Cabin Stewards really make this much $$$

[Darubian]

We had many an in depth conversation about cricket, this person stupidly told us about how he was placing bets of $100s from the ship to his country by phone !! needless to say our tip was greatly reduced

 

You seriously reduced a tip because someone discussed bets they were placing? Seriously?!?!?!? WHO CARES WHAT HE SPENDS HIS HARD EARNED MONEY ON!?!?!?!

[sazzifrazz]

How much do you think maids in the United States make per hour? Not much I can tell you! I absolutely would not sign up for a cabin steward job...even if it paid $100 an hour! Thats not the life I choose. I also wouldn't want to work at McDonalds making $8 an hour either. I spent 7 years in college and grad school so that I could have a job I was happy at and made enough to be content. Im just saying, they chose it and I don't think its that bad of a deal is all. If its that miserable they can leave. I think they get paid fair for their service...if people do tip what they are expected.

[ctcruiser1721]

Heaven knows I wouldn't want their job. I dearly appreciate every steward who has taken care of our cabins. Unfortunately, the money they make on cruise ships, however, is far more than what they would earn at home.

 

Yeah, but... THEY ARE NOT AT HOME... That's the point...

[time4u2go]

Yeah, but... THEY ARE NOT AT HOME... That's the point...

 

Huh? I thought the point was that the OP was surprised at how much money they made. I didn't recall the OP saying anything about them not being at home. :confused:

[sazzifrazz]

For those who feel passionately that this is horrible that they only make $9-$12 an hour...does that mean you tip them $30 a day pp? I think minimum wage should be at least $12 an hour here but it doesn't mean I leave my mcdonalds server an. Extra $5. These attendants are making more than American minimum wages and the cost of living is s fraction of what our cost of living is. They are cleaning rooms not putting their lives on. The line in a battle or curing cancer. I don't make as much as a doctor or an engineer. That's life. Do they receive medical benefits or anything of that nature?

[pspercy]

As a single guy in my 20s (a while ago) I went to sea for about three years, for the travel and to save some $$.

 

Was I paid more than staying home ? Certainly.

Could I save money ? Again, certainly, despite spending "like a sailor" at times :)

 

There were some onboard who'd spent their working lives doing it, the whole point is that it's their choice just like it was my choice back then.

 

On our B2B last year, in the Schooner Bar there was one woman with 20+years sea-time behind the bar, her two assistants were on their first ever jobs !!

[clean1owner]

We have been cruising a while now and have a few under our belt:).

 

Yes we agree the hours are long for all crew onboard , some guests are total slobs and leave their cabins like a pig sty, I am of the ilk that when I leave my cabin the only thing left on the floor are the towels I want changing. No one has commented on the fact that you will see the same crew year in, year out if not on the same ship in the same region so things can't be that bad.

 

We were really embarrassed one cruise when we were sat with new friends ,a member of crew working as a bar server who we regarded as a friend as we had know him a number of years started to recite a sob story, what ??? He knew that we always tipped and we were embarrassed for our friends as that was what the premise of his story was for.

Another time we had had great service from someone in the CL who we had known from another ship. We had many an in depth conversation about cricket, this person stupidly told us about how he was placing bets of $100s from the ship to his country by phone !! needless to say our tip was greatly reduced

 

 

So are you saying your tip isn't for services rendered, but for what you think the CL server should be spending his $$$ on?

 

Do you check with the dining room staff to make sure they are spending their $$$ properly before you determine the tip ammount?

 

 

I always thought the tip was a gesture of your appreciation for the services provided.

[ryano]

Even if your math is correct ( and I know EVERYONE does not tip! ) that would only be about 12.00 and hour before they tip out the other people in the tip pool. Assuming only 75% of people tip, that would be $112 per day which would be roughly $9 per hour before tipping out.

 

Would you really do that job for $9 per hour?

 

$9 an hour in some countries is probably the same as $39 an hour here, keeping things in perspective and all.

 

These people arent getting rich by any means but most of them are able to raise their families, live in much better housing, put their kids through college and many other things the majority of others from their country will never see.

 

And by saying that, I am in NO WAY making light of how hard their job is and how hard they work and I would never think of reducing or taking away their tips even if the service was not that great. Thankfully, I have NOT experienced that on the cruises I have been on

 

Im just amazed at how personal some around here take anything said about wages paid on cruise ships. It always turns into some huge argument

[sazzifrazz]

Ryano-100% with everything you just said!

[ctcruiser1721]

Huh? I thought the point was that the OP was surprised at how much money they made. I didn't recall the OP saying anything about them not being at home. :confused:

 

Clearly this comment was not directed at the OP but rather those who express the sentiment "So sad, too bad, but they know what they are in for and it's better than at home."

 

My point is that the fact that they are making more than they might in their home countries is fair given that they give up their whole lives to provide us with the cruise experience they are giving us in exchange for them being able to support their families.

[time4u2go]

Just as a point of reference, the average annual family income in the Philippines as of 2009 was about US$4800. (This is from the Philippines National Statistical Coordination Board.)

 

Obviously I know there are MANY other nationalities represented on cruise ships. I just remember many of the crew members that we talked with being from the Philippines.

[PowMacP]

I do my part and tip as suggested

 

Excuse my ignorance but what is the suggested tip amount per day? :rolleyes:

 

On my last cruise with NCL I was reading that the $12/person/day service charges was distributed among steward & so on although was recommended that we tip our waiters & bar tenders as they don't get any shares of the daily service charges.

[ryano]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the suggested tip amount per day? :rolleyes:

 

On my last cruise with NCL I was reading that the $12/person/day service charges was distributed among steward & so on although was recommended that we tip our waiters & bar tenders as they don't get any shares of the daily service charges.

 

11.65 per person, per day is the recommended gratuity amount :) I think its 13.90 per person per day if you are in a suite.

 

that will cover your cabin attendant, head waiter, waiter and assistant waiter.

 

using that guideline, gratuities for two people on a 7 night cruise will be a little over 160.00 for non suite guests

[PowMacP]

11.65 per person, per day is the recommended gratuity amount :) I think its 13.90 per person per day if you are in a suite.

 

that will cover your cabin attendant, head waiter, waiter and assistant waiter.

 

using that guideline, gratuities for two people on a 7 night cruise will be a little over 160.00 for non suite guests

 

Does RCI include this amount in the bill at the end of the week or is it something that you have to take care day by day.

 

On NCL we did leave tips to the steward & waiters although the $12 per day per pax is added to your bill at the end of the cruise.

 

Sorry, never cruise with RCI but intend to cruise with them next winter.

[ryano]

Does RCI include this amount in the bill at the end of the week or is it something that you have to take care day by day.

 

On NCL we did leave tips to the steward & waiters although the $12 per day per pax is added to your bill at the end of the cruise.

 

Sorry, never cruise with RCI but intend to cruise with them next winter.

 

You can prepay it all before you cruise, have it added on to your onboard account or pay in cash on the last night :) whatever is most convenient for you

 

I always just have it added to my onboard account...........if you choose My Time Dining you will have to prepay them up front before the cruise :)

[PowMacP]

You can prepay it all before you cruise, have it added on to your onboard account or pay in cash on the last night :) whatever is most convenient for you

 

I always just have it added to my onboard account...........if you choose My Time Dining you will have to prepay them up front before the cruise :)

 

Thanks for your help.

[Gil T. Azell]

OK it´s been discussed already that the crew doesn´t work the whole year, but I´m really curious how you came up with 361 days? :confused:

What´s the 4 days you thought they get off?

I was also curious as to the 361 days in a year figure?:confused:

 

 

Sorry wasn't figuring leap year either that we just had...my bad:eek:

 

Jimbo:)

 

OK you have piqued my curiosity.:eek:;) Even with the leap year factored in or out it still doesn't add up to the right days in a year. Exactly how may days do YOU think there are in a year???

[Gilgo Surfer]

heaven knows i wouldn't want their job. I dearly appreciate every steward who has taken care of our cabins. Unfortunately, the money they make on cruise ships, however, is far more than what they would earn at home.

 

b.i.n.g.o.

[ghulett]

http://cruiseplacement.com/html/hot_job.htm

 

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/

 

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/hotel.htm

From one of the above sites:

"Cabin Steward / Stewardess / Cabin Attendant (daily cleaning of passenger cabins) - no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1800-2200 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Head Room Steward."

 

That certainly doesn't work out to much per hour, particularly a 10 - 12 hour work day!

[AussieVisi2r]

I would figure it more like they work 44 weeks a year (8 weeks off to go home).

 

Then, realistically, figure 80% actually do tip them.

 

That makes $36,960 per year, but they also have to pay for uniform cleaning, and their personal miscellaneous expenses.

 

And the 8 weeks 'holiday' are unpaid - more like laid off for 8 weeks. And they pay their airfare one way. They get themselves to the ship, RCL flies them home.

And they MAY NOT extend their stay in the country they disembark. ie if their contract ends in Italy and they live in AUstralia, they must be on a fight within 24 hours leaving Italy, going directly home. So much for seeing the world!!!!

Raina

[Nessa1964]

So is it better to tip them $5 -$10 daily like they do in hotels or at the end of your cruise. (1st time cruiser here sorry):)

[AussieVisi2r]

Hi,

There is a recommended amount for the type of room you are in, but yes definitely do tip them at the end (or at any time). It is really hard for us Aussie's who see tipping as an extra for great service, not as a part of their wage.

This also applies to your waiter and assistant waiter.

Enjoy your first cruise. You will love it!!:)

Raina

[newcruisergal]

DH and I had this discussion on our cruise, to us it seems room steward is the worst job (maybe some of the behind the scenes stuff is worse, laundry room, etc but we can't see that), but people can be so GROSS about their rooms, walking by open doors and you see crap lying everywhere, dirty laundry, trash, food. I couldn't deal with this on a daily basis. And you just know the messiest ones probably tip the least!

[sazzifrazz]

Does RCI not pay them at all? waitresses get paid very minimally from a restaraunt and tips are the bulk of their income but they do get some hourly rate. Is that not true of the onboard staff? Also, what is their benefits package like?

[PH8]

$150 a day times 361 days comes out to $54,150.00

 

 

 

Sorry wasn't figuring leap year either that we just had...my bad:eek:

 

Jimbo:)

Most years have 365 days..the rest(leap years) have 366..:)