Tipping Oceaneer emps/Phone cards?

[GoodStepMom]

I didn't notice Oceaneer Lab or Club employees on the suggested tipping list...Any advice, suggestion, experiences? I'm not sure how much DDs will use this service but if they use it any I'm sure I'll appreciate it enough to tip!?!

Also, using phone cards for extra tipping (above and beyond) has been mentioned alot. I looked for these at BJs but the bundle package comes with US cards. Wouldn't cruise employees need international cards? Where I can I find a good deal on those type cards?

Thanks in advance for any help here:D

[Michelle]

Tipping of the children's programming staff is definitely not expected or encouraged.

Whatever you want to give will be appreciated, but I can tell you that the vast majority of parents do not tip them (the counselors do NOT depend on tips to make a living, unlike the cabin attendants and dining room servers).

Good luck, whatever you decide! :)

[tkd lisa]

As to the domestic vs. international use, check the language on the card. Most of them cite the number of minutes as domestic (i.e. inside US), but allow them for international, just at higher rates. For example, a 100 minutes US phone call might be a 40 minute Europe, a 30 minute Asia, or a 20 minute Africa phonecard. The numbers are purely made up, but you can get the picture. Just make sure the card allows international use, and it will work.

[GoodStepMom]

Thanks Michele and tkd lisa! Anyone else's experiences with Oceaneer employees? Is tipping "not encouraged" or "discouraged"? Does anyone know how much they much as compared to dining room and stateroom staff? IMO no one who works with children all day makes enough! (Yes, I'm a teacher, can you tell?)

I thought we'd use the cards for other employees as additional tips. I'll go back and check on the "domestic" ones. But FYI I found 85 min. international cards at Target for $5.50 and 135 min. world cards for $9.95 each. Still don't quite understand which the cruise staff would use:confused: Maybe I should just take the cash!

[CarolAnnC]

WebmasterMichelle is correct. Disney Cruise Lines definitely does not encourage tipping employees such as the Counselors on board ship. There are many employees on board who are on salary and not dependent on tips for their income. The employees who do rely on tips for income, however, are definitely those who you want to give minimum, and more sometimes, when filling out your tip envelopes. I see nothing wrong with giving an employee you like, such as the counselors, a small gift or memento, from you or your child, however.

[Towncrier]

On our last cruise, one particular counselor really made the cruise magical for our daughter Sarah. This CM was as much a part of our cruise experience as were our servers and our room steward (who were also excellent). And we tipped her accordingly, knowing that she had to accept our gift if we offered it to her three times. I seem to remember reading something about that here on the DIS boards.

[GoofyDisney]

WMichelle is correct.

We used Flounders Reef several times, and really appreciated the effort of the CMs.

So, at the end of the cruise, we gave them one "thank you " card with 6 or 7 phones cards in it and they could distribute them however they saw fit.

As a note: We put all of our tips (even the tip cards) inside thank you cards and several of those receiving tips thanked us for our note as well as the tip and phone cards.

I was well aware that the Children's Staff is paid a "good salary" (according to guest relations), and was not "allowed" to accept cash. So we felt the phone cards were a nice way to say thank you.

Have a great cruise!

(Did I use enough "quotes"? :))

[GoodStepMom]

Thanks everyone for the input...still a little confused as to which type of phone cards might best be suited to staff use (calling back to their homes, etc), but I'll keep looking at them.

I like the idea of thank you cards to put the tips and tip cards into. Seems a little more personal. (Just stopped to write it on the evergrowing packing list!) Thanks for the idea!