Service Charge Breakdown

[CruisinHarvey]

While honesty and transparency might not mean much to you, it does to me and many others. A good amount of people don't tip on the ship because they think the service charge is a "tip" to the workers when in fact it's just NCL pocketing it.

 

That's why I encourage everyone to get your service charge back at the end of the cruis and instead bring $100 per person to hand out to staff on the cruise. Usually I reserve $30 for the room attendant and always give the people in the restaurants and bars a few bucks at a time. Including those at the buffet.

 

Everyone should tip as they like. Cruising seems to be the only business where everyone questions how much people get paid. We cruise a lot, know a number of NCL crew members. Do they want more? Sure, who doesn't. But none of them has any plans to go other lines. A couple of crew members we know came from other lines, and are happier on NCL than they were before. Don't fool yourselves into thinking you're going the change the way NCL does business. If you irritates you that much, you'll need to go elsewhere, just like every other company you choose to do business with.

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

Everyone should tip as they like. Cruising seems to be the only business where everyone questions how much people get paid. We cruise a lot, know a number of NCL crew members. Do they want more? Sure, who doesn't. But none of them has any plans to go other lines. A couple of crew members we know came from other lines, and are happier on NCL than they were before. Don't fool yourselves into thinking you're going the change the way NCL does business. If you irritates you that much, you'll need to go elsewhere, just like every other company you choose to do business with.

 

The way customers feel or act/shop quite often changes the practices of a business. In this case, I feel much better knowing I can give cash directly to those employees rather then NCL pocketing 1/2 of the money.

 

If even 1/4 of customers demanded refunds for their service charges I bet NCL would change how they did things.

[Two Wheels Only]

A good amount of people don't tip on the ship because they think the service charge is a "tip" to the workers when in fact it's just NCL pocketing it.

I'm not one of "those people". I tip, anyway. In the above example that I gave, the tips that I give on-board would be identical.

 

If people aren't tipping because they pay the DSC, do you think that those same people would tip if the DSC was rolled into the fare? If NCL raised prices by $100 per person (which is slightly more than $13.99 x 7days), those same people probably wouldn't tip because their fare is higher. Again, if NCL gave the 3 choices above, people who don't want to tip still won't tip no matter how NCL advertises the cost.

 

 

In this case, I feel much better knowing I can give cash directly to those employees rather then NCL pocketing 1/2 of the money.

You can always give cash. NCL isn't stopping you from doing that no matter what the DSC is.

 

If even 1/4 of customers demanded refunds for their service charges I bet NCL would change how they did things.

NCL would raise the price.....then what? What would people "remove" if NCL eliminated the DSC and just added $100-$150 pp to the cost of the cruise? It's either pay or don't pay. NCL will fill the ships in either case as long as people are happy with what they get for what the total cost is.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Two Wheels Only

[CruisinHarvey]

The way customers feel or act/shop quite often changes the practices of a business. In this case, I feel much better knowing I can give cash directly to those employees rather then NCL pocketing 1/2 of the money.

 

If even 1/4 of customers demanded refunds for their service charges I bet NCL would change how they did things.

 

As you probably know, they don't have gratuities on promo's in the UK. You're correct in that NCL changed the way they do business there. They just increased fares. Not sure that's the result you're hoping for. They don't pay the crew members anymore cruising out of the UK than anywhere else. And the UK people, for the most part, don't believe in tipping, since it's not part of their culture. So are the crew members better off?

Edited September 22, 2017 by CruisinHarvey

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

As you probably know, they don't have gratuities on promo's in the UK. You're correct in that NCL changed the way they do business there. They just increased fares. Not sure that's the result you're hoping for. They don't pay the crew members anymore cruising out of the UK than anywhere else. And the UK people, for the most part, don't believe in tipping, since it's not part of their culture. So are the crew members better off?

 

I guess they could raise the fares but since they'd be the only one they might price themselves higher then the competition. It's very similar to how people purchase airfare. Sure, there's some loyalty, but most people book on price first and foremost. If NCL raised all the cruise fares by $100-150 per person you'd probably see more people book with other cruise lines.

[xriva]

Here's a similar question that's been bothering me - we have a cruise booked on the Jade coming up, and my wife gave our PCC a credit card to pay for it, so I'm pretty sure all the money went to Miami.How do I know the money is actually used to pay the operations crew on the Jade and cover her maintenance and operating costs? My fare seemed high, so I want to make sure I'm not actually paying for one of the bigger ships. Why is nobody concerned where your cruise fare is going? It's much larger than the DSC!

[DMH15]

Here's a similar question that's been bothering me - we have a cruise booked on the Jade coming up, and my wife gave our PCC a credit card to pay for it, so I'm pretty sure all the money went to Miami.How do I know the money is actually used to pay the operations crew on the Jade and cover her maintenance and operating costs? My fare seemed high, so I want to make sure I'm not actually paying for one of the bigger ships. Why is nobody concerned where your cruise fare is going? It's much larger than the DSC!

 

 

 

Now that's the new one… Don't you think like the 4000 people on the epic are paying for their own service charges?

 

 

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[AndyCapn]

Here's a similar question that's been bothering me - we have a cruise booked on the Jade coming up, and my wife gave our PCC a credit card to pay for it, so I'm pretty sure all the money went to Miami.How do I know the money is actually used to pay the operations crew on the Jade and cover her maintenance and operating costs? My fare seemed high, so I want to make sure I'm not actually paying for one of the bigger ships. Why is nobody concerned where your cruise fare is going? It's much larger than the DSC!

 

Dammit, you're right! Some of my cruise fare is probably also paying for the janitorial staff at their headquarters. Why doesn't NCL pay for that? I'm not the one that's messing up their precious office!

[NLH Arizona]

Dammit, you're right! Some of my cruise fare is probably also paying for the janitorial staff at their headquarters. Why doesn't NCL pay for that? I'm not the one that's messing up their precious office!

:eek:

[fshagan]

Here's a similar question that's been bothering me - we have a cruise booked on the Jade coming up, and my wife gave our PCC a credit card to pay for it, so I'm pretty sure all the money went to Miami.How do I know the money is actually used to pay the operations crew on the Jade and cover her maintenance and operating costs? My fare seemed high, so I want to make sure I'm not actually paying for one of the bigger ships. Why is nobody concerned where your cruise fare is going? It's much larger than the DSC!

 

Absolutely priceless! Thanks for making me laugh out loud.

 

Really, everyone should take at least one business accounting class. Just one.

[swedish weave]

It's so funny to read the "don't worry about it" and "just do it" comments. That's exactly what NCL wants you to do.

 

People just accepted the charge once upon a time because they saw it as a tip that the workers on the ship were getting. You know, you go out to eat and you tip the waiter. It's the American way of doing things. Slowly but surely the gratuity amount went up and it changed to a "service charge". You know why? Because it doesn't all go to the workers now.

 

About 1 year ago I had a "fling" with a NCL employee in Miami. She worked in revenue management and we went out for a couple of months. Did you know that up to 50% of your service charge goes directly into the pockets of NCL? Also, when you get the beverage package NCL pockets 75% of that as well. That's the main reason that the beverage package on NCL is the most expensive, because they higher the price the higher the amount the 18% comes out to. The money they get from the 18% you pay when you get a beverage package basically covers 90% of the cost of the alcohol you consume. It's a pretty shady way of doing things but as long as people never question it and NCL is never exposed then everything will remain status quo.

 

Thank you for posting this information. Many won't believe you, or will try to get the post deleted.

 

Anyone who knows facts usually get belittled or ridiculed when posting here.

[Sam Ting]

Would you rather have....

 

A) A $1000 cruise with an additional $1500 in service charges added.

 

B) A $2000 cruise with an additional $500 in service charges added.

 

C) A $2500 cruise with no additional service charges added.

 

If the total is the same, why do people care about how NCL distributes the $2500? As long as I have $2500 (or more) worth of enjoyment, I'm good. :cool:

 

I'd like the to leave it as is, this way I get a nice little discount when I remove the service charge.

[Moby0215]

Would you rather have....

 

 

 

A) A $1000 cruise with an additional $1500 in service charges added.

 

 

 

B) A $2000 cruise with an additional $500 in service charges added.

 

 

 

C) A $2500 cruise with no additional service charges added.

 

 

 

If the total is the same, why do people care about how NCL distributes the $2500? As long as I have $2500 (or more) worth of enjoyment, I'm good. :cool:

 

 

 

I'll tell you one thing. If they did C, it would stop all these ridiculous DSC threads [emoji12]

 

 

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[Two Wheels Only]

I'd like the to leave it as is, this way I get a nice little discount when I remove the service charge.

When NCL raises prices, I'll be sure to thank you. :rolleyes:

[Two Wheels Only]

I'll tell you one thing. If they did C, it would stop all these ridiculous DSC threads

There would be new threads with people complaining about how they are forced to pay for things that they neither want nor need.

[Moby0215]

There would be new threads with people complaining about how they are forced to pay for things that they neither want nor need.

 

 

 

Except nobody would be "forced". It's their choice to cruise or not. Very simple.

 

 

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[kathybelcher2433]

Would you rather have....

 

 

 

A) A $1000 cruise with an additional $1500 in service charges added.

 

 

 

B) A $2000 cruise with an additional $500 in service charges added.

 

 

 

C) A $2500 cruise with no additional service charges added.

 

 

 

If the total is the same, why do people care about how NCL distributes the $2500? As long as I have $2500 (or more) worth of enjoyment, I'm good. :cool:

 

 

 

You forgot option D) Stay home and complain full time!

 

 

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