Staff share of Service charge (gratuity)

[stealthy]

Ive always wondered how much of the $12 the staff get?

 

I'll use YC as an example.

 

Approx 200 people in YC (if full and at 2 people per cabin)

A average 8day cruise at US $12 pp per day = US$19,200! How much do they get and how many "share it"?

 

 

 

Anthony & Jenny, Melbourne Australia

Cruised MSC YC 7th June 2015, Mediterranean.

Booked MSC Meraviglia in YC 19/6/17

[mikesteg]

I thought grats in YC were more, or maybe there is an additional grat for the butler? In any case, I didn't find this for MSC, but its probably similar to Carnival:

 

Our recommended guideline to what is appropriate is $12.00 USD per guest, per day. This takes into account the services provided by the following staff:

 

$6.10 per guest, per day for dining room services

$3.90 per guest, per day for stateroom services

$2.00 per guest per day for alternate services which is distributed to kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

 

So ~$8 a day for the steward, who maybe has 8 or 10 cabins? $56 a day, which I understand to be a substantial portion of their compensation. You won't catch me working for those wages.

 

The $6 for dining room covers the waitstaff, plus the folks who clean the buffet tables, etc. Essentially, that is split between 2 full shifts since these services are provided to some degree for ~18 hours a day.

 

I do not believe that the cruise lines keep any of the money. However, if you believe what's written on the boards they do pay very low wages so this tips displace part of a normal wage. I just think of it as part of the fare that I don't have to pay 70 days in advance. ;)

[mairead224]

It has been a few years since I have sailed with MSC, are they still of the view that under no circumstances are you allowed to tip outside of the daily gratuity fee? I always did slip our head waiter extra and our cabin steward extra but felt like I was in a bond movie doing it lol!!!

[Skier52]

I thought grats in YC were more, or maybe there is an additional grat for the butler? In any case, I didn't find this for MSC, but its probably similar to Carnival:

 

 

 

So ~$8 a day for the steward, who maybe has 8 or 10 cabins? $56 a day, which I understand to be a substantial portion of their compensation. You won't catch me working for those wages.

 

The $6 for dining room covers the waitstaff, plus the folks who clean the buffet tables, etc. Essentially, that is split between 2 full shifts since these services are provided to some degree for ~18 hours a day.

 

I do not believe that the cruise lines keep any of the money. However, if you believe what's written on the boards they do pay very low wages so this tips displace part of a normal wage. I just think of it as part of the fare that I don't have to pay 70 days in advance. ;)

 

If you watch this YouTube video it gives how much a waiter is paid, It's an undercover reporter for a British TV Channel

 

It gives a breakdown of the wages and the bottom line is the basic hourly money is $3.14 (£2.24) per hour. (using the rate of exchange as £1/$1.40)

 

The Daily Service Charge is the same in the YC as everywhere else in the ship

 

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Edited March 10, 2016 by Skier52

[Crzyfrk62]

The steward doesn't get all of that if they have a helper they get part of that also. Not sure how they compensate the bartenders in the YC.

I never heard of the no additional tipping rule and I always tip extra. From my understanding tipping is different as far as Europeans and Americans go and since this is an Italian ship their tipping stance could be based differently.

I think the other reason I tip extra is because I was a bartender in college and then I bartended on a cruise ship 30 years ago....

[riclop]

I don't worry about who gets what.

[stealthy]

I agree riclop. I just pay my service charge and that's it. I cruise to the max. drink, eat, swim, sleep and take in the wonderful surrounding either on the ship or in port.

I don't put my hand in my pocket for a week while onboard and it's great.

 

My point to the post is that there is a lot of money from cruisers "extra" fees and fares that go to the cruise company's pockets. I'm really not interested in what people get paid to do a certain job. I paid my way and now I'm here to relax without having to think I need to pay again and again for services that are included. If a staff member does his or her job well then that's job satisfaction for you, if they are crap at it then I'll say something, but that's about it, I'll move on and order another mojito [emoji6].

 

I love this forum for its diversity, my DW thinks I'm a nut (she may be right!).

Anyhoo.......

 

Now where is that smoking thread... Hahahaha [emoji849]

 

 

Anthony & Jenny, Melbourne Australia

Cruised MSC YC 7th June 2015, Mediterranean.

Booked MSC Meraviglia in YC 19/6/17