Tips must be taken away from the cabin steward.

The job postings below state salary ranges based on tips.Where are they getting the tips from?

http://www.cruiseshipjobs.8m.com/hotel.htm

Chief Housekeeper, males and females (supervisor of the housekeeping department: cabin

services, room services, bell services, passenger baggage handling and distribution) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $3000-3800 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips).

Assistant Chief Housekeeper, males and females (supervises day to day operations of the department as directed by the Chief Housekeeper) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2500-3400 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Chief Housekeeper.

Floor Supervisor, males and females (supervises assigned floor of cabins and cabin stewards as directed by the chief housekeeper) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2400-3200 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Assistant Chief Housekeeper.

Head Room Steward / Stewardess, males and females (supervises assigned station of cabins andcabin stewards as directed by Floor Supervisor) - experience in hotels or prior cruise ship experience required. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2200-2800 U.S. per month depending on gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Floor Supervisor.

Cabin Steward / Stewardess, males and females (daily cleaning of passenger cabins) - no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1800-2200 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Head Room Steward.

Assistant Cabin Steward / Stewardess, males and females (daily cleaning of assigned areas and passenger cabins, passenger laundry requests) - entry level position, no experience required. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1200-1500 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of tips (gratuities). Possibilities for promotion to Cabin Steward / Stewardess

Well they're getting some from me:)

The way I read it, this is the approximate wage INCLUDING tips. It doesn't state it as a "base wage". I'd be interested in seeing what the base hourly wage really is. In the meantime, I'm tipping.

The way I read it, this is the approximate wage INCLUDING tips. It doesn't state it as a "base wage". I'd be interested in seeing what the base hourly wage really is. In the meantime, I'm tipping.

I think the OP means that the Stewards are not getting the full amount of the tips taken from your S&S on a daily basis. It appears that the Chief/Assistant Chief housekeeper,Floor Supervisor, etc get a cut of those tips, as well.

Everyone has their fingers in the pie.

I think the OP means that the Stewards are not getting the full amount of the tips taken from your S&S on a daily basis. It appears that the Chief/Assistant Chief housekeeper,Floor Supervisor, etc get a cut of those tips, as well.

That is my point.Thank you.

This is old news and has been discussed before. It has also has been beaten to death.

There is a breakdown somewhere here on the Carnival boards that I read. Out of the $10/pd/pp, only $3.50/pd/pp goes to room steward. The $10 tip is broken down between various staff including waiters, buffet staff etc. They all get some. If you think your waiter or room steward deserves more than $3.50, give it to them in cash. They'll appreciate it.

Sorry. I thought you were suggesting the cabin stewards made too much money and shouldn't be tipped. My bad! :o

I think the OP means that the Stewards are not getting the full amount of the tips taken from your S&S on a daily basis. It appears that the Chief/Assistant Chief housekeeper,Floor Supervisor, etc get a cut of those tips, as well.

No different then any restaurant where most of the front of the house gets a cut.

Taking autotips off won't stop it, this is why they have to turn in the cash tips anyway.

There is a breakdown somewhere here on the Carnival boards that I read. Out of the $10/pd/pp, only $3.50/pd/pp goes to room steward. The $10 tip is broken down between various staff including waiters, buffet staff etc. They all get some. If you think your waiter or room steward deserves more than $3.50, give it to them in cash. They'll appreciate it.

yes, $5.50 goes to the dining room crew

$1.00 goes to the Bistro.

SO thats the whole $10

Where are the others getting their tips?From the Stewards $3.50?

The job postings below state salary ranges based on tips.Where are they getting the tips from?

 

http://www.cruiseshipjobs.8m.com/hotel.htm

 

Chief Housekeeper, males and females (supervisor of the housekeeping department: cabin

services, room services, bell services, passenger baggage handling and distribution) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $3000-3800 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips).

Assistant Chief Housekeeper, males and females (supervises day to day operations of the department as directed by the Chief Housekeeper) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2500-3400 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Chief Housekeeper.

Floor Supervisor, males and females (supervises assigned floor of cabins and cabin stewards as directed by the chief housekeeper) - professional experience in hotels or prior ship experience in related position required. Very good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2400-3200 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Assistant Chief Housekeeper.

Head Room Steward / Stewardess, males and females (supervises assigned station of cabins andcabin stewards as directed by Floor Supervisor) - experience in hotels or prior cruise ship experience required. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $2200-2800 U.S. per month depending on gratuities (tips). Possibilities for promotion to Floor Supervisor.

Cabin Steward / Stewardess, males and females (daily cleaning of passenger cabins) - no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1800-2200 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Head Room Steward.

Assistant Cabin Steward / Stewardess, males and females (daily cleaning of assigned areas and passenger cabins, passenger laundry requests) - entry level position, no experience required. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1200-1500 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of tips (gratuities). Possibilities for promotion to Cabin Steward / Stewardess

The full tip was never fully intended for the cabin stewards, waiters, busboys and assistant cabin stewards, even in the old days. Back then when it was customary to hand out tips personally to the waiters, cabin stewards etc, these employees were then required to give a percentage of their tips to the head room steward among other people. (this is the equivalent of most restaurants where waiters are required to give a percentage of their tips to busboys, food runners, etc)

As most of you know, the problem was that some passengers were stiffing the waiters, and thus the waiters were stiffing the head waiter. So, fast forward to today, and voila! The solution: automatic tips charged to your shipboard account! That way everything is split the way that it should be!

Most of the housekeeping staff are from countries where those salaries are a lot more than they could ever make at home. The reality is, most hotel housekeepers in the US don't make $2,000/month, more like not much above minimum wage. But, so what? We tip and always tip extra as our room stewards have always been excellent and very polite and helpful to us. I think they work very hard and obviously there is room to move up, as there should be.

This question/thread may be "old news" to some but to others who just came to this site mayhaps not.

My housekeeper last week told me he sent $500 a month home to his family & he kept the rest probable not that much for himself. I always give them extra because they deserve every cent of it. I miss them!

As most of you know, the problem was that some passengers were stiffing the waiters, and thus the waiters were stiffing the head waiter. So, fast forward to today, and voila! The solution: automatic tips charged to your shipboard account! That way everything is split the way that it should be!

So you are saying the auto-tip is to help prevent them from being stiffed,not for a convienence to the passengers?

If so,I agree with that.

I alway thought they got the whole thing,so if they are tipped in cash they keep it all?

Correct- no tip sharing if there is additional gratuities are given. That's why we always tip extra to everyone

No different then any restaurant where most of the front of the house gets a cut.

 

Taking autotips off won't stop it, this is why they have to turn in the cash tips anyway.

Keep the auto tips on-just slip your steward a little extra-that way-it is not known unless he chooses to share. We always tip our stewards and waiters a little extra over the automatic tip.

One thing though, we saw our head steward a whole lot last cruise-he seemed to work just as hard as those under him-he deserved his tip.

The Ins and Outs of Tipping Policies*

by Art Sbarsky

April 24, 2006

In addition to the always-interesting reader comments on the message board regarding tips, I've been getting lots of e-mail via my CruiseMates column on the subject. Not all of it is positive; there seems to be a growing feeling that the tips are not going to the person who should be rewarded. So I've asked the major cruise lines to detail some of their policies.

I'm not judging the merits of one versus another other (although obviously I have my personal opinions); I'm just doing it so readers have a good handle on the issues. It's up to each line to determine what's best for them, and as long as the guest knows what's going on, it's perfectly OK.

Here are the policies directly from Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, NCL, Princess and Royal Caribbean on some of the key issues:

**Who Gets What?** Image: http://www.cruisemates.com/images/clearpixel.gif

*Question:*

When a guest provides tipping via his on-board account, going along with the line's suggested amounts, do those amounts go only to the people on the list, or is part of the total siphoned off for other personnel?

*Carnival:* On the first night of the voyage, guests receive a letter explaining the distribution of the suggested tip amounts ($10 per person per day divided between cabin steward, dining room staff, etc.) and are made aware of what amount goes to whom. They are also advised that they have discretion as to the amounts and the distribution of the tips themselves.

*Celebrity: *The amounts go only to the people on the list, with the exception of "stateroom attendant" tips, as staterooms are typically cared for by two people each.

*Holland America:* It goes to the crew at percentages, already determined, to areas such as cabin stewards, dining, room service, laundry, etc., that have a direct impact on guest service.

*NCL:* The service charges of $10 per adult per day ($5 per kid) are automatically added and are divided among a pool of crew members.

*Princess:* The discretionary hotel and dining charge is distributed to all crew members who serve the guest directly, in food service and staterooms, as well as a portion to those crew not usually seen by the guest - in the galleys for instance - who support those staff in their efforts to serve guests. Princess distributes all money to the aforementioned crew members.

*Royal Caribbean:* The gratuities are only given to the crew members who were serving the guest.

*Direct Tipping* Image: http://www.cruisemates.com/images/clearpixel.gif

*Question:*

When a guest gives cash directly to a crew member, is that person required to report that they have received the money, including how much they got and from whom?

_*Carnival: No. Shipboard employees can keep all cash gratuities without reporting it. *_

*Celebrity:* No, our shipboard colleagues are not required to report that they've received it, nor how much.

*Holland America:* If a guest asks that the amount on the folio be removed so tipping can be done directly, the steward, waiters, etc. are required to report that amount for pooled tips (but most guests keep tips on the bill).

*NCL: *No.

*Royal Caribbean:* No.

*Notification* Image: http://www.cruisemates.com/images/clearpixel.gif

*Question:*

When tipping is done via the folio (i.e., your onboard account), how and when is the person being tipped notified?

*Carnival:* Shipboard employees are notified of their tip amounts the day after the cruise ends (as to not impact service standards) and are paid about a week later.

*Celebrity:* Any guests who opt for tipping via the folio receive printed cards/vouchers acknowledging that their gratuities have been prepaid. Envelopes are provided with the vouchers so the guests can present them to tipped personnel to assure them suggested gratuities have been handled, and to allow guests to offer additional amounts if they wish.

*Holland America:* Shortly into the next cruise.

*NCL:* They're not, but this is partially based on the Freestyle Concept since virtually all guests do not dine with the same wait staff every night.

*Royal Caribbean:* No later than the last night of the cruise. There are lists prepared by the Pursers' Office stating the guests who have paid onboard gratuities on their folio. These lists are also available in the crew working areas. Also, vouchers for prepaid gratuities are given to each guest so that they can slip the voucher into the tipping envelopes to hand to the crew members on the last night of the cruise.

*Summary:* Image: http://www.cruisemates.com/images/clearpixel.gif

The job postings below state salary ranges based on tips.Where are they getting the tips from?

 

I imagine they're getting the tips from the passengers.

Granted, the current system is not perfect and, frankly, I don't know what the answer is. What I do know is that if I remove my tips my steward and waitstaff are probably going to be put in the awkward position of explaining why the tips were removed. Even if I hand them a wad of cash at the end.

I think I'll leave the tips as they are.

I suppose If one feels passionate about the tipping system and wants to take up a cause perhaps he or she should take it up with the cruiseline instead of removing the tips or encouraging others to do so. If I removed the tips I'm only punishing the people who do their best to help me enjoy my vacation.

In the show Bob Dickinson did, he stated that the cabin stewards can choose to hire an assistant, and they pay them out of their tips... I do believe they also receive a wage (the wage at that time was around $40 per month) He said that the stewards paid their assistants around $800-$1200 I believe... and then anyone that was on the "team" would get a percentage of the S&S tips... not sure how much has changed, this has been a few years...

This question/thread may be "old news" to some but to others who just came to this site mayhaps not.

And anyone who has just come to this site should take a little while and look at the first few pages, at a minimum. If they would do so, they'd see that there is usually a tipping thread, a smoking thread, a luggage tag thread, a booze smuggling thread, an upgrade thread, etc. etc. just about every day. Sometimes, we even get multiples of the above started every day (because no one can be bothered to see if there is an existing thread!).

Since the job descriptions posted are not from Carnival specifically, we don't really know whether the split of the auto-tips is further distributed, do we?

I honestly don't know why people obsess about this so much. Carnival has the break-down in the FAQ. Just pay the auto-tips and tip more to the individuals who go above and beyond. It really isn't so complicated!

The discussions on this subject are always convoluted and cryptic. The two questions are:

1. Do the room stewards get the total amount actually charged/cabin by the cruise line?

2. Do the stewards get to keep the additional cash tip given to them by the guests, or is that pooled and equally distributed among all the stewards?:eek:

So you are saying the auto-tip is to help prevent them from being stiffed,not for a convienence to the passengers?

If so,I agree with that.

 

I alway thought they got the whole thing,so if they are tipped in cash they keep it all?

My thoughts are that the cruise line adopted the auto tips to prevent their employees from being stiffed, however, for me personally, it translated into something convenient...

And anyone who has just come to this site should take a little while and look at the first few pages, at a minimum. If they would do so, they'd see that there is usually a tipping thread, a smoking thread, a luggage tag thread, a booze smuggling thread, an upgrade thread, etc. etc. just about every day. Sometimes, we even get multiples of the above started every day (because no one can be bothered to see if there is an existing thread!).

 

Since the job descriptions posted are not from Carnival specifically, we don't really know whether the split of the auto-tips is further distributed, do we?

 

I honestly don't know why people obsess about this so much. Carnival has the break-down in the FAQ. Just pay the auto-tips and tip more to the individuals who go above and beyond. It really isn't so complicated!

1,321 posts ago you were a newbie too. Cut them some slack...