Tipping for Infant

[SeattleSuz]

I would tip regardless. Depending on how long your cruise is, $72 (that's what we paid PP on our last one) is not all that much in the grand scheme of things. Especially knowing how hard these people work for EVERY GUEST they have and how little they are paid (per federal laws)

 

[mhconley]

I'm think OP is referring to the child's portion of the cruise. Not in general. Why continue to push the issue?

No, you are wrong. OP said:

its not a multithousand dollar cruise....its not even $500

I'm not pushing the matter. I am just curious how OP got a cruise for a family of 4 for under $500 because that would mean I could buy a cruise for my family of 3 for under $375. If I could do that I'd never leave the ship.

Martin

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

IMO, tipping is per person, regardless of age.

A baby is counted as a person on DCL when booking in a stateroom and with seating assignments in the MDRs. The servers have a limited number of seats in their section each cruise. Each seat is a tip.

This. Also, will you be getting a high chair? That will involve additional work on their part as well.

 

[tup1830]

No, you are wrong. OP said:


I'm not pushing the matter. I am just curious how OP got a cruise for a family of 4 for under $500 because that would mean I could buy a cruise for my family of 3 for under $375. If I could do that I'd never leave the ship.

Martin

umm, we know some higher up cast members...as in friend of executive?!?...so its plausible. In any case, thanks for the thoughts.

 

[dcassetta]

umm, we know some higher up cast members...as in friend of executive?!?...so its plausible. In any case, thanks for the thoughts.

This may come across harsher than I intend it to, but it sounds as if you're getting a spectacular discount on this cruise and you're begrudging the incredibly hard-working servers eight dollars a night.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

umm, we know some higher up cast members...as in friend of executive?!?...so its plausible. In any case, thanks for the thoughts.

If you are getting such a great deal on the cruise, why are you quibbling over $8 per night which gets paid to servers who work very hard to make you happy and get paid very little? These people depend on tips.

When considering the relative cost of the tips, you should compare it to what the undiscounted price of the cruise would be instead of what you are paying.

 

[PandL]

Tip what you want to tip no one will ever know...BUT when we took our infant to restaurants (we started when he was about 3 weeks old and we still take him out now that he is 18 months). We always tipped extra BECAUSE we were bringing an infant. 6 months is a hard age they are starting to be mobile and aware and interested in everything going on. It is hard to get them to want to sit still for the time it takes to eat a meal. Infants are a lot of work for waiters they take up space and make messes. Especially at 6 months there were so many messes and toys on the table from just keeping him entertained enough so we could take turns eating that even though our son never "ate" at the restaurant we felt like it was only fair to compensate for the extra time and effort it takes waiters to work around him. The cruise will be no different. However, my husband and I have both worked in the service industry in previous lives and we know what a tiresome and thankless job it can be.

 

[undertheradar]

umm, we know some higher up cast members...as in friend of executive?!?...so its plausible. In any case, thanks for the thoughts.

When is this "bargain" cruise, and how many nights? Perhaps that will help others understand why you can't afford to tip the suggested rates.

 

[MASrules]

I think this is a valid question.

Infant cost 1/4 to 1/6th of the fare of an adult. (1400 vs 300)

$12 per day * 7 day... $84...Suggested tip is less than 1/15th of adult fare, but can be close to 1/3 of the infant fare.

$420 in tip for a family of 5 is still over 12% of $5000 vacation and is definitely not a negligible expense

 

[sambycat]

Tip

 

[undertheradar]

I think this is a valid question.

Infant cost 1/4 to 1/6th of the fare of an adult. (1400 vs 300)

$12 per day * 7 day... $84...Suggested tip is less than 1/15th of adult fare, but can be close to 1/3 of the infant fare.

$420 in tip for a family of 5 is still over 12% of $5000 vacation and is definitely not a negligible expense

I thought 10% of $5000 is $500.

 

[srferson]

Maybe you should wait until you go on the cruise. See what happens. See how much of a mess the baby does or does not make. See how great the staff is about making you and your baby happy. While on the ship, you can adjust your tips however you feel appropriate and I'm not sure it makes sense to decide what is appropriate before you see how things go.

And if I'm not mistaken, it doesn't have to be an all or nothing deal. Maybe you'll end up feeling that a partial tip is sufficient. That would be better than nothing.

But please remember that you will not only be taking away the tips for your child, but it's possible the waitstaff will have no way to make up the lost pay because your child is taking up a spot at the table.

 

[mhconley]

 

[tup1830]

i never said i didn't want to tip, i asked IF i should tip.

 

[dcassetta]

i never said i didn't want to tip, i asked IF i should tip.

Yes.

 

[ahain]

i never said i didn't want to tip, i asked IF i should tip.

Yes

 

[undertheradar]

umm, we know some higher up cast members...as in friend of executive?!?...so its plausible. In any case, thanks for the thoughts.

Perhaps you should ask the higher up cast members if they want a friend of an executive representing them via lower tips?

 

[moremouse]

I'd tip.

Did the waitstaff do a less than stellar job on one of your previous cruises with your older child? It might be different this time. I'd wait and see first.

 

[gumbypee]

i never said i didn't want to tip, i asked IF i should tip.

Yes

 

[Saamh]

I agree with the other comments that you should wait and see how you feel at the end of the cruise. Personally I would include the required gratuities for the infant but we've always left more than the minimum recommended gratuities anyway.