FYI: 20% increase in service charge, effective January 1, 2009

[tofal]

Thanks for the advice smeyer418 and mississauga.

 

The booking receipt only breaks down the cost by number of passengers and deposit paid, not into fare + fuel + taxes + service surcharge. But it does state as per my first post, "price includes... surcharges... gratuities" and that's also in the emails to and fro the TA. But you're right I should double-check. Will let you know how that goes.

[tofal]

Just to update, before I could ask my TA whether the revised service charges would apply to me, he had emailed me an updated quote with an "Amendment to NCL Service Charge" amount.

 

I was also advised that NCL has applied the new USD$12 per person per night to children aged 3 and over as well (used to be $5 for them, $10 for adults).

 

Ah well, I've paid in full now, so no more price hikes for me :rolleyes:

[Cosmopolitan]

Just to update, before I could ask my TA whether the revised service charges would apply to me, he had emailed me an updated quote with an "Amendment to NCL Service Charge" amount.

 

I was also advised that NCL has applied the new USD$12 per person per night to children aged 3 and over as well (used to be $5 for them, $10 for adults).

 

Ah well, I've paid in full now, so no more price hikes for me :rolleyes:

 

Thanks for the update and enjoy your cruise:)

[Cosmopolitan]

I'm old enough to remember the "way it used to be", when workers were tipped for good service and if the service wasn't good...no tips, in other words when a tip was truly a tip. How did we go from that to subsidizing underpaid employees and having it be just a matter of course? We no longer voluntarily tip, now it's mandatory whether the service is good or not because the service workers are so underpaid and their employers are so happy to sit back and let us, the consumers, pay the balance of their inadequate salaries. I am definitely not against tipping for good service and I always do but I will be honest in that I resent, in all aspects of life not just cruises, being forced to subsidize a workers salary when the service they give doesn't warrant it. I think it's really sad that we let it become what it has and now accept it as "normal" and I'm as guilty as the next person. Just my observation and opinion.

 

Great points and I, also, resent mandatory tips in restaurants but..IMHO...MANY who receive/received good service... do/did NOT tip....hence the surcharge;)

We all have to make-up for the non-tippers:(

[ukchris]

I'm old enough to remember the "way it used to be", when workers were tipped for good service and if the service wasn't good...no tips, in other words when a tip was truly a tip. How did we go from that to subsidizing underpaid employees and having it be just a matter of course? We no longer voluntarily tip, now it's mandatory whether the service is good or not because the service workers are so underpaid and their employers are so happy to sit back and let us, the consumers, pay the balance of their inadequate salaries. I am definitely not against tipping for good service and I always do but I will be honest in that I resent, in all aspects of life not just cruises, being forced to subsidize a workers salary when the service they give doesn't warrant it. I think it's really sad that we let it become what it has and now accept it as "normal" and I'm as guilty as the next person. Just my observation and opinion.

You say your subsidising underpaid employees, i'm curious, do you know how much a waiter earns on an NCL ship?

[Kathylovescruises]

What if I am ON a cruise for New Years.....

maybe the higher charge is only for half my sojourn!

 

This is better news than Royal Carribean discontinuing chocolates on the pillows....

[lambs2]

What if I am ON a cruise for New Years.....

maybe the higher charge is only for half my sojourn!

 

This is better news than Royal Carribean discontinuing chocolates on the pillows....

 

Kathy, I hope you get a better answer concerning what tip amount you will be paying from NCL than I have received concerning some other matters (ie shore excursions which I pre-booked with confirmation number and printed receipt showing price that have now gone up in price...) I have gotten totally opposing answers from two differnet NCl representatives on the phone! :confused:

[time2cruise1]

What if I am ON a cruise for New Years.....

maybe the higher charge is only for half my sojourn!

 

This is better news than Royal Carribean discontinuing chocolates on the pillows....

 

You never know. I can share with you I had friends on an NCL cruse when their son turned 3. They started the $5 auto service charge on his birthday mid cruise.

[lambs2]

You never know. I can share with you I had friends on an NCL cruse when their son turned 3. They started the $5 auto service charge on his birthday mid cruise.

 

Wow! Talk about legalistic!

[time2cruise1]

Wow! Talk about legalistic!

 

No sure about legalistic but the service charge is posted with software automation. I bet the same will hold true for the 1/1 increase

[negc]

Very, very good point and yet, it wouldn't have taken 3 postings before someone said, Holy cow or stronger, that is 20%

 

I think you are right, but using a percentage instead of a dollar amount (especially if the dollar amount is relatively low) is frequently more dramatic and usually makes things sound worse than they really are. I think that the rule is: "If the dollar amount is low, use the percentage, and if the dollar amount is high (even if the percentage is low) use the dollar amount.:rolleyes:

The suggested tips for guests in suites on RCI currently total $12 pp per day and all other guests $9.75. Rarely, if ever, have we tipped only the minimum suggested amount.

[terrymtex01]

Kathy, I hope you get a better answer concerning what tip amount you will be paying from NCL than I have received concerning some other matters (ie shore excursions which I pre-booked with confirmation number and printed receipt showing price that have now gone up in price...) I have gotten totally opposing answers from two differnet NCl representatives on the phone! :confused:

 

Lambs.. I can tell you.. you will be charged the higher amount, unfortunately. They can do that since it says on their website that shore excursions are subject to price changes and you are not actually charged until you are onboard the ship. If you go to the below link, you will see they say they reserve the right to change the price at any time.

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=ShorexTermsConditions

[Duncan28]

I don't have any problem with this. How long has it been at $10.

 

And I don't imagine that majority of cruisers tip extra(excluding suites).JMO

 

Just so you know - certain crew members are not included in the $12/pd/pp pool. They include the concierge and butler (which are available to suites) and I think (but am not sure) the crew for the kids's club. So if you stay in a suite, I would recommend tipping beyond the standard charge (assuming the service is worth it) for each day for those not included in the pool, which most people do (I think).

[AuntieBarb]

With or without an increase, I think we all need to consider the vast amount of crew members who provide services throughout our day on board v.s. the small amount of daily service charges. Is the increase really such cause for alarm? I don't think so!

 

It's a daily per person service charge; not a percentage of sales. It is so miniscule in comparsion to tipping in real life. Even if you factor in individual tips, every passenger is still far ahead of the game if you really think about it.