Camp Carnival tips?

[IMDORY]

We are going on our 1st cruise in April. It will be a 7 day cruise. My son will be 9 years old and will most likely use Camp Carnival.

 

Is it customary to tip the camp staff?

If so, how much? and when?

 

Thanks!

[GAMOMOF2]

We have and we have not, really depends on how much we spend otherwise. (I know not too fair to them). But I would do on last time they are in Camp.

 

He will love it.

[Stevie17]

In the past, I've tipped $5 per day, per child. I typically give the tip on the last night of the cruise.

[smileeys]

First five day cruise I had my teenage DD write thank you note and we tipped $15 (no real method to it). She really loved her camp counselor and we did, too. Second time, the counselor left them alone alot, didn't follow the iteniary, etc. No tip - no note. DD said she was the only one that she saw give anything to camp counselor the first cruise. Agreed - it was the last night.

[Cru1s1ng2009]

We are going on our 1st cruise in April. It will be a 7 day cruise. My son will be 9 years old and will most likely use Camp Carnival.

 

Is it customary to tip the camp staff?

If so, how much? and when?

 

Thanks!

 

I didnt know you were supposed to tip the staff. Now I feel horrible! But how do you tip them if there are so many of them with your kid?

 

Honestly, I dont think they expect it. Anyone???

 

Dori

[G'ma]

We are going on our 1st cruise in April. It will be a 7 day cruise. My son will be 9 years old and will most likely use Camp Carnival.

 

Is it customary to tip the camp staff?

If so, how much? and when?

 

Thanks!

 

I always tipped the counselors until my grandson was old enough to sign himself out of the Camp.

 

At that point, I considered him to be independent of the Camp and he was pretty much. He'd stop in to play video games and would attend the evening "dance" activity for his age group but that was about it.

[highbridge5]

I asked the same question on the Family Boards and several people have offered commentary (between 20 and 40 posts worth...)

 

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1092283

 

For me, the most useful bits seem to be:

 

-- most people suggested $10/day for one child

-- if you get truly exceptional or bad service, make sure to let the cruise line know your thoughts and the person by name. They take customer feedback seriously when it comes to kids camp

-- thank you cards are a nice touch

-- tips are generally pooled so $10 split 15 ways doesn't mean very much makes it to your kid's counselor, even if they were terrific

 

hb5

[KJPG]

When DD was younger, she had such a good time at camp, and would spend so much time there, I tipped about $10 per day or so. I didn't tip when we cruised Princess or NCL as she hated the first and hardly attended and the people on NCL pretty much left them alone.

 

We're cruising for the first time in 2 years and she's now 10. I think the tip will depend on how much she's there. At least $5 per day. It's worth it to me if she stays with them at dinner until camp officially ends at 9:00 (or is it 10:00?) as this lets DH & I have a nice grown up dinner and time at a bar or in the casino.

[Tampa Bay Irish]

Now I feel bad. We haver never tipped the counselors at Camp Carnival or Camp Costa in our 5 family cruises. Now I know better. Tip to original poster, go to the introductory Camp Carnival meeting (and bring a pen). If I remember, I think it takes place after dinner on departure day. However, don't take my word on it. Check your Carnival Capers daily newsletter for the date and time of that meeting. The Capers will also give you the opening and closing times of camp and also other important things like what hours the waterslide is open.