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DAILY SERVICE INCREASE AGAIN?????

drumming cruisers

By drumming cruisers,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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insidecabin "Live from...." Rare

insidecabin

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just look at the total for my cruise with tax, tips and the packages I want if it is OK I will book.

 

The base fares get adjusted by cruise lines to keep the totals where people will book.

If the cruise has high taxes(like Panama, Suez, Alaska) the fares go down to compensate when people won't book.

Same for the small increase in grats people that don't like it will just wait for lower fares...

Edited by insidecabin
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NLH Arizona

NLH Arizona

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, insidecabin said:

 

Seems to be working fine in the UK for Marella, P&O and MSC that sell with gratuities included fares

 

IN Europe NCL tried PREMIUM AI which included grats and drinks at higher prices I suspect it was the drinks that put people off as not everyone wants inflated prices for drinks they don't want.

I think it didn't work for NCL, because they removed the DSC and at the same time raised the prices to incude it.  If they would have waited a few weeks or a month to raise the prices or raised them over a couple week period I think it would have worked.  Unfortunately those that didn't pay it when it was the DSC, still didn't want to pay it when included in the fare, because they knew it was in there.

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latebloomer56

latebloomer56

Posted
Posted

We never remove the DSC mainly because it saves me fretting if I missed anybody at the end of our cruise. Also even though we will save a few dollars, we have never and never plan to pre-pay this charge. You never know when something can change but the real reason is I don't trust NCL (or any other line) to refund my money if required. Not sure but always just leave it alone even if we get a putz here and there it's OK on the whole the crew is good.

 

Now a question?

That said was told when all this adding to daily service charging started that if we removed this and gave cash to our waiter or steward they were required to turn this in at be added to the pool. Is that true? I did ask one of the staff a while back and was told yes which is why the cabin # is added to the envelope. If you leave the DSC they get to keep the extra if you don't the line adds it to the pool. If they are caught keeping and not reporting they are let go, no second chances they are done.

 

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Lionkingrichard

Lionkingrichard

Posted
Posted
19 hours ago, blcruising said:

Couple things.

 

A gratuity is based on service. A wage is based on hours of work.

 

Since NCL won't do it I break down my daily charges as follows, at $14.50 per person or day.

 

For two people, I figure $10 per day total for the steward. A $25 breakfast tab at 15%, or $3.75, another $25 for lunch at 15%, or $3.75, $60 for dinner at 15% or $9.00, and then $2.50 per day for whatever work is done behind the scenes that we enjoy but don't see. I think that breaks out to $29 per day for two people or $14.50 per person. Some days we are ashore and don't eat lunch, but then sometimes we eat at OSheehans late night. It all works itself out.

 

More than fair for the services received and is comparable to what we tip on land. If we want to recognize exceptional service, that would be done via cash at the time the service is rendered.

$60 for Dinner?

 

Step up to the plate.

 

Soup, Salad, App. and Desert.

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luv2kroooz Holiday Sharing Rare

luv2kroooz

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, Lionkingrichard said:

$60 for Dinner?

 

Step up to the plate.

 

Soup, Salad, App. and Desert.

Yep, chicken, whitefish, bratwurst, and ghoulash. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.

 

I tip based on the value I perceive...you do you, though.

Edited by blcruising
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stacymills99

stacymills99

Posted
Posted

The wording in the e-mail was a bit strange.  We are booked for a cruise in March 2021.  I understand that the price will increase at the end of the month.  If I pre-pay before the cruise I will be locked into the original price.  Does that mean I need to pre-pay before the end of this month to lock into the price or can I pre-pay in January and still get the current price?  Thank you for the clarification. 

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Linda the Book Lover

Linda the Book Lover

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, stacymills99 said:

The wording in the e-mail was a bit strange.  We are booked for a cruise in March 2021.  I understand that the price will increase at the end of the month.  If I pre-pay before the cruise I will be locked into the original price.  Does that mean I need to pre-pay before the end of this month to lock into the price or can I pre-pay in January and still get the current price?  Thank you for the clarification. 

Yes, you need to pre-pay by the end of this month (March). When this happens and it does about every year I just pay before the dead line and the lower price is locked in.

Edited by Linda the Book Lover
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spanishguy1970

spanishguy1970

Posted
Posted
On 2/28/2020 at 10:25 PM, mianmike said:

 

Because many of us don't believe 100% of DSC is going to the crew.  The last few years NCL has been able to decrease the number of room stewards by quite a bit.  Cabin stewards were responsible for cleaning 10 cabins, now it's 15 cabins (via elimination of steward responsibilities like towel animals, beach towel cabin drop-off and pickup, less room service dishes because of fees, etc.)  If 100% of DSC goes to the crew, they would have received a massive raise when the amount of cabin stewards was reduced, but they tell me no such raise.  

ding ding ding Jackpot. I have never believed it.

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ready2cruzagain

ready2cruzagain

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 2/28/2020 at 10:25 PM, mianmike said:

 

Because many of us don't believe 100% of DSC is going to the crew.  The last few years NCL has been able to decrease the number of room stewards by quite a bit.  Cabin stewards were responsible for cleaning 10 cabins, now it's 15 cabins (via elimination of steward responsibilities like towel animals, beach towel cabin drop-off and pickup, less room service dishes because of fees, etc.)  If 100% of DSC goes to the crew, they would have received a massive raise when the amount of cabin stewards was reduced, but they tell me no such raise.  

 

On the Breakaway last month, we had the worst cabin steward, she said was her first day when she did not clean the cabin even though we had seen her for several days.  When asked how many cabins she had to take care of, she told us 27 cabins.  At that many cabins with the price of the DSC, she is making pretty good money not making up the cabins and saying "It is my first day"

 

Never seen a towel animal, had to search down towels and TP.  Ice, hmm..nope even after asking several times

 

 

Edited by ready2cruzagain
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julig22

julig22

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Linda the Book Lover said:

Yes, you need to pre-pay by the end of this month (March). When this happens and it does about every year I just pay before the dead line and the lower price is locked in.

I don't see where it says you have to pay now if your cruise is in a few months and you want the old rate - just pay before you board.  If you book after March 31, you have to pay the new rate.

 

"Any guest that has made a booking by March 31, 2020 will have the option of prepaying their service charges at the current rate if done prior to sail date"

 

 

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Linda the Book Lover

Linda the Book Lover

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, julig22 said:

I don't see where it says you have to pay now if your cruise is in a few months and you want the old rate - just pay before you board.  If you book after March 31, you have to pay the new rate.

 

"Any guest that has made a booking by March 31, 2020 will have the option of prepaying their service charges at the current rate if done prior to sail date"

 

 

I reread and you are absolutely right. Sorry for the misinformation. I am still paying in March as my cruise with NCL is not until June 2022. Just call me otherwise just in case person. Again sorry.

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don't-use-real-name

don't-use-real-name

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, Linda the Book Lover said:

I reread and you are absolutely right. Sorry for the misinformation. I am still paying in March as my cruise with NCL is not until June 2022. Just call me otherwise just in case person. Again sorry.

 

I think you are the one that closes your posts with - - -

 

"FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE" !

 

I found it missing !  LOL !

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insidecabin "Live from...." Rare

insidecabin

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, NLH Arizona said:

I think it didn't work for NCL, because they removed the DSC and at the same time raised the prices to incude it.  If they would have waited a few weeks or a month to raise the prices or raised them over a couple week period I think it would have worked.  Unfortunately those that didn't pay it when it was the DSC, still didn't want to pay it when included in the fare, because they knew it was in there.

 

Many people from the UK are happy sailing on lines with grats include it is common on a few lines

 

I think it was including the drinks package that put the price up the most not the grats.

 

Anyway they have changed that to offer base price + grats.

Then you add for a fixed price any 2 from the free at sea, on a 7n cruise drinks and 3 dinners for £99pp ($130)  

(can be applied to any cabin grade including sailaway)

 

On a US booking you will have a $140 surcharge for just the grats on the drinks package

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spanishguy1970

spanishguy1970

Posted
Posted
On 3/2/2020 at 2:26 PM, Linda the Book Lover said:

No you need to pay by the end of March. 

yes, we got that email too, pay by the end of March to pay the lower price. I understand they have been raising the DSC charge every year around this time, i just thought with the Corona virus they would not this year, the timing is kind of tacky. IMHO

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richstowe Great Review Rare

richstowe

Posted
Posted
On 3/2/2020 at 4:42 PM, ready2cruzagain said:

On the Breakaway last month, we had the worst cabin steward, she said was her first day when she did not clean the cabin even though we had seen her for several days.  When asked how many cabins she had to take care of, she told us 27 cabins.  At that many cabins with the price of the DSC, she is making pretty good money not making up the cabins and saying "It is my first day"

 

Never seen a towel animal, had to search down towels and TP.  Ice, hmm..nope even after asking several times

 

 

Why not 40 ? How bout 60 ? 

When I was a child I had to walk 20 miles to school , barefoot, carrying my brother, uphill each way , in the snow .

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