Premium All Inclusive and Tips

[Mr Wicker]

NCL in UK now market cruises as Premium Inclusive to include all gratuities. My question is should on board staff still expect to be tipped. Wife and I are Haven on Epic March 2018 and I do not plan on budgetting per diem for Butler/Concierge etc.

 

NCL stress in their marketting material that their new approach takes this pressure away from guests.

 

Any comments

[littlelulu01]

I would read the fine print. I know for USA bookings the dsc specifically excludes the butler, concierge and kids club staff. It would be appropriate to tip these positions depending on use. Many also tip the courtyard attendant depending on use and the room steward (who is in the dsc) some extra above the dsc.

 

The marketing is similar to when they advertise free gratuities for USA. It’s advertising the basic tips covered. The extra couple bucks here and there to a bar server, favorite dining staff are certainly appreciated.

 

At minimum, unless you’re receiving subpar service, I’d plan on giving something to butler and concierge, knowing they are not in the tip pool.

[fshagan]

NCL in UK now market cruises as Premium Inclusive to include all gratuities. My question is should on board staff still expect to be tipped. Wife and I are Haven on Epic March 2018 and I do not plan on budgetting per diem for Butler/Concierge etc.

 

NCL stress in their marketting material that their new approach takes this pressure away from guests.

 

Any comments

 

You don't have to tip anyone. It is included in your fare now.

 

 

If you want to tip someone you can, of course, but the premium inclusive program is to address the non-tipping culture in the UK.

[littlelulu01]

I stand corrected. I read the terms and conditions of the premium all inclusive and it looks like it covers all gratuity for all staff and the dsc. The t&c are different from that in the USA site which specifically excludes certain positions from dsc.

[Mr Wicker]

Many thanks guys, don't want to be miserable, but at the same time don't feel like paying extra when not needed even though it would undoubtedly be appreciated. I doubt the on board staff will be aware of this new arrangement and the difference between UK and US guests.

[hzv5wk]

Note that the premium all inclusive info on the UK NCL website specifically recommends tipping butler or concierge if you are in a suite. So it's a bit like bottled water - All inclusive as long as you read the small print :confused:

 

All gratuities and tips related to the all-inclusive services are included as well as the service charge.

An 20% gratuity will automatically be added to guest's accounts for dining options and spa treatments not included in the cruise fare. We encourage guests utilising these additional services to acknowledge good service provided by the staff members with appropriate gratuities. We recommend to guests staying in Suites who receive services from a butler or concierge to acknowledge service provided appropriately.

[littlelulu01]

I guess it depends on which fine print you find. The one I read didn’t mention what above poster found. Just out of curiosity I priced out a cruise I have booked on the U.K. site while I was poking around. A full 6k more for the premium ai compared to the USA site that charges the $16.99/ pppd and the tips on the ubp and sdp. That’s a lot extra! I know pricing varies and sometimes it’s a better deal to book U.K. but that’s a lot extra for an ai package if it’s not ai!

[gambit57]

I guess it depends on which fine print you find. The one I read didn’t mention what above poster found. Just out of curiosity I priced out a cruise I have booked on the U.K. site while I was poking around. A full 6k more for the premium ai compared to the USA site that charges the $16.99/ pppd and the tips on the ubp and sdp. That’s a lot extra! I know pricing varies and sometimes it’s a better deal to book U.K. but that’s a lot extra for an ai package if it’s not ai!

 

You checked pricing on both sites right after each other? I like the idea behind an all inclusive price. Someone on another thread said something about them offering extras to make the higher price of the all inclusive more attractive, but I wasn't sure what they meant exactly.

 

I priced my cruise recently to see if the price had dropped. Instead, it had shot up $2,000 or so. And I'm really far out still. That's why I was asking if you priced the US and UK site back to back instead of comparing what you paid back when you originally booked.

 

Edit: I just priced my cruise out on the UK site. If everyone takes advantage of the UBP, the UK price comes out WAY ahead. That's before adding in the tips and anything else it comes with. It can be a great deal under the right circumstances.

Edited January 24, 2018 by codex57

[Mr Wicker]

Many thanks again, probably obvious I have not read the small print and have taken AI at face value. Same argument applies though; my package cost a lot and having attended a recent NCL welcome/appreciation event in Glasgow to show boat AI where NCL stress this new arrangement relieves guests of all the hassle inc tipping I remain reluctant to tip; unless service is excellent. (but I have paid for that already :o)

[littlelulu01]

Yes. Both prices checked same day, today. I didn’t add up all the inclusive benefits against the non inclusive costs. Just the total due. It was on a Haven suite Jade, October, 2019. Just happened to check out of curiosity when reading t&c of the ai package.

 

Pricing really fluctuates sailing date and how well something is sailing. I think on some sailings it’s really not much more to just take the AI. Also U.K. booking has more customer protections. Sometimes the NCL India site has incredible deals on Haven suites with 50% off 2nd passenger and zero perks. If all pricing fairly equal or a little more $ I’d just as soon book in my home country.

[mjkacmom]

The tips that are included in the higher UK fares are for specific amounts. Since the butlers and concierge are not tipped specific amounts, are are not in the DSC pool, I would assume they would still be tipped by UK passengers.

[Mr Wicker]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the interest which has now prompted me to study the t&c's. Something I should perhaps have done earlier but life is too short sometime to get down into the minutiae. On the UK webiste NCL in their main t&c pop up menu still list per diem tipping rates as general rule of thumb for all staff. However, in a separate menu solely concerned with AI the following applies.

"All gratuities and tips related to the all-inclusive services are included as well as the service charge.

An 20% gratuity will automatically be added to guest's accounts for dining options and spa treatments not included in the cruise fare. We encourage guests utilising these additional services to acknowledge good service provided by the staff members with appropriate gratuities. We recommend to guests staying in Suites who receive services from a butler or concierge to acknowledge service provided appropriately."

So I may or may not tip the butler/concierge. Will wait and see what goes down.

It would help if there was a common approach for all guests. Confusion reigns for a reason I think.

[littlelulu01]

When you look on a laptop at the ai description it’s fairly clear and easy to find that you should tip the butler and concierge separately. Sorry, I was looking at my phone earlier and I didn’t see the exclusion of butler and concierge. Laptop-Right on front page of the ai description it states what poster above mentions that if in a suite on the ai package you still should be tipping butler and concierge.

 

Btw, I went back and added up what ai vs free at sea U.K./USA pricing on my cruise. It’s not as big of a difference once you add in the benefits/costs. U.K. still comes in higher on my sailing, but if I lived in the U.K. I’d probably not bother with USA booking just to save a little.

[kirsty_r]

The Uk cruise isn't just tips and drinks - if you also price in an after meal cappuccino (or two) and the bottle of bottled water and not paying 'tax' on the UBP, i found it on my last booking really good value..

[bmwman]

The Uk cruise isn't just tips and drinks - if you also price in an after meal cappuccino (or two) and the bottle of bottled water and not paying 'tax' on the UBP, i found it on my last booking really good value..

Do not think its a great deal at all in fact its hopeless.

 

I have priced cruises this year and last year and take it form me for the same week and cabin on he same ship it is about 35% higher. It takes account of exchange loss albeit the $ is falling, and the UBP and tips. Believe me NCL is expensive but if you want NCL you pay its thats simple. MSC Yacht club for us now and then lets see. MSC will match our NCL Level as well with UBP thrown in.

 

Platinum plus we get water free anyway

[Mr Wicker]

I agree NCL is expensive, and I hope Haven is worth it. Wife and I both 70 at cruise time so happy to pay for something special with NCL rather than risk an untried cruise.

 

Thanks for all the comments