Did the crew deserve a raise in THIS economy?

[klmorg]

Neither. I remove them and tip in cash always.

 

This explains alot to me....

[wegiekat]

IMHO I agree with a lot of other posters. Number 1 - the gratuity is recommended and you can change it if you wish and number 2 - really, if you can't afford the tip in this economy how can you afford to cruise?:eek:

[willow0325]

So we agree they deserve it, much like my lumping in the hometown issues.They all deserve it,but in this economy should they be getting a raise while everyone takes a cut or stays where they have been for years?

 

So what you're saying is that because the economy in the U.S. is lousy, then cruise ship employees should suffer for that too? Unfortunately, like many of us, I've no doubt that they're being asked to do more with less. If Carnival decides to give them a raise, then I support it 100% just as I would support any hardworking person getting a raise if their employer can afford to do so.

 

I haven't had a raise in the past 2 years because of the economy (and other government-related issues -- but let's not EVEN go there!) but I'm still happy for people who I care about who do get a raise and that includes every Carnival employee who got another dollar in their paycheck.

[willow0325]

Just as an afterthought -- when I think about the way I see some people treat the cruise employees, then I think no matter what they are paid, it isn't enough! Sometimes they put up with some "holier than though" "wait on me NOW" "you're my servant" attitudes. No matter what they are paid, you could never pay them enough to substantiate that kind of treatment.

[drosphot]

II know the tips are adjustable,but until they allow you to do it from the privacy of your own cabin they make it difficult for the average person to do.

 

Why is it difficult? Are you physically unable to walk down to Guest Services and do it? Or is it the embarrassment to do it in person but from behind a keyboard is no problem? :confused:

 

I think the crew deserves a shrimp cocktail at every meal plus a raise! :cool:

[sewut]

Neither. I remove them and tip in cash always. But the question of "Why" should not be asked.

When you eat out and leave a 15% tip,you do not have to explain why,so why when boarding,before noon on the first day,do they even have to ask why? You have not even eaten,or have been to your cabin yet so there is no reason to ask why.

Why before noon or as soon as boarding? Because they can't question anyone because you have not interacted with no one.

 

 

When you do this, the behind the scenes people don't get tipped. What about the pizza guy, the burger guy, the person working behind the buffet, the busboys? I could go on and on. These people work hard, don't they deserve a tip? Or do you walk around with a wad of bills in your pocket tipping these people all day?

You called people ignorant on another thread because they dress up for formal night. I don't think you understand what cruising is all about.

 

Sewut

[Vanessa L]

I am very happy to see this. The crews definitely deserve it!! I factor tips into my cruise rate and consider it part of the overall price. Sorry, but $21.00 for 2 of us for a week cruise is NOT going to break the bank, and God knows the crews earn it! If I can't afford to tip, be it $10pp per day or $11.50pp per day, I have no business cruising. Just my $.02.

[Rirruto]

if i can't afford to tip, be it $10pp per day or $11.50pp per day, i have no business cruising. Just my $.02.

 

agreed

[zenful6219]

I know they work hard and long hours but in this economy should they really have gotton a 15% raise?

 

When you vote in this poll, please vote as it relates to your town workers.

I am refering to your school teachers,Police,and Firefighters. I know in mine,they needed to take a pay cut and they needed to take a few days off without pay.

If you have money to throw around then please vote yes and then mail a check to your local school system.:D

 

I know the tips are adjustable,but until they allow you to do it from the privacy of your own cabin they make it difficult for the average person to do.

If you think they deserve it,you have the right to tip extra or increase it,not the cruiseline doing it for you.They claim they figure it out based on industry standards,but what industry is doing so great right now? OH I forgot...Wallstreet.

 

The crew deserves this raise in tips. Furthermore, your attempt to draw a connection between it and the financial issues faced by U.S. educators and public safety is flawed. The reason teachers are being layed-off in droves is because our country has a problem controlling the rampant greed that exists among the top 1-2% who control 85% of the country's wealth.

[H82seaUgo]

I know they work hard and long hours but in this economy should they really have gotton a 15% raise?

 

When you vote in this poll, please vote as it relates to your town workers.

I am refering to your school teachers,Police,and Firefighters. I know in mine,they needed to take a pay cut and they needed to take a few days off without pay.

If you have money to throw around then please vote yes and then mail a check to your local school system.:D

 

I know the tips are adjustable,but until they allow you to do it from the privacy of your own cabin they make it difficult for the average person to do.

If you think they deserve it,you have the right to tip extra or increase it,not the cruiseline doing it for you.They claim they figure it out based on industry standards,but what industry is doing so great right now? OH I forgot...Wallstreet.

 

actually, prices should have gone down. with all the fare reducing, tips should go down as well.

[amichel]

I read that it had been around ten years since the crew had a raise in tips. Yeah, I think they deserve it, especially in this economy. The ship crew works really hard and they aren't really paid very well.

[linda_22003]

So we agree they deserve it, much like my lumping in the hometown issues.They all deserve it,but in this economy should they be getting a raise while everyone takes a cut or stays where they have been for years?

 

What do you mean by "everyone"? I've gotten a raise every year. Don't assume the economy is bad everywhere for everyone; it's not.

[H82seaUgo]

I read that it had been around ten years since the crew had a raise in tips. Yeah, I think they deserve it, especially in this economy. The ship crew works really hard and they aren't really paid very well.

 

so how much has carnival increased their base salary in that same timeframe?

[zomandy]

Yes, they definitely deserve a raise....years ago how many people never showed up on the last night of the cruise to avoid paying tips????? This new system of automatically added to your onboard account makes up for those cheap people.....plenty of money to get balconies & suites, but too cheap to tip.

 

Also, many people don't know this, but the crew get very little, if anything for a salary, they basically work for their tips. They have to tip their room steward to clean their cabins, and pay the laundry to clean their clothes. They also have to buy all of their work clothes, cruise lines don't even give them those. What little they get to keep, they send home to their families who don't get to see them once every 6 or 8 months depending upon their contracts.

 

Would you work so hard and smile for so little???

[debster11]

I haven't had a raise in 5 years. I know how it feels to struggle and feel that more is deserved in this economy. I think the raise in tips is long overdue. These people work hard with very long hours. Yes, they deserve the raise.

[elcuchio24]

I know they work hard and long hours but in this economy should they really have gotton a 15% raise?

 

When you vote in this poll, please vote as it relates to your town workers.

I am refering to your school teachers,Police,and Firefighters. I know in mine,they needed to take a pay cut and they needed to take a few days off without pay.

If you have money to throw around then please vote yes and then mail a check to your local school system.:D

 

I know the tips are adjustable,but until they allow you to do it from the privacy of your own cabin they make it difficult for the average person to do.

If you think they deserve it,you have the right to tip extra or increase it,not the cruiseline doing it for you.They claim they figure it out based on industry standards,but what industry is doing so great right now? OH I forgot...Wallstreet.

 

Wow. Shouldn't you be occupying Wallstreet or something? Honestly, if you have the wherewithall to cruise on a regular basis, I don't think you can really play the poverty card. How about next time you are planning a cruise-you go ahead and cancel it and mail a $4k check to your local school system administrator, if it's that important to you....:rolleyes:

[tfrcal]

Wow. Shouldn't you be occupying Wallstreet or something? Honestly, if you have the wherewithall to cruise on a regular basis, I don't think you can really play the poverty card. How about next time you are planning a cruise-you go ahead and cancel it and mail a $4k check to your local school system administrator, if it's that important to you....:rolleyes:

 

We have a winner, I agree with this line of thought.

 

To the OP, are you really interested in the poll or would you rather make a political statement?

[sylvis]

One thing that I have not seen addressed here is that they have not had a raise since 2001 which means that they did not receive a raise while the economy was still good. And just because the price of the cruise has gone down and Carnival can still make money with that, does not mean the cost of living for it's employees has decreased. Yes your total tips have gone up but each individual is not getting an increase of 15%.

[Warm Breezes]

In the last 10 years my payrate has risen 30%. Theirs has risen 0%. I have no problem giving them a 15% increase. In fact, I'm paying 5% more than that to NCL employees on my next cruise.

[H82seaUgo]

In the last 10 years my payrate has risen 30%. Theirs has risen 0%. I have no problem giving them a 15% increase. In fact, I'm paying 5% more than that to NCL employees on my next cruise.

 

how much has carnival raised their base pay over that same timeframe?

[Warm Breezes]

how much has carnival raised their base pay over that same timeframe?

 

I don't know...do you? Their base pay isn't that much to begin with so I'm pretty sure any raise to it was not all that much. Especially since the price to cruise hasn't gone up in those same 10 years. I know I haven't supported any pay raises they may have gotten to their base pay through increased cruise prices.

[Peddler&Tass]

Crystal ...$13.00

Disney $12.00

HAL $11.00

NCL $12.00

RCCL $11.65

 

Quit complaining about Carnival.

[H82seaUgo]

I don't know...do you? Their base pay isn't that much to begin with so I'm pretty sure any raise to it was not all that much. Especially since the price to cruise hasn't gone up in those same 10 years. I know I haven't supported any pay raises they may have gotten to their base pay through increased cruise prices.

 

you stated, as if fact, that their pay went up ZERO. do you know this, or are you just posting what shows up on your magic 8 ball?

 

all i can say is, as fact, i tip on service, and the level of service i have received in the past 4 years has gone way down, down, down....

 

some say this is because they are serving more people. i do not know if this is the reason. i only rate them what they do for me. less is not more here.

[bazarr2]

I read on another thread that the tips had not been raised in 6 or 7 years (at least)! That's a long time to go between raises, don't you think! Note that ships still sail at full capacity - even in this economy. The crew works very hard, and deserves every penny.

You are correct in saying that they haven't gotten a raise in a long time, in fact it has been now over 10 years. How many that voted no hasn't had a raise since 2001?? I think if I can afford to go on a cruise and with all it entails I can afford an extra $1.50 per day for the crew, jeezzzze. :rolleyes:

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Do your teachers,police and firefighters deserve a raise?

 

Everyone gets upset at tax increases,overides get shot down real bad to the tune of 90+% agaist a tax increase (locally), yet CCL takes it upon themselves to raise the tax,I mean tips. Yet here on this BB its the other way around.90+% are in favor of the tax,I mean tips being raised.

Whats wrong with that? As long as its for vacation, who cares if our teachers are underpaid and our classrooms are overcrowded right?

 

 

1. Don't have kids. I am not involved in the School District and have no idea what the teachers make. I do know that my taxes haven't gone up since I lived in my house, so if they are getting a raise it isn't noticeable to me.

 

2. Our police are all part time with the exception of the Chief. Not sure what they make, but I do know that they are constantly turning applicants away because they have little turnover. To me this means that the police are happy because either their pay rate is acceptable to them or their working conditions are very good. If they aren't complaining, then no...They don't deserve a raise.

 

3. My fire dept are volunteers so, no they don't deserve a raise.

 

The gratuity rate hasn't gone up for since 2001 ( per John H). I don't know what their base pay is. 10 years without an increase, yes I am ok with 15%.

 

This isn't a political issue. If taxes are raised to pay teachers, police, firefighters then you have to pay them. You have options here. You can pay the increase in gratuities, remove them, remove them and pay cash or not go on the cruise. It's nice to see that you still have electricity or a charged phone from wherever you are occupting.