NCLs policy on price drop

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, rodndonna said:

 

I don't doubt for a moment that there are posts on CC that would state that. There are many posts that state lots of things  on CC.. that doesn't make them fact.

As far as someone on CC saying some crew member told them they don't see the service charge on the receipt - I would have to know the more details of the conversation.. For sure - the server who served me does not get the 20% tip on the receipt for him/herself, perhaps that is what they are referring to? . That tip goes into the pool for beverage service staff. Same as specialy dining grats, the 20% is not allocated to your server for tat meal, but goes into the pool for the staff for specialty dining.

One also must wonder if the crew member was trying to get a cash tip in addition to the DSC.

Also, the crew are masters at telling passengers what they think the passengers want to  hear.  If they think the passengers wants to hear bad things about share tips, then that's what the crew will say.

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, nsitt said:

I complained about the lack of consistency in handling these situations. To me it matters whether a company has policies in place they would follow and that a situation like this shouldn't end up like a price negotiation at an oriental bazaar. 

Did NCL follow their Terms and Conditions?

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

I don't doubt for a moment that there are posts on CC that would state that. There are many posts that state lots of things  on CC.. that doesn't make them fact.

As far as someone on CC saying some crew member told them they don't see the service charge on the receipt - I would have to know the more details of the conversation.. For sure - the server who served me does not get the 20% tip on the receipt for him/herself, perhaps that is what they are referring to? . That tip goes into the pool for beverage service staff. Same as specialy dining grats, the 20% is not allocated to your server for tat meal, but goes into the pool for the staff for specialty dining.

You never heard "I read it on the internet, it must be true."? 🤣

[DCGuy64]

16 hours ago, nsitt said:

Whether it is before or after final payment is not important.

That is not true, unfortunately. NCL's policies regarding whether to compensate you for a price drop very much depend on the timeline. I am sorry that things did not work out as you desired, but it would really behoove you to understand how these things work. The Haven is a very sought-after product, and the reality is that NCL owes you nothing. I still don't know when your cruise is, but regardless, I think you have two options: 1. Consider this a lesson learned and continue to book with NCL. 2. Ditch NCL and find another cruise line you think treats you better. I hope you enjoy your cruise and your cabin. The Haven is too expensive for us, but people who sail in it say very good things.

[ontheweb]

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

That is not true, unfortunately. NCL's policies regarding whether to compensate you for a price drop very much depend on the timeline. I am sorry that things did not work out as you desired, but it would really behoove you to understand how these things work. The Haven is a very sought-after product, and the reality is that NCL owes you nothing. I still don't know when your cruise is, but regardless, I think you have two options: 1. Consider this a lesson learned and continue to book with NCL. 2. Ditch NCL and find another cruise line you think treats you better. I hope you enjoy your cruise and your cabin. The Haven is too expensive for us, but people who sail in it say very good things.

One should add that NCL is not alone among cruise lines in treating before and after final payment differently.

[cruiseny4life]

17 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

I don't doubt for a moment that there are posts on CC that would state that. There are many posts that state lots of things  on CC.. that doesn't make them fact.

As far as someone on CC saying some crew member told them they don't see the service charge on the receipt - I would have to know the more details of the conversation.. For sure - the server who served me does not get the 20% tip on the receipt for him/herself, perhaps that is what they are referring to? . That tip goes into the pool for beverage service staff. Same as specialy dining grats, the 20% is not allocated to your server for tat meal, but goes into the pool for the staff for specialty dining.

The way servers/bartenders have explained it to me personally (for whatever my words are worth), if you write an additional tip on the slip of paper provided at point of sale, the crew member does not receive it directly. It goes into the same pool that you mentioned the 20% service charge goes into. Multiple crew members, on different ships and sailings, have told me this. I choose to believe them, so hand them a cash tip. Perhaps, to @RocketMan275's point they are telling me this to pad their tips. I don't care. I believe them and want THAT crew member only to receive the additional tip on top of the 20% service charge. So, cash it is from my hand to theirs. 

 

If you choose not to believe, as @ontheweb insinuates, then that's fine. I discount a lot I read on Cruise Critic too, depending on the poster that posts it. I feel there are enough other trustworthy posters who describe similar crew interactions that it is a plausible story the crew members are telling. If they are lying, shame on them.

 

Feel free to tip however you'd like, in whatever amount you want, to whomever you'd like. Or, don't tip at all. The choice is truly up to you. As I said above, I choose cash when I tip. 

[RocketMan275]

10 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

The way servers/bartenders have explained it to me personally (for whatever my words are worth), if you write an additional tip on the slip of paper provided at point of sale, the crew member does not receive it directly. It goes into the same pool that you mentioned the 20% service charge goes into. Multiple crew members, on different ships and sailings, have told me this. I choose to believe them, so hand them a cash tip. Perhaps, to @RocketMan275's point they are telling me this to pad their tips. I don't care. I believe them and want THAT crew member only to receive the additional tip on top of the 20% service charge. So, cash it is from my hand to theirs. 

I don't doubt that the addtional tips on a sales receipt go into the DSC pool.  

 

Well, that proves the point that crew members will attempt to get you to 'pad their tips'.  BTW, I never add a gratuity to the sales slip and always tip directly.  Unfortunately, too many, for a variety of reasons, only tip by adding to the sales slip.  Conveniece.  Don't want to carry cash. Lot's of reasons.

 

Sometimes, not always, but sometimes you can believe what your told and other times not.

Edited October 13, 2023 by RocketMan275

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

 

If you choose not to believe, as @ontheweb insinuates, then that's fine. I discount a lot I read on Cruise Critic too, depending on the poster that posts it. I feel there are enough other trustworthy posters who describe similar crew interactions that it is a plausible story the crew members are telling. If they are lying, shame on them.

 

Feel free to tip however you'd like, in whatever amount you want, to whomever you'd like. Or, don't tip at all. The choice is truly up to you. As I said above, I choose cash when I tip. 

All I said was you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. And it was basically aimed at the OP who through his reading KNOWS that none of the DSC goes to the crew.

[rodndonna]

3 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

All I said was you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. And it was basically aimed at the OP who through his reading KNOWS that none of the DSC goes to the crew.

 

Yes - this was the heart of the issue - the poster believing that gratuities do not go to the crew (because someone on CC said even though it is clearly explained on NCL website) and using that to justify removing gratuities as a way to punish NCL over their pricing.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

All I said was you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. And it was basically aimed at the OP who through his reading KNOWS that none of the DSC goes to the crew.

Oh, I agree! And your words are a good reminder regarding believing what you see on the internet. We all need to exhibit at least a little bit of skepticism! Heck, even I post inaccurate information from time to time (I feel like a dunce when I do). 

[julig22]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

All I said was you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. And it was basically aimed at the OP who through his reading KNOWS that none of the DSC goes to the crew.

I recently saw a post - think it was on that other site - where a purported knowledgeable individual posted a copy of an alleged bar/waitstaff staff paystub.  And guess what - there were weekly amounts listed for their share of the bar and restaurant tips. DSC wouldn't be there because they aren't part of that pool.

So there, I read it on the internet so it also must be true!

 

As an aside, I don't often eat in the specialty restaurants but when I do, using my latitudes benefit, I do leave a tip on the receipt specifically because I know that more than just the waiter was involved in getting my meal to me - and I have no way of knowing if that waiter will split a cash tip with the others.  Just like I don't always know where a tip goes in any restaurant.

 

[nsitt]

19 hours ago, RD64 said:

You booked a cruise at a price that you thought was acceptable.

 

You made the final payment because you thought the price was acceptable.

 

Now - for whatever reason - after you made the final “acceptable” payment it is no longer acceptable to you. What would your response have been had the price increased instead of decreased?

Yes, and I said it several times that this does not bother me. What I don't like is the fact that sometimes NCL offers some compensation and sometimes not, and if you complain more, like in my case, they offer you a compensation. 

[cruiser2015]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

I recently saw a post - think it was on that other site - where a purported knowledgeable individual posted a copy of an alleged bar/waitstaff staff paystub.  And guess what - there were weekly amounts listed for their share of the bar and restaurant tips. DSC wouldn't be there because they aren't part of that pool.

So there, I read it on the internet so it also must be true!

 

As an aside, I don't often eat in the specialty restaurants but when I do, using my latitudes benefit, I do leave a tip on the receipt specifically because I know that more than just the waiter was involved in getting my meal to me - and I have no way of knowing if that waiter will split a cash tip with the others.  Just like I don't always know where a tip goes in any restaurant.

 

Once upon a time, when you ate in a specialty restaurant, it was indicated that tipping was optional. So the theory would be that the staff was part of the pool; but you may wish to tip extra (which I sometimes did - a modest additional, not full sized tip). Those days are apparently gone.

 

With FAS, NCL adds 20% of some value to cover the gratuities on specialty meals.

So, how do they handle the walk-in, pay in full customers? Is 20% automatically added or not?

[hallux]

1 hour ago, cruiser2015 said:

With FAS, NCL adds 20% of some value to cover the gratuities on specialty meals.

So, how do they handle the walk-in, pay in full customers? Is 20% automatically added or not?

With FAS you pay 20% of the value of the package.  When you walk in and pay for a meal 'out of pocket' (against your room bill) you pay gratuities based on the value of what you paid.

[cruiser2015]

5 minutes ago, hallux said:

With FAS you pay 20% of the value of the package.  When you walk in and pay for a meal 'out of pocket' (against your room bill) you pay gratuities based on the value of what you paid.

But it IS mandatory, right?

If so, 20% is a nice gratuity - if the staff gets it. 

And if they are not in that pool of funds, I sure hope that they do.

Which implies that the FAS charged (and listed separately on your account) should be handled likewise.

So, they would really have to blow my mind to get past the 20% level. Not impossible; but difficult.

[hallux]

4 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

But it IS mandatory, right?

You know what, I'm not 100% certain...