Personal Touches

[Mum2Mercury]

On 4/13/2023 at 8:20 PM, Elaine5715 said:

Except is usually isn't "extra". The expense is subtracted from the gratuity budget and the recipient is expected to show extra extra gratitude for the special effort for an item they don't want.  Similar to guests who bring gifts associated with holidays not celebrated by crew   

That's an assumption.

[Elaine5715]

54 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's an assumption.

Not really..any service industry professional knows the drill.  Come December, candy canes or cheap foil wrapped chocolates and a card... Halloween, leftover candy...Easter...foil wrapped waxy chocolate (never the good Cadburys) or Brach jelly beans, and sometimes Valentine's Day...those awful candy hearts.. .  The guest needs to hand it directly to the recipient and waits expectantly for the "gasp!  My Favorite" and then they smile broadly knowing they have made our day.  If there  is a card, you ignore the card unless they tell you to open it.  There may be cash in the card but more than not, there isn't.  These guests also assume their holidays are your holidays.     

[ldubs]

On 4/14/2023 at 12:34 AM, shorne said:

 

Canadian $1 and $2 banknotes are still legal tender, even though they were replaced with coins long ago. The penny, discontinued about ten years ago, is also legal tender, but spending it may not be easy. I still have a lot of pennies that I need to use somehow…

 

Doesn't matter if it is legal tender if the store won't accept it.   

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

Not really..any service industry professional knows the drill.  Come December, candy canes or cheap foil wrapped chocolates and a card... Halloween, leftover candy...Easter...foil wrapped waxy chocolate (never the good Cadburys) or Brach jelly beans, and sometimes Valentine's Day...those awful candy hearts.. .  The guest needs to hand it directly to the recipient and waits expectantly for the "gasp!  My Favorite" and then they smile broadly knowing they have made our day.  If there  is a card, you ignore the card unless they tell you to open it.  There may be cash in the card but more than not, there isn't.  These guests also assume their holidays are your holidays.     

No -- that's a deflection.  You said, "The expense is subtracted from the gratuity budget ... "  That's an assumption. 

 

A whole lot of people would do candy or whatever in addition to the tip ... but -- without the chocolate -- would not say, "Oh, let's throw in another dollar."  

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

No -- that's a deflection.  You said, "The expense is subtracted from the gratuity budget ... "  That's an assumption. 

 

A whole lot of people would do candy or whatever in addition to the tip ... but -- without the chocolate -- would not say, "Oh, let's throw in another dollar."  

When your regulars usually leave 15% and drop it to 10% every holiday with your "gift", you know.  On board ships, I have heard many conversations about how "we don't leave cash, we give trinket, key chain, ball cap, candy we had at home" etc.  It's either that guests are above giving  cash or they think crew will just waste their money in a candy store so if the guest leaves them candy, they will be smarter with their  paychecks.  

[Mum2Mercury]

13 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

When your regulars usually leave 15% and drop it to 10% every holiday with your "gift", you know.  On board ships, I have heard many conversations about how "we don't leave cash, we give trinket, key chain, ball cap, candy we had at home" etc.  It's either that guests are above giving  cash or they think crew will just waste their money in a candy store so if the guest leaves them candy, they will be smarter with their  paychecks.  

That's the assumption:  That people would drop the cash to provide a trinket.  Personally, if I were going to leave a bit of candy or whatever, it would be in addition to the standard tips.  Said differently, the trinket would have zero effect on the amount of the tip.  

 

I've personally never heard anyone on these boards on onboard saying they're substituting a small gift for candy; in fact, on this board everyone says the exact opposite.  And I've never heard of anyone giving a key chain or ball cap.

 

Do cruise ship staff have "regulars"?  

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[jsn55]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's the assumption:  That people would drop the cash to provide a trinket.  Personally, if I were going to leave a bit of candy or whatever, it would be in addition to the standard tips.  Said differently, the trinket would have zero effect on the amount of the tip.  

 

I've personally never heard anyone on these boards on onboard saying they're substituting a small gift for candy; in fact, on this board everyone says the exact opposite.  And I've never heard of anyone giving a key chain or ball cap.

 

Do cruise ship staff have "regulars"?  

 

 

I remember reading a post somewhere several years ago from a lady who was so proud that she brought all kinds of 'special things' from her home state for the crew instead of cash tips.  I was absolutely horrified that anyone could be that ignorant.  

 

[navybankerteacher]

34 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

I remember reading a post somewhere several years ago from a lady who was so proud that she brought all kinds of 'special things' from her home state for the crew instead of cash tips.  I was absolutely horrified that anyone could be that ignorant.  

 

I have heard people at dinner on ships discussing the same approach - apparently feeling that a “personal touch” would be appreciated more than mere cash.

[slidergirl]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's the assumption:  That people would drop the cash to provide a trinket.  Personally, if I were going to leave a bit of candy or whatever, it would be in addition to the standard tips.  Said differently, the trinket would have zero effect on the amount of the tip.  

 

I've personally never heard anyone on these boards on onboard saying they're substituting a small gift for candy; in fact, on this board everyone says the exact opposite.  And I've never heard of anyone giving a key chain or ball cap.

 

Do cruise ship staff have "regulars"?  

 

 

I’ve received refrigerator magnets from Annapolis, MD as a gratuity with no cash included.  I’ve received voucher for a free Papa John’s Pizza (from Papa himself) with no cash included AND no Papa John’s within 50 miles.  I’ve received candy at Christmas (just what a Type 2 diabetic wants) with no cash included.  There are others, but I hope you get the point.

[shorne]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Doesn't matter if it is legal tender if the store won't accept it.   

 

In Canada, the Currency Act, RSC 1985, c C-52, s 8, defines how payments may be legally made. (Among other things, payments in coins are restricted so as not to create a burden, as happened long ago when someone in the US deliberately sought to pay hundreds of dollars' worth of parking tickets in pennies.)

 

In practice, yes, it may be difficult in the short term to compel a store to accept a legal payment in Canadian currency. But refusal of the payment is illegal.

[Elaine5715]

26 minutes ago, shorne said:

 

In Canada, the Currency Act, RSC 1985, c C-52, s 8, defines how payments may be legally made. (Among other things, payments in coins are restricted so as not to create a burden, as happened long ago when someone in the US deliberately sought to pay hundreds of dollars' worth of parking tickets in pennies.)

 

In practice, yes, it may be difficult in the short term to compel a store to accept a legal payment in Canadian currency. But refusal of the payment is illegal.

Not in a foreign country

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's the assumption:  That people would drop the cash to provide a trinket.  Personally, if I were going to leave a bit of candy or whatever, it would be in addition to the standard tips.  Said differently, the trinket would have zero effect on the amount of the tip.  

 

I've personally never heard anyone on these boards on onboard saying they're substituting a small gift for candy; in fact, on this board everyone says the exact opposite.  And I've never heard of anyone giving a key chain or ball cap.

 

Do cruise ship staff have "regulars"?  

 

 

They sure do have regulars.  

[ldubs]

On 5/2/2023 at 12:54 PM, ldubs said:

 

Doesn't matter if it is legal tender if the store won't accept it.   

 

18 hours ago, shorne said:

 

In Canada, the Currency Act, RSC 1985, c C-52, s 8, defines how payments may be legally made. (Among other things, payments in coins are restricted so as not to create a burden, as happened long ago when someone in the US deliberately sought to pay hundreds of dollars' worth of parking tickets in pennies.)

 

In practice, yes, it may be difficult in the short term to compel a store to accept a legal payment in Canadian currency. But refusal of the payment is illegal.

 

Then, I guess it doesn't matter if it is legal tender if the store won't accept it.  

[Mum2Mercury]

Eh, I'll say again, I've been around a while and have only heard people on this board suggesting candy or trinkets as an addition to tips.  I've never heard tips discussed onboard.  

 

Speaking only for myself, I always pay tips in advance.  I tip extra only if I ask the staff for something that requires extra effort.  About half the time I bring candy bars and leave them for my cabin steward in addition to the tips.  

[sueed]

wow! how nasty some comments are! To each opinion that was stated, accept or reject it; that is your choice. No need to get so superlative in regards to other person opinion. 

 As for Hershey's chocolate, perhaps you should explore the history of the bar of chocolate and the history of the company. 

Being snobbish isn't a complement

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, sueed said:

wow! how nasty some comments are! To each opinion that was stated, accept or reject it; that is your choice. No need to get so superlative in regards to other person opinion. 

 As for Hershey's chocolate, perhaps you should explore the history of the bar of chocolate and the history of the company. 

Being snobbish isn't a complement

 

There are posters, I believe, from the past that say they preferred the "personal touch" over giving something so impersonal as money.   I would agree that ins't a good thing to do and suspect that is why you see a lot of the "heated" comments.  The best thing to give is money.   I see nothing wrong with providing a store bought packaged treat in addition to the gratuity.  Staff will like it or not, but no harm done.   Me personally, I would not want something homemade.  

 

BTW, I like Cadbury better than Hersheys.  Both are better if they have been in the fridge.  Yum.    

[DarrenM]

Am I alone in finding this thread weird?

 

I would be way too embarrassed to give a grown up human being a bar of chocolate for basically being my bed maker, servant, personal valet throughout my holiday.

 

Sorry, this thread is too weird.

[mom says]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Am I alone in finding this thread weird?

 

I would be way too embarrassed to give a grown up human being a bar of chocolate for basically being my bed maker, servant, personal valet throughout my holiday.

 

Sorry, this thread is too weird.

You're  not wrong.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Am I alone in finding this thread weird?

 

I would be way too embarrassed to give a grown up human being a bar of chocolate for basically being my bed maker, servant, personal valet throughout my holiday.

 

Sorry, this thread is too weird.

That makes two of us,  three if you include @mom says 

[ExpatBride]

The only time I've given chocolate as a "tip" was at an all-inclusive where tips were prohibited, and even then I slipped a few bucks here and there.

Edited May 5, 2023 by ExpatBride

[Cru1s1ng2009]

9 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Am I alone in finding this thread weird?

 

I would be way too embarrassed to give a grown up human being a bar of chocolate for basically being my bed maker, servant, personal valet throughout my holiday.

 

Sorry, this thread is too weird.

nope, it is weird. oh they are peasants, they will love our 'fancy' chocolates wrapped in money. I feel horrible saying this but as someone who lived on tips and had many regulars, the only thing i wanted was $. i didnt want the scarves or xmas ornaments. 

 

but glad they are tipping extra. that is really all that matters. 

[jsn55]

When cruiselines started 'requiring' tips, I just decided to add that amount to the total cost of my little holiday.  I continue to tip as usual.  Crew works very hard to give me a wonderful cruise, and I want them to receive my appreciation directly, in cash they can use.  

[ldubs]

34 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

When cruiselines started 'requiring' tips, I just decided to add that amount to the total cost of my little holiday.  I continue to tip as usual.  Crew works very hard to give me a wonderful cruise, and I want them to receive my appreciation directly, in cash they can use.  

 

Same here.  But is someone wants to give a candy bar in addition to the grat, I'm not going to run screaming off the cliff.   

[ldubs]

12 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Am I alone in finding this thread weird?

 

I would be way too embarrassed to give a grown up human being a bar of chocolate for basically being my bed maker, servant, personal valet throughout my holiday.

 

Sorry, this thread is too weird.

 

I encounter many things done by others that might feel weird.  

 

You stay in better cabins than me if you have servants and personal valets.  I think I would find having a servant/personal valet kind of weird, truth be told.  

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

You stay in better cabins than me if you have servants and personal valets.  I think I would find having a servant/personal valet kind of weird, truth be told.  

That's not what be said. He said that one person  (ie his steward)acted as his bed maker, servant etc.