Tips

[fshagan]

NCL, also says this about the DSC:

the reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports. How much is the charge? Onboard Service Charges are additional.

I do agree with you that if somone doesn't like the way NCL handles their DSC, they might want to look into a cruise line that more fits their expectations as far as DSC/auto gratuities are concerned.

 

I quoted this earlier as well. I believe the bolded sentence is talking about two different things, salary, and separate incentive programs that are supported by the service charge. But I take it you are taking it to mean the salary and incentive programs are both supported by the service charge.

 

The reason I lean to the independent clause theory is that the workers have a contracted amount they receive each pay period. The minimum they must receive is at least the seafarer's minimum wage of $614 per month for 48 hours work per week, but with the negotiated overtime and paid days off the total is closer to $1000:

 

Taking into account the principles above the total negotiated settlement at present time is as follows:

 

minimum basic monthly wage (01/01/2016)US$614.00

2.5 days leave per month US$51.17

104 hours overtime per month US$384.0

08 hours compensatory leave for public holidays US$29.52

Total US$1,078

From "ITF Seafarers: What should my wages be."

 

It may be that they use the DSC income as a line item on their check to assist them with their taxes (many countries do not tax tip income) and then have "salary" to make up the difference. If they make that adjustment week by week then the employee ends up paying high tax rates on the weeks that the DSC does not make up the bulk of their paycheck. But that could be how it's done. Or they could be using the DSC to pay for the subsidized drinks the crew enjoys, health plan, etc.

 

I think they pay a fixed amount each pay period to honor the union contract, but it could be a mix of salary and tips. But, for the workers we are talking about, I don't believe the pay ever goes down below that negotiated amount in their contract.

Edited October 31, 2017 by fshagan
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[ray98]

To answer your question how I decide that, I tip those who serve me. That is not difficult for me.

 

 

So you tip at every encounter? I find that hard to believe.

[swedish weave]

So you tip at every encounter? I find that hard to believe.

Believe what you choose to believe. I can't help you with YOUR problem.

[NLH Arizona]

xxxx

[deliver42]

I tip whenever I get a drink, be it the bar tender or the server. It's a service they are giving me, and in my opinion, they deserve a tip. The same with specialty restaurants. At the end of the cruise, I will give extra to my cabin steward and wait staff if on set dining with the same people. If you don't like this, then tuff.

[swedish weave]

My curiosity led me to find some verifiable numbers to add to this discussion.

NCL Sun

Crew. 906

Psgr 1936 cap. Max 2400

DSC. 13.99 PP pd

 

Using these numbers we now have to use some assumptions and will round the numbers for ease of calculations

 

Let's estimate that 800 crew are in the DSC pool, and will use 2000 as the number of psgrs. Also, the DSC WILL use 14 dollars for ease of math.

 

That comes to 840 dollars per month per cabin based on double occupancy and 8400000 based on 1000 cabins

 

Assuming 800 crew in the pool, that comes up to 1,050 per month per crew member.

 

Interesting that this figure is nearly exactly the amount calculated as the salary dictated by the union agreement.

 

Add on the cash tips the crew receives, and you have a close estimate of their income which is high by many of their home country standards.

 

Many variables can change these numbers, so if you have factual data, it would be interestig to see your numbers.

[mjkacmom]

That begs an answer to the next question.

If the DSC is used to compensate the crew, and if the cruise line is required to pay them a contracted salary, why do some on these boards try to lay a guilt trip on those who request the removal of the DSC.

 

The crew gets their salary plus cash tips they get to keep so they are better off if you replace the DSC money with cash tips to the crew members who serve you.

If they want to tip out to the "behind the scenes" crew members, that choice is theirs.

 

The cruise line must make up any shortage in the DSC pool to meet the salary requirements.

Some cruise lines may be,trying to plug this loophole by telling their crew they must turn their cash tips, but NCL hasn't done that.

Of course NCL has to make up the difference, and if they find the amount received from the DSC isn’t enough, they raise prices for those of us who pay it, and somewhat frequently, or cut costs.

[RaiderDuck]

To each their own, but carrying around money on the ship and trying to remember who we've tipped and who we haven't is more effort than we wish to expend on a vacation. We just prepay the DSC/gratuities/tips/whatever-you-want-to-call-them and forget about tipping after that.

[ray98]

To each their own, but carrying around money on the ship and trying to remember who we've tipped and who we haven't is more effort than we wish to expend on a vacation. We just prepay the DSC/gratuities/tips/whatever-you-want-to-call-them and forget about tipping after that.

 

No one does that. It is a charade.

[BaWBarmy]

I tip whenever I get a drink, be it the bar tender or the server. It's a service they are giving me, and in my opinion, they deserve a tip. The same with specialty restaurants. At the end of the cruise, I will give extra to my cabin steward and wait staff if on set dining with the same people. If you don't like this, then tuff.

 

But you have already paid an 18% gratuity on the price of the drink or package, if you have the UBP/Caps & Corks etc. So why tip again?

 

My take on it as someone who comes from a culture that tips rarely, is that you pay for your cruise, part of which goes to pay the staff their salary. You pay the DSC with absolutely no objection, to be used for whatever they use it for, and you pay 18% on top of most, if not all, beverages and speciality dining. After that I tip nothing.

[Sam Ting]

Of course NCL has to make up the difference, and if they find the amount received from the DSC isn’t enough, they raise prices for those of us who pay it, and somewhat frequently, or cut costs.

 

I'm glad people are guilted into donating extra money to the billion dollar company so they can pay their employees. Without them I doubt the company would send me the "rebate" at the end for just filling out some silly form.

 

Have a great cruise wherever the ship may take you!

[deliver42]

We are not donating money to a billion dollar company. The extra tips goes into the persons pocket. It's cash only.

[zqvol]

I think most NCL cruisers would agree with you, but there are a few who post here who insist that that the DSC is not a tip or gratuity. Personally, I just ignore that opinion.

 

You can make up anything that you want to call it, but NCL considers it a service charge, NOT a TIP, NOT a GRATUITY - it is a SERVICE CHARGE, but let's not let facts get in the way of what people want to claim.

[swedish weave]

You can make up anything that you want to call it, but NCL considers it a service charge, NOT a TIP, NOT a GRATUITY - it is a SERVICE CHARGE, but let's not let facts get in the way of what people want to claim.

Your opinion seems to differ from that of NCL. They use all three terms when it suits their purpose.

AND that IS A FACT.

[BunnieBear]

I tip whenever I get a drink, be it the bar tender or the server. It's a service they are giving me, and in my opinion, they deserve a tip. The same with specialty restaurants. At the end of the cruise, I will give extra to my cabin steward and wait staff if on set dining with the same people. If you don't like this, then tuff.

So you don't tip the cleaning staff, the kitchen etc? Just those lucky to be in the prime customer facing roles? It's fairer to stick with the DSC

 

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[swedish weave]

So you don't tip the cleaning staff, the kitchen etc? Just those lucky to be in the prime customer facing roles? It's fairer to stick with the DSC

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

How much do the people you mention gain from the DSC???

[BunnieBear]

How much do the people you mention gain from the DSC???

We don't know how they split it but it was brought in to be fairer across the board.

 

 

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[RevCindy]

So you don't tip the cleaning staff, the kitchen etc? Just those lucky to be in the prime customer facing roles? It's fairer to stick with the DSC

 

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I was wondering the same thing. There are far more many people making my trip a good one that I DON'T see than the ones I do see. I want them ALL to be compensated fairly and appropriately. I also don't believe that anyone walks around a cruise ship with wads of cash for tipping at every service opportunity. That seems ridiculous on the face of it.

[BunnieBear]

I was wondering the same thing. There are far more many people making my trip a good one that I DON'T see than the ones I do see. I want them ALL to be compensated fairly and appropriately. I also don't believe that anyone walks around a cruise ship with wads of cash for tipping at every service opportunity. That seems ridiculous on the face of it.

I didn't see any cash at all in 10 days on board - unless those tipping the barmen had better slight of hand tricks than a magician. Can you imagine how many drinks they serve in an hour? If everyone tipped a $ a drink on top of the share they get of the 18% DSC applied to the drinks they'd be taking home more than the captain!

 

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[swedish weave]

I was wondering the same thing. There are far more many people making my trip a good one that I DON'T see than the ones I do see. I want them ALL to be compensated fairly and appropriately. I also don't believe that anyone walks around a cruise ship with wads of cash for tipping at every service opportunity. That seems ridiculous on the face of it.

They are compensated fairly. They receive the salary they agreed to when they signed their contract. If NCL wants to pay them more, that is OK, too. Also, you can toss in a little if you choose.

[swedish weave]

No one knows. It is an internal NCL issue. Know one even knows it it given to the crew directly as additional cash incentives or it is used to fund programs that promote the crew working as a team or crew morale. Anyone saying they know the answer to this is speculating at best.

I am not speculating.....

[hawk/hornfan]

So you don't tip the cleaning staff, the kitchen etc? Just those lucky to be in the prime customer facing roles? It's fairer to stick with the DSC

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

It is not my or any customers job to tip the cleaning or kitchen staff. It is the responsibility of the company in question to pay them a salary in accordance with international laws.

I gladly pay my DSC. However, with the cruise industry going away from fixed dining, rarely is service in the MDR, where I prefer to eat, is more than average. Mainly because we never have the same wait staff and obviously due to cut backs. Last few cruises, room stewards have been average at best. And I don't make any requests. And don't get me started on the bartenders, I don't care how fancy the process is in making the drink, it slows down service. Pool bars are the exception.

[fshagan]

To each their own, but carrying around money on the ship and trying to remember who we've tipped and who we haven't is more effort than we wish to expend on a vacation. We just prepay the DSC/gratuities/tips/whatever-you-want-to-call-them and forget about tipping after that.

 

Yep, that's exactly what we do. There are only a few things that would customarily have a separate tip that isn't automatically added like with a bar charge (kid's club counselors, spa personnel, suite butlers and concierge are the ones I can think of off the top of my head). We aren't exposed to any of those people on our average cruise so we go and have fun and don't carry a wad of dollar bills around.

 

We usually tip something extra if the cabin steward has been good, but that's at the end of the cruise. Until then tipping is the furthest thing from our minds.

[swedish weave]

We don't know how they split it but it was brought in to be fairer across the board.

 

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

The DSC was set up to create a revenue stream for the cruise line.

They grabbed control of this rather large pool of moneythatwas,originally handled and distributed onboard each ship. Now, corporate controls it and distribute the funds "at managements discretion." They are very tight lipped about how they handle this pool of money, bUT it is now large enough to pay the contracted salaries in most cases.

Do the math and look at the union website if interested.

[deliver42]

The tips I said I give are in addition to the DSC. I don't touch that. In fact, I always pre pay the DSC.