How much does the crew make (mainly dining). Gratuities and tips thread

Here is another link:https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1059

Cruise Critic: We know cruise ship crew work extremely hard, but what are the hours like for a crewmember working in the restaurant, and what did the job entail?

Brian David Bruns: During the training phase, the first month, we were working a minimum of 12 hours a day, plus homework ... seven days a week. So it would average 14 to 15 hours a day, break for lunch, break for shower, but even on our breaks, we were constantly studying. This schedule was done intentionally because the line wants you to know right away how tough it is. They want to weed folks out who won't be able to handle it.

Once you're officially working on the ship, regular shifts are three shifts a day, seven days a week, 80-plus hours a week, with no days off for eight months. There's not a set schedule because every itinerary is different, but on a regular weekly sailing, you're going to work breakfast, lunch and dinner -- with probably a lunch off. On some ships, every other week you'd get two of those lunches off. That, of course, is all you get, ever. When I worked on Carnival Legend, which did eight-day cruises, I would have one lunch off every eight days. That's it. NOT a happy time.

so in short, maybe the contracts have since changed since my last conversation, MAYBE... But either way.. You can get a good feel for life on ships-- Not easy..

So let's tip them as well a we can.. ( not making any assumptions who does & who does not) just trying to gently let everyone know, incase they are re- thinking tipping.

:) Peace..

Try reading comprehension. I was talking about the alternative services. Still have no clue what that is.

the people who clear tables in the buffet area. places like the taco place or pizza place.

the people who clear tables in the buffet area. places like the taco place or pizza place.

The original thred was about how much does the crew make... So I am directly speaking of this..

No I wouldn't. My whole point of the thread was to learn the customs. If I was going to Australia I would learn what is customary. Most responses Ive seen are just "you have no business knowing, just do what youre told". I mean I guess that's fine, I was just trying to learn. shrug.

 

I keep reading "when in Rome," but in this case, I'd love for someone to tell me what they actually do in "Rome," aka, on a cruise. We know we are paying $12+ per passenger per day for "gratuities," but my confusion starts at that point, since by word of mouth only, we have learned that one should tip "extra."

 

How much extra per day, and to whom? We have winged it on the only two cruises we have taken, but it would be nice to know what is common or acceptable extra compensation for satisfactory service. I've done searches on here for tipping advice, and most of the time instead of real numbers, people seem to let the conversation devolve into personal attacks and snarky remarks about "another" thread like it. Maybe we wouldn't need more threads with these types of questions if people simply posted what they tip for standard service that is above reproach, and even for above-and-beyond service. I'd very much like to see those types of answers.

 

I keep reading "when in Rome," but in this case, I'd love for someone to tell me what they actually do in "Rome," aka, on a cruise. We know we are paying $12+ per passenger per day for "gratuities," but my confusion starts at that point, since by word of mouth only, we have learned that one should tip "extra."

 

How much extra per day, and to whom? We have winged it on the only two cruises we have taken, but it would be nice to know what is common or acceptable extra compensation for satisfactory service. I've done searches on here for tipping advice, and most of the time instead of real numbers, people seem to let the conversation devolve into personal attacks and snarky remarks about "another" thread like it. Maybe we wouldn't need more threads with these types of questions if people simply posted what they tip for standard service that is above reproach, and even for above-and-beyond service. I'd very much like to see those types of answers.

 

I don't know about other people (this is a VERY personal topic), but I don't tip extra for "satisfactory" service. I tip extra for extraordinary service and the amount depends upon the service received.

 

I keep reading "when in Rome," but in this case, I'd love for someone to tell me what they actually do in "Rome," aka, on a cruise. We know we are paying $12+ per passenger per day for "gratuities," but my confusion starts at that point, since by word of mouth only, we have learned that one should tip "extra."

 

How much extra per day, and to whom? We have winged it on the only two cruises we have taken, but it would be nice to know what is common or acceptable extra compensation for satisfactory service. I've done searches on here for tipping advice, and most of the time instead of real numbers, people seem to let the conversation devolve into personal attacks and snarky remarks about "another" thread like it. Maybe we wouldn't need more threads with these types of questions if people simply posted what they tip for standard service that is above reproach, and even for above-and-beyond service. I'd very much like to see those types of answers.

 

For satisfactory service, nothing additional is required, or expected. For exceptional service, tip the person who provided the service, as much as you feel comfortable with. Tipping, whether on a ship or at a restaurant, or wherever, is about how you perceived the service, not about "norms" or how anyone else does it.

They do. I have seen my head waiters and assistants working quite often in the buffet.

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I keep reading "when in Rome," but in this case, I'd love for someone to tell me what they actually do in "Rome," aka, on a cruise. We know we are paying $12+ per passenger per day for "gratuities," but my confusion starts at that point, since by word of mouth only, we have learned that one should tip "extra."

 

How much extra per day, and to whom? We have winged it on the only two cruises we have taken, but it would be nice to know what is common or acceptable extra compensation for satisfactory service. I've done searches on here for tipping advice, and most of the time instead of real numbers, people seem to let the conversation devolve into personal attacks and snarky remarks about "another" thread like it. Maybe we wouldn't need more threads with these types of questions if people simply posted what they tip for standard service that is above reproach, and even for above-and-beyond service. I'd very much like to see those types of answers.

We usually have a bar we like and a lot of time the same bartender is always there. We tip him/her a $1 extra per round (we always have cheers package). I've found that this ensures we always get waited on quickly especially when the place is packed. We will get served before others waiting at another spot at the bar there before us. We also try to tip in cash as we we're told if you leave it on the receipt it will go in pool. Not saying it's true, just want we've been told.

 

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I don't know about other people (this is a VERY personal topic), but I don't tip extra for "satisfactory" service. I tip extra for extraordinary service and the amount depends upon the service received.

We feel the same way ... above and beyond would have us giving extra to those who do something that makes our trip extra special.

 

Those kind of extra tips are not required by anyone - DH and I are finally in a place where we can and do enjoy the extra. When we were in our 20s - 40s not so much.

I don't know about other people (this is a VERY personal topic), but I don't tip extra for "satisfactory" service. I tip extra for extraordinary service and the amount depends upon the service received.

We feel the same way ... above and beyond would have us giving extra to those who do something that makes our trip extra special. Those kind of extra tips are not required by anyone - DH and I are finally in a place where we can and do enjoy giving the extra tips above our auto-grats. When we were in our 20s - 40s not so much extra $$ in our pockets.:)

You do realize Chief Isn't making assumptions? When he says " he had guys" , he means guys he supervised so if he says something, it is fact.

Never said Chief made assumptions. Please show me where Chief stated that their were 2 year contracts available? Chief stated that some people would do B2B contracts which I concur is possible (even though John Heald says they don't do that......at least anymore). I stated they don't have 2 year contracts which Chief agreed with in a later post. So what is the point of your post except to show off the lack of reading ability??

Have you spoken to a crew member from the Philippines?

More times than I can count about almost everything under the Sun. :rolleyes:

We also try to tip in cash as we we're told if you leave it on the receipt it will go in pool. Not saying it's true, just want we've been told.

I was curious about tip "pooling" also since I've read different stories here on CruiseCritic, so I asked two separate bartenders at two separate bars on the Vista a few weeks ago about it.

They both confirmed that if you write a tip on your receipt, the bartender who served you and whose name is on the receipt DOES get the tip. It is NOT pooled.

Im sure this has been covered in the past and I apologize. But Im curious if anyone knows the whys behind the way Carnival distributes tips. Id assume ships don't have to follow US rules? Because I hope the waitstaff makes more than 2 bucks an hour.

 

I guess here is how I look at tips. With the exception of waitstaff, you get paid to do what you do. For instance housekeeping, your job is to literally clean rooms. Unless its clear that they go above and beyond a tip isn't even needed. For instance a hotel room on land, I know a lot of people tip, but I have NEVER tipped. I think its ludicrous. Now before you start yelling at me, its very rare I spend more than 4 days in a hotel. And if Im traveling on business by myself I never have the housekeeping staff in my room. I could care less if my bed is made and I reuse towels. But a cruise ship is different. I like having my bed made and who doesn't like towel animals? Also you get the FunTimes and other stuff brought to your room. Not to mention the room stewards may give the best service on the ship. Ive been on 5 cruises and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM call me by name. Its unreal the memorization those people have. Still, even with all that I have a hard time tipping $57 for two on a 7 day cruise.

 

The waitstaff to me seems UNDERPAID. Again us US folks are used to the waitstaff getting paid $2 an hour so they live on tips.

 

I have no clue what alternative services are. Website says "mix of other personnel who are in guest-facing customer service positions within areas such as culinary and hotel services, along with certain key positions in entertainment and guest services." Yeah not sure what this is or if I use it. Unless explained to me further what this is I see this $35 for 2 on a 7 day cruise to be a waste of money.

 

In conclusion, I hope someone can explain to how or why the tips are done the way they are done. I guess Im wrestling with if Im tipping correctly. Im fine with the $12.95 a day. I usually just split it differently. To me it should be alternative zero, housekeeping, $2.95 and dining $10.

I don't know about the servers in the MDR but here is from a email from a friend of mine who is a server in the Steakhouse.

Server: my salary is 1140. $ a month without tips, a cook has 800-1000$ a month. If we serve 2 pax a night or 100 there is no difference becausewe do not have a percentage of the 35. If it were true as ccl is saying thattips are included it would fluctuate month to month, right? So the additional tipsare split evenly between server cooks dishwasher.

I don't know if you've come across the Freakonomics guys, but they do a weekly podcast, and one of their good ones was on whether it's time to do away with tipping and just raise prices to cover the costs. They had very good arguments, and some examples of why that works...and why, sometimes, it doesn't.

I don't know if you've come across the Freakonomics guys, but they do a weekly podcast, and one of their good ones was on whether it's time to do away with tipping and just raise prices to cover the costs. They had very good arguments, and some examples of why that works...and why, sometimes, it doesn't.

There are two episodes, http://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-tipping-be-banned-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/ and a later one about a restaurant that did abolish tips. http://freakonomics.com/podcast/danny-meyer/ A weird thing I learned was that New York forbids pooling tips with the back of the house, effectively leading to well trained cooks becoming waiters and a shortage of cooks.

I already explained. Being an American I am used to dining staff being paid below minimum wage. If you are on land waitstaff are being paid $2 an hour whereas housekeeping are probably getting a minimum $7-8 an hour. Probably not the same as on a cruise ship, that's what Im wondering. So if its like land, waitstaff deserve considerably more.[/

 

 

 

you are way behind the times, servers haven"t made $2 in many years. I own a restaurant in Colorado and servers make $6.30, in January, $7.30.

 

I don't think they are behind the times, it depends where you are at. I'm in Kentucky and us servers get $2.13 hour.

None of these hypotheticals matter because they are not hourly employees, they are salaried just like many people right here in the US.

I already explained. Being an American I am used to dining staff being paid below minimum wage. If you are on land waitstaff are being paid $2 an hour whereas housekeeping are probably getting a minimum $7-8 an hour. Probably not the same as on a cruise ship, that's what Im wondering. So if its like land, waitstaff deserve considerably more.

Except in CA, WA, OR, and MN where wait staff make the state's full minimum wage, plus tips (though I don't understand why they are needed in those states now) as a minimum.