Tipping for children

[maui07]

if he's only 20 months you shouldn't have to tip at all, almost all the mass market lines add tipping at 2 years of age. Happy sailing.

Apparently, unless you are cruising RCCL.

[Debbers]

 

Are you saying that you're doing the steward's work, so you don't need to compensate him? His pay depends largely on the gratuities, as you know. If he finishes your nice, neat room quickly, it's not as if he can make extra money somewhere else. You are cutting into his income, and his family will feel the effects.

[Kerry's Girls]

Sorry...."Actually" but you couldn't be more "wrong" if you're including RCI in your reply. Best not to give out information unless you're sure it's correct, as this could be very confusing to some once onboard !![/quote

 

My apologies, you are correct with RCCL, I hope I did not "confuse" people too much. NCL is 2, Costa is 3, MSC I Believe is 4, Carnival was 2, Princess was 2 as of our last cruise. With that being said, *most* mass market do not tip the same at all ages. For anyone to believe a 6 month old and a 56 year old require the same amount of service is unbelievable to me.

 

A baby or toddler makes a mess when eating, creates dirty diapers, spit up, uses towels for bathing, etc. I tipped extra when cruising with my under-2s - it was very deserved and it was well worth it.

[maui07]

Are you saying that you're doing the steward's work, so you don't need to compensate him? His pay depends largely on the gratuities, as you know. If he finishes your nice, neat room quickly, it's not as if he can make extra money somewhere else. You are cutting into his income, and his family will feel the effects.[/QU

[gerif]

We are going on a cruise with 4 grown kids and 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 7 to 22. Many of them will rarely eat in the main dining room. In fact, some may never eat there and will instead eat as they go at the Windjammer or in their rooms or any other place they can pick up quick meals.

Are their parents expected to tip $13 per child, per day? That can get pretty expensive for a family traveling on a budget.

I know all about the services provided on cruise lines. I also know if a child is staying in the same room with their parents, that child shouldn't be charged the same rate for gratuities every day.

How do families generally handle gratuities for their kids?

 

What ever gave you the idea that children staying in the same cabin with their parents shouldn't be charged the same rate for gratuities every day? That's just crazy - if anything, I've always felt the children should be charged more as they create more of a mess in general. Having said that, gratuities should have been put into the budget BEFORE booking the cruise. Yes, it is expensive - but so is cruising. If you can't handle the expense, don't cruise. Lowering or eliminating gratuities for a child is also lowering or eliminating the earnings of the various staff members that serve them - essentially taking the food from their own children. Think that's fair? I think it's cheap and very, very sad. If you feel the kids' club staff should be tipped (which is not necessary as they are professionals earning a much larger salary), they can be tipped separately.

[ravinglunatic]

Please drop the whole "the crew depends on tips" argument. A gratuity is earned for good or excellent service. Not just because they show up. Look up the definition yourself if you want.

 

No one here is debating wether the crew deserve to be paid more, or wether they deserve the tips we give.

 

But they are just that...tips. For good service. If that service isn't perceived to be given, then by all means the amount should be reduced.

 

If this was a required thing, all cruise lines should just eliminate them altogether, increase our fare, and increase the wages.

 

 

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[flyingandcruising]

Unbelievable! How's that for snarky

 

 

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What's unbelievable?

[flyingandcruising]

Sorry...."Actually" but you couldn't be more "wrong" if you're including RCI in your reply. Best not to give out information unless you're sure it's correct, as this could be very confusing to some once onboard !![/quote

 

My apologies, you are correct with RCCL, I hope I did not "confuse" people too much. NCL is 2, Costa is 3, MSC I Believe is 4, Carnival was 2, Princess was 2 as of our last cruise. With that being said, *most* mass market do not tip the same at all ages. For anyone to believe a 6 month old and a 56 year old require the same amount of service is unbelievable to me.

 

Unfortunately Carnival is also 6 months and up. We were on them last year with our 7 month old.

[flyingandcruising]

 

A baby or toddler makes a mess when eating' date=' creates dirty diapers, spit up, uses towels for bathing, etc. I tipped extra when cruising with my under-2s - it was very deserved and it was well worth it.[/quote']

 

Who's the one cleaning up after the baby? not the staff. I;m changing the diapers, im cleaning the spit up, we use our own towels for bathing our son, our own sheets for the crib. They clean up after the adults and therefore are compensated as such. If more is done, we compensate them for that. You do more, you get more. Do less, get less. Just like eating at a restaurant.

[maui07]

 

Unfortunately Carnival is also 6 months and up. We were on them last year with our 7 month old.

 

wow! that must have changed recently because it was 2, two years ago.

[maui07]

What ever gave you the idea that children staying in the same cabin with their parents shouldn't be charged the same rate for gratuities every day? That's just crazy - if anything, I've always felt the children should be charged more as they create more of a mess in general. Having said that, gratuities should have been put into the budget BEFORE booking the cruise. Yes, it is expensive - but so is cruising. If you can't handle the expense, don't cruise. Lowering or eliminating gratuities for a child is also lowering or eliminating the earnings of the various staff members that serve them - essentially taking the food from their own children. Think that's fair? I think it's cheap and very, very sad. If you feel the kids' club staff should be tipped (which is not necessary as they are professionals earning a much larger salary), they can be tipped separately.

Hey to each their own opinion..To be honest I think charging a 6 month old the same you charge a 36 year old is crazy. And to think that the youth staff receive a much larger salary is insane. When I worked onboard for Celebrity and NCL (as a youth counselor), I earned $1250 a month/and a few tips. A waiter/cabin attendant/etc earns 3-4 times that amount, they also work twice to three times as much as a youth counselor. Its like comparing apples to oranges. No one is saying they want to eliminate all the tips but to adjust down a few bucks for a toddler/baby isn't a big deal. No one is taking food from the mouths of others. Trust me, the crew eat it up that so many people feel "so sorry" for them. Its not a bad gig, they know exactly what they are signing up for.

[mjkacmom]

 

Who's the one cleaning up after the baby? not the staff. I;m changing the diapers' date=' im cleaning the spit up, we use our own towels for bathing our son, our own sheets for the crib. They clean up after the adults and therefore are compensated as such. If more is done, we compensate them for that. You do more, you get more. Do less, get less. Just like eating at a restaurant.[/quote']

 

Do you take those dirty diapers home with you with your dirty sheets and towels?

[flyingandcruising]

 

Do you take those dirty diapers home with you with your dirty sheets and towels?

 

I take the dirty sheets and towels home, and leave the diapers in the trash that they are already emptying anyway from the adults stuff.

[JVilleGal]

You bring your own towels & sheets and take the dirty ones home. Ahhh ya doesn't everyone? Unbelievable yes unbelievable!

 

 

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[maui07]

You bring your own towels & sheets and take the dirty ones home. Ahhh ya doesn't everyone? Unbelievable yes unbelievable!

 

 

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Why is it unbelievable that a family bring their own (crib) sheet -something that the cruise line doesn't have and a baby towel? Not unreasonable at all.

[Kerry's Girls]

Hey to each their own opinion..To be honest I think charging a 6 month old the same you charge a 36 year old is crazy.

 

Just because you don't understand something, doesn't make it crazy - it just means you don't understand. The cruise fare is just a fraction of the income for the cruiseline - they really want to get you on board to spend more money. They will probably not make anything further off a 6 month old (maybe pictures), while adults spend money on cocktails and the casino and shore excursions. There is no incentive to charge children less, so they don't. It sounds like a resort might be more to your liking.

 

The original poster was asking about grandchildren starting at age 7 and asking if they don't eat in the main dining room, do they have to tip the full amount. YES, because they will be eating and sleeping somewhere. People can certainly always find a reason not to tip, but cruising with a child clearly isn't one of them.

[gerif]

Hey to each their own opinion..To be honest I think charging a 6 month old the same you charge a 36 year old is crazy. And to think that the youth staff receive a much larger salary is insane. When I worked onboard for Celebrity and NCL (as a youth counselor), I earned $1250 a month/and a few tips. A waiter/cabin attendant/etc earns 3-4 times that amount, they also work twice to three times as much as a youth counselor. Its like comparing apples to oranges. No one is saying they want to eliminate all the tips but to adjust down a few bucks for a toddler/baby isn't a big deal. No one is taking food from the mouths of others. Trust me, the crew eat it up that so many people feel "so sorry" for them. Its not a bad gig, they know exactly what they are signing up for.

 

Seriously? Try more like they make closer to $50 a month. That is why tips are most important to them - like it or not, it is part of their salary. A 36 year old most likely will be purchasing alcohol, eating in specialty restaurants, gambling in the casino, playing bingo, etc. A 6 month old - well, not likely to be generating a single cent for the cruiseline. They will, however, be generating a lot of stinky diapers that the room steward must dispose of (no, dropping them into the trash is not really disposing of them). Kids, even if they don't eat in the MDR, will be eating SOMEWHERE on the ship which requires a degree of service. Oh, and the service staff does indeed know "exactly what they are signing up for" - they are signing up for the gratuities promised to them.

 

But, hey, if you want to be cheap and not pay the full amounts charged, have at it. No one will know (oh, except for the staff who do get a list of those who remove/reduce gratuities).

[maui07]

Just because you don't understand something' date=' doesn't make it crazy - it just means you don't understand. The cruise fare is just a fraction of the income for the cruiseline - they really want to get you on board to spend more money. They will probably not make anything further off a 6 month old (maybe pictures), while adults spend money on cocktails and the casino and shore excursions. There is no incentive to charge children less, so they don't. It sounds like a resort might be more to your liking.

 

The original poster was asking about grandchildren starting at age 7 and asking if they don't eat in the main dining room, do they have to tip the full amount. YES, because they will be eating and sleeping somewhere. People can certainly always find a reason not to tip, but cruising with a child clearly isn't one of them.[/quote']

I absolutely understand, I worked on cruise ships 3 years post college. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion on something. I truly don't understand why people get so worked up about it.

[maui07]

Seriously? Try more like they make closer to $50 a month. That is why tips are most important to them - like it or not, it is part of their salary. A 36 year old most likely will be purchasing alcohol, eating in specialty restaurants, gambling in the casino, playing bingo, etc. A 6 month old - well, not likely to be generating a single cent for the cruiseline. They will, however, be generating a lot of stinky diapers that the room steward must dispose of (no, dropping them into the trash is not really disposing of them). Kids, even if they don't eat in the MDR, will be eating SOMEWHERE on the ship which requires a degree of service. Oh, and the service staff does indeed know "exactly what they are signing up for" - they are signing up for the gratuities promised to them.

 

But, hey, if you want to be cheap and not pay the full amounts charged, have at it. No one will know (oh, except for the staff who do get a list of those who remove/reduce gratuities).

 

You are correct, they get a $100 stipend and the rest do come from tips and those tips equal about $3-5K per month. Have you ever had a job on a cruise line before? The crew want your sympathy and they take that sympathy to the bank. I could also care less if they know I reduced my 2 year olds tip. I won't feel bad about leaving the other 3 in place. I wish everyone could see the inner workings of a cruise ship. Very eye opening for all. Happy sailing to you.

 

ps. Remember when tips were only for cabin attendants, waiters and the maitre'd? when people passed out envelopes on the last day? Who paid the laundry staff, cooks, bussers, etc then? The cruise line did of course. With the service charge in place now the cruise lines get to shift that overhead to the guests to lower their bottom line.

Edited February 14, 2017 by maui07

[JVilleGal]

You are correct, they get a $100 stipend and the rest do come from tips and those tips equal about $3-5K per month. Have you ever had a job on a cruise line before? The crew want your sympathy and they take that sympathy to the bank. I could also care less if they know I reduced my 2 year olds tip. I won't feel bad about leaving the other 3 in place. I wish everyone could see the inner workings of a cruise ship. Very eye opening for all. Happy sailing to you.

 

 

Cabin attendants earning $3000 to $5000 a month? Are you delusional? Or bad at math.

 

To clarify my niece & nephew spent 4 yrs on RCCL ships and I had the pleasure of sailing with them. The stories of crew hours and conditions under which they work are Hearthearking.

 

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[maui07]

Cabin attendants earning $3000 to $5000 a month? Are you delusional? Or bad at math.

 

To clarify my niece & nephew spent 4 yrs on RCCL ships and I had the pleasure of sailing with them. The stories of crew hours and conditions under which they work are Hearthearking.

 

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yes, they do/can make that. I have a great friend (that I met on ships) from the philippines that just bought his second oceanfront condo that he rents out. He works hard on his 9 month contacts, sends money home and is considered rich where he lives. He absolutely works his tail off (80 hours a week/4 person rooms/no days off, its all absolutely true. He also made 3 times as much as I did. We always joked that he was there for the money and I was there for the free travel. I am absolutely not delusional. Have a wonderful Valentines day.

 

No one is forced to work on a cruise ship. They know its a good gig.

Edited February 14, 2017 by maui07

[flyingandcruising]

You bring your own towels & sheets and take the dirty ones home. Ahhh ya doesn't everyone? Unbelievable yes unbelievable!

 

 

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Yes, for your information I do bring my own sheets for our crib, we like to try and make it smell like home so that he is not scared. What IS so unbelievable are people like you coming on here and shaming others that ask simple questions as the OP did. They don't ask for snarky responses and rude comments about their parenting. I don't understand why people cannot just come on these forums and be able to ask a question without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

[JVilleGal]

Yes, for your information I do bring my own sheets for our crib, we like to try and make it smell like home so that he is not scared. What IS so unbelievable are people like you coming on here and shaming others that ask simple questions as the OP did. They don't ask for snarky responses and rude comments about their parenting. I don't understand why people cannot just come on these forums and be able to ask a question without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

 

 

The OP asked a perfectly reasonable question. But then people like you popped in with every justification on the Seven Seas for not paying Gratuities so yes shame on you!

 

 

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[1025cruise]

How did this get into a question regarding 6 month olds? The OP's question clearly states that the youngest grandchild is 7, so whether or not tipping starts at 6 months or 2 years is irrelevant to this conversation.

[Ashland]

How did this get into a question regarding 6 month olds? The OP's question clearly states that the youngest grandchild is 7, so whether or not tipping starts at 6 months or 2 years is irrelevant to this conversation.

As usual...some poster's start "expanding" in giving answer's...the problem is when they start giving "wrong" information.