Holiday staff gift

[aquawater2]

?We have prepaid tips for a holiday sailing. I would like to make small gift bags with extra tip and treats. Any ideas of things to include?

[chemmo]

?We have prepaid tips for a holiday sailing. I would like to make small gift bags with extra tip and treats. Any ideas of things to include?

 

We have done a few Easter cruises and taken typically 'British' small Easter chocolate treats for our butler and room attendant? These luxury chocs come in small quantities so easy to carry! We avoid anything that isn't edible being very aware the crew fly home with economy allowance baggage. Whilst the personal nature of these gifts is appreciated I think the monetary gift is the most welcome.

[Project_gal]

?We have prepaid tips for a holiday sailing. I would like to make small gift bags with extra tip and treats. Any ideas of things to include?

 

We gave cash - in addition to any additional gratuities we would have given. As chemmo says it is difficult to give gifts because of space/weight problems and avoid giving edibles because of different dietary requirements.

[Tiggertastic]

We take along gift bags and we pick up items in Miami as well as bringing English chocolate. We find the Christmas m&ms go down well. We never know if we've got male or female and remember that some cultures do not celebrate Christmas either so we ask first and some have been happy to take it as a thank you. We've also insisted they take the day off our room but they tell us that they're not allowed to.

 

 

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[phoenix_dream]

Cash is always king. If someone does not celebrate Christmas, virtually everyone celebrates New Years so just call it a holiday gift. I see nothing wrong with some local candies - if anyone has dietary restrictions they can feel free to share with their friends. It makes it more personal IMHO, and they don't need to worry about trying to store it for long or transport it home. A nice, generic holiday card in the bag would probably go over well also.

[keithm]

?We have prepaid tips for a holiday sailing. I would like to make small gift bags with extra tip and treats. Any ideas of things to include?

A small gratuity in an envelope is what we do. They are always appreciative of that.

[Zoedokey]

Extra tip and positive comments on the comment card are very appreciated.

[eandj]

extra tip and positive comments on the comment card are very appreciated.

 

 

 

this.:)

[serendipity1499]

We've never been on Celebrity but have had many cruises on other lines & have been down to observe crew quarters..Usually they are 2 or three to a cabin & each have very little space.. Other than chocolates or hard candies I would avoid gifts..

 

I always make up Thank you notes on my computer in advance for our Cabin Stewards & all of our Dining Room stewards to thank them for taking such good care of us..Also make up a general "thank you" for others who may have given us extra service..We usually include an extra cash tip in our Thank you notes.. We also might include a hand written note thanking them for something extra which they have done..

 

For the first time this year we will be on a Christmas Cruise & I'm in the process of making up our "thank you" notes now..I'm toying with a picture of our "Wire haired" Dachshund in a Santa hat for the front of the card..:cool:

[easyboy]

Extra cash tips is always better.

[andrew2346]

I have a friend that used to work on a cruise ship and she told me that everything besides cash and prepaid phone cards got thrown into the trash (for the most part). They won't keep any fancy gift bag or eat the food (didn't want to eat food from strangers was the reason).

 

I think it is a sweet idea but I am sure they would rather have a thank you and some cash.

[champagne123]

I have a friend that used to work on a cruise ship and she told me that everything besides cash and prepaid phone cards got thrown into the trash (for the most part). They won't keep any fancy gift bag or eat the food (didn't want to eat food from strangers was the reason).

 

I think it is a sweet idea but I am sure they would rather have a thank you and some cash.

100 percent agree. When I see poster saying, "They appreciated it".....well of course they are going to pretend to appreciate it!!! What would you expect them to do or say? ..."Keep it. I don't want it. I don't need it. It goes in the garbage. I have no room for it. If every pax gave me a token gift on each cruise, I would be drowning in junk. Give me cash. THAT, I would appreciate!!!!!"

 

How many people give gifts to their service people at home? Do you give a gift to your server at your favorite restaurant? Your auto mechanic? Your Hairdresser? Your manicurist? On and on. What makes you think your cabin steward wants it??????

[serendipity1499]

100 percent agree. When I see poster saying, "They appreciated it".....well of course they are going to pretend to appreciate it!!! What would you expect them to do or say? ..."Keep it. I don't want it. I don't need it. It goes in the garbage. I have no room for it. If every pax gave me a token gift on each cruise, I would be drowning in junk. Give me cash. THAT, I would appreciate!!!!!"

 

How many people give gifts to their service people at home? Do you give a gift to your server at your favorite restaurant? Your auto mechanic? Your Hairdresser? Your manicurist? On and on. What makes you think your cabin steward wants it??????

 

I agree except that I do give a small gift to my manicurist, hairdresser & cleaning lady plus cash.. I know these people well at home & know exactly what they would like, but still don't go overboard as they all do enjoy cash..:p

 

OP I agree with the other posters & think that prepaid phone cards plus cash in an envelope with a little wrapped candy cane may be OK for a Christmas gift for crew.. But be careful as some crew members might not celebrate Christmas.. On HAL we've always been told by the CD that there are many different religions celebrated on board..

 

I even decided not to use our Doxi in a Christmas hat for the end of our cruise (Jan 2) thank you notes, as don't know which crew members celebrate Christmas.. Instead found a picture in my computer of our Pup wearing a New Years hat for my Thank you notes.. :cool:

[serendipity1499]

Has anyone ever given prepaid cards from stores such as Walmart or other stores..

 

On many cruises we take the bus into town & if there is a Walmart we've often seen crew come back with lots of bags from Walmart..

 

I do a lot of shopping on-line, get gift cards as rebates & often order prepaid cards from Walmart & Target for our three Granddaughters & six Great Grandkids.. They get them for Christmas, Birthdays or just for fun inside a new wallet or purse.. They want to go shopping the same day they receive them..

[Birdsailing]

The staff working on the ship are adults like us, so I'm not crazy about the idea of little gifts or candy. Pay the tips, treat the staff with friendliness and respect, and pay extra tips if you want to. If it's a holiday, maybe ask them if they celebrate it, and if they do, wish them a happy one.

[Keith1010]

Some holiday candy is always nice.

 

Keith

[aquawater2]

Thank you for all your opinions. I have decide to make/buy small homemade Thank you cards to hold the extra holiday gratuity. I will also name our steward and assistants on the comment cards. Also, I will note anyone throughout the ship that is especially helpful with added tip and comments.

[serendipity1499]

Thank you for all your opinions. I have decide to make/buy small homemade Thank you cards to hold the extra holiday gratuity. I will also name our steward and assistants on the comment cards. Also, I will note anyone throughout the ship that is especially helpful with added tip and comments.

 

Agree with you.. We are on a Reflection Christmas/New Years cruise.. For those who celebrate Christmas, I plan to make up little packets with a small Walmart Gift card in them plus a little gift from my Mary Kaye lady & a Candy Cane for an extra Christmas gift for special crew.. Love some of the little candy canes that Amazon is selling..

 

Then at the end of our cruise (Jan 02) we'll give our Stewards the hand made Thank You's with an extra cash tip & be sure to include their names on our comment cards..:cool:

[villauk]

Has anyone ever given prepaid cards from stores such as Walmart or other stores..

 

On many cruises we take the bus into town & if there is a Walmart we've often seen crew come back with lots of bags from Walmart..

 

I do a lot of shopping on-line, get gift cards as rebates & often order prepaid cards from Walmart & Target for our three Granddaughters & six Great Grandkids.. They get them for Christmas, Birthdays or just for fun inside a new wallet or purse.. They want to go shopping the same day they receive them..

 

Fine if your cruise is from the US, but not everywhere have Walmart or Target shops ;). The cash they can change anywhere ;).

[serendipity1499]

Fine if your cruise is from the US, but not everywhere have Walmart or Target shops ;). The cash they can change anywhere ;).

 

LOL We've been on many cruises all over the world & almost in every place there is a Walmart store..

 

We are taking our umpteenth Caribbean cruise & there is a Walmart in all those places.. Target's are less & not sure if they have any stores overseas..

 

We always see crew members coming back from shopping at Walmart..

Edited August 24, 2017 by serendipity1499

[villauk]

LOL We've been on many cruises all over the world & almost in every place there is a Walmart store..

 

We are taking our umpteenth Caribbean cruise & there is a Walmart in all those places.. Target's are less & not sure if they have any stores overseas..

 

We always see crew members coming back from shopping at Walmart..

 

I can assure you, there was not one Walmart on our Asia Christmas sailing last year on Millie, and don't recall seeing them in NZ either on another Christmas cruise we took ;).

Edited August 24, 2017 by villauk

[cb at sea]

Think about it....why do YOU work? For gifts? For chocolates? No...you work for MONEY....I work for MONEY. With money, I can buy what I want....

Used to have an employer that gave us a turkey for Christmas....I would have rather had the cash.....I can buy my own turkey, thank you...if I want one. Cash is why I work. That is why the staff is working, too.

[donaldsc]

Agree with you.. We are on a Reflection Christmas/New Years cruise.. For those who celebrate Christmas, I plan to make up little packets with a small Walmart Gift card in them plus a little gift from my Mary Kaye lady & a Candy Cane for an extra Christmas gift for special crew.. Love some of the little candy canes that Amazon is selling..

 

Then at the end of our cruise (Jan 02) we'll give our Stewards the hand made Thank You's with an extra cash tip & be sure to include their names on our comment cards..:cool:

 

And how do you know if the celebrate Christmas - by their nationality, by their name, do you ask them. Is there something externally obvious that says that they are western religion Christians? I might also point out that those of the Russian Orthodox faith do celebrate Christmas but they celebrate at January 7.

 

One other thing. How do you think the crew members who do not celebrate Christmas on 25 December feel about the crew members who get loot on 25 December while they do not. What about the crew members who may be Christian and diabetic and can't eat your cheap 100% sugar candy canes. Do you plan to distribute sugar free candy canes to them?

 

Just wondering.

 

DON

[serendipity1499]

I can assure you, there was not one Walmart on our Asia Christmas sailing last year on Millie, and don't recall seeing them in NZ either on another Christmas cruise we took ;).

 

I have never been to NZ but I can assure you that there approx. 15 to 20 Walmart stores in China..

 

Walmart has stores in about 25 different countries..We even found one in Africa when we were there..

[Kathie859]

Remember what Mother told us? "Never take candy from a stranger?" Passengers are strangers to the staff and I can believe there would be hesitancy to eat ANYTHING a stranger gives. Like another poster said--I work for money not chocolate and assuming anyone celebrates Christmas is also a big reach.

 

If you're feeling crafty, make a special Thank You card and slip some extra cash in it.