Service charges and package charges

[Cruiseaholic07]

We are new to NCL. We are going on a 11 night Mediterranean cruise in 60 days.  When I reviewed are booking it showed an additional $200 in package fees per person, is this for tips for speciality dining and drink package? Additionally when looking through the app it offered the option for prepaid service charges for $319, what exactly is that? Is it better to do the pre paid option or go the daily route? I know on Carnival I was able to just tip myself. Thank you for any help

[ColeThornton]

Yes, there are gratuity charges for both the dining and alcohol packages.

 

Service charges are covered in the NCL FAQ's:

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#what-is-onboard-service-charge

Edited September 21, 2019 by ColeThornton

[smplybcause]

Yes. You have to pay the 20% service charge on the regular price of the free package. Which is just under $20pppd for drinks. Dining varies but I paid just under 20pp for a free 4 night package, not sure if 11 nights gets more than 4?

 

The prepaid is the daily dsc/gratuity they charge. NCL is $15pppd. If you don't prepay it is added to your on board account each day. You can ask on board for this to be removed, but with NCLs freestyle dining it makes the tipping process more onerous and NCL includes people you don't ever see in the DSC.

 

Unlike lines with more traditional dining, the odds of you getting the same server more than once on NCL is very slim unless you specifically request it (and to have the request fulfilled you'd have to go to the same venue around the same time - which defeats the purpose of freestyle). So you'd need to bring money to each meal in order to tip those that served you. Much easier to just let NCL handle it if you ask me! 

Edited September 21, 2019 by smplybcause

[Starry Eyes]

Yeah, those gratuities on the perks add up.    We like the specialty dining enough to happy pay those gratuities.  On the other hand, I do not drink alcohol and my DH is a pretty light drinker.  So, while others find the drink package to be a great value, for us even $40 per day in gratuities is more than we’d typically spend for drinks.  I suspect we are in the minority, though.  When you do the math, you likely will find the package (and it’s required gratuities) worthwhile.  

 

Personally, I do not prepay the daily service charge.  I suppose for some people is better for their cash flow or credit card balances or psychologically or whatever, so they prepay them.  We just have them added to the on board account.   As mentioned, too many different people will serve you to make individual tipping practical, though you can add more for exceptional service.

[BirdTravels]

We prefer to prepay the daily service charge. It lessens the “shock factor” when you get the final bill and allow us to space the payment over several months (especially for long cruises). 

[Cruiseaholic07]

Wonderful thank you. Yes the price tag is adding up quickly on this trip, so I think the prepaid option may be better. The beverage package would be great, but with such a port intensive cruise, I feel like I could have saved some money. Oh well

[esm54687]

25 minutes ago, jcu1210 said:

Wonderful thank you. Yes the price tag is adding up quickly on this trip, so I think the prepaid option may be better. The beverage package would be great, but with such a port intensive cruise, I feel like I could have saved some money. Oh well

If you feel the PBP is not cost effective..... you may opt out and pay "per drink", etc  

[Birdie And Sue]

1 hour ago, jcu1210 said:

We are new to NCL. We are going on a 11 night Mediterranean cruise in 60 days.  When I reviewed are booking it showed an additional $200 in package fees per person, is this for tips for speciality dining and drink package? Additionally when looking through the app it offered the option for prepaid service charges for $319, what exactly is that? Is it better to do the pre paid option or go the daily route? I know on Carnival I was able to just tip myself. Thank you for any help

 

Yes the $200 is the added in gratuities for the Dining and Drink packages.  The $319 is the DSC (daily service charge) that some mistakenly refer to as tips.

DSC - https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#what-is-onboard-service-charge
TIPS - https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#what-about-gratuities
 

[casofilia]

But if you have paid or will pay the DSC there is no OBLIGATION to tip anyone further unless you use things that are not available to everyone such as the Spa where the 20% is added to the "fee".

[Cruiseaholic07]

Thank you for clearing it up

[bluesea777]

12 hours ago, jcu1210 said:

Wonderful thank you. Yes the price tag is adding up quickly on this trip, so I think the prepaid option may be better. The beverage package would be great, but with such a port intensive cruise, I feel like I could have saved some money. Oh well

 

Best to keep the beverage package, even if it’s a port intensive cruise. You’ll want a drink when you return to ship after spending time in port, and then there are pre-dinner cocktails.

 

Wine with dinner, and post dinner drinks. Each drink cost $10 to $15 or more, plus 20% grats.

 

You are on vacation and on a cruise.

 

ENJOY!

 

Edited September 22, 2019 by bluesea777

[smplybcause]

13 hours ago, jcu1210 said:

Wonderful thank you. Yes the price tag is adding up quickly on this trip, so I think the prepaid option may be better. The beverage package would be great, but with such a port intensive cruise, I feel like I could have saved some money. Oh well

Unless you're strictly beer drinkers, the free package is cheaper if you have 2 alcoholic drinks per day. If you're a soda drinker it's one alcoholic drink and 2 or 3 sodas a day. Beer is 3 a day to be cheaper.