Tips- Two adults 2 children?

[girlfriendtoo]

I am sure this has been posted but I have trouble with searching, screen comes up blanks.

THere are 2 adults, 2 children. Will the tips be added at $40 a day?

THanks

[Nightwind]

Yes, unless the kids are under...2, I think. I think its under 2s that aren't obligated to tip.

[yearnin4cruisin]

Yep, $10 per person per day, with the exception of children UNDER two per Carnival's website. I tipped with that age anyway. Not that we were piggies in the dining room, but crumbs do need to be picked up off the floor. And the waitstaff made napkin animals and origami critters for playthings. They certainly deserved a tip for their extra efforts.

[caribbean dreams]

I am sure this has been posted but I have trouble with searching, screen comes up blanks.

THere are 2 adults, 2 children. Will the tips be added at $40 a day?

THanks

 

$10 per person per day.

[suesea63]

You have the right, at your descretion to adjust tips as you see necessary. You have to go to the pursur's office and have the tips adjusted (either up or down) depending on your quality of service. I have found that the service has gone down the tubes since the started adding the gratuities directly to your sign and sail account.

[gypsyrose]

Although it may seem like a lot, you really have to consider how many people are working to make your vacation enjoyable. I'm sure your children are angels but extra people in a cabin and dining room usually means more work. I think the staff works really hard and deserve these tips and then some. I hate to hear or see people remove their tips from the sail and sign, that's just being cheap:(

[bamagirl1]

Although it may seem like a lot, you really have to consider how many people are working to make your vacation enjoyable. I'm sure your children are angels but extra people in a cabin and dining room usually means more work. I think the staff works really hard and deserve these tips and then some. I hate to hear or see people remove their tips from the sail and sign, that's just being cheap:(

 

I agree with you 100%! I always tip for my kids. Its like this, Would you

go out to eat and not tip on your kids meal? Absolutly not! So I say

tip for your kids :)

[honeywell]

I book two connecting cabins for my family so tip the stewards in full. The kids do not eat in the dining room with us (they prefer to eat with the Camp Carnival group each night) so I adjust the tip there. I also tip the Camp counsellors who work directly with my children a little something - they earn it more than any other person, with possible exception of room steward.

[mom2NnB]

thats about 3 meals per day per person. On an average day in NY if I ate out I would leave at least a $3 tip per meal. I know my kids are always spilling drinks or dropping food on the floor. So if the staff is cleaning that up, its the least I can do to tip them. Maybe I'm a big tipper, but this is not one of the "fees" that bother me so much.

[GoinCruisin]

thats about 3 meals per day per person. On an average day in NY if I ate out I would leave at least a $3 tip per meal. I know my kids are always spilling drinks or dropping food on the floor. So if the staff is cleaning that up, its the least I can do to tip them. Maybe I'm a big tipper, but this is not one of the "fees" that bother me so much.

 

I think the majority agree... there are some people that don't break it down and think it's unreasonable... but when you break it down, it's a helluva bargain. I've seen the staff cater so much to the children, I can't see any reason adjusting the tips down unless the staff was just so horrible that it ruined your entire trip, you contacted the pursers desk and they told you tough cookies, etc. I've always had WONDERFUL service thank goodness, but I try to make it pretty easy on them by being a pretty happy person myself :D

[LHP]

We have always tipped for our family of four. I have not seen the service go down since they implemented the automatic tips. In fact, (thank you comment cards) we campaigned to have the automatic tips added to the Sail and Sign. That way we did not have to carry a lot of extra cash.

 

But mainly, having cruised for so long....there are just to many hardworking cabin stewards and waiters that got stiffed at the end of the cruise when folks "ran out of money". True, the tips can still be removed, but at least the crew has a fighting chance to get their money.

[mrdood]

Our 17 month old was more work and messier on our May cruise than any of the adults... for both cabin steward and dining staff!

[dan40]

Another poster said service has gone to pot since auto-tipping. I totally disagree. It has not gone downhill, if anything it is better now that 50% of the cheap screws are no longer stiffing the help. I'm a veteran of over 30 years of cruising. Have seen the "good old days" when cruising was not for the masses. Service and tips were both good then. Saw the change to mainstream cruising and 24 hour buffets and watched as attendance dropped below 50% at the last nites dinner. Just to avoid tipping. Auto-tips came to be because they had to. Either that or the cruiseline would have to pay a salary and add it to the fare. That would not be any incentive to serve better. Now they can keep what is left on auto-tip, plus can work for overtips. If there is a service problem [i have had 1 in 47 cruises and I'm VERY demanding] a word to a supervisor or an adj. at the pursers is all that's necessary. Plus NOBODY IS TIPPING IN ADVANCE [except pre-pays] . The tip is only a memo billing on your account until the cruise is over, only then are the tips actually charged.

If tips are removed from the auto-tip, the server in question is interviewed to explain why a customer was unhappy. The server can have a gig on his record or can say, "The customer just wanted to tip in cash." So no gig against his record for that, BBBUUUTTTT he has to turn the money in to the ships tip pool. If the auto-ti[p is left alone and he gets an overtip, he is 100% allowed to keep that plus he gets full credit for the auto-tip amount.

Auto-tips are simple, easy, and fair. LEAVE EM' ALONE.

 

Dan

[momofzeke]

Here is a breakdown of the auto tips:

 

$5.50 - dining room waiter & assistant

$3.50 - cabin steward

$1.00 - Lido dining personnel

[girlfriendtoo]

I appreciate all the comments. I had every intention of tipping for the 4 of us, I just was not sure if 2 or 4 were added to the sign and sail.

Dan40, this is interesting regarding the tip pool, I did not know this but from all of the responses, I know what to do..

[Kurbanfan]

If your kids are 2 and under...just need to tip for 2 adults.

If the children are older then 2...tip for all 4

Of course you are free to do whatever you want. But that's what Carnival states in their guidelines.

[jakieemma]

You have the right, at your descretion to adjust tips as you see necessary. You have to go to the pursur's office and have the tips adjusted (either up or down) depending on your quality of service. I have found that the service has gone down the tubes since the started adding the gratuities directly to your sign and sail account.

 

I agree as far as MY experience. The room stewards on the last few cruises were not seen at all. They did a good job keeping the room clean but I noticed that "personal" kind of relationship has diminished since the auto tips...that's just MY experience.

We are a party of 5 and I do adjust the tips depending on service. I always tip directly to the person, not via auto tips. I see tipping as a reward for good service. If the service stinks, so does the tip...if they go above and beyond, so does my gratuity. A "tip" before service is a bribe...which in some cases is fine.

I have yet to tip a waitress or a chamber maid before they serve or clean...why would I do it on a cruise?

I understand these people work hard and make little money. I am not concerned with their pay scale as that is between them and the cruise line.

On previous cruises my kids have not eaten in the dining room at all and I adjusted the tips accordingly. If they are not going to be in the dining room I alert the Matre D on the first day and request a table for 2.

[GoinCruisin]

I understand these people work hard and make little money. I am not concerned with their pay scale as that is between them and the cruise line.

On previous cruises my kids have not eaten in the dining room at all and I adjusted the tips accordingly. If they are not going to be in the dining room I alert the Matre D on the first day and request a table for 2.

 

Well, as far as the auto tips... it's how most cruiselines operate. It gets the employees paid faster (I know, you don't care about that :p) and it's in general easier... it makes sure that everyone that takes care of you gets paid...

 

As for your kids... I'm assuming they didn't eat at all?? Since the gratuities also include lido deck service or any other dining venue as stated in the Carnival literature (from Carnival: Tipping still applies regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or utilizing room service.). It is why you will see your dining staff also working double duty on the lido throughout the course of the day.

[GoinCruisin]

Here is a breakdown of the auto tips:

 

$5.50 - dining room waiter & assistant

$3.50 - cabin steward

$1.00 - Lido dining personnel

 

The breakdown is acually:

 

• $5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)
  
• $1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)
  
• $3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)

The $1 is for waiters and cooks for the bistro service... not the general lido personnel (as most of those are included in the 5.50 tip)

[honeywell]

I book two connecting cabins for my family so tip the stewards in full. The kids do not eat in the dining room with us (they prefer to eat with the Camp Carnival group each night) so I adjust the tip there. I also tip the Camp counsellors who work directly with my children a little something - they earn it more than any other person, with possible exception of room steward.

 

 

Back to the kids issue - I adjust - not eliminate - but the dining room matre' d and wait staff never see my kids. Ever.

[GoinCruisin]

Back to the kids issue - I adjust - not eliminate - but the dining room matre' d and wait staff never see my kids. Ever.

 

Maitre'D tips are not included in auto tips, that is optional. As stated above, the wait staff works double duty on the lido, so if your kids eat there, you should still be including a tip. Carnival states that the tip applies regardless of if you eat on the lido, room service, etc.

[jakieemma]

Well, as far as the auto tips... it's how most cruiselines operate. It gets the employees paid faster (I know, you don't care about that :p) and it's in general easier... it makes sure that everyone that takes care of you gets paid...

 

As for your kids... I'm assuming they didn't eat at all?? Since the gratuities also include lido deck service or any other dining venue as stated in the Carnival literature (from Carnival: Tipping still applies regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or utilizing room service.). It is why you will see your dining staff also working double duty on the lido throughout the course of the day.

 

Well, most of their meals are from room service. I leave plenty of 5's in the room for the kids to tip the room service.

If I do remove the tips from the dining, I increase the Bistro portion of the tips. The staff that works double duty is tipped everytime I order a drink, and a little extra if service is above and beyond.

When the week is over I am sure I tip more than the recomended guidelines. I know there are some that don't tip, that's up to them...;)

[dan40]

I agree as far as MY experience. The room stewards on the last few cruises were not seen at all. They did a good job keeping the room clean but I noticed that "personal" kind of relationship has diminished since the auto tips...that's just MY experience.

We are a party of 5 and I do adjust the tips depending on service. I always tip directly to the person, not via auto tips. I see tipping as a reward for good service. If the service stinks, so does the tip...if they go above and beyond, so does my gratuity. A "tip" before service is a bribe...which in some cases is fine.

I have yet to tip a waitress or a chamber maid before they serve or clean...why would I do it on a cruise?

I understand these people work hard and make little money. I am not concerned with their pay scale as that is between them and the cruise line.

On previous cruises my kids have not eaten in the dining room at all and I adjusted the tips accordingly. If they are not going to be in the dining room I alert the Matre D on the first day and request a table for 2.

 

One, Why do you need to see the room steward more than once or twice? They have things to do and it really isn't an interpersonal position like that of the dining room waiters.

 

Two, from my origional post,

 

" Plus NOBODY IS TIPPING IN ADVANCE [except pre-pays] . The tip is only a memo billing on your account until the cruise is over, only then are the tips actually charged."

 

NO SERVER GETS PAID DAY ONE, OR TWO, OR any other day but the END of the cruise. So you ARE NOT tipping anyone in advance. They get the tip after the fact, same as on land.

 

Dan

[jakieemma]

One, Why do you need to see the room steward more than once or twice? They have things to do and it really isn't an interpersonal position like that of the dining room waiters.

 

Two, from my origional post,

 

" Plus NOBODY IS TIPPING IN ADVANCE [except pre-pays] . The tip is only a memo billing on your account until the cruise is over, only then are the tips actually charged."

 

NO SERVER GETS PAID DAY ONE, OR TWO, OR any other day but the END of the cruise. So you ARE NOT tipping anyone in advance. They get the tip after the fact, same as on land.

 

Dan

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[truecruiser]

Well, most of their meals are from room service. I leave plenty of 5's in the room for the kids to tip the room service.

If I do remove the tips from the dining, I increase the Bistro portion of the tips. The staff that works double duty is tipped everytime I order a drink, and a little extra if service is above and beyond.

When the week is over I am sure I tip more than the recomended guidelines. I know there are some that don't tip, that's up to them...;)

 

i'm just curious about this...you don't have to answer it, (i'll understand if you don't want to), but why are most of their meals from room service (which, BTW, is not a great diet for a child day after day)? why don't you let them explore the dining rooms, and even try a dish off the main menu (as opposed to the kid's menu). my children often do this, and i applaud them for trying things which reuire a more sophisticated palate. almost every time, they will finish their dish (and if not, DH will to avoid waste).

 

what about the LIDO buffet? the 24 hr pizzeria? the burgers and dogs? the deli (well, that's sorta like room service).

 

Re: the cabin steward, you don't see them often b/c they're busy. if you need them they can be paged (didn't know if you knew that), but they are available by page except during their "off" hours in which event someone else will cover.