What the cabin stweard told me...

[largolab]

Maybe and maybe not. Room steward presumably will collect tips in excess of whast he pays his assistant.

 

Good to know. Ill be sure to tip both :)

 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

[Shaded Lady]

Surprised people would admit to stiffing the crew

 

I'm not surprised- it's an anonymous survey and people identified by their profile name admit it here all the time! But like you, I'm saddened they're not ashamed to admit it... in fact some appear to be proud of the fact that they saved xx dollars by not giving these guys the tip, claiming it's Carnival's job to pay the workers, not them!

 

Personally I think those non-tippers should be put in their own section of the ship, their own part of the dining room... then let the workers deal with them as they should!

[afcruiser]

We only saw our Room Steward twice during our last cruise. Kinda disappointing but most likey because he was so busy.

 

We pre-pay tips when booking. Always give extra cash tip early in the cruise, before we spend it:p.

 

They work extremely hard and long hours. I always enjoy talking with them and learning about where their from and their families.

 

Happy Sails

[JustCruiseMe]

I have never had that experience. They always address everyone by name when I travel. Maybe he just forgot your name or something. Then again maybe it does vary from worker to worker and nationality and culture. Many different nationalities and cultures working on those ships.

They always said both our names also, every single time.

[frugalKansan]

While some think it is sad, it is the new way of life in every industry.

 

I work for the State, and I now have to contribute to my retirement, my health insurance went up, I now have to do the work of 4 people, etc. etc.

 

It is not just Carnival, it is everywhere.

 

I'm a state worker as well. We figure out new and inventive ways to get blood out of a turnip. Since I am a chief turnip squeezer, I know exactly what is involved. When there's less money to spread around, there's less money to be had.

 

 

Carnival Destiny jan 2010

Carnival Liberty 9/28/13

Carnival Victory 10/5/13

Carnival Sensation 3/9/14

Carnival Sensation 3/13/14

Carnival Splendor 11/1/14

[lola61]

My patient to nurse ratio has increased as well over the years. Has my employer stopped the pension... yes for new employees. Sad but true trend in all aspects of jobs :(

[what to go here and there]

room steward stated on last cruise that they only get the auto tips, That thier wage which was minimal was taken away last year. true ? no true not sure but that is what was told. they stated they are looking elsewhere for a job.

[abisha]

Its been almost 2 years since our curise and I still remember our table waiters very clearly. My DH and I talked with them everynight. They were the nicest guys. They get paid very little. the Assistant waiter Dejon said that his first 2 months of work goes to pay for his plane tickets. They work 7 days a week 12+ hours a day for 8 months straight. He said he rarely got off the ship at ports because they are always doing something on the ship. We tipped them very well on top of the auto grat they recieve.

 

It's not that they get paid very little..they don't get paid at all! The stewards and waitstaff do not draw a paycheck from Carnival at all. I heard straight from director of Human Resources who gave us the ship tour. We sat in the training room down on deck 0, and someone had asked that question. They work strictly for tips. When he told us that, we all gasped! How awful. When I always make sure I tip well at end of cruise. It's amazing the hugs and smiles I get each time. It's as if I handed them gold!

Edited January 30, 2014 by abisha

[wework2play]

I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.

[urbanhawk]

I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.

 

I believe they are being truthful, when they share these stories with you-as bad as the income may be on the ship, it's still much better than the money they'd earn in many of the countries they would come from-(this is just my opinion)

[BattyL]

Didn't mean to write stweart in title!!

 

It amazes they call you by name every time they see you. They are so efficient with the many requests people have too.

 

I would just love to know how they remember everyone's name, and then just about every week, have a whole new group of names to learn. We have never had a bad room steward.

[idocdlw]

I believe they are being truthful, when they share these stories with you-as bad as the income may be on the ship, it's still much better than the money they'd earn in many of the countries they would come from-(this is just my opinion)

 

So true. I did a humanitarian health care mission to Bulgaria in 2006. I had two interpreters. Both were high school teachers with Masters degrees in education. Their normal salary was approximately $100 USD per month. No surprise that they called in sick to their normal jobs when they could make $80 USD per day providing interpretation services.

[cjknox]

This past week on the Breeze we bumped into our assistant waiter from last year on the Dream. He remember our names, the tea my wife would get with dinner and that I got the cheese plate every night. Amazing.

 

That is amazing, wow.

[cjknox]

So true. I did a humanitarian health care mission to Bulgaria in 2006. I had two interpreters. Both were high school teachers with Masters degrees in education. Their normal salary was approximately $100 USD per month. No surprise that they called in sick to their normal jobs when they could make $80 USD per day providing interpretation services.

 

Yes indeed, most of us are more fortunate than many people in the world. It must be sad when a person has to spend 8 months away from their family just to provide the basics for them.

[Rena921]

I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.

 

I totally believe them. Even with the pitiful pay on the ship, they are making more money than they would at home. They work their tails off to give their families a better life.

[SmittyCo]

I can imagine how they think of Americans ... being so wasteful during meals, spending on alcohol, etc .... when they think of what they have/do not have at home. I asked once about their hours and such.... they said Americans are hardly ever hired, because they can't handle the work hours. I'd believe it.... the crew has wonderful work ethic.

[golfadj]

[quote name='wework2play']I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.[/QUOTE]

They know how to gain sympathy in order to get passengers to increase their tips. They do work hard for their money though

[Elaine5715]

[quote name='wework2play']I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.[/QUOTE]


It is very common that the men return home and get their wives pregnant, then return to the ship. Just is their culture.

[QTPie68]

The one thing that I found out on my last cruise was from the spa girl who did my treatment, the food on board for them is horrible and the mess area is not nice. Then I understood when I saw crew coming back from a day off on shore why they had lots of bags of food and snacks.

[winddawn]

[quote name='crusinpsychRN']On Paradise January 11, 2014, I decided to ask the steward a few 'interview' questions. This is what he told me:

How many cabins do you have and how many others help you?

[COLOR=black]27 cabins, one assistant. [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Used to be 22 then 23 and now 27. I used to have used to have 2 assistants, now one.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][/COLOR]
Should I put room service trays or other food discards in the hall or leave it in the cabin?

[COLOR=black]It doesn't matter. (He said room service might pick it up if in the hall or he might. In the cabin, he'd get it next time in there. When pressed--isn't it a hazard in the hall or at least unsightly? Doesn't matter was all he'd say.)[/COLOR]

Do you like getting $2 bills or are they hard to spend?

[COLOR=black]Hard to spend, people don't know what they are, think they're not real.[/COLOR]

Did Carnival stop your retirement plan?

[COLOR=black]Yes.[/COLOR]

How long is your contract?

[COLOR=black]8 months then I get 2 months off.[/COLOR]


What did you find out about?[/QUOTE]
I empathize with the steward like every else; however, the upside is that with responsibility for more cabins, he would be making more tip money. And with 2 person teams instead of 3 person teams, the tips would split 2 ways instead of 3.

If I had to be away from home for 8 months at a time, I would want to make as much as possible to make it worth my while.

It stinks that the retirement benefit changed though. That alone would be enough for me to try another cruise line.

Thanks for sharing the information.

[Acosmo]

[quote name='BattyL']I would just love to know how they remember everyone's name, and then just about every week, have a whole new group of names to learn. We have never had a bad room steward.[/quote]

On Carnival our Room Steward always had a sheet of paper with our names and room numbers on it, for the cabins he/she had to clean.

On Princess our names are on little slips on each door to the room, yet on Royal Princess our Room Steward never once said our names. In fact, he always seemed surprised to see us and that we would speak to him. We laughed about the difference in room stewards between Carnival and Princess. So much more friendly on Carnival.

[Tantra1]

[quote name='golfadj']Well I am sure they have a lot more photographers now[/quote]

Last week on the Dream there was at least 5 photographers set up along the hallway to the dining room in the back of the ship. Then there were others along the stairs, etc.

Does anyone know how they get paid? I don't care to buy the posed pictures prefering to take our own more spontaneous pictures.

Cheers!

[Tantra1]

Our room steward told us that their pay is now being reduced by a percentage to pay for their flights home. It costs them more to have this done than it would be to arrange their own flights.

She and her assistant had 23-25 cabins to clean. I saw where she would begin and end along the hallway. She would clean the rooms and he would clean the bathrooms. We were in and out of the cabin throughout the day and always saw them cleaning rooms. I don't know how they did it. If you were to assume 10 minutes a room twice a day that comes to about a constant (no break) 8.5 hours and this doesn't even factor in any additional time for getting supplies, requests for additional cleaning, removing dirty rooms service dishes, special requests, etc. All this was done with a cheerful smile and a hello by name.

Cheers!

[Havingfun2010]

I was reading this thread in amusement.

First: it talks about low wages and long hard hours. Has anyone ever looked around the USA and really looked? How is this different than so many people in other jobs? jungling low pay, long hours, and never making ends meet. Why is it the poor cruise ship worker is discussed? They actually make a ton more money on the ship, than in their country.

Second: When they talk to you, why is it they always tell you how hard it is? Away from home, long hours, low pay and always never fails to throw in they need tips. The oldest trick in the book. Sad story, and ask for tip. They work for tips, and nothing wrong with it, and we give them tips, and that is the way it works. They pick the job, not us.

Third: If on a Carnival Board this conversation always happen, then why do so many people chose Carnival? Why, its the cheapest! Go to Kmart, and they get low wages and you buy cheap products. Go elsewhere and spend more money, and the workers get better pay. So simple solution, if anyone feels sorry, than don't cruise Carnival and spend more money elsewhere. That's what it is all about!!!

Does anyone really believe a boycott of Carnival on behalf of the workers would ever succeed?

[Bikkek]

[quote name='Havingfun2010']I was reading this thread in amusement.

First: it talks about low wages and long hard hours. Has anyone ever looked around the USA and really looked? How is this different than so many people in other jobs? jungling low pay, long hours, and never making ends meet. Why is it the poor cruise ship worker is discussed? They actually make a ton more money on the ship, than in their country.

Second: When they talk to you, why is it they always tell you how hard it is? Away from home, long hours, low pay and always never fails to throw in they need tips. The oldest trick in the book. Sad story, and ask for tip. They work for tips, and nothing wrong with it, and we give them tips, and that is the way it works. They pick the job, not us.................................
[/quote]

My thoughts exactly - I'm sure that I could come up with some pretty good stories if I was working for tips.

In terms of wage comparisons around the world, if you can afford to go on one cruise, you are part of the "one percent".

Keith