Grimey
12-21-2004, 12:49 PM
I don't know how this jives with Jim's tipping page, but I read the article online today.
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB110359103993105519,00.html
NCL Corp.'s Norwegian Cruise Line -- backing down from an effort earlier in the year to impose a mandatory $10 per day per person tipping surcharge on all passengers -- in October returned to its policy of allowing passengers to adjust the daily fee.
Carnival Corp.'s Holland America Line, which had a longstanding "tipping not required" policy, this spring shifted to an automatic gratuity program that charges guests $10 per day, per person, to cover gratuities. Holland's previous policy made it more like luxury cruise lines, which have either kept tipping optional for passengers or included gratuities in the fare. The new Holland America policy means a couple on a 10-day cruise could see a charge of $200 for gratuities on their cruise bill, though they can request to adjust the amount afterward.
The switch puts Holland in line with other large cruise operators such as Carnival's flagship line and its Princess Cruises line, which automatically assess a daily gratuity fee that is totaled on the passenger's onboard account.
Still, on other cruise operators, such as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which owns Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, tipping is optional and there is no automatic charge to the onboard account. Instead, these operators give passengers suggested guidelines for tipping. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity suggests the dining-room and state-room staff receive $3.50 per guest per day, while the assistant waiter receives $2 per guest per day. (Royal Caribbean, like most other cruise lines, charges an automatic 15% gratuity on bar tabs.)
Royal Caribbean guests can request that the gratuities be charged to their onboard account. Those cruisers will be given an envelope with a voucher to give to crew members.
At some luxury lines, such as Silversea Cruises, tipping is included in the fare. It should be: A 16-day voyage aboard the line's Silver Cloud, from Singapore to Sydney over the Christmas holiday, starts at $8,326 per person.
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB110359103993105519,00.html
NCL Corp.'s Norwegian Cruise Line -- backing down from an effort earlier in the year to impose a mandatory $10 per day per person tipping surcharge on all passengers -- in October returned to its policy of allowing passengers to adjust the daily fee.
Carnival Corp.'s Holland America Line, which had a longstanding "tipping not required" policy, this spring shifted to an automatic gratuity program that charges guests $10 per day, per person, to cover gratuities. Holland's previous policy made it more like luxury cruise lines, which have either kept tipping optional for passengers or included gratuities in the fare. The new Holland America policy means a couple on a 10-day cruise could see a charge of $200 for gratuities on their cruise bill, though they can request to adjust the amount afterward.
The switch puts Holland in line with other large cruise operators such as Carnival's flagship line and its Princess Cruises line, which automatically assess a daily gratuity fee that is totaled on the passenger's onboard account.
Still, on other cruise operators, such as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which owns Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, tipping is optional and there is no automatic charge to the onboard account. Instead, these operators give passengers suggested guidelines for tipping. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity suggests the dining-room and state-room staff receive $3.50 per guest per day, while the assistant waiter receives $2 per guest per day. (Royal Caribbean, like most other cruise lines, charges an automatic 15% gratuity on bar tabs.)
Royal Caribbean guests can request that the gratuities be charged to their onboard account. Those cruisers will be given an envelope with a voucher to give to crew members.
At some luxury lines, such as Silversea Cruises, tipping is included in the fare. It should be: A 16-day voyage aboard the line's Silver Cloud, from Singapore to Sydney over the Christmas holiday, starts at $8,326 per person.