Is it customary to tip Aventure Ocean staff?

[rmebda]

My husband and I have cruised 3 times together, but we will be cruising for the first time with our children (7 and 4) in August on Oasis. My feeling is that just as I tip the waiters and stateroom attendants, I may want to tip the AO staff who will be spending a lot of time with and caring for my children. I'd much rather give them money than a Maitre'd I never see.

 

I was just wondering if that is ever done. I know they are paid staff but has anyone out there ever tipped them? If so, how much?

 

Mind you, going on Oasis in August, I can only imagine how many kids will be on board and probably lots of staff too so it may be impossible to single out one or two people that may have interacted closely with my kids.

 

Appreciate any advice.

[cb at sea]

Yes, it's done sometimes...it's not required, tho. Totally up to you. If you offer a tip, it won't be refused. The staff is highly trained and not considered "service personel, so it's not "suggested" that you tip.

[NJsharon]

We are cruising next week... yay! Although going on Carnival, so a different line to you, but we do plan to definitely tip the Camp staff.

[rmebda]

Thank you both for your responses. That's good to know.

[angielane]

We took advantage of the Royal Babies program a few months ago...and tipped the Adventure Ocean staff person $20 for the week. She was VERY appreciative...though I had no sense that it was expected.

[Cheryl H]

I'm taking along some tip money for Adventure Ocean. I wonder how many work with the 6 year old group. I'm thinking there would be at least 2 people on staff working with each age group. Is that a good guess? Or does anyone know?

 

Thanks!!

[youngestof9]

We tipped the kids club staff aboard Norwegian Epic. They were fantastic with our kids.

[VikkiGarcia]

After talking with a gal who worked AO staff a couple years ago she stated that tip were nice. But the biggest thing that effected their pay/ability to be promoted were compliments on comment cards or letters of praise. She said each time they are SPECIFICALLY called out it is put in their file. She said this was a HUGE determining factor in being able to transfer to new ships or allowing the staff to transfer among the fleet. So along with a tip if you meet a great staff member who goes above and beyond make sure you call them out BY NAME in your reviews.

[Camlott]

So along with a tip if you meet a great staff member who goes above and beyond make sure you call them out BY NAME in your reviews.

 

In April we tipped AO staff and mentioned the ones that our daughter loved on our comment sheet. I know RCI takes the comment cards seriously (raises, promotions, etc.) especially when someone is mentioned specifically. Tipping in the kids club is not expected, but they were a life saver for our sanity so we tipped accordingly!!!

 

Typically anyone my wife and I decide to tip extra, we also mention them by name on our guest survey.

[rmebda]

After talking with a gal who worked AO staff a couple years ago she stated that tip were nice. But the biggest thing that effected their pay/ability to be promoted were compliments on comment cards or letters of praise. She said each time they are SPECIFICALLY called out it is put in their file. She said this was a HUGE determining factor in being able to transfer to new ships or allowing the staff to transfer among the fleet. So along with a tip if you meet a great staff member who goes above and beyond make sure you call them out BY NAME in your reviews.

 

That's an EXCELLENT suggestion Vikki. I will be sure to do that. Will also listen to see if my kids talk about any particular staff members that they have fun with.

[CruisingChronicler]

I was a Teen Director, and can personally tell you that tips are appreciated.

We are not service personnel like housekeeping, but we work just as hard if not harder than other departments. We make a salary (barely), but it is a base salary and particularly Camp Carnival staff would count on tips too.

Tips are usually around $20 for a week, but it is not uncommon to receive $40 for a longer cruise or $15 for a shorter cruise.

But also, definitely include a comment card for staff that really helped make your and your children's vacations memorable! They do go in permanent files, but not only that, they help staff to feel validated and good - which is a nice feeling when you never get a day off in 7 months!

[Cheryl H]

In April we tipped AO staff and mentioned the ones that our daughter loved on our comment sheet. I know RCI takes the comment cards seriously (raises, promotions, etc.) especially when someone is mentioned specifically. Tipping in the kids club is not expected, but they were a life saver for our sanity so we tipped accordingly!!!

 

Typically anyone my wife and I decide to tip extra, we also mention them by name on our guest survey.

 

How many were on the staff working with your daughter? Was it just a couple of people? Did she have the same people with her age group all week, or did they trade around?

[scubababy]

In my opinion, why would you not tip the kids club staff?

This staff not only provided my daughter with a fun time, but they also provided my husband and I with quality time alone as a couple to "re-connect" on vacation (ok - go ahead and laugh!!) It was so nice to have that time to play at the casino, catch a show, grab a drink, or just rest in the cabin in peace!!

 

In my opinion, their services are "priceless"!!

 

We just returned from a 12 night cruise, and we left a tip envelope for the staff to split. It was the equivalent of what we would pay for 3 "date night" babysitting charges at home.

[Camlott]

How many were on the staff working with your daughter? Was it just a couple of people? Did she have the same people with her age group all week, or did they trade around?

 

When we went it was a low week for kids on the ship (less than 400 kids under 18) so I don't know about other times of the year. Yes, the staff did seem to rotate around, however there were two staff members who were there nearly every time while others rotated around. Our daughter loved them and she drew a picture for them and we let her give them the envelope with the tip in it.

 

This was our first cruise taking kids with us, so we weren't real sure of the best way to do this or if our 5 year old would even like going to the club. We had set aside some tip money specifically for the club before going. We decided after she couldn't get enough of AO that we would tip the staff members she talked about the most and enjoyed the most. Looking back on it I would probably do it different next time and just leave an envelope with tips for the whole staff. But doing that, you don't know if everyone got a share or not.

[Cheryl H]

Thanks so much for the info. I know I'm taking tip money. Just not sure yet about leaving it to be divided, or giving it directly to staff members yet.

 

Our 6 year old is not so sure about AO either. However, he likes going to our "playworld" here at home. So I'm sure once he meets the staff and sees the facilities that he will enjoy it. I really doubt there will be very many kids on board, but I could be surprised. We are on a northbound Alaska trip.

[BLAMBKY]

I was a Teen Director, and can personally tell you that tips are appreciated.

We are not service personnel like housekeeping, but we work just as hard if not harder than other departments. We make a salary (barely), but it is a base salary and particularly Camp Carnival staff would count on tips too.

Tips are usually around $20 for a week, but it is not uncommon to receive $40 for a longer cruise or $15 for a shorter cruise.

But also, definitely include a comment card for staff that really helped make your and your children's vacations memorable! They do go in permanent files, but not only that, they help staff to feel validated and good - which is a nice feeling when you never get a day off in 7 months!

 

So how do TEENS tip? Do they give it or parents? Do they single out a person or do they give it to one person, hoping that it is split?

Long ago.... We, the parents, gave it upon checking kids in the last day to whoever checked us. I do remember listing names that my kids repeated stories too.

[CruisingChronicler]

So how do TEENS tip? Do they give it or parents? Do they single out a person or do they give it to one person, hoping that it is split?

Long ago.... We, the parents, gave it upon checking kids in the last day to whoever checked us. I do remember listing names that my kids repeated stories too.

 

 

There is only one Teen Director for each Teen Club on Carnival (one Circle C Director and one Club O2 Director), so it goes directly to that Director since they run the entire program. I have had both parents come find me and thank me, giving me a tip (usually in an envelope from their stateroom), and I have also had the teens give me the tip in an envelope as well - I have also heard that several tips have not made it to me when the parents checked later to ask. :)

In Camp Carnival, all the tips are split between the entire Camp Staff, along with the baby-sitting earnings. One individual person doesn't get it in Camp since it's a huge collaborative group.

[Camlott]

Our 6 year old is not so sure about AO either. However, he likes going to our "playworld" here at home. So I'm sure once he meets the staff and sees the facilities that he will enjoy it. I really doubt there will be very many kids on board, but I could be surprised. We are on a northbound Alaska trip.

 

Our daughter didn't really care one way or other after the first session. We weren't sure she would go back. We convinced her to go the next day and after that we had to convince her to leave!!! Don't give up if he doesn't like the first evening.

[mary_228]

Absolutely tip the staff there if your child had a good experience. They are not highly paid professionals, as some here have suggested. They make far less than minimum wage and work very hard to ensure your child is happy. My daughter worked for several holiday seasons onboard HAL and tips were far and few between, unfortunately. Everyone shared the tips.

[TravelGal68508]

I was on the Oasis of the Seas 3 weeks ago and my 6 year old had about 3 or 4 favorite staff members. They picked nicknames...she loved "Applesauce" and "Cheesecake" the best. When there are few kids present (like right at 9am) my 4 year old son (Aquanauts) was sent to the 6 year old class (Explorers) until more kids arrived.

Let me know if you have any questions...