CM income on "empty" cruises

[inkkognito]

Just wondering...if a cruise has to be cancelled due to a hurricane, do you think the cruise line compensates the CMs for the lost gratuity income? And I wonder if most of the current guests will up their gratuities on DCL by an additional day due to the altered itinerary.
Barb

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I can answer part of your question. We were talking with a cast member during our cruise and she said that if for any reason beyond the CM's control they do not make (or at least close to) their usual monthly salary (inclusive of tips, etc) that Disney makes up the difference. She said that she was hurt one time and Disney made up the difference bringing her pay to $3000 for the month.

 

[inkkognito]

That's good to know! I know how much they depend on those gratuities. We once met a stateroom host who had previously been an engineer on the ship, but he actually switched to a service position because he could make more money.
Barb

 

[traycie2201]

I think alot of people may still tip the 7 nt recommended as that;s what they've budgeted for and with that nice $200 credit and 40% refund i probably would, i think the staff will go above and beyond next week for guests knowing that their cruise has been cut short. Nice to know that disney makes up the wages though for CM's.

 

[Chattyaholic]

Gosh, I'm frankly quite surprised that Disney would compensate the employees for lost wages due to a hurricane. I'm a waitress and if I make $20 on a night where we're having a bad snowstorm (instead of my usual $70 - $90) my boss doesn't "make up the difference." I can't think of any job where a boss would "make up the difference" if their employee didn't make what they "normally" make.

 

[moinab]

That's fantastic that DCL compensates them! DH and I are both currently working as servers, and these hurricanes are killing us, financially! DH was told not to come in to work tonight, and I'm sure he'll be off tomorrow night, as well. Of course, Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights. Charley hit on the weekend, too.

I'm working in a hotel, so I'll still have my regular shifts this weekend. With any luck, we'll have a lot of evacuees, but I think most of them headed farther north, or west, since we are on the beach (but out of the projected hurricane zone.)

I think the vast majority of tipped service positions are SOL if business is halted due to severe weather. Yeah DCL!

 

[lbgraves]

I think that this is wonderful that Disney takes care of its employees so well like this. I doubt that it happens very often that they don't make their total for the month.

I was surprised to see a report from WDW yesterday where the person they interviewed said that the highest expense for Disney from Charlie was the 2.7 million they gave to assist cast members who were affected by the storm.

 

[flexsmom]

I can't think of any job where a boss would "make up the difference" if their employee didn't make what they "normally" make.

There are many circumstances in which employers "make up the difference". For example, my company has a large number of employees who are military reservists. If recalled and on an extended leave of absence, our policy is to provide the employee with the difference between his/her military pay and their regular employee salary for at least six months so that serving doesn't cause them to have problems paying their regular monthly bills.
I'm not surprised that Disney would do this under these circumstances.

 

[jin diesel]

What about the 7 night cruise that has now become a 9-night cruise? Do you think those CM's get paid extra? I also wonder if the guests have to tip for the 2 additional nights?

 

[bbowers]

After a reading of "Cruise Ship Blues" (cruise expose), I would have to say that DCL would be in the minority on making up for lost wages. As a matter of fact, I don't think Disney was ever mentioned as an example (and these were all BAD examples) in the book.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I wouldn't think the CMs would get paid extra--it is no different for them--a 9 and a 5--than 2 7-nighters. The only ones who might get more pay would be those who would be scheduled to have left on Saturday and are on the two extra days.

I would hope that those cruising would adjust their tipping for the extra nights.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It is hard for restaurant businesses to compensate for employees due to weather--especially when the business takes a hit from having their business closed. The business owner probably has no means to pay at all and is even taken a hit him/herself.

We are fortunate as my husbands work will compensate employees from the time that it was known of an evac order until it is safe for everyone to return and resume work (power restored, evac orders lifted, and of course the storm is gone). They are a large corporation though.

For a corporation like DCL it is wonderful that they do that for their employees. For the CM who was injured--that would probably be short term/long term disability (or workman's comp if an on the job injury) that covers her income deficit. Other than the insurance payments DCL might make on her behalf, they do not necessarily make up for that. For weather it would be a bit different. As that has to come from the company's pocket. I am not sure if that is a tax deductible expenditure or not.

 

[tvguy]

Some companies are good about that, most are not I suspect.
Our corporate owner used to allow us one "weather" day off per year. But the day was only available if weather was so bad that public transportation did not operate. Here in sunny California, the only time the busses haven't run was when the drivers went on strike in 1979. Corporate has since eliminated the day.
As the only office in labor liberal California, we find a lot of the rules are being changed because what is corporate policy, and legal in 49 states, is a felony in California !
They used to require 2 weeks notice if you quit, or you lost any vacation time you had on the books. They got fined $10k for that one by the state labor commission.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by inkkognito
Just wondering...if a cruise has to be cancelled due to a hurricane, do you think the cruise line compensates the CMs for the lost gratuity income? And I wonder if most of the current guests will up their gratuities on DCL by an additional day due to the altered itinerary.
Barb

I just want to add that we're hoping to still be on this Monday's 5-day cruise and although we're shortened by 2 days we'll probably tip as if it were a 7-day. I have no doubt in my mind that the CMs must be working so hard to keep everyone happy in this very stressful time. They deserve to be rewarded.

 

[Mjasp]

Originally posted by jin diesel
What about the 7 night cruise that has now become a 9-night cruise? Do you think those CM's get paid extra? I also wonder if the guests have to tip for the 2 additional nights?

I can't answer for all the guests BUT I can say we WILL be adding gratuities as after all they are still taking care of us.

Joanna

 

[JLSE50]

Originally posted by lbgraves
I was surprised to see a report from WDW yesterday where the person they interviewed said that the highest expense for Disney from Charlie was the 2.7 million they gave to assist cast members who were affected by the storm.

Wow
Where did you read that? I would like to read the whole article.
THANKS
Jan

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by moinab
That's fantastic that DCL compensates them! DH and I are both currently working as servers, and these hurricanes are killing us, financially! DH was told not to come in to work tonight, and I'm sure he'll be off tomorrow night, as well. Of course, Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights. Charley hit on the weekend, too.

Same here! I've only worked once in three weeks! I work at a convention center and twice it's been turned into a shelter by FEMA. All our events have either been canceled, postponed or moved. I had planned on being off this week because I was *SUPPOSED* to cruise but now I'm not. So looks liek I have another week off doing nothing.

 

[NAT&MAGSMOM]

BETH....what is "cruise ship blues" and where do you get it???

Phyllis

 

[jenlovesdisney]

I think that is a great question about the CM. They do a lot of hard work and since they are dependant (for the most part) on tips, it seems extremely nice that Disney makes up the differnce. I do hope those on the ship remember their servers when they make out their tips!

 

[kathymike]

I was on the 9/2 3 night that turned into the 5 night. We knew early on that we were going to be a 4 night cruise...they told us this on the first day thursday before dinner. When the tipping sheets were dropped off we recieved the 4 night recommendation and not the 3 night. I felt that this was very fair. The 5th night was added on 3 hours before we thought we were docking to get off. I had packed everything and told the room steward not to make up our room...we thought we were getting off between 4-7:30 p.m. When we learned we would get off the boat on tuesday I asked the room steward for more towels etc. I also tipped him cash when I asked him for a more service. KK