Cruise Ship Staff and Tipping

[DeerMe]

The following information is from www.cruiselinejob.com below is only a partial listing of jobs but ones we would be most familiar with. I'm assuming these wages apply to staff of all nationalities. Maybe it will be helpful for some in determing what they tip over and above the auto tipping (which is really a wage subsidy plan and has nothing to do with tipping at all).

· Buffet Steward / Stewardess (serving meals, drinks, cleaning tables) - No experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language knowledge required. Salary range: $900-1300 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities (tips) from passengers.

· Bar Stewards/ Stewardess (responsible for serving alcoholic beverages to passengers in lounges and on decks) - Some experience required. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $1400- 2200 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Bartender.

• Dining Room Junior Waiter / Waitress (assisting dining room assistant waiters, serving meals and drinks) - Some experience required. Fare English Languageskills required. Salary range: $1200-1800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities (tips) from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Assistant Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Assistant Waiter / Waitress (assisting dining room waiters in thefood and beverage service, serve passengers as directed by the waiter) - Experience required. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $1400- 2100 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Waiter (serving passengers, explain the dishes, make recommendations, supervise assistant waiters assigned to their tables) - lots of experience and fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $2200-3800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Head Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Head Waiter (responsible for a certain serving station in the dining room, supervises all waiters) - lots of restaurant and prior cruise ship experience in related position required. Fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $2600-4800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers.
  

· Maitre D'/Restaurant Manager - takes care of seating arrangements, service, and oversees the wait staff for the dining room. Under the maitre d' are the head waiters, and each of them is responsible for several waiters and busboys. Fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $3400-5200 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line and gratuities from passengers.

· 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.

· Bell Captain, mostly males (supervises bell staff, delivery of room service meals, gifts and flowers) - entry level position, no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1100-1300 U.S. per month, depending on tips (gratuities).

· Cleaner / Utility Cleaner, mostly males (daily cleaning of all public areas) - entry level position, no experience required. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $600-800 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line. Possibilities for promotion to Cabin Steward.

· Laundry Man / Linen Keeper, mostly males (support staff for laundry facilities, launder and dry cleaning of all passenger, officer, management and staff garments) - no experience required, entry level position. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $700-900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line. Possibilities for promotion to Assistant Laundry Supervisor.

· Pool Attendant, mostly males (cleaning and maintenance of all pool areas) - no experience required, entry level position. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $700-900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line.

[jackdiamond]

What does depending on gratuities or tips mean?

[cruisin36]

The following information is from www.cruiselinejob.com below is only a partial listing of jobs but ones we would be most familiar with. I'm assuming these wages apply to staff of all nationalities. Maybe it will be helpful for some in determing what they tip over and above the auto tipping (which is really a wage subsidy plan and has nothing to do with tipping at all).

 

·Buffet Steward / Stewardess (serving meals, drinks, cleaning tables) - No experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language knowledge required. Salary range: $900-1300 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities (tips) from passengers.

 

·Bar Stewards/ Stewardess (responsible for serving alcoholic beverages to passengers in lounges and on decks) - Some experiencerequired. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $1400- 2200 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Bartender.

• Dining Room Junior Waiter / Waitress (assisting dining room assistant waiters, serving meals and drinks) - Some experience required. Fare English Languageskills required. Salary range: $1200-1800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities (tips) from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Assistant Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Assistant Waiter / Waitress (assisting dining room waiters in thefood and beverage service, serve passengers as directed by the waiter) - Experience required. Good English Language skills required. Salary range: $1400- 2100 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Waiter (serving passengers, explain the dishes, make recommendations, supervise assistant waiters assigned to their tables) - lots of experience and fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $2200-3800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers. Possibilities for promotion to Dining Room Head Waiter.
  
• Dining Room Head Waiter (responsible for a certain serving station in the dining room, supervises all waiters) - lots of restaurant and prior cruise ship experience in related position required. Fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $2600-4800 U.S. per month, depending on gratuities from passengers.
  

·Maitre D'/Restaurant Manager - takes care of seating arrangements, service, and oversees the wait staff for the dining room. Under the maitre d' are the head waiters, and each of them is responsible for several waiters and busboys. Fluent English Language skills required. Salary range: $3400-5200 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line and gratuities from passengers.

·Cabin Steward / Stewardess, males and females (daily cleaning of passenger cabins) -no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic EnglishLanguage 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.

·Bell Captain, mostly males (supervises bell staff, delivery of room service meals, gifts and flowers) - entry level position, no experience required, some experience preferred. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1100-1300 U.S. per month, depending on tips (gratuities).

·Cleaner / Utility Cleaner, mostly males (daily cleaning of all public areas) - entry level position, no experience required. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $600-800 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line. Possibilities for promotion to Cabin Steward.

·Laundry Man / Linen Keeper, mostly males (support staff for laundry facilities, launder and dry cleaning of all passenger, officer, management and staff garments) - no experience required, entry level position. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $700-900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line. Possibilities for promotion to Assistant Laundry Supervisor.

·Pool Attendant, mostly males (cleaning and maintenance of all pool areas) - no experience required, entry level position. Very basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $700-900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line.

 

 

 

I hope you realize that this does include the expected tips. The normal salary for a steward or waiter is about $90 per month excluding tips.

[Colo Cruiser]

Here we go again. :eek:

[LARGIN]

This has been posted before...

Note that the monthly wages stated depends on gratuities (tips) from passengers received. The actual monthly wage without tips is much lower.. Now you do the math.. They work approximately 80 hours a week with no overtime for that amount..

[cb at sea]

You have to remember that while the wages do seem low, they aren't paying for rent or food....just saying!

[iamaqt2]

I would never dream of removing the so-called "service charge" that contitutes my tips. I also will slip a couple of bucks to the room service delivery person and usually an extra 10-20 to my room steward if service is good.

 

But people also have to remember that the wages the staff on the ships earn is usually 10X or higher than what they would earn a month in their own country working just as hard. And as previously stated room and board and food are covered. So I don't see why I should tip extravagantly over and above what I am already giving.

[cobra46]

You have to remember that while the wages do seem low, they aren't paying for rent or food....just saying!

 

nor taxes and SSI. We all know how much that costs.

[brfan]

You have to remember that while the wages do seem low, they aren't paying for rent or food....just saying!

 

Yeah if you think living in a closet with 3 strangers to be great accommodations, plus I've heard the food isn't that great either (I believe they get the stuff that isn't good enough for passengers).

 

Plus my guess most have to pay for rent/mortgage and food for their family back home, so they aren't really getting a free ride. I also believe they have to pay for their uniforms, some cruise line require that tipped employees have to pay for their flight home and they need to tip the person who takes care of their cabins as well as buying any personal items (toiletries, etc). Plus prior to starting their contract they have to pay for extensive medical checks and all costs associated with the various visas/documents they require for the all the ports they will be visiting during their contract plus hotel stays if the cruise line approved doctor or consolate(s) are in a different city from where they live.

 

As far as paying taxes is concerned, I'm sure it depends on where they are from if they need to report the income they have received.

[Traveler353]

I don't care what anyone else gets paid on or off a cruise ship, It is plainly none of my business. The hotel staff on cruise ships are not indentured servents as some would believe and try to get others to believe. They go in to the business with their eyes wide open. I have talked to many that have been with the same cruise line for over 10 years. So they must not feel so abused and underpaid. Many are providing for families back home. On my last cruise my room steward had been with Carnival for 7 years and just signed a new contract. He was not married but was sending half his paycheck back home to build his parents a new home. He was very proud and honored to be able to do that for them.

[DarwinH]

It’s a nice post to know several details. This is very interesting and helpful for people who want to attend cruise ship jobs to enjoy while getting paid for what they work. Really people who want to save some money can really work in cruise ship as there will be lot of savings sailing. The salary of most cruise ship jobs is considerably higher than equivalent jobs on land. Plus, people get to travel to different ports and they do get some rest and relaxation at ports of call.

[camNaud]

I don't care what anyone else gets paid on or off a cruise ship, It is plainly none of my business.

 

I agree with you all the way here. This sort of thing seems to be an obsession with some people.

 

I can't believe how many times I've heard the question on shorex tours "So how much is the average wage in ........?"

 

We have even had fellow cruisers ask us the same question about where we live.......... not the most interesting subject to engage in at dinner .... is it?

[G'ma]

nor taxes and SSI. We all know how much that costs.

 

They will be subject to whatever tax their home country requires.....

[mahassiddasairy]

I worked as a suite attendant (think catering server/guest relations for the luxury boxes) for a NASCAR race track. One year we had the mother of a famous racecar driver as the purchaser of the suite we were working. Now, this family was obviously well off. The racecar-driving son flew to the track in his own private helicopter. This woman was the most demanding client I've ever had, having us jump through hoops that were far outside our job description for three days (~16 hours each day). While we did make an okay wage, most of us worked the relatively grueling position for the additional cash tips that were standard. At the end of the 3 days, this woman handed us a $20 to share between 6 attendants (she'd bought 3 suites), and said something like, "After all, you guys make $7 an hour, don't you?" That's what some of these posts reminds me of. Someone clearly much better off than the waitstaff justifying a relative stiffing by saying that, after all, they make an okay wage anyway, right?

[mahassiddasairy]

Oops...sorry to have bumped up such an old topic. I was reading through the archives, and forgot to check the date of the last post before I replied.

[Cygneagile]

I don't care what anyone else gets paid on or off a cruise ship, It is plainly none of my business. The hotel staff on cruise ships are not indentured servents as some would believe and try to get others to believe. They go in to the business with their eyes wide open. I have talked to many that have been with the same cruise line for over 10 years. So they must not feel so abused and underpaid. Many are providing for families back home. On my last cruise my room steward had been with Carnival for 7 years and just signed a new contract. He was not married but was sending half his paycheck back home to build his parents a new home. He was very proud and honored to be able to do that for them.

 

I have been on over 12 cruises so far. And yes the majority of the employees enjoy what they are doing. It is a lifestyle. A friend of mine worked on Princess as a lounge singer and pianist. She was paid in cash and not taxed (she is Canadian). She had a wonderful time and would have signed up again but a full time job became available in the Toronto Area (she is a teacher)

I have to believe that the majority of the staff are there to their benefit. It is a win/win situation for the cruise line, the staff and the passengers.

So lets give them their due.

Julie

[Adri204]

I worked as a suite attendant (think catering server/guest relations for the luxury boxes) for a NASCAR race track. One year we had the mother of a famous racecar driver as the purchaser of the suite we were working. Now, this family was obviously well off. The racecar-driving son flew to the track in his own private helicopter. This woman was the most demanding client I've ever had, having us jump through hoops that were far outside our job description for three days (~16 hours each day). While we did make an okay wage, most of us worked the relatively grueling position for the additional cash tips that were standard. At the end of the 3 days, this woman handed us a $20 to share between 6 attendants (she'd bought 3 suites), and said something like, "After all, you guys make $7 an hour, don't you?" That's what some of these posts reminds me of. Someone clearly much better off than the waitstaff justifying a relative stiffing by saying that, after all, they make an okay wage anyway, right?

 

20.00 for six people seriously what planet was she living on? Thats not planet reality thats for sure.

 

I plan to tip well and im going to prepay and then still add extra tips every day as well. I appreate all the work that they do and also will enjoy learning about differnt crew members. I bet a lot of them have great stories and I look forward to getting to know other people its one of the reason I travel.

 

Adri

[LHT28]

I have been on over 12 cruises so far. And yes the majority of the employees enjoy what they are doing. It is a lifestyle. A friend of mine worked on Princess as a lounge singer and pianist. She was paid in cash and not taxed (she is Canadian).

So lets give them their due.

Julie

Entertainers are paid a heck of a lot better than the wait staff & cabin attendants.

They also get to eat in the MDR & have better cabins that the below deck crew.

They do not have to sign on for 6-10 months

Let's not confuse part time & above deck crew with those that work 10 + hours a day

 

 

Even if she was paid in cash she should have reported it to Revenue Canada

[Cygneagile]

I know what you are saying, however, she could not report it without the proper documentation and the cruise line would not/ and I say would not give her the tax form. She tried to report but the Canadian Government needed documents.

And yes, she had to fill in for many things during the day. Embarkation and debarkation. She was working 8 to 10 hours a day. This including her lounge singing. From what I heard, the headliners are the only ones that just work the schedule show times.

Julie

[mary_228]

Most people do not tip this category of worker, but if they knew that these young people are paid $55/day (and the day can vary betw 10-12 hrs), they might do otherwise. After all, what other category of worker can do the most to ensure a good time for a family? My daughter also had to pay her cabin attendant, $250 for her physical (which is only good for 2 years), transportation to the airport from her home and baggage check fees.