Confused about the service fee and gratuities

[thehams]

We are cruising on our first NCL cruise in July and I am a little confused about the service fees and gratuities.

 

I know the gratuities, unlike RCCL, are at your discretion, but now I see that there is a $13.50 per person, per day service charge for the cabin?? That ends up being an additional $284 :eek: I was not expecting that. Didn't do enough homework, I guess.

 

So do people normally tip the cabin stewards on top of the service charge?

 

Also, I know there is an 18% service charge on food and drink. Do you usually tip more on top of that too?

[Loonbeam]

There are many many many threads on this topic.

 

The charge is the same idea as RCCL, basically its discretionary in name only, you can only request it be removed AFTER the cruise.

 

If you purchase a beverage package, the 18 percent will be charged on package price not included per drink.

 

As with anything else, except for 3 areas, additional tipping is based on what you feel is appropriate. If you want to ask what we do, yes, we tip extra, sometimes considerably so.

 

The three areas NOT included in the DSC system are Butlers and Concierges in the Haven area and Kids Club staff. If you use any of those a tip is appropriate.

[shof515]

NCL service charge/gratuity is the same price as RCCL, not sure why you are surprised about this. It is common for a cruise line to charge 13ish per day per person.

 

 

i do not tip my cabin anything extra. i only tip extra for food/drink if i like the waiter/server i have

[bonvoyagie]

OK here is a list.

 

Drinks hard and soft - 18% added to each tab at the time of purchase

Ala Carte/Specialty restaurants: 18% added to the tab at the end of each meal

 

UBP: unlimited drinks - hard and soft - $79.00/person/day +18% gratuity on the whole package - if purchased onboard it must be purchased for all of the cabin mates and for the entire cruise. It can also be purchased ahead of time.

If selected as a "free" booking perk, you are still obligated to pay the 18% gratuity - this is usually added to the cruise fare and paid for a final payment. However there will be no gratuities added to the individual drinks.

 

UDP/SDP (old and new names) for the specialty dining package that allows either unlimited or a given number of meals in the specialty restaurants. Price depends upon the number of meals. Again you pay the 18% of the package price and nothing at the restaurants. Like the UBP, if offered as a booking perk you must pay the 18% gratuity on the price of the package.

 

DSC - Daily/Discretionary Service Charge - at the last check it was $13.50 /person/day this covers the tips for the room stewards, wait staff, and all of the people behind the scenes who make your trip a true holiday. It used to be adjustable on board ship - ie you could raise or lower it based on your level of service. Last fall when I cruised you had to fill out a form after the cruise and send it to NCL Miami where they would decide if any refund was due. Other have reported recently that you can do this onboard. You can also pre-pay this or let them charge it on a daily basis. It cannot be paid for with non-refundable Onboard Credit (OBC)

[thehams]

OK here is a list.

 

Drinks hard and soft - 18% added to each tab at the time of purchase

Ala Carte/Specialty restaurants: 18% added to the tab at the end of each meal

 

UBP: unlimited drinks - hard and soft - $79.00/person/day +18% gratuity on the whole package - if purchased onboard it must be purchased for all of the cabin mates and for the entire cruise. It can also be purchased ahead of time.

If selected as a "free" booking perk, you are still obligated to pay the 18% gratuity - this is usually added to the cruise fare and paid for a final payment. However there will be no gratuities added to the individual drinks.

 

UDP/SDP (old and new names) for the specialty dining package that allows either unlimited or a given number of meals in the specialty restaurants. Price depends upon the number of meals. Again you pay the 18% of the package price and nothing at the restaurants. Like the UBP, if offered as a booking perk you must pay the 18% gratuity on the price of the package.

 

DSC - Daily/Discretionary Service Charge - at the last check it was $13.50 /person/day this covers the tips for the room stewards, wait staff, and all of the people behind the scenes who make your trip a true holiday. It used to be adjustable on board ship - ie you could raise or lower it based on your level of service. Last fall when I cruised you had to fill out a form after the cruise and send it to NCL Miami where they would decide if any refund was due. Other have reported recently that you can do this onboard. You can also pre-pay this or let them charge it on a daily basis. It cannot be paid for with non-refundable Onboard Credit (OBC)

 

 

Thank you, that was helpful. I've only been on 3 cruises. The last one was 2yrs ago with RCCL and it was all pre-paid, so I didn't worry about the service fees for the cabin and MDR, but I think we did tip extra at the end, my memory is horrible. The other 2 cruises were some time ago and I was young and just don't remember what we did.

 

I guess my concern was do people usually tip the cabin stewards on top of the service fee and it sounds like it really depends on the people and or the service they received.

 

As for the MDR, I'm used to having the same server every time, so how does tipping work in that case? Does one tip in cash after each meal?

[luddite]

I guess my concern was do people usually tip the cabin stewards on top of the service fee and it sounds like it really depends on the people and or the service they received.

 

As for the MDR, I'm used to having the same server every time, so how does tipping work in that case? Does one tip in cash after each meal?

 

Some people tip the stewards, some tip the waiters as well.

The Service Charge is how they get paid. They are not expecting a tip but they are appreciative.

[sfaaa]

Some people tip the stewards, some tip the waiters as well.

. They are not expecting a tip but they are appreciative.

 

I would say many in fact do and not all are appreciative if your tip is less than what they expect. It is not hard to tell if a thank you is genuinely expressed or just saying it for the sake of being polite. I had seen both.

[thehams]

Ok, I understand better now about how it all works!!!! Thank you all for the help. I'm a little "slow" and it takes me longer to understand things

Edited January 23, 2017 by thehams

[thehams]

The service charge is how they get paid? They don't get any other sort of pay from NCL?

[xriva]

Yes, it's mandatory. Yes, there is a system in place to let you complain and have it lowered post-cruise. No, it is not their only source of income, it is one facet of their pay.

 

Seriously, just scroll around. It may be a new subject to you, but it is a dead horse still being beaten by many many many others.

 

 

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[dd likes to cruise]

I would say many in fact do and not all are appreciative if your tip is less than what they expect. It is not hard to tell if a thank you is genuinely expressed or just saying it for the sake of being polite. I had seen both.

 

Considering we always give our extra tip in an envelope at the end of the meal the last night, they are truly thanking us without knowing the dollar amount. Every server and assistent have always been very pleasant and appreciative amount unseen.

[CH_ca]

OK here is a list.

 

 

DSC - Daily/Discretionary Service Charge - .... You can also pre-pay this or let them charge it on a daily basis. It cannot be paid for with non-refundable Onboard Credit (OBC)

 

I never knew that tips cannot be paid with Onboard Credit. I did get OBC on my cruises but they could never cover all my spending onboard. I always had to pay additional to cover gratuities. So if I really did have left over OBC, I still cannot settle gratuities with it?

[KeithJenner]

I never knew that tips cannot be paid with Onboard Credit. I did get OBC on my cruises but they could never cover all my spending onboard. I always had to pay additional to cover gratuities. So if I really did have left over OBC, I still cannot settle gratuities with it?

 

 

 

You can't use non refundable OBC.

 

OBC you get from NCL will be non refundable. If you purchase it then it will be refundable (and can therefore be used for the DSC).

 

If it's come from a travel agent then it could be either. They may be able to confirm what type it is.

[4774Papa]

OK here is a list.

 

Drinks hard and soft - 18% added to each tab at the time of purchase

Ala Carte/Specialty restaurants: 18% added to the tab at the end of each meal

 

UBP: unlimited drinks - hard and soft - $79.00/person/day +18% gratuity on the whole package - if purchased onboard it must be purchased for all of the cabin mates and for the entire cruise. It can also be purchased ahead of time.

If selected as a "free" booking perk, you are still obligated to pay the 18% gratuity - this is usually added to the cruise fare and paid for a final payment. However there will be no gratuities added to the individual drinks.

 

UDP/SDP (old and new names) for the specialty dining package that allows either unlimited or a given number of meals in the specialty restaurants. Price depends upon the number of meals. Again you pay the 18% of the package price and nothing at the restaurants. Like the UBP, if offered as a booking perk you must pay the 18% gratuity on the price of the package.

 

DSC - Daily/Discretionary Service Charge - at the last check it was $13.50 /person/day this covers the tips for the room stewards, wait staff, and all of the people behind the scenes who make your trip a true holiday. It used to be adjustable on board ship - ie you could raise or lower it based on your level of service. Last fall when I cruised you had to fill out a form after the cruise and send it to NCL Miami where they would decide if any refund was due. Other have reported recently that you can do this onboard. You can also pre-pay this or let them charge it on a daily basis. It cannot be paid for with non-refundable Onboard Credit (OBC)

 

The 18% gratuity is charged on the so called value of the beverage package, which amounts to $99 per week pp. We are moderate drinkers and also get some free wine due to Platinum status. For that reason, we never choose the beverage package, since for one week together, we might spend $200 on alcohol. We also cruise Celebrity, which does not charge gratuities on their drinks packages. We don't do their DP either, since as elite members, we get free happy hour from 5-7 every night.

[BLACKBURNROVERS]

 

UBP: unlimited drinks

If selected as a "free" booking perk, you are still obligated to pay the 18% gratuity

 

 

Remembering of course that this does not apply to UK bookings. On a UK booking "free" means just that. No 18% gratuity.

It is not surprising that there is so much confusion, with different rules depending on which branch of NCL you book through

Edited January 23, 2017 by BLACKBURNROVERS

[luckyinpa]

 

So do people normally tip the cabin stewards on top of the service charge?

 

Also, I know there is an 18% service charge on food and drink. Do you usually tip more on top of that too?

 

if the steward is good, adds joy and excellent service, i believe you should tip. if he barely does adequate job and nothing on top of what is expected, no reason to tip. its really that simple. i also like to picture myself as a steward and think 'would i want that job and be able to do this well"

 

if he's doing something i would not want to then i think he should be rewarded

 

i gave my haven spa suite guy 100 and my balcony guy 50.

 

in the free restaurants if they had a good attitude and refilled drinks etc, id lay down a few bucks. haven meals got 5 bucks each and all the specialties got a tip because the service is above what i got in the free restaurants and i appreciated it. the specialties go out of their way to make you happy

 

then even let the 8 year old i was with behind the grill at the hibachi to toss some eggs..very cool!

[Susandt]

Yes tip room steward and bar tenders

 

 

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[luddite]

The service charge is how they get paid? They don't get any other sort of pay from NCL?

 

It is made pretty clear that the Service Charge is how they get paid.

Their actual salary won't get the baby any new shoes.

[punkincc]

Thank you, that was helpful. I've only been on 3 cruises. The last one was 2yrs ago with RCCL and it was all pre-paid, so I didn't worry about the service fees for the cabin and MDR, but I think we did tip extra at the end, my memory is horrible. The other 2 cruises were some time ago and I was young and just don't remember what we did.

 

I guess my concern was do people usually tip the cabin stewards on top of the service fee and it sounds like it really depends on the people and or the service they received.

 

As for the MDR, I'm used to having the same server every time, so how does tipping work in that case? Does one tip in cash after each meal?

 

 

Because you typically will have many servers during your cruise, if you are going to tip extra it's probably best to reward exceptional service as it happens rather than hand an envelope to whoever happens to be in front of you on the last night of the cruise. Just leave a few $ on the table as you would at any restaurant. If we are tipping our steward, we typically do it on the last day.

 

As far as their pay, I think the website says something to the effect that "staff pay consists of a combination of salary and incentive pay which your daily service charges ( DSC. ) support". NCL has never said how big a percentage this portion consists of. Since I'm assuming NCL distributes this "incentive" pay based on both supervisor evaluations and passenger feedback, some will be getting more of it than others, and this is why the staff still have incentive to do over and above in order to be recognized for exceptional service by cruisers in the way of cash tips and those "Hero" cards which some passengers fill out and turn in and which may mean a bigger portion of the DSC cut for them.

[tel2]

You can't use non refundable OBC.

 

OBC you get from NCL will be non refundable. If you purchase it then it will be refundable (and can therefore be used for the DSC).

 

If it's come from a travel agent then it could be either. They may be able to confirm what type it is.

 

Wait, wait. This has the potential to be misinterpreted by newcomers.... To be clear - as Keith Jenner said, you cannot use non-refundable OBC for the DSC - the so-called mandatory 13.50 per day charge pp. You CAN, however, use non-refundable OBC for additional tips. I do it all the time -- you go to the service desk and fill out a little form that identifies the employee and the tip you want to leave. They then give you a receipt that you can put in an envelope for that employee so they know you left an additional tip. Works for staff at kids club, butler, concierge and /or additional tip to steward or anyone else for whom you want to leave an additional tip .

[KeithJenner]

Wait, wait. This has the potential to be misinterpreted by newcomers.... To be clear - as Keith Jenner said, you cannot use non-refundable OBC for the DSC - the so-called mandatory 13.50 per day charge pp. You CAN, however, use non-refundable OBC for additional tips. I do it all the time -- you go to the service desk and fill out a little form that identifies the employee and the tip you want to leave. They then give you a receipt that you can put in an envelope for that employee so they know you left an additional tip. Works for staff at kids club, butler, concierge and /or additional tip to steward or anyone else for whom you want to leave an additional tip .

 

 

 

Yes, this is true. I probably wasn't clear.

 

In my defence, the post I quoted was responding to one that specifically mentioned the DSC, so I had that in mind.

 

You are absolutely correct though.

Edited January 23, 2017 by KeithJenner

[bonvoyagie]

Thank you, that was helpful. I've only been on 3 cruises. The last one was 2yrs ago with RCCL and it was all pre-paid, so I didn't worry about the service fees for the cabin and MDR, but I think we did tip extra at the end, my memory is horrible. The other 2 cruises were some time ago and I was young and just don't remember what we did.

 

I guess my concern was do people usually tip the cabin stewards on top of the service fee and it sounds like it really depends on the people and or the service they received.

 

As for the MDR, I'm used to having the same server every time, so how does tipping work in that case? Does one tip in cash after each meal?

 

With Freestyle dining in the MDR you will not have the same server each night so that is why the DSC was created - way back in the late 1990s :D

 

I have never tipped the wait staff in the MDR or the bar - my food has always been delivered hot and fresh and my drinks have always been strong and refreshed when empty.

 

As far as tipping the room steward I have only done this once - and on our last cruise of 14 days in a suite. We had some plumbing issues and issues with each of us getting a cold and spending the day in the suite. Our steward was able to work around our schedule, get the plumbing fixed and was also the most personable room steward we have encountered to date - so he got a hero card and a cash tip :) That is not to say that our previous stewards were poor, but this one really stood out. Yes we used our non refundable OBC to pay his tip along with the Butler and Concierge.

Edited January 24, 2017 by bonvoyagie

[kerryincork]

You do not have to tip extra if you have paid the service charge & 18% has been added to your drinks all ready.

We might give $20 or $30 to cabin stewards at end of cruise.

I very rarely tip bar staff extra.

Though I usually give the people in the coffee shop a small tip.

 

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[smilz]

So... you board the ship. You enjoy 7 days of meals in the buffet and MDRs and complimentary spots. Your shipboard account is charged 13.50 day which is divided among servers and others. I board the ship on the same day. I opted to pay for the dining package and was charged 18% gratuity for the specialty dining staff before I even boarded. My shipboard account is charged the same $13.50 to be divided among the servers we didn't have contact with and others. Is the division different

[kerryincork]

So... you board the ship. You enjoy 7 days of meals in the buffet and MDRs and complimentary spots. Your shipboard account is charged 13.50 day which is divided among servers and others. I board the ship on the same day. I opted to pay for the dining package and was charged 18% gratuity for the specialty dining staff before I even boarded. My shipboard account is charged the same $13.50 to be divided among the servers we didn't have contact with and others. Is the division different

Different staff, and I think you only get 3 meals with the package, so you still have 7× breakfast, 7×lunch, 3× dinner MDR. Plus any other snacks you might eat + stewards. That is what is covered by the $13.50.

 

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