Do direct extra tips get pooled, or can the person keep them, or does it depend?

[njhorseman]

33 minutes ago, fshagan said:

 

Here's what NCL says at https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/what-about-gratuities

 

"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."

 

To me, that sounds like they are permitted to accept cash gratuities and keep them - which I view as an essential part of "accepting" the cash. Others will argue that they can accept them, but not keep them.

 

Take your pick.

You're making too much sense, but the trolls who feast on these tipping threads won't care.

[RocketMan275]

42 minutes ago, fshagan said:

 

Here's what NCL says at https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/what-about-gratuities

 

"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."

 

To me, that sounds like they are permitted to accept cash gratuities and keep them - which I view as an essential part of "accepting" the cash. Others will argue that they can accept them, but not keep them.

 

Take your pick.

Others have stated that the crew can keep the extra tips as long as the passenger has not reduced/removed the DSC.

[DaggoB]

We were on the Bliss a few weeks ago. We spent more time at the Local bar then we did at the Haven. I asked one of the regular bartenders why some bartenders would pocket our tips and the other bartenders put the tips aside. He stated that a bartender who only works the Local when they need an extra bartender keeps the tips which he receives. The permanent bartenders at the Local  pool their tips and share them equally at the end of the day. We noticed that every once in a while there was a bartender that we did not recognize and they pocketed the tips.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 12/11/2022 at 11:24 AM, rabidstoat said:

Apologies for asking something I'm certain has been asked before but I'm on the Joy and the Internet is struggling making searches hard.

 

If I leave my room steward an extra cash tip for being a great Steward does he get to keep it himself? What if I give my favorite bartender a cash tip at the end of the cruise, do they keep it or does it get pooled? 

 

Define "extra".

[Cruising Lynne]

2 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

Define "extra".

Whatever you want to give in addition to the DSC should be considered extra. We always give the room steward some cash at the end of our trips and do not remove the DSC.

[fshagan]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Others have stated that the crew can keep the extra tips as long as the passenger has not reduced/removed the DSC.

 

They have. But I don't think anyone really knows for sure. I just put what NCL says on their website that answers the questions for me.

 

 

[MoCruiseFan]

20 hours ago, Cruising Lynne said:

Whatever you want to give in addition to the DSC should be considered extra. We always give the room steward some cash at the end of our trips and do not remove the DSC.

 

I don't think a cash tip is "extra".  It is just a tip, nothing 'extra' about it.  The DSC is not relevant to tipping.

[New2cruise2022]

4 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

I don't think a cash tip is "extra".  It is just a tip, nothing 'extra' about it.  The DSC is not relevant to tipping.

I think, given the other layers that NCL includes, cash can certainly be considered an extra tip. I think if you asked the staff if it would be an additional tip, that they would describe it as an extra tip as well.

[reeinaz]

On 12/12/2022 at 5:42 PM, RocketMan275 said:

Others have stated that the crew can keep the extra tips as long as the passenger has not reduced/removed the DSC.

They (NCL) keep track of who is paying a cash tip?

Edited December 14, 2022 by reeinaz

[RocketMan275]

9 hours ago, reeinaz said:

They (NCL) keep track of who is paying a cash tip?

Supposedly, NCL requires the recipient to report cash tips.  These reports are then compared to who has reduced/eliminated the DSC.  The crew are then allowed to keep those tips from passengers that did not do so.  The crew isn't notified of those who reduced/eliminated the DSC until after debarkation to avoid affecting how those passengers are treated.  There have been reports of pictures of passengers who removed DSC being posted in crew-only areas.  The major enforcement of this policy is the crew contract which would allow trangressors to be removed from the ship and sent home at their expense.  This policy relies heavily upon other crew members to report transgressors.

[BirdTravels]

On 12/11/2022 at 11:24 AM, rabidstoat said:

If I leave my room steward an extra cash tip for being a great Steward does he get to keep it himself? What if I give my favorite bartender a cash tip at the end of the cruise, do they keep it or does it get pooled? 

The arrangement between the employee and employer is irrelevant. If you feel that your room steward and bartender deserve recognition, leave them a tip.

 

We tip our steward $5-$10/per person/per day. On our cruse last week we left our stateroom steward $10/pp/pd. 

 

I tip a bar waiter and most bartenders $1-$2/drink. Last week, I tipped my favorite bartender up to $5 if he gave me priority and slipped me my "regular" drinks before the others waiting around the bar for service,,, it was a look from the bartender, a nod from me, and drinks magically show up. 

[graphicguy]

On 12/12/2022 at 4:58 PM, fshagan said:

 

Here's what NCL says at https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/what-about-gratuities

 

"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."

 

To me, that sounds like they are permitted to accept cash gratuities and keep them - which I view as an essential part of "accepting" the cash. Others will argue that they can accept them, but not keep them.

 

Take your pi

Pretty cut and dry.  Still fascinates me why some just don’t look this up with NCL directly.

 

Personal experience, which is echoed by others in this thread, I tip $1/drink to my favorite bartenders throughout the ship.  It’s none of my business, but my favorite bartender on the last Breakaway cruise was outside Syd Norman’s.  He put the tips in his pocket.  But, If he was busy, and required a bar back or extra bartender, I noticed he put the tip in a jar behind the bar.  He said he split those tips with those who were helping him.

 

DSC goes to housekeeping, food venues, etc.  I still tip extra to my room steward as s/he busts their tale for me.  Same with food venues.  I tip extra at the end of the cruise to MDR waitstaff and give a little extra to SD wait staff whenever I dine there.

 

Some like to know how much.  So, here goes….(based on 7 day cruise)

 

-Room steward….$50/week pp.  In other words, solo is $50.  Couple is $100.  Kids add from there, depending on how many in the cabin

 

-MDR wait staff…$20pp/per week

-SD….$10-$20 per meal depending on how many courses/drinks We/I have during the meal (in addition to the 20%, which to me is the minimum I tip in nice restaurants on land).

-Bartenders on the ship….$1/drink.  $2/drink if it’s a “concoction” that takes a while (thinking the “smoky” drinks I order in the Haven Bar).

-Concierges (HAVEN)… $50/pp

-Butler (HAVEN)…if I use them (which is rare) $25/pp

 

What those folks do with their tips/DSC is really none of my business.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by graphicguy

[njhorseman]

12 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

 Still fascinates me why some just don’t look this up with NCL directly.

Because they wouldn't have an excuse to troll if they actually checked the facts.

 

13 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

What those folks do with their tips/DSC is really none of my business.

Please stop making sensible comments.

 

15 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Hope that helps.

Unfortunately if it helped we wouldn't have the continual troll-fed tipping threads.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

Supposedly, NCL requires the recipient to report cash tips.  These reports are then compared to who has reduced/eliminated the DSC.  The crew are then allowed to keep those tips from passengers that did not do so.  The crew isn't notified of those who reduced/eliminated the DSC until after debarkation to avoid affecting how those passengers are treated.  There have been reports of pictures of passengers who removed DSC being posted in crew-only areas.  The major enforcement of this policy is the crew contract which would allow trangressors to be removed from the ship and sent home at their expense.  This policy relies heavily upon other crew members to report transgressors.

And as you wrote it relies on crew members to report any transgressions. And since crew members would be harmed by other crew members not turning in the tips, this incentivizes them to make the report. Knowing this, is it worth it for a few dollars for a crew member not to turn in the tips? Remember the rules have them getting them back as long as the passenger has not removed the service charge,

[MoCruiseFan]

On 12/11/2022 at 11:24 AM, rabidstoat said:

Apologies for asking something I'm certain has been asked before but I'm on the Joy and the Internet is struggling making searches hard.

 

If I leave my room steward an extra cash tip for being a great Steward does he get to keep it himself? What if I give my favorite bartender a cash tip at the end of the cruise, do they keep it or does it get pooled? 

 

The facts is that no one here knows for sure how tips are handled.  Further it is really none of our business.  It is an issues that is between NCL and their employees.

[RocketMan275]

58 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

The facts is that no one here knows for sure how tips are handled.  Further it is really none of our business.  It is an issues that is between NCL and their employees.

Unforunately, we have a very few posters who think that is their business and wish to change NCL policies more to their liking.

We also have a few who believe if NCL abandons the DSC, their cost to cruise will go down because NCL will pay the DSC from NCL revenues.

[reeinaz]

10 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Supposedly, NCL requires the recipient to report cash tips.  These reports are then compared to who has reduced/eliminated the DSC.  The crew are then allowed to keep those tips from passengers that did not do so.  The crew isn't notified of those who reduced/eliminated the DSC until after debarkation to avoid affecting how those passengers are treated.  There have been reports of pictures of passengers who removed DSC being posted in crew-only areas.  The major enforcement of this policy is the crew contract which would allow trangressors to be removed from the ship and sent home at their expense.  This policy relies heavily upon other crew members to report transgressors.

ah ok. So this is really only pertaining to the cash tips people leave for their room steward I was thinking of all the random tips that people say they give, like to the person making the omelettes in the buffet or the late night stair railing polisher.

[fredflint]

I have found that it goes a long way and if my room Steward is working hard I tip them after providing me with some stuff.  Recent cruise requested: Robes, Coffee Maker and mattress topper all were provided right away.  I gave the steward a 100.00 bill and he was very grateful, by   giving him the tip then he did not think I was going to be a jerky guy always asking for stuff.

 

He was very nice and would not even dish on the worst cabin he had to clean:

 

IE someone that drank too much, Spring break or 4 people in a cabin always needing something.

[New2cruise2022]

8 minutes ago, fredflint said:

I have found that it goes a long way and if my room Steward is working hard I tip them after providing me with some stuff.  Recent cruise requested: Robes, Coffee Maker and mattress topper all were provided right away.  I gave the steward a 100.00 bill and he was very grateful, by   giving him the tip then he did not think I was going to be a jerky guy always asking for stuff.

 

He was very nice and would not even dish on the worst cabin he had to clean:

 

IE someone that drank too much, Spring break or 4 people in a cabin always needing something.

Robes. Nice touch. 

[jbcallender]

A tip left for a staffmember is kept by the staff member.  We recently cruised on NCL after a hiatus of about six or seven years.  I noticed that the guest checks now have a tip line added in all the venues.  I don't remember that from before.  These are "tips" or gratuities as they are optional to the customer and go to the staff member.  A "Service Charge" is not optional.  I would exepect that  the distribution of the service charge is carefully covered in the staff contracts which probably also include an NDA clause.  Who is included in the pool and how it is calculated.

[RocketMan275]

12 hours ago, reeinaz said:

ah ok. So this is really only pertaining to the cash tips people leave for their room steward I was thinking of all the random tips that people say they give, like to the person making the omelettes in the buffet or the late night stair railing polisher.

Principally, for the room steward, yes.  It could also include waiters and bartenders.  I doubt it includes many others.

[cruiseny4life]

7 hours ago, jbcallender said:

I noticed that the guest checks now have a tip line added in all the venues.  I don't remember that from before.  These are "tips" or gratuities as they are optional to the customer and go to the staff member. 

According to two NCL bartenders, they don't actually receive these tips. The first time, on the Getaway in September, I was going to tip on the line and the bartender said told me not to. I asked why, and he claimed the staff do not receive the tips. I had a good relationship with a second bartender so asked him about this. He also confirmed the first bartender's claim. 

I say claim, because I truly don't know what happens if you leave a tip on that line. As a customer, I would think it's safe to assume that tip is passed on to the person you left it to. Based on these conversations, I don't know.

 

Anyway, that was my experience and I choose to believe the bartenders I spoke with. If they lied, it doesn't really affect me as the cash tip I gave them later was the same as the tip I would have left on the line. 

[pookel]

23 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Pretty cut and dry.  Still fascinates me why some just don’t look this up with NCL directly.

 

 

Not everyone trusts everything a corporation claims about how it treats its employees. If you'd ever worked in the service industry you'd be aware that official stated policy is rarely the same thing as how employees are actually treated.

[RocketMan275]

26 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

According to two NCL bartenders, they don't actually receive these tips. The first time, on the Getaway in September, I was going to tip on the line and the bartender said told me not to. I asked why, and he claimed the staff do not receive the tips. I had a good relationship with a second bartender so asked him about this. He also confirmed the first bartender's claim. 

Sounds like it may go into a pool for the bartenders.

My personal preference is to give gratuities in cash to the person rendering the service to avoid this kind of issue.

Lots of reasons not to carry cash but I always ensure I have enough to cover any tips.

[graphicguy]

43 minutes ago, pookel said:

 

Not everyone trusts everything a corporation claims about how it treats its employees. If you'd ever worked in the service industry you'd be aware that official stated policy is rarely the same thing as how employees are actually treated.

Oh…I had worked in the service industry in my youth.  My tenure with those who treated me poorly was very brief.

 

Given the amount of crew who are on multiple contracts with NCL, I can only surmise they like working for them.

36 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Sounds like it may go into a pool for the bartenders.

My personal preference is to give gratuities in cash to the person rendering the service to avoid this kind of issue.

Lots of reasons not to carry cash but I always ensure I have enough to cover any tips.

Me too.  If I tip a bartender or waitstaff, I prefer they keep the entire tip.  That said, I also know that without bar backs, relief help, etc, they would not be able to offer the good service I’m tipping them for.