The things people complain about!? Sheesh

[che5904]

Oh, my goodness this topic has gotten way out of control. I never intended this when I posted it. In my mind it was an observation not a bashing.

 

It wasn't a post I cut and pasted from. It was a review in the review section so there was no place to comment there. Which is why I moved it over. Here's hoping this topic will just die a quiet death and drift away off the first page.

 

I guess this is why I have only posted like 100 times in 10 years. Can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen, lol.

 

Certain people have certain passions about particular topics. Thats human nature. So posting on a thread, yes you could have an opposite opinion of someone's passion, cause, strong thought process or against the majority.

 

Depending on the question. Starting a thread to answer a question can lead in a few directions. If the question is subjective, you will have strong opinions on both sides. If the question is something that requires a fact answered then they usually die off pretty quick, unless someone wants to dispute the fact or believe the fact should be changed.

 

Starting a thread to spark discussion (as you have done) can lead in 100's of different directions. So where you think the thread may go, may not necessarily be where eveyrone else's thought processes are. Thats the risk you take.

 

This is a forum, therefore expected to raise discussions. If you did not wish for a discussion, why start one in the first place. Did you really expect 20 posts telling you how right you were?

[billie5]

My point was why should I tip people who work with my child for a week more than I would tip their regular caregiver?

Sorry. I did not mean to imply I objected to your decision on tipping. Only to your math. Or at least your statement of it.

 

Bill

[newcruiser123456789]

Think of it as compared to daycare at home. If you normally pay $250/wk (which is pretty standard for our area) then $100 or even $50 for a week of childcare as a tip is totally reasonable IMO. I understand that not everyone would feel that way however consider the workers who earn the minimum wage which is barely a living wage and how much they have done for your children over the course of that week. If we were taking our son with us, we'd plan to tip at least $20/day that he used the program. Cruising is such a bargain to begin with that spending an extra $100 is no big deal - we'd spend that on one excursion for the two of us. There are places to cut from your budget, but tipping should NEVER be one of them IMO.

[Karysa]

Think of it as compared to daycare at home. If you normally pay $250/wk (which is pretty standard for our area) then $100 or even $50 for a week of childcare as a tip is totally reasonable IMO. I understand that not everyone would feel that way however consider the workers who earn the minimum wage which is barely a living wage and how much they have done for your children over the course of that week. If we were taking our son with us, we'd plan to tip at least $20/day that he used the program. Cruising is such a bargain to begin with that spending an extra $100 is no big deal - we'd spend that on one excursion for the two of us. There are places to cut from your budget, but tipping should NEVER be one of them IMO.

 

I think that it is very unusual for people to tip the kids club staff these amounts. Our DD worked as a counseller at got tipped $50 the first or 2nd week that she worked. She didn't know what to do so she told her supervisor who didn't know what to tell her so they asked the Director and he said keep it and enjoy. The supervisor and director had worked their way up the camp for years and they told her that no one had ever tipped them or anyone else that they knew of. People on here may say thatthey tip well but just take a peak at the tip jar on excursions and the truth is quite apparent.

[newcruiser123456789]

I think that it is very unusual for people to tip the kids club staff these amounts. Our DD worked as a counseller at got tipped $50 the first or 2nd week that she worked. She didn't know what to do so she told her supervisor who didn't know what to tell her so they asked the Director and he said keep it and enjoy. The supervisor and director had worked their way up the camp for years and they told her that no one had ever tipped them or anyone else that they knew of. People on here may say thatthey tip well but just take a peak at the tip jar on excursions and the truth is quite apparent.

 

That is very disturbing...but I can't say I'm surprised. Americans are notoriously cheap especially when it comes to tipping. I'm pretty sure NCL did the $12/day tip because people were actually tipping less than that total given all of the various service people they worked with. We always tip 20% (unless the service was really, really bad - then maybe 10%) and intend to add to the daily service charge as well. Having worked as both a waitress and a camp counselor when I was in school I understand how grueling both jobs are. In fact, even though our son isn't going with us I may stop by and tip the camp staff anyways. They deserve it!

[Karysa]

That is very disturbing...but I can't say I'm surprised. Americans are notoriously cheap especially when it comes to tipping. I'm pretty sure NCL did the $12/day tip because people were actually tipping less than that total given all of the various service people they worked with. We always tip 20% (unless the service was really, really bad - then maybe 10%) and intend to add to the daily service charge as well. Having worked as both a waitress and a camp counselor when I was in school I understand how grueling both jobs are. In fact, even though our son isn't going with us I may stop by and tip the camp staff anyways. They deserve it!

 

Full disclosure, I am from Canada. My kids went through the camp as campers and I never, ever, thought about tipping the counselors. I sent extra cabin treats, hemp, and magazines for them to bring out on a rainy day but I actually never thought about tipping them. I do tip on excursions (better than the vast majority that I have seen) but I never tipped kids club staff. Our youngest were 9 on their first cruise and didn't spend much time there. Tipping camp staff has never been on my radar. I have however thanked them when my children had wonderful weeks at camp and have searched out the Director and praised the staff that made a difference in our children's lives. My DD daughter said that she loved being a counselor and when she tells people about her favorite memories she doesn't include getting tipped. Two years later that is a distant memory but she does recall the stories about how she herself or the campers impacted eachothers lives for the better or how the one mother who was reluctant to leave her daughter because there was a child with special needs in the cabin pulled her aside at the end of the week after hearing of her daughters week and thanked her from the bottom of her heart.

[camz]

In all honesty, I think many passengers don't think much about tipping because of the way NCL auto charges the $12 per person per day for tips. I realize there are notations and announcements all over indicating who is not tipped. However, people are on vacation and for the most part don't pay attention. For the most part, missed tips are a factor of lack of knowledge of the NCL Tipping system, then just pure ignorance. At least that is how I perceive it.

[che5904]

In all honesty, I think many passengers don't think much about tipping because of the way NCL auto charges the $12 per person per day for tips. I realize there are notations and announcements all over indicating who is not tipped. However, people are on vacation and for the most part don't pay attention. For the most part, missed tips are a factor of lack of knowledge of the NCL Tipping system, then just pure ignorance. At least that is how I perceive it.

 

I have never seen any "notations or announcements all over indicating who is not tipped". The only reference that I have seen regarding this, came in our welcome booklet.

 

"Certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities."

 

Even reading this I can understand where some are coming from. My daughter also was a summer counsellor and a day camp counsellor for many years and her co-workers or herself had never received a tip. When she was a summer counsellor she never even got a salary but just an honorarium of sorts from the association that ran the camp. So "appropriate" to me if I used a day camp would have been 0. My son worked as a tour guide in a local tourist attraction that brought people from all over the world, he never once received a tip from anyone. Again so the "appropriate" amount from our experiences would have been 0.

 

Sometimes I think it is more due to the area in which you live and the experiences you've had that will designate those you tip and how much. Some countries don't believe in tipping period and therefore appropriate to them would be 0 for any service they receive. I think it is pretty common through at least Canada and the U.S. that restaurant workers are in the "to be tipped" category but again the reason someone tips those workers and how much, can again be the area in which they live and the beliefs of why you leave the tip.

[mitsugirly]

Without reading EVERYONE'S reply (I got 1/2 way and stopped)...

 

We took our youngest with us this time around (for the first time) and on the last day (on the Spirit) there was a box that stated tips appreciated or something like that. Below it was envelopes that looked like kids had drawn on them that said thank you on them. They stated that it was optional.

 

Now, I don't know what the OP is like or their circumstance...however, in their defense, if their child was anything like mine....

 

My daughter BEGGED non stop to go to the kids club. The guys there are amazing with the children. It is non-stop fun with stories, movies, activities, open gym...something planned all the time. She had a blast. We would leave her for a few hours mid day and then pick her up for lunch and she would beg to go back. We would go to check up on her about every 2 hours and we would ask if she wanted to leave of stay and she always begged to stay. The only other thing that she wanted to do if she was not in the kids club was be at the kiddie pool. Now mine was 3 years old (I have not club about the OP), but for a 3 year old, that was about the most entertainment and play there could be on the ship. Swim and play. Granted we had a port intensive itinerary (4 days straight) that she only got to visit with them for a few hours toward the end of the day. So...you just never know. Maybe the OP's child begged to go there as ours did. (I'm not saying we left her there 90% of the time, just saying...) Just a thought... :)