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

[cruise kitty]

Ok, some really good points have been made, I think in my case, I should prepay my tips so everyone gets their fair share, and then tip a little extra to those who go above and beyond, that's what's great about these boards, they really can be enlightening.

[Lsimon]

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!)...

 

Thanks for the info - if anyone knows the allocation between tips and non-tip on the service charge that would be great.

 

Interesting about what you're saying for aqua spa and lido. We've never directly tipped individuals in these areas, nor thought of it, other than our waiters/assistant waiters who have also worked in theses areas at non-dinner hours). Only staff we've tipped extra that are not on the standard tip list are bar waiters -mostly in martini bar and occasionally lounge entertainers if we've become real fans of theirs and really enjoyed them. In fact I'm a little surprised at your comments about people in the buffet areas getting tips or comment card comments - not that they don't deserve it but we just don't seem to have the continuity with these staff to get to know them much.

 

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)...quote]

 

I agree about the specialty restaurant deserving a decent tip for the extraordinary service, but that's why I'd like to know what the allocation of the service charge is. For example if I feel the similar value for the food portion of the dinner (liquor is billed and tipped separately and often we include something above the 15% there) is $100 so that an appropriate tip is $20 to $30 then the additional amount we'd leave would be different depending on whether they got the entire $30, half of it, or none of it. If they get all of it then no additional tip might really be necessary, while if they are just getting a couple dollars of it then we'd really like to offer more.

[fleckle]

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...

Sorry, but I am unable to follow this line of reasoning. If you do not make any spa appointments, the spa does not expect you and does not reserve a time and place for you or assign an employee to serve you.

 

That is totally different from the main Celebrity dining room where the same people are assigned to each table for dinner each night for the entire cruise. The tips from these specific people are the waiter's primary source of income.

 

In other words, when I book a Celebrity cruise, I am given a standing reservation in the dining room for a set time every night. If I do not come to dinner, nobody else is booked in my place. My waiter is there to serve me whether or not I show up. Why should his income be reduced when my absence is not his fault?

 

According to your reasoning, do you also believe that a school teacher's income should be reduced on days when some students are absent, or a mail carrier's on days when some houses on the route do not receive any mail?

 

A better analogy to the spa, in my opinion, is the ship's specialty restaurant. There, a table is not reserved for you for the entire cruise but instead you book an appointment for a particular day and time if you choose to eat there. So I agree that you do not tip the waiter in the specialty restaurant if you do not eat there. I hope the difference is apparent.

 

[realtor1126]

R-- Thank you so much for your input! I want to go search for some more of your posts. I bet you have a lot to share.

 

As one who has worked in the food service industry, I am acutely aware of the tip/salary situation, at least on land. I do not begrudge any of these great servants a few bucks for making my trip so pleasant. On our last cruise DH and I only ate in the dining room two evenings, but the servers got the full recommended amount. We probably would have tipped more if we had been there more often.

 

I agree: Why should we grumble about a few dollars to a hard-working person? I'm not saying tipping should be obligatory ("TIPS" originally meant "to insure prompt service"), but let's not be stingy either. Unless the employee really soured your day somehow, give him a break. How much money did you lose in the casino? How much did you freely hand out for high-priced drinks, doo-dads, and other non-essential items? Are you enjoying yourself on your cruise? Then open up your wallet to these people who make the whole thing worth doing--over and over and over. ;)

[realtor1126]

R-- Thank you so much for your input! I want to go search for some more of your posts. I bet you have a lot to share.

 

As one who has worked in the food service industry, I am acutely aware of the tip/salary situation, at least on land. I do not begrudge any of these great servants a few bucks for making my trip so pleasant. On our last cruise DH and I only ate in the dining room two evenings, but the servers got the full recommended amount. We probably would have tipped more if we had been there more often.

 

I agree: Why should we grumble about a few dollars to a hard-working person? I'm not saying tipping should be obligatory ("TIPS" originally meant "to insure prompt service"), but let's not be stingy either. Unless the employee really soured your day somehow, give him a break. How much money did you lose in the casino? How much did you freely hand out for high-priced drinks, doo-dads, and other non-essential items? Are you enjoying yourself on your cruise? Then open up your wallet to these people who make the whole thing worth doing--over and over and over. ;)

[realtor1126]

BTW: a couple of good ideas were mentioned. I also figure the tips in the cost of the cruise. I set aside the basic amounts before I leave home. Then, if the service is exceptional, I add some to the base tip.

 

From now on I will be writing to the cruise line when I get home. And I will mention the employees by name.

[RDelpapa]

R-- Thank you so much for your input! I want to go search for some more of your posts. I bet you have a lot to share.

 

 

You are very welcome... I am very happy to give as much as I can... ask away, and I will do my best to answer... I also have quite a few pics to share (I have posted some on another thread)... ;>)

[ISABELLA]

Well, last year we sailed on Coral Princess and ended up talking to a girl from Ukraine, who had what she called entry level kitchen position- she worked in the Buffet area, giving passangers hand sanitizer and plates and sometimes helped to clean tables. She works 10 hours a day, 15 min break every 2-3 hours, 45 min for lunch. She does not share pool of tips. She has "fixed" $1100/ mo salary, which is great. Working for few years , she can save a lot money, which she would not be able to if she lived back home. She has college degree in business and hope to get advanced in the company.Most problem for these young people - this one was 24 years old - that they are homesick, they miss their friends, and she also added that some of her friends made fun of her that she will be a waitress with college degree. But I tried to explain to her that work is work and her life is just begun and you never know what opportunity comes your way. She also added that this s the only way she will have a little opportunity to see the world.

[jasm8449]

I believe the Spa personnel on the ship are not employees of Celebrity, but of Elemis, the company that actually owns the franchise for the spa. So they are on a completely different pay scale than the ship's service staff.

[Longboysfan]

Rdelpapa, thanks for that explanation. This fills in a few blanks....

So if someone wrote to the line in addition to the comment card and hotel manager they would get a few extra kudos...

 

Did you ever hear of the staff level positions getting tipped by guests.

 

Is it a kudo or whatever to get invited to the dining room by a guest for the officer level personell.

[Cruiser Susie]

From our first cruise on, I have been impressed by the staff that work on the ships... the crews work so hard to make our trip such a pleasure. Simple good manners and polite requests should be the norm for everyone interacting with the staff. Unfortunately, they are not.

 

We have always found the crew to be most helpful, friendly, and hard working no matter the hours that they work. We still keep in touch with some of the staff we have met on prior cruises. We were on a so-called "Noro-cruise" a while ago, and the crew was literally working 20 hour days trying to get it under control. No matter how tired they were, their behavior remained friendly, helpful and gracious.

 

We tip for the entire cruise whether we eat in the dining room every night or not. We write out thank you notes and commendations for hard work for each trip; we give a copy to the crew member along with our thank you note, then give the commendations to the appropriate officer, whether it is the chief housekeeper, the hotel director, the food and beverage manager or the captain. I will also be sure in the future to go to Guest Relations and pick up the "Attention to Details" cards that I just became aware of. I have noticed that the crew members are always very happy to read the notes and to know that we are also letting Corporate and staff on board know. It is such a small thing to do in return for the excellent service and friendliness we have experienced.

 

RDelpapa, is there anything else we could be doing when we are done with a cruise and want to let people know about specific crew members? Thank you for being so gracious and willing to share your knowledge and expertise with us. And congratulations on your son's birth. Our first grandchild is only a few months old, and we can hardly believe how fast he is growing. It is wonderful that you are home to be with your family... little ones grow and change so quickly!

 

We look forward, as many people do, to seeing other cruisers we have met in the past on our next trip and to meeting up with crew members from our previous cruises. This is one of the things that makes each cruise so special.

[tzutzi80]

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.

 

I see the ideea you have, but don't forget something. Most of the women you see working on the ship are mothers too. If the mother you give as example, goes every evening back home to her child, the one working on the ship doesn't. She see her baby in photos that she has on the iron wall in her room, hold by coloureful magnets. When she goes home after 6 months, the baby needs days to remember her.

The mother at McDonalds, can change shifts and work as many hours as she choose, the one on the ship works as many as she is asked for (most of the times more then 10, 7 days a week).

The mum at McDonalds, goes at the doctor when baby is sick, at school when there is a festival, she is there all the time. The one on the ship, spends many dolars a week to hear that her baby is learning to walk or to talk, and cry alone in her cabin because she is not there.

 

You will always see happy faces in the restaurant and from the cabin stuards. They will always tell you happy storyes, because you guys, come there in a holliday to have fun, and not to hear the real storyes of why a person is working on the ship. Most of the people you see working there are at least one university graduated. They have good reasons of working there. And sometimes, even if on the paper you add, and get to 3000$ a month, in fact they don't make this money. Because they don't have full stations, because some don't pay at all, because some pay less, because some never show up at all. An average of 800-1000 is what an assistant gets, and a 1500-2000 a waiter. The reality is quite different from the nice figures you get on the paper.

And also, don't forget another thing. You say they have medical insurance. this is just the time on board, They don't have any medical insurance in their country. No medical coverage, no money going for the pension. All the plusses have highly minuses .... and nobody is working on the ship because of the pleasure.

 

P.S. Sorry Schplinky! I don't have nothing personal with you. It's just that I am romanian, and I might tell you that in Romania 1000$ is nothing! 1000$ is just what you pay for the rent, electricity, cable, water and heating per month for a small apartment, plus the public transportation.

[tzutzi80]

I have two points about this subject:

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...

Spa has one of the bast salaryes on the ship. Don't put restaurant and spa not even close. They have different style of life, better food, better cabins. it's like you compare apples with cabage, just because both are growing in the same garden

[tzutzi80]

So if someone wrote to the line in addition to the comment card and hotel manager they would get a few extra kudos...

quote]

No, they don't get any money. They just get a congratulation during the weekly meetings. And I wish you could pay at least a bread with all the congratulations a good waiter gets in a contract

[nps001]

After every cruise, I take the time to write a detailed letter to Dan Hanrahan, the President of X. I do my best to recognize everyone that went out of their way. I sent my last letter 3 days after I got back from my cruise in January. I still have not gotten a response, but in the past I got a nice (almost form letter---a bit personalized) from his Executive Assistant. I know that the staff is recognized, because I asked some of the staff on this last sailing.