gratuities

[chrisbd1]

NCL Service Charge

On all NCL ships payment of Pre- Paid Service Fee is required. A fixed Service Charge of $10 per person, per day will be added to your onboard account. For children ages 3-12, a $5 per person per day charge will be added to your onboard account: there is no charge for children under the age of three.

Our crew is encouraged to work together as a service team and compensated by a combination of salary and incentive program that the Service Charge supports. It is our earnest wish that you enjoy your Freestyle Cruise experience and that our entire crew in all areas of the ship will provide you with the standard of service for which NCL is known. Therefore, if you have any concerns about the service you receive during your cruise; please bring them to the immediate attention of our reception desk staff on board so that we can address any issues in a timely manner before the cruise is over.

 

Both NCL and NCL America have a structured guest satisfaction program on board designed to handle any concerns raised by our guests relating to the service or on board product quickly and efficiently. In almost all cases we are able to come up with a satisfactory solution to any issues which are raised and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise holiday. In the unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve the issues through our guest satisfaction program; guests will be able to adjust the Service Charge according to the level of inconvenience they feel they have experienced.

Our clear priority is to have the opportunity of resolving the issue, when it happens, to everyone's complete satisfaction.

 

Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent. For guests purchasing spa treatments the recommended gratuity is 18 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.

[hawaiilvr]

What is your source of info as to the departments who partake in the "pooled" gratuities?

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#onboard

[chrisbd1]

This was GREAT info, everyone who thinks twice about NOT doing the auto tip should read this. THANK YOU for posting!:)

 

Retiredonthesea

The people who are opposed to the system won't believe what was posted by a cruise employee, anymore than they believe us :rolleyes: . The will continue to believe that the service suffers because of auto-tipping, not because they are rude and have crappy attitudes. They will weasel out of the service charge by any means that they can. You can show people the truth, and they will choose to ignore it :( .

[NYFL_TRAVELER]

Thanks for the information.

[Hi de Hi]

But its also wrong. whether its in the fare(which goes up to accommodate increased employees salary) or its in the form of tips its still paid for by the passenger. In fact the service charge(not adjustable) way is providing for a base salary. I just don't know why you think your way is better. Its different but not necessarily better you just happen to be used to it. Its like having a Queen ---we kicked the monarch out 200 odd years ago and its something that clearly is not better just different.

 

I didn't say it was better just different and took some getting used to. As for having a Queen who got the job because her dad had the job before her, well you ended up with George Bush jrwho got the job.......;)

[NYFL_TRAVELER]

Auto-gratuity aside for a moment, what was your opinion of the overall service and attitude on-board? I have observed and heard mixed reviews, primarily in the restaurants.

[CruisnGram]

I can understand people who are concerned about inferior service due to autotip. I think that is a viable question and concern. Not that I think that it does affect service, but I can understand why someone might think it would.

 

The problem I have is those that obviously think that $10 per day is too much. What world do these people live in? 2 people in a cabin is $140 for the week. If you look at the logistics of this, it's a bargain.

 

Just consider dining out in a restaurant, for 7 days, 3 meals a day. Assuming on the REALLY cheap side, breakfast would costs you $12, 18% gratuity is $2.16. Lunch would be $18, gratuity would be $3.24. Dinner would be $30, gratuity would be $5.40. I know I posted REALLY cheap prices...no way you are going to eat 3 meals a day for 2 people anywhere but fast food for $60, but even at those prices, the gratuity for meals would $10.80. Over HALF of what a couple now pays for ALL services that they receive would simply go out in dining gratutities.

 

I just don't get the complaints and the only conclusion I can come to is that they are cheap and don't want to tip appropriate amounts to the hard working people who wait on them hand and foot. I personally LOVE autotip as it takes the guess work out. I know that everyone is basically covered and that anything I tip in additional is icing on the cake.