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Tipping for children


Twoputtpar
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We are going on a cruise with 4 grown kids and 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 7 to 22. Many of them will rarely eat in the main dining room. In fact, some may never eat there and will instead eat as they go at the Windjammer or in their rooms or any other place they can pick up quick meals.

Are their parents expected to tip $13 per child, per day? That can get pretty expensive for a family traveling on a budget.

I know all about the services provided on cruise lines. I also know if a child is staying in the same room with their parents, that child shouldn't be charged the same rate for gratuities every day.

How do families generally handle gratuities for their kids?

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The way families handle it is not cruising if they can't afford the tips.

 

Of course they are charged and should pay the same tips. I am not sure why you think they shouldn't.

 

Don't they get sheets/towels/room/dishes dirty? Make trash? Use the kid's clubs? Watch the shows? Eat food prepared in the kitchen?

 

Every person in the cabin should tip the required amount.

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Wow people. A little respect maybe??

 

There are many reasons people reduce their tips. To suggest that a family can't afford the tips is totally disrespectful.

 

When I dine out at home just my wife and I, I generally tip fairly well. When we dine out with the family, I may tip a little bit more, but not double.

 

Think about it. Kids meals in restaurants are less expensive. So if we go on a standard 15% tip, this kids part is less and nobody blinks an eye.

 

So to answer OP's original question...knowing how they break down the gratuity, go ahead and reduce the amount as you feel is right. I tip based on service received...not the service available.

 

 

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As far a the tipping for children occupying cabins with parents.... the more people in the cabin the harder for the cabin attendant and much more work. This means every person occupying that cabin needs to pay. Children my nature are messy creatures, they are kids!

 

 

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We have 5 kids, and I never thought to reduce the gratuity, and we started cruising with them when the youngest were 4. When we go out to eat, I tip 18%, although I tippeda lot more when they were little and messy. I always tip the cabin steward extra.

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We put our boys in an inside across the hall so it never occurred to us to reduce tips. But as other suggested, tips go for a wide variety of services - irrespective of the MDR.

 

It is also your choice NOT to eat in MDR and for the kids NOT to be enjoying that service. But that is only a very small portion of the tip allotment.

 

These employees do not make minimum wage and tips are the way they make their living

 

Assuming good service , It would be wrong to reduce tips for all the reasons stated.

 

 

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We are going on a cruise with 4 grown kids and 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 7 to 22. Many of them will rarely eat in the main dining room. In fact, some may never eat there and will instead eat as they go at the Windjammer or in their rooms or any other place they can pick up quick meals.

 

Are their parents expected to tip $13 per child, per day? That can get pretty expensive for a family traveling on a budget.

 

I know all about the services provided on cruise lines. I also know if a child is staying in the same room with their parents, that child shouldn't be charged the same rate for gratuities every day.

 

How do families generally handle gratuities for their kids?

 

 

 

Yes, tipping is per person, children included.

While you may not use the MDR daily, the kids will be eating something somewhere, their beds will be made up daily and they will be receiving services on the cruise. The way the tips work, they get spread out among many people on the cruise, It's part of the cost of cruising.

 

We've been cruising with our kids since they were old enough to use the kids club. In order to keep cruising affordable for our family of 4 we share an inside room. There are many minus to this (we each are in twin beds, 2 in bunks, Tiny shower to share), but we find the pluses of cruising more often when we do this worthwhile. We have splurged on Mini suites allowing only 1 in a bunk and my husband and I can actually sleep together but it's not something we do often (splurge). We also book in advance and prepay for things along the way so we aren't hit with the full cost of vacation at once because it does get costly

 

 

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As said, kids are usually more work then adults. Do they plan on using the toilet? Well, someone has to clean it and bring toilet paper. Do they plan on sleeping in a bed? Well, someone has to bring clean sheets and make and turn down the bed each day.

 

You say they might no even go to the MDR. Do you plan on them starving for the cruise? Who do you think will cook the food they are grabbing as they go? Who will do the dishes and clean the table before and after your children? Do you know that the servers in the buffet areas are waiters and assistant waiters from the MDR? When your kid grabs that apple do you think it magically appears or that kitchen staff, the back up crew etc put it there.

 

They will treat your child with respect and make the cruise special for them. Why on earth would you think you shouldn't pay for the services supplied? I have been cruising with kids for over 30 years - before they even had kid areas - and it would never occur to me to not tip. Next trip is a 10 cruise to Alaska with my four grandchildren. Our tips will be $870 for the six of us. I just make sure I have the money set aside to pay what I owe.

 

To ravinglunatic: it is disrespectful to NOT pay the tips.

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I have cruised several times with my kids who are currently 2&5. I reduce the tips (for my children) and give the difference to the youth staff, you know the ones that are actually providing my children more of a service. With that being said, I pick up our room, make the bed, put the bunk away, pack the crib away everyday, etc. With 4 of us in the cabin, it needs to be clean and tidy and I do 99% of it before the attendant arrives. Flame away. Ps. I also used to work on cruise ships and have worked in the service industry for 15 plus years and don't feel one bit sorry about it. Flame away...

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Maui couldn't agree more! I clean up after my kids. It truly isn't a ton of extra work in my cabin.

 

Notentirelynormal: tips are NOT a given. If I receive poor service you bet I'm reducing the tips. Do I expect poor service? No. Do I tip for good service? Yes of course I do. But to suggest that it is harder to clean a toilet because an extra person used it? Give me a break!

 

All I'm saying is that provided you understand how the tips are split up, if you don't feel that service was provided, then it is perfectly acceptable to reduce them. If you feel the service was good, then of course the hard working crew should receive it.

 

For the record, I have at times reduced my tips, paid the "customary" amount, and at times have increased or tipped extra in cash. All depends on the experience.

 

 

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actually not true, tipping starts at 2 years old.

I think it depends on cruise line when tipping begins.

 

As to the original question we have always left tips in place for our kids. As a matter of fact often tip more if they are in their own cabin.

 

We find the crew you see does more for them than the adults, and tips also do go to those you do not see. We think about tips as part of the overall cost when booking. They truly should be called a service charge, not tip or gratuity.

 

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I think it depends on cruise line when tipping begins.

 

As to the original question we have always left tips in place for our kids. As a matter of fact often tip more if they are in their own cabin.

 

We find the crew you see does more for them than the adults, and tips also do go to those you do not see. We think about tips as part of the overall cost when booking. They truly should be called a service charge, not tip or gratuity.

 

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My bad, I should have said all the mass market cruise lines begin at 2, we have sailed on Celebrity, NCL, RCCL, Princess, and Carnival and they have all been 2. Also, that may be true for messy teenagers/tween but to have to tip the same as an adult vs a 2 year old there is a HUGE difference in service given/used. You really can't even compare the two and I don't they think should be lumped in the same category. Lucky for me, I can still adjust my gratuity as I see fit for for my two and five year old and giving some to the youth staff instead. Call me crazy.

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You should always tip based on what you feel is right for the services you received. We will be taking our 20 month old on his 2nd cruise next month and will most likely give more to some services and less to others. He has a peanut allergy so even though he will not eat much, I hope they go a little extra mile to accommodate him and therefore will give a bigger tip to the wait staff, but for other services may give less based on that he wont watch the shows, or use any of the activities. We will use our own sheets for him, and towels, etc in the room as well.

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I have cruised several times with my kids who are currently 2&5. I reduce the tips (for my children) and give the difference to the youth staff, you know the ones that are actually providing my children more of a service. With that being said, I pick up our room, make the bed, put the bunk away, pack the crib away everyday, etc. With 4 of us in the cabin, it needs to be clean and tidy and I do 99% of it before the attendant arrives. Flame away. Ps. I also used to work on cruise ships and have worked in the service industry for 15 plus years and don't feel one bit sorry about it. Flame away...

 

Maui couldn't agree more! I clean up after my kids. It truly isn't a ton of extra work in my cabin.

 

Notentirelynormal: tips are NOT a given. If I receive poor service you bet I'm reducing the tips. Do I expect poor service? No. Do I tip for good service? Yes of course I do. But to suggest that it is harder to clean a toilet because an extra person used it? Give me a break!

 

All I'm saying is that provided you understand how the tips are split up, if you don't feel that service was provided, then it is perfectly acceptable to reduce them. If you feel the service was good, then of course the hard working crew should receive it.

 

For the record, I have at times reduced my tips, paid the "customary" amount, and at times have increased or tipped extra in cash. All depends on the experience.

 

 

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I agree, You both said what I was trying to say. This is also the reason that I disagree they should charge full amount for a 1.5 year old. And no snarky responses of 'well if you dont want to pay, then dont go' I obviously still chose to pay and will enjoy our time.

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You should always tip based on what you feel is right for the services you received. We will be taking our 20 month old on his 2nd cruise next month and will most likely give more to some services and less to others. He has a peanut allergy so even though he will not eat much, I hope they go a little extra mile to accommodate him and therefore will give a bigger tip to the wait staff, but for other services may give less based on that he wont watch the shows, or use any of the activities. We will use our own sheets for him, and towels, etc in the room as well.

 

if he's only 20 months you shouldn't have to tip at all, almost all the mass market lines add tipping at 2 years of age. Happy sailing.

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My bad, I should have said all the mass market cruise lines begin at 2, we have sailed on Celebrity, NCL, RCCL, Princess, and Carnival and they have all been 2. Also, that may be true for messy teenagers/tween but to have to tip the same as an adult vs a 2 year old there is a HUGE difference in service given/used. You really can't even compare the two and I don't they think should be lumped in the same category. Lucky for me, I can still adjust my gratuity as I see fit for for my two and five year old and giving some to the youth staff instead. Call me crazy.

FYI, this is from the Royal website

 

Q: Does the automatic gratuity apply to all guests?

 

A: Yes, the gratuity applies to individual guests of all ages and stateroom categories.

 

 

You can do as you please, not debating that at all, although I personally don't agree with it. Our experience has been kids get more attention and create more work for the crew overall. I didn't go to other lines to check as Royal has been our preferred line most recently and was pretty sure there was no age limitation, but am pretty sure have heard of other mass market lines being the same, obviously not all but to say all mass market lines start at 2 is misleading.

 

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Tipping starts at two actually.

 

Sorry...."Actually" but you couldn't be more "wrong" if you're including RCI in your reply. Best not to give out information unless you're sure it's correct, as this could be very confusing to some once onboard !!

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Sorry...."Actually" but you couldn't be more "wrong" if you're including RCI in your reply. Best not to give out information unless you're sure it's correct, as this could be very confusing to some once onboard !![/quote

 

My apologies, you are correct with RCCL, I hope I did not "confuse" people too much. NCL is 2, Costa is 3, MSC I Believe is 4, Carnival was 2, Princess was 2 as of our last cruise. With that being said, *most* mass market do not tip the same at all ages. For anyone to believe a 6 month old and a 56 year old require the same amount of service is unbelievable to me.

Edited by maui07
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