Do the crew members still need toiletries and such?

[baileymouse]

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

[time4u2go]

They can order stuff from Amazon.  Best bet is to just give them money.

[billslowsky]

1 hour ago, baileymouse said:

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

Ask crew members which contract they are on.  If it's not the first, they've figured life out. 

[bucfan2]

Cash.  Hasn't changed since the inception of cruising.

[Sunshine3601]

I read last month that some ships were letting a certain amount of crew off at different ports (other than CocoCay) but I have not heard if that is happening fleetwide.      

I personally wouldn't bring anything.    If you want to ask any crew if they need anything when you go to port they will let you know.     Seems like the girls have more needs than the guys.

[smokeybandit]

At this point I don't think there's anything generic they need.  It seems like snacks from their home country (that may not be on Amazon or are really expensive there) or something specific that you can't guess on would be what they'd ask for.

[baileymouse]

thanks, everyone.

[neverbeenhere]

If you get to know a number of crew, you can be in contact with them prior to your cruises. Ask them if there is something specific they are needing, other than that a big box of cash is appreciated. ( I mean big box and packed full.) 

[cruiseguy1016]

4 hours ago, baileymouse said:

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

 

"might" is the key word. People bring stuff to give to the crew thinking the crew will need it. They probably don't. If you want to get them something they want or need, wait until you are on the ship and ask if you can pick anything up for them while you are on shore.

[karena1]

We asked our cabin person on Freedom is they needed anything and she said Multivitamins.  So the next cruise we took her some.  Then she said Shower Gel, so we brought her that the next cruise a month later.  then our new cabin person said Dark Chocolate, so the next cruise a month later we took her candy.  

 

We don't do it often, but knowing they were not allowed off the ship, we asked and they told us what the needed/wanted so we took it.  We also tip above the daily amount, but they were both super appreciative of the stuff we brought them as they said they could not get it.

[Broons77]

I leave a good tip and a big bag of fun size candy bars.  The good stuff too, Snickers/Milky Way/M&Ms.  None of that garbage stuff like Smarties and Dum Dums!

 

If they don't like the candy, it's easily shareable.  I'd like to think that even if they don't have a sweet tooth, they appreciate the gesture.  Plus they got cash which is what they really want over everything else. 

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, baileymouse said:

thanks, everyone.

Adorable kitty!

[baileymouse]

On 5/5/2022 at 5:21 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

Adorable kitty!

Thanks, she's 11 now. 

[texmex.ferr]

We have done 3 sailings since last October, and have taken basic items to share with the staff, and all of them have been very appreciative of things we have given.    We've normally given the bag to our cabin steward, and asked them to distribute it to their friends/colleagues, if they themselves would not use it.    I've also bought packets of google eyes for them to use on their towel animals, and these have always been very well accepted.     We have just returned from the TA on Wonder, where our cabin steward told us it was like Christmas, when we gave her the bag at the end of our trip.     I will add we also give cash too.   The sailings we have done so far, the staff have not been able to leave the ship, but on the last 3 days of our TA on Wonder, we were told that they were going to start to let some staff off in the ports, so hopefully restrictions are beginning to be lifted.

[sfaaa]

Tip them extra if you like. But please stop treating ship crew like they are refugees or some welfare recipients. It is disrespectful. 

[smokeybandit]

6 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Tip them extra if you like. But please stop treating ship crew like they are refugees or some welfare recipients. It is disrespectful. 

 

You must not realize the very strict restrictions crew were under the first 6 months or so of the restart. They STILL can't freely leave the ship in port like they used to be able to..  The crew DID need various personal items and toiletries early on before the Amazon system was set up.  It was even worse for the crew on Adventure when she homeported out of Nassau because the crew store was their only option.  Hence the thread title "do the crew members still need stuff"

Heaven forbid people have a soft spot for the crew and want to help out. 

[crazyank]

5 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Tip them extra if you like. But please stop treating ship crew like they are refugees or some welfare recipients. It is disrespectful. 

Only in your opinion

[firefly333]

On 5/5/2022 at 10:47 AM, baileymouse said:

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

grandeur crew are on a pilot program and some were allowed off in cozumel, not just Galveston. 

 

I still brought some treats, but that's me.

[Joseph2017China]

Crew members are adults that accept the job on the ship, just like anyone else.   They are not little children, who get happy with tiny little gifts (note they will smile and say thank you, but really don't mean it since they are in the hospitality business).  They know how to shop and get stuff.  They don't want a gift care, they want CASH.  That is how they get paid.  When you get off the ship, they don't care who you are, and the stuff gets tossed.  Or they use it in poker games in place of money....I'll raise you one toothpaste for the candy bar

 

[billslowsky]

8 hours ago, crazyank said:

Only in your opinion

FALSE

[cured]

On 5/5/2022 at 9:47 AM, baileymouse said:

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

They never did. They have a decent crew store for essentials and can also order online anything else they may need that is not carried in their store.

 

Just give money so they can buy what they want and the brand they want.

 

I can imagine the jokes around the crew mess hall each week when someone pipes up they got another 40 tubes of dollar store toothpaste again or another bag of 100 googly eyes.

 

If you really want to give  gift that is useful and meaningful, wait till you are on board and ask them if there is anything they want or need from the port.

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/5/2022 at 11:47 AM, baileymouse said:

I'm sailing on Adventure later this month and I know for awhile people were bringing things that the crew might need. I intend to tip well on top of the included gratuity, but if they need things, I'd bring some stuff as well.

 

If you go onto YouTube and the La Lido Loca channel with Tony, he did a really good interview with Chris Wong who has been on Royal Caribbean as crew for a few years now. He had a really interesting list of things that crew members can actually use. Things we certainly never thought about. It's a good episode for anyone looking to give something other than cash to a crew member that they can actually use. 

[cured]

2 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

If you go onto YouTube and the La Lido Loca channel with Tony, he did a really good interview with Chris Wong who has been on Royal Caribbean as crew for a few years now. He had a really interesting list of things that crew members can actually use. Things we certainly never thought about. It's a good episode for anyone looking to give something other than cash to a crew member that they can actually use. 

Wong said sports jerseys.  What sport, what team, what player, what size? That interview was the best illustration that cash was a better option so they could buy their preferred sport, their preferred team, their preferred player, and their size.  He also mentioned socks if I recall correctly. What size, what color, crew or calf or knee? Again, cash is king so they can buy what they want.

[CruisingWalter]

6 minutes ago, cured said:

Wong said sports jerseys.  What sport, what team, what player, what size? That interview was the best illustration that cash was a better option so they could buy their preferred sport, their preferred team, their preferred player, and their size.  He also mentioned socks if I recall correctly. What size, what color, crew or calf or knee? Again, cash is king so they can buy what they want.

 

The first thing he talked about was SIM cards with prepaid internet as being the most requested and sought after item. And he did talk about NBA jerseys being very very popular among the crew members. 

[sfaaa]

Authentic (not  knockoff) sport jerseys are a valuable commodity that can be resold or as trade goods in many parts of the world. Toothpaste and chocolate bars, not so much.