Tipping

[disneygatorfan]

Non-tipped positions are paid differently then tipped positions. It's not even customary to tip the non-tipped cast like the cruise staff, or the kids-club staff. People choose to do it as a token of appreciation for going above and beyond. But I don't think the crew expect it at all, it's just a bonus for them, and I believe they are not supposed to accept cash tips anyway. I believe they are permitted to accept certain lower value gifts from guests. I am sure they appreciate the calling cards though. I know it costs a lot of minutes to make international calls... a lot more then one might expect.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Quote: "You spent over $9,000 on the cruise and you are being tight over about $200 in tips? I am at a loss for further words myself."

Have to agree with that!!!!!! The $200 is about 2% of your cruise cost.

I restate what I said earlier--I think the cruise lines should add the tips to your stateroom account automatically or, even better, add it into the cost of the cruise. The $75 would not raise the cost that much that it would make a difference as to whether or not people would go, at least IMHO.

I'm amazed at the people who grouse about paying the tips, yet think nothing of buying drinks of the day, beers, high priced souveniers, adding a big tip at Palos, etc. I think the $75 for the service that we received for all our meals and for our room steward is very, very reasonable.

 

[buster478]

I would tip them for all days. Most of the income these people make is from tips. My family only went four time last cruise and we tipped as if we went every night. If you don't show up for dinner your table will sit vacant and no on else will take your place.

It is up to you what you do. They do work hard and try to make it a fantastic time for you. Remember, the tipping charts are only guides.

 

[Skallywag]

Have just read the post stating that servers etc. on the cruise ships only receive $50 per week plus board etc. Here in England there is a minimum wage structure, surely there is one for these employees also. Also how many cabins is one person responsible for on the cruise?

Just adding my thoughts to the tipping question because until I read about the wages felt the tipping could get out of hand also.

 

[bratray]

here is a clip & web link to an article i found of interest
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=2891

"How are they getting away with it?
On paper, seafarers have more international protection than many other workers through the International Labour Organisation and the International Maritime Organisation.

But ships are covered by the labour protection laws of the country in which they’re registered. So, many cruise ships fly the flag of places like Panama, Bahamas and Liberia that have weak laws and weak trade unions – and are happy to turn a blind eye to international maritime standards. These are known as 'flags of convenience'.

For example, Disney has two cruise ships, 'Disney Magic' and 'Disney Wonder'. They both fly the Bahamas flag of convenience.

A galley assistant from Trinidad said: "In Disney’s training they say it is one big family, you must give 100 per cent. But when you get on board, it's completely different. They don't give you 100 per cent. There's no chance to progress out of the galley, at least not on merit." Working hours are extremely long and workers say there is not even a system of recording overtime.

Disney says it will consider a union agreement if the majority of crewmembers want it. But Disney does not let union representatives on board and workers are scared to be seen with them in case they lose their jobs."

 

[smchan]

If you eat at all - I don't care whether it's in your room or at the table - you ought to tip. I've considered the OP's question as well as I expect my kids to typically eat with the club and not with my wife and me. I will still tip for my kids as they're using dining services; just through a different channel than me.

The dinner waiters also work lunch and breakfast. I eat lunch and breakfast, so I tip at least the recommended amount regardless of where I eat on the ship.

IMO, eating in your stateroom is the same as eating in the dining room. The only scenarios I can envision where I would not tip is either I don't eat at all (not likely) or I take most of my meals off the ship at port (also not likely).

I do not tip out of sympathy. I tip out of great service received. I agree that if you don't leave a tip for your dining room waiters, you should be tipping cash at breakfast and lunch. (Something tells me that didn't happen either.)

Sam

 

[jrabbit]

Maybe we should be questioning why these people are only being paid $50 a month when we are paying quite a handsome chunk of money for the trip. Just a thought. What's up with that Disney?????

950 crew to 2500 guests for a ratio of about 2.5 guests for each crewmember.

Out of the 950 crew there are about 150 main dinning room servers. Take into account those working at topsiders, the fast food places and Palo and you're up to about 225. If each room steward has about 10 rooms then there are around 90 of them. So the 225 + 90 = 315. Lets round that up to 350 people in tipped positions. That leaves 600 positions that we are paying their salaries for in the cost of the cruise (and wouldn't you like to know how much the Captain makes!!). Even at a very substandard wage for 500 out of the 600 positions - the salary costs add up very quickly.

THere are also the reservation/check in people on shore and then the port workers and the 35 or so "islanders" that stay on Castaway Cay.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Originally posted by bratray

How are they getting away with it?

It is also a matter of on-salary benefits. The crew gets room and board, so minimum wage rules don't apply. (They also don't apply in heavily tipped positions, even on US soil.) For example, when I was a camp counselor, I made $750 for the 8 1/2 weeks at camp, or about $90 a week. The cost of putting a wood cabin over my head and bug juice in my cup was factored into my salary which, otherise, was about a dollar an hour.

Marcy

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by Skallywag
Have just read the post stating that servers etc. on the cruise ships only receive $50 per week plus board etc. Here in England there is a minimum wage structure, surely there is one for these employees also.

As others have noted, the cruise ships are not operating under the laws the Unites States or the state of Florida. I'm sure that what Disney is doing is completely legal. The cruise lines that compete with Disney also rely on passengers to pay the servers and room stewards through tips -- either automatic (like Carnival) or voluntary (like Disney).

By the way, it's about $50 per month, not per week.

It's really not a bad system. The servers and stewards have an incentive to provide outstanding service. And the cruise lines have a cost structure that allows cruising to be a great vacation value.

What's bad is that the cruise lines aren't up-front about how the system works. Advertisements for $799 per person cruises include fine print that port charges, taxes, excursions, and alcohol are extra, but they seldom even mention gratuities -- and certainly not that suggested gratuities for a family of 4 are over $300 for a 7-night cruise.

The truth is that the cost of "all-inclusive" cruises doesn't include the services of the servers who serve you throughout the day or services of your stateroom steward. It's time for more honesty from the cruise lines.

 

[smchan]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
As others have noted, the cruise ships are not operating under the laws the Unites States or the state of Florida. I'm sure that what Disney is doing is completely legal. The cruise lines that compete with Disney also rely on passengers to pay the servers and room stewards through tips -- either automatic (like Carnival) or voluntary (like Disney).

Because it's legal, does that make it ethical? Though at the end of the day, I suspect Disney's wages are competitive with the rest of the industry and could mean the difference between having a viable business model or not.

I have no clue what these folks make, but I certainly hope is minimally on the order of $20-30k+ per year after tips. (I'm thinking 70 hours per week X roughly $7-10/hour X 50 weeks work per year.) That's a fair wage for general labor under those sorts of working conditions, in my mind.

More over, it just calls out the imbalance in both wages and working conditions that exist between developed nations and the rest of the world. Nature abhors a vacuum and someday this imbalance has to work itself out - probably at the expense of those of us in the US and probably to the benefit of 3rd world nations.

Sam

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by smchan
Because it's legal, does that make it ethical?

As long as the recruiters properly describe the job to potential service employees on ships, it seems ethical to me.

On our last cruise, we had a server who was a high school teacher with a masters degree in his home country. He signed on with DCL many years ago, and he keeps renewing his contract.

Compare a DCL service crew member to a low income service employee in the United States. The service employee in the U.S. probably needs to spend just about every cent on shelter, food, clothing, and transportation -- and we're talking about the most basic of each. The DCL crew member, on the other hand, has minimal personal expenses for shelter, food, clothing, and transportation. So the crew member can use the tip income to support a family back home or to save for education or to start a business back home.

 

[webray]

Yes, you tip for the child also. Yes, you tip for the night you eat in Palo, and that also means..if you eat in Palo..don't forget you tip that server that night.

 

[Sarahsal]

Did anyone ever answer the question "18% of what?" I'm not doubting that the poster was charged a gratuity, I would just like to know how they come up with a number to multiply by 18%.

If someone has already answered and I missed it, my apologies.

 

[coriedorie]

Originally posted by momof3luvs2run


I'm greatful for the tipping chart and will follow it . . . but not sure about worrying about people like the person who is scooping my ice cream cone on deck.

I guess you don't frequent your local Cold-Stone where they have their tip jar right on the counter in front of your face!!

 

[momof3luvs2run]

gotcha -- I was trying to change my reply, lol but it wouldn't let me just delete .

 

[coriedorie]

Sorry, Momof3luvs2run....Wasn't trying to be nasty...You can't see my smiling face. Just making an observation about tip jars being in places where I don't feel a tip in appropriate.

 

[momof3luvs2run]

no problem. I get tired of feeling like we are supposed to tip everyone . . . including the people at Starbuck's and all the coffee joints, etc. Sure I throw in my change, but I'm wondering why I'm paying $3 for my coffee and have to have that in my face. Same thing with Cold Stone Creamery. What happened to employers paying their employees. Especially those places that are charging so much for coffee and ice cream. I don't tip the guy at Dairy Queen, what makes the person at CS that much more special? He had to work extra hard to mix in the reeces pieces??? LOL

 

[RickW]

Originally posted by momof3luvs2run
I get tired of feeling like we are supposed to tip everyone

I hear you there. I have a tip jar on my desk at work. (No really, I actually do!) Since my job involves supporting other employees, a co-worker and I thought it would be funny to add a tip jar, since it seems like everyone has a tip jar these days. I have had it there about 18 months, and I believe that I have collected a total of about $8-$10. (Of course, I never actually use any of it, since it looks more impressive when it's full)

 

[Red71]

I would tip for the number of people in your party, for the number of nights you cruise. I just figure it to be a cost of the cruise.

 

[Skallywag]

When we travel to any of our timeshare resort holidays we bring a little gift with us for the staff. Have also done this on the plane when flying out Christmas Day to Florida.

Is it approriate to do this for cabin staff. We will tip but feel it should be at our discretion and certainly would never tip if the service did not warrant it.
How many people actually serve each table do we just have one server for the entire trip and also cabin staff.

This would help us with our planning.