Even when receiving top-notch service, there is still no way to please everyone.
While Carnival crew members do get paid an hourly wage or salary (depending on their position), it’s common practice for cruisers to tip the crew members they interact with as a thank you for all their hard work.
Afterall, cruise line employees spend months away from their families at a time working long hours – usually without getting a single full day off.
But one cruise guest had the opposite mindset – expressing annoyance to Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page for being urged to tip crew members for “just doing [their] job.” She also called for Carnival to pay their crew more fairly to take the onus off guests.
“Why do you keep guilting us into tipping the crew. Pay them a proper salary like hotel workers in the United States. Carnival customers should not have to pay extra for people just doing their job. I don’t get tipped for just doing my job,” the irritated guest wrote.
Of course, how much and when someone tips is a personal decision. While guests can choose not to tip at all, others will opt in to pre-pay their gratuities prior to their sailing and will then tip extra for crew members who go above and beyond during the cruise.
Currently, Carnival’s pre-paid gratuities are set at $16 per person, per day, or $18 for suite guests.
Heald also acknowledged that tipping is up to the sole discretion of each passenger, but he couldn’t help but wonder what this cruiser was like during the majority of the year if she couldn’t embrace the spirit of giving during Christmas.
“I thanked her for her opinion, explained tipping was a personal choice and wished her a wonderful cruise hoping that she would appreciate the brilliant service. And I admit to all of you that as I posted my response I did channel my inner Home Alone and in my best Macaulay Culkin whispered “Merry Christmas you filthy animal. Oops,” Heald wrote under the message.
“Anyway, I was very nice to this lady although I wish I had added if someone performs a service that spares you the peculiar horror of cooking, cleaning and bringing you fabulous holiday fun this Christmas time then, goodness knows, they deserve a little something to say thank you, surely?”, Heald added.
He concluded his post by sending his own virtual thanks to the more than 26,000 crew members making the holidays magical for guests across the Carnival fleet.
Are Crew Members Paid Fairly?
How much each crew member makes is largely determined by their role, their experience, and the cruise line.
Per the latest estimates, the annual average salary before tips for most crew members on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise line is between $16,000 to $20,000. That said, people in leadership roles can range from earning $30,000 a year to upwards of $100,000.
But while this salary sounds low, a life at sea can be a lucrative career choice for many – especially for those who are from less affluent countries where they make more onboard than they would at home. Plus, crew members do not need to pay for their food and housing – which eliminates some significant expenses.
Recently, Kate McCue, captain of Celebrity Beyond from competing cruise line Celebrity Cruises, illustrated this point after a guest thought a crew member’s excited reaction to a $5 tip was too over-the-top.
Captain McCue used this as a learning opportunity – and posted a video in which she interviewed an Indian crew member named Rinku about how far $5 would go for him.
In the US, it likely wouldn’t go far – but in India, the crew member could use that $5 to buy two shirts, three cases of potatoes, or two cases of sugar.
Read Also: When Should You Not Tip on a Cruise?
Since Carnival guests are encouraged to pre-pay gratuities – and many do – some also prefer to bring other treats or small gifts for crew members to express their appreciation in a different way.
However, guests who go this route should check Carnival’s policies before they pick out their gifts – as crew members have to follow strict rules about what they can and cannot accept.
For example, crew members cannot accept alcoholic beverages or homemade food items for safety reasons.
But when in doubt, a bit of extra cash is always appreciated – and may go further for the crew member and their family than you might think.
