Article in Today's LA Times- Re: Norweigan Cruise Line
 

I have long felt that of all the cruise lines, NCL seems to run the biggest scam of allowing passengers to book a cheap fare but reaching deep into your pockets once you're on board. This article is taking it beyond the normal "nickel and diming" that goes on with the major cruise lines...

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-...avel-headlines

traveller333

Would you please give me a short summary of what the artcile in LA Times had to say.

I do not want to register with LA Times just to read this article but would appreciate your comments.

I know that all Cruise Lines seems to nickle and dime their passengers.

Maybe some are wrose than others.

Thanks

percy

Oops...I must have accidently "copied" some of the writing on the sides of the article in the newspaper. Scroll down to actually read the article and don't pay attention to all the other stuff on top.

Funny, I just clicked right on without having to register??

Yes, you must be registered to acces the article. I am going to avoid Norwegian like the plague and hopefully others will do the same or this mandnatory charge will soon hit all cruise lines. It also seems that the company does not want to disclose exactly where the service charge will be going.

mandatory typo

Evoking frantic scenes of passengers calculating tips and trying to locate recipients at the last minute, Veitch said a fixed charge was a "more appropriate way to pay people ? than chasing them around with cash." It also allows staff to be "equally compensated," he said.
I have never "frantically chased down" or felt pressured by crew for tips on any cruise.
I have never felt the need to recognise or encourage good service of behind the scenes staff like cooks, window washers ... Yet these are the excuses HAL and now RCL is offering to rationalize a sneaky way of increasing fares without declaring it. I am insulted and suspicious. What other means might they be using/ I don't trust them. I don't feel comfortable sailing on ships that treat their passengers and employees his way.
I too have added HCL to HAL, Princess and Carnival to my list of cruise lines to avoid.
Mandatory tipping is an oxymoron.
I do not object to tips charged to my onboard account IF I am able to specify ammounts and recipients. I was unfortunately aboard HAL NOORDAM in May this year when HAL's new $10.00 pppd gratuity policy was implemented. The information in their leaflet "you need to know" indicated that 30% of these 'tips' were to be shared among "behind the scenes crew" such as cooks, night cleaning staff etc. HAL also states that if passengers "remove or reduce" the amounts charged to to their accounts, cabin stewards and waiters "are required to turn in any tips received privately". This means, IMO, that many people to whom HAL as employers should be paying higher wages have had their income increased by removing 30% from the revenues of those whom I would like to tip. I refuse to cooperate with this.

There are passengers who do not tip and considering I believe that $10.00 a day to be more than reasonable for a service person.. Now, honestly, what fine restaurant/hotel would you go to and dine three meals a day and not pay a tip of $10.00 a more for those meals..$10.00 a day to clean your cabin.what is a cleaning person on shore getting to clean your house or apartment per hour...You also haven't seen the latest news where Carnival and RC are going to be regulating prices so that even the smallest cruise agent to the large cruise discount companies will have to charge the same amount..no more bargains folks..

I have been on a few ships that add the tips to your bill. I have found that service suffers because the staff knows they will receive their tips regardless of the service they provide. Someone suggested it's like tipping in a restaurant. Wrong! When I pay my bill I decide how much tip I will leave. I do not let the manager tell me how much he has added for a tip.

There is no doubt that service suffers when tips are automatically added but NCL's new twist is that you cannot take these charges off your account and they are mandatory. And as mentioned on other travel boards NCL's CEO will not go on record as to exactly where the money is going. That means NCL is keeping some of the "service charge" for profit.

OOps! Sorry. Should have typed HAL and NCL are ..
Had just read posts about Carnival and RC are about to charge same amounts, plus posts about food problems on RCCL and so I mixed UP the names.
I think I'll be using Celebrity from now on. Next cruise Celebrity Expeditions to Galapagos.

Do you honestly BELIEVE that if NCL and any other company that does this doesn't get major resistance that ALL cruise lines won;t quickly follow suit?

Better hop onto that Celebrity cruise real fast since the company is owned ny RCCL and with the cruise industry being as competitive as it is this will be just like those so-called "extra tariff" restaurants that seem to have suddenly appeared on all the major cruise ships.

If you plan on nipping this in the bud you'd better do it now.

I've found the best service by far in cruise lines where the graduities are included in the fare...any one else found this? They obviously only hire experienced staff and pay them higher wages to begin with.

typo...meant gratuities.

petlover - I agree. I just took an NCL cruise on the SEA, and the service was excellent.

I think what burns everyone who is against this compulsory gratuities is the fact that you are virtually being dictated to.

I have always gone to the Pursors desk about 2 hours after I board and tell them to not automatically bill my credit card for the daily gratuity.

They have always complied.

Let me also add that I have given more than the $10.00 per day to the three people who meant the most to me, the Steward that cleans my room and the two waiter that served us , because after 10-14 days they become like family.

BUT, it is my choosing about the gratuity and that is the big difference.

I dislike the Gestapo tactics of someone saying to me,"You WILL pay this amount for my service BEFORE I even provide the services.

Let us get right back to basics.

How many of you know what a tip is for ???

No I am not trying to insult anyone,just asking a question.

This is how the tip concept started:

T = To
I= Insure
P= Promptness.

That is right, when you want something right now, that you cannot get it right now, then you offer a bribe , oops I meant a tip.!!!

So over the years this tipping has evolved into an almost God given expectation.!!

And employers pay their workers less and tell them ,"oh , but the tips are good."

If there were no tipping at all on the crusie ship,I would still give money to the three people that served me best,BUT the choosing is mine,and that is the difference.

Percy

I've been on 2 cruises where the tips were $10pp pd and do feel the service suffered in the dining rooms. I did not remove the gratuity but I do think the folks that have the envelope tips work noticably harder to make the passengers happy. Or at least that's what my experience has been.

"If there were no tipping at all on the crusie ship,I would still give money to the three people that served me best,BUT the choosing is mine,and that is the difference."

Percy, on some cruise lines where the gratuities are included the staff is not allowed to accept tips. These lines also offer the best service from my personal experience as they're 6 star lines.

newyorkgolfer41

What cruise line is rated 6 star.?

Thank you

Percy

I think mandatory tips is a great idea.

Very few people have the tip removed or altered from their account. You always have the option of leaving extra tips.

It's a great way of eliminating the deadbeats who stiff the staff.

Since the tip is so modest, what's the gripe, do you intend to leave less for all of the service you receive during the course of the day?

In the rare instance (we've sailed on 11 cruises and never had any major service problem) that you receive service that doesn't warrant $10, speak to management.

Frank, I think part of the problem is that in the article the spokesperson blatantly says this is NOT A TIP and offers absolutely no explanation of where this money is going. His lame excuse is that it's a "complicated formula". Give me a freaking BREAK!

Nidwaldner_Chris:

I assume the "tips" are going where the current "tips" are going.

No way the crew is going to work without tips, unless they are adequately compensated via salary. NCL has to be competitive with the other cruise lines, otherwise they would loose all their help to the other lines. I don't think they are going to jeopardize the the line, particularly as they continue to expand it with new ships.

I wouldn't worry about where the tip is going, those things have a way of taking care of themselves. It's called the free market.

It has been stated several places the service fee is not at tip, specifically on NCL's Pride of Aloha. The article suggests and readers can draw their own conclusions that the money is not going entirely to the crew. The CEO himself will not disclose where the money is going.

PS, and the comment that "the crew is not going to work for it" is correct, the crew is leaving the Pride of Aloha in droves, the ship is short staffed at 750 workers vs. 900 that should working. The short staff issue is read in NCL's own literature given to passengers on recent sailings. And passengers have been getting half of the MANDATORY fee back. Not even NCL knows what they are doing.

Percy, the first cruise line rated 6 star that comes to mind is Silversea. There's probably others such as Seabourn, Radisson, Residensea...maybe even Crystal(though it's not all inclusive).

newyorkgolfer41

Thank you for the info.

I have not heard of some of the ships.

I just heard about Oceana the other day.

I wanted to book a Mediterranean cruise for late Ocotber but the 684 passenger cruise was all booked.


Also , it is nice to read all the reports about tipping.

It seems like NCL has opened a can of worms for itself.

I read some non flattering reports about their Pride of Aloha cruise in July ,I think it was, but I had no idea they were so short staffed..that must be why the service was so poor.

Well NCL is not the only cruise line sailing around the world, so we shall see how this all turns out for them

Percy

I have such mixed emotions about this tipping subject. My first inclination was "no, way..it's not a tip then" but, since it is something that should be given anyway, what difference does it make? Those that would 'stiff' can't and another thing is the foreign visitors who come here and cruise. Since they do not tip over there, I'm sure they don't here!

When we were on the Sky last year, I thought the service was up to par. The first night dinner was a little spotty but after that everyone one seemed to go out of their way and service was very good.

I have always thought the "recommended" $10. per person per day gratuity on the US crewed Clipper Cruise Line was quite reasonable.
The ships' officers are not included in the pool and most of the service folks are recent US college grads - prob remind the "active" gomers of "our" grandchildren.
M

Percy--Oceania..has great deals,smaller ships.. the old Ren ships.. there is a third one out there, but it's chartered...
http://www.OceaniaCruises.com/T_Main...e-09340b8f2cb7

Sorry Parrotmom, but Oceania in IMHO after two weeks in March is a big disappointment. It was not a great buy, and the ships crew has a bad attitude. To each his own, but I would not recommend this cruise line.

Service is terrible........and they love to get into your pockets.

Thank you ParrotMom for the information .

I appreciate your input.

Also ,Thank you manycruiser

I am not going on the Oceania as it is booked and the wait list will end this coming Monday..
It has only 684 passengers.

You all know how brochures are , everything always looks so great with those professional models in the pictures !!!!!

Oh , well, soon it is time to head to the Caribbean,as Jack Frost will be nipping soon.

Good night all

Percy