Onboard credit for tips?

[tampadee]

Can onboard credit be used for tips?

[shof515]

it depends on the type of onboard credit. non-refundable onboard credit can not be used, refundable credits can.

[gambit57]

Here just to say gratuities = tips = service charge. :p

[tempus137]

it depends on the type of onboard credit. non-refundable onboard credit can not be used, refundable credits can.

 

This only applies to the DSC (daily service charge). If you want to give someone a separate tip (e.g. tip to haven concierge or butler, or extra to your cabin steward), you can go to guest services and apply any type of OBC to get a voucher to give to the crew member.

[vince_g]

This only applies to the DSC (daily service charge). If you want to give someone a separate tip (e.g. tip to haven concierge or butler, or extra to your cabin steward), you can go to guest services and apply any type of OBC to get a voucher to give to the crew member.

 

Tried to do this on Gem in December and they would not do it. "We don't do that" I was told. They said I could add a tip to a slip if I wanted to tip a waiter or waitress. That certainly comes out of your non-refundable OBC.

 

Have you tried doing this since last month?

[zqvol]

Can onboard credit be used for tips?

 

Always, but understand that tips DO NOT include the Daily Service Charge, they cannot be used for that purpose. Tips to servers, extra tips to your steward, tips in the spa, etc., can all be paid with OBC whether it is refundable or not.

 

 

OBC that is refundable can be used for the DSC.

[zqvol]

Here just to say gratuities = tips = service charge. :p

 

Unfortunately this information is 100% incorrect as far as NCL is concerned.

 

 

Gratuities are not the same as the service charge and should not be confused with it.

[gambit57]

For example:

 

Norwegian

Why is there a service charge?

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.

Royal Caribbean

The automatic gratuity is $14.50 USD, or $17.50 USD for suite guests, applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. The gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories. As a way to reward our crew members for their outstanding service, gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.

The automatic daily gratuity is based on customary industry standards. Applying this charge automatically helps streamline the recognition process for the crew members that work to enhance your cruise. We hope you find the gratuity to be an accurate reflection of your satisfaction and thank you for your generous recognition of our staff.

Different words, same meaning. You can remove them if you make a fuss about it. You can call it a flying potato but it still means the same thing. Crew (particularly the room steward, dining staff, behind the scenes crew, etc) gets some meager base salary, and the rest of their income comes from service charge/gratuity/tip. Yes, you can tip/give a gratuity/give a service fee on top of the automatic one.

[Buford T Justiice]

Tried to do this on Gem in December and they would not do it. "We don't do that" I was told. They said I could add a tip to a slip if I wanted to tip a waiter or waitress. That certainly comes out of your non-refundable OBC.

 

Have you tried doing this since last month?

 

We've gotten the "no, can't do it" answer a couple of times over the years and suggested the individual go speak to their supervisor... and they've always come back from the back room with "no problem, sir".

 

Another note: the tips have to be to a specific person, not a group like "Splash Academy" and you need the employees name, not their nickname or Americanized name.

 

Vince, we'll check again next month and report back.

[chloemonkey]

We've gotten the "no, can't do it" answer a couple of times over the years and suggested the individual go speak to their supervisor... and they've always come back from the back room with "no problem, sir".

 

Another note: the tips have to be to a specific person, not a group like "Splash Academy" and you need the employees name, not their nickname or Americanized name.

 

Vince, we'll check again next month and report back.

 

I did this for a couple of years as we always tip above the daily service charge. But about a year ago as I was at Guest Services trying to add tips to four people that had been helpful during our cruise, the gal at the desk said NOT to tell anyone....but that the individuals do NOT actually receive these monies and that it is instead put into the "pool".....

 

So I began just giving additional gratuities in cash. But I would LOVE to know if anyone else has definitive info on this aspect of tipping. Again, we are NOT talking about the required Daily Service Charges....as we pay those willingly but always tip extra. And I for one would LOVE to not use my cash (better use in the casino!) to do so. We have not been able to use up most of our OBC lately.....and last cruise my husbanc bought a watch that he didn't need.....just to use it up! It DOES get frustrating at times as we receive OBC from various sources including CAS.

[gambit57]

BTW if we are going to post quotes off of the NCL site please post everything germane to the discussion at hand...

 

 

What about Gratuities?

Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships for service that is generally rendered to all Guests. While you should not feel obligated to offer a gratuity, all of our staff are encouraged to “go the extra mile,” so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities for exceptional or outstanding service if you care to offer them. Also, certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. Additionally, there is an 18% gratuity and spa service charge added for all spa and salon services, as well as an 18% gratuity and beverage service charge added for all beverage purchases and an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining.

 

Oops I am muddying the waters with facts again!

 

That's because they just called it a "service charge" because some people have a bug about "tipping". Norwegian can word it however they like. It acts just like the automatic "gratuity" or "tipping" on all the other lines. Of which you can go "the extra mile" and tip on top of that if you like. It's semantics if you don't drink the kool aid. It's still income to the workers. Norwegian is probably going the scummiest way about it and possibly skimming some of their worker's income, but it's still just another word for part of the crew's income.

Edited January 31, 2018 by codex57