About the Daily Service Charge

[pappahbuttz]

Wow, what a discussion, albeit sometimes testy, over the DSC and tipping. yes, different cultures have different opinions regarding the practice of tipping. In addition to that discussion, comes the topic of the "wages and compensation" that is given to these men & women that work very hard to make our vacation a pleasurable experience. IMHO I have no issue in tipping, and don't mind the DSC, so long as it goes to the people that have earned it, and NOT to the corporate entity! I have only been on two cruises, and going on my first MSC cruise this June. I can say with 100% honesty that I had no reason whatsoever not to be happy with all the service I received. Was it perfect? No, but nothing is. I on both my past cruises just paid the DSC and then an extra tip when I felt someone went above and beyond. I tried to give something to the shore excursion manager as a thank you as he helped me in a way that could not only be not expected but well above what he had to do. He stated that he did not anything above my thanks. (I didn't do just that, I wrote Royal Caribbean to express my thanks and gratitude for his help). In the main dining room on my last night I had an extra bottle of wine that I did not use in my wine package, and i asked the waiter and assistant waiter if they were allowed to accept it as an extra thank you for their excellent work.

I do not, however feel that the cruise line should get any of that money! Their huge profits come from the ticket sales, alcohol, upsales etc and you don't have to look past the shareholders report to see that they are making more than acceptable profits. They would be nothing if it wasn't for the men and women that take our calls, feed us, clean up after us, entertain and keep us safe! And a HUGE rant from me, is passengers that treat them like... you know what! These are people that are working hard for a living. Please take an extra minute to smile, thank them and talk! Show some genuine interest and appreciation for what they do and their world will be a bit better for it!

[kiminey65]

This is always an interesting conversation. I am always mystified when someone says that in their culture they do not tip or pay service fees. The fact is that when you step onboard a ship and the ship sails out to sea...you are no longer in your country...such is maritime law. “When in Rome...” You plan a trip and the expenses are laid out upfront so there will be no surprises. When it comes time to pay the bill is not the time to start advocating legislation for wage change. If you cannot afford to pay the bill then you should consider alternative vacation choices. If you are trying to make a political statement then write a letter to The Times. If you do not intend to pay the service fee then be honest and, in advance, inform the people who are waiting on you that you have no intention of paying the DSC. There is nothing like full disclosure to clear the air and level the playing field for all parties concerned. I am quite sure the crew will be most appreciative of your honesty once you have informed them of your intentions.

 

THIS!!!!! ^^ So well said, I only wish it had been me who thought of it so eloquently! I sat here and read all the responses. I am American so my view does side on that platform as well. Let's face it, no one "wants" to add incurred fees upfront added to the cruise, but removing a portion that will directly affect the workers who bust their tails to make our experience as awesome as they can is NOT the way to have a savings! I love love a bargain. I call it my hunting season trophy, as I "hunt" for bargains where ever I can. Pre-cruise hotel. Best airfare. Groupon for possible restaurant coupons, etc... Things that companies offer to gain our patronage. I will NEVER prevent a person from their due wage from me in the name of "savings" I take more pride in my hunting skills..

 

Again, well played on this post!

[flag fan]

I understand there are cultural differences and some relate to the practice of tipping. I hate the idea of tipping--a person's wages shouldn't depend on the generosity of the customer they happen to get, but as an American, I am used to the system and tip accordingly. When cruising, I sail solo and always double the automatic gratuity because I don't think the staff's wages should get less because there is only one person in the cabin. But regardless of culture or personal views on tipping, I think the DSC or other system of automatic tipping should be sacrosanct, if if there is a mechanism for removing it. Right or wrong, efficient or inefficient, it is there to provide support for the staff and removing it means some staff members will have lower wages (or might get lower wages)--personal tips to a selected few does not make up for this. (IMHO)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

You are talking a different thing. Certainly MSC can set up this "no frills" category, but then they have to change their T&C completely, they cannot do this under their current version.

 

I made up the No Frills idea just to illustrate that all the German law does is give the passenger the right to refuse payment of the DSC when booking the cruise. Rest assured that MSC will come up with a solution and that could mean crating a new MSC experience like...Not So Bella. I am sure if a prospective passenger elects to not pay the DSC then MSC has every right to pass that information on to the service personnel. You can only imagine what level of service that pax will receive.

 

 

Of cause it is not a sin, but I was told they have to put tips in a pot for tips collection, so that all staff can participate and not just the ones with direct contact. Is it true or not? Well, I guess someone of us has to work on a MSC boat to find out. Volunteers step forward! :cool:

 

You were given bad information. I can assure you, from past experience, that individuals can keep their tips.

 

I think you have not read what I wrote. I am always deciding during the cruise if and how much I pay depending on the performance of MSC.

 

I have read and completely understand what you have said. The choice is yours...but I fail to see the rationale of withholding the DSC from all the people who are cooking, washing, and doing the cleaning behind the scene...the people who work so hard and are never seen. You are telling me you are going to do this because...your waiter wasn’t too good or you did not get your cabin made up on time?? I really don’t see the connection.:confused:

[CGTNORMANDIE]

THIS!!!!! ^^ So well said, I only wish it had been me who thought of it so eloquently! I sat here and read all the responses. I am American so my view does side on that platform as well. Let's face it, no one "wants" to add incurred fees upfront added to the cruise, but removing a portion that will directly affect the workers who bust their tails to make our experience as awesome as they can is NOT the way to have a savings! I love love a bargain. I call it my hunting season trophy, as I "hunt" for bargains where ever I can. Pre-cruise hotel. Best airfare. Groupon for possible restaurant coupons, etc... Things that companies offer to gain our patronage. I will NEVER prevent a person from their due wage from me in the name of "savings" I take more pride in my hunting skills..

 

Again, well played on this post!

 

Thank you Kiminy.

[Traveler-14344]

Very interesting thread.

 

I'm in the camp that DSC should be included in the cost of the cruise fare vs deferring it at the end of the trip or having it removed (for a valid reason). It is likened to your Service Charge or Levy when you book a hotel. MSC and other cruise lines don't hide the fact that they will have DSC added to the cost of your cruise and provide info if you wish to have them removed.

 

I agree also that it depends where (country consumer laws) the cruise package was bought. Most U.K. pax we have talked to in our previous cruise have indicated that they will have the DSC removed from their cruise bill or that it was included in the cruise packaged they paid. There should be a consumer lobby group for this.

 

On our 1st cruise with MSC, our TA 'paid' our DSC (as part of our perk for booking it with them). On our 2nd, we paid it ourselves. I was debating to have it removed but decided not to. I thought of it as part of the cost of service in a cruise not related to transportation and food/drink and lodging. There are other ways I could avoid extra expenses and at the same time enjoy the cruise.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

There is a very valid reason for not including the DSC into the cruise price...in a word, competition. The mass market lines are very competitive and the original sticker price is a huge factor in choosing a cruise...the lower the price the better.

[kba1988]

Are you saying that every restaurants in the US adds 15% to the bill? Where do you live in the US? The only time I have seen the added gratuities is when the group is over X number of people. 15% is where we start on the tip and that is adjusted up or down accordingly. There was been times I left $0 tips because the service warranted it so.

 

We are from the US and we tip. However, I do not feel it is my place to tell a person s/he should tip because it is rude if they do not. If they are comfortable to not tip, because that is their custom, then so be it.

I am also from the US, and I think what she is trying to say, when you go into a restaurant in the US, although it is not "mandatory" (borderline, because it is almost mandatory) but definitely expect by wait staff in restaurants. It is so expected, that when you receive your bill, on the bill you will see suggested percentages for tipping in the ranges of 13%-25%. The typical shift for a waiter/waitress in a restaurant is 8 to 10 hours, they are on the feet running around to serve you, more so on these cruise ships the shifts are longer and they work 7 days a week. Do you feel they are not deserving of the "Daily Service Charge"? As the other poster said, this implies that you receive poor service, which is not the truth from the reviews I have read "just saying".

[suzyed]

I am from the Philippines and i understand where u are coming from but to be blunt it will be a very rude gesture not to tip, this the same as saying the people that served you on board did something very bad for you not to tip. In the US any restaurant its a 15% of your bill for tip just in case you will go to any restaurant in the US

 

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I'm not sure I would go as far as to call it rude, but they did choose to sail in the USA and that's how it's done here. We all endeavor to follow the rules or mores of the places we travel to.

Even though it is not expected, we are so programmed to tip, that we even do it in places it is not usually done.

[suzyed]

Even better, MSC is applying a Service Charge, this is not a tip. This is money that you pay the cruise line for services received on a flat-rate, per day basis. It is not a variable amount you are voluntarily giving to a specific person as a reward. As a matter of fact, MSC even asks that you don't tip individual staff members.

I never saw anything that said you shouldn't tip individual staff members.

[SeaShark]

I never saw anything that said you shouldn't tip individual staff members.

The fact that you didn't see it does nothing to change the fact that it is there. Perhaps you need to take a closer look.

[suzyed]

Great stuff ;p You Pinoys never ever tip anybody and you tell other people how they should behave. On a cruise ship from Europe! So brillant, best greetings from Malaysia to you and don´t forget to pay always your famous travel tax :halo:

WOW!

The Divina may have originally come from Europe, as most cruise ships do, but it sails in the USA so probably we should go with the culture of the country from which the individual ships sail.

[suzyed]

Without going into a conversation on wether the crew should be paid more by the cruise line or not, let’s look at it this way...if you travel to a hotel with a resort fee, can you Decide wether to pay that or not? Unless I’m mistaken, the answer is no, you suck it up and pay even if you do not use the pool, internet, etc OR you book a hotel that does not incur a resort fee. The overall cost of your cruise fee includes the daily service charge/tips, whatever you want to call them. You can’t remove the port fees, can you? You can’t remove the additional taxes from your fare, can you? In my opinion, it would be easier if the fare you paid up front included all of these fees, including the DSC, but that would make the cost APPEAR higher and would scare most cruisers away. I understand tipping is non existent in many cultures, but for those who have cruised MSC before, is there no DSC on the other ships that cruise out of Europe for example? I’m confused why this is such a hot button topic to anyone who has cruised on main line US cruises before.

I'm with you! Agree on all your points!

[suzyed]

MSC has the lowest DSC among all the main stream cruise lines. You are getting a deal.

I disagree. It's in the same ball park.

[suzyed]

The last time I was in the YC we did not pay more for the butler, concierge, etc. and were told they were included in the daily charge (unlike NCL where they are not).

Which was how much in YC?

[perakcruiser]

WOW!

The Divina may have originally come from Europe, as most cruise ships do, but it sails in the USA so probably we should go with the culture of the country from which the individual ships sail.

In my opinion I follow the "culture" of the country I booked the cruise. As MSC has to follow the law of this country also.

 

I have read and completely understand what you have said. The choice is yours...but I fail to see the rationale of withholding the DSC from all the people who are cooking, washing, and doing the cleaning behind the scene...the people who work so hard and are never seen. You are telling me you are going to do this because...your waiter wasn’t too good or you did not get your cabin made up on time?? I really don’t see the connection.:confused:

No, I would not punish "individual mistakes" by withholding the DSC. Actually I usually tip the waiter in the MDR even if he is a little bit "chaotic", if it is a friendly guy. But it is definitely not my job to pay the salaries for the "people behind the scene", I am not running a cruise line, I am only a passenger. If and how much DSC I pay depends on the overall performance, did they keep their promises, did they lie to me, did they avoid stupid and unhappy moments. And for me certainly it depends on the price I paid. I am not willing to pay anything extra if I would have paid the full catalogue price (which I never did so far, so this is theoretical). On the other hand, if MSC hands out a free cabin upgrade (which I got twice already :*), certainly I pay the DSC, no matter how they performed.

[nikkiw60]

I never saw anything that said you shouldn't tip individual staff members.

 

 

 

I have posted a screen shot of the terms and conditions showing it earlier in the thread and it is also on the MSC app so it is there!

 

 

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[sidari]

I know that there is at least one person who believes that we should not pay the daily hotel charge.

Tonight I heard from a reliable source that not all of the daily hotel charge goes to the people that MSC claim it does! The rest is kept by MSC.

This truly is a disgusting act.

[nikkiw60]

I know that there is at least one person who believes that we should not pay the daily hotel charge.

 

Tonight I heard from a reliable source that not all of the daily hotel charge goes to the people that MSC claim it does! The rest is kept by MSC.

 

This truly is a disgusting act.

 

 

 

Are you going to pay it based on this information?

 

 

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[pappahbuttz]

I know that there is at least one person who believes that we should not pay the daily hotel charge.

Tonight I heard from a reliable source that not all of the daily hotel charge goes to the people that MSC claim it does! The rest is kept by MSC.

This truly is a disgusting act.

 

Tipping or DSC is such a hot topic depending of personal or cultural views. I have stated on here before that I personally believe in giving extra if and when it is due, and many, many of the women and men that work very hard for long hours to take care, feed, clean and serve us both directly and behind the scenes deserve our thanks and gratitude.

My question is what kind of source did you hear that the cruise line is keeping some of this money as revenue and not given to the workers? A crew member or 2nd hand info from online? If this is the case, you are always able do decline to pay the DSC and give the money directly to the servers, cabin attendant etc. however by doing it that way, it gives nothing to the others behind the scenes that might be deserving of some of the gratitude.

Here is a link to an older article on the topic. To sum this up easily, some will tip lots, others not so much and some none, and this will never change so long as cruise line are not 100% transparent on this subject.

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2017/04/articles/crew-member-rights-1/usa-today-takes-a-look-at-cruise-ship-gratuities/

[perakcruiser]

My question is what kind of source did you hear that the cruise line is keeping some of this money as revenue and not given to the workers? A crew member or 2nd hand info from online?

Crew members don´t know what happens with the DSC it is not possible to retrace with the pay cheque. At the end they also don´t care if their salary is 20 percent DSC based or 80 percent. And if it is more or less than their collegues and friends working at other cruiselines get. Don´t think that staff on US liners earn more because American tipping craziness ;p and uncanceled DSC.

 

If this is the case, you are always able do decline to pay the DSC and give the money directly to the servers, cabin attendant etc. however by doing it that way, it gives nothing to the others behind the scenes that might be deserving of some of the gratitude.

Yes this is the most unfair thing that can be done. If everybody follows this, the waiters and cabin stewards would soon be millionairs while the others get nothing.

[sidari]

Nikki ... We have already paid it, and for those questioning the source, it is not possible to give that information due to the level of the position held.

[sandpiper35]

I know that there is at least one person who believes that we should not pay the daily hotel charge.

Tonight I heard from a reliable source that not all of the daily hotel charge goes to the people that MSC claim it does! The rest is kept by MSC.

This truly is a disgusting act.

 

 

That's bittersweet news. This morning we board the Seaside, and now I am a bit disappointed, even though I had my suspicions about the handling of the daily service charge. I always felt so much better being able to hand the rewards directly to the deserving people. I hope this can be clarified further by MSC.

 

Cheers.

[sandpiper35]

Are you going to pay it based on this information?

 

 

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Nikki, there is no choice, maybe we can go back to the way we did it years ago, envelopes directly to the people that provide service on board.

 

We leave on Seaside today, don't know what we will do, we only know we will reward the service workers. Probably end up paying it the way it is set up now.

 

Cheers

[nikkiw60]

It is certainly a difficult one!

I think I would still pay it though.

Plus some extra on the last night.

 

 

 

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