Cabin Stewards

[allener58]

How many cabin stewards are there usually for your cabin? After 8 cruises I noticed that I had different stewards in my cabin, so I asked and they said I had a room steward an 2 assistants. I never new this. I usually tip an extra $20 since they bust they're butts and do a great job. Last year I met all 3 and gave them $10 each. If I give extra to the steward does he have to share it with the helpers? It was a pain tracking all 3 of them down.

[golfadj]

Well you could ask him to share with his assts.

 

I thought they had one. Good on the job training for the assts.

[serene56]

the assts are hired by the cabin steward- depending on how many cabins they have is to how many assts they will have.

[H82seaUgo]

it's up to them if they wish to hire assistants. you just pay your steward, and he will pay his assistant.

 

with autotip, you need do nothing, and don't worry about it.

[waldocruiser1]

How many cabin stewards are there usually for your cabin? After 8 cruises I noticed that I had different stewards in my cabin, so I asked and they said I had a room steward an 2 assistants. I never new this. I usually tip an extra $20 since they bust they're butts and do a great job. Last year I met all 3 and gave them $10 each. If I give extra to the steward does he have to share it with the helpers? It was a pain tracking all 3 of them down.

 

So, knowing that there are 3 doing my room, does that make the amount of work that is getting done, less deserving?

 

Everyone always say that the cabin steward works his/her butt off working such long hours, but if there are 3 splitting up the work, are they really working that hard? Seams like if 3 They are doing only a third of the work. (yes I can do the math)

 

So do they deserve that "extra" tip?

[CCLNCLRCICRUISER]

So, knowing that there are 3 doing my room, does that make the amount of work that is getting done, less deserving?

 

Everyone always say that the cabin steward works his/her butt off working such long hours, but if there are 3 splitting up the work, are they really working that hard? Seams like if 3 They are doing only a third of the work. (yes I can do the math)

 

So do they deserve that "extra" tip?

I guess working hard never factored into my tips. Its based on the level of service I receive.

But everyone tips for different reasons

[waldocruiser1]

I guess working hard never factored into my tips. Its based on the level of service I receive.

But everyone tips for different reasons

 

Well I agree with you, it is for the service, making my trip better that we tip. So many on CC say it is because they work so hard, long hours, that they tip extra.

 

Just checking.

[serene56]

I tip extra only if the steward does extra work for us.

keeping my small cooler full of ice or getting us extra pillows.

 

i do not think you will see three assts cleaning one room.

IF a steward has three assts he has way too many cabins to service.=maybe the other steward is on vacation and he picked up his rooms for the time being. (??)

[rmacsc1401]

I tip on the quality of service! I give bigger tips for outstanding service, and a minimal tip for mediocre service. I always tip wherever I lay my head!! I believe it's just the right thing to do. Just sayn:)

[BOSN]

So, knowing that there are 3 doing my room, does that make the amount of work that is getting done, less deserving?

 

Everyone always say that the cabin steward works his/her butt off working such long hours, but if there are 3 splitting up the work, are they really working that hard? Seams like if 3 They are doing only a third of the work. (yes I can do the math)

 

So do they deserve that "extra" tip?

 

It's not just your cabin being done. They usually have between twelve and twenty to care for. Thats changing the linens, clening up after you, wiping everything down, cleaning and sanitizing the bathroom, giving you extra towels if you ask for them, filling you cooler or ice bucket. Oh yea, also vacuuming the carpet. :rolleyes:. I see where you don't think they do much. :eek:

All this is usuall done when you do not see them, while you are out enjoying yourself. Also coming back in later for turn down service, mints,and a smiling towel animal to greet you upon your return.

Ever notice if you do go back to the cabin during the day and tap a nap. Maybe you messed the bed up a little. Guess who came in later and straighten it up.

Just my two cents. By the way. They do not get minimun ( or a living ) wage. They get what is called a sevice minimum wage. They rely on the auto tips (that some take off :mad:), and the nice extra thank you tips for making you cabin an vacation a little more special.

Just my thought ;).

[nanuak]

We tip extra because we are always asking for more pillows, hangers, ice in our cooler etc. One year we forgot our cooler and our steward let us borrow his cooler for the whole trip... he got a Really large tip :D

[popsec]

I noticed on our cruises that it's usually the steward with one of his (her) assistants in the morning and a different assistant with him (or her) in the evening. We leave auto-tips on and tip the steward usually $40 extra and each assistant $15-20. When I'm home no one makes the bed, brings me ice twice a day, makes a cute little towel animal or one of the many things the stewards do. I realize the extra tip isn't necessary but we appreciate the long, hard hours they put in.

[cathyz]

We talked to our steward last month on the Paradise and he said he has always had just one assistant, but soon they were going to have him take care of more cabins, so he would also have a second assistant when that started.

[golfadj]

We usually just leave on the autotips.

 

We are neat people picking up after ourselves and do not make extra work for them other than platinum laundry.

[Rosefloater]

Some stewards have 1 and some have 2 assistants. If they have 2, then one works in the morning and the other works in the evening. We usually tip the evening asst. on the last night and then find the steward and morning asst. on the last morning as we are getting ready to leave the cabin. They aren't hard to find because they are already in the other cabins cleaning.

[BlueJacketsFan1]

On our first cruise the only one we noticed was the steward, we didn't know she had two assistance. After that sometimes we noticed two and sometimes we noticed three people taking care of our cabins.

[near the beach]

Does anyone know what hours the cabin stewards work? On our last cruise I called him and was told that he was off duty.

[serene56]

Does anyone know what hours the cabin stewards work? On our last cruise I called him and was told that he was off duty.

 

They are off duty from 1pm until 5pm. and I think it was 10pm til 5pm

 

What time did you call.

 

 

You can get ice from Room service

[redlef]

the assts are hired by the cabin steward- depending on how many cabins they have is to how many assts they will have.

 

Interesting. Is there a "pool" of underemployed workers on the crew they can hire from? They don't put a "help wanted" ad on Craig's list, do they?

[waldocruiser1]

Interesting. Is there a "pool" of underemployed workers on the crew they can hire from? They don't put a "help wanted" ad on Craig's list, do they?

 

maybe there is a place to sign up when you get on the ship, kind of like the chef's table and behind the fun tour,

 

You can sign up to help and all you get paid is the tips.

 

If it was for 4 or 5 hours a day, might make the cruise interesting.

[truchattycathy]

OP, I agree with tipping each asst; however, if you start the practice of letting the steward know you want to know how many so that you can tip each one, the list off asst.'s may grow. Just sayin'.

[BOSN]

Interesting. Is there a "pool" of underemployed workers on the crew they can hire from? They don't put a "help wanted" ad on Craig's list, do they?

 

I believe the way it works is that you get Hired on by Carnival to the "Hotel Services" department. Then you get assigned to a ship. Once onboard you go to a division within Hotel Services (food services, beverage serv ices, rooms, kitchen, etc). If assigned to food services, you start out as an assistant waiter/waitress; if assigned to rooms, you start as an assistant steward. After you've gotten experience, and become familiar with your job within your division/department, you get the opportunity to bid for positions opening on your ship or other ships. If you are good enough, and have good reviews from your supervisor, you can bid on waiter/waitress or room steward. Because a lot does go by seniority, the waiters & waitresses, as well as the room stewards get to choose who they want as an assistant. Sometimes these employees will stay onboard to be with another crew member they like working with/for, sometime they leap at the opportunity to change ships. So in a matter, the waiter/waitresses and cabin stewards do hire their assistants.

Most of the ones I have spoken to said they are onboard about nine months, with three months off. If they like the ship and fellow crew mates, they return to same ship for many years. Some like to change it up as passengers do to try other ships or other itineraries. Some said they like staying with or following certain Captains/Masters, Cruise Directors, Hotel Managers, etc.But I also learned they do not get a lot of what we called liberty time (in the service) on port calls. Most get ashore maybe once every second or third trip. They do put in about 18 hours a day. Besides what you see them doing in public areas, what I mentioned in my post earlier, they do a lot behind those doors marked "crew access only". The linens (sheets, towels, pillow cases, conforters, towels, etc) do come folded, but they take the time to sort and stack in on shelves in their assigned prep area. They sort by cabin number since the number of occupants vary per cabin.

Talking with a dining room team, they are each responsible for the silverware in their station area. Sometimes guests not thinking it a big deal, may borrow some utensils to bring back to their room to nibble on something they have for later. This messes up their count are they are restting the tables between sitting. Believe it or not, there are seperate utensile washing stations for the lido dining, for room service, and a couple deperate ones for different parts of the dining room. During first seating for dinner, they are trying to stock their station for the second sitting. I don't know what anytime dining has done to screw up the method they used before. Yes they are all on big Carnival Team, with many, many smaller teams. Experience teels them to have extra utensiles stashed for when a guest accidently drops a knife or fork on the floor, or if you come back and take a shower in the afternoon, you may come back later and find fresh towels to replace the one(s0 you used. That is all part of the little extras that make them good effecient employees, and in my opion, usually deserving of more than the standard tips. By the way, to clarify what I posted above. The "service minimum wage" is usually just over half what the "standard minimum wage" is. So yes, they do rely heavily on tips. If you go to John Healds blog and read the "smoke On The Water" story about the Sensation fire, you will find that Carnival was concerned about the welfare of the service employees, and compensated them the approximate wages they lost from tips when the ship was laid up after the fire before sailing again.

Just thought you might have wanted to know. Oh yeah, and most do send most of their earning home to their loved ones to support their families. They may keep some spending money for stuff they have to pay for, or presents to send home, or bring back home when they get their break period.