Dinner tipping for baby

[HappyGilmore]

Just want to make sure I do the right thing... My baby will be with us at dinner although she most likely won't be eating anything but I would still consider her when tipping correct?

 

[webray]

Yes, that is correct. You tip for everyone in your party no matter what the age, or if they come to dinner, etc.

 

[Disney with Triplets]

Flame resistant suit...check,
plenty of nachos to share...check,
beer, wine, diet cokes...check,
comfortable chair to watch the sparks fly...priceless.

Between several cruises, business trips, dinners in nice restaurants, etc., I am aware of standard tipping policies, tipping extra or extraordinary services, etc. I am also aware that many of the men and women working on the cruise ship depend upon the tips to support themselves and their families back in their home country. We once had a waiter from an Eastern European country (I forgot where) who was educated as a dentist in London, England (I believe) and still made more money on the ship than he did practicing dentistry in his Eastern European homeland. Anyway...

If you bring the baby to dinner and the baby drinks formula, eats baby food or cheerios, or even bread from the table, and the waiter isn't having to meet any of the baby's needs, then I do not believe that the waiter is automatically due a "tip" for the space the baby took - gratuities are customary for recognition of service. If the waiter (or assistant, or whomever) went above and beyond the call of duty to make it easier on the family with the baby - warmed bottles or baby food, brought out special food for the baby, cleaned up after the baby swiped cheerios onto the floor, put on a puppet show while the parents ate, etc., then sure, the waiter earned a tip.

If the same logic was applied, then the family of five sitting at the table for 6 would owe tips for 6, the family of 4 who never ate in the dining rooms would owe tips for the week even though they never used the service...

 

[disneyagain]

Are infants free on cruises???? Is it like the parks, under a certain age is free?????

If that's the case, then if they're free, no I don't think you should have to tip, unless they went above and beyond for you....

I would assume that each wait staff is assigned so many "paid" guests, and the assumption is that they would get the minimum tip (unless service is awful)....

I consider the minimum tip, just part of the price of the cruise...I will give more, if the service warrants!

 

[kcashner]

Baby is "free" on the cruise...except that you do pay the port fees and government taxes. The servers are assigned so many "seats" at the table. THe baby does occupy a seat.

I guess we could debate exactly what is a "baby." Per DCL, there is no charge for a person before their 3rd birthday. However, a 2 1/2 year old generally eats off the children's menu and makes a mess on the floor, table, etc. I used to joke (when my DD was little) that I'd look at the floor and tip accordingly.

All that said, use your own judgement. If your "baby" is 6 months old and requires no services (he didn't warm bottles, get hot water so you could mix formula with warm water, etc.) then you could make an arguement that no tip is due. However, you did take one of his "slots" from which he would have expected a tip from an adult or older child. If your "baby" is 2, a tip is certainly due.

My other bit of logic is that you should look at the overall service on the cruise (or at least from your server at dinner). The recommended tip is just that--recommended. We are not rich, but we usually feel these guys earned more than the "recommended."

 

[HappyLawyer]

if the waiter provides no services for the baby at all then no you are not required to tip, but if he does anything for the baby i would tip

 

[HeelMD]

I agree with HappyLawyer. If they do anything for the baby, you should tip. Even if they baby is eating baby food or formula, etc. They will likely offer to warm the bottle, etc. I say when in doubt, tip. They work hard and they will try to do anything for you they can.

 

[Jsme]

I hope I am past the time where we will have babies onboard. LOL
But I would tip them for the baby. Or at least go prepared too. We normally tip over and above the required amount because we fell like our service deserves it.

 

[4formickey]

I have some extra popcorn!!!!!!!

 

[inkkognito]

I would tip for the baby. Since I don't have children, I'll equate it this way: Even if I eat at Palo, I still tip the full amount to my main diningroom servers. I technically take up a seat at the table, whether I'm physically there or not.
Barb

 

[Favorite Auntie]

the family of 4 who never ate in the dining rooms would owe tips for the week even though they never used the service...

That family definitely SHOULD tip. No matter if they used the dining room or not. They ate somewhere on board, and the staff was serving to their needs somewhere. When you tip the dining room staff, it is for ALL the meals that you eat on board, not just in the dining room....

 

[4Smilee]

OK, I have only been on one Disney cruise, and at the time my baby was 2. I will say that whether she had eaten a thing or not, I would have still tipped our servers for her. They went SO WAY above and beyond to be sure that she was accomodated. They played with her, made silly napkin hats, during character breakfast "drove" her all around in her chair, made "beds" for her out of chairs and "blankets" out of napkins when she was sleepy, tried to divert her attention, get her to sleep, etc. These folks worked so hard and with such good humor that I could not have imagined not tipping.

That said, I wouldn't necessarily tip a full amount to a server for a baby if they didn't go beyond for him/her. This cruise we're bring a 9 month old, so we'll just see. But as someone above noted, I will come prepared to tip for him too.

good luck.