Tipping staff at Camp Carnival

[kjeanne2001]

I am traveling with family who will have children that will attend Camp Carnival. Do you tip the workers at Camp Carnival?

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

I haven't used Camp Carnival yet (I will be on our upcoming cruise in July), but I have read both here & the Carnival boards that many guests do tip the counselors if their children spent a great amount of time in the program. That being said, I will tip the counselors myself.

[lglancy]

We absolutely tip the counselors. We have used the kids program twice, on two different cruise lines, and we also were unsure of the protocol. However, after the incredible week our daughter had, we felt the camp staff was the best earned tip we gave. They did not solicit a tip at all, and were very gracious and even seemed surprised to get it. I am a notorious tightwad, but I can't stress enough how much they earned it. You may want to bring an envelope from home to put the cash in, otherwise you can get one from guest services (but I prefer to not have to wait in line for it!) The hours of peace the camp staff provided us was worth its weight in gold, and our daughter just loved her time there.

[TheCalicoCat]

Many people do, but they are salaried, so they are not in the category of those who should be tipped. Your choice.

Did your kid have a great time? In your opinion, did they go above & beyond?

My husband likes to do the drop off & pick-up, so he was more intimate with who was working, etc. so I left the tipping up to him.

Conversely, I tipped the room stewards & wait staff. (Above the daily minimum. Again, your miles may vary, I know how special they made my vacation.)

[Jonah315]

We used Camp Carnival with our kids, aged 2 and 5, and were so impressed we tipped. I put a sum in an envelope and gave it to the Director to divide up among the staff and then also filled in a comment card praising the staff by name. I included everyone because at various points my kids had each one of them. I can not say enough about the program.

 

My wife and I were talking about it tonight before I saw this post and I was saying how I remember coming out from droppinng them off the first day with a mother and her and I looking at each other wondering what to do now. We both had younger kids and sort of forgot what life was like without them around. Since then I have done this for each cruise (we have done 4 with number 5 in March), a sum in an envelope for the Director divide up and then completed comment cards praising them by name, which I was told by Guest Services would go on their personnel file. It was the best I could come up with.

 

Bob