How much do cast members make?

[Horace Horsecollar]

I don't think it is a "dirty" little secret. Perhaps a lot of people don't realize that many in the service industries who rely on tips really and truly could not survive without tips (and that is why those of us in, or formerly in, the industry are so rabid about the tipping issue), but I don't think there is anything dirty about it.

What's "dirty" is that the cruise lines, including DCL, are not upfront about it in their advertising. They'll advertise a price with an asterisk. The fine print then says something along the lines of:

* Government Taxes and Fees and excursions not included. Third, fourth and fifth Guest prices valid with two full fare Guests in the same stateroom. Rates in U.S. dollars.​

There's no indication that an "all inclusive" cruise really does not include service in the dining room and from the stateroom host/hostess. Yet the fine print specifically mentions "Government Taxes and Fees and excursions." Why in the world does the fine print mention excursions but not tips? Excursions really are optional, but tips are only optional if crew members are to go unpaid for the hard work they do.

That's unfair to passengers (especially first-time passengers) and to the crew. Cruise lines need to be honest with passengers that, for all practical purposes, passengers pay those who serve them; the cruise line does not.

Yes, if a first-time passenger takes all the time to read the online FAQs, they'll read about tipping. Even then, it's not clear that the tips are the server's income, not just a generous bonus on top of a living wage. And how many people read all the FAQs?

For other passengers, the first time they learn about tipping is when they receive the cruise docs. Or, if they don't read the cruise docs thoroughly, they may not learn about tipping until they find the tip envelopes in their stateroom.

I'm not saying that the present compensation system is bad. It can be beneficial to cruise lines (lower cost structure), passengers (excellent service), and crew members (opportunity to earn good money by the standards of their home countries). But I wonder how often crew members go untipped because passengers feel they already paid for service in their cruise fare?

 

[inkkognito]

The tipped positions are coveted compared to some of the other jobs onboard. One of our stateroom hosts had an engineering degree but went from his original position to housekeeping because he could make more money. Another who was working in maintenance did the same thing.

 

[TampaFamily]

We've enjoyed our cruises immensely and wanted to get an idea of what goes on behind the scenes.

The book, Cruise Confidential, is an entertaining read about the life onboard as a crew member. The book is about working on a Carnival ship but I'm sure there are many similarities.

http://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Confid...1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269821471&sr=8-1-spell

I had a much better appreciation for our servers after reading the book. The bottom line is that it's almost unheard of for an American to work these conditions.

 

[kcashner]

There is one US citizen working as a server. We had him for lunch one day. He sort of grumbled that he's the only one who has to pay taxes. He also said that his father is a chef on the ship and that he "left" college. We did a lot of reading between the lines.

 

[FairyGrandmother]

Here is some quick math that I did:
If a dining server averages ten 4 top tables per 7 day cruise and those folks pay just the suggested tip of $112 per table, the server makes $1120 per cruise.

This works out to between $10 to $13 dollars per hour. Not a great amount of money for leaving your home and family for 6 to 10 months at a time. The work is hard and the hours very long. One or two negative comments by a guest could get you demoted to asst server or not rehired at all. These servers deserve everything they get and more.

 

[Missytara]

I asked someone on my first cruise.

I was told they make the minimum wage for their country and then tips, if they are room stewards, servers, bartenders, or youth counselors - any position who receives

They can sign six month or nine month contracts; many sign six month contracts, so they can go to school half a year.

Or the ones that do it for a living sign a nine month contract and then travel to visit their friends from the cruise ship in different countries.

 

[jilljill]

I asked someone on my first cruise.

I was told they make the minimum wage for their country and then tips, if they are room stewards, servers, bartenders, or youth counselors - any position who receives

They can sign six month or nine month contracts; many sign six month contracts, so they can go to school half a year.

Or the ones that do it for a living sign a nine month contract and then travel to visit their friends from the cruise ship in different countries.

Youth counselors do not receive tips and are paid more than service positions.

The majority of the contracts are for 4-6 months and they are usually off for 2 months. So I don't know how they can go to school for 6 months at home if the majority receive 2 months off. Some are able to extend their leave, but then they run the risk of not being offered a contract for the time they are available.

But now that there's so much training going on for the new ship, the contracts are being modified with some being shorter and less time off between them. But that all depends on the postion.

 

[sbell111]

This works out to between $10 to $13 dollars per hour. Not a great amount of money for leaving your home and family for 6 to 10 months at a time. The work is hard and the hours very long. One or two negative comments by a guest could get you demoted to asst server or not rehired at all. These servers deserve everything they get and more.

That may not be much money to you or me, but obviously the people who take these positions disagree. In their opinion, they are doing very well. That's all that matters.

 

[kcashner]

THere is some interesting information posted above; it differs from anything I've heard on DCL.

The normal DCL contract was 6 months; the CM would work 6 on, 2 off. A few CMs had negotiated 4 on 2 off in order to have more time with families "back home." Since they are now training people for the new ships, the standard contract has dropped to 4 months on, 2 off. Some of the CMs are quite unhappy with this, but are willing to deal with it for a year.

I've never heard of or met anyone who is doing 6 months on the ship and attending school for 6 months. This would be very difficult as the school schedule would have to perfectly correspond with the contract. In addition, DCL only pays their transportation back to Port Canaveral if they have signed a contract to return before they leave the ship. If they have not, then THEY are responsible for their return transportation (if they take a longer break between contracts than the standard vacation). That can be quite costly!

As to the "per hour" calculations; did you consider that CMs typically work 12 hour days, sometimes longer?

Obviously, those who do it consider it to be a good job. Whether that is good compared to their home countries, good as a means to a goal, or good for life varies. There are still CMs on board who opened the Magic! Not many, but they are around.

 

[tvguy]

I doubt many servers in the U.S. would stand for a base of just $50-100 per month -- especially when it means being away from their family for 6-10 months.

Lets compare apples to apples. For many servers, the salary ALONE per month is more than the average a worker in their homeland makes. Throw in tips, and they are rich by their homeland standards. Our server on one cruise figured that after 7 years on the ship, at age 30, he could retire in his native Indonesia on what he had earned and saved.
According to the U.S. Census bureau, in 2009 the average American made $27,590.16 a YEAR. Would you take a job that paid $27,590.16 a MONTH plus tips? That's over $165,540 a year working long hours for 6 months a year, BEFORE tips. I sure would consider it.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

According to the U.S. Census bureau, in 2009 the average American made $27,590.16 a YEAR. Would you take a job that paid $27,590.16 a MONTH plus tips? That's over $165,540 a year working long hours for 6 months a year, BEFORE tips. I sure would consider it.

Where are you coming up with $165,540 a year for 6 months a year, before tips?

 

[kcashner]

Where are you coming up with $165,540 a year for 6 months a year, before tips?

TV guy invented those figures using the analogy that many of the tipped CMs on board make as much in a month on the ship as they could make in a year in their home countries. He used that analogy and the average US annual salary to make his point.

That figure is far above what the average server on the ship makes. However, there in no question that for most CMs, the money made on the ship goes way farther in their home countries than it would in the US. Many are supporting families at home; others are saving for their "retirement" after their years on the ship! And the Disney credential on their resume will open other doors.

 

[tvguy]

Where are you coming up with $165,540 a year for 6 months a year, before tips?

Comparing apples to apples. If Disney pays someone $100 a month base pay, , and a $100 is the annual average salary in their homeland, and they work six months, they earn six times what the annual average income it in their homeland (which is they are sending the money) BEFORE tips.

The average annual salary in the U.S. in 2009 was $27,590.16. Would an American consider a job that pays $27,590.16 a MONTH? 6 months salary at that rate is $165,540, ( 6 x $27,590.16) BEFORE tips.

 

[tvguy]

TV guy invented those figures using the analogy that many of the tipped CMs on board make as much in a month on the ship as they could make in a year in their home countries. He used that analogy and the average US annual salary to make his point.

Except, I didn't invent anything. Okay, I assumed Disney is paying $100 a month to their workers, and for some, that is equal to what the average worker in their home land makes per year.
The $27,590.16 IS what the average American made in 2009, so $100 for those workers would be similar to $27,590.16 for an American worker.

 

[acourtwdw]

Comparing apples to apples. If Disney pays someone $100 a month base pay, , and a $100 is the annual average salary in their homeland, and they work six months, they earn six times what the annual average income it in their homeland (which is they are sending the money) BEFORE tips.

The average annual salary in the U.S. in 2009 was $27,590.16. Would an American consider a job that pays $27,590.16 a MONTH? 6 months salary at that rate is $165,540, ( 6 x $27,590.16) BEFORE tips.

I would take that since the $27k figure is I what I make in a year! Let me tell you- using the math that I posted before- a DCL server makes more a month just in tips than I do at my retail job where I don't receive tips! But don't feel sorry for me or the servers. We both knew what we were getting ourselves into when we accepted our positions!

 

[Presentation]

Something to keep in mind……the market is efficient.

Supply and demand have a natural way to sort things out.

Given the total compensation package including tips, Disney Cruise Line has absolutely no issue getting top tier applicants to the point where no position goes unfilled due to a shortage of quality applicants.

Applicants know that they will be spending months away from their family and Disney does not put a gun to their head to accept the jobs.



So the market has said the total compensation package is just fine to over compensated but its defiantly not undercompensated.

 

[pluto1979]

I've worked on both ships and still work for the disney company. First, the contracts are always 8-to months long. Only under speacial circumstances are they less. Each tipped position pays approx. $1.75 to 2.75 plus tips.

When you compliment a Cast Member it goes into their perminant files and affects raises, commissions, promotions, etc. It always stays with them. same goes for bad comments. We love receiving them since it shows the work we do is making someone happy. These comments are also put into a raffle for prizes like an extra day off, points to use for buying items in their own stores below guest decks, things like that.

Always comment if you received good service and if you haven't. It makes a difference!

 

[clawmachine]

We've enjoyed our cruises immensely and wanted to get an idea of what goes on behind the scenes.

The book, Cruise Confidential, is an entertaining read about the life onboard as a crew member. The book is about working on a Carnival ship but I'm sure there are many similarities.

http://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Confid...1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269821471&sr=8-1-spell

I had a much better appreciation for our servers after reading the book. The bottom line is that it's almost unheard of for an American to work these conditions.

I just want to thank you for recommending this book! I bought it from Amazon and had a hard time putting it down. I finished it today. It was great!

 

[Mnemorath]

This works out to between $10 to $13 dollars per hour. Not a great amount of money for leaving your home and family for 6 to 10 months at a time. The work is hard and the hours very long. One or two negative comments by a guest could get you demoted to asst server or not rehired at all. These servers deserve everything they get and more.

HOLY HANNA!! Thats more then I make an hour doing pretty much the same thing. I am active duty Navy and have made a few deployments and long underways away from home. Te longest I have ever spent at sea was 89days. Average is 30-42 days. They got to give us 2 beers if we are out 45days. Thats between port visits, not home. 6mo away from home is something I have done and will do again.

I ain't no mamby pamby officer neither. I work for a living.

Since I cannot add a link yet, do a google search for 2010 military pay chart.

Add an average of 2k to those numbers to cover BAH, BAH, Sea Pay and other pays. Still not much per month.

 

[sandals421]

Comparing apples to apples. If Disney pays someone $100 a month base pay, , and a $100 is the annual average salary in their homeland, and they work six months, they earn six times what the annual average income it in their homeland (which is they are sending the money) BEFORE tips.

The average annual salary in the U.S. in 2009 was $27,590.16. Would an American consider a job that pays $27,590.16 a MONTH? 6 months salary at that rate is $165,540, ( 6 x $27,590.16) BEFORE tips.

That is assuming a lot, and only in the poorest of countries does that figure work. Also, remember that they have to pay for anything they use for clothing, toiletries, etc., and that is in USD.