Sail & Sign Cards for Kids...Plus Tipping Question

[mansfieldmom]

Our kids are ages 7, 5 and 22 months...will they get a sail & sign card? Not that they need one AT ALL, but if I understand correctly, don't they add all gratuties to the cards? Will Carnival assume that we will leave tips for serving our children? Isn't it $10/person per day for tipping? That's outrageous if they think I'm tipping $210 just from my kids! I don't mind leaving a tip from my husband and I, but not from the kids.

 

Anyone have any experience with this? Also, what do the kids need to wear in the dining room? Can they get by with khaki shorts and polo shirt?

[hstrybuf]

Our kids are ages 7, 5 and 22 months...will they get a sail & sign card? Not that they need one AT ALL, but if I understand correctly, don't they add all gratuties to the cards? Will Carnival assume that we will leave tips for serving our children? Isn't it $10/person per day for tipping? That's outrageous if they think I'm tipping $210 just from my kids! I don't mind leaving a tip from my husband and I, but not from the kids.

 

Anyone have any experience with this? Also, what do the kids need to wear in the dining room? Can they get by with khaki shorts and polo shirt?

 

The S&S card is their ID to get on and off the ship at ports so yes, they will each have one with their picture imbedded in it the same as yours. Gratuities will be added for the two oldest children. Tipping isn't required for children under two. If you think your children don't receive any services from those to whom the tips are disbursed, think again. Children may receive extra attention and may also be extra work, so plan on tipping for the two oldest. You may even find by the end of the cruise that the staff has earned extra.

 

Shorts are not permitted in the dining room in the evening. Children are expected to abide by the same dress requirements as adults. When in doubt, go to Carnival's Web site and read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

[joan_al]

WOW! $210 to watch your kids at Camp Carnival while you and your husband don't have to worry about them. That's outragous :eek:

[hstrybuf]

WOW! $210 to watch your kids at Camp Carnival while you and your husband don't have to worry about them. That's outragous :eek:

 

Ummmm, no. That's the 3 kids x $70 for a week for tipping the steward, waitstaff etc. Except in this case, it's more like 2 x $70 = $140 plus extra for all the kids if they decide to do that. A very reasonable amount. ;)

[AZ TRAVEL]

What is it today with all the cheap skates not wanting to tip. Walmart must be closed for the holiday weekend:D

[MrPete]

Always reminds me of Mama's Family and Roseanne.

 

Every penny I've paid for tips for my then 4 year old and now 8 year old for her 7 cruises have been WELL earned.

 

Thinking how one will tip before one sails sends up signals.

 

Just wait and see how they all treat your kids!

[mansfieldmom]

These days it seems EVERYONE wants a freakin' tip. Is it not enough that we just spent $7,000 on a cruise? Then they want a tip for doing their job, too!

[nybumpkin]

Everyone gets a sail and sign card, but you don't have to activate the kids' cards. They don't need charging privileges. One person will have the main account, and the sail and sign charges from the other cards will be posted to the main account. You may want to keep your kids' cards with you for safekeeping. You'll need them when you disembark in port and when you return.

 

Your kids' tips will be posted automatically to the main account. You can adjust them either up or down by going to the pursers' desk. For me personally, travelling with 3 boys, I've always felt the staff earned more than the automatic gratuity for the kids, given the shambles the boys can leave in their wake:eek: ! Our cabin steward has always brought cookies for the boys and, when we're all in one cabin, made sure the bunks are stowed away during the day so the cabin is at least habitable. (Taking care of five people in one cabin is no easy task....)

 

For the dining room, technically no one - kids included - are supposed to be in shorts. Having said that, if you have a nicely dressed child in an outfit with shorts, I can't imagine the dining room staff having a problem with it. Our kids generally wear long pants with polos or crew-neck shirts.

 

Hope this helps!

[hstrybuf]

These days it seems EVERYONE wants a freakin' tip. Is it not enough that we just spent $7,000 on a cruise? Then they want a tip for doing their job, too!

 

No, it isn't enough. It's expected and most cruisers consider it just another cost of cruising. Is this your first cruise? If you spent $7,000 :eek: then the expected amount of tips shouldn't make you bat an eye.

[mansfieldmom]

Thank you, Kathy. I'm glad to hear there are cases of kids getting extra special treatment. So many think the kids on the ships are such a pain. I can guarantee that anyone taking care of my kids will be well taken care of in both gratuities and little gifts. Do we need to tip Camp Carnival staff separately or is that included on the S&S cards?

[AZ TRAVEL]

You paid $7000 for 2 6B cabins:D

[TxStacey]

These days it seems EVERYONE wants a freakin' tip. Is it not enough that we just spent $7,000 on a cruise? Then they want a tip for doing their job, too!

Mansfieldmom, I'm guessing this is your first cruise?? You might want to get your fireproof suit on:o ..Tipping is a real firestarter on these boards..You can adjust your tips accordingly at the Purser's desk at any time. I think you will see that the staff really earn thier tips, especially when they give your children special attention. Also, the room steward will still have to clean up after them and the waitstaff will still have to serve them. Alot of people even tip extra for the Camp Carnival staff..You will see that the tips are really very much deserved, no matter what thier age. It's just a part of cruising.

[hstrybuf]

Thank you, Kathy. I'm glad to hear there are cases of kids getting extra special treatment. So many think the kids on the ships are such a pain. I can guarantee that anyone taking care of my kids will be well taken care of in both gratuities and little gifts. Do we need to tip Camp Carnival staff separately or is that included on the S&S cards?

 

Camp Carnival staff are separate. Who and how much you tip is up to you.

[MaryZ]

These days it seems EVERYONE wants a freakin' tip. Is it not enough that we just spent $7,000 on a cruise? Then they want a tip for doing their job, too!

 

yes, your kids are passengers and you should be paying tips for them.

and by the way, kids under 2 yrs of age aren't allowed to be left in camp carnival, except for babysitting times that you pay for.

so you'll have a grand time. Look how great you are starting out already, pissed off about having to tip :p

Just think how happy you are going to be when you go to hand off your luggage to the porters and they have their hand out too :rolleyes:

[mansfieldmom]

This is our 2nd cruise, but first with kids.

[mansfieldmom]

Whoever AZ TRAVEL is is a little scary to know who I am and what cabins I am in? What else does he/she know about me? This internet is a scary place! By the way, yes, we paid $7,000 for 2 6B cabins ($1019 for 7 people)...back in February!

[nybumpkin]

Just think how happy you are going to be when you go to hand off your luggage to the porters and they have their hand out too :rolleyes:

Especially when you see prominently displayed "No tipping" signs posted at the port!

 

As for Camp Carnival - the Camp Carnival staff are salaried and are not included in the automatic gratuity. Usually, on the last night, there will be envelopes available to leave a gratuity if you wish. It's not required.

[AZ TRAVEL]

I just looked at your past posts. Not rocket science. Sorry I just am getting tired of all the cheap people not wanting to tip the people that work so hard.

[hstrybuf]

Whoever AZ TRAVEL is is a little scary to know who I am and what cabins I am in? What else does he/she know about me? This internet is a scary place! By the way, yes, we paid $7,000 for 2 6B cabins ($1019 for 7 people)...back in February!

 

It's easy enough to read your posts on other threads where you posted the exact cabin numbers, something you should never do on a public forum until after the cruise. By posting those numbers, anyone can determine what category they are and approximately how much you would pay for them.

[MaryZ]

Especially when you see prominently displayed "No tipping" signs posted at the port!

 

As for Camp Carnival - the Camp Carnival staff are salaried and are not included in the automatic gratuity. Usually, on the last night, there will be envelopes available to leave a gratuity if you wish. It's not required.

 

well living in ny we are quite used to tipping. Never bothers me as it's always been part of our culture. I'm surprised you would think differently.

We always tipped the camp carnival staff well. They were great with our kids.

[nybumpkin]

well living in ny we are quite used to tipping. Never bothers me as it's always been part of our culture. I'm surprised you would think differently.

I'm quite used to it and it doesn't bother me - but I was rather surprised to see an actual sign in FLL that tipping the porters wasn't required (it was definitely ignored by both porters and passengers).

[dvdcopyking]

What is it today with all the cheap skates not wanting to tip. Walmart must be closed for the holiday weekend:D

 

 

And did someone not say that CARNIVAL IS THE WALMART OF CRUISES, of which you seem happy to be part of (the Walamrt herd) LMAO LMAO LMAO

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I'm glad to hear there are cases of kids getting extra special treatment.

 

It's not that there are cases where kids get special treatment--it's the norm. Our DD has sailed at the ages of 21 months, 6, 7, 8, and 11 years old and she's been treated like a princess on every cruise. The staff is wonderful to children and go out of their way to make sure the kids feel special.

 

I can guarantee that anyone taking care of my kids will be well taken care of in both gratuities and little gifts. Do we need to tip Camp Carnival staff separately or is that included on the S&S cards?

 

We always tip the full amount for DD (even when she was under two)--children make a lot of work for the staff, and as stated above, they go out of their way for them. Tips for the Camp Carnival counselors are not added to your Sail and Sign. In addition to the $10 per day for DD, we tip the counselors. My philosophy is that these counselors can make or break DD's cruise--when all she can talk about is Camp Carnival and she spends a lot of time there, the counselors receive a generous tip. It's also been a great opportunity for DD to learn about tipping. She writes out a thank you note to her counselors and puts the $$ in the envelope--she's the one who takes the tip to them and thanks them.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Jayne

 

:)

[Knights on the Beach]

We have been crusing with our kids since they were 12 and 5. The waiters (and in some cases, room stewards) have always gone out of their way to pay special attention to the kids and we have always tipped accordingly. We just count it as part of the cost of cruising -- just like when we eat out in a restaurant, we know we will be paying tips. ;)

[AZ TRAVEL]

I have heard Carnival compared to Wal-Mart many times. While I have not cruised a lot I have cruised RCCL, and to be honest I prefer Carnival. If that makes me the Wal-Mart cruiser I can live with that.