Room Attendant Salaries

Does anybody have any idea what a room attendant makes on a cruise ship? I realize that the amount is quite low, save for tips, as there is no union to promote higher wages and lower hours. Can anyone help me?

I recently saw a show on the travel channel about cruises and it stated that the cruise workers earned $1.50 per day and made up the difference in tips---one worker remarked that she made $4000 one month.

I cannot comment on the wages of the cabin steward, but I can tell you for certain that a bar server earns $50.00 per month from the company. The bar servers make the majority of their earnings from selling drinks where the 15% is automatically added on the purchase. At the end of the day/night, the bar server turns in all of his/her receipts with his/her card number on it...so they receive the credit for their sales. I've also heard that the bar receipts now have an additional line on the ticket for adding additional tip amount on top of the 15%.

I would assume the cabin stewards would earn a comparable monthly wage from the company...and rely on their tips for the bulk of their income.

Please remember to reward great service accordingly. The crew members work very, very hard.....very long hours.....7 days a week....on a 6 month contract.

I asked the head waiter this question on my last cruise (two weeks ago). He told me the dining room attendants make "tips only." One can only assume it's the same for room attendants...

I asked the head waiter this question on my last cruise (two weeks ago). He told me the dining room attendants make "tips only." One can only assume it's the same for room attendants...

I heard exactly the same thing on my cruise two weeks ago. Keep in mind that most of these men and women work seven days a week for months at a time. No amount of money would entice ME to work that hard. I made sure that I rewarded good service with a good tip (and most staff members who helped me earned it!)

Room Stewards, Bar Service and Dining Room, is $50 a month plus room and board, the rest is in tips.

the words of gratitude for the staff is endearing. however, let's not go overboard.

you need to keep things a bit in perspective. though it is easy to simplify and point to measely salaries, 7 day/6 month work requirements, let's not ignore the fact that probably 95%+ of the crew are of foreign nationalities. they are not American workers, they are not subject to our minimum wage standards, and if they were to work in their home countries, they would be working the same 7 day work week and making significantly less than they make in tips. they are lucky to have these positions with the cruise lines and the opportunity to earn thousands of dollars a month - the equivalent of riches in their home countries. the fact that a particular position may be 100% tip-based is really irrelevant. they have a service job, and if their pay is based on tips, then they are fully aware that doing a good job to earn the tips is part of the job.

What would you consider a fair amount for good service? (over the recommended amount)

Krazy - start with the recommended amount and see how things go. if the folks do good by you, and you feel they earned more than the suggested amount, give what you feel comfortable giving. maybe that's an extra $10, $20, or $50 - whatever. you shouldn't feel intimidated, nor should you feel guilty for however much you give. I guarantee, that a week or two after the cruise, they aren't going to remember you or the tip you gave (or didn't give).

I don't think I've seen a comment so insensitive on this board in a long time.

First off, I know several peolple that work in the cruiselines and, despite the fact that they are foreigners, they work harder then most in any industry. Not only do they work 7 days a week, but they have to deal with people who don't value any service and don't tip at all - and it would suprise you to know how many people on any given cruise are either horrible tippers, and or don't bother to tip, period.

Their shifts are usually 6 months in duration -time spent away from their family and friends. Whatever their particular socioeconomic status is in their home country, it is despicabley arrogant for you to say that they are lucky to have their job. I'd love to see how long you would last in it. Just because they are foreigners, doesn't mean they aren't human beings.

-Cruiz'nTall

the words of gratitude for the staff is endearing. however, let's not go overboard.

 

you need to keep things a bit in perspective. though it is easy to simplify and point to measely salaries, 7 day/6 month work requirements, let's not ignore the fact that probably 95%+ of the crew are of foreign nationalities. they are not American workers, they are not subject to our minimum wage standards, and if they were to work in their home countries, they would be working the same 7 day work week and making significantly less than they make in tips. they are lucky to have these positions with the cruise lines and the opportunity to earn thousands of dollars a month - the equivalent of riches in their home countries. the fact that a particular position may be 100% tip-based is really irrelevant. they have a service job, and if their pay is based on tips, then they are fully aware that doing a good job to earn the tips is part of the job.

"I asked the head waiter this question on my last cruise "

I find it amazing that people are so interested in what the ships crew earns. So interested that they would even ask the question outright to the crew. Do you wonder what the cashier earns at Walmart? Have you ever asked while you were standing in the checkout line? Would you ask your table mates in the dining room what they earn? How about the person in the chair next to you at poolside?

The crew's wages is between them and their employer. Tips are between the crew and the customer. I just don't get it.

On our last cruise, our waiter told me that he works hard for those 6 months, but then the remainder of the year, he takes off and does some vacationing. He's been doing this for the last 7 years.

This is from a court case, so I expect the numbers are accurate. They're also six years old, so might be somewhat outdated.

Cabrera Espinal worked on Royal Caribbean Cruises' ("RCC") ships as a tip-earning employee under a contract that commenced on December 23, 1997 and expired on November 23, 1998. The contract provided for at-will employment to be terminated with two weeks notice. A collective bargaining agreement ("CBA") governed the contract.

The contract provided for a guaranteed minimum monthly income of $766.00 ($50 in contract wages and $716 in tips). If an employee did not receive the calculated monthly minimum in tips, RCC would provide the difference.

In February of 1998, Cabrera Espinal herniated a lumbar disc and was unable to finish his employment contract due to his work related injury. Pursuant to the CBA, RCC paid him sick wages from the time he became injured for 112 days in the amount of $766 per month. Cabrera Espinal brought suit against RCC contending that he is entitled to his average or actual monthly salary ($1500 which includes $1450 in tips) as sick wages instead of the guaranteed minimum.

I don't think Rsinj was at all insensitive. Just stating the facts. For anyone that has driven the back countries, know that they are indeed lucky to have this job. Don't forget, they also receive free room and board. Sure they work hard, but I don't think that there is much turnover, which would indicate a bad job. Also, most appear to be happy and in good spirits. How many posts do we read whereas someone states that they had great cabin stewards and waiters? To me, this is a good indication that they are happy to be what they are doing. Hence, lucky to have the job. I think all Rsinj was trying to say is this is the job they have chosen and tip accordingly.

Ocean Boy...

I asked this question because the person I was traveling with was not going to leave any tip at all. She thought they made plenty of money without being tipped. I was trying to let her know that her tip was important and that this was their only source of income, but it fell on deaf ears. She tipped the waiter a whole whopping $5. Normally I would never ask such a question of anyone. I realize it was none of my business, I was just trying to make a point to my girlfriend.

My last cabin attendant was telling me that sometimes guest do not tip so she worked the whole week cleaning their cabin for free! now that sucks!!!! Some guest gamble their tip money.

Also, it is the cabin attendants responsibility to remove luggage on the last night and put it in the holding storage! Most attendants actually hire another crew member and pay they from their own salary to move the luggage on the last night! making there pay $100 to $150 less.

"I asked the head waiter this question on my last cruise "

 

I find it amazing that people are so interested in what the ships crew earns. So interested that they would even ask the question outright to the crew. Do you wonder what the cashier earns at Walmart? Have you ever asked while you were standing in the checkout line? Would you ask your table mates in the dining room what they earn? How about the person in the chair next to you at poolside?

 

The crew's wages is between them and their employer. Tips are between the crew and the customer. I just don't get it.

The relationship between cruiseship staff and customers is much different than between me and my Walmart cashier. First of all, as much sympathy as I have for people in such service jobs, I don't tip cashiers. I also don't tip people I eat with or sunbathe with, so what they make is irrelevant. I think most people want to do right by the people who serve them so well at sea. Our table at dinner because quite friendly with our waiter and learned a lot about his life outside the ship (He is studying sailing and navigation and eventually wants to become a bridge crew member. He also worked as a Chippendale's dancer in Barcelona - now there's an interesting story!)

There is no situation like cruising where you can become acquainted with the people who serve you because you see them for days on end and generally they are friendly, open people. I was genuinely interested in what their lives were like and I really enjoyed that aspect of cruising. Knowing that they earn little other than what I tip is an incentive to give them an appropriate amount, usually over and above the recommended amount, not because I feel sorry for them, but because I was in essence their employer, at least for a few days.

My last cabin attendant was telling me that sometimes guest do not tip so she worked the whole week cleaning their cabin for free! now that sucks!!!! Some guest gamble their tip money.

 

Also, it is the cabin attendants responsibility to remove luggage on the last night and put it in the holding storage! Most attendants actually hire another crew member and pay they from their own salary to move the luggage on the last night! making there pay $100 to $150 less.

And making the salary of some other crew member $100-150 more.

yes the extra money for a staff member who is paid salary (not tip generated).

sucks that a room attendant now has that responsibility of getting up at midnight and moving luggage and then start their regular work at 7 am

The cruiselines don't force anyone to become a cruise ship employee.

You said: "There is no situation like cruising where you can become acquainted with the people who serve you because you see them for days on end and generally they are friendly, open people. I was genuinely interested in what their lives were like and I really enjoyed that aspect of cruising. Knowing that they earn little other than what I tip is an incentive to give them an appropriate amount, usually over and above the recommended amount, not because I feel sorry for them, but because I was in essence their employer, at least for a few days."

Well said, nuff said.

Thank you.

"I think most people want to do right by the people who serve them so well at sea."

I completely agree. So why is it that their base pay make any difference?

KStevens79:

To me, the social faux pas of being a bad tipper raises such a red flag that it would make me seriously question dating that person. Hopefully your girlfriend has many other admirable qualities to make up for that - but if not, isn't it funny how traveling with someone can teach you all kinds of things about them you didn't know?

Travelgrrl

I think when we understand how the pay system works for employees and how little they actually make, then we understand the need to tip where warranted.

I have also talked to a few crew members myself about their financial situation. One of the people i traveled with this past month was from south africa as was a few dealers. The one dealer commented that the $10 my friend bet on that blackjack hand was about the same as what she would make back at home. I have also heard from a few crew members that they changed their citizenship to countries with very low income tax or to one with no income tax at all. This way all the money they make on the ship is profit. Now i wont argue with how much you should tip or how much you shouldnt cause that is up to the person and the service received. Also if an individual would like to avoid the topic of salary im sure they could reply "I dont like to talk about it" and it would be over. Obviously they dont mind.

when you factor in they spend very little money (food and room free, liquor at duty free prices) If they take home 10k a year that isnt to bad. Most people after all their expenses barely make that especially at the age most of the ships staff are.