Tipping

[roger001]

I wonder, if the salaries are really this good, why I don't ever see staff from the USA and Western Europe in these positions? Given the current economic situation and lack of employment opportunities for young people in particular, I would think that there would be far more coming through but I am not seeing it.

 

 

I have difficulty seeing the younger folks that surround me doing a job like this. I do not see them with the discipline or dedication to work these very long days, 7 days a week, and do so while having the public relations skills of a saint, all the while making less than $7 an hour at the highest paid service positions . And...I'm guessing that the large majority of cruise ship employees are dedicated to their job because they are supporting a family, both immediate and extended back home. That is incentive to endure. The young available work force around me have no incentive like that at all.

[Seanote]

I wonder, if the salaries are really this good, why I don't ever see staff from the USA and Western Europe in these positions? Given the current economic situation and lack of employment opportunities for young people in particular, I would think that there would be far more coming through but I am not seeing it.

 

Think about it real hard. Seven days a week, 12 hours per day for ten months! At $2,200 per month is $22,000 per year. They do not get paid when they are on "vacation".

 

The local bank is hiring entry level tellers for $11 per hour (or roughly $22,000 per year) for a 40 hour work week, with benifits. Which would you choose?

[NLH Arizona]

Nevermind

[njrover0216]

Many of you must add in utilities, food, toiletries, laundry, rent/board, etc into that monthly salary. A person here making min. wage at 7.50 an hour still has to go home pay for all of the above items which can run $1500-$2500 easily.

 

Some may have families they are sending home to, but that is their choice and their decision to work there. If they are not Americans working then I bet the money goes MUCH further in their country.

 

Lets not act like these workers are like slaves...they applied for the job, knew the salary and what it requires...they make a decent living for someone from another country.

 

I wonder are there actual ship workers on this board?

[njhorseman]

Many of you must add in utilities, food, toiletries, laundry, rent/board, etc into that monthly salary. A person here making min. wage at 7.50 an hour still has to go home pay for all of the above items which can run $1500-$2500 easily.

 

Some may have families they are sending home to, but that is their choice and their decision to work there. If they are not Americans working then I bet the money goes MUCH further in their country.

 

Lets not act like these workers are like slaves...they applied for the job, knew the salary and what it requires...they make a decent living for someone from another country.

 

I wonder are there actual ship workers on this board?

 

You're failing to acknowledge that the family living in their native country that the cruise line employee is support still has to pay rent, utilities, food etc. and that is where the money is going. You couldn't possibly attract the cruise line employees to work on the ship if their room and board were not included. If they had to pay for it wouldn't make sense for them to work on a ship because it wouldn't leave enough money to adequately support their family.

 

No one is suggesting they're slaves, and they definitely work on the ships because they can earn more than they would at home, but only a small percentage of those earnings come from the base salary paid by the cruise line. As cited earlier (from the book written by a former cruise line waiter), his base cash salary was about $60 per month, and 95% of his earnings came from the auto tip/service/hotel charge (whatever name a particular cruise line uses). Unfortunately some posters have misused the word "salary" to describe their total income, which is inaccurate and misleading. The salary itself is miniscule.

[Don Haynes]

You're failing to acknowledge that the family living in their native country that the cruise line employee is support still has to pay rent, utilities, food etc. and that is where the money is going. You couldn't possibly attract the cruise line employees to work on the ship if their room and board were not included. If they had to pay for it wouldn't make sense for them to work on a ship because it wouldn't leave enough money to adequately support their family.

 

No one is suggesting they're slaves, and they definitely work on the ships because they can earn more than they would at home, but only a small percentage of those earnings come from the base salary paid by the cruise line. As cited earlier (from the book written by a former cruise line waiter), his base cash salary was about $60 per month, and 95% of his earnings came from the auto tip/service/hotel charge (whatever name a particular cruise line uses). Unfortunately some posters have misused the word "salary" to describe their total income, which is inaccurate and misleading. The salary itself is miniscule.

 

How many of these foreign cruise ship workers would sign up for another ten month contract IF ALL of the passengers reduced their daily service charge to nothing? There is a reason why the cruise lines implemented the daily service charge, they need employees to provide the service. It will be very difficult for any cruise line to be a cruise line without employees. No pay, no work. Temporary services recruit the cruise line employees under the eyes of the cruise lines, but they are more like temporary employees with ten month contracts instead of full time cruise line employees.

[johnmpcny]

Many in their home country are the top 5% of wage earners. They can buy homes and retire quite well. They do this as it is such a huge difference in income from than what they can earn at home. This is because of the tips, so they work hard for them.

 

Many in the USA work these hours or longer and just as hard, often for ok pay and no or little benefits. They are called small business owners. We work long hours, 7 days a week and none of us get paid vacations or a retirement plan that we do not pay ourself. We do not even get free medical or any help with paying it. We are the guy who supports your kids sports, or donates to the person with cancer and hopes to someday to retire in our 70's not 80's.

 

Then if we have good year we get taxed at higher rates for it...oh and we do not get tips.

[CdnCruiseFan]

Wow can't believe this discussion has gone on for 6 pages lol

 

I personally leave the DSC on my account, and tip additional when and if I see fit. It's a part of cruising, I knew about the charges before I booked and have never received sub-par service to the point that I would want to remove them. That would be the only reason I would ever remove them, if the service was so sub-par that I did not enjoy my cruise but beyond that the staff work very hard to please us all and earn every dollar they make regardless of where the money is going.

[time2cruise1]

Wow can't believe this discussion has gone on for 6 pages lol

 

I personally leave the DSC on my account, and tip additional when and if I see fit. It's a part of cruising, I knew about the charges before I booked and have never received sub-par service to the point that I would want to remove them. That would be the only reason I would ever remove them, if the service was so sub-par that I did not enjoy my cruise but beyond that the staff work very hard to please us all and earn every dollar they make regardless of where the money is going.

 

The only threads that go on longer then tipping are the smoking threads. There is new one every week or so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[njrover0216]

Wow can't believe this discussion has gone on for 6 pages lol

 

I personally leave the DSC on my account, and tip additional when and if I see fit. It's a part of cruising, I knew about the charges before I booked and have never received sub-par service to the point that I would want to remove them. That would be the only reason I would ever remove them, if the service was so sub-par that I did not enjoy my cruise but beyond that the staff work very hard to please us all and earn every dollar they make regardless of where the money is going.

 

I know right! I simply asked because I was not told about the charges when I booked and everyone told me that the service charges were for different people. I wanted to know exactly who and what the money went to. And like I said I had a 7 year old that will not be using a lot of things(whether behind the scenes or not) and a 3 year old that is getting the same service charge as a grown adult:) I really wanted to tip more to our room steward who will be doing most of the work for my kids and the child care center. So I was going to ask for 40 of my DSC back to give directly to them. I was just wondering if other people thought that I should do this and if it was common. It went on that I was called cheap and that these workers work for peanuts, and blah blah blah. In the end I decided to leave the DSC charges alone and let give more money to my room steward and child care givers and to no one else, since they will be getting that money from my kids who they will not be in contact with barely at all:)

 

As for the person who said the cruise ship person has to send money home to his family, how do we know all of them have families and are not single? You can not assume. In the end the workers on the ships make decent money with the DSC charges in place, they are not struggling...if the ships did away with the DSC charges they would have to pay their workers a little more and raise the price of the cruise a little more. Then risk them not being tipped. Whatever, it is what it is. I just hope the people I encounter on the cruise are more pleasant then a few in this thread:p

[CdnCruiseFan]

I know right! I simply asked because I was not told about the charges when I booked and everyone told me that the service charges were for different people. I wanted to know exactly who and what the money went to. And like I said I had a 7 year old that will not be using a lot of things(whether behind the scenes or not) and a 3 year old that is getting the same service charge as a grown adult:) I really wanted to tip more to our room steward who will be doing most of the work for my kids and the child care center. So I was going to ask for 40 of my DSC back to give directly to them. I was just wondering if other people thought that I should do this and if it was common. It went on that I was called cheap and that these workers work for peanuts, and blah blah blah. In the end I decided to leave the DSC charges alone and let give more money to my room steward and child care givers and to no one else, since they will be getting that money from my kids who they will not be in contact with barely at all:)

 

As for the person who said the cruise ship person has to send money home to his family, how do we know all of them have families and are not single? You can not assume. In the end the workers on the ships make decent money with the DSC charges in place, they are not struggling...if the ships did away with the DSC charges they would have to pay their workers a little more and raise the price of the cruise a little more. Then risk them not being tipped. Whatever, it is what it is. I just hope the people I encounter on the cruise are more pleasant then a few in this thread:p

 

lol I have met many great people onboard our cruises. Afterall, if you don't like them you are in the middle of the ocean :D I am sure you will have a blast as well as your kids. Have a great cruise.

[Don Haynes]

As for the person who said the cruise ship person has to send money home to his family, how do we know all of them have families and are not single? You can not assume. In the end the workers on the ships make decent money with the DSC charges in place, they are not struggling...

 

As long as the DSC is in place, I agree they earn enough. And frankly, they earn it. As far as assuming they send money home, they may not. But one would also be assuming they don't just as much the other way around. Those less than the age of 25 may not, but I figure those over the age of 25 do. The very same assumption I would with Americans and Europeans. The vast majority of humans worldwide get hitched before the age of 30, many before the age of 25. First world or third world, makes no difference.

[mom2tcdx2]

I don't think you will truly understand just what you children will receive in services from the cruise ship staff. My won went on his first cruise at the age of 10 and my daughter was 8. My son is an extremely picky eater, has asperberger's syndrome, ADHD, OCD and several other issues. I too had thought the service charge would have been a bit much.

 

My son opened up quite a bit on the cruise (neither child used the children's activities/staff at all). They interacted with the wait staff, in fact the wait staff went above and beyond with him and his needs and wants. I too thought my son would be stuck eating chicken nuggets and french fries the entire trip. He ordered all types of different things - mostly because us parents were ok with him trying something new and if he didn't like it big deal, he had chicken and fries waiting if he wanted them. You may find your child will be open and do more if you allow it. I know at home the cost of ordering something you might not like keeps us from trying new things. The cruise vacation changed my son's way he looked at food etc. You too may be surprised.

[gelo7]

No, no. You do not have to tip another penny...and none is expected. Leave the service charge alone and nothing more is expected of you. You will get great service. Reference day care, I don't believe they are covered by the service charge...others can confirm...so tipping them may be appropriate. The service charge system works great. It is just the way the cruise line industry has structured pricing now. If...and only if....you wish to tip a little extra for the extra wonderful crew you will meet, that's up to you.....not expected and certainly not required.

Ditto...

[FitchburgWIFamily]

I am by no means a experienced cruiser, but on the cruise I took with my mom in September, I did not love our cabin steward. He tried to bill us three times for one bottle of water...and he (inadvertenly I am sure) really caused my mother some embarassment.

However, here are all the people I am very glad got a little piece of our DSC:

• The washy washy lady at the buffet, who somehow manages to remember just about every passenger.
  
• All the stewards on our floor who remembered us and greeted us each day: if either my mom or I went out by ourselves, we were asked where the other one was.
  
• The very patient upholsterer who was recruited to help my mom when we disembarked as she needed assistance walking.
  
• The staff who greeted us at every port of call with warm wash clothes for wiping down our tired faces, cold water to cool our parched throats, and a hand to help my mother up the gang plank.
  
• The staff in the bar where there was self serve coffee each early morning, who remembered my mom liked de caf and as we were walking in told us the de caf would be ready in just a bit.
  
• The security staff who remembered that the thing in my purse that looked suspicious to the xray scanner was a toy I had bought for my son, and teased me a bit each day when I reboarded.
  
• The restaurant manager who noticed us waiting for a table at the MDR and gave us her card so we could call ahead on future nights and not have to wait.
  
• The staff that arranged to hand us back our passports who worked through a line of hundreds of guests with incredible efficiency.
  
• The crew member on break on deck who, despite not speaking English, stopped us as we were walking around the deck to point out something he wanted us to see. His gestures were good enough for us to see a wonder school of fish cavorting in the wake.
  

I could go on and on, but I will just say, there were 100s of people on board who helped my mother and myself feel like very valued guests. Which, when you consider the size the ships and the number of passengers is really pretty impressive. The staff is the reason we were glad that tipping was just taken care of...that I didn't have to worry about constantly having a little bit of cash to reward the staff who so deserved it.

I never did tell guest services about our not liking our steward (no one can like everyone, right?), but I don't doubt that if I did, they would have tried to address our concerns. It never ever occurred to me, for all the reasons up above, to use that as excuse to not pay my DSC.

My mother and I are travelling again, and this time we are bringing my DH, DS and DD. We will be 60/day on DSC, and don't begrudge a penny.

[Charles4515]

I am by no means a experienced cruiser, but on the cruise I took with my mom in September, I did not love our cabin steward. He tried to bill us three times for one bottle of water...and he (inadvertenly I am sure) really caused my mother some embarassment.

 

As far as the water I don't know who takes care of that on NCL, but on other cruise lines I have sailed on a different staff member than the cabin steward restocks the bottled water and sends the amount used to the pursers. Also possible the pursers made the error.

[auie2]

If the 12 service charge covers the wait staff....tip or no tip in specialty restaurants

[johnql]

If the 12 service charge covers the wait staff....tip or no tip in specialty restaurants

Absolutely not expected. They are covered by the DSC. However, if you receive exceptional service, feel free to tip.

[lolane1]

I am by no means a experienced cruiser, but on the cruise I took with my mom in September, I did not love our cabin steward. He tried to bill us three times for one bottle of water...and he (inadvertenly I am sure) really caused my mother some embarassment.

However, here are all the people I am very glad got a little piece of our DSC:

• The washy washy lady at the buffet, who somehow manages to remember just about every passenger.
  
• All the stewards on our floor who remembered us and greeted us each day: if either my mom or I went out by ourselves, we were asked where the other one was.
  
• The very patient upholsterer who was recruited to help my mom when we disembarked as she needed assistance walking.
  
• The staff who greeted us at every port of call with warm wash clothes for wiping down our tired faces, cold water to cool our parched throats, and a hand to help my mother up the gang plank.
  
• The staff in the bar where there was self serve coffee each early morning, who remembered my mom liked de caf and as we were walking in told us the de caf would be ready in just a bit.
  
• The security staff who remembered that the thing in my purse that looked suspicious to the xray scanner was a toy I had bought for my son, and teased me a bit each day when I reboarded.
  
• The restaurant manager who noticed us waiting for a table at the MDR and gave us her card so we could call ahead on future nights and not have to wait.
  
• The staff that arranged to hand us back our passports who worked through a line of hundreds of guests with incredible efficiency.
  
• The crew member on break on deck who, despite not speaking English, stopped us as we were walking around the deck to point out something he wanted us to see. His gestures were good enough for us to see a wonder school of fish cavorting in the wake.
  

I could go on and on, but I will just say, there were 100s of people on board who helped my mother and myself feel like very valued guests. Which, when you consider the size the ships and the number of passengers is really pretty impressive. The staff is the reason we were glad that tipping was just taken care of...that I didn't have to worry about constantly having a little bit of cash to reward the staff who so deserved it.

I never did tell guest services about our not liking our steward (no one can like everyone, right?), but I don't doubt that if I did, they would have tried to address our concerns. It never ever occurred to me, for all the reasons up above, to use that as excuse to not pay my DSC.

My mother and I are travelling again, and this time we are bringing my DH, DS and DD. We will be 60/day on DSC, and don't begrudge a penny.

 

What a really nice post. Just what I needed after reading 6 pages of many posts that seemed to be erroneously judgmental and a bit nasty. This was a breath of fresh air. Thanks.

[ChiMimi69]

With the very LONG hours the staff put in every week, I always leave additional tips for my room steward, assigned wait staff and the kid's staff. The men and women of the cruise industry make it so that I have a clean room/bathroom to sleep/bathe in, meals that I don't have to cook, dishes that I don't have to clear, wash or put away. As well, they provide us with a clean, pristine ship and public areas. Essentially, they give me a "home" for a week and make us feel welcome with a smile and a bright happy "hello" everytime you walk by. Last but, not least, they ENSURE my kids have a BLAST and look forward to our next cruise. :)

 

I've sailed a few times and I have absolutely NOTHING to gripe about on any of the cruise lines I've been on when it comes to staff. I'm SOOO very appreciative of their hard work. So, please do not take from Peter to give to Paul. Tip as you will but, don't short anyone else who may have contributed to your great cruise. Because...it WILL BE a great cruise!!! :D Have fun!

[mearsfansinboise]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger001

No, no. You do not have to tip another penny...and none is expected. Leave the service charge alone and nothing more is expected of you. You will get great service. Reference day care, I don't believe they are covered by the service charge...others can confirm...so tipping them may be appropriate. The service charge system works great. It is just the way the cruise line industry has structured pricing now. If...and only if....you wish to tip a little extra for the extra wonderful crew you will meet, that's up to you.....not expected and certainly not required.

 

Ditto...

 

-----

Just like on every other board...the tipping threads are the longest - LOL.

 

First time NCL cruiser here.

Just want to make sure I'm clear.

4 of us....$12 per day each = $48 per day x 7 days = $336; and we don't need to tip beyond that (but can if we feel so inclined).

 

Although I didn't see a resolution on the kid's club - not included in that or yes?, should be covered and again can tip if we feel so inclined?

[jdvmd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger001

No, no. You do not have to tip another penny...and none is expected. Leave the service charge alone and nothing more is expected of you. You will get great service. Reference day care, I don't believe they are covered by the service charge...others can confirm...so tipping them may be appropriate. The service charge system works great. It is just the way the cruise line industry has structured pricing now. If...and only if....you wish to tip a little extra for the extra wonderful crew you will meet, that's up to you.....not expected and certainly not required.

 

Ditto...

 

-----

Just like on every other board...the tipping threads are the longest - LOL.

 

First time NCL cruiser here.

Just want to make sure I'm clear.

4 of us....$12 per day each = $48 per day x 7 days = $336; and we don't need to tip beyond that (but can if we feel so inclined).

 

Although I didn't see a resolution on the kid's club - not included in that or yes?, should be covered and again can tip if we feel so inclined?

Kid's Club personnel are not included in the tip pool. Feel free to extend something to them if you wish.

[johnsak123]

You can call it what you want but I consider it a tip. However, I still give more to those who deserve it. For example the room steward. A few bucks goes a long way. Usually they are very appreciative and they show it.

[Don Haynes]

Kid's Club personnel are not included in the tip pool. Feel free to extend something to them if you wish.

 

The Kids Club personnel are actually paid a living wage unlike the other service personnel, who depend on their living wage via the daily surcharge mostly. Robbing from the service personnel to tip the kids club personnel is alike robbing from the poor to pay the rich more.

[NLH Arizona]

Just like on every other board...the tipping threads are the longest - LOL.

 

First time NCL cruiser here.

Just want to make sure I'm clear.

4 of us....$12 per day each = $48 per day x 7 days = $336; and we don't need to tip beyond that (but can if we feel so inclined).

 

Although I didn't see a resolution on the kid's club - not included in that or yes?, should be covered and again can tip if we feel so inclined?

You are correct, you don't need to tip beyond the $12 per day per person DSC. Note that tips for purchased drinks, spa treatments, etc. are added to the bill for that service and are not included in the DSC.

 

If you would like to tip to kids club personnel or room service deliverer or more to room attendant, etc. that would be your choice, it is not expected, but appreciated if extended.