Trinkets for Cruise members

[hoop4321]

john deere is our culture?

 

 

seriously, the responses are not mean. Just an honest response to save time and money....cash is easiest and best.

[Gone_Kroozin]

Ca$h! They can buy phone cards in the crew area where they can call their family at home or even friends on other ships in the CCL fleet. Or they can use it to buy a homestyle meal in port. If they want trinkets, they get crew member discounts in port too.

[Ashpalo]

I always have my daughters write a letter/card/draw pictures to each of or wait staff and then put the letters/cards, with an additional cash tip, in an envelope and hand it to them on the last night.

 

In regards to the open bottles of liquor...just because someone leaves an open bottle of liquor on the counter doesn't necessarily mean that they are leaving it as a gift/tip to the steward. When the steward is cleaning the room and comes across the open bottle of liquor, he has 2 choices - keep it or throw it away. Now - if you hand it to him as a "tip" or leave a note with it, that's a different story (and could be considered rude). I guess the best solution is to leave it (no note) and he can do whatever he wants with it. But, please, if you got good service - leave an extra cash tip!!!

 

Ashley :)

[pnjkeith]

I was reading on here that there are some people who give trinkets to crew members. I think that is an awesome idea to show how much you appreciate them along with the tips.

 

I know when the daughter and I went to so you think you can dance we had back stage passes and brought small stuffed animals and that was a hit.

 

Since we live in a farming belt, and John Deere is a biggy here would items with the logo be okay. Or I am up to suggestions

 

Thank you in advance

 

what if they wanted a Ford trinket? Not everyone cares for John Deere green n yellow....LMAO.....

[cruisin zonies]

hmmm, our suitcases are probably as small as their storage space so just the fact that you would think to BRING something on the airplane is a pretty nifty thought. So if you want to bring a little something from home, and give it with your cash tip with a little note saying something like thank you from a grateful family from the home of the (for me...prickly pear candy and those hilarious yet SMALL cactus characters for car antennas which they'll either keep or send home as a re-gift), they know you thought about them before you even met them, before you even boarded the ship. What a thoughtful person you are.

 

Make is small, make it edible or amusing (my golden rule) and accompany it with the cash you ALREADY said you were giving.

 

Contrary to the humble opinions on here, service industry people really truly appreciate that little personal touch in addition to a much appreciated cash tip. I've worked with hundreds of service industry workers in my life, the comments of "oh, they gave me a really nice tip and check out this cool/cute/etc...." equal or exceed the "dude, I got a really awesome tip' comments. Cash is king yes, but the personal touch is queen.

[kyrisong1]

Would you want anything called a "trinket"? :rolleyes:

Depends, I love trinkets involving gold and precious gems ;):p

But I agree with the majority, I wouldn't think of leaving gifts for crew.

I always fill out the comment card, giving kudos where appropriate and leave cash. If I feel a crew member went above and beyond I always remember them on the comment card.

Although vacations and cruises are special to us, this is just a workday for them, the john deere hat or team logo that you so adore in your state or even in this country are NOT going to be special to them.

Spend your money where it's appreciated, don't throw it in the trash.

Cheers, Carole

[jacquedee]

We plan to tip well and bring postcards from home. If they don't want them, we wasted less than 50 cents. But we figure they will find it fun to send postcards home from somewhere new and "exotic". I love getting things from people from other places that represent their countries/cultures and I don't think I am that weird.

[camperhawk]

All I can say after reading this thread Really? I asked a few years ago about taking something on board for the crew members, ..I quickly was told no absoultely not.. give them cash.

 

I will say I have since then, always wondered why they wouldn't like something different above and beyond the $?

 

I know I personally loved a small gift that a patient's family gave me, and still have it. Why is it so different? :)

[trevette1981]

I think it is patronizing, and treating adults like little children.

 

Me too. I read this before anyone posted and debated whether to answer of not, but couldn't think of what to say. Your answer said it all.

[Nunu]

I just pat them on the head when I walk by. :confused:

[albether7]

Al here,

 

I think people project their own feelings into the situation.

 

Kinda like me shopping for my teen age daughter and thinking, "Hmm, she'll REALLY like this poka-dotted, tie-dye, goat skin, sun dress from the dollar store for her B-day.":eek:

 

That ship won' float.

 

Al

[dprg644]

Here is an idea for a nice trinket.....get a nice thank you card for them..

 

 

and

 

put the cash in it rather than just hand it to them.

 

That's what we do. Always carry a few thank you cards, put a little cash and personally hand it to them. Never had one returned yet:D

[sharecruises]

If you read "Cruise Confidential" you would see that their first day at Carnival "School" they learn the habits of the "strange" Americans who they will work for : ie, that Americans want to be "friends", want to know about their home, family, chat them up, that "we" don't care that much about fine service as much as making a "buddy"

 

that is very odd to most of them (and the rest of the world) but they learn to "deal" with it and even to "play" to Americans

 

They live in very very small quarters.....they may not want "gift cards" to tourist traps like Senor Frogs where they will have to see the same Americans they serve on the ship...they don't get many off days and when they do they go to "crew bars" ....cheaper out of the way places, that let them "cut loose" and also offer them discounts

 

Some of the crew may have religious or cultural differences so some of these so called "gifts" would not be used

 

they see a ton of people every week....what would they do with a bunch of "gimme caps" and trinkets?? Do the math...they would soon have an overllowing amount of "trinkets"...???

 

"A taste of home" for the crew with girl scout cookies?? LOL I still have to laugh at that "america is the world" way of thinking

 

If you wanted to just give a John Deere trinket, why not do it and not mention it here??? I think some of these posts are started so that people can get a hoped for "ahh" reaction..."oh how cute that your little girls gave the crew thin mints".....

 

No need to post about it...if one truly wants input and advice and examples, then post and realize that not everyone is going to agree with you

 

I wish the guy who wrote Cruise Confidential would chime in on this one <grin>

 

oh...and it seems that what they really might want is already provided by Carnival (condoms)

[MrPete]

If you wanted to just give a John Deere trinket, why not do it and not mention it here??? I think some of these posts are started so that people can get a hoped for "ahh" reaction..."oh how cute that your little girls gave the crew thin mints".....

 

No need to post about it...if one truly wants input and advice and examples, then post and realize that not everyone is going to agree with you

 

But that's why they do it. I CRINGE at people that tip to feed THEIR egos. That certainly is NOT what tipping is all about.

 

For those that think the "HELP" really cares about "YOU", <insert laughing icon here>.

[alwayshappytocruise]

I just pat them on the head when I walk by. :confused:

 

Don't you also say...."Bless your heart"??!!:p

[michelle1836]

Don't you also say...."Bless your heart"??!!:p

 

Absolutely!! love that quote

[mferris77]

If I were to give the staff anything non-cash it would be something consumable.

 

They sure as hell don't want crap to have to lug around with them when they leave the ship or change rooms, but I think if you feel the need to give something in addition to a cash tip and if you're coming from a different area of the country it would be cool to give them some regional-specific candy/snack that they can't pick up at their one trip to walmart when they're in port.

[luvmyboyz]

For those that think the "HELP" really cares about "YOU", <insert laughing icon here>.

 

Oh, I don't know about that - the room steward that quietly told my stepdaughter to pull down the skirt that I had accidentally somehow gotten stuck in my thong (and was therefore inadvertantly showcasing half of my rearend) totally could have just laughed and let me walk to dinner that way if he didn't "care". :p

[FlaGrl4Evr]

I always have my daughters write a letter/card/draw pictures to each of or wait staff and then put the letters/cards, with an additional cash tip, in an envelope and hand it to them on the last night.

 

In regards to the open bottles of liquor...just because someone leaves an open bottle of liquor on the counter doesn't necessarily mean that they are leaving it as a gift/tip to the steward. When the steward is cleaning the room and comes across the open bottle of liquor, he has 2 choices - keep it or throw it away. Now - if you hand it to him as a "tip" or leave a note with it, that's a different story (and could be considered rude). I guess the best solution is to leave it (no note) and he can do whatever he wants with it. But, please, if you got good service - leave an extra cash tip!!!

 

Ashley :)

 

 

 

Well said Ashley. :) We are ordering a bottle through BV and if there is any left we will have to leave it as we have a flight home a few hours later and could not bring it. We would do just as you stated, leave it on the counter. He/She could decide how to dispose of it.

 

Also, We are cruising over Halloween and I plan on wrapping the tips around a mini-size chocolate bar. I think this will be a fun way to give the room service tips each morning as well as other additional tips.

 

Cari

[oncruisecontrol]

I still don't think they want any of that stuff.

 

 

I am inclined to agree. I work as a food server, and occasionally, customers will give me trinkets such as stickers or little fuzzy stuffed animals etc. in lieu of (or in addition to tips). I have no use for this stuff. It does not pay my bills, and while I enjoy my job and delight in giving superb service to my guests, I work to earn a living. Having said that, I believe that because of the nature of the [stewarding] job (it implies a familiarity that may cause guests to feel that their steward is their friend), people sometimes want to give "gifts" to the staff for their service. But, I firmly feel that if people want to give "gifts", they should give extra tips and a heartfelt "Thank you!"

[oncruisecontrol]

If I were to give the staff anything non-cash it would be something consumable.

 

They sure as hell don't want crap to have to lug around with them when they leave the ship or change rooms, but I think if you feel the need to give something in addition to a cash tip and if you're coming from a different area of the country it would be cool to give them some regional-specific candy/snack that they can't pick up at their one trip to walmart when they're in port.

 

 

Now THAT is a great idea. Occasionally, guests have given me postage stamps or coins and paper money from far away countries that I'll likely never get to (in addition to tips). I have appreciated those things. But, keychains, stuffed animals, stickers........when I get this stuff, it ends up in the trash.

[richbum]

When we went on our last cruise, we gave a bag of candy AND our tip when room service showed up. The first time, she looked at me a little funny, and said thank you. The next time we ordered room service, we had 2 show up, almost falling over each other, and looking at the bags of candy on the desk....so we again gave them each one ALONG WITH their tip. They were both very greatful. At the end of the cruise, we also gave handwritten thank you cards with cash to everyone. I can see the point about not having much room in the cabins to store stuff, but sometimes a little something extra with the tip is a nice touch. :D

[CLE-B]

We always do the extra cash for the room steward/bar/dinning room staff, but I never thought to take nice thank you cards for this...but will from now on.

On one of our sailings all the regular staff we always taked with each morning, were not able to get off the ship that day, so we picked up local Hawaiian cookies and candy for them. They seemed happy and surprised that we did this for them. It was just a thought, nothing that would replace an extra tip at the end of the cruise. I think I just felt bad that they had to work all day and would not be getting off the ship!

[Palm-Breeze]

Give cash please!:)

Someone mentioned gift cards to Senor Frogs or Margaritaville. I think that is a bad idea also. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the crew like to visit bars away from all the cruise pax?

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

Yes, it makes the giver feel good

 

What's wrong with that?