Tipping for 13-month-old Infant

[stephmarty]

We cruise on 5/11, and are trying to plan our budget very carefully. Not to sound cheap, but I'd like opinions on tipping for a 13-month-old child. I can see where older children who eat the meals and participate in the clubs would require at least as much service as an adult (if not more). Does an infant require the level of service that would call for the same tip recommended for adult passengers?

I welcome everyone's input--especially those of you who have cruised with infants before. Thanks!

 

[Michelle]

Hi stephmarty! Yes, the tipping guidelines DO include children of all ages. You will find that your dinner servers will go out of their way to entertain your child and accommodate his/her meal requirements, and let's face it...kids generally leave more messes than adults (at least mine does!) Your servers and cabin steward definitely deserve to be tipped for service to a child.

As of kid's programming, that is an entirely different issue, the children's programming staff is not tipped. (Some folks give small gifts but that is totally up to you.) If you leave your child at Flounder's Reef for babysitting then that is a paid service and tipping is not expected there either.

Have a great cruise!

 

[Cruise]

Hi stephmarty,

As Michelle pointed out, your dining servers will be great with your child and I'm sure by the end of the cruise, you'll agree they deserve the tip.

As for your cabin steward, you have to also remember that they'll be servicing your room including bed turn-down, etc. If your child is in a portable crib, they will be setting up and taking down the crib and working around all the "baby" implements that come with children. This adds at least as much work as having an adult in the room, if not more.

By and large, you'll find that the staff on the cruise love children and will add so much to your experience that you'll know they earn the tip for a 13 month old

have a great cruise!
Julie

 

[SusanU]

Our cabin steward was great this yr with 18 mo old grandaughter. He had to do the porta crib, but also got us a diaper genie for the room. The infant life jacket was also ready in the room. Last yr the diaper genie was never offered and we spent till end of 2nd day trying to get the appropriate life jacket for her, much to the dislike of the captain's crew which kept insisting we contact the cabin steward for this.