Kids tips

[haven001]

Our kids don't go to the dining room with us - they prefer the camp carnival dinner which is served by the camp staff. Can their portion of dining room staff tips be redirected to Camp Carnival instead? Normally we just tip camp carnival seperately, but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner - not to mention the cash tip to the camp carnival staff.

 

What is an appropriate solution?

[dolphinwyo]

My understanding is that the daily tip covers the servers in all areas of the ship also - so breakfast and lunch servers would be covered by the daily tips charged to your account. Camp Carnival staff have to be tipped by cash only, usually on the last day. I am not aware of a way to redirect the server tips. You could always tip them a little extra to the camp staff for the meal times - I usually tip a per day amount for each child for Camp staff. They do earn their tips for sure!

[Ship Addict]

Won't the waitstaff still be serving them, even if they're eating with Camp Carnival? I can't see removing the tips for this reason unless the Camp Carnival staff themselves would be going to the kitchen to retrieve all the different meals for the kids. Whether they eat in the formal dining or the buffet, there is still someone working for their meal.

[Payd]

Our kids don't go to the dining room with us - they prefer the camp carnival dinner which is served by the camp staff. Can their portion of dining room staff tips be redirected to Camp Carnival instead? Normally we just tip camp carnival seperately, but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner - not to mention the cash tip to the camp carnival staff.

 

What is an appropriate solution?

 

Although the children won't be in the dining room, they will be "dining" elsewhere and the auto tips should stay as is. The camp staff is an extra tip.

 

All of the ship staff work hard and deserve the tips they earn.

[shipty2]

The Camp carnival staff do not run down to the galley to retrieve the food themselves ,it is brought by a server. Therefore the server tip should remain and the Camp staff may be given a tip for supervising the children.

[MrPete]

 

What is an appropriate solution?

 

Actually, the appropriate solution is to eat together as a family. The tipping question goes moot.

[JordanLovesCruisin]

Actually, the appropriate solution is to eat together as a family. The tipping question goes moot.

 

Unless we had an excursion planned, as teens, my brother and I were allowed to go to the pool/teen club by ourselves.

 

However, this was only allowed if we met in the cabin 45 min prior to dinner to clean up and such for dinner. I can't imagine not eating dinner with your kids on a family vacation...but thats just my opinion.

[Tapi]

...but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner...

 

I apologize for being blunt, but if paying tips for 4 can "add up", you should consider leaving the kids at home, or not cruise at all.

 

As someone said, no matter where the kids are having dinner, there's a server picking up those dirty dishes and cleaning up those tables. Leave the tips as they are....

 

Also, just my opinion, but some of the most wonderful memories that I have from my earliest cruises (traveling with my grandparents, parents and 5 & 9 year old sisters) are thanks to spending time having dinner together. Don't deprive yourself or your children of the same type of memories. Check out the picture attached!

[LizaMM]

It is my understanding that the "dining room" tips are how the waiters are also tipped for ALL the dining venues. The waiters in the dining room at night will also take turns working in the buffet area etc as well as during open seating breakfast/lunch in the dining room.

 

Also, although the counselors at the Camp are monitoring the kids during dinner I have never seen them serving. The food is either brought to the Camp OR a section of the buffet area on the Lido Deck is reserved for them.

 

Therefore, I do not consider these auto-tips to be for dinner dining only. With that being the case I, personally, would not adjust the tips and tip the Camp staff accordingly depending on how much you use it and service provided etc.

 

Also to the OP......I think the comments regarding how you choose to spend your vacation are not necessary and I sure hope they don't make you feel "guilty" as a parent! When i sail with my kids we do usually have dinner together every night BUT I am able to take vacation time without my kids other times and enjoy alonetime! On one of my sailings without my kids I was seated with a couple who were on a family cruise however, they opted to have Late Dining and enjoy that time as a couple while the kids were in camp. Everyone in their family seemed fine with the arrangement....to each his own....and ENJOY!!

[halos]

What is an appropriate solution?

 

Appropriate is to leave the tips as is and tip the camp counselors seperately.

Yes, on 8 and 9 day cruises the tips DO add up when you have a family. I just find it horrifying that to make it work for you financially, you would consider taking tips away from the hardworking crew.

[2sweetgrits]

Also to the OP......I think the comments regarding how you choose to spend your vacation are not necessary and I sure hope they don't make you feel "guilty" as a parent!

 

I totally agree with this statement!

 

Don't let others dictate what you and your family wants to do on YOUR vacation.

To each his own! Our girls have been told that they need to eat dinner with us on a couple (3 to 4 nights on an 8 day cruise) of nights. Our family will be spending a lot of time doing other things together. They want to meet other kids and enjoy kid time. My DH and I would enjoy a few nights of "date nights". We plan on being flexible and enjoying our family vacation together and at times in smaller groups. Spending every second of every minute together on a cruise is next to impossible. Remember that saying "pick your battles"? I think that applies to this situation - "pick your quality time!"

 

To answer your question - I think I will leave the tips alone and at the end of the cruise tip to the camp counselors cash.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[DqALEX]

Our kids don't go to the dining room with us - they prefer the camp carnival dinner which is served by the camp staff. Can their portion of dining room staff tips be redirected to Camp Carnival instead? Normally we just tip camp carnival seperately, but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner - not to mention the cash tip to the camp carnival staff.

 

What is an appropriate solution?

You have to answer that yourself. Do what you feel is right for you and your family. I always at the end of a cruise go down and tip Camp Carnival. I wish I could tip everyone who works on the ship, but I can't do it

[MargieWY]

Also to the OP......I think the comments regarding how you choose to spend your vacation are not necessary and I sure hope they don't make you feel "guilty" as a parent!

 

I totally agree with this statement!

 

Don't let others dictate what you and your family wants to do on YOUR vacation.

 

 

Although I agree that the OP shouldn't let others tell them what they do on their vacation, at the same time, I wish that someone would've suggested to my parents that enjoying dinner together as a family was a good thing when I was growing up.

 

We NEVER had that feeling of family togetherness at dinner, and as an adult, when I see other families eating together, it makes me VERY SAD that I didn't have that.

 

I think that the suggestion, altough unsolicited, is VERY good. It's a shame that we live in a world where people are quick to shut down other's if they even dare to suggest something that would highten family togetherness!!

 

To the OP, enjoy your dinners alone or with your kids. As someone mentioned, it's "YOUR" vacation, but be open to suggestions as well.

[Ocham's_Razor]

We have 4 boys who don't eat in the dining room at all. They eat strictly in the buffet and pizza areas, breakfast lunch and dinner. The alternative/buffet people work hard and $1. per kid each day is not enough for the service they provide our kids.

 

When we board we go directly to the Matre' d and inform him that the 4 kids will not be eating in the dining room so their seats become available for others who switch dining times etc. We then request a table for 2 and have gotten it. We have been on a dozen Carnival cruises and a few cruises back the kids decided they would rather eat buffet and room service.

[czechmate001]

Unless we had an excursion planned, as teens, my brother and I were allowed to go to the pool/teen club by ourselves.

 

However, this was only allowed if we met in the cabin 45 min prior to dinner to clean up and such for dinner. I can't imagine not eating dinner with your kids on a family vacation...but thats just my opinion.

 

Just returned from the Legend where we vacationed with our 7 yr old. She chose to join camp carnival friends for dinner their dinner is 30 minutes vs 90 in the dining room. Ryleigh does not eat much and sitting for 90 minutes is not her thing. SHe did attend formal night with us. Our excursions were planned for her enjoyment, and every day was spent with her, young children do not enjoy long drawn out dinners.

 

As far a tips we pre paid ours and tipped camp carnival as well

[MrPete]

the kids decided they would rather eat buffet and room service.

 

THEY decide? :eek: WOW!

[Ocham's_Razor]

THEY decide? :eek: WOW!

 

Yes, they have been on many cruises and at a certain age they were given the option of eating in the dining room or just eating as they choose. They enjoy hanging out with friends and not being on a set timeline for when they can eat. It's their cruise too. Why should I drag them to a dining room every night when they would rather enjoy themselves with friends doing what kids do???

If having your kids at dinner with you is important, go for it...it's not for us.

[Catrin]

We ask that our boys (ages 10 and 13) go the first night, and the last night with us.

 

After that, it is up to them.... but ...my youngest still wants to go to the dining room nightly!

My 13 yr old, on the other hand... well, Pizza is his thing.

 

But.. we do not remove our tips. Someone is waiting on him, no matter what.

 

Catrin

[Ocham's_Razor]

They used to come to formal night but after 11 cruises they got tired of the dress up thing.

[jakieemma]

We ask that our boys (ages 10 and 13) go the first night, and the last night with us.

 

After that, it is up to them.... but ...my youngest still wants to go to the dining room nightly!

My 13 yr old, on the other hand... well, Pizza is his thing.

 

But.. we do not remove our tips. Someone is waiting on him, no matter what.

 

Catrin

 

Our kids used to come to dinner every night but as they got older they have become less interested in dressing up and held to a dining schedule. My boys are 14,15,16 and 20. We get 2 cabins for them and they come and go as they please, as long as they check in with us. They have never been a problem.

I can't remember the last time we ate dinner together as a family, it is impossible with them playing sports or working. Dinner has become less important and other times together are more cherished. To each his own.

[tiffytutu99]

I'm sure the OP doesn't have any evil intentions of taking away tips from anyone. It sounds like she just thought maybe the dining room staff was getting the tip when the kids weren't there and it would be more appropriately directed to camp counselors. Not all of us are clued in to the inner workings of the Carnival tip splitting among staff. I think we should focus on informing her rather than berating her for an intention she may not have had. And we do not know the reasons of why her family has chosen to not eat in the dining room with the children so I suppose it is not appropriate to comment on it since she did not solicit any advice. Sorry, I do not mean to offend... sometimes people on this board jump down people's throats too easily. "Can't we all just get along...?" ;):p:D

[vtoria98]

Our kids don't go to the dining room with us - they prefer the camp carnival dinner which is served by the camp staff. Can their portion of dining room staff tips be redirected to Camp Carnival instead? Normally we just tip camp carnival seperately, but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner - not to mention the cash tip to the camp carnival staff.

 

What is an appropriate solution?

 

Just go to the pursers desk and have the dining auto tips removed from the dining portion of their tips. Take that money that you would have spent on that and give it to Camp Carnival. The Camp Carnival staff does indeed serve the kids in the buffet area. We sat next to the camp section on our last cruise and there were no buffet servers helping camp carnival at all, the cooks bought the food out to the buffet and the staff served them all. As long as they do not eat in the dining room at all and you let the waiters and the Maitre'D know I dont see why it would be an issue. That can free up their seats for someone who wants to switch tables or dining times.

 

As for stiffing the dining staff, there are people that work the buffet in the evenings and they do no get a cut of the dining room staff tips, they alternate for a week or two at a time in the buffet and the dining room, so they are all given the opportunity to make more tips in the dining room.

[G'ma]

Our kids don't go to the dining room with us - they prefer the camp carnival dinner which is served by the camp staff. Can their portion of dining room staff tips be redirected to Camp Carnival instead? Normally we just tip camp carnival seperately, but on our upcoming 8 and 9 day cruises the dining room tips add up when you are paying for 4 and only two attend the dinner - not to mention the cash tip to the camp carnival staff.

 

What is an appropriate solution?

 

Tips are Per Person......including children. Your children eat somewhere and they consume food that is prepared and served by someone. The gratuities are for EVERYONE onboard who serves you and makes the cruise an enjoyable experience.

 

Camp Carnival staff does no meal preparation or service. It's a good idea to tip them for their activities.

 

Tips are as much a part of the cruise as the room rates. Don't stiff the waiters and others because "it's expensive".

 

Here, from the website, it explains tips are per person......children are "persons":

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx

[Ocham's_Razor]

When you tip the dining room waitstaff...are those tips pooled or do they go to your waitstaff that serve you specific?

[bplazo]

They used to come to formal night but after 11 cruises they got tired of the dress up thing.

 

My daughter still enjoys dressing up for dinner. On one of our cruises, I opted out of going to the MDR, however, she got dressed up and went alone with her friend. She has always loved the waiters.