spoke to my wait person about thier salary...omg..

[nurseypoo5]

A head waiter makes a whopping 75.00 per month salary. yup you heard right. I almost fainted. They work 7 days a week, every other day they have to do breakfast, lunch and dinner. the other days are thier days "off" where they just do dinner, or occassionaly dinner and breakfast. 75.00 a MONTH. The 10.00 a day you pay for tips, they get (i might be off a bit) 3.00 or 4.00 a day to be split with thier assistant. So if they have 20 guests at each sitting, that is at most 32.00 a day each. She said on an average day they can work 12-14 hour days, as they set up and break down, clean between each set of meals. They get about an hour off between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner. So thier day starts at 5:30 to 6am and ends around 11 pm. Holy moly, i tipped the poor girl 40.00. She said she always splits her tips evenly with ther assistant to which he agree'd she did. We only ate there 3 times that week, but i just couldnt believe how little they get paid! She also said they only provide ship health care, if they are off ship or need surgery they are on thier own. And they have to buy thier own uniforms, at ships cost...her shirt was 20.00 etc.

I really almost dont see how they can save enough money to fly home (she lives in peru) every 6 months. I know expenses are low, but she said she had to have dental work last month in Mexico and it took 2 weeks worth of tips to pay for the root canal..

She did tell me the supper club folks get 1200.00 per month salary but no tips unless the people eating tip them, which i thought they got something besides what we give. I wish we had known that since we only tipped them 20 dollars each night we were in there. They only work from 4pm till close so they get more money salary wise.

just some randam knowlege to share

[ragtiki2005]

These people work very hard for their tips. My room steward on my last cruise was the best I ever had and I left him more than the suggested tip. He was always working when I passed the cabin and would get me anything I needed. Bob

[spencercoop]

I know they work a lot for what they get paid, but you have to remember where they are from. Working on cruise ships is the best work for them.

I overheard someone talking to an employee and the employee says he makes $1,000 a month. He said the median salary for a person in his country is $200 a month. So in his country he is considered rich. So to them it is a lot of money, but to us it isn't

[johnsmom]

I wonder if you were being told a lie so that you would tip more. Sadly, I would not put it past them. If what they say is true, then it really irritates me that any company would take advantage of people from other less fortunate countries and hire cheap labor.

[Trip]

Johnsmom.
Please don't think for one minute that the crew is making a mistatement. Simply put, they really do live for the tips.

Many years back, more than now from what I have seen, the dining room staff, were quite blatant in letting you know how much tips were appreciated, a couple of days before the tipping night,[last night]. Things have changed, with tipping being put on your account.

They send money home, and, work so hard for every dime, 99 % of the time, they do it with a big smile for their guests.

Sadly, many many people don't tip. Before prepaid tips, people used to be absent from the last dinner, to NOT tip the staff.

They work hard and deserve to be compensated, according to the guidelines, and for many, more than that, when they go over and above.

[msblackjack]

nurseypoo: admittedly it is a low income by our standards, however, their living expenses are far less than ours,
like you said 2 weeks of tips paid for her root canal; 4 weeks of my salary barely covered mine and then I still have to pay for the crown work...
I really don't understand the people that feel it isn't right to tip or what to justify NOT tipping at all; they earn it; so give them a decent tip. We try to tip extra for those that go the extra step; usually our room steward gets a nice hefty tip; lately, we havent' had knock your socks off service by the waiters, so we tipped just over the avg, certain bar servers also get extra tips.

[katlady]

Originally Posted by johnsmom

I wonder if you were being told a lie so that you would tip more. Sadly, I would not put it past them. If what they say is true, then it really irritates me that any company would take advantage of people from other less fortunate countries and hire cheap labor.

As Trip has said Nurseypoo was not lied to. I heard the exact same thing from my head waiter on Carnival Freedom. They did a great job so we added a tip to the auto tips. I like to know the full costs of a cruise. So I made myself an excel spreadsheet, it has all the costs I could think of. To me tipping is part of the cost to cruise. With my excel spreadsheet I can compare many different cruises to find the perfect cruise. With no hidden costs. I have 12 cruises on the sheet right now. I may be mental.

[lhp]

It has never been a secret that Carnival (I can't speak for other cruise lines because I don't know about them) structures the wait and cabin staff pay on the tip system.

Personally, I wish Carnival would just add it to the cost of the cruise as a "service surcharge" where it can not be removed....because there is a growing number of people who have learned you can remove the tips (supposedly in case of bad service) and they are doing just that...even though they have gotten great service.

On one cruise recently 500 people (from the same group) ALL removed their tips...because they said they don't believe in tipping.

On the Fantasy last years about 1/3rd of the folks on a Jazz Cruise out of New Orleans removed their tips so that they could spend it on themselves.

Sadly, as long as Carnival is an inexpensive cruise line...these are the kind of people it is going to draw and Carnival is going to have to make a move to protect their staff from being stiffed by worthless bums.

[Mike M]

Yep: That's how the system works. At least they don't have to pay to have their laundry done but they do pay for someone to clean their cabins.

The total amount that you tip the wait staff is $5.50 with $3.50 going to the waiter and $2.00 for the assistant waiter. With 20 people the waiter will approximately make $490/week.

The wait staff, cabin stewards and assistant waiters work EXTREMELY hard and they deserve every penny of what they receive. If they do a good job then you can give them extra.

Take care,
Mike

[DonD]

Our waiter told us that they have to share some of their tips with the head waiter.

[katlady]

Just go down to the pursers office and ask for envelopes. I didn't reduce my auto tip and I had envelopes for the Head/Assistant waiters. I left the Cabin Steward's envelope on the towel doggie. On Elation, I always wanted a towel monkey so my hubby tipped the cabin steward for a towel monkey. We got the best towel "animals" on the trip including this guy. I didn't even know they made towel men. What can I say I'm easily entertained.

[Kuki]

Originally Posted by DonD

Our waiter told us that they have to share some of their tips with the head waiter.

I'd be a bit leary of any "wage" stories from the crew. Don't get me wrong, these people DO work VERY hard and deserve their gratuities. But most have been at this long enough to also know how to improve their chances at extras.

We're friends with one waiter who's own birthday happens to be the last night of every cruise... and he's sure to let all his tables know

[jess'smom]

Our waiters on my trip on HAL did not do anything to indicate we should tip any extra - although we did, because they were excellent. They remembered what we needed and the fact that as a diabetic I looked forward to the sugar free desserts. Was wondering, do the waiters get their room and board as part of their compensation package? Maybe the cruise lines overfigure what this amount is when they figure out their pay.

[spencercoop]

Originally Posted by jess'smom

Our waiters on my trip on HAL did not do anything to indicate we should tip any extra - although we did, because they were excellent. They remembered what we needed and the fact that as a diabetic I looked forward to the sugar free desserts. Was wondering, do the waiters get their room and board as part of their compensation package? Maybe the cruise lines overfigure what this amount is when they figure out their pay.

From what I understand their room and board is included.

[Ron]

I don't want to come across as uncaring, etc. and I certainly do believe in tipping for good service, ashore as well as afloat. BUT--- Kuki is on track re/ some of these wage and salary stories you hear. Many times you will hear of how many people they are supporting--their kids, parents, blind grandmother, etc. etc. etc. It makes for good tugging of the heartstrings and helps loosen the wallet. No doubt most of these people work very hard. I was on a cruise this time last week and watched carefully in the dining room as to what was going on. I couldn't do what they do, although my first job was a busboy in a large hotel dining room. So, I don't in anyway want to seem as though I'm taking away from what they do. They work hard--some harder than others.

True, the base wages aren't that much compared to what is paid in the U.S. or most other industrialized countries. But you have to figure that there is no cost for food--no cost for lodging--no cost for medical care--no city, county, state and federal taxes taken out, they can purchase their necessities at a cost much less than what you and I would pay so all that is worth a lot of money. And in most cases in the countries that these people come from the dollar goes much further than here at home so when all factors are considered they don't do too badly at all. And too, they are not indentured servants nor slaves--they can leave and go home if they wish but in most cases they continue to come back again and again.

I personally don't want to have a waiter or cabin steward to become my best buddy. I'll treat them with respect and ask for nothing out of the way. I want them to do a good job-- nothing more or less--they don't have to scrape and bow to me --they are just as important as anyone else on the ship, including me, the Captain and all passengers.

In all honesty, I can't see the reason that people go on a cruise and try to delve into something as personal as how much money someone makes. If someone started talking to me about my income I would, in very short order, advise them that was of no concern to anyone but me.
Lets stop and think for just a minute--when you are at home and go to a
restaurant I would bet no one questions the waiter /waitress about their financial status, income, how much they make, etc. When someone flies in on a cruise a day early and stays a night at the local Holiday Inn, Days Inn, etc. I bet they never question the maids about how much they make.
I would say that a lot of the service people at home probably don't do as well as a lot of the waitstaff / housekeeping staff aboard the cruise ships. They may make more on the hour but they have to furnish a way to work and back home, furnish their lunch, pay all sorts of taxes and then try to scrape by on what's left.
If the cruiselines had to start registering their ships in the U.S. and pay all the taxes, minimum wages, etc. that would be required by our government, most of us would not be able to cruise and most of the cruiseships would be sitting somewhere gathering rust.

Consider all aspects before feeling too awfully sorry for your waiter / steward--he / she may be better off than you think or are led to believe .

[tbowman]

On one cruise recently 500 people (from the same group) ALL removed their tips...because they said they don't believe in tipping.

How utterly rude. I would have been ashamed of myself and anyone I knew who would do this. I pre-pay my tips and then add more here and there as the need arises.

[katlady]

Originally Posted by Kuki

I'd be a bit leary of any "wage" stories from the crew. Don't get me wrong, these people DO work VERY hard and deserve their gratuities. But most have been at this long enough to also know how to improve their chances at extras.

We're friends with one waiter who's own birthday happens to be the last night of every cruise... and he's sure to let all his tables know

I was a hairstylist and some of the other stylist would leave a $5 bill on there station like it was the last person's tip. Their hope was the next person would see it and match the tip. I never did anything like that, I'm so charming it didn't need to.

[ttam]

for some of the staff and the countrys they come from, this is GOLD. 6mt contract and home, some send money (tips) home to family, and come back. SO TREAT THEM RIGHT

[cherylroy]

Spencers right - 1000.00 bucks to them is rich in their country. Yes, I tip - so don't get that wrong. Our last waiter on the Freedom told us he was quitting ONLY because he wanted to see his wife and kids more. He said he hated to quit because he really made good money! But at that time in his life his family needed him. He said he would come back later because the pay was good. Of course ----- you work from the bottom up and earn that pay also.

[misguidedangel]

Nurseypoo-I was talking to one of the social staff and the medical and dental is not quite right. They have coverage, but she said they use denitists in Cozumel and St Thomas (for that ship) that generally charge around 50% less or more than what a dentist in the mainland would charge. Cozumel is sometimes prefered because it is even cheaper. Medical, yes, they use the ship's doctor.

Income, I think you have to remember that one waiter may wait on as many as five or six tables. I noticed where the waiter went on the Valor and he had five tables, so he had around 40 people, so he'd be getting $1680 in tips. The assistant would get $840. This amount would be ONE cruise, so multiply that by four and they do make good money, but they work very hard for it.

They would be considered very well to do back home, but they probably are helping their family or supporting their own wife/children and the rest of their family..

I always give a little extra to the room steward cuz they do wonders!!!

[Snoozeman]

As Kuki has hinted don't believe all the stories you hear from waiters. Ask a waiter in the tip pool if he would trade income with a junior officer on salary. He wouldn't. Also the cruise line pays for the air fare back home.

[spencercoop]

Originally Posted by Snoozeman

As Kuki has hinted don't believe all the stories you hear from waiters. Ask a waiter in the tip pool if he would trade income with a junior officer on salary. He wouldn't. Also the cruise line pays for the air fare back home.

From what I have heard is the cruise line doesn't pay for the airfare back for employees like waiters. They do pay for airfare for people like the matre'ds

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by spencercoop

From what I have heard is the cruise line doesn't pay for the airfare back for employees like waiters. They do pay for airfare for people like the matre'ds

In general they pay air fare back for ALL employees. Waiters, cabin stewards, bartenders, etc.

[spencercoop]

Originally Posted by Snoozeman

In general they pay air fare back for ALL employees. Waiters, cabin stewards, bartenders, etc.

Ok I didn't know that.

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by spencercoop

Ok I didn't know that.

It's something they kind of use a leverage to make sure the employees fulfill their contract.

[spencercoop]

Originally Posted by Snoozeman

It's something they kind of use a leverage to make sure the employees fulfill their contract.

That makes sense.

[beentravelin]

Originally Posted by nurseypoo5

A head waiter makes a whopping 75.00 per month salary.

That's sad!

[green_rd]

Don't forget waiters in the US "make" about 2 bucks an hour + tips.

Also when thinking about the number of people tipping crew waitstaff you need to double the number of folks you see them serve - there are two seatings.

I just consider the tip a part of the cost of my cruise and will tip extra for serice I believe is over and above.

[katlady]

Originally Posted by green_rd

Don't forget waiters in the US "make" about 2 bucks an hour + tips.

Also when thinking about the number of people tipping crew waitstaff you need to double the number of folks you see them serve - there are two seatings.

I just consider the tip a part of the cost of my cruise and will tip extra for serice I believe is over and above.

I'm confused federal min. wage is $6.55; how can waiters make $2 per hour?

[arrowhead55]

The tips are part of the minimum wages for servers. Ask any sever in the US and it is about the same.