Please help me clarify tipping policies regarding children
 

My children have convinced me to take a cruise. We'll probably go in May, when they get out of school.

I'm just now starting to do some reserach and everything I read states that you should tip X amount of dollars per day, per person. Is that literally per 'person' or per 'adult'?

Thanks so much.

Since you have to pay full price or close to it for kids, I have tipped the same, kids or adults.

Besides, if you figure tipping is for the service staff, it takes at least as much effort to serve a kid as an adult, they make at least as much of a mess in the cabins. Or maybe it is my guilt over spending as much for a few days on a cruise as the people serving me make in many weeks.

I tip for my daughter as if she were an adult.

On the cruises she's been on, my daughter was literally treated like a princess. She was 5 on her first cruise, and 8 on the second.

Our dining room attendants always made a big fuss over her and went out of their way to get her whatever she wanted - this even extended to when we saw them during the day in the more casual buffet dining areas.

Our stateroom attendant always made sure to leave extra chocolates on her bed for her and made a point to ask about her day or what her plans were when we saw her in the hallways.

I think the same amount of effort (and oftentimes more) is spent making sure the children are also having a good time.

Point taken! Thanks so much!

I don't think you should tip your children at all. However, a modest allowance might be a good idea.

I do believe in tipping other people's children, however. $0.50 under 5 years old; $1 from 6-12; and $2 for 13-18 year olds.

It is per person, not per adult. You didn't say how old they are, but I've seen kids get a big kick out of using room service for example, and before you know it, they've made lots of calls to have food brought up to the room, etc.

I think it is pretty universal that it applies to each person in the room.

Most cruise lines now automatically apply these tips to your bill as soon as you get on the ship, so they are likely to answer the question even before you ask.

On a recent cruise I met a couple who were on the ship with a blended family of 5 they were charged $70.00 a day in tips and two of the children were infants. What services the infants received is still unknown.

Infants create both laundry and trash. Washcloths and towels are used to bathe them and sheets are used in their cribs. Add to that the fact that somebody has to dispose of all those nappies. They also take up space at the dining table and often entertain themselves by crumbling crackers and breadcrumbs all over the chairs and floor.

I'd venture a guess that I make less of a mess (and clean up after myself more) than the average infant or toddler.

I would tip the full amount for children and then maybe some additional money on top of that.

Theresa, WHY? Tips on a top of tips>

It's per person as others have said. Kids are people and require the same (or more) services adults require.

Please check with the cruise line you are sailing (final documents will probably contain the needed info).

I just returned from a Celebrity cruise and it states that children under 12 (as the 3rd and 4th occupant of a cabin) only need to tip 1/2 of the adults in the stateroom.

Of course, amount of tip is up to you!

Enjoy your cruise and all that great service!!

Thanks so much for all of the replies. Your info is much appreciated.

I have always tipped half for the children, as they are in cabins with their mothers.
we have for many years taken cruises with our two daughters and their kids, two each.
{husbands don't like cruising}.
We have been doing this for 10 years in a row, and mainly on celebrity, although last year we did the panama canal with Royal Caribbean.
as of last march break tip was never added to bill.
this year the two oldest who will be 12 and 14 will have their own cabin, and we will leave full tip for them.
I believe that half price for kids sharing cabin is fair.
I always give a little extra for super service whether at the kids clubs or servers, or attendants, but it must be 'super service'.