Gift for room steward

[lillian marie]

Treat these people with respect, autotip and simply give them extra money if you choose to give an extra tip. My husband has consulted overseas, worked overseas for many yrs and speaks several languages. Crew, especially those in customer direct service are trained to treat cruisers with friendliness. That's it. They are not your friends and may make fun of you in their own language, among themselves, if you are over the top friendly with hugs, etc. My husband overheard a discussion on one cruise among room stewards of an over the top woman cruiser. In many developing nations North Americans are disliked and envied and the role of women is far different. Just because a steward or waiter is nice to you does not mean they are your new friend. They are simply doing their job. They do not want religious items of your religion or some trinket, they want cash. The crew sacrifices a great deal to work on a cruise ship-they rarely see their families and children-but do this work for the high level of pay for their home country's standard of living. One waiter who had worked for Princess for 25 yrs told us on a Princess cruise he had bought homes for his wife and his parents and had educated his children through college. One son was doing post doctoral work in the United States. I also worked as a server-waiter in college and tips paid the rent. It's the same for these people, cash pays for their families.

[blindrid]

and I bet it would mean a lot to them as well...

 

I think that's what they can benefit form the most but I think its' a sweet gesture to give something small , little and personal along with it..

 

IMHO, a lot of difference in this example and a steward.

 

As a hairdresser, you have a personal relationship. With a steward, there is no personal relationship, just a business one - they clean, supply towels - we give them money. Period.

 

OK, all I'm done contributing to the four pages that say CASH :).

[susique333]

If a person wants to tip in a certain fashion, far be it for me to tell them otherwise. NOTHING said on these threads is going to change that.

To each their own and I, too, am done with this thread. Sailing in 60 days, yipee!!

[amc80]

LOL, this thread made me chuckle 'cause it reminded me of a thread a few months ago where a woman was so proud that she "tipped" her steward with a CD she recorded of herself singing. Whew, that was a real doozie:p

 

to echo everybody else.......MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!!

 

Please please find this thread and post the link!

[NEMMRRC]

Please please find this thread and post the link!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=26762340&postcount=74

[amc80]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=26762340&postcount=74

 

Thank you for giving me something to do for my last 18 minutes of work :)

[Cuizer2]

We've already paid our room grats up front when we booked, but just wondering if any of you have ever brought a little something to give to your room stewards. We've always had a male steward, is this always the case. Any ideas of what we could bring.

 

How about more cash. I'm sure your room steward would appreciate an extra tip at the end of the cruise.

[ANGSWIN]

We've already paid our room grats up front when we booked, but just wondering if any of you have ever brought a little something to give to your room stewards. We've always had a male steward, is this always the case. Any ideas of what we could bring.

 

We had an awesome steward on the Atlantica. We sailed last Easter and on Easter day we left him a cute card (bunnies - not religious - didn't want to offend) with a $10 bill in it on our vanity. We saw him later and he thanked us and was very appreciative. He was just fantastic and I wished we could have taken him home with us!

[KroozLov'r]

We've already paid our room grats up front when we booked, but just wondering if any of you have ever brought a little something to give to your room stewards. We've always had a male steward, is this always the case. Any ideas of what we could bring.

 

 

Well, I dabble in taxidermy, so I always bring a few specimens from the cabin steward's homeland to give as gifts. Say what you will, but they have always been well received! :)

[CapMike04530]

We've already paid our room grats up front when we booked, but just wondering if any of you have ever brought a little something to give to your room stewards. We've always had a male steward, is this always the case. Any ideas of what we could bring.

 

As has been said, CASH is best. The service staff often serve aboard from 8 to 10 months working 12+ hours per day onboard with almost never a day off except for a few hours at a time in some ports. They live in cabins with several other crewmembers and only have a "gym locker" size space to store all of their personal belongings for the entire duration of their "hitch". Another commenter said they had "already" tipped the steward. Although this is technically true, if you are especially pleased with the service and you feel that they went above what you expect, then by all means, share your enthusiam with them in the form of a personal gratuity. You will feel your reward is properly placed and they will as well. Enjoy!

[pnjkeith]

This is what we do as well. We always tell them there will be more at the end of the week. We get such great service and they come out probably still in the hole from the folks that stiff them.

 

A bribe for good service? :confused: How do you know it gets you better service?

[Cuizer2]

Well' date=' I dabble in taxidermy, so I always bring a few specimens from the cabin steward's homeland to give as gifts. Say what you will, but they have always been well received! :)[/quote']

 

How do you know who your room steward is before you board the ship, let alone where that person is from? :confused:

[ehfl]

Bring cash. Imagine sharing a room with 1-3 other people, in a cabin the size of the smallest interior room. They don't have room for more "stuff". Give them cash....they can deposit it in their accout and/or send the money to their families, where it's really needed.

[donaldsc]

If a person wants to tip in a certain fashion, far be it for me to tell them otherwise. NOTHING said on these threads is going to change that.]

 

Some people just exist on the earth to prove that Darwin was wrong in many cases - they have devolved, not evolved. Unfortunately, stupidity is a non-recoverable disease.

 

DON

[Princesskiki]

We give them a tip when we first meet them, then I will write a nice handwritten thank you note and put more cash in that at the end of the cruise.

 

On my last cruise our room Steward walked in on me while I was standing there naked getting dressed for dinner (my fault for having the music up and not hearing the door) and I just expecting my hubby to return any moment.

 

When we were leaving and tipped him again in a teasing kind of way he said "I feel like I should be tipping you." He had a great sense of humor! :-)

[blindrid]

Well' date=' I dabble in taxidermy, so I always bring a few specimens from the cabin steward's homeland to give as gifts. [/quote']

 

IMHO, this might rate with the CD. Just what they need is a "specimen" :rolleyes:.

 

I think you could give them almost anything and it would be "well received" then pitched as soon as we're out of sight.

[Cuizer2]

IMHO, this might rate with the CD. Just what they need is a "specimen" :rolleyes:.

 

I think you could give them almost anything and it would be "well received" then pitched as soon as we're out of sight.

 

I think the response you are quoting was "tongue in cheek".

[kyrisong1]

What if you tipped extra in the beginning and they do a poor job? Then what?

 

I always tip extra at the end of my cruise and my cooler was always filled with ice and most times I didn't even have to ask!

I tip at the beginning for ONLY my cooler, because keeping your cooler iced is NOT their job, they are supposed to keep the ice bucket filled, and they have to tote the ice to the room, lets compare amount of ice in cooler and ice bucket. Lots of toting if everyone expected them to ice a cooler.

Cheers, Carole

[blindrid]

I think the response you are quoting was "tongue in cheek".

 

Correct but my point was regarding the "gracious" part.......

[kyrisong1]

Right? THat poster should try paying for anything on land with that most silliest of ideas.

So Pete you think orgami cash is siller than John Deere stuff?:p

[Meiying]

We always give a little extra cash at the end of the cruise if we feel it is merited. Last year we went on a cruise over Christmas and we brought some tins of nuts and cookies - our room stewardess cried when my daughter gave it to her...she said no passenger had ever given her a Christmas gift and she missed her family during the holidays. I still agree that cash is the way to go....but you never know how even the smallest of gifts could mean a whole lot.

[Cruz4Days]

I was actually a hair dresser for many years- and had lots of people bring me home made cookies, flowers, hand made jewelry, etc as thank yous.. those things meant the most.. I realize I may not the "Average" person I think money is great but it also feels a little impersonal..In the case of the crew I realize they do need money the most so I think some money with a card and little hand made book mark or a hand crafted necklace is a nice gesture and I bet it would mean a lot to them as well...

 

Those have always been the best gifts to me! I still have a lot of the gifts people have given me over the years as "tips". and I'm telling you I look back at those little things and remember the people who gave them to me fondly... again I'm not discouraging money I think that's what they can benefit form the most but I think its' a sweet gesture to give something small , little and personal along with it..

 

Wow. 90% of the folks on here have said the best gift to give is $$$$$$$$ so why can't you just do that and leave the trinkets be? The trinkets work for you but not for them. I think it is selfish when you give someone something that you know they don't want or need but are giving it to them because you think it's sweet and something you like. Just sayin.

[Tomct]

Wow. 90% of the folks on here have said the best gift to give is $$$$$$$$ so why can't you just do that and leave the trinkets be? The trinkets work for you but not for them. I think it is selfish when you give someone something that you know they don't want or need but are giving it to them because you think it's sweet and something you like. Just sayin.

 

Sorry I have fallen into this "trap" again, but it's hard for me to see thoughtful people criticized for expressing their (very reasonable) appreciation to someone in a manner that may not be in line with either popular opinion or someone's personal opinion.

 

I concur that the majority of the cruise staff receiving tips or gifts look fondly upon the receipt of a cash gift. However, I also realize that a thoughtful gift here or there will most often be appreciated and not looked down upon by the recipient. Sure, an expensive but useless token of appreciation expressed in lieu of cash may not be well received, but such a gift is just that, a gift, and should be accepted for what it is.

 

What's worse, IMHO, is to be criticized by a third party for expressing your (reasonable) appreciation in such a manner as to draw such outrage. Though I have not been so creative as "mariamherrera", there was a time when we were accustomed to not only giving our cabin steward a generous tip at the end of the cruise, but also gave a few of them prepaid telephone cards. That custom depended on how well we got to know the individual, and had a sense of how appreciative they might be of an extra opportunity to call home. On a couple of occasions we were not only sincerely thanked for our appreciation up front, but were told after a port stop that they had used the card and were especially thankful for the added opportunity to speak with loved ones at home. The advent of the cell phone has preempted this practice, but I have had this discussion on this board a number of times in the past, and still feel strongly that it was the right thing to do. Of course the recipient always had the chance to resell the card if the extra dollar or two was that important to them, so I think I covered all the bases with my thinking.

 

mariamherrera: I trust your gifts are much appreciated.

[lilacbirman]

I always bring macadamia nut candies as gifts for front desk, B&B proprietors, rental agents, etc. If it warrants, we give extra tips regardless of these candies. This is just a little something extra I enjoy doing. :)

 

On our last cruise our cabin attendant was chatting with my DH one morning and telling him how much he loves macadamia nut candies. He was thrilled to receive the bag I brought for him. He came back that evening and said he had already eaten one of the bags! Needless to say, he was a great attendant who definitely warrented extra tips!