Calling all recent Camp users! How much to tip per kid? 7 day cruise...

[chipperberg]

I am planning to utilize both the stingray camp and penguins for my 2 boys. This is my first time traveling with the kiddos who can go to camp. What is the going rate to tip? I know it may depend on how often they go, etc. but in general.....I have no clue on this one! Thank you! 7 day cruise in less than 3 weeks!

[doctordi]

Tips for Camp are not compulsory, and the counselor seemed surprised when I tipped them. I'm not sure about the going rate, but a couple of years ago when I couldn't keep my kids out of the kids club, I tipped $15-20 per child.

 

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[BeachlvgMom]

I tip for the late night parties only. My daughter (10) wants to wring every moment of fun so she insists we pick her up at midnight. She has a phone with her and texts me to stay as I'm trying to convince her that Dad and I need to sleep, lol. I figure at that point the camp workers more than deserve a tip so i add the tip when signing the receipt. During the day there are several counselors that rotate in and out. It would be hard to tip them all as you don't really know which counselor is working with your child vs other duties. I will say that mentioning a counselor by name in a positive post-cruise review is also a gift that can affect counselors careers. Your children could tell you who their fav's are and why. Happy cruising!

 

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[boaterette]

We tip 20 per child.

[chipperberg]

We tip 20 per child.

For the week? Thanks!

[mdsgu]

We only tip for the late night parties, if the kids go. Each time they use that, we tip $10 per kid.

[bobandsherry]

Camp Carnival staff do not share in any tip pool. And most parents (99.9%) give no tip. The staff gets a minimal wage and ends up making less than wait staff. Many people have no problem giving a buck to person who serves a drink but never think of giving something to those that they entrust with their child. Considering they are leaving their most previous with the staff who works to make the cruise a most enjoyable memory that seems like such a shame that very few recognize the effort.

 

Really nice to see you are already planning to tip them. Those who have topped are $10 or $20 for the week. The staff would really appreciate it if each parent gave just $5.

 

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[chipperberg]

Camp Carnival staff do not share in any tip pool. And most parents (99.9%) give no tip. The staff gets a minimal wage and ends up making less than wait staff. Many people have no problem giving a buck to person who serves a drink but never think of giving something to those that they entrust with their child. Considering they are leaving their most previous with the staff who works to make the cruise a most enjoyable memory that seems like such a shame that very few recognize the effort.

 

Really nice to see you are already planning to tip them. Those who have topped are $10 or $20 for the week. The staff would really appreciate it if each parent gave just $5.

 

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Thank you. This is exactly what I was thinking. I know they make much better wages than the stewards, waitstaff and bar staff, but they are also doing a job that requires much more, in my opinion. Does anyone know if they pool tips on their own? I just want to be sure everyone is somewhat included, as I am sure at some point each staff member will have engaged with my children. Thank you everyone for your comments so far. I appreciate the advice.

[sanmarcosman]

With the grand kids we tipped as we went along rather than the week as sometimes they went often, other cruises not so much. But we always tipped the camp staff who we entrusted with their care.

[Jenn1974]

Thanks for this post. I guess I never would have thought of that. Or maybe I would have. ITs been 11 years since I had a kid in the camp there and now next year I am taking my 2 littles on a cruise.

[ryano]

It never even dawned on me to tip the Camp staff. :(

[SadieN]

It never even dawned on me to tip the Camp staff. :(

 

 

 

Don’t feel bad. Many do not tip. We did a nominal amount, more of a thank you.

[chipperberg]

Don’t feel bad. Many do not tip. We did a nominal amount, more of a thank you.

This exactly, a thank you that I can have a hot meal without anyone trying to sit on my lap, or take my food, etc. and that I can sit on Serenity for an hour or 2 and just relax!

[bobandsherry]

Thank you. This is exactly what I was thinking. I know they make much better wages than the stewards, waitstaff and bar staff, but they are also doing a job that requires much more, in my opinion. Does anyone know if they pool tips on their own? I just want to be sure everyone is somewhat included, as I am sure at some point each staff member will have engaged with my children. Thank you everyone for your comments so far. I appreciate the advice.

Camp Carnival staff has higher base pay than cabin stewards and wait staff, but when you figure in that cabin stewards and wait staff get tips then they don't come out ahead in the wages. As I recall Camp Carnival staff were paid $1,500 a month (this is just several years ago). For that they were expected to work 75-80 hours/week, or roughly $4.75/hr. They only get overtime after working 80 hours, and managers make sure to never schedule any overtime.

 

If you give tip to CC staff you can either direct it's specifically for them, or that it's for an staff and then it will be put into tip pool. But the tip pool typically is nothing for most cruises. The CC staff considered it fortunate if one or two parents gave a tip per each cruise, getting nothing is more the norm.

 

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[cb at sea]

Tips are not needed in the "clubs"....they are highly trained and paid counselors....not "service" staff.

[katiel53]

I can not imagine having a child in the camps all day and NOT tipping. I realize it is the job of the counselors, but you are entrusting your children to someone for x many hours a day and not paying for day care.

 

Sorry, but those saying they only tip for the night service, please explain to me the difference in the service between day and night. I would think it would be more work for the staff during the day, based on my experience. Do you feel at home you could have someone watch your child/children daily and not pay? That's why I don't understand not tipping them.

 

I guess I am out of touch with reality based on some of the comments on here.

[erikaem86]

Tips are not needed in the "clubs"....they are highly trained and paid counselors....not "service" staff.

What difference does this make? I pay a tip when someone provides a service. My decision to tip is not based on how they are paid by their employer... that's none of my business.

[Cafedumonde]

We give the childcare staff starbucks giftcards. Some have told us they use them at port stops.

[Lerin]

As I recall Camp Carnival staff were paid $1,500 a month (this is just several years ago).

 

Plus free room and board...

[BeachlvgMom]

I can not imagine having a child in the camps all day and NOT tipping. I realize it is the job of the counselors, but you are entrusting your children to someone for x many hours a day and not paying for day care.

 

Sorry, but those saying they only tip for the night service, please explain to me the difference in the service between day and night. I would think it would be more work for the staff during the day, based on my experience. Do you feel at home you could have someone watch your child/children daily and not pay? That's why I don't understand not tipping them.

 

I guess I am out of touch with reality based on some of the comments on here.

I'll bite. My daughter is rarely in camp during the day. She's with us on the ship or off at a port during the day. She might do a scavenger hunt, but she's consistent at attending camp at night. This is why we tip at night.

 

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[BeachlvgMom]

I failed to add how much- 20% per party fee rounded up by $5's.

 

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[katiel53]

I'll bite. My daughter is rarely in camp during the day. She's with us on the ship or off at a port during the day. She might do a scavenger hunt, but she's consistent at attending camp at night. This is why we tip at night.

 

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Thanks for the explanation and it certainly makes sense. My comments were really for those who leave their kids in the camp all day while they do whatever, go off the ship etc.

[jjcruiselover]

We have never tipped the Camp staff as I feel this is part of the cruise experience for our granddaughter and included in the cost of her cruise. She is usually at camp for a few hours each day but with us more of the time. I feel the Camp for kids is like the shows or entertainment for adults. I don't tip the band or the show singers as they are not part of the tip compensated crew.

Before I get blasted we always tip extra the dining room team, stateroom attendant,favorite bartenders, shuttle drivers and baggage handlers so it isn't a matter of being cheap.

[Liltx31]

We used to tip when the kids were younger and needed the night babysitting. We would always tip at the end of every night because often my youngest would be the only one there and they would not combine her with older group even when I said it would be fine. She would just watch movies with the one counselor and I would tip that counselor. She said she actually liked that dd stayed or else she would have to move to the older camp craziness. At the end of the cruise I would tip $20 for each kid. Who knows who get to keep it though, since there are many counselors. Maybe they share, maybe?

 

Now my teens join an activity here or there. I never set foot near that place and don't tip.

[MisterOJ2]

We never tipped when our kids were in the kids club. I'm curious though, those that do tip $10-20... Do you give that much to every counsellor that watched your child? Because over the course of a week, there was always something like 6 to 10 counsellors that watched my kids.

 

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