id like to ditch my cabin steward

[Arlene F]

Perhaps it is time for Carnival to start institute the steerage class for those who are too cheap to spend the extra money on a cabin steward. I have read arguments on this board before and I just can't validate them. On my last cruise while at the pursors desk I witnessed a woman pitching a fit because she had these charges on her sign and sail card. When pointed out the gratuties that were on her account she had the pursur remove the charges and stated that she would not pay. Note she didn't say she would not accept the services.

 

To the OP, go ahead and tell your cabin steward that you will not require his/her services and will not extend the customary gratuity. But don't be put out if you require your steward' assistance only to discover that you no longer have one.

 

I'm sure before long Carnival will do away with the gratuity system now in place and just add the gratuity cost to the overall cruise price.

[DreadPirateRobert]

Robby,

Thanks for putting up a topic that inspired some thoughtful and witty conversation and it didn't deal with clothing or kids. You sure know how to stir the pot.

[tef43]

I'm sure before long Carnival will do away with the gratuity system now in place and just add the gratuity cost to the overall cruise price.

Don't be so sure. NCLA started this experiment on the POA, and NCL just announced that they will implement it fleetwide next Spring. The firestorm has just begun, and it is *not* pretty. Of course, part of the problem is NCL's historically bad experience with public relations. They've tried to spin this in a positive light and have failed miserably.

[aceinnw]

are you planning on cleaning up your room at the end of the week before the next pasengers get on board, because I'd hate to be the one who has to clean up a room after two people have "lived" in it for 7 days..... or should you not have to tip for that service!

[CaribbeanCrazy]

I don't like having a cabin steward come in my room twice a day either...Or even once a day for that matter! For me it's not about the gratuity...I just hate having a stranger in my personal space...having access to my personal stuff. I don't like the idea that they may be snooping through my stuff. Which I'm sure some of them do. I 'm not saying they are looking for something to steal...I just believe that alot of them probably like to snoop.

On our last cruise on the Dawn Princess my husband came back to the room after we vacated it so the steward could get his work done...only to find him and another steward from the area sitting on our beds talking. I found this a little strange.

We are all entitled to our personal prefrences and some of us prefer not to have this service. For those of you who enjoy it thats fine...but I don't think that it's necessary to say that someone is low class or steerage because they don't like it. And I'm far from a slob who doesn't care how my room looks...I would just prefer to make my own bed and clean up after DH and myself. We are not in the room enough to make too much of a mess.

I would even be willing to pay the gratuity and just have them come in when we feel it's needed. At home we don't change our towels everyday...so I don't feel it is necessary on vacation.

We met a couple on the Dawn that felt this way also. They went as far as putting the Do not Disturb sign out at all times. Well, I guess there room steward put up such a fuss that they had no choice but to allow him in at least once a day. They had every intenion of tipping the full amount. I believe they even told him this...but he still insisted on coming in. You really should have a choice in the matter. Their reason was the same as ours...a matter of privacy...not a matter of being a cheapskate.

It seem to me that when the majority on the board agrees on a certain matter...than those of us who don't are considered radical or unreasonable. That's really not fair.

CaribbeanCrazy

[dmdiver]

well, just returned from the elation. boy, was it nice to have my room cleaned twice daily! i have a family of 5 and gratuities were a big chunk of my sail & sign bill. now, i don't clean my home every day, but i will tell you, i loved the pampering, even if i did pay for it.

 

and for all you worrywarts about your personal things, nothing was missing in either of our cabins. i had a video camera, still camera, jewelry - no problems.

 

hats off to our wonderful room steward from cabins r82 & r86!