Why tip with drink coupons?

[dms_cruisers04]

Whoa! Can you say "left field"? Let's see how far off topic we can get with this thread.

[VentureMan_2000]

$1200 is not exactly true.

 

Minimally, each steward has 12 rooms with an average of 2 in each room. That's $588 a week times 52 weeks: $30576 / 12: $2548.

 

Now, add in the extra $25% TIP everyone needs to add in so these folks don't end up impovished, and you get the $40K.

 

$2548 a month is not too bad. They are not enslaved. Many work on these ships for years and years. It's a good way to make and save money. $30K plus room and board? Not bad in my book.

[GoinCruisin]

VM, do you realize that the room steward has to pay his/her assistant out of THEIR own wages? It is $800 a month, regardless of how much or little someone tipped. Takes that number down quite a bit. Then consider the FACT that they do not work 12 month contracts. And on top of that, not everyone tips extra... obviously, and most that do are not tipping an EXTRA 25%. I believe I said i tip 25% TOTAL, the 10% that is auto applied to the S&S, plus 15% additional. These people are not making a killing... when you look at the facts.

[txflood3]

Txflood - I agree with your definitions of quality and levels of service, but the waiter or pet owner that thinks giving rib bones (that splinter easily) to a dog has never paid the vets' bill or lost a dog to choking. Just a friendly tip.:)

 

Oopps....thanks for correcting me. Pork ribs...not good for dogs.....Beef ribs....ok. But then, beef ribs aren't Baby Backs now, are they?

 

Thanks

[VentureMan_2000]

The ones with assistants have a lot more than 12 rooms. 12 rooms is for the independant steward.

 

The fact remains, most tip at or above the guidelines. only 2%-3% stiff. And most renew their contracts. Why? The pay and benefits are not too shabby.

 

Carnival Guidelines allow the Steward to make between $30K and $40K, and provide room, board, and entertainment for them in addition.

 

I contend, not a bad deal. People choose to work on a ship. It's not a prison sentence. I think being a saleman and traveling everyday of every week is a prison sentence. Or maybe someone would think working on a fishing ship, or being an accountant at a desk all day is a terrible job. Working on a ship is a choice. And they get paid decent for their work.

 

I know maid service at hotels don't pay their workers this well.

[steveaaaa]

If the average yearly wage for a worker in India is $2000 per year and one is lucky enough to get a cruise ship job and even earn only $1000 per month, is that not $10,000 extra a year they would have earned if they stayed in their homeland?

What their situation back home is,is none of my concern. They seem to come from poorer nations and based on their standard of living,they are rich with a cruise ship job.

Steve

Include everything in the cruise fare so no one gets stiffed!

[GoinCruisin]

Actually, most of them have assistants. They ALL have 12 rooms (you should check out the Bob Dickinson special on PBS sometime, it was a real eye opener)... they have 30 minutes per room, they work 6-12 and 2-8. If you check out jobs for cruiseships, they do not make it easy for their staff to make $30K-$40K per month. Below are statements from the leading agency for cruise ship jobs. You will notice that even at the higher end of how much they can make, they are NOT making $40K per year. Notice that the first statement is for ALL cruise jobs.... sorry, no matter how you slice it, even if they were to work 12 months straight, which they don't... they are still not making $30-$40K.

How Much Money Can You Make?

Your income level in the cruise industry is dependent upon the cruise line who hires you and what your job description will be. However, you can often make up to $3,000 (U.S. funds) or much more per month. Again, your income level is negotiated between you and the cruise line who hires you, but keep in mind that the better your resume looks, the higher your pay could be.

 

 

Cabin Steward / Stewardess Responsible for the daily cleaning of passenger cabins. No experience required. Salary range: $1800-2200 U.S. per month.

 

 

Assistant Cabin Steward / Stewardess Daily cleaning of assigned areas and passenger cabins and assisting with passenger laundry requests. No experience required. Salary range: $1200-1500 U.S. per month.

[VentureMan_2000]

In short, just like anyone who takes any job, they have a choice to stick with it or not. It must be a fair wage or they would quit after the first contract is over. The fact is, there are folks waiting in line for these jobs. They are hard work, yes, but Carnival doen't have a hard time filling them.

 

For this reason, these positions are being fairly paid. Further proof is the continual contract renewals.

 

I don't view TIPs as part of what should be considered a fair wage. Carnival decides this by asking you to pay $10 per person per day. I TIP accordingly.

 

$10 per person per day plus 15% drink gratuity is plenty adequit.

[GoinCruisin]

That is your opinion, which you are entitled to. What you are not entitled to is telling others that they are foolish for tipping extra. Just a tidbit, just because you think it is adequate, does not mean others feel the same. The issue is NOT about whether or not these people like their jobs... sure they make more than they could make at home, why else would they leave their families for months at a time? Not sure how it got there... but if we want to tip above and beyond, if we want to tip a total of 15-30% for great service, why in the WORLD would anyone be upset about that? It's NOT YOUR MONEY!!!!!!! And we can spend ours how WE see fit, I can understand people griping about those that DON'T tip because that affects all of us eventually... but griping about people who tip too much???? COME ON!!

 

[lmondrop]

Some of us don't have the ability to give such large tips or tip extra. For example, I'm 27 just out of college and with an entry level job...not making very much....I plan my vacations with tons of time and anticipation so that I can save enough money to bring on board and pay for the fare....tipping extra for me is non-existent....I tip the recommended $10.00/day, its hard enough for me to round up my money to go on my vacation..much less tip extra. I think as long as you tip the recommended amount you should be fine. Now if you have the extra money and ability to tip extra...then by all means go right ahead...if I could I definately would...but I can't.

[VentureMan_2000]

"What you are not entitled to is telling others that they are foolish for tipping extra..."

 

And your opinion is more entitled, why?

[SevenVII]

I dont feed my dog chicken or pork bones. Just big beef bones!

[GoinCruisin]

"What you are not entitled to is telling others that they are foolish for tipping extra..."

 

And your opinion is more entitled, why?

I did not say anyone was foolish for NOT tipping more... that is the difference. I stated MY OPINION about how much I tip... I did not tell ANYONE they should do the same.

[VentureMan_2000]

You're missing the point. Telling someone that they should not over tip IS an opinion. Just as you telling me to mind my own business is.

 

I'm not the one specifying who is, and isn't, "entitled" to their opinion.

[GoinCruisin]

No, you are missing the point. I stated HOW I pay... comments such as:

 

*Americans are stupid with this tipping thing (steveaaaaaa)

 

*there are a lot of folks out there with "extra" money. Even though tips are included for everything, it is interesting that people want to tip twice To Insure Propper Service (TIPS). I wish I could provide a PO Box so that these folks could send some my way.(VM)

 

*The best answer is pay by the guidelines. TIPping extra because you want to make sure workers are being paid a fair wage is weird. (VM)

 

These are comments directed at people that decide to tip more. Just because we tip more does NOT make us weird, does NOT make us stupid and maybe your answer is NOT the best answer for US. You can have your opinion, but don't expect me to swallow it when you try to shove it down my throat, while following it up with comments such as these. I have not said WORD ONE about those that do NOT tip extra, some on here though feel the need to make snide comments about those that do...

[dms_cruisers04]

And for the record [U][B]I[/B][/U] was the one that said
[QUOTE]And why is it anyones business how I spend my money?[/QUOTE]
Because it's not.

[NewCruzer1]

So, let me see if I've got this right. Some of you think it's okay if I don't tip extra with the coupon, while others think I should? That about it?
Have at it, folks. I'm off to another thread.

[SevenVII]

You forgot those of us observers just sitting around enjoying this little debacle!

[steveaaaa]

It is not my fault that someone takes a $1.50 an hour job.It is also almost illegal for a company to have hidden charges and these tips are almost amounting to that. The new Hawaii cruise ship charges people a non removable $10 service charge per day per person????The Florida AG will surely be on top of this soon.
A tip is a tip is a tip. These wages should be included in the fare and not sugar coated as a "suggested amount". We have many new cruisers on this BB and they are all hit with great stories of all the mega tippers and clearly if you read their postings they are afraid of not tipping enough.
What I get out of all of it is;
You tip the airline porter heavy if you want your bags on the right plane.
You tip the ship porter if you don't want your luggage in the ocean.
You tip the room steward extra to insure good service over regular service
You tip the pool waiter extra so he will service you more often so he makes more also.
You tip the bartenders inside extra so .....

Steve

[lmondrop]

It's frustrating becuase some of us just don't have the money to tip extra period. I'm not an executive or a VP or President or a business owner....I'm just a kid fresh out of college....trying to have a good time before I get tied down with a family and responsibilities! I tip what is reccomended.. P E R I O D!

I mean what the HELL!

[GoinCruisin]

Your point? BIG DEAL IF WE WANT TO TIP EXTRA????? Should I sugar coat it and lie to others so they won't be scared of tipping? NO. Sure, tipping should be included in the price... I think most would agree with that. But to say that when someone clearly asks how we tip, or why we tip.... I don't see where there is a need to lie about it. And we certainly don't need to be called stupid americans based on HOW AND WHY we choose to tip... absolutely ridiculous. None of the people that tip above the S&S are saying "you are stupid not to tip more", we have thoroughly explained why we tip more as that is our preference. Why should it be an issue? Why should those that don't get wadded up and start throwing flames? Is this really affecting all of your lives so badly?

Newcruizr, you tip how YOU see fit. We all have to find a happy balance and it is not our business to tell you the right and wrong way... we can give our experiences, and hopefully you can come up with something that works for you. Sorry this got out of hand... I'm not sure why tipping 20% bothers people so bad, but I would not want to have run into them when I was in the service industry :eek:

[GoinCruisin]

[quote name='lmondrop']It's frustrating becuase some of us just don't have the money to tip extra period. I'm not an executive or a VP or President or a business owner....I'm just a kid fresh out of college....trying to have a good time before I get tied down with a family and responsibilities! I tip what is reccomended.. P E R I O D!

I mean what the [/QUOTE]
And that is fine... everyone should tip what they feel is appropriate... which will be different for everyone... if you cannot pay more than the S&S amount, that is fine... does not make you a bad person at all. But nobody should come down on others that tip beyond that. It is a personal preference.

[newbie2cruise]

Im still in college and waitress. I must say that if you cant afford to tip the minimum amount for great service, you shouldn't do ______________. Meaning if you go out to eat and cant afford to tip, cook at home ! Its cheaper and obviously you need the money !
With that said I am a good tipper, I do tip less for bad service, and much more for great service! You shouldnt feel obligated to tip extra for average service, nut for great service it should be done. On our last cruise I had a migraine, nad out asst waiter went all the way down to the infirmary and got me medicine :) that is gerat service!

[VentureMan_2000]

Tipping extra sure seems to make some folks angry. I will just tip as Carnival suggests since tipping extra can make you an angry person.

[steveaaaa]

[quote name='GoinCruisin']And that is fine... everyone should tip what they feel is appropriate... which will be different for everyone... if you cannot pay more than the S&S amount, that is fine... does not make you a bad person at all. But nobody should come down on others that tip beyond that. It is a personal preference.[/QUOTE]


If you cannot afford to tip the "Suggested amount" would less be OK?
Steve