Hi Jewel ,
I dislike the auto tip policy as well , and feel it leads to lower
service levels when good or bad service is rewarded equally . I just
returned from a cruise on NCL a few weeks ago , and intended on opting out
before I even got onboard at the start of my cruise. What I did , after
posting a similar post and getting feedback from people here , was bring a
lot small denomination money . I brought $1 , $2 , and $5 bills, and tipped
my meals as I went. NCL is "freestyle" , and I ate at the buffet a lot as
well, so I had no regular dining room server. But I regularly gave a few
bucks to all who did a good job , and so did others in my party. After a few
days it seemed we were known as big tippers - and well taken care of. (
Remember - only about $3 a day per person for food is included in the auto
tip - so for each meal that probably averages about $1 per person , to be
divided up several ways. A $5 bill to one server is a big tip , and $2 or
$3 dollars per person in the party is huge)
I didn't tip at the buffet ,my cabin steward, or for many other services
as I went along , planning to do that to the appropriate people at the end.
Also , because the overall service was good in general , and I didn't tip
everyone that might normally have gotten a part of my tip , I didn't remove
the gratuity completely , but I did adjust it down to about half. That way I
contributed something to the pool , for anyone that was left out or didn't
provide exemplary service, as well as something more to the people I had
already been tipping. That way , I doubt my daily tips were even known about
, or required to be pooled .
Before I left , I gave something extra to my cabin steward , and anyone else
I felt deserved something.
I probably tipped more than the built in gratuity , but most of went to the
people who actually deserved it , and I think I got very good service in the
dining room because I did it like that.
Ray Kloc
"Jewel" wrote in message
news:45bcac81$1$8738$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>I don't think even my worse enemy would ever call me mean but it does so
>annoy me when cruise lines automatically take a set sum per day for
>gratuities/service charge call it what you will. If I want to tip for good
>service, I will but I want to give it to the person it's intended for.
>
> I've put up with it so far but I wondered if any of you had had the nerve
> to "opt out", and what the consequences, if any were? We're going on the
> Sea Princess this weekend for two weeks and am very tempted but don't want
> to ruin the holiday for 10 dollars a day!
>
>
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