Gift Card Tipping-Amount??

[KyBuckeye]

We will have two children using (hopefully) the kid's clubs on our upcoming cruise. I've read about tipping the cm's in the clubs with Walmart gift cards or prepaid phone cards but what amount did you all give? Just wanting to fall in with the group on this!

Thanks,
Heidi

 

[traycie2201]

Hi Heidi, from what i've read between $5 and $10 per cm in kids clubs to the ones your children are primarily with , i'd love to get other posters views too so i can get mine bought.

 

[lbastida1]

It's so nice of you to think of the kid's club CM's.
You may want to try and get INTERNATIONAL phone cards if you can. Most CM's are from outside the US and if the cards are only good in the US they won't be able to call home with a US only card. It should say on the back of the card somewhere where the cards can be used.

 

[CM_Mom]

Let me add my thanks for thinking of the CMs in the Club/Lab. They really do work hard to make the kids trips enjoyable. Some of the CMs in the Club/Lab have cell phones so the phone cards aren't as easily used as WalMart gift cards. They can catch a "fun bus" to Wal Mart in Port Canaveral and that's were they go to get incidentals and personal items.

 

[Dcanoli]

CM_Mom, I am glad you posted because as I read the other queries, I was going to post your usual answer to this question!

ANYWAY....I went to Sam's this week, and I bought two $10 gift cards. I told each child they would be able to pick out one CM on the ship that the really enjoyed spending time with, and they could give that person the card.

Since they are only 7 and 4, they don't understand the concept of a "gift card" yet, so they both were so excited to pick out the card they wanted from the huge rack of cards! LOL!!!!

CM_Mom, if you think we will need more than two, please let me know. I am debating buying two more. Thanks!

Deb

 

[kcashner]

There are 10-12 counsellors in each of the kid age groups. Since that gets to be a large (and expensive) amount, I do what you planned. The kid navigator has photos of the counsellors. I ask my DD (privately in the cabin) if there were one or two who made her time special. Then we put the gift card in an envelope with a thank you note adressed to that person.

My understanding is that if you just give the cards to the club or lab, they are divide at a party that the cast has periodically. If you want your gift to go to a specific person, adress it to that person. That way, even if they are off on the last night, they will get your gift.

Since your 4 and 7 year olds will both be in the Club, I think 2 is plenty. We do one or 2 from each child. Realize that this is not a normal "tipping" position--the gift is nice, but it is not expected. That's totally different from the servers and room stewards who basically work for the tips.

 

[Dcanoli]

Okay, thanks! That sounds good; I guess I am thinking about being better "safe than sorry." It would just be my luck that my kids would love two counselors, and then, I'd be stuck.

The good thing about buying extra W/M cards is that if we don't use them on board, I can always buy groceries with them when I get home! LOL....

11 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!