Service Charge removal experiences?

[Two Wheels Only]

Just now, cybergremlin said:

I hope NCL isn’t reading this 

 

... because NCL would probably add a resort fee in addition to the DSC? 🤑

[BirdTravels]

30 minutes ago, TheWaterDoc said:

I love belonging to a really helpful community full of people that spend their time helpfully answering the specific questions asked, rather than just ranting and forcing their unwanted opinions down people throats…

🥱

[tonit964]

50 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Any time I’ve gone to GS to have something addressed, they usually bend over backwards to address it.  It shouldn’t be a guessing game whether a crew can or can not guess why anyone wants the remove the GSC.  Tell them why.  See if you can get a resolution.  Don’t try to make them guess.

I'm surprised that they give the form to fill out with no questions asked.

 

I would think that would be an automatic question every time someone asks for the form regarding the service they are/have been receiving so they can address the issue and hopefully get it corrected.

[SeaShark]

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Most of the people I know who have the daily service charge removed tip WAY above and beyond what they would have cost in the first place. 

 

Assuming that is true, then what would be the purpose of the removal? If you are really going to 'tip "WAY above and beyond", then why not just leave the DSC in place and then hand out the "WAY above and beyond" part separately? 

[SeaShark]

 

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Interesting...  I've asked many cabin stewards over the last 20 years what they prefer and they all told me they prefer cash.  Everyone has different experiences I guess.

 

The real question is why someone would ever ask a steward this in the first place?

 

Do you ask the porter at the terminal how they prefer to be tipped?

Do you ask your server in a restaurant how they prefer to be tipped?

Do you ask the bartender how they prefer to be tipped?

 

I would hope they one day they will stymie you by correctly answering "generously".

Edited April 20, 2023 by SeaShark

[Hutcha]

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Umm... no... like I said, you can go to Guest Services and ask that some cash be given to the people who work behind the scenes.

So, you are saying that it can be directed to "only the behind the scenes" personnel? There's a separate category, just for them?

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

 

Let's face it, Option A, B, or C...neither choice "saves money" for anyone.

 

Let's also get to the inconvenient truth here...there are basically two real reasons that people would want to go through the trouble of withholding the DSC, and then the trouble of tipping on their own.

 

Reason #1 - They are cheap. Plain and simple, their personal tipping plan will be somewhere between $0 and "less than the DSC". By withholding they can pay less and use whatever twisted logic they can to justify it to themselves.

 

Reason #2 - Ego. Yep, you read that right. There are people out there who prefer to tip in cash directly because their ego needs the "appreciation" they get from the "servant class" when they receive money from the guest. Their ego thrives on "I am giving money to you...this comes from ME...not from some anonymous DSC fund. Be grateful that I chose you to receive it."

 

 

I’ll go with #1 for most. 

[PTC DAWG]

12 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Assuming that is true, then what would be the purpose of the removal? If you are really going to 'tip "WAY above and beyond", then why not just leave the DSC in place and then hand out the "WAY above and beyond" part separately? 

Exactly…

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Interesting...  I've asked many cabin stewards over the last 20 years what they prefer and they all told me they prefer cash.  Everyone has different experiences I guess.

Yes. You may be right. You definitely know more about NCL than I do, and based on your conversations with your cabin stewards, NCL cruisers may be more generous with cash than on other cruise lines. 
 

A lot has changed since I took my first cruise 42 years ago (this month actually!). I remember the little envelopes left in the cabin that were then ceremoniously handed out on the last evening of the cruise. I wonder how many cruisers would like to go back to the way things used to be, but I’m personally thankful that those days are now in the past. 
 

2 of my upcoming cruises are on cruise lines where the gratuities are already included in the cruise fare. Now, that’s what I wish could be the norm across the entire industry! 

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

 

By removing the daily service charge and only tipping who you feel like, if any, you are stiffing all of the other crew members who benefit from the Daily Service Charge. Yes????

You are correct…

[bkrickles1]

31 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

I'm surprised that they give the form to fill out with no questions asked.

 

I would think that would be an automatic question every time someone asks for the form regarding the service they are/have been receiving so they can address the issue and hopefully get it corrected.

I was very surprised!

There was virtually no interaction between the guest and the representative.

[Two Wheels Only]

17 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Assuming that is true, then what would be the purpose of the removal? If you are really going to 'tip "WAY above and beyond", then why not just leave the DSC in place and then hand out the "WAY above and beyond" part separately? 

 

Probably "Reason #2". 😉

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Interesting...  I've asked many cabin stewards over the last 20 years what they prefer and they all told me they prefer cash.  Everyone has different experiences I guess.

I’ve asked, and they said they prefer both, which is what I do. 

[Tapi]

18 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

The real question is why someone would ever ask a steward this in the first place?

I started cruising when gratuities charged to your shipboard account wasn’t even an option. For years, there was a transition period between the old and the new system, and several cruise lines initially would allow you to choose between cash tips or charged to your account. That’s how I started asking what was preferred.

[2Cruise4Ever]

35 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Assuming that is true, then what would be the purpose of the removal? If you are really going to 'tip "WAY above and beyond", then why not just leave the DSC in place and then hand out the "WAY above and beyond" part separately? 

Because I know the money from my on board fees don't all go to the people... much of it goes somewhere else.

[MoCruiseFan]

8 hours ago, TheWaterDoc said:

Hello, Just interested in if anyone has used the NCL process for removing 'service charges' and how they got on with it and how much resistance or delay they received from NCL?

 

I really don't want to get into the 'tipping' debate' just interested in the NCL charge recovery experience for those that prefer to cash tip those that have given deserving service.

 

My understanding is Guest Services give you a form and you fill it out and then scan copy and email to them and in a few weeks you get the charges refunded?

 

Any experiences gratefully received - thank you

 

I have never removed the DSC but tipping crew members directly has noting to do with re DCS,  Your premise is 100% invalid.  You never see most crew members who give you service.

 

 

[AKR2011]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

I think think that is part of the point. With a separable DSC, there is a clear distinction between allowable business expenses and unallowable expenses. Combining the two changes everything to income and blurs the line if you, as a business, attempt to separate the expenses in your books. 

There is a large big box cruising site that often offers free gratuities with their bookings and prices are comparable to booking directly on NCL. Look around and you will find that.

[MoCruiseFan]

2 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

....which proves that when people claim that "...it's not about the money...", it's about the money. 

 

Option A

$1,000 fare + $350 DSC = $1,350

 

Option B

$1,000 fare +$350 DSC - $350 removal of DSC + $350 cash tips = $1,350

 

Option C

$1,350 fare with included DSC = $1,350

 

Out of these options, which is the easiest?

Personally, I prefer Option C....just to make the forum more peaceful. 

 

Those who take Option B are just giving themselves more work. 

 

The majority of people currently sail NCL with Option A. 

 

Some who take Option A will tip additionally in cash.

Some who take Option B will tip more or less in cash.

Some who take Option C will tip additionally in cash. 

 

Realistically, when NCL tries Option C, NCL raises the price by more than $350 which is exactly what NCL did when trying the All Inclusive in the UK. There are tax implications with Option C and Option C doesn't lure people in as easily because of the visual of the higher price. I get it. 

 

I don't care if people remove/reduce the DSC. I care about how NCL responds to people removing the DSC. We should all know by now how NCL responds when it comes to guests taking matters into their own hands to save money..... 

 

I do not see any of them easier or harder.  The cruise is 1350.  I coudl not care less if NCL charged
1¢ for bed sheets
1¢ for pillow xawsw
1¢ for wash clothes
1¢ for ice bucket : 1¢ extra if you want ice in the bucket 🙂
1¢ ad nauseum

It still coems out to 1350.  Pay it and be done then go on your cuise...

[fastpitchdad]

2 hours ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Umm... no... like I said, you can go to Guest Services and ask that some cash be given to the people who work behind the scenes.  I've been cruising for over 20 years.  Back in the day, they gave you envelopes to give out cash tips... none of them went to anyone we did not interact with while on board.  They went to our cabin steward, maître de of the restaurants, servers and bar tenders.  The only reason cruise lines started adding on board service charges is because too many passengers skipped out on these tips.

 

Most of the people I know who have the daily service charge removed tip WAY above and beyond what they would have cost in the first place.  For instance, I ALWAYS give at least $2 per drink to every bar  server, give a cash tip to our server in the restaurants, and am very generous to our cabin steward.  And, in most cases, cash to guest services to be distributed to everyone else (who didn't even receive tips in the past anyway).  

 

Please do not assume that everyone who has their daily service charges removed are "stiffing all the other crew members who benefit from the DSC..."  which, by the way, hardly receive anything anyway.

 

If even 1% of people who have gratuities removed does that I would be shocked. 

 

There are two reasons to remove gratuities prior to a cruise, because they don't want to pay it, or because they want to tip servers/bartenders/stewards to try to get better service because the staff think it is over and above and have no idea that gratuities were removed. 

Edited April 20, 2023 by fastpitchdad

[SeaShark]

24 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Because I know the money from my on board fees don't all go to the people... much of it goes somewhere else.

 

You "know", huh? 🙄 Sorry, but "facts without evidence" is the LAST thing that I'm going to believe.

[MoCruiseFan]

2 hours ago, Hutcha said:

It's the culture. They will tell you it's because they prefer to tip personally, but it's really because they don't agree with being told they HAVE to tip.

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#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 20% gratuity and spa service charge added for all spa and salon services, as well as an 20% gratuity and beverage service charge added for all beverage purchases and an 20% gratuity and specialty service charge added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining.

[2Cruise4Ever]

8 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

If even 1% of people who have gratuities removed does that I would be shocked. 

 

There are two reasons to remove gratuities prior to a cruise, because they don't want to pay it, or because they want to tip servers/bartenders/stewards to try to get better service because the staff think it is over and above and have no idea that gratuities were removed. 

Your opinion of course.  But I don't look to get anything special or extra.  I have made some really good friends with crew members over the years and like to take good care of them because they work so hard.

[2Cruise4Ever]

9 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

You "know", huh? 🙄 Sorry, but "facts without evidence" is the LAST thing that I'm going to believe.

SeaShark you and I have been on these boards for years and have interacted with each other with so much fun.  For you to say that is hurtful.  I have forged a great many friendships with crew and staff of NCL.  I know because I've been told... by people who work on and off the ships.

[MoCruiseFan]

38 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Because I know the money from my on board fees don't all go to the people... much of it goes somewhere else.

 

And exactly how do you KNOW this?

[fastpitchdad]

5 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Your opinion of course.  But I don't look to get anything special or extra.  I have made some really good friends with crew members over the years and like to take good care of them because they work so hard.

 

I have no issue with taking good care of them as long as it it over and above and not at the expense of everyone else who puts them in position to give you great service. I do the same thing and tip with cash in addition to prepaid. 

Edited April 20, 2023 by fastpitchdad