Forced Tipping er: Service Charge on NCL

I just returned from an NCL cruise that REQUIRED me to pay a service
charge (once known as a tip).

I found the service to be far from a level I feel warranted any tip.
For example: I asked our anonymous waiter (we had a different one at
every meal) "Please describe what color the steak will be if I request
medium rare." His response: "I have no idea. I just pick it up from
the line marked like that".

Other staff barely spoke at all. And the only smiles I saw were glued
on.

But since it was billed as a service charge, there was no practical
way to remove it from the bill. Well I won't be traveling on another
NCL ship.

My question is: Have you been on a ship recently with a similar
policy? If so, which one and what cruise line?

Gary

On Jan 11, 5:20*pm, gary wrote:
I just returned from an NCL cruise that REQUIRED me to pay a service
charge (once known as a tip).

I found the service to be far from a level I feel warranted any tip.
For example: I asked our anonymous waiter (we had a different one at
every meal) "Please describe what color the steak will be if I request
medium rare." His response: "I have no idea. I just pick it up from
the line marked like that".

Other staff barely spoke at all. And the only smiles I saw were glued
on.

But since it was billed as a service charge, there was no practical
way to remove it from the bill. Well I won't be traveling on another
NCL ship.

My question is: Have you been on a ship recently with a similar
policy? If so, which one and what cruise line?

Gary


Me and the cow, never tip, just always take different criuse lines, we
are on a fised incomw!

CLINT:
Good to see you posting again





cruise lover(~~~~~)






..

On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:20:47 -0800 (PST), gary
wrote:

I just returned from an NCL cruise that REQUIRED me to pay a service
charge (once known as a tip).

I haven't tried (we had good service on our recent cruise, and we
usually tip extra), but NCL claims that you can have the service charge
removed.
http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#service

Did you try to have it removed? Which ship and itinerary?

Or are you talking about the service charge on bar trips and spa
services? I don't know if those can be removed.

"Jack Hamilton" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:20:47 -0800 (PST), gary
wrote:

I just returned from an NCL cruise that REQUIRED me to pay a service
charge (once known as a tip).

I haven't tried (we had good service on our recent cruise, and we
usually tip extra), but NCL claims that you can have the service charge
removed.
http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#service

Did you try to have it removed? Which ship and itinerary?

Or are you talking about the service charge on bar trips and spa
services? I don't know if those can be removed.

Like many of you, I'm a generous tipper for good service, but I don't like
to be forced. If the service charges were for specialty food places apart
from the dining room it may be understandable, otherwise it's a bummer.
What NCL ship was it (although I never cruise NCL)?

Harry Cooper

Seehorse Video wrote:
"Jack wrote in message
...
On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:20:47 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

I just returned from an NCL cruise that REQUIRED me to pay a service
charge (once known as a tip).

I haven't tried (we had good service on our recent cruise, and we
usually tip extra), but NCL claims that you can have the service charge
removed.
http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#service

Did you try to have it removed? Which ship and itinerary?

Or are you talking about the service charge on bar trips and spa
services? I don't know if those can be removed.

Like many of you, I'm a generous tipper for good service, but I don't like
to be forced. If the service charges were for specialty food places apart
from the dining room it may be understandable, otherwise it's a bummer.
What NCL ship was it (although I never cruise NCL)?

Harry Cooper


I just don't understand this whole problem people have about the
"tipping". However you look at it, it'll go on your bill either as a
higher fare in the first place, or as a tip / service charge / whatever
you want to call it. It's not just about good service (for which a tip
should obviously be given, or not, depending upon the service received).
As far as I'm aware, the staff are depending upon this money for their
wages - that just seems to be how they are paid (although for all I know
NCL may be different in that respect). Remove it and they get paid
nothing, or next to nothing. It's up to you if you can live with that -
personally I'd be unhappy to think that my waiter or cabin steward was
not going to get paid because of me - whatever the service level.

--
Wilf

If this is indeed a "Service charge" rather then a "Tip" I would also
have a problem with it.

On short cruises, say 2-4 days, when travelling Solo, I do not go to
the Dining room. I prefer to just go to the Lido buffett or a fee
based dining room.

That said, they get a tip from me in the alt area. When I eat for
dinner in the Lido I always leave a few $ on the table, which I'm
sure gets pocketed by that areas server. They tend to be quick with a
water/tea/lemonade or whatever after the first night.

I would have a problem if I could not have this "Service charge"
removed.

For example; this Saturday I will be on a Celebrity Century for their
once a year two-night cruise to Nassau (On a Sunday at that.. YUK!)
If charged for the dining room that would bother me, as I have no
plans at present to go there....but it would not be a Deal Buster if
they did.

And yes... I always tip out my room steward.

Steve--- in still chilly FLL

(Jack*Hamilton) wrote:

On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:20:47 -0800 (PST), gary
wrote:

I just returned from an NCL cruise that
REQUIRED me to pay a service charge
(once known as a tip).


I haven't tried (we had good service on our
recent cruise, and we usually tip extra), but
NCL claims that you can have the service
charge removed.

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

Did you try to have it removed? Which ship
and itinerary?

I thought you could have it removed, lowered, or raised.

Or are you talking about the service charge on
bar trips and spa services? I don't know if
those can be removed.

On our last cruise (on Holland America) my wife had a facial at the spa.
When I saw the receipt, I asked her why she had not left a tip. She said
she did not realize it was not added on automatically. She just signed
the slip. (She also said she had not taken her reading glasses, so
didn't bother trying to read it.) The next day she went up to the spa
and added a tip.

On another cruise (on Princess), she had won a free makeover. She added
a tip.

"Jeff Gersten" wrote in message
...
(Jack Hamilton) wrote:

On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:20:47 -0800 (PST), gary
wrote:

I just returned from an NCL cruise that
REQUIRED me to pay a service charge
(once known as a tip).


I haven't tried (we had good service on our
recent cruise, and we usually tip extra), but
NCL claims that you can have the service
charge removed.

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

Did you try to have it removed? Which ship
and itinerary?

I thought you could have it removed, lowered, or raised.

Or are you talking about the service charge on
bar trips and spa services? I don't know if
those can be removed.

On our last cruise (on Holland America) my wife had a facial at the spa.
When I saw the receipt, I asked her why she had not left a tip. She said
she did not realize it was not added on automatically. She just signed
the slip. (She also said she had not taken her reading glasses, so
didn't bother trying to read it.) The next day she went up to the spa
and added a tip.

On another cruise (on Princess), she had won a free makeover. She added
a tip.

Hi,

Seems like you and your wife did the right thing in both cases. And I'll
bet the tip was commensurate with the quality of the service.

Harry Cooper

NCL claims that you can have the service charge
removed.
http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#service

The words used here are a far cry from the words used in the on board
documents regarding the service charge. On board, according to the
policy it was MY responsibility to immediately report each instance of
poor service with details such as the person involved, time, location,
nature of the problem, etc. The Manager would then be notified and the
problem would be corrected "on the spot" - thus no need to adjust the
charge.


Did you try to have it removed? *Which ship and itinerary?

I didn't try. Arguing with people at the Purser's desk about their
policies just makes me furious since the desk clerks are generally NOT
authorized to change account totals. And I didn't want to spoil the
cruise for the others in my party. Besides, if I reported every
instance of poor service, I would have been at the desk after almost
every meal.

The ship was the Star. The itinerary was the Mexican Riviera 7 day
over Christmas.

I don't expect to ever take an NCL ship again. I just want to be sure
my future cruises are on ships where such a policy doesn't exist.