tipping kids' club CMs

[ohMom]

i know this has been talked about much in the past, but it's been two years since we last sailed and i was just wondering what the current favorite gift card is among the kid's club CMs?

I have a rewardtv account and wanted to order a couple to have on hand -- target? walmart?

i thought I read somewhere that goodies like boxes of chocolates were a favorite with the CMs?

any recent cruisers off Magic or family members/CMs welcome to give their input please!

TIA!

 

[KensJen]

They pool any tips and any gifts that are given they must report and turn them in...I think then they have raffles, etc. In other words, I don't believe you can give anything to someone specifically...and have it be only theirs to keep. They are not paid as a tipped position and have to report any gifts/tips given to them.

I understand the idea, but I really wanted the gal in Flounders who was so awesome with our son.

 

[gydell]

I though that any gift card of $25 or less they got to keep and any candy they could keep but that they usually shared it with every one. I hope that some one who knows for sure lets us know.

 

[verandah]

yes you can tip in gift card to a special cm who is great to your child they love it and like walmart gift cards i was told in jan of this year but if you tip cash then it is pooled and they get to go out for drinks or dinner with it

 

[kcashner]

My understanding is that any cash or gift cards have to be turned in--cash is used to finance group parties, gift cards are raffled or distibuted equally to the group. Candy and goodies, they do get to eat!

 

[KensJen]

The CM in the nursery told us whatever we would give would be pooled. I don't know if it is the same in the kids clubs, etc though.

They still really deserve it, they all work hard, and really were great with the kiddos!

 

[gydell]

I know that any cash has to be pooled.

 

[krhardy]

we plan to take food...I really wanted to take homemade goodies, since we will be traveling at CHristmas, but was told the can only accept prepackaged food. I can understand that. But, I will still take food of some sort...maybe some prepackaged cookies/candy from my local bakery...Christmas goodies.

 

[AspiringCindy]

I had read that phone cards are greatly appreciated!

 

[kecall]

It would be great if someone who is travelling soon could get a definitive answer on this subject!

....Or better yet! How 'bout everyone pool their money and send me on a cruise right now!! I promise I'll report back on "the right thing to do!"

karen

 

[CM_Mom]

I'll have to check on the current policy but a year ago when DD was still working in the Club, the policy was that a gift card given to a specific CM (such as handed to them or given to them in an envelope) was theirs but all cash had to be turned in and pooled to be used for a breakfast in Port or some activity for the whole team.

Sorry I don't know the policies for the CMs in Flounders.

Phone cards aren't as much appreciated as they used to be since many of the CMs have cell phones. Walmart and Target are the favorite places to purchase personal items.

Candy, especially chocolate, is good but it needs to be individually wrapped or a "box" that can be eaten by the whole team fairly quickly. They can't keep opened food in their cabins.

If I find out more I'll post it.

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

I was recently on the DCL Magic in July West Coast Cruise. We weren't sure what to give the CM. They all did such a great job with our DD8 that we could not only pick one or two CM. I purchased two boxes of chocolate on board and dropped it off on the last day with a personal Thank you note to the team. They seemed to appreciate it and a CM told my DH later that evening that they had opened the boxes and enjoyed the chocolates.

Desiree

 

[kg66]

We did phone cards picked up at Wal-mart. We bought international ones because our girls loved Bella from Australia, and Mario from Mexico. They were both tickled to death that they could call home to let them know they are still alive, which lead us to believe they don't get to call home too often, and that they do get to keep the cards specifically given to them. When you go, could you get Bella's e-mail, I have some awesome pics to send her please? She was in the Oceaner's Club, thanks.

 

[vossjemi]

i'm sorry if this has been answered on another thread, but we go in 4 weeks, and i want to be certain. What is the typical tip for 2 kids ages 3 and 5 on a 4 day cruise?

 

[Ariel&Flounder'sMom]

This is one of those age old questions that never seems to find a universal answer.

There is no standard for this since the positions are not tipped. That said, I think anything you do is met with appreciation.

After reading these boards, we brought 4 bags of individually wrapped chocolates - you know, snickers, reeses, etc. The CM's were delighted! DD4 carried all of them up to a CM sitting at the desk, and the CM was really tickled.

It didn't cost much, (and it was more a hassle for packing space) but they loved it. I've read a lot about phone cards not being useful anymore, because of cell phones.

How many parents try to do something for the CM's in the kids clubs? Is it 50%? 75% I'd love to know, since I felt like we didn't spend much, and I hope our gift wasn't considered "cheap."

 

[matsterrocks]

? on the food tipping, Don't the CM get all the ship food they want on the ship just like us?

 

[CM_Mom]

The packages of individually wrapped candies were definitely a hit. To answer the question about food. The CMs get all the food they want but it isn't gourmet like what is fixed for the guests. And when you're on a six to eight month contract even the best food gets repetitious. Think high quality cafeteria food.

One thing I consistently hear from DD when she's in port is where she ate. Just imagine having to go to the same cafeteria for every meal. Instead of "what am I in the mood for tonight?" it's "what do I want from what's available?" I think that's why the candy is so appreciated. It's something different.

About how many folks give a gift to the CMs, I don't know for sure but my guess is that probably 20 % or less give gifts to the CMs in the kids clubs, and many of those only give something to the two or three CMs that interacted the most with their child.

DD's comment was that what was special was the recognition. That someone recognized the great job they did and went to the trouble to do something "extra" to let them know they were appreciated. That's one reason I suggest hand written (drawn) thank yous from your kids as an "ahead of the cruise" project. I think DD got as much pleasure out of a thank you note and a hug from a child as anything else.

 

[KaitlinsMom]

My local mall here carries gift visa cards - They look like credit cards - have the visa logo on them - and can be used any where visa is accepted! You can buy them in different increments - Wish I would have known about this on our last cruise, but I think I will bring these for our next cruise (when ever that may be) - that way, the CM's can use them where ever they like!

Karen

 

[minniemouse1]

We have been on 3 cruises and tipped the CMs in the OC only on our last cruise. On cruise1 we used the nursery once for about 30 min (I was paged to return to the nursery) on cruise 2 we used the OC maybe 4 times and the nursery 2 times and on cruise3 we used the oc and nursery alot. We tipped Tim from Canada because he always seemed to have one of our children in his arms everytime we saw him. He was really funny and played games with the kids constantly while others just seemed to be babysitting. We gave him money and phone cards in an envelop with a card addressed to him. We were told he could keep it this way but who knows....

 

[gydell]

Be careful of gift Visa cards because most of them have a service fee if not used in a certain time period. American express cards are just like cash and can even be deposited in you bank account. That's what I plan on giving. Does any one know how many counselors are there in the 3-5 year old group?