How much do waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards actually receive?

[lizzy77]

As an Aussie, it is not the norm for us to tip UNLESS we get exceptional service. Our workers are all very well paid (compared to US workers) with overtime, and double time for Sundays and Public Holidays, therefore we can be seen to be mean at times.:rolleyes: It is just not in our culture, so if you come here do not feel obliged to tip. Waiters would get about $18.00 per hr plus penalty rates, plus any tips. Some can do quite nicely if they are good at their job. In my opinion, this works well.;)

We understand how it is on a cruise and we just go with the auto tip.

[pris993]

Staff on cruise ships are very sharp and clever, they know how to "work" the passengers for extra tips. Give credit where credit is do; they are smarter than many of us.

 

Give what you feel is appropriate and let it go at that. :)

[Sea Fan]

Wow what a great system I really wish it was that way in the States, it's so hard sometimes to decide what to tip. Knowing that many of our waiters and waitresses depend on those tips does cause me concern.

 

I do base it on service most of the time but usually never walk away with out leaving something.

 

Consequently even though I have the auto tip on the ship I feel if they bring me a drink or something I should tip extra...I think I need to get over that!

 

Thanks,

 

Dianne

[peterv]

 

 

As said before - they treat us like royalty. When individuals go beyond expectations, we will compensate.

 

 

I have never understood this statement, exactly WHAT are they doing for you that would equate to this statement? :confused:

 

The only thing that stewards or waiters have ever done for us is to clean the room or serve the food/drink, which as far as I can tell is their job?!?

 

For me, to be treated like royalty would require a much higher/personal class of service than I have ever received on any cruise ship / hotel / or restaurant.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

If I go to a restaurant which "automatically" adds 18% (if I am in a group of 6 or more) then I know how much to "add" as extra tip for an extra good service so that my "total" tip reflects the service I received. To say that the portion of auto-tip received by the cabin steward or by the waiter or asst. waiter is "irrelevant" to how much "extra" I should give is ABSURD! But in these forums everyone (including you and I) feel that we are the one who is "always" right. No more from me on this issue. I agree that one should not "ask" but one MUST estimate what one is already giving in the form of auto-tip to calculate the total tip for the service.

 

I agree that making an estimate is in good judgement. However, by now it seems like we will never have a definitive answer on how it is divided.

[Viola]

The $10.50 assessed each day is a small amount compared to the service that y ou get. People forget all the staff behind the scenes - who is washing dishes???etc. It is easy to say the cruise lines need to pay them a living wage...but in the end it will be passenger who pays. . Last cruise on Diamond to Hawaii, I slipped my waiter and assistant an extra $50. What for?? His courtesy, hard work, no charge for storing wine and when I asked for Coconut Shrimp, a PLATTER showed up one night, the best I ever ate. Every once in a while I receive poor service or attitude (not every often) and then I just smile and leave my extra $$ in my pocket.

[woodofpine]

First, I think the USA tipping method sucks. Second, I think that European countries (generally) have higher service standards than the USA. Never been 'down under', but I'll assume their service industry is better than the USA ('cause it don't take much!).

 

But, we're NOT talking USA here, we're talking ships at sea. Ships that tell you the tipping compensation deal - before you go...

 

So - if you go, don't hide behind your national cultural superiority. It's transparent and nobody's fooled. Even if you can get way with it, it's akin to my arriving in England or Belgium, renting a car, filling it up at the gas station and then announcing, "Sorry, I'm only paying half because the petrol here in no better than home and that's how much we pay at home, and our retail petrol tax structure is the best ever, and our oil companies are SWELL (yada yada yada)". :D :D

[Putterdude]

I don't get it either.

 

I don't ask what you make as salary - and I don't really want to concern myself with what other might make.

 

Additionally, I won't ask what you paid for your airline ticket, nor what you paid of your cruise.

 

I think some are much too curious.

 

 

I agree and frankly I think the $10.50 to $11 is a real bargin by comparision to the tips we leave in shore based establishments be they hotels or restaurants.

[peterv]

 

But, we're NOT talking USA here, we're talking ships at sea. Ships that tell you the tipping compensation deal - before you go...

 

 

I have to disagree, the amount of the tip is only a suggestion of the cruise line, the tipper is free to leave as much or as little and in whatever form they wish.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Jimbo59]

This discussion has gotten somewhat off track. As the original poster, I just wanted to know if supervisors and managers are diverting some of the hotel charge to themselves. In the past, we gave the waiters, assistant waiters, and cabin stewards the cash directly - there was no opportunity for the money to be diverted to supervisors.

[Sea Fan]

Sorry about getting off track I really don't have an answer for you.

I read that it all goes into a pot and is split amongst many since there are some behind the scenes that we never see but they deserve a tip. I would like to think that if someone has gone above and beyond and I give them extra they would be allowed to keep it.

I think the only way we will know for sure is if an employee posts honestly and tells us. Everything else just seems to be hearsay.

 

Dianne

[skf]

I had coffee and several conversations with some lovely people from Australia they pretty much figure we from the US were crazy with all our tipping. They told me it's not done there because they pay the workers a livable wage and it's not expected. That said, I kept the auto tip on and paid extra. I sure would like to hear from our Australian friends and find out if this is a fact. It will make it so much easier when I visit.

 

Dianne

I saw a National Geographic article...the writer had left a decent tip at an Australian restaurant. The waitress chased him down, gave it back, & said "Hey, mate, they pay me a salary!"

Steve

[Verycatchy7939]

why not pay the crew a living wage and make tipping a bonus for good service. Princess it the 21st century bring your self in to it

[nbsjcruiser]

why not pay the crew a living wage and make tipping a bonus for good service. Princess it the 21st century bring your self in to it

 

Because it would make the price of cruising much higher than it is now and would probably take a lot of cruisers out of the picture.

 

Not saying that its right what they do because I do believe that the cruise lines make enough money to spread a little joy to the workers. Most companies today don't give a rat's a__ about service, bottom line is all that matters. It would be interesting to see a cruise company say "We made x millions last year. We're going to take a percentage of that and return it to the workers in the form of a living wage. We may make a little less but its the right thing to do". It would be refreshing to hear that from a company but alas we live in the age of Corporate and CEO greed and we're not likely to ever see that.

[gillianrose]

Princess it the 21st century bring your self in to it

 

I agree with that statement, and think that a smoke-free environment (cabins, balconies, most public bars and lounges, etc.) is something that will also benefit the workers who must put up with smoke in order to serve people, and clean up after smokers, who leave behind their butts in ash trays that the workers must clean and cigarette burn marks the line must repair.

 

Until that day happens, perhaps smokers should tip more for the the extra clean-up needed.

[Pam in CA]

[quote name='Verycatchy7939']why not pay the crew a living wage and make tipping a bonus for good service. Princess it the 21st century bring your self in to it[/quote]"Living" by whose standard? In comparison to where the cruise staff come from, they are making a very good wage. That doesn't justify a lower wage but the one "major" cruise line that pays according to U.S. pay standards, NCL-A, is notorious for having poor service, staff that often leave in the middle of a contract, and just plain lazy American workers. NCL-A used to have three ships sailing around Hawaii but it was such a poor product, and NCL-A couldn't make it pay due to the higher crew costs, that two of those ships have been redeployed and are cruising elsewhere with non-U.S. employees and payscale.

I'm all for paying the crew a better wage and I'm lucky in that I could afford the huge jump in cruise costs if that were implemented. Not everyone can; heck, some people post that they can't afford to get a passport or insurance yet they still cruise. They'd be priced completely off cruising.