Has anyone had a bad cabin steward?

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I think you're probably right, Shiona. I don't know exactly what he said to Jim as I wasn't there so I don't know if maybe Jim just took it the wrong way. When I asked him what the steward had said he couldn't remember exactly:rolleyes:...typical male:p. However, there's a card thing on the table that has the steward's name & contact number on it & on the other side it has information about tipping. Jim thinks that the steward turned it around so we could see the tipping info. I can honestly say I don't take much notice.

 

For anyone out there that has done B2B cruises, do you tip at then end of each cruise or just at the end of the second cruise (assuming of course you have the same cabin for both cruises)?

 

 

Every time we have done a B2B it is required that you to pay your gratuity at the end of each of the cruises. The reason being is that each cruise is a new cruise so all monies/accounts are finalised on disembarkation day or the evening before the end of the cruise even if you're not disembarking.

Is that clear as mud.....sorry.:o

 

Jillybean:)

[qld cruiser]

Hi, I cannot understand why people put up with sub standard work by crew on a cruise...luckily I have never experienced any problems.

but, if I ever did, I wouldn't wait to get home to do something about it.

 

why ruin your cruise and be unhappy, when it could have been nipped in the bud to start of with.

by going to Pursers desk and asking to speak to the Passenger Services Officer. explain the problem..and it will be fixed up.

The company does not take complaints lightly.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:):)

[fishtaco]

Hi, I cannot understand why people put up with sub standard work by crew on a cruise...luckily I have never experienced any problems.

but, if I ever did, I wouldn't wait to get home to do something about it.

 

why ruin your cruise and be unhappy, when it could have been nipped in the bud to start of with.

by going to Pursers desk and asking to speak to the Passenger Services Officer. explain the problem..and it will be fixed up.

The company does not take complaints lightly.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:):)

 

 

+1 I agree with you fully!

 

 

 

Den

[NSWP]

At the end of the day, you pay BIG money for a cruise, therefore everything on board, service, food, entertainment, should meet your expectations. If not, as has been said, take it further, who knows you might even get a 20% discount letter for your next cruise.

[S&D]

Les, you are doing our dream cruise in 2011...we will see if any specials come up for that one!!

 

BAD cabin stewards!!!!

..well....we have had lovely service from all our crew on all our cruises ..except in 2008 on the Sun Princess...and no..we did not do anything about it...just wrote it off as bad luck!!

 

Had a lady steward for the first time, a bit curt, short to you when she spoke..and yes..she did indeed speak English..not a problem there...I asked her for a couple of bathrobes, as we always do upon boarding, and waited all that day...and the next..on the third day they appeared after asking again.

 

OK..still not a problem... so ...a week later I thought we may like to have clean ones...so I asked nicely for two more, and put the old ones out with the linen that day.. we waited..again for 2 days, when I eventually asked if she could possibly get them to us, she raised her eyebrows and said "OH, you need MORE bathrobes"..in a shocking tone... and just turned and left...

 

some hours later I went to the next section along the corridor to the next steward who was by his linen store, asked if he had 2 spares.."of course Madam, anything else I can do for you.."..so I tipped him!..LOL...

 

..anyway, this lady was a real ray of sunshine.. (I don't think SO!!!!)...so she is the only one we have struck who was like that..Didn't report the rudeness......I figure she is the exception to Princess' fabulous crew!!! BUT...On the card you fill on regarding service on the ship...we filled out unsatisfactory on the cabin steward part..a first for us.

 

S&D

[3_beautiful_brats]

Emma, we were on the same cruise as you and had a great time I might add. We were in a Suite and our cabin steward was the dullest, most lifeless person we had ever met. Had absolutely no sense of humour and to be honest, we cringed every time we came back to our suite and he was in there.

 

We told him on day one that we did not want our beds turned down....that worked for only the first night then from day 2 onwards, he continued to turn our beds down. We asked him to do some of our laundry (which was complimentary) and it took 3 days to get it returned as he 'forgot'....

 

The list I could give would be endless, so I will quit now before it ruins my memories!!

 

Just for the record, he was NOT tipped !!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

For all of you that have travelled on US based ships sailing from the US:

 

Do you tip your steward a small amount on the first day to let him know that just because you are an Australian doesn't mean he is going to be stiffed regarding his tips. We will be leaving the auto tip on but I am a bit concerned because Aussies seem to have this reputation over there that they won't tip at all. I don't want bad service based on this premise.

 

What is everyone's experiences and recommendations?

[NSWP]

S&D..well you can do the 30 days, Rio to SF or 1st half Rio to Santiago or 2nd half Santigao to SF. Most of the big on line T/A's in Oz both on East and West coast have it.

We got same cabin... E209 for the whole trip. Not many itineraries like this one, one big adventure.

 

Good luck. SKI !! More Rasberry Fizzes !

 

Sorry, thread hijack!..Back to the topic..Billy & Charley's Mum, yes you could do that..give him/her a few bucks on day 1, but tell him/her also that you are leaving the autotips on, so he pockets legally what you give him/her directly.

[kaseyoz]

For all of you that have travelled on US based ships sailing from the US:

 

Do you tip your steward a small amount on the first day to let him know that just because you are an Australian doesn't mean he is going to be stiffed regarding his tips. We will be leaving the auto tip on but I am a bit concerned because Aussies seem to have this reputation over there that they won't tip at all. I don't want bad service based on this premise.

 

What is everyone's experiences and recommendations?

 

We sailed on the Mariner of the seas over last Christmas. We had tips"included" as part of our price. We had 2 balcony cabins and 2 promenade cabins (inside but with a window to overlook the shopping promenade.

 

We had absolutely the very best in cabin stewerdesses who knew our name from day one and was so full of life and jokes, I wanted to take her home. On the last night we recieved a beautiful handwritten letter saying how nice it was to look after us etc etc..Yeah maybe a ploy to get more tips but wonderful all the same.

 

Our waiters were also so full of fun but very professional again the best we have ever had.They also knew our name from day one even though we swapped seats every night.

 

I have to say also the rest of the staff went over and above what was expected but I suppose normal for the American market.

 

They give you envelopes to put a card in to say you have prepaid your tips. the staff do not know if there is extra in there or nothing. It is just a means of you having something to give on the last night. I like this idea.

 

We did not tip upfront and service was always amazing even in a cabin with 2 16 year old girls.

 

That being said I don't recall ever having a bad person. Once we had an invisible steward but the cabin was always perfect, when we did speak his English was very limited, so I assume he opted to not interact, that was ok too.

[Drelix]

I have had a fairly bad one he introudced him self to my uncle who was on the ship before me and others and then we didient teally see him at all never find him to ask for towels etc etc i supose its luck of the draw but that did not stop me from havin a great cruise.

[floatie]

The steward we had on our last cruise (16/10/09) would give a quick knock then barge straight in. He did this a few times but then we made a practice of locking the door and using the privacy tag.

 

Personally I prefer that they enter the room as little as possible and DO NOT touch any of our personal items. I might request the bed turn down not be done next time and that will keep it just that little more private.

 

I know some like all the fuss and fiddle but I treasure privacy and as I have paid for the room that is what I will have next time.

[Sundance12]

Reading some of these I actually feel embarassed

I wish people would stop complaining about not getting brand new towels everyday.. do you wash your towels everyday at home? It wont kill you to use the same towel more than once.. Its getting to the point of almost taking advantage of the steward and the situation and developing a 'because I can and Im entitled to' attitude

Stewards also treat you the way you treat them, for example I cruised with my sister and we're not the tidiest so our desk was always covered with things and after a few days the steward stopped tidying it and we didnt expect her to.. we made the mess we'll deal with living in it

I always feel uncomfortable when i return at night and find my bed turned down etc Im not the type to like being waited on and I dont like holding myself above people and Id personally rather do it myself and wish the steward was there simply to refresh the toiletries and empty the bins..

[sunbaker]

Hi there,

 

I have to answer this thread.

 

In August we went on our first cruise on Pacific Dawn. We like good quality so booked a mini-suite for the extra inclusions it would bring, for our child free holiday and 20th anniversary together. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we have booked on Pacific Jewel next year.

 

Our cabin steward was so bad it was embarrassing. We chose not to complain but to try and give her the benefit of the doubt as maybe she would improve... she did not.

 

She started on the wrong foot by asking our names in an accusing manner as if we were in the wrong place. When she realised we were the right people to be in the cabin, she went on the tell us she would have 16 cabins to look after on our cruise and would be very busy!!! We had to ASK for many of the inclusions of a mini suite which we did not get. ie - only one bath robe and slippers provided. no fruit. no flowers. All minor nitpicking things but overall added to our dissatisfaction. Our cabin neighbours told us she was terible for them too. They got nothing unless they asked for it, like us, including welcome drink.

 

Our cabin was never made up after breakfast. We kept coming back to our room and it was not done. Some days it was not done til 3pm.

 

She did the bare minimum. We asked for our water bottles to be replaced whenever empty which was only done the first 2 times. We had to ASK for more pool towels when she took our wet ones. etc. Our fridge was not working when we arrived and neither was the light on our mirror which we told her a few times. When they were not fixed on the 4th day we told the Pursers desk and it was fixed that day.

 

When we saw our cabin steward she repeated that she had 16 cabins to look after on 3 or more occasions. She constantly seemed disinterested, abrupt and tired. She was gone for one whole day and we had a lovely male steward who was very helpful to us. We wished we had had him on the whole cruise. We asked her where she was when she came back and she said she had been sick.

 

After reading the CC threads on tipping, we had fully expected to leave auto tipping ON and give an extra tip for extra service provided, but 5 days before the end of our cruise I took auto tipping off. I could not bear for our cabin steward to get any of our money. We then gave $50 to each of our dining room waiters and $20 to the lovely waitress in the patisserie who served our cappucinos to us each day.

 

I wrote a long letter to P and O which detailed all of the things we were disappointed in our steward about, (more detailed than this reply) and told them that we have booked a cabin for us and our 2 children on Pacific Jewel next July. I asked how I can avoid having the same steward and named her. We got an auto reply saying the wait for an answer would be 20 days. That was September 3rd. It is now over 60 days later and no reply. Grrr

 

Has anyone ever gotten a satisfactory reply to a letter of complaint? If so how long did it take?

 

Sorry I realise this sounds like a grumble but the question was asked and I answered... lol

[qld cruiser]

Hi there,

 

I have to answer this thread.

 

In August we went on our first cruise on Pacific Dawn. We like good quality so booked a mini-suite for the extra inclusions it would bring, for our child free holiday and 20th anniversary together. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we have booked on Pacific Jewel next year.

 

Our cabin steward was so bad it was embarrassing. We chose not to complain but to try and give her the benefit of the doubt as maybe she would improve... she did not.

 

She started on the wrong foot by asking our names in an accusing manner as if we were in the wrong place. When she realised we were the right people to be in the cabin, she went on the tell us she would have 16 cabins to look after on our cruise and would be very busy!!! We had to ASK for many of the inclusions of a mini suite which we did not get. ie - only one bath robe and slippers provided. no fruit. no flowers. All minor nitpicking things but overall added to our dissatisfaction. Our cabin neighbours told us she was terible for them too. They got nothing unless they asked for it, like us, including welcome drink.

 

Our cabin was never made up after breakfast. We kept coming back to our room and it was not done. Some days it was not done til 3pm.

 

She did the bare minimum. We asked for our water bottles to be replaced whenever empty which was only done the first 2 times. We had to ASK for more pool towels when she took our wet ones. etc. Our fridge was not working when we arrived and neither was the light on our mirror which we told her a few times. When they were not fixed on the 4th day we told the Pursers desk and it was fixed that day.

 

When we saw our cabin steward she repeated that she had 16 cabins to look after on 3 or more occasions. She constantly seemed disinterested, abrupt and tired. She was gone for one whole day and we had a lovely male steward who was very helpful to us. We wished we had had him on the whole cruise. We asked her where she was when she came back and she said she had been sick.

 

After reading the CC threads on tipping, we had fully expected to leave auto tipping ON and give an extra tip for extra service provided, but 5 days before the end of our cruise I took auto tipping off. I could not bear for our cabin steward to get any of our money. We then gave $50 to each of our dining room waiters and $20 to the lovely waitress in the patisserie who served our cappucinos to us each day.

 

I wrote a long letter to P and O which detailed all of the things we were disappointed in our steward about, (more detailed than this reply) and told them that we have booked a cabin for us and our 2 children on Pacific Jewel next July. I asked how I can avoid having the same steward and named her. We got an auto reply saying the wait for an answer would be 20 days. That was September 3rd. It is now over 60 days later and no reply. Grrr

 

Has anyone ever gotten a satisfactory reply to a letter of complaint? If so how long did it take?

 

Sorry I realise this sounds like a grumble but the question was asked and I answered... lol

 

 

Hi Sunbaker, I am sorry you had problems with your cabin steward, but really...there is the Hotel Manager to speak with at the Pursers desk.

if you had nipped things in the bud to start off with, and it could have been cleared up while still on the ship.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:):)

[sunbaker]

Hi Sunbaker, I am sorry you had problems with your cabin steward, but really...there is the Hotel Manager to speak with at the Pursers desk.

if you had nipped things in the bud to start off with, and it could have been cleared up while still on the ship.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:):)

 

 

Yes Lorraine, I realise in retrospect I should have done this.

 

But at the time I thought they would probably not change our steward if I did complain, and I worried that things might get tense/even worse between her and us if I did complain.

 

What we really tried to do was to continue to enjoy our holiday, controllong what we could ourselves, which was our attitudes.

 

From what I have heard and read I think bad cabin stewards are the exception rather than the rule, and I live in the hope that we will get a good one next time!

[The_Big_M]

I'd agree that you'd have to be unlucky to have the same steward twice, on a different ship at a different time. It's not impossible - but unlikely.

 

That said, that's a really disappointing experience. However, I'm quite surprised to hear that she had 16 rooms to cover, particularly when they're mini-suites. Did she have an assistant? If not, it sounds like a higher load than I'd have thought they'd have - though as you said, the replacement seemed to manage things better.

[Kinkacruiser]

I could write a short story about the attitude of a certain waitress in the restaurant on our last cruise, but room stewards have always been good. Just leave your spent towels on the floor, don't try to make you bed and leave notes.

My only concern re room service was trying to stop the fruit order.