Gratuity fee

[KennyFla]

9 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

Certainly this is the worst idea because you just take the money away from some cruise members and give it all to a few. With  no reason. This is why individual tipping is not "recommended" by MSC and the other cruise lines, they have all the hassle to reduce the salary for the tip winner and increase for tip losers. 

That’s not what was said.  It was said the DSC does not go to the crew, it goes into MSC’s general fund.  The crew is paid their contract no matter what. 
 

My way gives the crew extra. 

[MacGuffin3]

8 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

$80 a day?

That's what NCL is demanding now per day for a balcony cabin with 2 adults and 2 kids.

[Bgwest]

28 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

That's what NCL is demanding now per day for a balcony cabin with 2 adults and 2 kids.

Completely absurd. 
as someone else observed - extortion. Pure and simple. 

[mica178]

I remember a few years ago, it came out that Uber and Lyft were using the tips to offset what the companies' paid the drivers. So if they said drivers would make a minimum of $10, the company would actually use some of the tips to meet that $10 and only pay minimum wage. So the driver would have to make tips in excess of $3 per hour to actually receive anything more than the contracted minimum hourly rate. A lawsuit occurred, and now Uber and Lyft drivers do actually receive their whole tips, and the companies must pay whatever advertised rate, and all of us pay a higher amount to use these services.

 

I wish that these cruise workers would get their whole salary from the cruise company. The DSC should be split between the service workers for doing a good job (to encourage better service, since we know certain cruisers will reduce their DSC), not used to reduce the financial obligations of the company. However, as so many cruise workers come from developing countries, I think whatever they are paid is a decent amount, and they have little interest in organizing. I usually tip on top of the DSC so that I know the people that directly serve me get a little extra. Because I'm going to cruise in YC, I think the DSC doesn't actually cover the tips I'd be paying if I was at a normal resort and eating at similar restaurants. In the other parts of the ship, if one eats mostly at the buffet and main dining room for dinner and does not pay for many drinks, $14.50 pdpp might be more than they'd be paying in tips on a non-cruise ship vacation, so it's reasonable to not tip on top of the DSC.

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

That's what NCL is demanding now per day for a balcony cabin with 2 adults and 2 kids.

wow.  

 

On another note, this thread is definitely an eye opener for me.  Many excellent points.

[Maralv33]

7 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Certainly this is the worst idea because you just take the money away from some cruise members and give it all to a few. With  no reason. This is why individual tipping is not "recommended" by MSC and the other cruise lines, they have all the hassle to reduce the salary for the tip winner and increase for tip losers. 

I agree that was my point. I think the majority of people do not know that

[Illbcruzn4life]

17 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

That's what NCL is demanding now per day for a balcony cabin with 2 adults and 2 kids.

Wow that is crazy. I guess the more money coming in the bigger bonus for the CEO.

 

I like NCL but haven’t cruised them in years. I start out with a basic room for $699 x2 for $1400 and before you know it the fare is almost double that when you checkout. 

[insidecabin]

17 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

That's what NCL is demanding now per day for a balcony cabin with 2 adults and 2 kids.

Its discretionary so they are asking politely not demanding.

By  adding it for your convenience it inconvenient if you want to change/remove the amount.

[KennyFla]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Wow that is crazy. I guess the more money coming in the bigger bonus for the CEO.

 

I like NCL but haven’t cruised them in years. I start out with a basic room for $699 x2 for $1400 and before you know it the fare is almost double that when you checkout. 

NCL has a lower base price so they show up well on cruise searches, but their “taxes and fees” are higher than other lines.  And that’s before the service charge. 

[morpheusofthesea]

3 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Its discretionary so they are asking politely not demanding.

By  adding it for your convenience it inconvenient if you want to change/remove the amount.

Usually it takes centuries for the definition of a word to change meanings e.g. "Blessed are the meek". In the oldest texts it was discovered the word was actually 'strong'.  Here MSC has used the word "discretionary" which means 'optional', 'noncompulsory,' 'voluntary'. And with the stroke of a pen MSC declares "Starting on 1 April 2021 - for all new reservations on Winter 2021-22 departures and onwards - Hotel Service Charges will become mandatory as an integral part of the total cruise price." Discretionary is changed to Hotel and mandatory. Interesting....

[insidecabin]

14 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Usually it takes centuries for the definition of a word to change meanings e.g. "Blessed are the meek". In the oldest texts it was discovered the word was actually 'strong'.  Here MSC has used the word "discretionary" which means 'optional', 'noncompulsory,' 'voluntary'. And with the stroke of a pen MSC declares "Starting on 1 April 2021 - for all new reservations on Winter 2021-22 departures and onwards - Hotel Service Charges will become mandatory as an integral part of the total cruise price." Discretionary is changed to Hotel and mandatory. Interesting....

The discretionary was referring to NCL charges not MSC in the post I quoted.

 

For MSC  UK they have rolled them into base fare

Edited June 16, 2023 by insidecabin

[Bgwest]

DSC becomes mandatory when and only when it is invisibly incorporated into the basic cruise fare. 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, Bgwest said:

DSC becomes mandatory when and only when it is invisibly incorporated into the basic cruise fare. 

When was being logical ever in fashion?

[morpheusofthesea]

On 6/14/2023 at 8:09 AM, mackfam said:

Pretty soon we’ll be seeing tip options at the supermarket checkout.

You are so right in your forecast. Today's NYPost. "Tipping Point for Machines" Self service check out Tip .

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

You are so right in your forecast. Today's NYPost. "Tipping Point for Machines" Self service check out Tip .

The cruise lines are missing an opportunity.