Cruise fare / Gratuities for Infants/Toddlers

[sas80]

I don't think that you would leave used diapers just lying around, either, but where WOULD you leave them? Who would dispose of them? Where would that person put them as opposed to regular trash?

 

In the trash can, as I would leave any other trash I generate within the room. Why does putting a diaper in the trash justify tipping fully for the infant? The room steward empties the trash every day anyways.

 

 

Does a baby require extra towels or washcloths? Clean crib sheets?

 

Mine didnt. The pak n play sheet was put on the crib day one and never changed.

 

What about disposal of left-over baby food - whether you bring it or the ship provides it?

 

Any leftover baby food (table or pureed) was left behind in the windjammer or put in the trash can in the room. See response above in regards to emptying the trash. The head waiter receives tips. Part of his job is to facilitate placing an order for pureed baby food with dining.

 

What about the staff who provide you with a high chair upon request?

 

We actually had a staff in the WJ give us a highchair to take with us to our room. If they walked it to our room they got a tip. If they handed it to us in the WJ and we walked out with it we didn't tip.

 

You pay full gratuities, and so should your child.

 

I disagree. I think this is situation dependent.

[crusinmama06]

My one year old puts away more food then I do! We prepaid for our tips but I see where crusinmama06 said carnival doesn't charge for under 2...I was just wondering if this is true? Although I do believe they deserve to be tipped well for good service!

 

I went to the carnival site to double check this and they might have changed it. :eek: I found some other web sites that said Under 2's no auto tips. But on the Carnival site, that wording is removed. We experienced it - so that's how I knew that they did it. But the wording is now gone from the CCL site. Sorry, but they might have changed that policy.

 

I have heard people say this many times, about how their kids get extra attention and stuff in general. I cant say that I have ever experienced a situation where I felt like my kids were actually being doted on by a ship employee.....

 

Really? That's a shame because it happens all the time to us. You stay out of the dining room with the kids so maybe that's the difference? The dining room waiters are the ones who try to get to know the kids. And then we see them at breakfast in the buffet. Or at lunch in the dining room.

 

The waiter below made the heart straws for my kids (on Freedom). He used to make sure that their chocolate milk was on the table before we even sat down. He knew they wanted to get to AO so he made sure he had a plate of fruit, bread and (after the 2nd night) raviolies for them every night -- ready to go so they could eat and be on their way to Adventure Ocean in under 30 minutes. THAT is service. :D That picture was taken with him as we were leaving the ship. He saw our youngest and he wanted to give her a hug. He had already gotten his tip. He was cleaning the ice cream machine and was preparing for the next batch of passengers so he could have easily ignored us. But he wanted to say goodbye and give my kid a hug.

 

 

[sas80]

I went to the carnival site to double check this and they might have changed it. :eek: I found some other web sites that said Under 2's no auto tips. But on the Carnival site, that wording is removed. We experienced it - so that's how I knew that they did it. But the wording is now gone from the CCL site. Sorry, but they might have changed that policy.

 

 

 

Really? That's a shame because it happens all the time to us. You stay out of the dining room with the kids so maybe that's the difference? The dining room waiters are the ones who try to get to know the kids. And then we see them at breakfast in the buffet. Or at lunch in the dining room.

 

The waiter below made the heart straws for my kids (on Freedom). He used to make sure that their chocolate milk was on the table before we even sat down. He knew they wanted to get to AO so he made sure he had a plate of fruit, bread and (after the 2nd night) raviolies for them every night -- ready to go so they could eat and be on their way to Adventure Ocean in under 30 minutes. THAT is service. :D

 

 

 

Yes, having the kids be 3 and 1 we do stay out of the formal dining room. I just dont want to have to deal with them if they get unruly. Not to mention cause anyone else discomfort if they act out. Plus, that is the one time that we can truly relax and be adults on our cruise.

 

They will be subjected to the MDR, and manners, etc, when they are older (when they seem old enough to handle it)

[crusinmama06]

Yes, having the kids be 3 and 1 we do stay out of the formal dining room. I just dont want to have to deal with them if they get unruly. Not to mention cause anyone else discomfort if they act out. Plus, that is the one time that we can truly relax and be adults on our cruise.

 

They will be subjected to the MDR, and manners, etc, when they are older (when they seem old enough to handle it)

 

As babies, my kids ate out a lot. At least 5 times/week. Now that I work full time, I actually cook more at home (ironic that as a work at home mom, the kids ate out every day but NOW as a working outside full time mom, the kids get home cooked meals every night now...lol)

 

So at 1 and 4, they had to behave in a restaurant or they wouldn't be able to eat, because I wasn't cooking at home. :p Now, my kids go to restaurants and they think its a treat! :D Geesh how my life has changed in a year. :eek: But I digress.

 

Anyway, back to the point. There is no sense in arguing on the main boards about tipping. You know how you handle things. And its your own business.

[Queen of Oakville]

This is going off topic here ..... of course we each know our kids best, but don't underestimate them! My daughter had just turned 4 and my son was 2/12 and both behaved fabulously in the MDR. I was very proud.

 

Now our first trip to disney, we did the DDP and had formal dinner reservations every night .....my son was 18 months old at the time .... and he was good about 75% of the time... but it was a long trip (10 days) and he just grew tired of formal dinners every night. I don't blame him, and saw huge progress in just one year.

[bean24]

NCL charges port fees and taxes only on children under 2 as long as they are not the 1st or 2nd in the room. Also they do not charge tips for children under 3. We are planning on tipping the cabin steward, butler & concierge for our son also. Just our personal opinion.

[sas80]

As babies, my kids ate out a lot. At least 5 times/week. Now that I work full time, I actually cook more at home (ironic that as a work at home mom, the kids ate out every day but NOW as a working outside full time mom, the kids get home cooked meals every night now...lol)

 

So at 1 and 4, they had to behave in a restaurant or they wouldn't be able to eat, because I wasn't cooking at home. :p Now, my kids go to restaurants and they think its a treat! :D Geesh how my life has changed in a year. :eek: But I digress.

 

Anyway, back to the point. There is no sense in arguing on the main boards about tipping. You know how you handle things. And its your own business.

 

I dont want to make it seem like my kids are hellians or anything and we do go out to eat (not often but that is because we have enough expenses as it is)

 

They will sit thru an hour long meal at a restarant without an issue, and as long as we have items to occupy them if they finish their dinner. We dont have enough items to occupy them for 2 hours tho. And I prefer relaxing and enjoying my MDR meal, rather than stressing about the 'what if' they act out possibilities.

[susieq76]

I can only speak from my experience with my children. We took our twins at 1 and paid additional tips to our waiters/room steward since I DID feel that two infants made MORE of a mess than say a 10 year old. When a 1 year old self feeds there tends to be a mess- and whether in the main dining room, the buffet or the room- someone has to clean it. I am not sloppy, but its not like I had a vaccuum at my disposal! Anyway- I would pay the full tip without batting an eye- and even give more.

[sarahmac]

...when I wanted to pay MORE.

 

We've cruised a number of times on Celebrity, but our cruise in the fall was our first with our son (he was 8 months then; he'll be 15 months on our upcoming Transatlantic on Equinox). I have always had good luck with friendly staff of X, but all of the staff on the Millennium went over and above. Our son is a friendly, happy child, but virtually everywhere we went, 3 or 4 crew would smile at him and make him laugh, talk with him, make animal napkins or animal noises - it just went on and on. We were blown away. We cannot wait to take him on the Equinox in just under a month - he's a ravenous eater who tries lots of new foods.

 

I am so sorry for some of the previous posters who haven't children haven't received special attention! I understand the original poster's trepidation with paying the gratuities, but I would suggest keeping an open mind - you might be surprised!

[Kidsx5]

Carnival automatically charges the $10 pp/per day to your sign and sail account, correct? And do drinks have a tip aoutomatically added to the cost as well? So basically I am wondering, besides the Camp Carnival staff, who else will I need to tip that is not covered in the $10 pp/per day? I don't want to inadvertantly NOT tip someone b/c I think it is already covered under the gratuities already charged.

[TPKeller]

I used to have a link to an AOL site i think, where you input the cruise line, length of cruise, type of guest (adult or child) and how many, and it gave you an estimated outcome of what that total gratuities you need will be, and also broke down steward, waiter, head waiter and so on. I just have to find it, anyways it may show an adjusted gratuity for 3rd & 4th passenger, just like you don't pay full price for the 3rd & 4th passengers.

 

First tiem we cruised with our 12 months old, we tipped extra waiters that saw to my daughter in the windjammer, they were just extra pleasent waiters and deserved it for being so kind to us and playing peek a boo with our daughter :)

 

Found it, try this: http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

Wow! It's been close to 5 years now since the tip calculator was hosted on AOL! :) Sadly, AOL did away with their hosted websites, so even though that old site used to redirect to the current site, even that no longer works.

 

As you note, at the time the tip calculator was written, several cruise lines had a policy that called for reduced tips for certain children under certain circumstances. As far as I know, with the NCL "under 3" policy being the only exception, no major cruise line currently recommends a reduced tip for children. I've since adjusted the calculator to always default to "full tips" for both Adults and Children, but for now at least, I've left in the check-box and background processing, just in case anyone really wants to use it.

 

It may very well be removed in a future version of the calculator.

 

Theron

[CeleBrat]

If you sail Costa, on their KIDS FREE deal, they will not charge any gratuities for the kids so they can truly be FREE. That's an amazing deal!

 

And, even if you go up to the Front Desk to ask about it, they explain, "No, the kids should be free."

 

OK....

 

CeleBrat

[bplazo]

If you sail Costa, on their KIDS FREE deal, they will not charge any gratuities for the kids so they can truly be FREE. That's an amazing deal!

 

And, even if you go up to the Front Desk to ask about it, they explain, "No, the kids should be free."

 

OK....

 

CeleBrat

 

It is not an amazing deal to the peope who wait on your children.

[TPKeller]

It is not an amazing deal to the peope who wait on your children.

If it fills a cabin with two tippers, instead of no tippers it is a good deal for the server! :)

 

TFred

[Queen of Oakville]

hmmmmm, might have to look into Costa!

 

You can add me to the list of parents whose kids were not doted on by staff (in general). There were one or two waiters in the Dream MDR and one or two in the Gathering who always came to chat with my kids, despite the fact that they were not our waiters .... and Aaron the Magician was awesome with our kids. Other than that, the staff did not dote (and my kids are pretty darned cute!).

 

I would say though that as a parent, I was blown away (and oh so proud) by the number of passengers who doted on my kids .... in the elevator, by the pool, in the shows ... everywhere. I don't think there was an hour that went by when I was not amazed at some other passenger who took the time to chat with my kids, or tell me how cute or well behaved they were. They did their mama proud!

[imsulin]

In the trash can, as I would leave any other trash I generate within the room. Why does putting a diaper in the trash justify tipping fully for the infant? The room steward empties the trash every day anyways.

 

 

 

 

Mine didnt. The pak n play sheet was put on the crib day one and never changed.

 

 

 

Any leftover baby food (table or pureed) was left behind in the windjammer or put in the trash can in the room. See response above in regards to emptying the trash. The head waiter receives tips. Part of his job is to facilitate placing an order for pureed baby food with dining.

 

 

 

We actually had a staff in the WJ give us a highchair to take with us to our room. If they walked it to our room they got a tip. If they handed it to us in the WJ and we walked out with it we didn't tip.

 

 

 

I disagree. I think this is situation dependent.

 

Where do you think those used diapers are taken when the steward empties your trash? Don't two adults and two children in a cabin leave at least an equal - or more - amount of trash each day in a cabin as four adults (who all pay full tips). Who cleaned up after your child when he/she dropped food onto the floor in your cabin/MDR/buffet? Who cleaned off the high chair tray? Did you bring your own Pack & Play sheets? If not, did you ask the steward to change them each day? If four adults in a cabin needed fresh towels, wouldn't two adults and two children need the same amount? Sorry, but I just don't see your point as being valid. You can certainly tip as you wish, but I'm among those who think children should pay full tips on those lines that don't offer discounted tipping for them.

[Cruising Mom O'4]

We pay the prepaid tips for everyone including our toddler...and then tip extra at the end...you will see how helpful the crew members are with your toddler. Even when our son was 9 months old...the waiters were so helpful with keeping him entertained..and they were all so nice to us the whole trip.

 

So... does the crew on Carnival know when the cruise starts who has pre-paid vs who will be paying at the end for tips??

[crusinmama06]

So... does the crew on Carnival know when the cruise starts who has pre-paid vs who will be paying at the end for tips??

 

There is a debate on this. A picture was taken during a behind the scenes tour and posted on CC - it was a list of guests who had removed their tips. The list was posted in the gally (sp? - AKA ship kitchen)

 

The person who posted the picture was a long time poster on CC.

[CeleBrat]

It is not an amazing deal to the peope who wait on your children.

 

You missed my point---which was that even if you ask to add tips for the kids, the staff at Costa doesn't really want them added. They maintain that kids should be free.

 

CeleBrat

[Cuizer2]

Just wondering what you guys are thinking of the full gratuities for infant/toddlers. To me, personally, to charge a 1 year old infant the same cruise fare as a child is kind of steep (how much does a 1 year old really eat or use the facilities?), and to charge same amount of gratuities as an adult is too high as well... I know a toddler will get service and will get messes cleaned up after at mealtimes... but still, not comperable to an adult.

Appreciate opinions.

 

Considering a solo traveler has to pay for two, at least your second person is a real person. I would rather pay $1000 each for one adult and one one-year old than $1000 for one adult and $1000 for one shadow.

[Essiesmom]

Considering a solo traveler has to pay for two, at least your second person is a real person. I would rather pay $1000 each for one adult and one one-year old than $1000 for one adult and $1000 for one shadow.

Amen. EM

[smoothy]

Considering a solo traveler has to pay for two, at least your second person is a real person. I would rather pay $1000 each for one adult and one one-year old than $1000 for one adult and $1000 for one shadow.

 

Hey, if Shadow doesn't come along, who is going to tell you what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

[Cuizer2]

Hey, if Shadow doesn't come along, who is going to tell you what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

 

Several members of this forum seem to be more than willing to fill that void without an prompting on my part.

[smoothy]

Several members of this forum seem to be more than willing to fill that void without an prompting on my part.

 

Well, only if there is balcony smoking, jeans in the MDR, or swim diapers in the hot tub :)

[bplazo]

You missed my point---which was that even if you ask to add tips for the kids, the staff at Costa doesn't really want them added. They maintain that kids should be free.

 

CeleBrat

 

I still say that the ACTUAL person waiting on you does not want to wait on familes for what they can make waiting on couples.