Additional Non-Monetary tips.

[Tatka]

13 hours ago, gold1953 said:

Agree .. a great gift is to keep your cabin tidy so they can quickly do the cleaning and not need to fold your clothes and put cosmetics away nor move your mess form the counter. If you hire a cleaning service at home the rules state that surfaces must be clear. I have seen a lot of messes through open cabin doors.

 

    I can imagine living a mess for steward to clean. It is enough that he/she cleans my bathroom.... and makes my bed (which is also not a mess, but still).

[hubofhockey]

7 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

Again... it is not instead of tips.

 

 And... I think most people would prefer just cash for birthdays instead of gifts, but we do not choose what people give us as gifts.

 

I fully understand that it's not instead of tips.  It's additional.  Give cash instead of candy.  If I'm in a restaurant and someone truly gives me outstanding service, I'm not leaving them a standard tip and some candy.  I'm increasing the tip.  That's what service people appreciate.  All will smile and thank you for everything, but that's to make you happy.  People go on these cruises and believe they develop real relationships with cabin stewards and do these things, which I consider insulting.  I do give them something, however, that might remind them of the hottest show on Broadway.

[bEwAbG]

This reminds me that my dog sitter once handed me a pie that was given to him by another client.  I was all "***** am I supposed to do with a re-gifted pie from a stranger?!?"  He laughed and said "why did a near-stranger think I wanted one???  I'm diabetic!" 

 

I also remember early on in my career I noticed my boss would never eat the pecan bars a certain employee always brought to the office potlucks.  I finally asked why and he quietly said "well, she has lots of cats" about the time a coworker fished a little hair out of her mouth after taking a bite.

 

Some things should just stay in your own home, however well-intended.

[helen haywood]

22 hours ago, Mynki said:

 

 

This is true. Last cruise we were told by our Blu maitre 'd, waiter and our sommelier om three separate occasions that changes have been made to how their performance is assessed. Only a 9 or 10 rating on the feedback questionnaire will do them any favours now. A score of 8 or below will not help them in any way. 

Those who achieve the best ratings do have a better chance of promotion and do accrue more time off. 

 

But do we really know that is so?  I know the staff tells you that..but there is no way to find out if a “10” helped them get a promotion.  I cynically believe Celebrity uses all those “10” surveys as a marketing/advertising tool.

[Mynki]

51 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

 

But do we really know that is so?  I know the staff tells you that..but there is no way to find out if a “10” helped them get a promotion.  I cynically believe Celebrity uses all those “10” surveys as a marketing/advertising tool.

 

It is of course possible that the Blu team onboard Silhouette conspired to tell this story in an attempt to improve their performance ratings. So, we'll probably never know for sure if it's true. However if they have then they were very convincing. 

On previous cruises staff have both upped their game and reminded us of the surveys often. But they've never really gone into any detail. The sommelier and head waiter told us the same thing, that there had been changed. Then on an occasion where I went to compliment the maitre 'd on their service I was also told exactly the same thing. 

So they could by lying. It could be a marketing ploy by Celebrity. But I do believe them. People should score them honestly regardless though. I'd only ever give a 9 or 10 if I truly believed it was deserved. 

[Tatka]

2 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

 

I fully understand that it's not instead of tips.  It's additional.  Give cash instead of candy.  If I'm in a restaurant and someone truly gives me outstanding service, I'm not leaving them a standard tip and some candy.  I'm increasing the tip.  That's what service people appreciate.  All will smile and thank you for everything, but that's to make you happy.  People go on these cruises and believe they develop real relationships with cabin stewards and do these things, which I consider insulting.  I do give them something, however, that might remind them of the hottest show on Broadway.

 

     I am not sure since when candy  became insulting? I was given candy (although nice packs) as a gift when I was a teacher. I never felt insulted. Does not mean I liked all of them, but if I did not liked them, I did not use them.

Would I prefer money? I don't know... it's not up to me.

 

Although now when I re-red the name of this topic "

Additional Non-Monetary tips

 

Gifts should not be called "tips".

 

As for me .. I don't try to develop any relationships with serving us crew.

Edited July 12, 2019 by Tatka

[mgmigs]

They don’t want your candy or trinkets!!! Would you want your boss giving you candy  to acknowledge you at work? 

[Tatka]

3 minutes ago, mgmigs said:

They don’t want your candy or trinkets!!! Would you want your boss giving you candy  to acknowledge you at work? 

 

 My boss (I am in IT) actually did .

 Not instead of paycheck or bonus, but as a personal gift.

Should have I throw a fit and ask for money? 🙂

 

This is a very strange discussion.

 Not everything is about money.

[Tatka]

I guess everybody is forgetting that we are paying auto gratuities.

 

Technically this is what expected (we won't discuss this system even if it is not perfect, but it is what it is)

 

Everything above is at our pure discretion. Many people do give additional tip for above and beyond.

Then gifts if they feel like it.

[mgmigs]

29 minutes ago, Tatka said:

I don’t  know how many rooms each steward manages each cruise, let’s guess it’s possibly 20? Do you think they’d want 20 packages of candy each cruise? That is ridiculous. It is hard enough when they have certain cruise passengers that turn their noses down at the staff, personally I’d find it patronizing if someone gave me candy or other junky trinkets. Nobody wants that. They will just throw that crap out. 

 

 My boss (I am in IT) actually did .

 Not instead of paycheck or bonus, but as a personal gift.

Should have I throw a fit and ask for money? 🙂

 

This is a very strange discussion.

 Not everything is about money.

 

[keesar]

1 hour ago, mgmigs said:

They don’t want your candy or trinkets!!! Would you want your boss giving you candy  to acknowledge you at work? 

 

How about a fruit cake?

[mom says]

1 hour ago, keesar said:

 

How about a fruit cake?

Nobody wants fruitcake- except my Granny.

[Luvcrusn]

To each their own. That being said we only give additional cash on top of our prepaid gratuities. The crew can then use it in any way they see fit. If they want to use it for candy fine, if not, we've not limited their choices. Options are wonderful😊 and since the crew members were so wonderful to us and make our vacation memorable, we want to reward them with money (aka options)!

 

Note to OP. How would you like an Eagles helmet if you were a crew member!😜

Edited July 12, 2019 by Luvcrusn
Addition

[keesar]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

Nobody wants fruitcake- except my Granny.

 

I bet very few crew members ever got a fruitcake from a guest.  Always a first.

 

My Granny actually ate them.  Most likely for the rum.  

[mom says]

My granny preferred the ones soaked in Brandy.

[Redrobo]

 

Jimmy knows about "fruitcakes"
 

"You know I was talking to my friend Desdemona the other day she
Runs this space station and bake shop down near Boomtown. She told
Me that human beings are flawed individuals. The cosmic bakers
Took us out of the oven a little too early. And that's the
Reason we're as crazy as we are and I believe it."

"Take for example when you go to the movies these days, you know.
They try to sell you this jumbo drink, 8 extra ounces of watered
Down cherry coke for an extra 25 cents. I don't want it.
I don't want that much organziation in my life.
I don't want other people thinking for me.
I want my Junior Mints. Where did the Junior Mints go in the
Movies. I don't want a 12 lb. Nestle's crunch for 25 dollars. I
Want junior mints!"

"We need more fruitcakes in this world and less bakers!
We need people that care! I'm mad as hell! And I don't want to
Take it anymore!"

Fruitcakes in the kitchen (Fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (Fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin' naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (Cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (People on the bus)
There's a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

Paradise, lost and found
Paradise, take a look around
I was out in California where I hear they have it all
They got riots, fires, mud slides
They've got sushi in the mall
Water bars, brontasaurs, Chinese modern lust
Shake and bake life with the quake
The secret's in the crust

Fruitcakes in the kitchen (Fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (Fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin' naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (Cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (People on the bus)
There's a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

"Speakin' of fruitcakes, how 'bout the government?
Your tax dollars at work."

We lost our Martian rocket ship
The high paid spokesman said
Looks like that silly rocket ship
Has lost its cone shaped head
We spent 90 jillion dollars trying to get a look at Mars
I hear universal laughter ringing out among the stars

Fruitcakes in the galaxy (Fruitcakes in the galaxy)
Fuitcakes on the earth (Fruitcakes on the earth)
Struttin' naked towards eternity
We've been that way since birth
Half-baked cookies in the oven (Cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (People on the bus)
There's a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

"Religion! Religion! Oh, there's a thin line between Saturday
Night and Sunday morning. Here we go now.
All right, alter boys."

Mea Culpa Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa
Mea Culpa Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa

Where's the church, who took the steeple
Religion is in the hands of some crazy-ass people
Television preachers with bad hair and dimples
The god's honest truth is it's not that simple
It's the Buddhist in you, it's the Pagan in me
It's the Muslim in him, she's Catholic ain't she?
It's the born again look it's the WASP and the Jew
Tell me what's goin' on, I ain't gotta clue

"Now here comes the big ones. Relationships! We all got 'em, we
All want 'em. What do we do with 'em?
Here we go, I'll tell ya."

She said you gotta do your fair share
Now cough up half the rent
I treat my body like a temple
You treat yours like a tent
But the right word at the right time
May get me a little hug
That's the difference between lightning
And a harmless lightnin' bug

Fruitcakes in the kitchen (Fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (Fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin' naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (Cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (People on the bus)
There's a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

"The future. Captain's log, stardate two thousand and something."

We're seven years from the millennium
That's a science fiction fact
Stanley Kubrick and his buddy HAL
Now don't look that abstract
So I'll put on my Bob Marley tape
And practice what I preach
Get Jah lost in the reggae mon
As I walk along the beach
Stay in touch with my insanity really is the only way
It's a jungle out there kiddies
Have a very fruitful day
Hey.

Fruitcakes in the kitchen (Fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (Fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin' naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (Cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (People on the bus)
There's a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

"That's right, you too. Yeah those crumbs are spread all around
This universe. I've seen fruitcakes. I saw this guy in Santa
Monica rollerskate naked through the crosswalk. Down in New
Orleans in the French market there are fruitcakes like you cannot
Believe. New York, forget it. Fruitcake city. Down island, we've got
Fruitcakes. Spread them crumbs around. That's right, we want
'Em around. Keep bakin' baby. Keep bakin'."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by Redrobo

[bEwAbG]

I like fruitcakes.  Try some from Collin Street Bakery if you're ever in Texas (they do mail order, too)!

 

I would still not like to receive one as an "additional non-monetary tip" were I a service worker.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

9 hours ago, helen haywood said:

 

But do we really know that is so?  I know the staff tells you that..but there is no way to find out if a “10” helped them get a promotion.  I cynically believe Celebrity uses all those “10” surveys as a marketing/advertising tool.

How do we know this?  By feedback from the employees we rated the next time we encountered them on a cruise and they had been promoted thanks to our rating.

[Lady Chew]

Not giving anyone money as a gift on Halloween or Valentines Day!!  It'll be candy … money is for tips.  

[Longboysfan]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 7:16 AM, DirtyDawg said:

I just tip extra in cash. Each crew member can then decide for themselves what to do with the cash. They could buy some candy, or a bottle of Whisky, or a phone card to call home,  or they could invest in bitcoin. They are all big boys and girls, I let them decide.

 

 

Crew is not allowed to buy bottles in port or anywhere or bring them onto the ship.

I watched the crew come back onto the ship from port.  And if you think they check us coming back - their search on the crew is a lot more extensive..

 

What my intention is / was. 

 

To find if there is something the crew would like.  Aside from cash.

Crew pays full price for candy and 1/2 price for drinks in the crew bar. 

I asked them this and found out the answer.

I'm also not going to buy cigarettes as they can get them at discount in any port.

 

Did my homework or cruise ship work awhile back and keep asking questions of the staff  from cabin stewards to waiters to the cruise staff.  Covered a wide area.

 

Everyone knows something.  You out there may be cruising a lot more that I am these days.

So maybe someone knows something.

 

With the advent of cell phones and calling plans - some crew may share a phone. 

So calling cards may not be in vogue now.

 

Thank you.