Gifts for the Crew

[triptolemus]

Please say it ain't so. Thought we solved this earth altering delimmna three months ago.

 

That was the iPod Shuffle.

 

Now we're talking about Jesus Snowglobes... totally different deal.

[NLH Arizona]

I am doing a Christmas cruise also and along with the usual additional tip for great service at the end of the cruise I did want to pick up a little something for Christmas Day? Any suggestions?

 

I realize many are not Christian but I am.

Instead of wasting your money on stuff that they don't want, don't need or can't store, why not ask them if there is anything that they are missing on the cruise. Then when you are in one of the ports, pick it up for them. I'm sure they would appreciate it more than some of the stuff that they get.

[Gershep]

One of the stewards did tell us that along with the money they send back home to love ones they send back many of the trinkets they receive from guests.

[coka]

1. Give cash

2. Give them a break from cleaning stateroom on the day they get to go into port (if they make it that week).

3. Ask to get them anything while in port.

4. Fill out the hero cards

5. Give cash

 

coka

[txagfan]

I realize many are not Christian but I am.

 

God bless you folks...I wish I could be right as often as some posting on this thread. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[sfaaa]

Xmas cards and decorations are always 75% off at Walmart after Dec 25. Whoever buys them before Xmas clearly doesn't know about deals.

[luddite]

What were the "appropriate" gifts that you gave them, if I may ask?

 

I will go out on a limb and guess that it wasn't leftover soap and some pop.

[momoftwinteens]

I will go out on a limb and guess that it wasn't leftover soap and some pop.

 

Well, thanks for making fun of me. The soap would have been thrown out if another crew member hadn't suggested I ask our cabin steward. The soda would have been just left behind but, since it wasn't a Pepsi product, I thought the steward might like it. Lord knows he was much more enthusiastic and gracious than you appear to be.

By the way, if you think that soap and soda is the ONLY thing he received, you are sadly mistaken.

[hawkeyetlse]

One of the stewards did tell us that along with the money they send back home to love ones they send back many of the trinkets they receive from guests.

I was going to say that, too. It's true that they can't stockpile a lot of stuff in their cabins on board, but there are always lots of crew members heading home at the end of their contracts and needing a bunch of easy gifts for friends and family at home. As long as you keep your trinkets small/light and vaguely useful, go for it. Just know they will likely not be cherished by the people you give them to as fond souvenirs of the time you shared together, but they will be traded around below deck and probably end up in the hands of someone halfway around the world, many many times removed from you. Which is kind of a cool fate for some ball cap or keychain from your random hometown.

 

People always say cash is more appreciated than gifts, and that may be true. But gifts (as long as they are not completely worthless junk) are more appreciated than nothing, which is what they get from most passengers.

[Crusin6]

I was going to say that, too. It's true that they can't stockpile a lot of stuff in their cabins on board, but there are always lots of crew members heading home at the end of their contracts and needing a bunch of easy gifts for friends and family at home. As long as you keep your trinkets small/light and vaguely useful, go for it. Just know they will likely not be cherished by the people you give them to as fond souvenirs of the time you shared together, but they will be traded around below deck and probably end up in the hands of someone halfway around the world, many many times removed from you. Which is kind of a cool fate for some ball cap or keychain from your random hometown.

 

People always say cash is more appreciated than gifts, and that may be true. But gifts (as long as they are not completely worthless junk) are more appreciated than nothing, which is what they get from most passengers.

 

 

The funny thing though is that those trinkets you give the crew that they trade and bring home as gifts.....were probably made in those very countries by those very people

 

 

 

Leave dsc in tack and hand the steward a $20 and maybe a favored waiter that you frequented

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[luddite]

Well, thanks for making fun of me. The soap would have been thrown out if another crew member hadn't suggested I ask our cabin steward. The soda would have been just left behind but, since it wasn't a Pepsi product, I thought the steward might like it. Lord knows he was much more enthusiastic and gracious than you appear to be.

By the way, if you think that soap and soda is the ONLY thing he received, you are sadly mistaken.

 

You miss the point.

Those weren't gifts.

[Golfin55]

Your unbelievable. How rude. I don't want to give cash and less a Christmas card.

 

 

How was Triptolemus being rude? I know first hand that user can handle themselves. However, when someone is simply stating useful information that is 100% fact. That most of you could learn from and become better travelers. You should thank them.

 

But instead it's taken as a personal hit below the belt. So go ahead, give the steward a dreidel full of chocolate coins or a poinsettia. It will end up in the ocean faster a drunk falling over the rail.

[swedish weave]

How was Triptolemus being rude? I know first hand that user can handle themselves. However, when someone is simply stating useful information that is 100% fact. That most of you could learn from and become better travelers. You should thank them.

 

But instead it's taken as a personal hit below the belt. So go ahead, give the steward a dreidel full of chocolate coins or a poinsettia. It will end up in the ocean faster a drunk falling over the rail.

 

You claim to have personal knowledge of the crews, so are you saying they violate the environmental rules by tossing stuff into the ocean ?? Sorry --- I don't believe you.

[wmwmarmstrong]

I am doing a Christmas cruise also and along with the usual additional tip for great service at the end of the cruise I did want to pick up a little something for Christmas Day? Any suggestions?

 

I realize many are not Christian but I am.

 

On advice from another C.C. member, I took several dozen of those little tea light candles. They run on a battery that lasts for a very long time. It even flickers like a candle. They are probably less than two inches wide.

 

You can get two or sometimes three on a card, at the 99 cent store. I have had crew come up and ask me if I had any left. That tells me they must like them. Like others said, I always leave extra cash too.

[Gershep]

How was Triptolemus being rude? I know first hand that user can handle themselves. However, when someone is simply stating useful information that is 100% fact. That most of you could learn from and become better travelers. You should thank them.

 

But instead it's taken as a personal hit below the belt. So go ahead, give the steward a dreidel full of chocolate coins or a poinsettia. It will end up in the ocean faster a drunk falling over the rail.

 

How is that 100% fact when we know that some stewards like water, trinkets and other items and of course cash. Each steward is different, some may toss it out and others may use them or send them home. That is FACT.

 

By the way who are you to say who needs to learn to become better travelers. Some of us on this board are seasoned travelers who have traveled the world.

[mjkacmom]

Note that some crew positions may be expressly forbidden from receiving cash tips (kids club staff on several cruise lines cannot accept tips or have to pool tips to "throw a party" for all kids club staff). In those cases, we have given large bags of candy/treats -- enough to share with 10+ people, if needed.

 

We tipped the kids club counselors on NCL and DCL, and I believe RCCL allows this.

[mjkacmom]

I am doing a Christmas cruise also and along with the usual additional tip for great service at the end of the cruise I did want to pick up a little something for Christmas Day? Any suggestions?

 

I realize many are not Christian but I am.

 

Aren't there a lot of crew members from the phillapines? That's a Catholic country.

[ColinIllinois]

Aren't there a lot of crew members from the phillapines? That's a Catholic country.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines#Religion

[Flamencacha]

Aren't there a lot of crew members from the phillapines? That's a Catholic country.

 

 

Yes, some are my last Celebrity cruise they were pretty international. I hate giving cash as a gift, especially since I usually tip additional.

 

I will figure something out. [emoji53]

[biker@sea]

I brought some pairs of gloves to give out on Dawn for the first Canada cruise of the season.

 

.

Edited May 9, 2016 by biker@sea

[Pitzel]

We tipped the kids club counselors on NCL and DCL, and I believe RCCL allows this.

 

 

 

I know that in DCL specifically, youth counselor and other "non-tipped" positions are not permitted to keep any cash tips. Any cash that is received is turned in to a supervisor and pooled to pay for a team party or other celebration. So, I guess they do get a benefit from it, but not at an individual level.

[babyher]

They want cash. Many calling cards can't be used by them in certain areas, plus most have computers to communicate with family and friends. They get all the food they want and, not to mention, one doesn't know what they will or can eat and what they won't eat. They have no room for trinkets, t-shirts, caps, etc., in their tiny cabin (imagine if 5 passengers gave them a cap on a 7 days cruise and you times that times 52 weeks and they can't get into their cabin because they have 260 caps).

 

If they want or need anything, if you give them cash they can purchase what they want and need. Think about it, how many times has someone given you a gift that you didn't want or need, but you nicely said thank you and then left wondering what you were going to do with it.

 

Exactly

 

 

I am a 9-1-1 dispatcher . Every April is Telecommunicator appreciation week. We get treated to a big catered buffet lunch. The mayor comes in and does a photo op that makes the paper . Makes a speech and gives us a nice plaque in recognition . We also get a "goodie bag" filled with trinkets a cap, maybe a key chain with a light, a candy bar, a little case with a nail clipper, a change purse, a travel mug, a soda can cozy etc....and a t shirt( in what has now become a running joke ), in the most disgusting colors you have ever seen.

 

Of course we appreciate it , and its nice to be recognized. We love the lunch , and all the plaques on the wall are nice too look at . And the fact the mayor comes and greets us all is a nice gesture.

 

 

We even have fun on the day we all wear the T shirt to work. "oh yea Joan fushia , black and day glo yellow are your colors. They bring out your skin tone " *LOL*

 

Its the goodie bag we could really do without. I think i still have the last three years bags still in my locker untouched . And I don't live in cramped quarters like the crew does