Tipping - Small Children / Infants

[MikeInThornhill]

Hey Everyone - We are taking our first ever cruise on DCL Fantasy on 02/02/13 with out two small kids - 3.5 and 8 months.

 

My question is about tipping - from Disney's website it looks like they apply the "suggested" gratuities to your onboard account, which look like they add up to ~$85 per person for a 7 night cruise.

 

So - my question is - is it "per adult" or "per guest"? It feels odd that young kids would be charged a full tip share.

 

Anyway, being a first time cruiser I think its odd that they automatically charge your account, and that you need to see Guest Services if you want to change it - it feels like it sets up an awkward conversation if you want to make an adjustment.

[jalves]

The recommended tip is per guest.

[robhawk]

Servers give toddlers lots of attention. Your room server also cleans up for everyone so it's just as much work.

We usually give a little extra to all except head server. If you give less it isn't awkward, they are used to anything & everything.

Have a great trip!!!

[Shmoo here]

Hey Everyone - We are taking our first ever cruise on DCL Fantasy on 02/02/13 with out two small kids - 3.5 and 8 months.

 

My question is about tipping - from Disney's website it looks like they apply the "suggested" gratuities to your onboard account, which look like they add up to ~$85 per person for a 7 night cruise.

 

So - my question is - is it "per adult" or "per guest"? It feels odd that young kids would be charged a full tip share.

 

Anyway, being a first time cruiser I think its odd that they automatically charge your account, and that you need to see Guest Services if you want to change it - it feels like it sets up an awkward conversation if you want to make an adjustment.

 

Most other cruiselines don't have an automatic charge for gratuties, that's true. But they do have a mandatory "Hotel Service Charge", which is, really, the same thing. And those you can't opt out of without a lot of hassle.

 

DCL is at least allowing you the option of opting out of tipping anyone, but you need to put a little effort into it.

 

As a first time cruiser, I think you should give the cruise a try before you make a decision as to whether tipping is a good option or not.

 

As PP noted, the servers in the MDRs will really work at keeping your young ones entertained. And the room host is going to be responsible for setting up/taking down the pack n play each day, as well as taking care of the diaper genie you'll have in your room. Young children require, pretty much, the same amount of work onboard as an adult.

 

:)

[racingfandj]

To give you an example of what they will do for your kids...Our server or assistant server would cut up my DDs chicken every meal so that we could enjoy our food the minute it hit the table. They also made her ketchup into Mickey head and ears, which she loved and does it herself now at home.

 

At lunch in the buffet, we happened to see our assistant server. I asked her if there was chicken on the buffet and she said no. After hearing me tell DD that she would have to eat something else, Rita showed up 5 minutes later with a huge plate of chicken. She left the restaurant and went to another to get it and bring it back to us.

 

I will honestly say I thought the tips seemed excessive pre-cruise; however, I'm now converted the other direction. DH and I did some quick math and decided if we had eaten out every meal, it was less than we would have tipped for the week. My mother only ate in the MDR one evening. We not only gave them her tip for the week, we added to every envelope.

[jshel101]

Hasn't there been a couple threads on this same question already?????

 

We recently got back from our Fantasy cruise, which was out first cruise ever. The servers, and well as all staff, give excellent service. We actually added greatly to the recommended tip amount. We had two small kids and the servers where excellent with them. Always had their favorite drinks already on the table, when we arrived at the next nights dinner. With doubling and tripling the servers tips, we still think we might not have given enough.

[gerif]

Anyway, being a first time cruiser I think its odd that they automatically charge your account, and that you need to see Guest Services if you want to change it - it feels like it sets up an awkward conversation if you want to make an adjustment.

 

Not odd at all - think of it as a service charge and you might feel better about it. Those cheapskates that line up at Guest Services to remove or reduce their tips might not realize or maybe they don't care) that they are not only taking away from what these servers make but it also says to the cruiseline that these people are not performing adequately in their jobs, thus depriving them of advancement or possibly even their jobs themselves. If service is poor, there are ways of dealing with that, but in many years of cruising I've only twice encountered poor service - a word to a superior and it was corrected immediately.

[CI66774]

Kids eat in the dining rooms and make messes in the cabin - the gratuities you pay are per "human" - including children!

[MikeInThornhill]

Thanks!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

but it says they are cruising with out their 2 small kids.:confused:

 

Bill

[Shmoo here]

but it says they are cruising with out their 2 small kids.:confused:

 

Bill

 

lol. I figure it's a typo - "out" vs "our".

 

Since they were asking why they should tip for them, they're probably taking them along.

 

:)

[ducklite]

When you cruise with infants, your cabin steward will work even harder dealing with cribs, Diaper Genies, bringing life jackets suitable for infants and toddlers, and more. You dining team will have to work around high chairs, bring meals at different times (kids meals come up quicker) and generally deal with disruptive flow to regular meal service. In other words they will work twice as hard. Tip them in full, and in all honesty, tip them extra for the extra work they will do for you.

[GrandmaHofmann]

If you can afford the cruise, you can afford the gratuities.

[Muushka]

Thanks!

 

Looks like the OP understands why the need to tip for the kiddos.;)

[MikeInThornhill]

Looks like the OP understands why the need to tip for the kiddos.;)

 

You bet - Less than a month to go!!

 

*Sorry for the "out" rather than "our" above...

[2prettygirls]

Gratuities are automatically added in on Carnival cruiseline too per guest and as a first time cruiser, I wasn't fond of covering for my 2 kids so we went and had them removed and asked for personal envelopes to leave our own tips. Well by the end of the week, they really do go above and beyond for the kids and for the adults too so the gratuities are very well worth it!!

[Emperor Norton]

Servers give toddlers lots of attention. Your room server also cleans up for everyone so it's just as much work.

We usually give a little extra to all except head server. If you give less it isn't awkward, they are used to anything & everything.

Have a great trip!!!

 

Besides the above the server we had would also cut the food into bite sized bits, make designs with ketchup/sauces and do magic tricks. It was almost like having a magic baby sitter for small spurts.

[Talex831]

On our last Disney cruise, our assistant server was so amazing with my then 4 y/o. She would have his drink on the table waiting for him every night with a note that said " Welcome back my Tyler". We are not MDR people at all, but we did not miss one single dinner because we loved our servers so much!

 

One night I wasn't really hungry and just ordered an appetizer. Our head server wouldn't hear of that and ended up bringing me 3 of the entrees to "try". My oldest (13) at the time was being, well 13, and our server would make him laugh every night at dinner despite his efforts to be grumpy!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[drmomto3kids]

I totally understand tipping fully (even extra) for babies and children and we do. However, this is the first time we will be traveling with a 3 month old and this thread made me think about it.

The room tip makes sense since he will take towels, and contribute to the trash (diapers.) We won't use a pack and play...just cosleep so no extra bed to make. But I have no problem tipping fully for the infant.

I do wonder about the dining tip though. No highchair. No food or drink. No entertainment. Ill probably wear the baby in a sling and if he wakes up and is fussy, I will leave. I'll probably still tip fully for the infant just because we normally tip extra for the attention the kids get and the mess they make. I may consider the infant tip the extra though.

Thoughts?

[gelo7]

Yes, per guest.

[sassy~one]

TO ME, Tips are given to the ones that 'help me' the most. I always remove my auto tips, and tip those that i wish.

 

NO i'm an not cheep, and i dislike the ' IF you can afford a cruise bla bla bla.

Those words make no sense to me.

 

Hubby and i just did a HAL 14 night P Canal cruise. We ate in the Dining room ONCE. We ate at the Lido 13 nights. My tips went to our room guy and the friendly lido staff.

 

My money, my choice.

[Shmoo here]

TO ME, Tips are given to the ones that 'help me' the most. I always remove my auto tips, and tip those that i wish.

 

NO i'm an not cheep, and i dislike the ' IF you can afford a cruise bla bla bla.

Those words make no sense to me.

 

Hubby and i just did a HAL 14 night P Canal cruise. We ate in the Dining room ONCE. We ate at the Lido 13 nights. My tips went to our room guy and the friendly lido staff.

 

My money, my choice.

 

A little off topic here, but did you remove your service charge on HAL? If so, are you aware that anyone you give tips to must turn them in to be pooled and divided up in the same way that the service charge is?

[sassy~one]

Hello there, offers hand. : )

 

Yes i did remove tips from Hal. I always do, also most of my other cruises also. I just believe tipping is done to the ones i wish them to go to.

 

Why would someone have to turn in what i gave them? Thats just not 'fair' What if i gave a lido staff a 'tip' half way through the cruise?

 

When i returned home, i has a complaint and shared that with my PCP. I shared with Him, about how i do my tips, and He never said anything about having to share what i gave.

 

Thanks kindly for your post. debbie

[Shmoo here]

Hello there, offers hand. : )

 

Yes i did remove tips from Hal. I always do, also most of my other cruises also. I just believe tipping is done to the ones i wish them to go to.

 

Why would someone have to turn in what i gave them? Thats just not 'fair' What if i gave a lido staff a 'tip' half way through the cruise?

 

When i returned home, i has a complaint and shared that with my PCP. I shared with Him, about how i do my tips, and He never said anything about having to share what i gave.

 

Thanks kindly for your post. debbie

 

They must turn in the cash tips they receive because that's the way it's set up (on HAL, as well as other lines that have the Hotel Service Charge). Any cash tips must be turned in. If a guest has removed the service charge, all those tips that the guests give in cash will be pooled and then divided up the same way that the service charge is divided. AFAIK, the people that are covered under the service charge are not just the "on stage" service people (servers, room host, etc), but also the behind the scenes people, laundry personnel, kitchen staff, etc. Another point, when you remove the service charge, your servers/room host, etc are questioned as to why you have done so, what did they do to make you do that? Not a position I'd like to put them in.

 

If a guest has not removed the service charge, any cash tips that are turned in will be returned to the person receiving the tip. So, for example, a room host would receive his "regular" cut of the service charge and be allowed to keep whatever extra was given to him.

 

If you ask this question on the other cruiseline boards, you'll find that those cruiselines that have the automatic service charge generally handle service charge removals the same way.

 

Now, this is not the way DCL handles it. They add the tips to your onboard account as a convience. You can remove them and tip in cash, if you wish. With no penalty to whomever you tip.

[Host Mick]

TO ME, Tips are given to the ones that 'help me' the most. I always remove my auto tips, and tip those that i wish.

 

NO i'm an not cheep, and i dislike the ' IF you can afford a cruise bla bla bla.

Those words make no sense to me.

 

Hubby and i just did a HAL 14 night P Canal cruise. We ate in the Dining room ONCE. We ate at the Lido 13 nights. My tips went to our room guy and the friendly lido staff.

 

My money, my choice.

 

Not HAL But...

On DCL, the dining room staff rotates through to the Topsider's buffet every few cruise where they are not tipped. If someone doesn't tip the dining room staff because they ate at the buffet, they are essentially stiffing the servers for the time that they have to spend spend in the Buffet.

 

Did you tip the head server? That is the person responsible for training, scheduling and troubleshooting in the dining room and they also have to rotate through to the buffet. If your dining room (or buffet) experience was good then they deserve a tip also. It was their work that you probably didn't observe that made it that way.