Tipping

[Smitheroo]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

It shows the cost of the room per night.  And, the room charge changes.  You'll pay more (usually much more) on a weekend than you will on a Monday, for example.

 

The "resort fee" was buried in the very bottom of the reservation page, in tiny print.  IIRC, it doesn't show up until you check in and sign your registration.

Ok, I guess I've gotten so used to looking for it I forget when I didnt know about it. I dont ever recall being surprised though. Which means I knew about it before hand.   As far as cruising NCL goes, you have the option to "prepay service charges"  which should trigger the question in your head "what service charge" are they referring to?    I agree that with the OP (I read the post over again) a service charge of $960 for a family of 4 (children over 3 yrs old)  for a 12 day cruise is an eye opener but if someone can afford a 12 day cruise for 4 they can probably add on another $960 and consider it an expensive lesson. This is the way it is done and I sure hope people wouldnt consider still cruising in the future and not paying it. (because they dont have to)  

[RocketMan275]

19 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Good point.  They all have their marketing and fare rules.  I like Celebrity as you can get a fare with tips included (among other things).  But, they bury the tips, internet, etc into the fare.  As such, the fare is much higher.

 

They all show an amount for service charges.  But, if you add in the service charge with the fare, that's the only really way to find out what the cost of the cruise is.  Add all of it together and you get the true cost of the cruise.  In all frankness, the way they divide it up doesn't really matter.  It's the final out of pocket you should look at.

When I calculate the cost of a cruise, I include all the possible expenses: fare, service charges, extra tips, alcohol, transportation to/from the port, extra spending (wife insists on bingo), specialy dining, meals enroute, etc., etc.  There is simply no reason to not include those things.  Of course, in a past life I was a CFO so that just comes naturally.

[graphicguy]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

When I calculate the cost of a cruise, I include all the possible expenses: fare, service charges, extra tips, alcohol, transportation to/from the port, extra spending (wife insists on bingo), specialy dining, meals enroute, etc., etc.  There is simply no reason to not include those things.  Of course, in a past life I was a CFO so that just comes naturally.

Me, too!  I know the "fare" isn't the final that's coming out of my pocket.  And, out of pocket is the only real way to determine the cost of a cruise (or a car, or a house, or a computer, or a pair of boxers.........).

 

You get it.

 

That's what frustrates me here.  You can figure the real cost of the cruise.  How they divy up the numbers doesn't matter to me.  You can charge me $1 for the cruise fare and $2,500 for the DSC.  The cost is the same if those numbers are reversed.  

[RocketMan275]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Me, too!  I know the "fare" isn't the final that's coming out of my pocket.  And, out of pocket is the only real way to determine the cost of a cruise (or a car, or a house, or a computer, or a pair of boxers.........).

 

You get it.

 

That's what frustrates me here.  You can figure the real cost of the cruise.  How they divy up the numbers doesn't matter to me.  You can charge me $1 for the cruise fare and $2,500 for the DSC.  The cost is the same if those numbers are reversed.  

Couldn't agree more.    My ex-wife taught me the importance of budgeting.  She thought budgeting took away her freedom.  Financial freedom comes from budgeting.  

[UKstages]

17 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

You can charge me $1 for the cruise fare and $2,500 for the DSC.  The cost is the same if those numbers are reversed.  

 

would we still get only 1X per day cabin cleaning with the $2500 onboard service charge?

 

asking for a friend.

[bkrickles1]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Ummmm…had to dig it out of the tiny print when booking a room. Obvious because I already know they charge it.  That hotel charge doesn’t even cover a tip for a meal, or even a meal.  It’s just a charge.  You don’t see it until you check out.  And, it’s not removable.

 

So, I do get weary of the whining and acting like it’s a surprise.  It’s the cost of taking a cruise.  I would rather no about it than have it buried in the fare!

You're right!

I stayed at the Palazzo this past April, right next to Wynn, and while I already knew about the daily resort fee, most that I spoke to did not until they checked in

[ConcettaBonetta]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Why do you figure it is excessive?  You stil have four people in the cabin which must be cleaned daily.  You still eat most of your meals.  Would you prefer having a series of fees, ie, room cleaning fee times four, each meal would have a fee associated for each of your four guests, a pool side game fee, a fee for attending a show, etc.?  The bottom line is this, if you think you are paying too much, then there is no reason for you to continue to cruise.    

That’s the point, please read my posts before you make incorrect assumptions. If you cannot read what a person says before responding, then there is no reason for you to make snarky comments. 
 

We will rarely be on the ship and won’t be playing games or going to shows. We will likely eat half our meals on board, tops, probably less since our young adult kiddos don’t eat breakfast. There is one cabin and we are not dirty people. It takes no longer to vacuum the floor, wipe down a sink, or scrub a toilet for four people than for two. An extra 20 seconds to change out two extra towels does not justify double the fee.  $80 a day is ridiculous for a quick cabin clean, two buffet breakfasts, dinner about half the nights and exactly one lunch on our one sea day. 

[ConcettaBonetta]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Sounds like you probably need to find another vacation outlet.  You’re asking the cruise lines to save you from booking with them.

 

Just randomly pulled this up on the Wynn Vegas web site for per night rates.  This is before any tips for dining in their restaurants, tipping the concierges or the housekeeping staff, etc.

 

This should not be a surprise to anyone!

 

WYNN AND ENCORE RESORT FEE

A daily resort fee of $45 plus tax will be added to your room account

Naw, i’m good. We don’t cruise a lot, because we prefer to be on our own schedule rather than someone else’s, and spend more time in each city we visit. This one just happened to work well to see a lot of places we likely won’t go to separately. No need for you to make snarky comments to people just because they have different opinions. 

 

And again. The resort fee is an amount per room, not per person.

[ConcettaBonetta]

3 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

Except for maybe the sleazy way they promote CruiseNEXT certificates, you seem to think you've been tricked. All of the charges are presented and you pay the bottom line.  I agree their banner advertising is misleading but anyone who reads can soon figure it out that all that is important is the bottom line and if you are willing to pay it or not.  We're talking about adults making decisions, not kids in a candy shop.  

No need for childish insults. I said nothing about being tricked. I just asked about adjusting the amount. Calm down 

[ConcettaBonetta]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Actually, the majority of 'kids in a candy shop' would figure this out.  The issue is a matter of preferences.  Some adults believe the cruise line should advertise in the ways those adults would prefer.  The main issue is those adults have never run a cruise line but still imagine they are imminently qualified.

My goodness I really brought out the nastiness in some of you. Here’s some news for you. People can have different opinions and be respectful and adult about it.  

[ConcettaBonetta]

2 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

As far as I could see Guest Services was open for a wide range of hours. True, the line can be long at times but there are times it isnt. It wasnt very long when I got on it the morning of disembarkation to check on a possibly lost item.  A crew member often goes down the line asking what your question is so perhaps that person would get the form for you and give it to you to fill out while you are standing in line.  Think about this. Do you really want to do this?  For a 5 day cruise we are talking about $100.I realize that's per person and it may be less painful for me because I'm only 1 person  If the reason is " it's not the money, its the principle"  I have to ask, do you think you will make a difference in the way NCL operates?   If I had a problem with the concept of the service charge I would choose not to cruise rather than removing it. I'm cringing just thinking about it.  The above was my experience on the Getaway a week ago. Of course it could be different on another ship or even the same ship at another time.

Thank you for the information. For us it’s a 12 day cruise with four people in a cabin so it’s $960. In port 11 of the 12 days, half until well after dinner time, we will be eating every lunch except one and half our dinners in port. Two of us will skip breakfast and two will grab a quick bite at the buffet. We will be doing a lot of sightseeing and go to bed early in the evenings without going to a bunch of shows. The weather is not going to be nice enough to hang out by the pool on the one sea day and we will probably stay in the cabin and read. $960 is excessive for what we are doing. I have no problem with the concept of a service charge. I am not suggesting skipping it and entirely, but cutting it down to about half. 

[ConcettaBonetta]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Ummmm…had to dig it out of the tiny print when booking a room. Obvious because I already know they charge it.  That hotel charge doesn’t even cover a tip for a meal, or even a meal.  It’s just a charge.  You don’t see it until you check out.  And, it’s not removable.

 

So, I do get weary of the whining and acting like it’s a surprise.  It’s the cost of taking a cruise.  I would rather no about it than have it buried in the fare!

In my experience, Resort fees are always disclosed in the rate breakdown when you book your hotel room. I’m just as surprised that people don’t pay enough attention to notice them when booking a hotel room as you are surprised that someone who sees a daily service charge listed as optional on the cruise rate breakdown, would ask a question about adjusting the amount after reading people post that it’s not optional 

[ChiefMateJRK]

[julig22]

15 minutes ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

We will rarely be on the ship and won’t be playing games or going to shows. We will likely eat half our meals on board, tops, probably less since our young adult kiddos don’t eat breakfast. There is one cabin and we are not dirty people. It takes no longer to vacuum the floor, wipe down a sink, or scrub a toilet for four people than for two. An extra 20 seconds to change out two extra towels does not justify double the fee.  $80 a day is ridiculous for a quick cabin clean, two buffet breakfasts, dinner about half the nights and exactly one lunch on our one sea day. 

While I agree that perhaps they should reduce the fee some when there are multiple people in a cabin, I don't agree with your logic. The DSC doesn't have anything to do with playing games or going to shows. If you choose not to eat onboard, that's on you. People who eat in the specialty restaurants (they are charged gratuities for those) could make a similar claim, as they aren't eating in the MDR or buffet either. No, it might not take a significant amount of extra time to clean a cabin of 4 vs 2 vs 1, but with 4, there are additional beds to make, sheets & towels to wash, etc. The DSC covers the laundry crew, the buffet & MDR crew (whether you eat there or not), and I assume the crew that cleans up the public restrooms, the pool area, the stairs & hallways...

[RocketMan275]

7 minutes ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

Thank you for the information. For us it’s a 12 day cruise with four people in a cabin so it’s $960. In port 11 of the 12 days, half until well after dinner time, we will be eating every lunch except one and half our dinners in port. Two of us will skip breakfast and two will grab a quick bite at the buffet. We will be doing a lot of sightseeing and go to bed early in the evenings without going to a bunch of shows. The weather is not going to be nice enough to hang out by the pool on the one sea day and we will probably stay in the cabin and read. $960 is excessive for what we are doing. I have no problem with the concept of a service charge. I am not suggesting skipping it and entirely, but cutting it down to about half. 

Be sure and inform the crew that you're cutting the DSC in half because you think it's excessive.  I'm sure they'll appreciate your position.  

[ConcettaBonetta]

6 minutes ago, julig22 said:

While I agree that perhaps they should reduce the fee some when there are multiple people in a cabin, I don't agree with your logic. The DSC doesn't have anything to do with playing games or going to shows. If you choose not to eat onboard, that's on you. People who eat in the specialty restaurants (they are charged gratuities for those) could make a similar claim, as they aren't eating in the MDR or buffet either. No, it might not take a significant amount of extra time to clean a cabin of 4 vs 2 vs 1, but with 4, there are additional beds to make, sheets & towels to wash, etc. The DSC covers the laundry crew, the buffet & MDR crew (whether you eat there or not), and I assume the crew that cleans up the public restrooms, the pool area, the stairs & hallways...

I only mentioned games and shows because others have said it includes other employees in addition to servers and cabin stewards, but not attending shows or going to the pool also means no one is cleaning up after us those areas. Yes, I know about everything else you mentioned. I still think $80/day is excessive 

[RocketMan275]

10 minutes ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

I only mentioned games and shows because others have said it includes other employees in addition to servers and cabin stewards, but not attending shows or going to the pool also means no one is cleaning up after us those areas. Yes, I know about everything else you mentioned. I still think $80/day is excessive 

I still think  you'd be happier if everything were a la cart, ie, a charge for  the shows, a charge for changing the sheets, a charge for each meal, a charge for cleaning the bathroom, a charge for fresh towels....

[graphicguy]

Yeah….using the Wynn example I did earlier, 4 adults would have to be in two rooms (unless you book a suite, which would cost more) would incur $45x2/rooms, or $90/ nite “resort fee”.  Multiplied by 11 nites would be an additional $990.  And, that includes no entertainment, no food, etc.

 

Tough to make the claim you shouldn’t pay DSC on NCL.

 

Snarky?  Because I made a suggestion of alternatives which may suit your vacation point of view better?  Really?

 

I knew I shouldn’t have jumped into this fire!

Edited January 22 by graphicguy

[ConcettaBonetta]

33 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I still think  you'd be happier if everything were a la cart, ie, a charge for  the shows, a charge for changing the sheets, a charge for each meal, a charge for cleaning the bathroom, a charge for fresh towels....

And I think you’d be happier if you never had to hear a different opinion. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way and you should learn to be a little more respectful and adult about different opinions.
 

[bkrickles1]

Call me Kreskin but I'm predicting this thread will be closed soon. Lmfao 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

Call me Kreskin but I'm predicting this thread will be closed soon. Lmfao 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 

Survey Says? 😉

Edited January 22 by graphicguy

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

And I think you’d be happier if you never had to hear a different opinion. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way and you should learn to be a little more respectful and adult about different opinions.
 

You should follow your own advice.

[ConcettaBonetta]

40 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Yeah….using the Wynn example I did earlier, 4 adults would have to be in two rooms (unless you book a suite, which would cost more) would incur $45x2/rooms, or $90/ nite “resort fee”.  Multiplied by 11 nites would be an additional $990.  And, that includes no entertainment, no food, etc.

 

Tough to make the claim you shouldn’t pay DSC on NCL.

 

Snarky?  Because I made a suggestion of alternatives which may suit your vacation point of view better?  Really?

 

I knew I shouldn’t have jumped into this fire!

Yes. Snarky because you think you know what’s best for MY family’s vacation choices, and for making up a bizarre claim about being saved which makes no sense at all. 
 

“Sounds like you probably need to find another vacation outlet.  You’re asking the cruise lines to save you from booking with them.” 
 

and again, I never said I should not pay the DSC at all, just that the amount is excessive when you have four in a cabin, with which several responses agreed. Resort fees are a completely different animal and aren’t billed as if they are a replacement for tips. They are completely irrelevant. 

 

 

[ChiCruzr]

7 hours ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

Thank you. Others have said there are only certain days the desk is open and that the lines are very long. 

 Certain days? Huh?  Guest Services is open 24/7.  Confirmed from a Daily dated 1/7/2024.

[graphicguy]

16 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

That one is fantastic!!!  I have never seen that before.  The week before we sailed together on the Bliss, Siglo performed that Dire Straits CLASSIC in the Cavern Club.  I was sitting enjoying a beverage with my new good friend Hardy from Alabama.  We were having a lot of fun.  Randy blanked the lyric "the little <   > has his own jet airplane" and then I filled in the blank the next time with an (apparently inappropriate, according to DW) shout out.  Nobody got hurt.  Anybody who knows the history of the song understands that Dire Straits was making fun of the bigotry when they wrote that.  I don't think DW knew that at the time. 😬 She stuck around for one more week of DH on a ship (as you know @graphicguy).

 

Hardy is a great guy, classic good ol' boy from the South.  He talked Jamie into handing over the base and joined the band to perform Sweet Home Alabama.  Just good, clean, cruising fun.  I told Hardy I was staying over for another week and asked if he could join me.  Unfortunately, he missed Alabama again and it was a sin.😎

Cool story!!!!

 

My son is a huge Weird Al fan.  I think I’ve seen all his vids.  Don’t know why this thread reminded me of this vid….it did!

 

I’d do that cruise with you and your beautiful wife again tomorrow.  

 

Still looking for a Bliss-Alaska cruise in Sept to use the coupon.  I’m starting to see fares drop a little bit on it.  Will keep spying it to see if it makes sense!

Edited January 23 by graphicguy