How much does your wait staff make?????

[RDelpapa]

Rdelpapa, thanks for that explanation. The only thing I can think of that you didn't touch on was the pooling of tips...Yes or No?

 

As far as I knew, they were not pooled... One (of the several) incentives was to get positive guest comments, therefore the Restaurant Manager would allocate the Waiters into a larger and/or guest filled section of the Dining Room. Those Waiters that had mediocre guest comments, would have the smaller sections, in less desirable areas of the Dining Room; this was the case most times, but some waiters would opt as to what sections they wanted. Some wanted to the smaller section, regardless of the money or how good they were.

 

Other F&B Staff had higher monthly stipends ($700/month) such as the Snack Stewards - also known as Buffet Attendants (they wore the Green Aprons/Green Hats in the Buffet). These individuals had a goal of working hard and getting positive guest comments, as well as good Management Evaluations in order to move on to the next step, which is Asst Waiter...

[Desertbelle]

RDelpapa, you are being such a good sport about sharing all this first-person information with us. So much nicer than the normal "hearsay" we normally get around here!:D Thanks!

[joeinsb]

R,

 

Yes, thanks for some very enlightening information. In truth, the salaries are about what I expected. But to us, the work day seems long. When you see the same faces in the buffet, then in the dining room all day long, it says to us, you guys work hard for your money.

[Dalmar]

I just returned from a cruise with X and was interested to find out that your wait staff as well as your cabin attendent and assistant DO NOT RECIEVE ANY HOURLY WAGES FOR THEIR HOURS WORKED!!!!! THeir only source of income is from the tips we give them at the end of the cruise. It seems as though the staff sometime works 16 to 17 hours a day for tips only. I also found out that this is the same on all of the cruise ships. I think that this is forced slave labor. So if you stiff the wait staff they might not get any money for the entire cruise. My husband

being a former math teacher figured it out that if everyone tip according to the recommended guide lines that the staff might make about $550 for 11 days work at 16 to 17 hours a day . That figures out to about $2.00 an hour. If they are lucky. So if you don't tip they get nothing for all their hard work. Now I don't believe in tippng for tippng sake but if they do a good job they deserve to be paid a good wage.

 

However I have also cruised on NCL that automatically charges you bill a set amount for tips and sometimes NOT always in every case have felt that the wait staff was not up to X standards.

 

BOBCASEY

 

 

It IS true. And the cheapskates who look for any reason to screw one of these people out of a tip are lower than a snakes belly in my book. And we all know the kind of person I am talking about...they look for a reason to justify not paying a tip. If you can't afford to tip the wait staff and the cabin attendants, please...stay home.

[Cruisenouvelle]

Yes, thanks for giving us an interesting glimpse into crew life. As far as I am concerned, the great majority of waitstaff and cabin stewards bust their humps and deserve all the tips they can get !

[Schplinky]

While I inderstand wy folks are interested in what the crew makes and might be surprised by the base pay, I'm never sure what the point of the wondering is. If the salary was raised to be comensurate with North American standards, many posters would no longer be able to afford to sail, or sail so often.

 

I also agree with the poster who said why do we not wonder what folks make locally. A mom working at a McDonalds in a city like NY or San Francisco is likely having a much rougher life than someone from Romania or India who is making gratuities onboard while receiving free room, board and medical care.

[Acey]

I have two points about this subject:

 

1. Tip the recommended amount, even if it is mediocre service. Don't punish staff over foolish things like my pants weren't folded properly or there was a hair on my toilet seat. These people work hard, and....

 

2. Always say please and thank you and be polite. I can't tell you how many times I witnessed people bark orders out without a please or thank you. Being polite to workers is appreciated by them and can make their hard working day a bit nicer.

[spearmint]

 

Other F&B Staff had higher monthly stipends ($700/month) such as the Snack Stewards - also known as Buffet Attendants (they wore the Green Aprons/Green Hats in the Buffet). These individuals had a goal of working hard and getting positive guest comments, as well as good Management Evaluations in order to move on to the next step, which is Asst Waiter...

 

RDelpapa: What interesting information you have provided in your posts as to the conditions for staff on the ships. It is nice to read facts rather than hearsay.

 

I always write the company after each cruise, and mention our waiter and assistant, wine steward, and cabin attendant by name if we have received the normally excellent service that Celebrity provides. (We have only ever had one weak assistant waiter, so I did not mention his name.) And I will comment favorably about staff in general. But I never think to mention the people in the buffet specifically (next time I will be more pro-active in this regard) as I do not get their names. I am always polite to them and they are always very accommodating and friendly. (There will always be boors on board who will treat staff as servants, so I believe that the least that most of us can do is to smile, and use "please" and "thank you" to counteract these jerks.) Thanks for the heads-up.:)

[nps001]

It's so nice to see that you also write to RCCL after your cruises. I make it a practice. I focus strictly on letting them know which of the staff has gone out of their way in terms of service.

 

One of the butlers I had once said this to me (he was very sincere, though as I type this, it won't come across that way): Tips are always so much appreciated, but the best thing that happens is when someone writes our names as doing something special. It was something to that effect. He told me that they are very much rewarded when that happens.

[RDelpapa]

It's so nice to see that you also write to RCCL after your cruises. I make it a practice. I focus strictly on letting them know which of the staff has gone out of their way in terms of service.

 

One of the butlers I had once said this to me (he was very sincere, though as I type this, it won't come across that way): Tips are always so much appreciated, but the best thing that happens is when someone writes our names as doing something special. It was something to that effect. He told me that they are very much rewarded when that happens.

 

Now that I think about...

 

Yes, an "extra" tip is great... one can do a lot with the extra money - send it home, buy something for their kids, or splurge it on themselves...

 

BUT...

 

A personalized, written note or letter at times goes beyond the "extra" tip... On NCL/NCL America we had STYLE cards... a guest had the opportunity to fill out a brief STYLE card and leave it with the respective Department Head or Reception Desk. The Hotel Director sort through them and tallies up on a spreadsheet how many each crew member gets. He then makes a photocopy, puts it in the crew members file, and attaches a personalized letter to the original and routes it to the respective Manager for distribution.

 

The Manager then either gives it out publicly or privately. When I was managing Grand Pacific and Papa's Italian Kitchen on the Pride of Hawai'i and Lazy J and East Meets West on the Pride of America, I made it a point to read all STYLE cards and congratulate the staff for their hard work (during my pre and/or post dinner meetings). I would then tally (like the HD would) the cards and do giveaway, such as shifts off, drink coupons, Internet cards, etc.

 

More or less the same on Celebrity, called Celebrity STAR...

 

Also, in reflection, I have always found it to be a great feeling when someone personally write a note or letter about you... it boosts your morale, and shows that your hard work and dedication is paying off... Unfortunately, there are Managers out there who don't see it that way, and don't really care about your dedication (I unfortunately had Managers like that on both NCL and Celebrity), and make it even more impossible for you to complete your daily tasks... more on that (the downsides) later on... ;>)

[spearmint]

N

 

A personalized, written note or letter at times goes beyond the "extra" tip...

 

 

I forgot to mention: although I have left notes for some of our wonderful staff, I do not always do that. But, I do, always, thank them and tell them personally that I will be writing to the company (the President, Dan Hanrahan, actually) and that I will be including their names in my letter.

[cruise kitty]

I have two points about this subject:

 

1. Tip the recommended amount, even if it is mediocre service. Don't punish staff over foolish things like my pants weren't folded properly or there was a hair on my toilet seat. These people work hard, and...."

 

If I tip the rec. amount for "mediocre" service, then how is it a tip? That sounds like communism, I understand tips to be for exemplary service, certainly not mediocre, and, if I never eat in the main dining room, but instead use the specialty restaurant each night, you can bet I'm tipping in the specialty restaurant, not the main dining... I know some of you say I should tip main dining even if I never use it, however I do get massages each day, and tip for them, is everyone who does not use the spa willing to tip the spa employees too? Just something to think about...

[Lsimon]

...if I never eat in the main dining room, but instead use the specialty restaurant each night, you can bet I'm tipping in the specialty restaurant, not the main dining... I know some of you say I should tip main dining even if I never use it, however I do get massages each day, and tip for them, is everyone who does not use the spa willing to tip the spa employees too? Just something to think about...

 

Do you ever eat in the buffet? Breakfast or lunch or a mid day snack? How about a late night snack? Did you ever notice the waiters and asst. waiters from the dining room are serving meals in the buffet, clearing the tables, cleaning the area late at night, serving gourmet bites in the lounges, sorbet by the pool, etc. etc. etc. They don't just serve you in the main dining room - they work all day in various food service areas and in the dining room during dinner hours (some work the open seating breakfast and lunch as well).

[Pontius Navigator]

I don't know the exact ins and outs but we talked with our white South African waiter. As far as I can gather Celebrity originally required that they travelled, at their own expense, to FL (?) for interview. Now, if I am right, the company pays their expenses to travel to interview and home after the cruise but there is a deduction from wages to cover this.

 

Now I also believe some cruise lines do NOT require tips. Tips are included at the outset. In UK we are highly tip conscious and to some extent resenr tipping people who are potentially more well off than we are (not talking cruises here but culture).

 

We believe in the ethos of the labourer being worthy of his hire and being paid a proper wage.

 

Interestingly, on P&O, the recommended tipping rate is half that of Celebrity. If the wages are the same then the staff get very little. I doubt it.

 

Also there is talk of a tipping pool - really? Why do we pay individuals if it goes into the pool? Remember your drinks bill is inflated by 15% (?) so the bar staff and waiters have that tip pot.

 

If you have your tips added automatically to your bill are you sure that it gets to the right people? I suspect it does as they certainly put envelopes in your cabin if you don't pay automatically.

 

For my money - pay the staff, charge the fare, and tip for real service and complain for poor service.

[cruiseacecat]

however I do get massages each day, and tip for them, is everyone who does not use the spa willing to tip the spa employees too? Just something to think about...

 

Please, if you can afford a daily massage, you can certainly afford to properly tip the wait staff. :rolleyes:

[cruiseacecat]

however I do get massages each day, and tip for them, is everyone who does not use the spa willing to tip the spa employees too? Just something to think about...

 

Please, if you can afford a daily massage, you can certainly afford to properly tip the wait staff. :rolleyes:

[Lsimon]

RDelpapa or others in the know:

 

I've always wondered about the Specialty Restaurant (Olympic, Normandy, Ocean Liners, etc). I've heard different things about what, if any, portion of the $30/pp cover charge goes to the staff as gratuities. We usually tip some on top of this but never know quite what to do as we don't know how much of the fee goes directly to the staff. For us, and I'm sure others, our tipping practice there would differ quite a bit if the entire $30 went to the staff or if, for example, only $3 of it went to the staff. What is the real scoop here?

[Karynanne]

however I do get massages each day, and tip for them, is everyone who does not use the spa willing to tip the spa employees too? Just something to think about...

 

Please, if you can afford a daily massage, you can certainly afford to properly tip the wait staff. :rolleyes:

 

I agree completely with your statement. Plus, there is a 15% tip, that is added to the bill. I always add an additional tip though...

[RDelpapa]

RDelpapa or others in the know:

 

I've always wondered about the Specialty Restaurant (Olympic, Normandy, Ocean Liners, etc). I've heard different things about what, if any, portion of the $30/pp cover charge goes to the staff as gratuities. We usually tip some on top of this but never know quite what to do as we don't know how much of the fee goes directly to the staff. For us, and I'm sure others, our tipping practice there would differ quite a bit if the entire $30 went to the staff or if, for example, only $3 of it went to the staff. What is the real scoop here?

 

I just pulled up my spreadsheet, and from what I can gather, the Chef de Rang and Commis de Rang (that is waiter and assistant waiter) get paid the same base amount as does their colleagues in Main Dining. It retrospect, they often get more cash tips due to the fact that they exclusively work in the Aqua Spa Cafes versus the Lido (Buffet)... they normally get a loyal following at the Aqua Spa, and generate cash tips from there.

 

Although I was also in charge of the Back of the House of the Normandie (Summit's Specialty, I am on going to speculate on the following: the $30 cover charge in part (small part) offsets the food cost, salary of the Maitre D' and Head Chef de Rang, as well as probably helps offset the "gratuity guarantee" stated in employee contracts... again, I speculating, as I never really did delve into the happening of Specialty (although I did eat my share of Foie Gras!)...

[RDelpapa]

Duplicate Post... sorry ;>)

[cruise kitty]

When we eat at the specialty restaurant we tip according to what a comparable restaurant back home would cost, considering the level of attention and service in the restaurant, you can't just tip $5 bucks each (which would be 15% of $30)

and for lunch we always did the aqua spa cafe and directly tipped the wait staff daily, however, I have to admit you all have me thinking about the staff in the main dining, it just seems so weird to me to have to tip based on service I'm just not utilizing.

[Waterlily777]

When we eat at the specialty restaurant we tip according to what a comparable restaurant back home would cost, considering the level of attention and service in the restaurant, you can't just tip $5 bucks each (which would be 15% of $30)

and for lunch we always did the aqua spa cafe and directly tipped the wait staff daily, however, I have to admit you all have me thinking about the staff in the main dining, it just seems so weird to me to have to tip based on service I'm just not utilizing.

 

Hi Cruise Kitty...

 

Given the way that gratuities really form most of the the wages for many of the people who take care of us on cruises, I always consider the basic suggested gratuities as part of the cost of my cruise. We tip over and above the basic suggested amount for superior service, and on Celebrity, this usually means everyone, to a greater or lesser degree :) .

 

The Dining Room personnel are in place, ready to serve you every night, whether you decide to come or not. No one else will take your assigned seat, so there is no chance for the waiter or assistant waiter to make up the missing revenue if you decide not to attend and reduce your tips accordingly.

[cruise kitty]

first of all, I hope I'm not coming across as argumentative, but here's another question- next Jan., we are cruising on the Solstice in an AC cabin, this means we will eat in the new Blu restaurant each night, does this mean I should still tip Main dining, even though I won't be there? Does this mean main dining customers will tip the Blu waiters, even though they won't be there,,after all they could use Blu if they wanted to... ( boy do I sound like a tight wad B****!;) )

[Desertbelle]

first of all, I hope I'm not coming across as argumentative, but here's another question- next Jan., we are cruising on the Solstice in an AC cabin, this means we will eat in the new Blu restaurant each night, does this mean I should still tip Main dining, even though I won't be there? Does this mean main dining customers will tip the Blu waiters, even though they won't be there,,after all they could use Blu if they wanted to... ( boy do I sound like a tight wad B****!;) )

 

cruise kitty, it seems to me that you are missing the part about the dining room staff for dinner are also serving you in other areas of the ship, such as the dining room and buffet during breakfast and lunch. Are you tipping the buffet staff and the dining room staff at lunch and breakfast separately? Otherwise how are you compensating those staff members?

[Desertbelle]

UGH....silly slow boards today. Sorry.