How much (and when) do you tip the Camp staff?

[highbridge5]

Do you tip the Camp staff? How much? Do you do it at the end or as you go?

Crusing in January and it'll be our first time. I am not sure how much or how little my kids will use Camp Carnival. I'm pretty sure that if they use
it, I'll want to give them a little something. Do I need to keep track of who all the counselors are so I can make sure that they get the tip? Will the kids have the same ones each day? Are there several teams so if the kids are there all day they have more than one team? Are all these questions answered the first night during orientation?

Thanks in advance for the help!

[cb at sea]

If you decide to tip, then at the end of the cruise would be the appropriate time...but it's not necessary....these are highly paid professionals....they aren't expecting tips for doing the job they were hired to do!

[asylum575]

We tip about $10 a day for days the DS enjoyed the camp. On a 5 night Jewel cruise I dropped off $50 and the staff looked as though they were going to pass out. I don't think they get many tips.

[pmang]

Originally Posted by cb at sea

If you decide to tip, then at the end of the cruise would be the appropriate time...but it's not necessary....these are highly paid professionals....they aren't expecting tips for doing the job they were hired to do!

This is a mis-leading post. Yes, you are not required to tip but these are not "highly paid professionals". Their salary is pretty low. Somewhere in the neighborhood on $1000 - $1200 a MONTH. Break that down to the amount of hours they work and decide if they are "highly paid". If they do a good job of taking care of your kids, say thank you with a tip.....You don't have to but it will be appreciated by the staff.

[cascole]

I tip at the end - generally just put cash in an envelope & mark it 'camp staff'. For a weeklong cruise, I tip anywhere from $40-$60 - depending on how much my son has used the camp.

[14ersco]

We bring along a thank you card with an envelope and have our DS write a note or draw a picture of what he liked best about the week. Along with the card we add in about $7 to $10 per every day he is using the camp. Our DS gives them the card on the last night when he checks into camp.

[highbridge5]

Originally Posted by 14ersco

We bring along a thank you card with an envelope and have our DS write a note or draw a picture of what he liked best about the week. Along with the card we add in about $7 to $10 per every day he is using the camp. Our DS gives them the card on the last night when he checks into camp.

This is a great idea. I think that if my 3 kids have a good time at camp and the staff makes their first cruise one that they will remember, I will be more than happy to send a little extra their way. The cards from the kids are a nice touch.

[jam82]

My understanding is that the whole camp staff shares the tips. It has been my experience that they will not bring this up at orientation if it is not asked. I usually tip $15-$20 per day. Sometimes I have tipped day to day. Other times I have just tipped at the last night. Either way, I feel better about giving the tip when there are two or more employees present.

[AddictedtoFL]

Our kids 4 and 5 are together in one group so we made an effort to find out how many staffs and their name are responsible for that age group and give them each individual envelope.

[toonye]

We always tip the kid's club staff as they do a great -very tough- job!
They work very long hours.

And this is really THE service on board that I use and love most , because it allows all of us to have a great vacation so I'm more than happy to thank them with a little extra.

This summer we gave about 80 $ for the team for a 7 day cruise.
Our daughter went every day to the kids club and attended every kid's dinner, where she sometimes was alone or almost alone with one counselor

And we give an envelope for the whole team to share as they work shifts and it's really team work

[jam82]

Originally Posted by AddictedtoFL

Our kids 4 and 5 are together in one group so we made an effort to find out how many staffs and their name are responsible for that age group and give them each individual envelope.

My son is also in the 2-5 age group. How many staff usually work that group only? I have been told that they must still spilt whatever they get. Do you think they keep it themselves or do they really split it? They are all great, but sometimes there are those who are EXTRA great. ;-)

[mary_228]

Originally Posted by toonye

We always tip the kid's club staff as they do a great -very tough- job!
They work very long hours.


And we give an envelope for the whole team to share as they work shifts and it's really team work

My daughter worked this past summer on HAL and reported that tips were all pooled, even though some generous families tipped specific individuals. It really is a team effort, as the poster above mentioned. Someone always has to take a turn with the teens, for example, and no parent of a child in that age group ever tipped! Parents with younger children are most appreciative as they can finally enjoy a bit of free time with their children properly supervised.

As to the post by cb at sea that these are highly paid staff, the poster is greatly mistaken and should not make such erroneous comments. Even when tips are added, which for some weeks were less than $15 per staff member, I am convinced that cabin attendants and waiters make far more than youth staff.

It is great that the original poster has brought this issue up. Hopefully more families will be inclined to tip the youth staff, as their work with your children is probably more important to you than your cabin's cleanliness!

[toonye]

their work with your children is probably more important to you than your cabin's cleanliness

Exactly, the kids club is THE service I really most enjoy on the ship and it's what makes the difference vs. a very good hotel resort that would never be as flexible and attentive

Even though the cabin attendant is the second service I love on the ship I would not miss it

but I could do without the waiters, I prefer the buffet, I hate having to wait for somebody just to have some pepper on my food , that makes me nervous

Toonye

[lumpkin8]

While I know most cruiseline staff (including the kids crew) are not highly paid, the kids staff is almost always "advertised" as professionals, with degrees in childhood education. Since I think of them as akin to teachers, I do not feel tipping would be the norm. I do not consider them camp counselors(who are usually unskilled teenagers). So I think it is confusing as to whether to tip or not. Tips will certainly be accepted with a smile, but as professionals, I don't think they expect them, and I know their shipboard salaries, while low, are not computed based on the expectation of tips as a supplement. I think tipping them would be personal choice, and should not be an expectation.

[mary_228]

Originally Posted by lumpkin8

While I know most cruiseline staff (including the kids crew) are not highly paid, the kids staff is almost always "advertised" as professionals, with degrees in childhood education. Since I think of them as akin to teachers, I do not feel tipping would be the norm. I do not consider them camp counselors(who are usually unskilled teenagers). So I think it is confusing as to whether to tip or not. Tips will certainly be accepted with a smile, but as professionals, I don't think they expect them, and I know their shipboard salaries, while low, are not computed based on the expectation of tips as a supplement. I think tipping them would be personal choice, and should not be an expectation.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my daughter works in the youth staff aboard a mid market cruise line. The staff are required to have college degrees and some relevant experience with caring for children, which in my DD's case, was indeed as a camp counselor, albeit at a multi-week sleepaway camp in the wilderness. So I suppose you can consider them "professionals", but when you consider that the pay is less than $400 per week, I think you might have another opinion. As many cruisers here have mentioned, the gratefulness that comes from having carefully screened individuals ensure your child's good time onboard while you relax on your own is most definitely appreciated in the form of a tip! Of course, if your child was unhappy there, or you were in some way disatisfied, that's another story. Pretty much all tips onboard at discretionary, except for the bar bill, and it took a lot less time to pour that beer or mix that cocktail than amuse your children.

[Smithkids5521]

I have been reading the replies to this thread and I am really glad I stumbled across it. I wouldn't have thought to tip the camp folks, even though my 2 kids (who will be 4 and 7 when we go) will be spending some time there.

Now my question- since they will be splitting/sharing anyway... is this something we could add onto our credit card at the end? The less cash I have to bring, the better...right? (in my everyday world, I very rarely carry cash- debit card/credit cards are mostly what I use. I find it easier to keep track of what I have spent $$ on).

TIA...
Take care,
Diana

[toonye]

Diana,

There are ATM machines on board so don't bother bringing cash with you ;-)

Or you could use the ATM machines on your last port.

But you have to tip in cash.

Toonye

[highbridge5]

Originally Posted by Smithkids5521

I have been reading the replies to this thread and I am really glad I stumbled across it. I wouldn't have thought to tip the camp folks, even though my 2 kids (who will be 4 and 7 when we go) will be spending some time there.

Now my question- since they will be splitting/sharing anyway... is this something we could add onto our credit card at the end? The less cash I have to bring, the better...right? (in my everyday world, I very rarely carry cash- debit card/credit cards are mostly what I use. I find it easier to keep track of what I have spent $$ on).

TIA...
Take care,
Diana

I'd bring an ATM card and ask at guest services if you can put it on your account. No matter which way you tip, you should probably make sure to let the camp counselors know that you left them a tip and why. Everyone likes to know that someone notices that they are doing a good job and I'm sure that having a little something to go with it is nice too.

Based on some advice here, I plan to bring cash and 4 thank you cards just for that purpose. One from me with the tip, and one each from the kids for their individual age group counselors.

Janell (hb5)

[MardiGras316]

We took our daughter on a Carnival Cruise in May 2009. The kid's club was INVALUABLE to us. It was her favorite part of the trip. They kept her safe and happy and they deserved a tip IMHO!!! We carried cash specifically for the kids club staff and tipped on the last day.

[Naomi John]

Thanks for starting this Thread.