Opinions on tipping please.......

Hi,

I have been on a few cruises but this will be my first with my 2 children, ages 13 and 14. I think it's a bit ridiculous to pay and extra $10. a day for EACH of them. Would it be unreasonable for me to tip $10. for me and $10. for them (combined) and add a little extra in an envelope to those who served us? If they were just a couple of years younger, the expected tip would only be $5. each. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hugs, Terry

Double Occupancy stinks for Singles!!! >

07/20/03 RCI Nordic Empress

10/19/03 Norwegian Sea

02/03/04 Carnival Spirit

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

When you take your kids to a place to eat..do you tip less because they are kids?? Same thing-both kids will be having their beds made, their meals served..etc.etc. Not fair to the working people who are waiting on your kids fully to be paid only half.

You will only be tipping the people who serve you. The waiter, the asst waiter and your cabin steward. Remember also, the people who serve the buffet area are the same people who wait on tables in the dining room.

Going NOWHERE

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NotADude:

Would it be unreasonable for me to tip $10. for me and $10. for them (combined) and add a little extra in an envelope to those who served us?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, *very* unreasonable. As serene said, the auto-tipping goes to the people that serve you. Are 13 & 14 year-olds any less work for the staff? Not hardly.

Eleven cruises so far. Up next:

Carnival Valor 10/30/05 CC Group

Perhaps something else as well. Watch this space.

Dance like it hurts, love like you need money, and work when somebody's watching.

Tip the full amount for each of your kids. If the staff has served you well than they have earned their tip. Have the kids present their portion to the staff members. It's never too early to teach them etiquette and the value of respect towards others and the work that they perform in a service to you. If you need to rationalize it than look at it like this:

Breakfast: $ 5.00

Breakfast beverages: $ 3.00

Mid-morning snack: cookies, ice cream, etc. $ 5.00

lunch: $8.00

lunch beverages and desserts: $ 8.00

mid-afternnon snacks and lemonades: $ 10.00

dinner: $ 15.00

dinner desserts and iced teas: $ 8.00

evening snacks: $ 5.00

midnight buffets: $ 15.00

pizza in between: $ 5.00

This works out to $ 87.00 in food. If you tipped for this amount of food at a restaurant at home the minimum you would tip even at a buffet is 10% or $8.70 ( not including food service taxes ) and they are requesting that you tip the equivalent of about $6.50 per day for wait staff ( $3.50 more for maid service-steward- to your room ) and if you tipped 15% for satisfactory service it would be $ 13.05 and if you tipped 20% for excellent service it would be $ 17.40. I think you are getting a bargain.

'Til my next cruise

Please, I don't want to be misunderstood. It is not that I am cheap. The cruiselines suggest $5 a day for children 12 and under .... My son turns 13 this week and my daughter just turned 14. Our cruise is just a few weeks away. I wasn't trying to upset or offend anyone. sorry

Double Occupancy stinks for Singles!!! >

07/20/03 RCI Nordic Empress

10/19/03 Norwegian Sea

02/03/04 Carnival Spirit

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NotADude:

The cruiselines suggest $5 a day for children 12 and under .... My son turns 13 this week and my daughter just turned 14<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You got it. You just answered your own question

March 28, 2004 - Mariner of the Seas

July 4, 2004 - Sapphire Princess - Alaska

What cruise lines give the break for kids? I dont recall seeing that on Royal or Carnival. (maybe I jsut didnt see it.

I dont think people are getting upset. They are letting you know what should be proper. Hope you dont take it the wrong way.

Going NOWHERE

http://joephila.org/tf.jpg

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

Terry

Look at it this way. If the kids eat 3 meals a day and have their beds made once a day, that is 56 tippable events for the week. The difference we are discussing is $35 per child or $70 for the week. That's $.625 per event.

There are arbitrary, discriminatory lines drawn everywhere. A 15 year old can have a job but only work until 7PM; the day they become 16 they can work til midnight. 10% off at the hardware store on Tuesdays if you're a senior citizen. Special rate on a cruise if you are a resident of a specific state.

Not to turn the thread into a parenting column but this might also be a great opportunity for the kids to hand out their own tip envelopes and say thanks to the people that served them for the week.

Another thing to think about Terry is that most kids leave a bigger mess than adults (ok, some adults , so perhaps tips for kids and messy adults should be double

Navigator of the Seas 6/26/04

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Thank you all for the advice. I totally agree that the kids should hand their own tips. We've also already discussed room service and how much to give.

As it is when we dine out, I let the kids know what it costs and how much I'm leaving for a tip ... I am 20% plus tipper. I used to be in the restaurant business, so I know the hard work involved. I suppose that's why I got a little defensive.

Thanks again! ...... Terry

Double Occupancy stinks for Singles!!! >

07/20/03 RCI Nordic Empress

10/19/03 Norwegian Sea

02/03/04 Carnival Spirit

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

Terry: I used to take my kids to places and let them figure it all out. It helped me a great deal to teach them math skills. When we cruised it was even better.

Going NOWHERE

http://joephila.org/tf.jpg

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

Wow rich folks. My kids do not eat 87 dollars of food a day. May be you rich guys do. I mean Dfritz calculated 8 dollars alone for dessert and lunch beverages?! Then 8 dollars for lunch. We do not as a rule spend 16 dollars per child for lunch. We have 3 kids . We are not rich.

And the reasoning that kids should tip the same as an adult is baloney since kids eat less their portion of the bill ( at a normal restaurant) is less therefore the portion they would tip is less. Do some math folks.Yes I realize that wouldn't appy to a 15 yr old boy, but we are talking about a 13 yr old girl here.

I personally feel that although it is good to tip , your zeal to tip is a bit bizarre. I have been a waitress and a dining room supervisor so you all can relax , I don't need to hear about the poor staff stuff.

If my child went from 5 dollars a day to 10 $ day just because of a recent birthday, guess what, that's right , horrors of horrors, I would tip 5 bucks a day.

And I don't quite get the " have the kids give the tips out " stuff. Kind of creepy. I think kids should be taught to say thank you, not to pretend to have money they don't.Treating the staff with respect is more important than money folks.You ( the parents tip , it's your money) Explain if you want( to your kids) about tipping , but actually having them tip is so they can see how " grateful" the staff is by your largess. Another poster on this site, ( on aonther thread) was so pleased that her cabin steward seemed "HUMBLED" by her giving him an extra 20 $ tip. That is the word SHE used, and she used it twice! Is that what you guys like? Humbling the staff by having a 6 year old hand over to a 45 yr old man more money than he would make in a week back in his country. Yuck. Tips should be given discreetly, it isn't showy time folks. Have some class, say thank you, and quietly hand the envelope over.

A total exception to this rule is anyone cruising with a child under four. They are little slobs, I cruised with my kiddies when they were under four and they just can't help being more work. The floor under the high chair must be cleaned constantly. They have more toys , clothes, and " stuff( diapers etc) then an adult or teen. They loeave lego on the cabin floor that the kind stewards are forever picking up, ( mommy and daddy tried ) . They need twice the towels , pillows , just evrything!!LOL

So tip cabin steward and waiter more for toddlers and babies.

WOW! Thank you for your post!!! You are absolutely right! I never thought of it that way. The only tipping my kids will do is when they order room service. I suddenly had a vision of what it would be like to receive a tip from a child and frankly, it was not a good one.

I guess I felt kind of attacked about the tipping, but will feel better now only paying a portion of it.

Thanks again!!! ...... Terry

Double Occupancy stinks for Singles!!! >

07/20/03 RCI Nordic Empress

10/19/03 Norwegian Sea

02/03/04 Carnival Spirit

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

07/10/04 Celebrity Horizon

We've taken our two children on ten of our cruises and I always scale back the tips for them. First, it doesn't take twice as long to clean a cabin with four than with two. The vacuuming takes the same and the bathroom basically takes the same. As for meals, our kids always ate at least half the dinners in the buffet because of their program activity. Again, it takes less service in the buffet than in the dining room. My rule of thumb was to tip about three quarters the adult rate.

Peter

PG:

I find DFritz's estimates to be fairly conservative. If you were to check a good fine dining establishment's price list I am sure you would pay a minimum of DFritz's estimates if not more. Any way, if dinner was only $15 a customary 20% tip is $3 just for dinner.

I think a little discretion can be used. Cutting back on the childrens' tips if they are staying in the same cabin might be reasonable. If they have their own cabin, then the tips should apply at the same rate.

Sometimes tipping **does** get out of hand. Tipping is for Prompt or Proper Service, and one shouldn't be made to feel guilty if the recommended amount seems unreasonable.

Completed:

Sea Princess, Royal Princess, Grand Princess (3X), Caribbean Princess, Golden Princess

Later, I guess that was my point, not many parents would assume that they should go to a "fine dining establishment" for LUNCH with their children.

And we don't all tip 20%. You are using your standards, not everyones.

pg- Put your claws back in. No one is attacking you. The OP asked for opinions and opinions is all anyone is giving. Each individual is free to make their own choices. I was simply pointing out how much things would cost if you were to go to a touristy area and purchase the same or similar items at a same or similar establishment. We do understand that money can be critical to some people's ability to cruise and that the more children you have the more it will cost you to do so. We aren't rich either but we do know what something costs beyond the golden arches. No matter what your opinion is regarding tipping- you are entitled to it- as is everyone else.

Later- thank you!

'Til my next cruise

Dfritz

I did not think anyone was attacking me, where did you get that? On the contrary, I was " attacking" your presumptions. And by the way , we are aware that there is something between the " golden arches" and " fine dining establishments" , are you?

pg- Before attacking someone else's presumptions ( I didn't presume anything about anyone) why don't you read previous postings by the person so that you are more aware of where they actually stand on different issues. IF, you had read previous posts that I have written you would have found that we probably agree more than disagree and I find that you have been a bit offensive. That is my opinion only.

O.K. everyone- you can uncover your heads, I'm off my soapbox for now!

'Til my next cruise

Geez, p.g.! I've had more than one "13-year old girl" in my lifetime, and I can tell you all about the messes they leave!

"Children under four" are not the only "slobs"! It's not about the amount of food they consume. It's about the fact that they are dining, and are being served! It's also about the fact that younger teens can be pretty messy, especially when they're on vacation, and the Steward generally picks up the mess in order to be able to vacuum. Terry, I hope you don't think you were being "attacked", and I hope you received some good information, and make the right decision about tipping for your kids. I'm just one of those who always tipped the full amount - if not more - for my kids when they were young. They also all worked in restaurants at one time or another, worked hard, and tips were very important to them. They weren't working 10-12 hours a day at several jobs, either, and didn't have families to support in Indonesia or the Phillipines. p.g. - You are also aware about the servers in the dining room and the buffets splitting tips, right? It doesn't matter where an adult or child eats - they are still being served.

Dfritz I beg to differ with you on this, I think you over estimated how much a person would spend on eating out with their kids . That is my opinion, and I do feel you presumed some things. W@hile dinner on a cruise ship may be fine dining, lunch with kids is not, it's hot dogs at the pool etc.Personally we just don't fine dine with kids. Too exspensive!

I think many Americans over tip. That is my opinion. You may disagree , your right to do so.

Don't worry we cruise Princess and leave the auto tip on. We are not cheap. BUT< I do agree that kids could get away with tipping less. You do not agree, that's your right.

By the way I would make my teenagers pick their clothes off the floor not have the "help " do it and then tip them more.That is why I did tip more for my toddler and baby because they did increase the work load and were not helpful in keeping it clean. I definaltey have higher expectations for my kids now!!!!

And how this relates to kids versus adults is simple. Tips for food are based on the total bill , kids that are young ( not babies) eat less , so their "portion " of the bill is smaller.

As another poster pointed out, it is not 4 times the work when their are 4 in a cabin, it is more, but not much more, one toilet to clean regardless of how many use it, one shower to wipe down, one floor to vacume.

As for buffets, guess what ! I tip less when we eat at one, why would I give my waitress at a full service restaurant the same as a " table clearer " at a buffet?

As for my being offensive, well guess what, that's exactly how I felt when you said" we aren't rich but we do know that something costs beyond the golden arches"( like I don't ?) . Oh and I thought your " put your claws back in " comment was rude. I stated my opinion, and you just didn't agree with it. So instead of respecting my point that our standards are different .

And imsulin , see my post regarding how I tip at buffets.I am QUITE aware of the tip splitting and how we are paying the workers their wages.

I just do not agree with those of you who I consider "big tippers" . It is your right to be a "big tipper" but not to make others feel they are being unfair if they don't leave " something extra" or give 20% instead of 15%. Perhaps the " big tippers " do not mean to do that , but on these boards I am sure sick of the "big tippers" constantly telling everyone that " they tip more, they give extra, etc,etc," I think tipping is a private thing, and some of them practically crow about giving more than required. It isn't an automatic get into heaven free card you know.

Then again they may be the ones who expect their cabin stewards to pick up their kids clothes off the floor and that their waiters remember their first and last name, shoe size and favorite drink after one day!

Never said I was a "big tipper". I said that we always tipped the recommended amount when our kids were younger. We weren't "rich", either, and had to plan and save. We chose not to "adjust" the tips just because we had kids. You're still harping on the amount of food that kids eat in restaurants, while on cruise ships, that's really an irrelevant factor.

Well Imsulin,, if we tip for service rendered, and you brought a child on board who did not eat in the restaurant, only at the pizza stand and hamburger stand and the buffet( I thinking of a Princess ship for example) would you tip as if they were in the full service dining room for each meal?

I think( I may be wrong) that you would say , "yes" I would tip the same. Then you might explain about the tip splitting(which I am aware of)so therefore you are actually tipping to supplement the wage of the worker, not really based on getting " full service" ( as yes I am aware that at the buffet someone still has to clear the tables)

Anyways everyones decision on how much to tip is entirely their own, I just feel that some cruisers are quite militant about everyone tipping the full amount and then some, and they don't seem to understand that many others have a different point of view regarding tipping in general.

I tip, I don't over tip, I do smile and call my cabin steward/or stewardess by name , I thank them for any service rendered( like getting me an extra towel) , I do not nag them, I do not leave a huge mess for them, I do not expect them to be at my beck and call. I treat the waiters etc. in a similar fashion.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> And I don't quite get the " have the kids give the tips out " stuff. Kind of creepy. I think kids should be taught to say thank you, not to pretend to have money they don't.Treating the staff with respect is more important than money folks.You ( the parents tip , it's your money) Explain if you want( to your kids) about tipping , but actually having them tip is so they can see how " grateful" the staff is by your largess. Another poster on this site, ( on aonther thread)..... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I don't believe anyone in this discussion has indicated that you would have the children tip to see the response of the staff. It should be done because we, as parents, want to teach our children our standards. Done properly and with instruction is it any different than buying a present for the child to give? I am also all in favor of children making gifts, sending thank you notes, learning to say please and thank you, and a host of other life skills and social graces with each lesson being taught at the proper time of their life.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I suddenly had a vision of what it would be like to receive a tip from a child and frankly, it was not a good one.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Part of my own life philosophy is the division of employee and employer. The staff member is the employee and the passenger is the employer. In my mind, no different than the school teacher is employed by the student and student's family. If you were a teacher would you have the same vision if a student gave you a gift at a traditional time (holiday, birthday, end of school)? I consider myself employed by my customers. That includes people of all ages from pre=teens up.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Tipping is for Prompt or Proper Service, and one shouldn't be made to feel guilty if the recommended amount seems unreasonable.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>This is something that I am currently trying to sort out for myself. The cruise lines call it a tip. The passengers call it a tip. Is it really a tip or is it really part of their pay? More and more I see it as pay for my employee (see the previous paragraph).

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> If my child went from 5 dollars a day to 10 $ day just because of a recent birthday, guess what, that's right , horrors of horrors, I would tip 5 bucks a day.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Personally, I have no problem with that. Would you incrementally increase the tip over a span of years or at one age go directly to the $10 amount? If the latter, at what age?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I guess I felt kind of attacked about the tipping.... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Don't feel attacked. I, for one, think it is a good question with several different views being presented. If we all agreed 100% they would only make one flavor of ice cream.