>
>
> sengsational wrote:

>> [quote=zqvol;12954259 cruisecritic.com] Well it really doesn't matter
>> since NCL changed the contract of carriage. This is now a moot point.
>> There is no tipping required. Every passenger is assessed a mandatory,
>> non removable $10 per day service charge.[/quote]
>>
>> I did remove the service charge on my recent (April 2008) NCL Majesty
>> cruise. I spent about 10 minutes talking to a few folks and filling
>> out a form, and it was done. I have the entire exchange on my digital
>> voice recorder, but it's really boring because there was nothing
>> contentious about it.
>>
>> That's the problem with automatic tipping: people go through the
>> motions. They do whatever is required "not to get called out on
>> something specific". But that is a lot different than trying to "earn
>> a tip". The "feel of the service" under an auto tipping system,
>> especially freestyle, where you don't have the same servers, is much
>> different than one where the servers actually have to "please"
>> customers. This as opposed to having to "not displease" customers.
>>
>> But, that being said, I think that the "not displease the
>> customer" (auto tipping) is the new model on the el-cheapo cruise
>> lines like NCL, whereas "please the customer" was the model of yore,
>> never to be seen again?
>>
>> --Dale--

> Dear Dale,
> I think you have "hit it on the head" with your comments regarding
> "not displease the customer" view. That, along with the lack of
> opportunity to get to know the customers (and vice versa) leads to a lot
> of mechanical service.
> We take $2 bills and use them for tips for special services. For some
> reason they are much better remembered than $5's.

> Cheers,
> John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)
>