Auto tipping - Family of four with two small kids

[mapman_2004]

Hi all,

I was wondering what you think about this situation. Do you think tipping $320 (4x8x$10)for a family of four on an 8 night cruise is a lot? We have two kids, 2 and 4. The cost of the cruise is about $1,700 with taxes, $1,400 before taxes and fees. So, $320 equates to a 22% tip. That seems a bit high, especially seeing that at least half of that cruise cost is not the food and room charge.

Please feel free to have at this (I'm sure you all will). I just wonder if there is some sort of in between number I can come up with.

Thanks, and have fun tearing this apart.

[cruiserbryce]

what would you end up tipping if you went out for every meal for 8 days?

[LHP]

Yes, you tip for everyone. (since everyone is waited on either in the cabin or at dinner or on Lido)

We have cruised with 2 children for 10+ years and have always tipped the recommended $10 per person per day (plus extra when we got service that went above and beyond)

[mapman_2004]

Originally Posted by cruiserbryce

what would you end up tipping if you went out for every meal for 8 days?

Hmmm, good question. Let's say I was being economical, and spent about $150 a day for us. 18% tip would be about $200.

[pokergirl34]

In my opinion it is certainly fair. While 2 and 4 year olds are very young, they also tend to be very messy. Your room steward will have to pick up after them along with you and the staff on the Lido or in the MDR will have to clean up after them as well. It has been a long time, but I remember constantly cleaning up crumbs off the floor when my kids were young !

Also, they will require being served food of course so why shouldn't the staff be tipped accordingly?

You made the choice to do a cruise that is 8 days long. The staff will be taking care of all of you for all 8 of those days; why don't they deserve tips for all of it?

One of the reasons we chose a 5 day cruise for our next one is that we will have our kids with us. That's $200 for auto-tips. A longer cruise not only costs more in fare, but in tips as well. We can rent a car and drive to Key West and then tour Miami to make it a longer vacation.

[pokergirl34]

Originally Posted by mapman_2004

Hmmm, good question. Let's say I was being economical, and spent about $150 a day for us. 18% tip would be about $200.

Keep in mind though that you aren't just tipping your waitstaff, but also your room steward. Those beds don't make themselves and your cabin won't organize itself nor will the bathroom clean itself.

[yogi2929]

$10 per person per day tips out the Waiter, Asst Waiter, Room Stewards (one head and 1-2 asst stewards) and behind the scenes people like the diswashers and launderers.

Who do you not want to tip?

If you don't like the percentage of the tip to cruisefare I would suggest booking a more expensive cabin. Maybe one in the $2,400 range ($2100 pre taxes/fees) range to get your ratio right.

We've paid up to 30% of our fare for tips. Love those $89 3 day cruises.

[mapman_2004]

Originally Posted by yogi2929

$10 per person per day tips out the Waiter, Asst Waiter, Room Stewards (one head and 1-2 asst stewards) and behind the scenes people like the diswashers and launderers.

Who do you not want to tip?

If you don't like the percentage of the tip to cruisefare I would suggest booking a more expensive cabin. Maybe one in the $2,400 range ($2100 pre taxes/fees) range to get your ratio right.

We've paid up to 30% of our fare for tips. Love those $89 3 day cruises.

Good points. We're all eating the same food, and most of us have the same cabin size, so maybe it is fair.

[GwenyP]

I have a 5 and a 2 year old ... I plan to tip plenty for them. They may be young, but goodness knows they're a lot of work to clean after, etc. The stewards/waiters do so much for our kids and it's worth every dime.

[Kurbanfan]

Originally Posted by mapman_2004

Hi all,

I was wondering what you think about this situation. Do you think tipping $320 (4x8x$10)for a family of four on an 8 night cruise is a lot? We have two kids, 2 and 4. The cost of the cruise is about $1,700 with taxes, $1,400 before taxes and fees. So, $320 equates to a 22% tip. That seems a bit high, especially seeing that at least half of that cruise cost is not the food and room charge.

Please feel free to have at this (I'm sure you all will). I just wonder if there is some sort of in between number I can come up with.

Thanks, and have fun tearing this apart.

It seems what is being said on another thread is that the 2 year old does not need to tip..........
So it would be the three of you tipping........

Originally Posted by Ken076

Carnival's internal Policy for deducting auto-gratuities for under age of 2 is:

"Reverse Gratuity Program:

For the guest's convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the guest's on board Sail & Sign Account on embarkation day....... Guests under two years of age are not required to extend gratuities."

The FAQ doesn't reflect this and who knows how (or if) this is passed on to the Ship's Purser's.



ken

[pokergirl34]

It is interesting to look at how the tips relate to a percentage of your cruise fare. For our 5 day cruise, in the Summer when our kids are out of school, with 3 ports, our fare for a balcony room on the highest deck (Spa) is $1,831 including all taxes. Our auto-tips will be $200. That is what, 12% of our whole cruise fare? Huh, interesting.

[yogi2929]

Hey Kurbanfan- since when is a 2 year old considered to be under 2?

We also didn't tell the OP that the Camp counselors aren't part of the tip pool and should be given a tip at the end of the cruise.

[CruiseHobbit]

You are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Instead of thinking that you are paying alot for tips compared to the cruise, think of it that you got an excelent rate for your cruise.

[cruiserbryce]

and really as far as tipping for kids goes...they typically find a way to make a bigger mess than the adults so I still think a full share is perfectly fair

[mapman_2004]

Originally Posted by yogi2929

Hey Kurbanfan- since when is a 2 year old considered to be under 2?

We also didn't tell the OP that the Camp counselors aren't part of the tip pool and should be given a tip at the end of the cruise.

I was wondering about them too. I plan to use the Camp a lot. What should they get?

But also, where does it stop? I plan on letting the ship take me to Mexico, what do I tip the captain? That guy shoveling coal into the steam engine (kidding) deserves something too.

I'm not against tipping, I put myself through college making tips. BUT, I was paid very low knowing the tips made the difference. How do I know who gets paid low because they depend on tips?

[G'ma]

The tips are "per person".....including children such as yours.

They cover everyone from your cabin attendants, wait staff in the dining rooms, those serving and attending the buffets and other dining venues.

The suggested amount is more than fair. These folks work their butts off to keep your cabin clean - and the entire passenger cabin areas. They also hustle your luggage on and off the ship, make sure your bed is turned down in the evening, your ice bucket filled. The wait staff work in other areas around the ship as part of their duties....buffets, other dining venues; they serve, clean up, offer friendly and efficient service to you AND the kids all week.

The "suggested" minimum tip isn't enough anyway for what they do. Your children make just as much work as and adult, eat at a dining table and/or somewhere on the ship, use the same bathrooms, walk the same hallways, and usually make more of a mess than adult.

Tipping should be just as much a part of the travel budget as shore excursions, hotel rooms, rental cars....or ships cabins.

[yogi2929]

The guy 'shoveling coal' gets paid a wage based salary, don't worry too much about him.

Our kids didn't start cruising till they were 9 & 11. They are now old teenagers. I think we tipped the gal on that first 3 day cruise $20. The camp staff also get paid a salary of some sort. More than the waiters and stewards, much less than the guy 'shoveling coal'. Some parents tip, some don't.

Tipping stops at the people who serve you. The auto tips take care of most of them. Bar waiters get 15% added onto the ticket. The only extra people I tip out are Camp counselors, casino dealers (when I'm doing good) and a bar waiter/bartender or two.

The other way I tip is to write positive comments on the comment cards.

[kenrod]

I believe that automatic tipping for the kids is fair as well. The crew seems to go out for their way to accomodate my son.

Also, the tip pool is not included for the counsillors at Camp Carnival, or NCL's Aqua Kids club. For the week I usually give $50.00. It doesn't seem like a lot, especially if they have to split the tip amongst several people, but after tipping the waiters, cabin steward, etc, on top of the automatic tipping, it's all we can afford to give.

[Kurbanfan]

Originally Posted by yogi2929

Hey Kurbanfan- since when is a 2 year old considered to be under 2?

We also didn't tell the OP that the Camp counselors aren't part of the tip pool and should be given a tip at the end of the cruise.

Thought it said 2 and under......so I guess your second birthday better be the day after sailing LOL! Kinda strange the way that is worded........on second thought there's a reason for that......

[firefly333]

OP you dont add into the equation that a lot of this goes to the cabin steward, who makes up the cabins twice a day, plus all your meals.

I vote to tip for everyone, just like its set up, dont remove tips. Its not based on how expensive or cheap of a cabin you booked, the service is the same for a inside or a suite.