Staff wages are they based on the ship occupancy

[Bjh2018]

We were recently on the Celebrity Apex and one night our waiter at dinner made the following comment, he hoped the next ships sailing the occupancy was higher as his salary fluctuates based on occupancy.  I hope this isn't really the case if it is that's terrible.  

[sparks1093]

I would expect so since gratuities make up most of their compensation. Just like in a land based restaurant the busier it is the more tips are earned the same applies at sea. 

[leaveitallbehind]

10 minutes ago, Bjh2018 said:

We were recently on the Celebrity Apex and one night our waiter at dinner made the following comment, he hoped the next ships sailing the occupancy was higher as his salary fluctuates based on occupancy.  I hope this isn't really the case if it is that's terrible.  

This topic will likely become controversial as gratuities and wages are a highly debated topic on CC.  But to answer your question, a large portion of service crew members wages is derived from the gratuities paid by the passengers.  So if a ship is at less than capacity with passenger bookings than the amount available from gratuities can be less.  As such it isn't his base salary that is affected - it is the amount earned from the passenger gratuities.  

 

But rest assured, most mass market cruise lines  - Celebrity included for certain - are sailing these days at full capacity, so the crew is compensated at the full potential amount.  And to add, Celebrity just increased the suggested gratuity amount.  More can be added if desired by the passengers.

 

And to your comment regarding how terrible this could be, it is the industry standard that has been in place for many years as to how most cruise line service crew is compensated.  (Not unlike the restaurant industry in the US).  And relative to the income standard of most countries from which these crew members originate, the income earned in this manner is considered comparatively attractive, which is why so many of these people seek cruise line employment.

Edited November 22, 2023 by leaveitallbehind

[ColeThornton]

8 minutes ago, Bjh2018 said:

We were recently on the Celebrity Apex and one night our waiter at dinner made the following comment, he hoped the next ships sailing the occupancy was higher as his salary fluctuates based on occupancy.  I hope this isn't really the case if it is that's terrible.  

 

Sounds like he was softening you up for an extra tip.   😉

[Bjh2018]

2 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

Sounds like he was softening you up for an extra tip.   😉

It worked, the staff work so hard and would doing anything for you. 

[Bjh2018]

8 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

This topic will likely become controversial as gratuities and wages are a highly debated topic on CC.  But to answer your question, a large portion of service crew members wages is derived from the gratuities paid by the passengers.  So if a ship is at less than capacity with passenger bookings than the amount available from gratuities can be less.  As such it isn't his base salary that is affected - it is the amount earned from the passenger gratuities.  

 

But rest assured, most mass market cruise lines  - Celebrity included for certain - are sailing these days at full capacity, so the crew is compensated at the full potential amount.  And to add, Celebrity just increased the suggested gratuity amount.  More can be added if desired by the passengers.

 

And to your comment regarding how terrible this could be, it is the industry standard that has been in place for many years as to how most cruise line service crew is compensated.  (Not unlike the restaurant industry in the US).  And relative to the income standard of most countries from which these crew members originate, the income earned in this manner is considered comparatively attractive, which is why so many of these people seek cruise line employment.

Interesting thank you 

 

[leaveitallbehind]

4 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

Sounds like he was softening you up for an extra tip.   😉

I was actually thinking the same thing.  Not an uncommon practice often exercised on newer cruisers.😉

[Harry Lake]

4 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

(Not unlike the restaurant industry in the US).

Some restaurants in some cities have done away with tipping and have added 20% or more service charges.

[BruceMuzz]

15 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

Some restaurants in some cities have done away with tipping and have added 20% or more service charges.

But if the restaurant is not busy, the result is the same. The service staff earn less.

[Harry Lake]

1 minute ago, BruceMuzz said:

But if the restaurant is not busy, the result is the same. The service staff earn less.

Oh I didn't elaborate. That 20% isn't going to staff but to "costs" and only some of that is staff.

 

[BruceMuzz]

47 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

Oh I didn't elaborate. That 20% isn't going to staff but to "costs" and only some of that is staff.

 

And if business is slow, that 20% is a smaller number of dollars. So that “some” that goes to staff is probably smaller too. Same result.

[Kristelle]

No, not same result.

 

If staff are paid a set wage ant there are no tips then staff get paid same hourly wage regardless of how busy it it. 

You know,like most places in the world.

 

[Harry Lake]

5 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

You know,like most places in the world.

 

From your lips to the she-gawd's ear.

[BruceMuzz]

3 hours ago, Kristelle said:

No, not same result.

 

If staff are paid a set wage ant there are no tips then staff get paid same hourly wage regardless of how busy it it. 

You know,like most places in the world.

 

In America, tipped service employees have a special income tax category where they are paid lower than the legal minimum wage.

But they are taxed not only on the lower wages - but also on the tips they receive. In many US states, the income taxes more than wipe away the actual wages, to cover the additional tips they receive. If a waiter in an American restaurant has a very slow week, the taxes take his actual salary, and he is left only with the lower gratuities he received. If it was a slow week, his actual take-home earnings are very small.

[Kristelle]

^ yes  i get that.

 

that is why I said "in most places in the world" you know, places other than America - - where staff get paid a set hourly wage and not tips and so their wage doesn't vary depending on number of customers.

[mjkacmom]

6 hours ago, Kristelle said:

^ yes  i get that.

 

that is why I said "in most places in the world" you know, places other than America - - where staff get paid a set hourly wage and not tips and so their wage doesn't vary depending on number of customers.

The vast majority of servers in the US prefer the current system, no one wants to be a server for $15 an hour.

[Philob]

Just now, mjkacmom said:

The vast majority of servers in the US prefer the current system, no one wants to be a server for $15 an hour.

California's minimum wage is $15.50 an hour including tipped workers. San Francisco is $18+ an hour including tipped workers. There's a ballot measure in 2024 to push the state minimum to $18.80. Meanwhile legislation signed by the Governor put the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour by 2028.  

[CruiserBruce]

Shipboard workers have various union contracts. Generally, bartenders and bar waiters are very heavily dependent on tips for their income. Cabin stewards and dining room staff have base salaries, but tips are added. 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Shipboard workers have various union contracts. Generally, bartenders and bar waiters are very heavily dependent on tips for their income. Cabin stewards and dining room staff have base salaries, but tips are added. 

Every crew member has a base salary.

 

Per this article the minimum wage for international seafarers is $658 per month as of January 1, 2023. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-ship-jobs-workers-reveal-best-worst-parts-of-careers-at-sea-2023-1#:~:text=With shifts as long as,raised to %24658 a month.

 

The cabin stewards and dining room staff are every bit as dependent on tips and service charges as  the bar staff.

 

[thinfool]

14 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Every crew member has a base salary.

 

Per this article the minimum wage for international seafarers is $658 per month as of January 1, 2023. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-ship-jobs-workers-reveal-best-worst-parts-of-careers-at-sea-2023-1#:~:text=With shifts as long as,raised to %24658 a month.

 

The cabin stewards and dining room staff are every bit as dependent on tips and service charges as  the bar staff.

 

This is true. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  Tips are gravy and they work hard to extract every dime from the passengers.  Some of the tales that I have heard them spin would make a great fantasy movie.

[chengkp75]

5 minutes ago, thinfool said:

This is true. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  Tips are gravy and they work hard to extract every dime from the passengers.  Some of the tales that I have heard them spin would make a great fantasy movie.

The base salary is typically less than the minimum of $658, with the DSC making up the balance.  As long as the DSC is not reduced/removed sufficient to bring the salary to less than the $658/month figure, the cruise line does not have to make up the balance.  Since a cabin steward has a typical "compensation package" (salary and DSC) of around $1400/month, their salary can vary due to low pax count, or reduced/removed DSC between $1400 - $658/month.  This is no fantasy.

[CruiserBruce]

37 minutes ago, thinfool said:

This is true. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  Tips are gravy and they work hard to extract every dime from the passengers.  Some of the tales that I have heard them spin would make a great fantasy movie.

Do you feel you are being taken advantage of?

[Kristelle]

7 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

The vast majority of servers in the US prefer the current system, no one wants to be a server for $15 an hour.

 

 

that may be so, who knows.

 

M y comment was just pointing out the fact that in a system where there is a set wage and no tips - like countries other than America  - then it does not matter to the wage earner whether the place is busy or not

[sparks1093]

14 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

that may be so, who knows.

 

M y comment was just pointing out the fact that in a system where there is a set wage and no tips - like countries other than America  - then it does not matter to the wage earner whether the place is busy or not

Two hour shift, one worker gets $15 an hour, the other $5 an hour plus tips. They both serve 6 parties of 2 in their shift and the total of all of the bills is $480 (a modest $40 per person). At the end of the two hours the worker getting $15 an hour makes $30. The other server makes $82 ($10 plus $72 based on 15% tip). If I had to make a living as a server I know which system that I'd rather work under.

 

 

[Kristelle]

My comment wasn't about preferences, but simply stating that in places where staff are paid a set wage without tips, they get same pay regardless of how busy the place is.