genuine question not trying to start something

[Rjh8842]

Go back and read your own opening post - your closing line pretty well did say that when you said: "...over pay cruise staff but not think twice about a travel agent."

 

Which, come to think about it, is OBVIOUSLY trying to start an argument.

 

My point of saying you dont think twice about the ta is that when you cancel a cruise or get constant price drops your ta is losing money. If your ta works only on commision they are not making anything when you decide to cancel that cruise or they are making less when you get a price drop. So in a way you are taking money out of their pocket.

[les37b]

My point of saying you dont think twice about the ta is that when you cancel a cruise or get constant price drops your ta is losing money. If your ta works only on commision they are not making anything when you decide to cancel that cruise or they are making less when you get a price drop. So in a way you are taking money out of their pocket.

 

 

 

The thought has crossed my mind, not that I’m trying to start an argument, but are you a travel agent?

[dd likes to cruise]

My point of saying you dont think twice about the ta is that when you cancel a cruise or get constant price drops your ta is losing money. If your ta works only on commision they are not making anything when you decide to cancel that cruise or they are making less when you get a price drop. So in a way you are taking money out of their pocket.

 

For reasons like this some TA's now charge fees. Either fees to book, fees to make multiple changes, or penalty when you cancel. Part of me doesn't like paying fees (think most of us like to save money), but understand they should get paid for the work they do.

[chengkp75]

My point of saying you dont think twice about the ta is that when you cancel a cruise or get constant price drops your ta is losing money. If your ta works only on commision they are not making anything when you decide to cancel that cruise or they are making less when you get a price drop. So in a way you are taking money out of their pocket.

 

Playing devil's advocate, do we know that when a cabin has a price drop that the decrease affects the commissionable portion or non-commissionable portion of the fare? My guess is that the commissionable portion of each cabin category fare is fixed, and the variable pricing is done on the NCF.

[Bonnie J.]

I asked our waiter on cw how much the ship pays him. He said $85 a MONTH, not day or week, a MONTH. On another cruise I asked our waiter the same question. He also said $85 a Month!

The crew make more on a ship than they can at home and send their pay home. They work 7 days a week, always more than 8 hours a day, never have a day off and work for 6-8 months before taking a vacation and going home. They earn every bit of the tips we give them!

[Rjh8842]

The thought has crossed my mind, not that I’m trying to start an argument, but are you a travel agent?

 

Nope

[Rjh8842]

For reasons like this some TA's now charge fees. Either fees to book, fees to make multiple changes, or penalty when you cancel. Part of me doesn't like paying fees (think most of us like to save money), but understand they should get paid for the work they do.

 

I agree. From the reading other postings it seems like if a ta charges these fees they are considered a bad ta.

[Rjh8842]

Playing devil's advocate, do we know that when a cabin has a price drop that the decrease affects the commissionable portion or non-commissionable portion of the fare? My guess is that the commissionable portion of each cabin category fare is fixed, and the variable pricing is done on the NCF.

 

I have been told by a ta that it is based on price paid. Of course it could vary. But I know every commision job I have ever had was based on price paid.

[Rjh8842]

I asked our waiter on cw how much the ship pays him. He said $85 a MONTH, not day or week, a MONTH. On another cruise I asked our waiter the same question. He also said $85 a Month!

The crew make more on a ship than they can at home and send their pay home. They work 7 days a week, always more than 8 hours a day, never have a day off and work for 6-8 months before taking a vacation and going home. They earn every bit of the tips we give them!

 

I do not know about what the ship pays. But I have spoken with some servers that told me that after a couple of sailing they were able to buy a home in full. It is kind of like how servers in the us only make 2 and change an hour. But I know plenty that bring home over 100,000 a year.

[billslowsky]

Because if the crew were from the US or Canada a lot of rude passengers would be getting a pie in the face instead of a fake smile. ;p

 

Seriously, I agree with you. Practically all of these folks are from places that have limited opportunities to dig out of poverty.

 

Edit: sometimes I hate auto-correct.

 

If you sail on the Pride of America with its largely US based staff, the quality of service isn't greatly different but they often supplement it with a healthy dose of good old American indifference.

[grapau27]

I asked our waiter on cw how much the ship pays him. He said $85 a MONTH, not day or week, a MONTH. On another cruise I asked our waiter the same question. He also said $85 a Month!

The crew make more on a ship than they can at home and send their pay home. They work 7 days a week, always more than 8 hours a day, never have a day off and work for 6-8 months before taking a vacation and going home. They earn every bit of the tips we give them!

Totally agree.

[chengkp75]

I asked our waiter on cw how much the ship pays him. He said $85 a MONTH, not day or week, a MONTH. On another cruise I asked our waiter the same question. He also said $85 a Month!

The crew make more on a ship than they can at home and send their pay home. They work 7 days a week, always more than 8 hours a day, never have a day off and work for 6-8 months before taking a vacation and going home. They earn every bit of the tips we give them!

 

Not wanting to get involved in another tipping thread, just let me say, that that is most likely his "base salary" per contract. However, his contract also states that he will be paid from the DSC pool up to a certain amount. The legal minimum for any seafarer, on any ship in the world, is $615/month for a 40 hour work week. Hours over 40/week are considered overtime, and must be calculated on a 125% of base figure. They are not paid hourly, but there are contractual calculations to make a "salary" that meets these international requirements. The typical front line crew makes about $1200-1500 a month, but if they are in the DSC pool, their salary can vary from this figure down to the $615/month minimum before the cruise line has to step in to make up the difference to $615.

 

That's all I'm gonna say about crew compensation.

[chengkp75]

I have been told by a ta that it is based on price paid. Of course it could vary. But I know every commision job I have ever had was based on price paid.

 

But unlike any other commission sale that I've heard of, the cruise line sets a limit on the amount of the fare that is "commissionable". This is where the term NCF (non-commissionable fare) comes in, and is used by some TA's to advertise a much lower fare than the cruise lines, since they lump the NCF into the "port taxes, fees, and charges", which tend to come out very close to the overall cost from the cruise line.

 

TA's don't like the NCF, but that is what all the cruise lines do, so they can't do anything about it.

[sloopsailor]

I asked our waiter on cw how much the ship pays him. He said $85 a MONTH, not day or week, a MONTH. On another cruise I asked our waiter the same question. He also said $85 a Month!

The crew make more on a ship than they can at home and send their pay home. They work 7 days a week, always more than 8 hours a day, never have a day off and work for 6-8 months before taking a vacation and going home. They earn every bit of the tips we give them!

 

Yes, they do work very hard. And I don't complain about paying them whatever the cruise line suggests in gratuities. It's the humane thing to do.

[grapau27]

Not wanting to get involved in another tipping thread, just let me say, that that is most likely his "base salary" per contract. However, his contract also states that he will be paid from the DSC pool up to a certain amount. The legal minimum for any seafarer, on any ship in the world, is $615/month for a 40 hour work week. Hours over 40/week are considered overtime, and must be calculated on a 125% of base figure. They are not paid hourly, but there are contractual calculations to make a "salary" that meets these international requirements. The typical front line crew makes about $1200-1500 a month, but if they are in the DSC pool, their salary can vary from this figure down to the $615/month minimum before the cruise line has to step in to make up the difference to $615.

 

That's all I'm gonna say about crew compensation.

Thanks for the clarification.

I believe the crew deserve all the money they receive.

[chengkp75]

I do not know about what the ship pays. But I have spoken with some servers that told me that after a couple of sailing they were able to buy a home in full. It is kind of like how servers in the us only make 2 and change an hour. But I know plenty that bring home over 100,000 a year.

 

You must know some real movers then, because everything I've seen says that only the best wait staff, at the best restaurants, in big cities, and typically career wait staff, make over $100k. How many of these top wait staff would want to live away from home for 9 months, work every day, and live in a 12 x 15 room with 3 complete strangers?

 

The wages paid to ship's crew provides a very good middle class income in their home country's economy, not by US standards.

[NLH Arizona]

Not wanting to get involved in another tipping thread, just let me say, that that is most likely his "base salary" per contract. However, his contract also states that he will be paid from the DSC pool up to a certain amount. The legal minimum for any seafarer, on any ship in the world, is $615/month for a 40 hour work week. Hours over 40/week are considered overtime, and must be calculated on a 125% of base figure. They are not paid hourly, but there are contractual calculations to make a "salary" that meets these international requirements. The typical front line crew makes about $1200-1500 a month, but if they are in the DSC pool, their salary can vary from this figure down to the $615/month minimum before the cruise line has to step in to make up the difference to $615.

 

That's all I'm gonna say about crew compensation.

I really wish they would put your information on crew compensation/tipping in a sticky, because then hopefully those that are always spewing incorrect opinions and calling them facts, would finally have to admit the truth. Thank you.

[grapau27]

I really wish they would put your information on crew compensation/tipping in a sticky, because then hopefully those that are always spewing incorrect opinions and calling them facts, would finally have to admit the truth. Thank you.

As long as the crew have made our cruise special i wish them all the best in their careers and hope they earn a lot of money too.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Maybe Fishtaco is sitting at tables with others from countries where tipping is not the custom. I've listened to my fair share of criticism about USA tipping customs from folks who are not used to it. I always advise them when visiting the US to make sure to advise their food server in advance that they won't be getting a tip. LOL.

 

More likely, since it seems to come up at his table all the time, the reason is that it is HE who is bringing it up.

[davekathy]

Not wanting to get involved in another tipping thread, just let me say, that that is most likely his "base salary" per contract. However, his contract also states that he will be paid from the DSC pool up to a certain amount. The legal minimum for any seafarer, on any ship in the world, is $615/month for a 40 hour work week. Hours over 40/week are considered overtime, and must be calculated on a 125% of base figure. They are not paid hourly, but there are contractual calculations to make a "salary" that meets these international requirements. The typical front line crew makes about $1200-1500 a month, but if they are in the DSC pool, their salary can vary from this figure down to the $615/month minimum before the cruise line has to step in to make up the difference to $615.

 

That's all I'm gonna say about crew compensation.

 

Interesting and thank you for posting. Exactly why we pay the suggested gratuities and don't concern ourselves with who gets how much.

Edited January 9, 2018 by davekathy

[Starfire33]

Our family does not have a lot of money. We are looking at our next cruise to be in about 3 years. We will need to scrimp and save.

 

I’ve worked in the service industry. I’ve cleaned disgusting guest rooms. I once had to pick up about $5 in pennies left by a rock band. The toilets were not a high point. I worked on my feet all day as a waitress making under $3 an hour just depending on tips. You have to go above and beyond in the service industry just to make tips and pay your bills.

 

I am very interested in the crews life stories. They have told me they are from Africa, haven’t seen their family in a year, and are just trying to pay the bills back home.

 

Those with that kind of life do work above and beyond. They don’t expect pity. They know that a happy guest tips. But they also enjoy our stories, they make us towel animals, they have our dinner drinks waiting for us, they sing happy birthday and corny songs, they make sure the bottle of wine we ordered the first day and have one glass a night is at our table to be served and they make sure it tastes as good as the first night. They don’t have to do this but the guest and they benefit from this attention.

 

Like I said in the beginning, we don’t have much money but I am sure as heck going to tip for the above and beyond. I would do that in any restaurant, hotel, taxi, Uber, shuttle bus, postal worker, etc.

 

If you were to go above and beyond, I would give you an extra tip too. It is considerate and treating others as you want to be treated.

 

 

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[Dennis#1]

As long as the crew have made our cruise special i wish them all the best in their careers and hope they earn a lot of money too.

 

Agree. Concise, but very well said.

[BlueRiband]

I really have been curious about this and am not trying to start an argument...So my question is why is it considered socially necessary to overpay cruise staff but be not think twice about a travel agent?

 

Since you have over 200 posts you had to notice that tipping crew members is the No.1 topic of discord here. Your last statement sums it up - you think that crew members are overpaid and therefore any service charges/gratuities/tips are unnecessary. So now that you got answers did anybody change your mind?

 

 

"Those convinced their will,

are of the same opinion still."

[iluvit!]

Playing devil's advocate, do we know that when a cabin has a price drop that the decrease affects the commissionable portion or non-commissionable portion of the fare? My guess is that the commissionable portion of each cabin category fare is fixed, and the variable pricing is done on the NCF.

 

 

 

I don’t know, but my agent has dropped the OBC from $150 to $50 during a series of price drops on my Allure cruise totaling nearly $500.

 

 

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[geoherb]

I think the travel agencies that are able to offer lower prices or generous on-board credit have worked it into their business plan to be able to do so. When I first started taking cruises in the 1980s, using a local brick and mortar travel agency was what almost everyone did. Those travel agencies had huge overhead--physical offices where people would come to find out what was available.

 

Now the large internet-based travel agencies work on a different model. Many of the agents work out of their homes even.