Salaries for Cruise Employees

[mongo1973]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

[jonbgd]

I think someone lie to you

[Lottycruiser]

I was informed that the pool waiters rely on the sales of the drinks for their wages , they get " commission " on their sales , if they don't sell any drinks they don't get paid ,I found this hard to believe but the info came from a good source and one that convinced me that this was the case .

[Cupcrazy]

I think someone lie to you

 

I will agree with this. They definitely get a regular pay cheque. Tips are a bonus

[BeachChik]

I do not understand the obsessive need to know what the crew earns in salary. Do you question people when you go on a land vacation? Doubt it. What they earn is none of my business. I tip because I received great service. We tipped our dining team extra on our last cruise because they did a great job. I would never tip because I feel bad for someone. I feel that is insulting and condescending.

[Lou_70]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

 

Pay rate varies from company to company. The people I have talked to, waitstaff wise at least told me they make about 20 bucks a week plus room, board and tips.

 

It could be about 600-1000 a month based on time of year, ship and years of service.

 

I have none of this in writing, but have talked to several bartenders and waiters about It in the past.

[Ashland]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

This statement is just crazy and if you were in fact told this by a crew member of RCI..this was extremely poor behavior on their part....:(

[Lou_70]

But in all honesty who cares??? I don't care what u make and I'm sure no one cares what I make.

 

No one is held prisoner on these ships and it must be ok because they are filled with mostly happy staff week after week.

[Missus Makkem]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

 

Utter rubbish

[phoenix1181]

The stories just keep getting better & better. I especially like the bar servers in the pool area working on commission :eek: ........................ I wonder why it's only at the pool? :rolleyes:

[orville99]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

 

 

Sorry, but this is one of the oldest waiter's dodges in the book. "Really, I work only for tips, they don't pay me anythying." Used that one myself while in college and waiting tables at the local restaurant - found that tips go up when people feel sorry for you.:rolleyes:

[sredish]

If the pay was literally zero...why would the ships be filled with employees? I don't know for certain what they make, and it's none of my business same as what I make is none of THEIR business...but tips are given for service quality, not pity. Just my two cents. With that being said, I can't WAIT to spend some of my hard earned money ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!! WOOP!!!!

[Ocean Boy]

I would be interested to know if one of RCI's employees was forward enough to bring up such a subject that he had no business discussing with customers or if the OP was rude enough to ask about something that was none of his business.

 

And I agree with BeachChick, what is this obsession that people have over what crew earn on the ship?

[time4u2go]

To the OP: how did you "learn" this? Who told you?

 

For us, it's not an "obsession" to know, but I'd certainly be curious. Would I ever ask? No. Is it my business? No. Would I be interested in knowing? Yes. Am I obsessed with finding out? No.

[setsail]

Sorry, but this is one of the oldest waiter's dodges in the book. "Really, I work only for tips, they don't pay me anythying." Used that one myself while in college and waiting tables at the local restaurant - found that tips go up when people feel sorry for you.:rolleyes:

 

+1. The spa people don't make anything either:rolleyes:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=59794&highlight=cruise+ship+employee+salaries

[Maraprince]

Note: Tips are pooled and shared.

 

They are paid a salary as well. They have their own areas where they eat, have crew parties, are able to purchase drinks, must pay to have their uniforms maintained, most send money home to their families and enjoy a much better standard of living than they could ever hope for from their home countries. Working on a ship is a much desired job in their home countries. While they may earn less than a US citizen does, by no means are they being paid nothing for the work they do. Yes, the hours are long and they don't have a lot of time off when working out a contract. Most don't see their families except when they end a contract and go home. It is not an easy life when children are involved but what is earned goes a long way once they return home.

 

If anyone tells you differently, don't believe it.

 

MARAPRINCE

[marypat01]

To the OP: how did you "learn" this? Who told you?

 

For us, it's not an "obsession" to know, but I'd certainly be curious. Would I ever ask? No. Is it my business? No. Would I be interested in knowing? Yes. Am I obsessed with finding out? No.

 

Go to RCCL's web site...

 

http://www.royalcareersatsea.com/pages/testimonials

[whirlybird3]

http://www.cruiseshipjob.net/joblistings/

 

And included are all meals and room

[Elaine0138]

My son has worked at sea for several years on 2 different lines and yes everyone gets a wage. It varies from department to department and rank. When my son worked on RCI he was salaried and the waiters earned more than him with their tips. He changed cruiselines and was then on a basic wage plus tips and boy did his earnings shoot up.

[critterchick]

Note: Tips are pooled and shared.

 

If anyone tells you differently, don't believe it.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

From what I've been told (and I've never asked but it came up in a conversation with a crewmember), tips in the main dining room are not pooled. Each waiter/assistant gets the amount a passenger chooses to leave for him. I believe that.;)

 

I imagine that MTD tips are pooled and shared, because people won't necessarily have the same waitstaff from one meal to the next. But I haven't been told that by anybody I know or trust. And I have heard that the 15% "tip" for drinks is pooled but that any additional amount is the individual server's to keep.

 

And I've also been told that RCI pays $50/month to waiters; the rest of their income comes from tips.

 

Just what I "know"...

[Paulxyz2004]

To me the entire discussion is quite easy.

 

• I don´t care what they make at the end of the month. It´s the crew members decision to work for that money.
  
• The tips are a big part, but not the only part of their salaray
  
• I will always tip the recommended amount, as that´s calculated as part of their salary. It would need some really bad service to reduce that amount.
  
• To me the recommended tipping amount is not the classic gratuity, to me that´s part of the cruise cost to me
  
• The real gratuity will go on top of that for ecellent service.
  

[Trainman-2]

Well said Paul!

[Joeychgo]

Just off the Oasis of the Seas and learned that the waiters and assistant waiters work solely for the tips they receive at the end of each week. They receive NO hourly wage, stipend, salary, etc. from Royal Caribbean. If they do not earn tips, they do not get paid. I was shocked to learn this. It makes you really consider how important the gratuities are and to be even more generous in what you give them. Does anyone else have any information on the earnings of cruise employees?

 

 

uh... Nobody forced them to take the job or to continue in employment with the cruise line.

 

But lets do a little math. The waiter gets (recommended) $3.50 x 8 people per table, per day. I think they handle 3 tables at early dinner and 3 at late dinner (6 tables a day) or $180 per day. That comes to around $65k a year, + room and board. I also dont know if they pay taxes. Rough deal.

[Lottycruiser]

I feel the poster has been jumped on a little , they may have been a little naive like myself , I did not question anyone about wages on my cruise and neither was the information given to me as a tale of woe , it came up purely in a conversation with a crew member that wasn't wait staff , yes I found it hard to believe that they rely on commission for wages and when I questioned it several times I was assured that it was correct , I still doubt it but due to the circumstances of the conversation which I am not willing to go into I must admit that I did think I was being told the truth . regardless of what I was told I wouldn't tip any more or any less or feel obliged to purchase more pool drinks off the waiters , they take the employment in the full knowledge of what their salary is likely to be .

[MJDMV]

This statement is just crazy and if you were in fact told this by a crew member of RCI..this was extremely poor behavior on their part....:(

 

This OP is having a rough time!!:confused:

 

Dining-Room Waiters, Assistants & Bartenders receive around $50 per month + tips. Food etc included but they do have to buy their uniforms.

 

Bar Waiters keep their individual tips; DR Waiters' tips are not pooled; Bartenders' tips are.

 

Simple!!:o