Hi crew. Yesterday I received an email from a guest who was sailing on the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn. The email reads “I just got off of the NCL Dawn, it was a bad week for all. As regards to employees rights, when I was in line paying my bill I overheard a complaint about not being able to use their balcony there compensation offered was to wave the gratuities. That's not right a captain's bad navigation skills turned into the crew not receiving their gratuities.” 

The passenger who was on the Dawn, Boston to Bermuda cruise added “Passengers were upset over the weather, poor navigation, entertainment was lacking with no port usable… This incident happened at guest relations. The passenger was upset because NCL accepted there upgrade bid for a balcony they could not use. The customer asked what can you do for me and the guest relations said we can offer to waive gratuities on your room”

Now all of us who have done cruises from the USA to Bermuda knows that the sea can be very rough, especially this time of the year. Therefore I can’t judge the navigation skills of the captain. However, If this claim is true this means that NCL is backstabbing their employees by offering withdrawal of the gratuities as compensation of the guest’s bad experience. It also shows how much they place profit over crew member’s hard earned money. This withdrawal offer is not something that comes as a decision by the guest relation officer which is only following company’s rules and regulations, so it must come from the office. 

This is a snowball effect which will hurt the crew members on a short run and the company on long-term. Meaning that if one passenger has overheard the conversation then others heard it as well and the news spreads. Next thing you know most of the people will withdraw gratuities, and unsatisfied crew will provide bad service or they will go to other company. The only loser, in this case, will be Norwegian Cruise Line.

This needs to be addressed and all need to be aware that crew members and their families depend on this gratuities.