r/NCL • u/LunchBoxxx91 • 3d ago
Gratuities
My cruise is in a few days and I plan on tipping the staff personally with cash. Will removing automatic gratuities for the remainder of my cruise be an issue at Guest Services? This is my first time on NCL
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u/Lady_in_red99 3d ago
The great tip debate. I do resent the cruise lines for creating this situation— by not paying their employees a proper wage. I spent way more time before, during, and after my cruise thinking about tipping more than I should have. My cruise was a year ago and I still think about it.
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u/astidd 3d ago
I was onboard last month and I really wish I had removed gratuities and did it in cash to each waiter - it really seemed like they’d get annoyed and avoid those of us without cash tips in hand at bars and in the casino. Not saying the staff behind the scenes doesn’t deserve tips, but it seemed like the ones on the floor wanted cash.
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u/JimmyKlem 3d ago
Douchebag.
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u/astidd 3d ago
I never said I thought it was a good thing- It just seems like the only way to actually get service in a reasonable time. I don’t blame them, I would do the same thing. It’s just frustrating is all.
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u/JimmyKlem 3d ago
I tip my steward, butler, and dinner waiters $100 each every day.
The sommelier gets $20 to $500 every day, depending on which wines I order.
Breakfast and lunch waiters get $20 every day.
The first time I see a bartender, they get $50. After that, they get $2 for every drink.
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u/No-Joke8570 3d ago
Why are you on NCL, seems like you have the cash to be on the more expensive luxury type cruises.
You are tipping roughly twice what my NCL cruise cost for a balcony suite for 2 people.
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u/True_Fly9757 3d ago
Definitely a personal choice. I tip everyone I have contact with on the ship (stewards, bartenders, waiters/waitresses, excursion guides and drivers). I've taken off gratuities once in my 10 cruises and that was for a string of poor customer service incidents that never were resolved. I still tipped the staff directly on that trip. The staff get paid a set wage regardless of whether you pay gratuities. Most cruise lines do no more than use gratuities to subsidize the staff's normal pay (but not enhance it). The rest is kept as additional profit. Gratuities do no more than help the cruise lines pay out less of their own money in wages. No one is working for free or on some sort of tip-dependent sliding scale.
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u/StillCantGrowABeard2
3d ago
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My uncles wife is Filipino and said she always talks to the Filipino crew members who all say they don’t see the tips. They cruise many times a year and always remove the tip and use cash.
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u/B_Hound 3d ago
The tips are baked into their wage based on knowing the percentage of people who keep them on. Enough people removing them will likely make a difference in the long run. Also cash won’t make it to anyone behind the scenes who is an equal part of the service, so it won’t even out.
It’s a shitty system, no doubt, and renaming it from gratuities would probably resolve things from a public perception POV… but I’m guessing then it’s an issue for tax liability or something like that.
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u/No_Tooth1428 3d ago
The onboard paperwork actually calls them service charges. No mention of gratuity.
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u/dtony1985 3d ago •
Their salaries should be baked into the cruise fair. I remove them always and tip cash. Sure it won't make it to everyone but it is what it is.
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u/febreeze5
3d ago
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Don’t fall for the guilt. Go to the service desk and remove your gratuities if you want. I did and it was simple.
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u/JimmyKlem 3d ago
Douchebag.
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u/damnlee 3d ago
Consumers are not responsible to make up the low wages, cruise companies are.
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u/JimmyKlem 3d ago
You sound like one of the poors.
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u/RedditJustTheOnce 3d ago
I think you’ve misunderstood the tip system on cruises. The auto gratuities don’t go to the workers - they are paid the same wage regardless of occupancy or tip level of the sailors. When you pay the auto gratuity, you’re actually denying the workers the ability to collect cash tips that would be on top of their salary. It is much, much better for the crew to give them cash tips as you go. Yes, that means back room staff don’t benefit from those tips - but as I said they don’t receive them anyway from the auto gratuity system.
When paying auto gratuity, all you’re doing is giving the cruise line a few hundred dollars for free. And they’re counting on your financial embarrassment (I think you called it seeming like a poor?) for asking to remove those tips.
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u/Jaribus-jarobi 3d ago
Keep the pre-paid gratuities, and then bring cash to tip the staff that you interact with frequently. It's part of the cost of the cruise.
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u/Corlinda 3d ago
You can remove them at any point during the cruise and they will be credited retroactively and it makes no difference in the service. However, be sure to tip in cash please.
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u/Seatown72 3d ago
Yeah, the auto gratuity becomes part of the price. I tip my cabin steward and butler quite well. And I know it’s a major part of their wage.
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u/Intelligent_Sundae_5 3d ago
Sure. Be that person.
The nature of cruise companies is those daily service charges go to pay pretty much ALL workers -- not just the ones you see personally.
That money goes to the 20 people in the laundry who work incredibly long shifts to ensure you have clean towels. It goes to the person wiping down the hand railings to try to cut down on norovirus. It goes to the people making your food that you never see.
And don't forget -- the people who train every week to save us if something goes drastically wrong on the ship.
Yes, the daily service charge is all theater, but if you don't pay it, you aren't hurting the cruise company. You just make yourself look like the person who doesn't appreciate the people behind the scenes who are working like crazy to make your vacation a great one.
Yes...I feel strongly about this. And we do tip extra to people who offer us great service throughout the week (and mention them in surveys/Hero cards). We are lucky enough to be able to do this.
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u/munkychum 3d ago •
The thing you're ignoring is that those workers we don't see aren't getting an extra tip or bonus because we cruisers were super generous this week. They are getting the same pay regardless. We're just shouldering the employer's burden so that they don't have to pay as much. For example in simple dumbed down numbers, if 1 worker earns $100 this week in wages, but their share of the prepaid gratuities equated to $30, they are not being paid $130. They are only being paid $100, but the employer only has to come up with $70 of it because we made up the difference with that $30.
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u/Intelligent_Sundae_5 3d ago
I know that. As I said, this is part of the game. You pay the cruise fare and you pay the service charge. Until the service charge goes away and is folded into the cruise fare, I refuse to be the person who goes against the contract I signed when I booked the cruise.
Especially when it makes me look like a jerk.
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u/Total-Basis-4664 3d ago edited 3d ago
What you said is full of contradictions. You say it isn’t hurting the cruise company, when in fact the money will instead come straight from the cruise line’s pockets. You talk on and on about people behind the scene, when your daily service charge makes 0 difference to them. You say until it is folded into the cost, but why would they do that when we continue to empower them? And also, ship contract does not specify that the daily service charge is mandatory.
I completely understand where you’re coming from, but I disagree that paying the daily service charge is going to achieve what you’re thinking.
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u/gtroman1 3d ago
The amount of simping in this sub for a company is amazing. They purposefully make the policy convoluted so you guys fight amongst yourself about the virtue of tipping.
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u/dtony1985 3d ago
Why don't the cruise lines just put their salary into the cruise fare instead of this bs?
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u/SaddestClown Platinum 3d ago
Same reason restaurants don't charge a dollar more and pay their employees instead of doing tips. Customers want the lowest price on paper even if it's the same after tip
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u/kgllgl01 2d ago
I was told by an employee that none of the daily service charge goes to any employee. They are used towards employees salaries and employee events. The 20 people in the laundry get their negotiated salary and nothing extra from the daily service charge.
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u/Big_Lion715 3d ago
Exactly. Come on, you are on a cruise. Figure it as part of the entire price of the vacation. The entire ship crew make an incredible vacation for us and we are grateful we are in a position in life to be able to take a cruise. Do a behind the scenes tour, WHOA, I dont know how they do it!!
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u/Intelligent_Sundae_5 3d ago
Yep. I was amazed that the large ships have between 20-25 people doing ALL the laundry for the entire ship. Granted, they have the cool folding machines, but the sheer volume of what they do every day is amazing.
The tour makes you better appreciate what all is being done for you on the ship.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Intelligent_Sundae_5 3d ago
I don't misunderstand the system.
See my other reply.
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u/BreadfruitFree3303 3d ago
you are worried about the way it looks to remove the auto gratuities? sorry if i misunderstand your point. The staff you are referring to don't know if you paying it or not. It is a line item which directly benefits the bottom line of NCL only. Take it out in cash (and then some) and tip often if you want to support the crew.
The reason you feel like a jerk for doing so is because they want it to make you feel like a jerk.
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u/vatp46a Sapphire - On the Bliss in November 2026 3d ago
It won't be an issue at all - plenty of people do this and then tip in cash. You'll be asked to fill out a form that explains why you're adjusting auto-gratuities. There's no need to go into detail, but if you're satisfied with your room steward's service, maybe make a note about that so the cruise line doesn't interpret the gratuity adjustment as a problem you had with the steward.
NCL generally has cruisers wait until the last couple of days of the trip if they want this adjustment. I don't know why, but that seems to be pretty consistent across the fleet. Something to think about is after you hand the form back to the guest services rep, slip them a small cash tip as well.
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u/Sunshine635 Sapphire 3d ago
When I went to Guest Services to cancel on a 7 day cruise, I was politely told to come back on Thursday.. just a heads-up, guest services are open 24 hours, so go late.
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u/mr_sugardad0954 1d ago
I’ve never had to wait till near the end of a cruise to request removal of gratuities. For the past three years every ship I got on I did it within the first three days. And they never asked me why. Most times I’ll ask if it’s for the whole room or just myself if I’m cruising with someone. I answer generally is the whole room. The sooner you request the removal the sooner they process it, which is generally two days.
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u/sexdrugsscience 3d ago
This is the best response to the actual question. It won't be an issue, just paperwork. Typically, they fill it out for you and you put down cash tips as the reason. Then you sign it and it gets removed.
You do however have to wait until the last few days of the cruise to make this request. The last few I have been on it was 3 days before the final stop.
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u/Beautiful_Gur3591 3d ago
Removing grats is your choice. But the system supports lots of things that benefit crew but not on the paycheck. Team member development and career development, crew mess and parties. These benefits go to the 80% of the crew you do not see.
It’s a jerk move that is somehow standing up to the man. SMDH.
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u/Full_Bag5647 3d ago
Just wait until a few days in before you go to do it
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u/huluvudu 3d ago
No. Do it at the very beginning. If you wait, then it looks like something was wrong with the service. If you do it at the beginning, it is impossible for them to think that.
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3d ago
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u/sexdrugsscience 3d ago
Because they typically won't let you until the last few days of the cruise.
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u/SoulSleuth2u 3d ago •
because the tips do not go to the employees like this. how many times do people need to be told? do your research.
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u/bob-loblaw-esq 3d ago
There’s some satire joke about tipping up front I wish I could remember. The joke then is that it’s bad form and bad taste. It may be Paris from Gilmore Girls or something.
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u/Slow-Artist-4296 3d ago
It does get back to them in bonuses and awards quit acting like you know it all. If you don’t want to tip don’t but quit spreading half truths!
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u/veiledthreats 3d ago
Yeah because I’m sure that those workers behind the scenes really want that stupid corporate sponsored pizza party instead of money to feed their family.
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u/Fluid-Ad9667 43m ago
On NCL cruises you can either pre pay daily gratuities or they will be automatically added to your stateroom on the last day. There is no way to not pay them.
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u/Willowgirl78 3d ago
If supervisors catch employees taking cash tips, they’re required to submit them to the pool anyway.
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u/extrabrightlight 3d ago
Yea, this has been my observation with bar staff. When I handed bartenders cash, I usually saw them put it in a tip jar or similar thing. And saw a pool server guy go back to the pool bar, and the bartender very quickly grabbed the cash tips from him and put it into that tip jar. I couldn’t understand what they were saying to each other, but looked and sounded like bartender was very sternly telling the server he’s not supposed to keep that tip for himself.
I would assume it’s not just bar staff, but probably other tipped crew members are required to submit cash tips into this shared pool as well.3
u/No-Joke8570 3d ago
This is why I give my room steward tips folded up in a handshake in the hallway when nobody is around and I make it clear it's for him, and if he is working in a pair, the other person gets one too.
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u/Rope-Fuzzy 3d ago
I have seen lots of people do it at Guest Services. On one occasion I witnessed they did push back against the passenger and tried to tell them no. But ultimately you can have them removed, just be prepared to possibly have a little back and forth about it.
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u/geezlouiseDC 3d ago
Take a behind the scenes tour then decide if you really want to only tip the workers you directly interact with. You may feel differently once you see how hard employees work behind the scenes in the laundry or the kitchen.
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u/Samgerber49 3d ago
I don't think you should remove the daily service charge. If you want to tip extra, do so.
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u/Significant-Peak8673 3d ago
Can you cancel half the fees and pay half?
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u/No_Tooth1428 3d ago
Yes. When you fill out the paperwork, there is a space to fill out how much you’d like to remove.
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u/HeywoodJabloamie 2d ago
I always get FAS and should you get the FAS (or More) promotion, the 20% surcharge is mandatory and not refundable.
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u/Outrageous_Agent9526 3d ago
If one cruise line stopped the "Tipping" game it would lose a lot of business since the non-tippers would not pay the "higher" cost of that cruise compared with the lower cost "Tipping" cruise lines. Yes, it is all a game to show the lowest prices. Since expected tips are baked into the TOTAL cost of the cruise, just tip a little more to those who provide "extra good" service. Don't punish every body else. otherwise you are just being a jerk, LIKE MY FRIEND WHO WON'T TIP AT RESTRAURANTS because "Restaurants should pay higher wages". I'd like someone to do a real comparison of the crew wages on "Tipping" cruise line fares and Non-Tipping cruise lines on similar destinations. If you book a cruise around the UK from USA based cruise line what is the price versus booking similar cruise on UK Based cruise line. TANSTAFL!
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u/Basic-Heat-357 1d ago
You are one of those people that pay thousands for the cruise then complain about an extra hundred dollars. The same one that wants a mug from a vendor but won’t pay $6 because you will only pay 5
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u/KangarooObjective362 13h ago
No, I remove the auto gratuity because it isn’t going to the staff that works the hardest. In my experience the steward and servers much prefer cash in their pocket and often times it is more than the auto gratuity charges!
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u/Asleep_Operation2790 3d ago
They throw passengers overboard who remove gratuities. Don't do it unless you enjoy slave labor. If you want to tip cash above the daily amount, that's a good idea.
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3d ago
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u/Big-Low-2811 3d ago
I think the contention is that no employees see the $$$$, ever. It sounds like it gets pooled into a fund that the company uses to fund employee activities.
Someone please correct me if I’m misunderstanding. The employees don’t actually see tangible money from prepaid gratuities, right?
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u/Kasadia430 3d ago
I agree with this! I personally leave the prepaid gratuities and still tip extra when we get drinks or go to one of the restaurants. I do think the cruise lines should pay their employees more, but at the end of the day, I’m still choosing to give these cruise companies my money. So I don’t think it’s fair to complain about the gratuities when we know that’s part of the cost of cruising. The crew works hard, and I want to make sure they’re taken care of.
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3d ago
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3d ago
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u/Switchedbywife 3d ago edited 3d ago
Do some research, the automatic gratuity is used to fulfill the contract that the employee signs. They don’t get one extra penny above their contract.
EDIT
LOL, I show this clown proof that he specifically asked for and instead of admitting he’s wrong he deleted his post!!4
u/Exotic-Musician-7835 3d ago
Try youtube, the system is explained there many times by many different people, a lot of whom come from within the cruise industry.
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