Bah.
Princess does the same thing.
Since I was a bartender for many years and tend to overtip (’cause I been there, done that) I would save a lot of money that way.
“Bah”.
“14 bucks a day”
If you eat one meal at a fine restaurant for two you might spend $100 or more.
Typical tip would be $15 to $20.
And the service would probably not be near as good.
These people that work on cruise ships work harder than anyone I've ever seen!! Morning to night, no days off, maybe an afternoon in port....and they work for MOMTHS at a time!
We ALWAYS tip even MORE at the end of the cruise since they work so hard.
Tightasses.
With this type of a rule change if you don't realize the tips are going to be included in your bill, you will be tipping twice.
Most cruise lines offer packages like credits for bar bills- credits for shore excursions-credits for tips etc. - Tom
I already won’t step foot on a cruise ship so doesn’t affect me. I tell my wife I’ll fly there and meet you wherever it docks.
So you opt out and then get crappy or non-existent service.
Great plan. Me thinks Norwegian doesn’t understand human nature very well.
We took a cruise on Norwegian. There was a 10% compulsory gratuity on all food and drink. We added to that amount on each check. I don’t blame them for this at all, because they are in a unique situation of which some people will take advantage.
Great experience, by the way.
Not sure why this is news. This is pretty standard practice in the cruise lime industry and has been for years. The days of routinely bringing cash to pay cabin stewards and wait staff are long gone.
Something to consider. The people who take care of you are paid a small salary.
Tips are not taxed by their home governments, their salaries are. My understanding, after reading articles on Cruise Critic, is that the majority of cruise lines charge a daily tip for services, paid at the end of the cruise. This is in place of hiking fares. The amount varies by cruise line and lodging aboard the ship.
The tips are then divided among the people who served you, not just the ones you come in contact with. They take the tips home as pay, but don’t have to pay tax on them.
There are a lot of people that you don’t see that serve you behind the scenes.
How much do you tip for the norovirus?
I have cruised with Royal Caribbean, and Holland America. Tipping was discretionary. Those that took care of us were well aware of this. They did their jobs very well and were tipped very well. The cabin attendants took care of our every need. They were rewarded well.
Tipping should be discretionary.
This isn’t news, almost all the cruise lines do this and it’s actually more beneficial to the crew. The crew is usually recruited through a services company who takes a percentage of their wages. Gratuities are not a part of the percentage.
The Independent is British and our British cousins are adamantly against tipping. A lot of Americans are also. The main beef seems to be that some think that the cruise lines should include these fees in their fare. They think that then they won’t have to pay them, the cruise line can take it out of profit.
One of the biggest complaints is that some “wish to pay directly” to the individuals serving them. This is usually just an excuse not to pay at all. Back in the days when it was customary to leave an envelope on the table at the end of the cruise on the last night, it was common to find the dining room almost deserted.
It’s also not uncommon to find a long line at the services desk on the last night after dinner with many of these in line being passengers removing their auto gratuities. The crew is given lists of those who have done so. So these passengers wait until the last night because they fear doing so will affect the service they receive.
Most of the complaints about the automatic gratuities are just excuses used to save a few bucks. Really, you pay two or three thousand for a cruise and you complain about a few bucks for those who have made your cruise a pleasure.
Usually hillbillies look to opt out of the tip.
Up to a third of people on board are there to serve the passengers. If you are a cheap hillbilly you assume your cabin guy and food staff are alll you tip. No, there is a whole crew serving you that you never meet.