International Cafe tip

[Cruise Raider]

33 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I agree with @CruiseRaider  Since I pay auto grats and no additional cash is expected or required taking the time to know what a favorite crew member is missing from home or what their child loves as a special treat from the US so they can surprise their loved one when they get home is a lovely personal touch. It shows a level of caring and interest and humanity. 
 

Whether or not a person double tips in cash or not is entirely up to them.  But making an effort to surprise a favorite crew member with a personalized small treat that you have already discovered they truly want is  a nice way to say thank you. This is not instead of cash it is entirely separated from cash. 
 

I don’t think the average person who sails once or twice a year would get to know a crew member well enough to do this. I sailed on the Ruby pretty much every month for 8 months between Nov ‘21 & June ‘22 (many times with @CruiseRaider) After the first cumulative 30 days or so the crew started to open up about what they really missed. And yes Spam was on that list. Jelly belly’s for a son back home, (the photo months later of him enjoying them was very sweet), pork rolls from port, I think once it was garlic chicken that @Cruise Raiderdiscovered was a big favorite of our absolutely amazing restaurant manager. And sometime it is special chocolates or spicy Doritos.  You just get to know what certain crew like organically after spending so much time together. 

During that time when all crew wore masks all the time, silicone face shields and extra 95 style masks were a huge hit.  I had crew thanking me every time they saw me on board for those, even months later.  

 

They were even telling about how much they loved those face shields when we were on other cruises with those staff.   We found out one guy was an artist and we got him a sketching kit.  There were tears in his eyes when he got that gift!  And yes, that was m favorite restaurant manager .. he was absolutely giddy when we brought him a nice hot lunch that we knew he loved!   
Like @HaveDogWillTravel , we take the time to get to know the staff and truly appreciate them.  Sometimes, all they want are chips and chocolates but some also liked that flavored coffee mix, some like organic trail mix and some like really spicy foods.  
We have also kept in touch with some of the staff long after the cruise is over.  We find out where they will be sailing and love surprising them by booking a cruise on the ship where they work or meet up for lunch when their ship is in the same port.  

 

[cr8tiv1]

I think a few extra warm peanut butter cookies during a 25 day voyage is worth the extra kindness I offered to the guy behind the IC counter.  After a few days, I didn't even have to ask.  "How many" was his greeting.  

 

Tipping/Gifting is always appreciated.  What they do with your kindness is totally up to them.  If they trash it, so be it.  If they barter it, so much more power to them.  If they like it/enjoy it, then I am delighted.  

 

If only the world was a gentler and kinder place...we would all benefit.

[FritzG]

DH is a frequent customer at IC for his coffee/lattes, and he tips the staff in the last day or two of the cruise. On longer B2B cruises which we prefer, he will tip at the end of each segment.

[cruzsnooze]

On 12/21/2022 at 5:09 PM, 1965 said:

I'm American & I totally agree with you. I think the auto gratuities are enough. On our upcoming 26 day cruise our auto gratuities will total $832. I see no need to pay more.

You know these can be adjusted at guest services unless you have a plus package and pepaid them. Tipping has gotten out of hand. 

[victory2020]

I bring candy, especially at holiday time & they love it. Of course they are not children but everyone likes a little treat now & again. I worked in food service for 40 years & we always loved the people who brought us something special & different.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I bring candy, especially at holiday time & they love it. Of course they are not children but everyone likes a little treat now & again. I worked in food service for 40 years & we always loved the people who brought us something special & different.

I guess the question is, would the staff prefer $20 or a bag of candy ? 

[victory2020]

52 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I guess the question is, would the staff prefer $20 or a bag of candy ? 

Service people are not prostitutes - money is not as important as being treated as an individual. 

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

Service people are not prostitutes - money is not as important as being treated as an individual. 

Interesting that you chose that description ! 

I just think that the crew would prefer money to pay for the education  of  their children,  looking after their parents etc.

If you think giving cash makes all employees prostitutes, fair enough, but that is not my opinion, and I guess everyone else who gives cash feels the same.

 

[cr8tiv1]

Why does it have to be either/or?  Why can’t it be both?

[KreinKrunker]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

I guess the question is, would the staff prefer $20 or a bag of candy ? 

I think you are missing the point.  Most of us who give the crew candy and/or other treats, also give them money over and above what the automatic tip is.  We are not replacing a tip, we are adding to it.  I suppose I could give the person in the International Cafe that brings my coffee every day $21.29, instead of $20 and a bag of M&Ms.

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, KreinKrunker said:

I think you are missing the point. 

Par for the course. 

[victory2020]

If you bring a bag of candy, EVERYONE gets something, not just the individual serving you. When I bring it for the IC, the coffee servers, baristas, food servers, bartenders all share. 

[donaldsc]

18 hours ago, victory2020 said:

Service people are not prostitutes - money is not as important as being treated as an individual. 

 

Why does accepting a cash tip make a person a prostitute?  If you feel that way you are tagging a vast number of Americans as prostitutes as tens of millions of Americans depend upon teps to make a living.  I do agree w you that treating them with respect is just as important as providing them with proper remuneration.

 

DON

[victory2020]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Why does accepting a cash tip make a person a prostitute?  If you feel that way you are tagging a vast number of Americans as prostitutes as tens of millions of Americans depend upon teps to make a living.  I do agree w you that treating them with respect is just as important as providing them with proper remuneration.

 

DON

Like I said, I was in the service business as a server for 40 years. Some people assumed we only responded to money, making us feel like all we were doing was performing a service to them, not seeing us as an individual. We really didn't like those people. 

[victory2020]

A more succinct word is feeling degraded when someone thinks we are only motivated by money.

[1965]

On 12/23/2022 at 9:05 AM, cruzsnooze said:

You know these can be adjusted at guest services unless you have a plus package and pepaid them. Tipping has gotten out of 

I'm fine with leaving the auto gratuities in place. I know the crew work very hard. But to tip additionally throughout a cruise is for us, just too much. We're retired public school teachers on a very careful travel budget. We can afford cruising & tipping within reason. But we don't have stacks of extra money to hand out.

[Bobbiegentry]

1 hour ago, 1965 said:

I'm fine with leaving the auto gratuities in place. I know the crew work very hard. But to tip additionally throughout a cruise is for us, just too much. We're retired public school teachers on a very careful travel budget. We can afford cruising & tipping within reason. But we don't have stacks of extra money to hand out.

You do know that you are leaving yourself open to damnation by the tip guilters. 

[damiross]

46 minutes ago, Bobbiegentry said:

You do know that you are leaving yourself open to damnation by the tip guilters. 

Definition of a "tip guilter": A person who tips per so he/she can tell tell others "look at how great of a person I am - I give my poor servants more money so they will serve me better."

My personal opinion is that it is NOBODY ELSE'S business how much or how little a person tips.

[dockman]

Is a regular cup of coffee or tea available for free at IC if you don't need/want a specialty version?

[cr8tiv1]

36 minutes ago, dockman said:

Is a regular cup of coffee or tea available for free at IC if you don't need/want a specialty version?

Free, IF…. You have a coffee or Beverage Package. 

[dockman]

32 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Free, IF…. You have a coffee or Beverage Package. 

 

of course it is included in bev package but question is can you get a free cup of regular coffee with no package at IC....

[bluetardis]

@dockmanI was told no when asked this question before. At the buffet we can get free coffee and tea.

[cr8tiv1]

15 minutes ago, dockman said:

 

of course it is included in bev package but question is can you get a free cup of regular coffee with no package at IC....

The answer is no…you cannot get a free cup of brewed coffee or tea from the international cafe in the Piazza, deck 5 without have a beverage package.  Sometimes, the barista won’t take the time to check, but the policy is no free brewed coffee or tea.

 

The charge is minimal…something around $2.00.

Edited December 25, 2022 by cr8tiv1

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, dockman said:

Is a regular cup of coffee or tea available for free at IC if you don't need/want a specialty version?

There is no free or included coffee or tea at the International Cafe. You can buy a cup of coffee or tea at the IC or use your beverage package to "purchase" a cup of coffee or tea at IC - but none of the coffees or teas are included in the cost of the cruise/"free". 

 

[Bobbiegentry]

18 hours ago, damiross said:

Definition of a "tip guilter": A person who tips per so he/she can tell tell others "look at how great of a person I am - I give my poor servants more money so they will serve me better."

My personal opinion is that it is NOBODY ELSE'S business how much or how little a person tips.

Many of us agree with your sentiment but, you’ll never get the tip guilter community to buy in.