So how much do Room Hosts make?

[ScouterJT]

No flaming please ... I really appreciate the efforts of the room hosts. I would not want a job requiring 10+ hour days 7 days a week for 6 months at a time. And there is absolutely no way that I could possibly turn over 14 rooms in 4.5 hours (old passengers off by 9am; rooms ready by 1:30 for the new passengers) -- that works out to 15 minutes per stateroom!

But, if a room host has 14 rooms and each room has an average of 3 guests, then the recommended tip for the week (on the Magic, at least) is

$25.25 x 3 persons x 14 staterooms = $1060.50.

If you work 40 weeks a year, that is $42,000+. (plus whatever salary DCL actually pays).

Now, I'm sure that not everyone tips the recommended, and the average occupancy of a stateroom may be less than 3 -- and maybe not every host has 14 rooms (but ours did on our last cruise).

My point is, yes, these folks work hard -- and I appreciate their efforts. I was just surprised by the math. By comparison, first year elementary school teachers in my area make less than $40,000 a year.

 

[SweetSpot]

Am elementary teacher works 9 months of the year with weekends off and many holidays in between. They work 40 hours with breaks in between and go home to the comforts of their own home, the ability to cook meals they are accustom to and spend time with family and friends. They don't miss their kids birthdays, aren't there to care for sick family members and miss many of the major holidays.

Based on the stateroom hosts working 40 weeks a year @ $42,000, 7 days a week for an average of 10 hours each day they would be making $15 an hour before any taxes they must pay to their countries. That's assuming that there are 3 people, not 2 or 1, in each stateroom and that all their rooms are occupied and tipping the recommended. Doesn't sound like they make very much to me. I know I wouldn't be willing to be away from my loved ones and work that hard for that money.

 

[IrishCowboy]

I always thought that the average stateroom host has 10 rooms assigned.

We've sailed DCL 10 times and had great stateroom host/hostess 9 times. They work long hours and have a difficult job to do. I wouldn't want to do it!

 

[tvguy]

There is no question, shipboard staff who get tips are well compensated when you look the cost of living in their homelands. That's why they do it, and why there are long waiting lists of people wanting to work on the ships.
Our waiter on our HAL cruise wouldn't say what his base pay was, other than it was well below federal minimum wage in the U.S. However, he pointed out, that even THAT was more than he could earn at home in Indonesia. With tips income, he planned to retire after 7 years working on ships, at age 30 !!!!!
Don't get me started on teacher salaries......I just know that STARTING pay for a teacher here is more than I make after 29 years in TV. I also know that it is the second career of choice of former TV folks. And no 3 am calls like my wife got this morning to be to work ASAP because someone called in sick.

 

[DisneyGal358]

I'm sorry but I had to post this....

"I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary guides! What we need is a little perspective.

If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself -- I'd pay them babysitting wages. That's right -- instead of paying these outrageous taxes, I'd give them $3.00 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for 5 hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15.00 a day -- each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to babysit a child. (Even if you have more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.)

Now, how many children do they teach every day -- maybe twenty? That's $15.00 X 20 = $300 a day. But remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for all those vacations! That's $300 X 180 =$54,000. (Just a minute -- that can't be right; let me check my calculator.)

I know what you teachers will say -- What about those who have ten years experience and a Master's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage -- instead of just babysitting, they could read the kids a story.

We can round that off to about $5.00 an hour, times five hours, times twenty children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000 ..... HUH??

Wait a minute; let's get a little perspective here! Babysitting wages are too good for these teachers. Does anyone see a salary guide around here?"

Teachers have a thank-less job that I would challenge anyone to try for one day. Yes weekends are free... and so are holidays and summers but please think before you speak. You have no idea how hard some teachers work. (Please notice I wrote "some". Not all teachers go above and beyond but MANY do.)

 

[mattmommy]

I'm a SAHM with a 6yo. I am the head class parent for my sons first grade class and I do go in to help the teacher at least three days a week. There are 22 kids in the class. Four of which have peanut (and more) allergies so every snack has to be monitored for peanut and tree nuts. The classroom is practically sterile. One child is diabetic and the teacher must wear a beeper for the child to have a snack (in addition to the class snack) and to go have her sugar tested by the school nurse.

Kids come in without snacks and supplies and the teacher always makes sure no child goes without and laying out their own money for these things.

 

[inkkognito]

I know it's rather off topic, but instead of comparing teachers' salaries to the stateroom hosts, I tend to mentally compare them to the millions that are paid to star athletes and movie/tv celebrities. As far as I am concerned, those millions should be going to teachers, police, and firefighters...what do athletes and actors do to deserve that much compared to the people who mold our children, protect property, and save lives?

 

[SweetSpot]

Nothing in my post said anything against what teachers are paid I was using the OP example as a guideline. Teachers get paid a good salary where I live and they deserve every penny and vote for the budget increase year after year. This is a post about whether the stateroom hosts make a lot of money. Any job example as a comparison would have hit someone's sore spot I'm sure. I was stating that I believe the stateroom hosts earn their money and that it really isn't that much if you broke it down by hours and life changes.

 

[cruisinluver]

I could say the military earns little pay compared to teachers and stateroom hosts.

 

[shezfrombermuda]

I'm sorry but I had to post this....

"I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary guides! What we need is a little perspective.

If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself -- I'd pay them babysitting wages. That's right -- instead of paying these outrageous taxes, I'd give them $3.00 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for 5 hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15.00 a day -- each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to babysit a child. (Even if you have more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.)

Now, how many children do they teach every day -- maybe twenty? That's $15.00 X 20 = $300 a day. But remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for all those vacations! That's $300 X 180 =$54,000. (Just a minute -- that can't be right; let me check my calculator.)

I know what you teachers will say -- What about those who have ten years experience and a Master's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage -- instead of just babysitting, they could read the kids a story.

We can round that off to about $5.00 an hour, times five hours, times twenty children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000 ..... HUH??

Wait a minute; let's get a little perspective here! Babysitting wages are too good for these teachers. Does anyone see a salary guide around here?"

Teachers have a thank-less job that I would challenge anyone to try for one day. Yes weekends are free... and so are holidays and summers but please think before you speak. You have no idea how hard some teachers work. (Please notice I wrote "some". Not all teachers go above and beyond but MANY do.)

I am not sure why the OP chose to make the comparison between room hosts and teachers but since we are on this topic: People think teachers have a dream job with all these holidays and time off. During weeknights, weekends and holidays we prepare the curriculum to be taught, assignments (sometimes different assignments for different types of learners), prepare the classroom, attend workshops and seminars, grade assignments, deal with parents and the list goes on and on. As Mattmommy mentioned there are students with severe allergies, diabetes, as well as ADD, behavioural disorders.....etc...Teachers are not well paid in all areas.

 

[ScouterJT]

I am not sure why the OP chose to make the comparison between room hosts and teachers

Sorry,

I mentioned teacher salary only as a point of comparison -- a profession that I thought most folks would be familiar with.

 

[mikiclements]

I'm sorry but I had to post this....

"I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary guides! What we need is a little perspective.

If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself -- I'd pay them babysitting wages. That's right -- instead of paying these outrageous taxes, I'd give them $3.00 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for 5 hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15.00 a day -- each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to babysit a child. (Even if you have more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.)

Now, how many children do they teach every day -- maybe twenty? That's $15.00 X 20 = $300 a day. But remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for all those vacations! That's $300 X 180 =$54,000. (Just a minute -- that can't be right; let me check my calculator.)

I know what you teachers will say -- What about those who have ten years experience and a Master's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage -- instead of just babysitting, they could read the kids a story.

We can round that off to about $5.00 an hour, times five hours, times twenty children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000 ..... HUH??

Wait a minute; let's get a little perspective here! Babysitting wages are too good for these teachers. Does anyone see a salary guide around here?"

Teachers have a thank-less job that I would challenge anyone to try for one day. Yes weekends are free... and so are holidays and summers but please think before you speak. You have no idea how hard some teachers work. (Please notice I wrote "some". Not all teachers go above and beyond but MANY do.)

I would LOVE to know where I can get a babysitter for 3 bucks an hour! That's cheap!

 

[becca_n_wa]

I could say the military earns little pay compared to teachers and stateroom hosts.

AMEN from an army wife. No amount of money compares to missing Christmas (sometimes 2 in one deployment), CHILDRENS BIRTHDAY, teeth falling out, first day of kindergarten, think you get the picture. Time, months, years are something we will never get back.

As a wife of a soldier who is headed to his 3rd deployment to Iraq (for a 15-18 month tour) knows how hard it is to be away from loved ones.

The people who work on the ships are away from thier families for 6 months at a time. They do this so they can support thier family back home. Yes, its hard but its a choice they are making for a better life. Just as the military choose to enlist and put thier life on the line, to support thier country. Believe me, the Army paycheck is nothing to bragg about. But, my soldier is another story.

 

[MrsMork]

AMEN from an army wife. No amount of money compares to missing Christmas (sometimes 2 in one deployment), CHILDRENS BIRTHDAY, teeth falling out, first day of kindergarten, think you get the picture. Time, months, years are something we will never get back.

As a wife of a soldier who is headed to his 3rd deployment to Iraq (for a 15-18 month tour) knows how hard it is to be away from loved ones.

The people who work on the ships are away from thier families for 6 months at a time. They do this so they can support thier family back home. Yes, its hard but its a choice they are making for a better life. Just as the military choose to enlist and put thier life on the line, to support thier country. Believe me, the Army paycheck is nothing to bragg about. But, my soldier is another story.

We are getting a little of topic here, but....please hug your soldier for me and tell him thank you!

 

[Grandma4ever]

To get back on topic I have been told they got about 50.00 per month. Lets figure what they get per hour. Some one stated that they worked 42 weeks per year. We know they work 7 days each week and about 16 hours per day. 42 weeks X 7 Days = 294 day X 16 Hours = 4704 hours. If we figure that they get 42,000 in this 42 weeks then they would be getting paid 8.93 per hour. Not much when you consider the condition in which they live and work. No they don't pay for food or rent but they do support thier families back home.

They live three to a room that is smaller than the stateroom we pay for. They work long hours and when they are not cleaning our rooms they are helping out in other areas. I know that many people fail to tip because they feel they paid enough for the cruise.

That is why I am always sure to leave a tip and a little extra when I can. I don't have a lot. I am a social worker and live just above the proverty limit but I spend wisely and manage to save the money to enjoy disney. I want those who work for my tips to know how much we enjoyed their service.

 

[misseulalie]

On our last cruise, our host told us that on every sailing, an average of 40% of the rooms don't tip. I was very surprised but not shocked.

He also told us that with his salary he supports his family, his parents, and his wife's parents.

 

[becca_n_wa]

We are getting a little of topic here, but....please hug your soldier for me and tell him thank you!

Thanks. That means a lot.

The point I was trying to prove was that being away from your family is worth no amount of money. No dollar can give you back the moments you have lost with them. I was trying to prove that no matter how much these stateroom hosts make, it can never make up for what they have lost.

I think I came on a little strong comparing to the military life. Deployments can make you go insane. Sorry!

 

[Babs417]

Our room host was going back to the Phillipines. We asked him what was he going to do when he went home and he said nothing that their were no jobs so he had no work. They work hard for their money and are worth every penny.

 

[sdaniel105]

NO TAXES EITHER!!!!!! That probably means they are really making closer to $60-70K when you figure in the taxes and living expenses.

Sean

 

[disneydance]

I'm sorry but I had to post this....

"I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary guides! What we need is a little perspective.

If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself -- I'd pay them babysitting wages. That's right -- instead of paying these outrageous taxes, I'd give them $3.00 an hour out of my own pocket. And I'm only going to pay them for 5 hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15.00 a day -- each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to babysit a child. (Even if you have more than one child, it's still a lot cheaper than private day care.)

Now, how many children do they teach every day -- maybe twenty? That's $15.00 X 20 = $300 a day. But remember they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for all those vacations! That's $300 X 180 =$54,000. (Just a minute -- that can't be right; let me check my calculator.)

I know what you teachers will say -- What about those who have ten years experience and a Master's degree? Well, maybe (to be fair) they could get the minimum wage -- instead of just babysitting, they could read the kids a story.

We can round that off to about $5.00 an hour, times five hours, times twenty children. That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000 ..... HUH??

Wait a minute; let's get a little perspective here! Babysitting wages are too good for these teachers. Does anyone see a salary guide around here?"

Teachers have a thank-less job that I would challenge anyone to try for one day. Yes weekends are free... and so are holidays and summers but please think before you speak. You have no idea how hard some teachers work. (Please notice I wrote "some". Not all teachers go above and beyond but MANY do.)

Im sorry but the teacher in r school teach 30-40 students at a time and have no breaks except for recesses in which they have to babysit the kids that dont do there homework. And r teacher get paid very well like 30 a hour