managed to skim those funds into its own coffers.

 

I'm afraid that NCL management and ethics don't even have a nodding acquaintance these days.

Could you show proof that their pay has been cut? How do you know that this wasn't taken into consideration at the time of the change? Also, could you show how much money NCL has skimmed from these funds to their own coffers? It is really easy to accuse a company of wrong doing, but I'd bet that it is much harder to prove what you are saying, but I have faith since you stated this in no uncertain terms, you have all the proper documentation to back up your accusations. Edited December 26, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[hamrag]

The first 2 responses to this thread are spot on.....If you read this far your just too opinionated and need a life.

 

Mmmm, you must have read that far to make that conclusion........;)