Important note about gratuities!

[CraftyMouse]

Waiter from $2500 to $4000
Busboy / Assistant Waiter from $1500 to $3000
Bar Waiter / Waitress from $1000 to $2500
Bartender from $1500 to $3000

These numbers include tips.

On our most recent cruise our serving team had 20 guests per seating. The tips for our family of 4 were, roughly, $103 for our server and $75 for our assistant server for the week. If everyone gave the suggested amount that would mean our server got $1050 for the week and our assistant server made $750. In a typical 4-week month that would be $4120 for our server and $3000 for the assistant. Now, I know there are some that don't tip but there are others that tip extra so that's probably a good average. Of course when you divide those numbers by the number of hours worked it's still a huge amount of work for what they get.

I have heard the $50 number for salary from DCL as well, but that was per week, not per month. And crew cabins are not below the water line. They are on Decks 1, A and B. B may be just below the water line (although I don't think it is) but 1 and A are definitely not.

 

[imheather]

I think that the employees sometimes work on our heartstrings to get more money. I by no means think they "get rich" doing what they do, however I doubt very much that they make NO salary and I also doubt that 50% of the people do not tip them.

Remember most of the people are from other countries where $1,500 a week is Great money

just my thoughts,

Heather

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I think that the employees sometimes work on our heartstrings to get more money. I by no means think they "get rich" doing what they do, however I doubt very much that they make NO salary and I also doubt that 50% of the people do not tip them.

Remember most of the people are from other countries where $1,500 a week is Great money

just my thoughts,

Heather

Heck, 1500 per week is great in this country!!!

 

[CraftyMouse]

Waiter from $2500 to $4000
Busboy / Assistant Waiter from $1500 to $3000
Bar Waiter / Waitress from $1000 to $2500
Bartender from $1500 to $3000

These are per month, not per week.

 

[imheather]

NO WAY! For the server at least it is per week.

On our last cruise our server had three tables totaling at least 20 people. 25.75 a head for 7 days = 515 double that for late service and you have 1030 plus the salary they receive PER WEEK... Believe me I know they work hard and deserve it but I do think they somtimes twist the truth for sympathy.

 

[CraftyMouse]

NO WAY! For the server at least it is per week.

On our last cruise our server had three tables totaling at least 20 people. 25.75 a head for 7 days = 515 double that for late service and you have 1030 plus the salary they receive PER WEEK... Believe me I know they work hard and deserve it but I do think they somtimes twist the truth for sympathy.

The figures are per month. The tips total $1030 per week...if everyone tips. DCL does not give them servers an additional $1500-3000 per week in salary. They get less than $100 per week in salary from DCL. Their pay is almost all gratuities.

Yes, I do believe the OP's stateroom host was twisting the truth for sympathy, but those figures are monthly wages, not weekly. Heck, if those were weekly figures the Servers would be making $104,000 in a 6 month contract ($4000 X 26 weeks = $104,000) plus get free room and board! In reality they make about $30,000 per 6-month contract.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to start an argument. My room steward had told me that, and when I was talking about it to someone else on the ship earlier she said she heard the same thing somewhere. I felt bad and just wanted to remind everyone to tip!

 

[imheather]

The figures are per month. The tips total $1030 per week...if everyone tips. DCL does not give them servers an additional $1500-3000 per week in salary. They get less than $100 per week in salary from DCL. Their pay is almost all gratuities.

Yes, I do believe the OP's stateroom host was twisting the truth for sympathy, but those figures are monthly wages, not weekly. Heck, if those were weekly figures the Servers would be making $104,000 in a 6 month contract ($4000 X 26 weeks = $104,000) plus get free room and board! In reality they make about $30,000 per 6-month contract.

but the figures listed are a bit low. Like I said the week I was there it would be 1030 plus $50 (i think it could be more) 1080X4 weeks $4,340 per month.

 

[Jessieknj]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to start an argument. My room steward had told me that, and when I was talking about it to someone else on the ship earlier she said she heard the same thing somewhere. I felt bad and just wanted to remind everyone to tip!

Don't worry about it Stephanie. These threads always turn into hottopics. Bottom line is if the money wasn't worth it or worth the time away from their famlies the crew wouldn't do the jobs. You see very few US crew members because for us the pay is way low but for the countries these people are from it's good money.

Yes it's important to tip based on the service you receive but I wouldn't be overtipping people who don't deserve it cause I feel sorry for them. On our cruise there were people who got well above the suggested amount because they were awesome and there were a few who got only the suggested amount because they did their jobs but weren't going above and beyond.

I truly belive that even with the people who stiff them they're still making better money then they would in their own countries. If they weren't then why would the work for DCL?

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Oh Stephanie- You need to just come back over to the cruisemeets and talk to us.... You are really starting HOT threads. I know we just came from HOT weather, but no more posting for you dear friend..... Did you start a smoking or allergy thread too? Just joking and had to give you a little 85 degrees.

Let me see, smoking, allergies, tipping, saving chairs, pictures in the theater..... All HOT TOPICS.....

Sorry your SRH was not honest with you 100%. He was noot really friendly if he lied during Lent.... They do get a base salary. My godmother dated a server on "another cruise line" and he got $6 an hour for a 10 hour day even though he worked more hours. This is in addition to the tips. I would say DCL has to be somewhere around there. They do not work 20 hours on and 4 off. This is against the law..... I do think they are required to do UP TO 16 hour days though. They sign up for assignments to. They do like 3 months on and get offered 4-6 weeks off. They do not loose the job, they get it back after the 6 week "vacation". One of the girls on the MAGIC right now says she will now go away for 4 weeks. She wanted only 4 weeks, because of some cruise that is coming up that she wants to be on. Which one is it, I do not know as I am not a DISer who keeps up with where the ship is at all time.

 

[CraftyMouse]

but the figures listed are a bit low. Like I said the week I was there it would be 1030 plus $50 (i think it could be more) 1080X4 weeks $4,340 per month.

Yes, but while they are on the low side they are far too high to be weekly totals. I think they are estimated on the low side because there are always some that don't tip. As for salary, they make less than $100 per week plus room and board. Their pay is primarily gratuities.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Oh Stephanie- You need to just come back over to the cruisemeets and talk to us.... You are really starting HOT threads. I know we just came from HOT weather, but no more posting for you dear friend..... Did you start a smoking or allergy thread too? Just joking and had to give you a little 85 degrees.

Let me see, smoking, allergies, tipping, saving chairs, pictures in the theater..... All HOT TOPICS.....

I've only started two threads, and yep, they're doozies! I don't post in this forum often so I have no clue what the hot topics are. I guess it's a change of pace from the other hot topics - pool hopping, crock pots, and reusing mugs!

 

[tinkerone]

children, children.....reguardless of 'before tips' or 'after tips' 1000.00 to 4000.00 a month is not a bad salary. get over the 'but they work 24, 7' stuff. if it were as bad as the dooms dayers say no one would work in the industry. if they are working it then they must be happy with it.
we all need to agree to disagree on this point. every time this subject comes up people pound it to pieces. let it go. we will never know EXACTLY how much any one of them makes. if you want to, leave extra. if you don't, don't. lets just all get along.
oh, and if the flames come its okay. i cruise in 7 weeks and need the tan.

 

[SMDent]

We've made a few friends from among the cast and crew, this is what I have been told. Our niece is a college senior this year and really hoping after she's 18 to get a job with Disney.

There is a base salary, then taxes are taken, as are other deductions as the cast/crew member wishes.

Many are saving the majority of their salary or sending it back home to their families - so yea, I can see where the "tips" and gratuities make the bulk of their ready cash.

One of our Dining room waiters was the sole income for his extended family, he really was living on-board on tips while all his pay was sent home.

As to the hours, the room stewards have a "Split" work schedule. Mornings and evenings. With the bulk of the afternoons off, and rotate a full day off. Duties in the mornings include making up all the rooms in their area of responsibility, then they get a break. Evenings, they have the turn-down service, and tidy up, with towel art.

If you ARE NOT out of your room till late afternoons - well, your room steward has been waiting around until you do so they can work and then get time off. So I guess that would make for EXTRA long days. Also, they CANNOT enter cabins while someone is there, this includes minors like late sleeping teens. We always got ours up and out for at least an hour before 10am just so our stewards could get to our cabin.

They are on 6 month contracts, and usually take a vacation break and start up on another contract. There is a LONG waiting list for most jobs, and previous cast and crew have seniority. Disney is also the STRICTEST and has the tightest and to some maybe intrusive background checks.

Infractions are taken seriously and there are a few that will have a cast/crew member put ashore at the next port. Some with the local law enforcement waiting. Disney does not "mess around."

 

[misseulalie]

Exactly. The crew knows exactly what they will make prior to signing that contract. They also know what their hours will be.
If it wasn't acceptable, nobody would be working on the ships.
Most of the crew I have spoken to, all tell me that they are working to be able to save enough to build a house, take care of their family and still have enought to live off of.
Imagine, if we could work for 5 years on a ship, make enough money to buy a home (in most countries, you buy a home for cash, none of this no-interest, 30 year loans), have enough money to support multiple family members and still have enough money to live off of for years.
I would do it in a heartbeat!

One of the servers told me he and his wife will be working on the ship for 5 years. After that, they will have enough money to retire back in Bosnia.

Wow, where can I find a job that will let me do that...

 

[ols386]

I've always read that the cruise line employees do not make very much per hour, but make most of their money in tips. I can't believe they don't make anything as far as an hourly wage. I think your cabin steward was giving you a sob story so that you might tip him more; and, they don't have to work for Disney Cruise Line (or any cruise line for that matter), they could find employement elsewhere if they so desire. Having said that, I do believe in tipping well for good service, whether it's on a cruise ship, in a restaurant, or where ever.

 

[kcashner]

My favorite server told us essentially what is being reported here. He said that he makes about $50 from DCL (sorry, don't remember if that was per week or per month), and about $4000 per month from tips. He was sending his money home to support a wife and two kids.

He also shared that this was about 10 times as much as he could make at home, despite the fact that he has a Ph.D. I do believe him--I'm in a related field, and he certainly could talk the talk. He said that most crew members work 6 months on, 2 off but that because of his family he had negotiated 4 months on, 2 off. He paid for his first ticket to Orlando, but DCL pays for all transportation home and back on each break, health insurance, "costumes", etc. He pays for his own shoes, personal laundry, toiletries, and the few things he needs on the ship.

He said that cast members fall into two categories--those supporting families at home who use their limited free time to sleep, and those who are on the ship to make money and party--they use their free time to have fun,

Yes, they work hard and have very limited free time. However, jobs on DCL are in demand. They knew the terms when they signed on, and no one forced them to. I agree that they should be tipped well, but I don't feel too sorry for them. If they could get a better job at home, they would. Having DCL on their resume can lead to good things later!

 

[wallyb]

I can't believe (or don't wish to) that DLC wouldn't pay
at least minimum wage.
Now I feel kinda creeped out.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I can't believe (or don't wish to) that DLC wouldn't pay
at least minimum wage.
Now I feel kinda creeped out.

Most people in tipped positions (waiters, etc.) do not make minimum wage. The wages DCL pays are fairly standard for the cruise industry and anyone signing up for one of those jobs knows the pay details in advance.

Servers generally make about $30,000 per 6 month rotation. They work 3 rotations in a 2-year period (6 months on + 2 months off = 8 months, 3 8-month periods in 2 years) so they, essentially, make $45,000 per year. That sounds like good money, until you factor in their 7am - 11pm days with little time off. It is an incredibly demanding job, but one that pays far more than a job in their home countries. This is why you see so few Americans in the Server roles. They simply do not want to work so hard for so "little".

 

[MsLeFever]

Heck, 1500 per week is great in this country!!!

I was just going to say that!