Break down of Auto Tips on Carnival- FYI

[rene194215]

Please don't flame as I think I was a little tipsy when I did this last year but I removed auto tips. (It is the only time I have done this) I was going through paperwork tonight and found a receipt showing the breakdown,

 

Daily tip- 11.50 ( I think its a bit more now?)

 

Alternative services- 2.00/day

Dining/Room Service- 5.80/day

Cabin Steward- 3.70/day

 

For those that DO remove auto tip on their cruise, please don't. When you break it down its really not a lot. I regret doing it this last cruise but did tip via cash. Though I always tip via cash on top of the auto tip.

[Elaine5715]

Please don't flame as I think I was a little tipsy when I did this last year but I removed auto tips. (It is the only time I have done this) I was going through paperwork tonight and found a receipt showing the breakdown,

 

Daily tip- 11.50 ( I think its a bit more now?)

 

Alternative services- 2.00/day

Dining/Room Service- 5.80/day

Cabin Steward- 3.70/day

 

For those that DO remove auto tip on their cruise, please don't. When you break it down its really not a lot. I regret doing it this last cruise but did tip via cash. Though I always tip via cash on top of the auto tip.

 

There have been hundreds of threads on this , what or why caused you to post your change of heart?

[SadieN]

Starting in October the tips are going up to $12/pp/pd. IIRC the extra monies are going to the room stewards.

[vacationmadness]

I'm not sure I understand. You removed the auto tip but then tipped via cash? Was it the recommended amount or above, like you mention. If so, I don't see what the problem is.

 

When we cruise , we usually leave the recommended amount of the stateroom account, then add a little extra in cash where warranted (which is in almost every case. Service usually is awesome!)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[riclop]

Please don't flame as I think I was a little tipsy when I did this last year but I removed auto tips. (It is the only time I have done this) I was going through paperwork tonight and found a receipt showing the breakdown,

 

Daily tip- 11.50 ( I think its a bit more now?)

 

Alternative services- 2.00/day

Dining/Room Service- 5.80/day

Cabin Steward- 3.70/day

 

For those that DO remove auto tip on their cruise, please don't. When you break it down its really not a lot. I regret doing it this last cruise but did tip via cash. Though I always tip via cash on top of the auto tip.

 

You still are because your post made NO sense.

[rene194215]

Please don't flame as I think I was a little tipsy when I did this last year but I removed auto tips. (It is the only time I have done this) I was going through paperwork tonight and found a receipt showing the breakdown,

 

Daily tip- 11.50 ( I think its a bit more now?)

 

Alternative services- 2.00/day

Dining/Room Service- 5.80/day

Cabin Steward- 3.70/day For those that DO remove auto tip on their cruise, please don't. When you break it down its really not a lot. I regret doing it this last cruise but did tip via cash. Though I always tip via cash on top of the auto tip.

 

The point of my post was to show the breakdown.

[ams1130]

Not that complicated ;)

[irishnyc]

The breakdown isn't any kind of secret. Carnival publishes the breakdown on their website:

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/default.aspx?faq=spa#q-231

Voyages departing December 1, 2011 through October 8, 2014; the total amount is $11.50 per guest, per day and breakdown as follows:

• Stateroom service team $3.70 per day

• Dining room service team $5.80 per day

• Alternative services team* $2.00 per day

(*galley, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members)

 

Voyages departing October 9, 2014 onward; the total amount is $12.00 per guest, per day and breakdown as follows:

• Stateroom service team $3.90 per day

• Dining room service team $6.10 per day

• Alternative services team* $2.00 per day

(*galley, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members)

 

 

For Cruises-To-Nowhere;gratuities of $11.50 USD ($12.00 on sailings 10/9/2014 onward), or its equivalent in foreign currency, per guest, per day must be prepaid.

[Frank12]

OK. Scratches head.?

[Disconnections]

For those that DO remove auto tip on their cruise, please don't.

 

When did tipping become an expectation? Isn't the purpose of tipping an act that rewards those directly serving you who choose to go above and beyond their basic responsibilities to make sure you have an enjoyable experience?

Edited September 15, 2014 by Disconnections

[Feelin' Nauti']

 

Daily tip- 11.50 ( I think its a bit more now?)

 

Alternative services- 2.00/day Per Day Alternative Services: distributed to kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members.

Dining/Room Service- 5.80/day

Cabin Steward- 3.70/day

 

.

To break it down further....Wondering how many tables per day does a waiter and his busboys /assistant waiters handle per dining (breakfast-lunch-dinner)?

Amount of cabins a steward takes care of morning and night?

Alternative servers at buffets, pizza, hamburger, hot dog, omelet stations handle?

;)not a lot compared to what you pay at home at a restaurant.

$11.50 to $12 per passenger, per day, effective Oct. 9.

[mapsmith]

And when you look at it compared to similar services on land.

 

Breakfast. Tip to the Waitress $2-3.

Lunch. Tip to the Wait person $2-5.

Dinner. (Even at Applebees or Chili's) on a $35 bill the minimum tip should be between $5-$10.

 

So each day, if you were to eat your meals away from home you would be tipping $9-15. In larger cities (NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, New Orleans, even Miami, daily tipping would be in the range of $30-50.

 

And if you are staying at a 4 or 5 Star Hotel, you would be tipping the Bellman a couple of bucks, and supposedly housekeeping about $5.

 

The tipping (actually they are service charges) are a bargain.

[Disconnections]

And when you look at it compared to similar services on land.

 

Breakfast. Tip to the Waitress $2-3.

Lunch. Tip to the Wait person $2-5.

Dinner. (Even at Applebees or Chili's) on a $35 bill the minimum tip should be between $5-$10.

 

So each day, if you were to eat your meals away from home you would be tipping $9-15. In larger cities (NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, New Orleans, even Miami, daily tipping would be in the range of $30-50.

 

And if you are staying at a 4 or 5 Star Hotel, you would be tipping the Bellman a couple of bucks, and supposedly housekeeping about $5.

 

The tipping (actually they are service charges) are a bargain.

 

If it was a service charge, you would not be able to remove them except for extreme circumstances. Gratuities on Carnival are 100% at your discretion, based on the level of service you receive or your own personal beliefs.

 

Carnival's food costs are $10 per diem for each guest and includes all meals.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Disconnections

[momof3cruisers]

If it was a service charge, you would not be able to remove them except for extreme circumstances. Gratuities on Carnival are 100% at your discretion, based on the level of service you receive or your own personal beliefs.

 

Carnival's food costs are $10 per diem for each guest and includes all meals.

 

Interesting re: food costs. Where did you find that information?

[Disconnections]

Interesting re: food costs. Where did you find that information?

 

The number has been thrown around here plenty of times. Here's a link (a little old because of a quick search, but a deeper search can help you find something more recent) that compares the per diem food costs of many of the cruise lines: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1096980

 

Carnival's food supplier is mostly Sysco, as can be seen from the Sysco trucks delivering food items to the ship on turnaround day. A high number of restaurants stateside (and even international) utilize this same food supplier.

 

Edit: I'll just leave this here, too.

 

For the past 3 decades I have been the guy who chooses menus and menu items for specific itineraries on cruise ships. The trick is to remove enough of the pricier items to reduce overall costs, but hopefully without taking away so much that the punters notice.

 

In your case, I was apparently very successful.

 

I also compute food cost reports every day of the year.

I'm also standing on the pier supervising provisions loading in places like Miami, Ft Lauderdale, St Thomas, and San Juan (yes, they are in the Caribbean).

Edited September 15, 2014 by Disconnections

[momof3cruisers]

Ah, I see. I was rather hoping for a reputable source which I don't consider to be some anonymous dude on a website who could be whistling out of...well, enough said.

[ready2cruzagain]

To break it down further....Wondering how many tables per day does a waiter and his busboys /assistant waiters handle per dining (breakfast-lunch-dinner)?

Amount of cabins a steward takes care of morning and night?

Alternative servers at buffets' date=' pizza, hamburger, hot dog, omelet stations handle?

;)not a lot compared to what you pay at home at a restaurant.

$11.50 to $12 per passenger, per day, effective Oct. 9.[/quote']

 

I asked on our last three cruises on Carnival this past Dec. and was told by three different stewards that they now have 27 rooms each to take care of.

 

So if they get $3.70pp per cabin and there are two people in a cabin, that is $199.80 per day or $5994 per month. $3.70 x 27 cabins x 2 people in each cabin = $199.80 per day or $199.80 x 30 days = $5994. The steward then has to give a portion to his/her assistant.

 

Honestly, if the steward gives half to his/her assistant they would each get $2997 per 30 days which is good money IMHO and way more than what people make cleaning rooms in the US at most motels or hotels.

 

If my calculations are wrong I am sure I will be corrected.

 

I have never removed my auto tips but I also do not feel sorry for the steward and tip over unless they do something above and beyond their job. When on a b2b and steward has to move luggage I definitely tip more for that but if he was just doing his job then no, I can't see tipping more.

[RWolver672]

And when you look at it compared to similar services on land.

 

Breakfast. Tip to the Waitress $2-3.

Lunch. Tip to the Wait person $2-5.

Dinner. (Even at Applebees or Chili's) on a $35 bill the minimum tip should be between $5-$10.

 

So each day, if you were to eat your meals away from home you would be tipping $9-15. In larger cities (NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, New Orleans, even Miami, daily tipping would be in the range of $30-50.

 

And if you are staying at a 4 or 5 Star Hotel, you would be tipping the Bellman a couple of bucks, and supposedly housekeeping about $5.

 

The tipping (actually they are service charges) are a bargain.

 

I don't consider myself cheap when it comes to tipping but there is no way I would tip 30% for a meal at Applebees. 10-15% is the normal range around here.

[Tapi]

Don't know the exact amount, but whatever it is, it allows these workers to have a quality of life in their countries that many in the US with similar jobs will never have.

 

On our last cruise, our staterooms were attended by a husband/wife team. We chatted with them several times during the cruise and learned that they have two kids back in the Philippines. When we asked them why they were BOTH doing this job so far from home and from their kids, they said that they love it. They only work 4 months during the year, and the double income allows them to pay for a nice home, for a nanny to assist their parents with childcare while they are gone, for workers to upkeep their house, and most importantly for them, they'll be able to pay for their kids college education in full.

 

So I don't know for sure, but it seems to me like the average maid at a hotel in the US doesn't make enough to live in a nice house, pay for nannies and house workers, and pay for college educations out of pocket while having 8 months of vacation a year.

 

While I'm a big advocate of the auto-tips, I'm not guilt-tripped into leaving extra cash tips unless the service was beyond exceptional because of some perceived notion that these are some poor, unhappy, over worked and underpaid employees.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited September 15, 2014 by Tapi

[TerReuv]

Very nicely said Tapi! And very true. There are a lot of people on this board that would like you make you feel like the lowest scum for removing tips for bad services, for not tipping extra everytime you look at a steward, or for removing auto tips so you can tip what you want to those who actually are serving you.

[Derbie]

I like the "old school' envelope tipping process; however, I understand the reasoning for automatic gratuities. My husband and I, are taking my young nieces on an 8 day cruise in a few weeks. It will cost us a total of $384.00 in tips alone. I doubt I will tip any additional money this go around. Although, this will probably not be the case. I have "guilty tipping syndrome." Normally, I over tip. Maybe, I am thinking that because I have two young children sailing, I will be paying the same tip amount, as the adult passengers pay. I still think $404.00 for eight days is still pricey. I am adding upwards, because there will be tipping for the baggage handlers.

[ready2cruzagain]

I like the "old school' envelope tipping process; however, I understand the reasoning for automatic gratuities. My husband and I, are taking my young nieces on an 8 day cruise in a few weeks. It will cost us a total of $384.00 in tips alone. I doubt I will tip any additional money this go around. Although, this will probably not be the case. I have "guilty tipping syndrome." Normally, I over tip. Maybe, I am thinking that because I have two young children sailing, I will be paying the same tip amount, as the adult passengers pay. I still think $404.00 for eight days is still pricey. I am adding upwards, because there will be tipping for the baggage handlers.

Why feel guilty? As I stated earlier, the stewards make more than what a lot of people want you to believe. They are doing their job and I do not understand why some think you should feel guilty about not tipping more.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

[cjnix29]

Out of curiosity, are they paid some sort of wage as well as the tips? or are their earnings solely tipped positions?

[ryansmith18]

Out of curiosity, are they paid some sort of wage as well as the tips? or are their earnings solely tipped positions?

 

They get a competitive wage.

[GeorgiaMomof4]

OP -

 

I noticed you are doing a B2B on the Paradise in October. Are you planning on coming back and doing any reviews? I hope so as we are sailing on her in February and there aren't nearly enough reviews out there on the Paradise.

 

Great thread - learned some very interesting info.