Anyone with pre-paid gratuity promo change the DSC post cruise?

[Até]

I asked this question on another thread and surprisingly got little response, I thought it would liven up a fairly boring NCL board. I was wondering what NCL would say to someone who had a bad service experience, but booked with pre-paid gratuity promo. Could they modify/reduce their DSC post cruise? I'll just put it out here that I usually pre-pay the DSC and have never changed it on the last day or post cruise and don't want to get in an argument of whether it's right or wrong. NCL offers it as a method, one of few, for guests to express their feelings about the quality of service they received. I'm not judging whether it's right or wrong.

 

I would just like to know if anyone was allowed to modify their DSC while using this promo or if NCL denies that possibility with the promo. I hope some of the few admitted DSC modifiers can be able to post experience here without condemnation.

[khaide612]

A reduction of the DSC would be a refund. If you received it as a promo, then no you get no refund - they can't refund you something you didn't pay. If you prepaid then yes you can request the reduction.

[NLH Arizona]

I'm sure you could complain and ask that your DSC be removed or reduced, but I highly doubt that NCL would give any of that refund to you.

[zqvol]

Since you didn't pay the DSC, there is nothing to modify or reduce. All NCL is doing is waiving your obligation to pay it, so in effect you have already reduced it to 0. All you could do would be to submit a complaint.

Edited September 9, 2016 by zqvol

[Diane123boys]

Boom, mic. drop .. Its hard to start a conversation around here?? :)

[Até]

I feel there are good arguments for both sides. I have called NCL to get their take, only at the PCC/supervisor level, and it was consistent with above comments - no changes or refund. However no one could find it as written policy or in any terms & conditions. I was actually looking for someone who had actual experience trying it rather than opinions. I just felt that if it were policy that by taking this promo you forgo this feedback mechanism it should be stated somewhere.

[janpo]

Why would someone try to get reimbursed for something they didn't pay for????

 

 

That's kind of like getting the drink package free including gratuities, and then feeling like you didn't drink enough and now you want NCL to reimburse you for the drinks you didn't drink.

Edited September 9, 2016 by janpo

[luddite]

I asked this question on another thread and surprisingly got little response, I thought it would liven up a fairly boring NCL board. I was wondering what NCL would say to someone who had a bad service experience, but booked with pre-paid gratuity promo. Could they modify/reduce their DSC post cruise? I'll just put it out here that I usually pre-pay the DSC and have never changed it on the last day or post cruise and don't want to get in an argument of whether it's right or wrong. NCL offers it as a method, one of few, for guests to express their feelings about the quality of service they received. I'm not judging whether it's right or wrong.

 

I would just like to know if anyone was allowed to modify their DSC while using this promo or if NCL denies that possibility with the promo. I hope some of the few admitted DSC modifiers can be able to post experience here without condemnation.

 

Do you mean the Service Charge?

And you're asking if someone would reduce the Service Charge that they didn't pay for? Yikes! That'd take a LOT of chutzpah.

[hawkeyetlse]

I just felt that if it were policy that by taking this promo you forgo this feedback mechanism it should be stated somewhere.

It is: "No components included in this offer have any monetary value, are non-refundable and non-transferable." (Free at Sea T&C).

 

You can still use the feedback mechanism (to leave feedback), you just won't get any cash out of it.

[sparks1093]

I feel there are good arguments for both sides. I have called NCL to get their take, only at the PCC/supervisor level, and it was consistent with above comments - no changes or refund. However no one could find it as written policy or in any terms & conditions. I was actually looking for someone who had actual experience trying it rather than opinions. I just felt that if it were policy that by taking this promo you forgo this feedback mechanism it should be stated somewhere.

 

As it's been shown it is clearly stated but I don't know why it should be, other than making lawyers happy. How can you receive a refund for something you did not pay for whether it is stated or not?

[Até]

Thanks, I either didn't see or comprehend the significance of that line in the middle of the general T&C's. I was looking more at the Pre-paid service charge section. I don't really consider any of the promos as truly free, I feel everyone knows the cost of these promos is incorporated in the cruise fares. One of my trains of thought was how this affects the nature of the DSC as a gratuity. This way it cannot be modified as a "tip" and could that legally change the way it is treated tax wise or however NCL deals with it in their bookkeeping?

[macandlucy]

Thanks, I either didn't see or comprehend the significance of that line in the middle of the general T&C's. I was looking more at the Pre-paid service charge section. I don't really consider any of the promos as truly free, I feel everyone knows the cost of these promos is incorporated in the cruise fares. One of my trains of thought was how this affects the nature of the DSC as a gratuity. This way it cannot be modified as a "tip" and could that legally change the way it is treated tax wise or however NCL deals with it in their bookkeeping?

 

That is an interesting question! I wonder how specific the wording is in tax law about gratuities.

[luvtheships]

Thanks, I either didn't see or comprehend the significance of that line in the middle of the general T&C's. I was looking more at the Pre-paid service charge section. I don't really consider any of the promos as truly free, I feel everyone knows the cost of these promos is incorporated in the cruise fares. One of my trains of thought was how this affects the nature of the DSC as a gratuity. This way it cannot be modified as a "tip" and could that legally change the way it is treated tax wise or however NCL deals with it in their bookkeeping?

 

 

So this was the real purpose of your post

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Até]

So this was the real purpose of your post

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not particularly. Just thinking, as I've not used this promo before....

[cruizinwithkids]

Why would someone try to get reimbursed for something they didn't pay for????

 

 

That's kind of like getting the drink package free including gratuities, and then feeling like you didn't drink enough and now you want NCL to reimburse you for the drinks you didn't drink.

 

And I think even more so, getting a drink you didn't like and asking for a refund.

 

This Mai Tai is lousy. I demand money back.

 

My service is lousy. I demand money back.

[Até]

Just playing devil's advocate, but what would you do if you took the internet promo and the ship's internet was down most of the cruise. I understand there is no recourse to be reimbursed for the promo value, but at least you could change your DSC to recover some of the perceived "loss" if you wanted. If you choose the pre-paid gratuity promo you are sort of stuck.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Até

[fshagan]

That is an interesting question! I wonder how specific the wording is in tax law about gratuities.

 

It's a service charge. The portion given to employees is deductible. The portion given to a vendor for extra vanilla ice cream is deductible. The portion that isn't given to anyone but shows up as part of the EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) would be taxed like all profit IF cruise lines paid corporate income tax from cruise revenue.

 

There is no tax advantage to NCLH to collect the service charge. It is part of the cruise revenue. None of the cruise lines pay income tax on profit from cruise revenue; there is an exemption for "cargo" in the US tax law. Guess who the "cargo" is? It doesn't matter if it's from sales of photos, service charges, passenger fares or any other revenue. If they can claim it's from passengers transported on a ship it is exempt.

 

There is a tax advantage for many of the crew to have their income stated as mostly tips, even if its the contracted amount that NCL crew get. They are taxed according to their home country's rules, and countries like Romania, Germany and the Philippines do not tax tip income.

 

My understanding is that Americans working at sea are not subject to payroll tax (social security and medicare tax), so even the Americans on board the ship are netting more income than workers on shore do.