Gifts for crew?

[sluggo]

I thought I had posted this but can't seem to find it now :confused: What are everyone's thoughts for small gift items for your cabin steward, waitstaff etc. I saw mention in older posts about calling cards, bags of candy or mints. Has anyone done this before - what type of things did you bring? We normally tip extra for the service we get but I was thinking about something a little extra.

 

 

Thanks for your input.

[lizardhowson]

I thought I had posted this but can't seem to find it now :confused: What are everyone's thoughts for small gift items for your cabin steward, waitstaff etc. I saw mention in older posts about calling cards, bags of candy or mints. Has anyone done this before - what type of things did you bring? We normally tip extra for the service we get but I was thinking about something a little extra.

 

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Forget about the calling cards, most won't work outside of the US even though they claim to work (might work from hotel or residence phone, but not from pay phones). Many cruise ship employees have a drawer full of worthless phone cards.

 

You will get alot of disagreement on this. I say candy, gum, mints, magazines, etc are OK, but they would rather have cash. If you ask for something special on the first day, slip them some cash.

[1BDNANA]

Postcards from your home town,Tshirts of your state and candys you may only get in your area.They really like the extra little stuff..With a little pre tip thrown in for a good start.

[klfrodo]

Cold Hard Cash

 

Put yourself in their shoes. Every embarkation day for the past 30 weeks, you are greeting new arrivals on board your home and work place. Your main job is to smile and make this the most enjoyable vacation these people have ever had. You have to treat these strangers as if they are family and cater to their every whim. You have to do this week in and week out. Every week you are responsible for anywhere from 30 to 50 new people.

 

If this was you, what would you want?

 

Trinkets and t-shirts? or cash that you can send home to your family for food, medical, schooling, and housing.

[Mysticks1]

Postcards from your home town,Tshirts of your state and candys you may only get in your area.They really like the extra little stuff..With a little pre tip thrown in for a good start.

 

It has been discussed many times and to sum it up it was the consensus that cash and a nice thank you card on the last night is the best thing as they have extremely limited space in their crew areas and knick knack type things would probably be discarded due to no space to store them. It has been stated by many as in the previous post that phone cards are mostly useless to them.

[kiwicruiser83]

if it were me, I wouldn't want postcards from your hometown, or keychains, why on earth would they need a keychain? Their doors open with a card and they aren't likely to be driving anywhere. Even if these items cost only a few

dollars, put those few dollars in the tip envelope and let them decide whether or not they want to phone home or buy chocolates. These are things that make the giver feel good.

[njs]

It has been discussed many times and to sum it up it was the consensus that cash and a nice thank you card on the last night is the best thing as they have extremely limited space in their crew areas and knick knack type things would probably be discarded due to no space to store them. It has been stated by many as in the previous post that phone cards are mostly useless to them.

 

Cash is definitely the universal language:D Someone may be diabetic or have a certain food allergy, so likely edibles arent necessary. Anyway, with all the food that carnival offers, who needs extra in that department. Sure, they might not get the same meals as us, but Im sure they arent starving. Trinkets from ones home area likely have more meaning to the giver than the receiver.

[kiwicruiser83]

Cash always fits, never goes out of style,and takes up very little space!

[Donna - dsw]

Cash - then they can buy the trickents they want! lol

 

We always slip a little cash the first day we meet and then tip at the end.

[Caliber1]

As most others have said CASH. They really do not have room to store stuff from 20 or so passengers 52 weeks a year.$$$$$ is the best.

[Capt Mano]

We are firm believers in giving the cabin attendant a tip up front. Basicly what they would get for a week and telling to take good care of us, we are here all week. Then at the end fo the cruise we give them a little extra tip. We have always received great service. When it comes to our waiter it is hard to tip anymore. With alternitive dining, you do not have the same waiter every night. We use to like getting to know our waiters, it was part of the fun on a cruise and tipping them at the end of the week. We do go along with the automatic tip most cruise line are adding to you bill eveyday for the waiters. We go to the Pursers deck and have the tip for the Cabin Attendant taken off the bill and explain that we tip personally.

 

Capt Mano

[Wennfred]

They live in small cabins, hardly any room for more stuff, just give them a nice Thank you card with extra cash.

 

 

 

Fred

[Barkingowl]

The crew on Elation wasn't allowed to bring back cheese or meet while in port. My room steward really liked Gouda. We bought him a 3 wheel set of it & left it in the refrigerator for him when we disembarked.

[southbayer]

I have always given cash. I think next time I might give some candy with cash.:D

[serene56]

we take a disposable camera and take pics of our "crew" during the week doing their jobs. (they would be the only one in the pic) Take the camera to the photo shop to get developed. I then enclose those pics in a thank you card-- they can now send pictures to their family.

[Eliot Ness]

I would also say that cash is the best option. We do bring some of the small bags of M&M's (thanks for that tip Cotton!) and give to room service along with, not instead of, a cash tip. We also leave a few out for the room stewards during the week.

 

We also try to pick up a very small trinket or key chain at one of the ports to give to the steward and wait staff. It isn't to replace or reduce their extra cash tip, but just a small token to say that we were thinking of them while off of the ship. Some seem to get a kick out of it and others it might not mean much to, and it's no big deal if they toss it out...... they'll still get an extra cash tip at the end along with a big "thanks!".

 

Going with the subject on tips here is another "tip" about tips that I like to do:

...........I always carry around plenty of $1.00 bills, and often give a few to the guy who vacuums the hallway, the guy who pushes a cart full of dirty dishes, the guy who is working on fire hoses, etc. In other words, I also tip staff I see working who are not normally within the "tipping pool"........

 

John

[cruisinsly]

Last time I went and bought Hersheys Treasures chocolates and gave to my room attendant on the first day. He told us a day later that he was enjoying his chocolate. At the end of the cruise, we also tipped him extra cash. So, I say both cash and chocolate.

[J Free 203]

Originally Posted by imsulin

...........I always carry around plenty of $1.00 bills, and often give a few to the guy who vacuums the hallway, the guy who pushes a cart full of dirty dishes, the guy who is working on fire hoses, etc. In other words, I also tip staff I see working who are not normally within the "tipping pool"........

 

are you serious?

[L2J]

Last time I went and bought Hersheys Treasures chocolates and gave to my room attendant on the first day. He told us a day later that he was enjoying his chocolate. At the end of the cruise, we also tipped him extra cash. So, I say both cash and chocolate.

 

Ok, but what about the person who may be alergic to chocolate and the like?

 

CASH CASH AND MORE CASH.

...........I always carry around plenty of $1.00 bills, and often give a few to the guy who vacuums the hallway, the guy who pushes a cart full of dirty dishes, the guy who is working on fire hoses, etc. In other words, I also tip staff I see working who are not normally within the "tipping pool"........

 

are you serious?

 

Agree...that seems kind of snobbish to me.

[victory2020]

I always bring a "goodie" bag filled with toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, lotion, etc.), energy bars, candy, gum & mints. I have never been greeted with anything but a huge smile. If they don't like something in it, they share with their friends. Cash is good, but after 6 months of monotony, it's fun to get something different.

[Honeybear]

we take a disposable camera and take pics of our "crew" during the week doing their jobs. (they would be the only one in the pic) Take the camera to the photo shop to get developed. I then enclose those pics in a thank you card-- they can now send pictures to their family.

 

Wow, add some cash and this is a perfect idea! I like this one better than all of the rest. Great idea.

[SandyW]

With the advent of the computer many of the employees communicate by way of email with their families. If what you say it true about the calling cards...then they received the ones we gave them with thanks and sometimes excitement. We did realize they were limited in where they could call from...and we discontinued this practice a few cruises ago.

 

I never thought of taking a thank you card to put the money in...that's a good idea. Thanks!

[DJ Eddy]

I'm quite partial to a bottle of Ketel One..?

 

 

Just kidding... cash & comment cards... nuff said!

[cruisedarling]

How much is a a good amount to pre tip the room steward? We will have two adults for a 4 day cruise. I plan to leave the auto tip on as well. I have read and read, but haven't seen an amount stated.

Thanks for the help

Pam

[Romy40]

We give cash tips, but also throw in a casino chip from one of our resorts here in Las Vegas. ($1 or $5, since they can't cash it unless they visit) It's a conversation piece.