Gifts in addition to a tip for cruise workers

[donaldsc]

Very well-said!

 

A thread like this pops up about once a month, much like a bad penny.

 

Crew members want and can use CASH, not candy or useless bric-a-brac! The comment about mentioning by name in a letter (or survey) can go a long way as well.

 

The gift that you give to the crew member who loves you and who will be your friend forever will be appreciated by him or her about as much as your bad penny. Maybe even less.

 

DON

[Flatbush Flyer]

I'm stealing this from a very old thread (back to 2005) since it was very outdated.

 

 

 

One cruiser mentioned they like to give small gifts for their cabin steward, waiter, etc. (In addition to the standard tips). I thought this was a great idea so I am mentioning a few that I saw on that old thread.

 

 

 

One mentioned they really need/use are international calling cards to call home, but since they all have cell phones this is outdated. The updated version would be Visa/Amex gift cards.

 

 

 

Tide pods are great because they do their own laundry. Another old idea was mini hershey bars, kisses, suckers, etc.

 

 

 

Today at work someone was selling candy bars for their kid's fundraiser. So for $1 I can give one to my cabin steward, waiter, etc while supporting their kid. It's like double dipping into the nice gesture pool.

 

 

 

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

 

Tide pods are not ocean friendly. Please don't use them or distribute them on a ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We just give extra cash -- crew love that better than anything else.

The crew are made up of various religious groups and have many different habits (and bans of what they are not to eat). So I would not give them any candies or other foods.

Cabins are small and they can't store a lot of stuff.

[Herfnerd]

Oh, say it ain’t so....... not another thread on gifts to the crew. This must be number 235? Magnets, candy, hats, the list goes on and on. Oh, can’t forget the lady from Florida who brings on board a bag of oranges and passes them out to crew.

 

When will people learn that cash is the only thing a crew member needs and wants. Let’em buy their own oranges.

 

 

Not sure why you quoted Nantahala's post as they merely stated that there can be exceptions and in their one case sounds applicable......

[sverigecruiser]

Generally agree; but there can be exceptions. We once spent 28 days with the same waiter in Blu. Over four weeks we learned much about each other's families - including that his daughter loved everything Disney. In addition to generous cash gratuities, we got him a Disney character item to take home to his daughter - that he did sincerely appreciate - since he was seeing her at one of the ports on his following cruise.

 

But cash is still king.

 

I agree with the last thing you wrote, cash is king, but you also have a good exception when something else than cash can be a good gift.

 

I'm sure that the waiter really appreciated your gift to his daughter.

[biker@sea]

I'm stealing this from a very old thread (back to 2005) since it was very outdated.

 

One cruiser mentioned they like to give small gifts for their cabin steward, waiter, etc. (In addition to the standard tips). I thought this was a great idea so I am mentioning a few that I saw on that old thread.

 

One mentioned they really need/use are international calling cards to call home, but since they all have cell phones this is outdated. The updated version would be Visa/Amex gift cards.

 

Tide pods are great because they do their own laundry. Another old idea was mini hershey bars, kisses, suckers, etc.

 

Today at work someone was selling candy bars for their kid's fundraiser. So for $1 I can give one to my cabin steward, waiter, etc while supporting their kid. It's like double dipping into the nice gesture pool.

 

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

:) On NCL , you could Bring your bartender a box of straws. ;p

[maggie cruises]

I used to bring 24 inch decorated trees at Christmas. Nice sized plastic pumpkins filled with candy at Halloween and jumbo baskets wrapped in cellophane full of goodies at Easter

 

But then I was told they might not celebrate these holidays so I started bring John Deere keychains baseball caps and trucks for them from my hometown figuring they could pay to ship them back home to their families

 

Then I was told that I should just give cash. So I started to do that but it seemed so cold an impersonal to just hand them cash so I started to just give them cash in an envelope taped on to a big blown up printed check

 

Then I was advised about the small cabins they have and so I decided to just go with cash but I read about the origami folding thing here on cc so I started to fold the dollar bills into intricate little origami figures. The more folds the better

 

I would make about 100 of these pieces out of dollar bills and put them in a zip lock

 

I handed out to bartenders and waiters as I went along and for the steward I would just scatter a few each day in my cabin on our way out. He would look for them sort of like a scavenger hunt and would wait until I returned to unfold them. I loved watching him unfold the small little origami pieces. Such fun

 

 

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[Vertical1]

This is getting to be Hall of Fame material. First the reply about the "home knitted ski masks are always a big hit", then "were you wearing oven mitts when you typed this", and now maggie cruises reply from above (there's just too much to work with there...I'm crying!). Thank You!!!

[go.without.you]

Wow. Some of you are really jaded. I KNOW cash is king (DUH) and I would NEVER tip in M&Ms instead of cash.

 

People offer me treats at work and I thank them for thinking of me, whether I eat the items or not. I see it as a way of saying, "I see you as a person, not an employee".

 

I agree that keychains, pens, magnets, etc are unnecessary items to be trashed like a wedding favor the second you get home.

[myfuzzy]

Then I was advised about the small cabins they have and so I decided to just go with cash but I read about the origami folding thing here on cc so I started to fold the dollar bills into intricate little origami figures. The more folds the better

 

I would make about 100 of these pieces out of dollar bills and put them in a zip lock

 

I handed out to bartenders and waiters as I went along and for the steward I would just scatter a few each day in my cabin on our way out. He would look for them sort of like a scavenger hunt and would wait until I returned to unfold them. I loved watching him unfold the small little origami pieces. Such fun

 

 

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I'm all for fun like the next guy, maybe more, but if I'm waiting at the bar for service and the bartender is standing there unfolding origami money....he would better do it real quick and for the stewards, luckily I basically do my own cabin to give him/her time to do scavenger hunts in others cabins

[sail7seas]

If you want to give something extra, make it a small edible: a candy bar or a little jar of nuts. Few people don't appreciate a special bite of something, and if it doesn't suit his or her personal tastes, it'll surely be eaten by some other staff member.

However, this should always be IN ADDITION to tips.

 

 

How do you know if they are diabetic and do nt , cannot eat candy or if they have a peanut allergy? I don't now many people who are allergic to cash.

[rccampbell]

Yep. I know exactly what you mean. They get all giddy when I give them a refrigerator magnet with our hometown on it, or a rabbit foot key chain (I make them myself, four at a time!) or a framed photo of my wife and I. And my wife's home knitted ski masks are always a big hit. The wooden clogs that I make in my garage workshop are also a much appreciated gift.

 

They are so full of gratitude of these wonderful gifts that they are left speechless, with mouth agape in excitement. The response has been so overwhelming that I am seriously thinking of removing all tips and only giving them our homemade gifts next cruise. So many smiling faces, it beings tears of joy to my eyes.

 

Please do not remove auto-tips. Those tips also go to crew members that you never see or come in contact with, but provide a valuable service to make your cruise enjoyable. Also from what we understand, if you remove the tips, this puts a negative mark on their performance reviews with the cruise line and could effect further contracts for them.

[6rugrats]

The thread you quoted was not serious.

[rccampbell]

The thread you quoted was not serious.

 

LOL, thanks for pointing that out because I honestly pictured someone making clogs in their work shop ;p

[KBS1607]

I almost didn’t read this thread but I am so glad I did. The humor has been great.

[Living4acruise2day]

I handed out to bartenders and waiters as I went along and for the steward I would just scatter a few each day in my cabin on our way out. He would look for them sort of like a scavenger hunt and would wait until I returned to unfold them. I loved watching him unfold the small little origami pieces. Such fun

 

 

I find this extremely degrading and demeaning.

[6rugrats]

There is a serious lack of a sense of humor from some posters.

[mom says]

 

I find this extremely degrading and demeaning.

 

Proof positive that sarcasm and tongue in cheek humor doesn't always translate on the internet.

[Living4acruise2day]

Proof positive that sarcasm and tongue in cheek humor doesn't always translate on the internet.

Really? My apologies. I guess I am not very bright!

[maggie cruises]

Please do not remove auto-tips. Those tips also go to crew members that you never see or come in contact with, but provide a valuable service to make your cruise enjoyable. Also from what we understand, if you remove the tips, this puts a negative mark on their performance reviews with the cruise line and could effect further contracts for them.

 

 

 

I'm going to start making little wooden items to hand out. Love the clogs idea. I'll make all different sizes just in case and check them in a 29 inch bag for the flight. That bag will be my second bag so I'll gladly pay for it. If it goes overweight I'll gladly pay that too. Omg how nice to see my steward running up and down the hallways in my handmade clogs. My smiles will last forever.

 

 

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Edited May 11, 2018 by maggie cruises

[maggie cruises]

Wow. Some of you are really jaded. I KNOW cash is king (DUH) and I would NEVER tip in M&Ms instead of cash.

 

 

 

People offer me treats at work and I thank them for thinking of me, whether I eat the items or not. I see it as a way of saying, "I see you as a person, not an employee".

 

 

 

I agree that keychains, pens, magnets, etc are unnecessary items to be trashed like a wedding favor the second you get home.

 

 

 

Unless that wedding favor is a small bottle of wine!!

 

 

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[maggie cruises]

This is getting to be Hall of Fame material. First the reply about the "home knitted ski masks are always a big hit", then "were you wearing oven mitts when you typed this", and now maggie cruises reply from above (there's just too much to work with there...I'm crying!). Thank You!!!

 

 

 

Lol. This is why we all keep coming back to cc!

 

Deep down the vast majority of us are clear logical thinkers....can take a good joke...can read between the lines....and fortunately can figure out the good posters from the bad posters.

 

Fwiw I'm beginning to love crew gift threads....of course chair hog..and balcony smokers are pretty good too.

 

 

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[maggie cruises]

:) On NCL , you could Bring your bartender a box of straws. ;p

 

 

 

Touché

 

 

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[maggie cruises]

Yep. I know exactly what you mean. They get all giddy when I give them a refrigerator magnet with our hometown on it, or a rabbit foot key chain (I make them myself, four at a time!) or a framed photo of my wife and I. And my wife's home knitted ski masks are always a big hit. The wooden clogs that I make in my garage workshop are also a much appreciated gift.

 

They are so full of gratitude of these wonderful gifts that they are left speechless, with mouth agape in excitement. The response has been so overwhelming that I am seriously thinking of removing all tips and only giving them our homemade gifts next cruise. So many smiling faces, it beings tears of joy to my eyes.

 

 

 

Thank you sooo much for the laughs and your great writing style too

 

I'm laughing out loud!!

 

 

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[Rala]

I handed out to bartenders and waiters as I went along and for the steward I would just scatter a few each day in my cabin on our way out. He would look for them sort of like a scavenger hunt and would wait until I returned to unfold them. I loved watching him unfold the small little origami pieces. Such fun

 

 

I find this extremely degrading and demeaning.

 

You don't really think the poster you quoted was serious, do you? But then, maybe you are not being serious either? Hmmmm :confused: