Has this become common practice for stewards?

[bchalker]

I see the downfall of the room attendants being when the auto tip started. Prior to that they prided themselves on doing a good job and getting rewarded. Now if they do a great job, they will most likely get the same gratuity as the guy that did a crap job. Most people will not give extra than the auto tip, so the attendants mindset is why kill myself when the guy down the hall doesn't. These guys are there for one reason and one reason only, MONEY!! Do they meet some people they like sure, but do they really care about us, NO. Like any server in a restaurant or even a stripper, they are there to provide a service, put on a show and get paid. So be nice to them, explain that they will get extra cash if they do a good job, and most all, don't piss them off and talk down to them, they are after all in your room with your stuff by themselves, not saying they would steal anything, but just like a restaurant, you might be getting a surprise you don't know about.

 

We haven't cruised since auto tip has started but I do know you can go down to guest services and have the tips adjusted. If we receive bad service you can bet I will be making an adjustment/elimination if warranted.

[MRRG]

We had that experience on Carnival Splendor, but never on Royal. I felt that we had to work around the steward, not him working around our schedule!

[gxchan]

Having cruised on RCI for quite some time we have never heard of or met an assistant cabin attendant. On turn around day other Housekeeping staff as well as other ship employees who sign up for the detail do cabin cleaning chores along with the cabin stewards. I have not seen or heard of any cutback in that group.

 

Cabin Steward contracts have been 8 months for as long as I can remember.

 

I have had good luck in dealing with the immediate Supervisor of any steward who needed additional training. Once I did that the problem never reoccurred. Also have given Kudos to the same level supervisor as well as the Hotel Director when outstanding work and demeanor were observed.

 

Perhaps I have not been cruising on Royal as long as you, only since 2007, but there has regularly been, up until this year, a second person helping the cabin attendant who cleaned my cabin, taking out the trash while one vacuumed, cleaning the bathroom while one changed the bed. It may be that they are being helped by another cabin attendant and I assumed the other was an assistant. Even on last year's B2B on Adventure there was a second person helping Hekong John with cleaning my cabin most days.

 

As for the length of contract, I was accepting what another poster said about the contracts being extended.

 

Until my last cruise, I haven't felt the need to complain about bad/lack of service in a dozen cruises on Royal. In fact, I've been quite pleased with the service. But there were definitely more passengers saying their cabin attendant wasn't providing the service, as had been done in the past, as well as my unfortunate personal experience.

 

As I said, it was resolved and I didn't/won't dwell on it. I'm looking forward to returning to Adventure at the end of the year again.

[Guest maddycat]

We haven't cruised since auto tip has started but I do know you can go down to guest services and have the tips adjusted. If we receive bad service you can bet I will be making an adjustment/elimination if warranted.

 

You can't remove tips if you have MTD. We have MTD, so if the service is excellent, extras asked for and received, I will give an extra gratuity at the end of the cruise. If the service is just acceptable, no extra $$. If the service is poor, I will complain to the appropriate supervisor.

[jo24]

I have to disagree with the comment that their contracts have been 8 months for as long as that person can remember.

 

Contracts vary slightly but usually fall at between 26 and 28 weeks - so 6 to 6.5 months. However, to counteract that, they are given longer vacation times.

 

I was in communication with my first stateroom attendant. His vacation at the beginning of last year was 12 weeks (11 if you take off the travelling time) following a 27 week contract (which is routinely what he has). When he returned his contract was due to be 27 weeks again however, to tie in with a home requirement, he requested it be extended it to a 30 week contract and RCI have given him a 16 week vacation (15 if you take off the travelling time).

 

It may of course vary per ship and I know that contracts can vary considerably when a new ship is introduced and staff are transferred etc.

[shipshape sam]

Our Indy cruise the week of Dec 1st, we had a very good room steward. Had great service from him including extra help when our luggage was delivered wet and most of the clothes within were wet, some very wet!

 

The 'clean room now' card was always a help to him to know we were gone and ready for him to clean the room.

 

Never had a bad steward. Had some marginal ones, but cruise lines have to be trying things to cut costs, but I would be shocked where there is an intentional effort to reduce service.

[Sherlock43031]

That is not what was stated on another thread. People said they came in on them even with the deadbolt locked. So I would be weary about it. I hope that is the case but quite a few people were walked in on that thread that had locked the deadbolt.

 

incorrect. you can not open it with a card if the deadbolt is locked. hence the purpose of a deadbolt.

 

correct you can not.. but mistshar read it on the internet so it must be true.

[C Cruise Dude]

 

 

Our last cruise was the worst. We would leave the cabin by 0730 every morning and return at 11 or 12 to find our cabin had not yet been done even though our sign was out. We would pass the steward on the way to our room (the very last one on the hall and the last in his block of rooms), and he would be knocking on doors without any door card out at all (neither the 'do not disturb' nor the 'make up room') announcing "housekeeping". When he would see us go by toward our cabin, he would get all flustered and act surprised that we were not in our cabin and ask "is your sign out?" to which we would indicate that it, indeed, was. He would even walk to our room to see that it was. He would then ask how long we would be in the cabin! At that point, we were ready to sit and enjoy our balcony and/or nap for awhile, but we would tell him we would leave for 30 minutes to an hour and then be back for the rest of the day. This would happen every single day. The cabin would be done when we came back again, but a few times he came back an hour or two later to deliver the ice he had forgotten to leave earlier(waking us up to do so). The last 3 days of the 9 day cruise, we were no longer willing to accommodate him and just told him to forget it if the cabin had not been cleaned.

 

We would have a repeat of the same thing every evening. We eat dinner at 5:45 every night (MTD) and then go to the show. We would return to our cabin around 8:30, sometimes to change into comfy clothes to roam the ship for an hour or two and sometimes to be in for the night to enjoy our balcony and relax. The room was never done at 8:30 when we returned.

 

 

 

Do y'all feel obligated to accommodate the steward, even if you've been out of the cabin for several hours and it hasn't been done when you return?

 

 

 

I have had stewards who would learn the rhythm of my activities and clean and take down the cabin according to it. When I had a balcony, I would sit on the balcony while they cleaned or took down the cabin. Other times it was done by the time I returned. 8:30p is very late for the cabin not to be completed. I don't usually see housekeeping staff that late.

 

Yes, at times I do. I was daydreaming the other day of what it would be like to be retired and semi living on a cruise ship and considered just that question and thought that it might not be that much fun. :mad:

[mistshar]

 

By the way, I did have a steward walk into our cabin with the dead bolt on and the do not disturb sign out. I think they have a key to turn the dead bolt. It was the last morning. He knocked very lightly and then came through the door before I could answer it. Fortunately, I was dressed. He said he saw my DH leave (he went to get us coffee) and thought we had left for good. I asked him if DH was dragging a suitcase? Was I with him? No reply, his English all the sudden became non-existent. His "extra" end of the cruise tip went right back in my wallet.

 

Tucker in Texas

 

correct you can not.. but mistshar read it on the internet so it must be true.

 

Did you happen to see the above post? By the way, I do not believe everything just because it says it on the internet. There were quite a few people on the thread that I referred to previously who had been walked in on with the dead bolt locked. Just because you say it can't be done does not mean it is so either.

 

I also read "on the internet" that it couldn't be done. Hmmmm! I told about it so people would be aware just in case those people who said they were walked in on weren't lying.

[Sherlock43031]

Did you happen to see the above post? By the way, I do not believe everything just because it says it on the internet. There were quite a few people on the thread that I referred to previously who had been walked in on with the dead bolt locked. Just because you say it can't be done does not mean it is so either.

 

I also read "on the internet" that it couldn't be done. Hmmmm! I told about it so people would be aware just in case those people who said they were walked in on weren't lying.

 

they may have thought they had the deadbolt on.. the stewards card opens the electronic lock. the dead-bolt lock needs a physical key which the stewards (at least on RCI) do not have. now if for some reason you do not have the do not disturb sign out and the steward has tried several times and got no response if he thinks there may be a problem he calls security who meets him at the door and then the door is unlocked.

 

again all these 'problems' can be avoided by simply explaining your wishes to the steward on the first day. if they fail to follow direction then kick it up to their supervisor who I have always seen roaming the hallway. also, if you see the super and like how the steward is taking care of you let them know that to.

[BekkaW]

Day two I didn’t need my cabin cleaned or additional supplies and put the do not disturb sign out. I asked the cabin attendant to leave any notes/daily planner in the clip above my cabin number, he agreed. That night there was a note from the ship but no daily planner. The next morning when I asked him about it he told me to check inside my cabin because he was sure I took it in there and “put it down somewhere.” I was shocked and asked him to repeat what he said and he said the same thing. There was cart in the hallway with a stack of daily planners, he could have easily just given me one but instead he was saying he had left one the night before and I should go look for it!

 

Off to Guest Relations I went and by coincidence the Executive Housekeeper walked up at the same time. I explained to her what had been happening and she said, “He is arguing with you!” She was very kind and apologized and had him switch my cabin with another cabin attendant so the other cabin attendant would clean my cabin, who by the way was excellent.

 

This sounds very similar to the bad steward our friends had. He would often come in when the 'do not disturb' sign was up and frequently failed to deliver paperwork such as the cruise compass or in other cases important information regarding disembarkation etc. He too argued back to them, but they refused to speak with GS or a supervisor. They thought that they would 'get in trouble' for complaining and be kicked off the ship.

Edited January 5, 2014 by BekkaW

[bchalker]

This sounds very similar to the bad steward our friends had. He would often come in when the 'do not disturb' sign was up and frequently failed to deliver paperwork such as the cruise compass or in other cases important information regarding disembarkation etc. He too argued back to them, but they refused to speak with GS or a supervisor. They thought that they would 'get in trouble' for complaining and be kicked off the ship.

 

Not the brightest bulbs in the bunch.

[bchalker]

Did you happen to see the above post? By the way, I do not believe everything just because it says it on the internet. There were quite a few people on the thread that I referred to previously who had been walked in on with the dead bolt locked. Just because you say it can't be done does not mean it is so either.

 

I also read "on the internet" that it couldn't be done. Hmmmm! I told about it so people would be aware just in case those people who said they were walked in on weren't lying.

 

If they said they were walked in on with the deadbolt on they were lying. The room stewards do NOT have the key to bypass the deadbolt. Sorry

[bchalker]

You can't remove tips if you have MTD. We have MTD, so if the service is excellent, extras asked for and received, I will give an extra gratuity at the end of the cruise. If the service is just acceptable, no extra $$. If the service is poor, I will complain to the appropriate supervisor.

 

Yes I stand corrected. I was referring to the room steward since that was the topic of this thread. You can most certainly have theirs adjusted. Yes we tip extra for above and beyond (every trip so far) but I would have no problem going down to GS and having the tip reduced or even eliminated for the first argument from our room steward. Just as I would in a land based restaurant. If we get poor service from a waiter you can bet they prob wont receive and tip other than "get a new profession". :)

[bchalker]

I have had stewards who would learn the rhythm of my activities and clean and take down the cabin according to it. When I had a balcony, I would sit on the balcony while they cleaned or took down the cabin. Other times it was done by the time I returned. 8:30p is very late for the cabin not to be completed. I don't usually see housekeeping staff that late.

 

Yes, at times I do. I was daydreaming the other day of what it would be like to be retired and semi living on a cruise ship and considered just that question and thought that it might not be that much fun. :mad:

 

Of course housekeeping works that late. Who do you think makes up the rooms of those of us with 8:30 dinner times? Half the ship eats that late.

[kleo30]

We've only been on two cruises. The first steward we had was like that, but I didn't know any better. Sometimes it was made up early while we were at breakfast, but then other days we'd go to breakfast, wander around, head to the pool, come back right before lunch and still not made up.

 

Our last steward was awesome. Only one day did she not have the room made up early. And it was always turned down while we were at dinner, 7:30 MTD. We went to the concierge lounge every evening then dinner, so she knew we'd be out. We did leave her notes and thank yous and tipped above our pre-paid at the end because she was awesome.

 

The steward the next block down from us was always cleaning. She'd still be making up rooms mid-day. We'd come back to the room at 11, and she'd still be turning down rooms. I would have hated that.

[Sherlock43031]

why in the world would anybody need/want their room made up a second time? does going on a cruise mean you suddenly become totally helpless?

 

the steward would have to do a really poor job for me to go to the trouble of removing prepaid tips. of the prepaid tip what percentage does the steward get?

[bchalker]

why in the world would anybody need/want their room made up a second time? does going on a cruise mean you suddenly become totally helpless?

 

the steward would have to do a really poor job for me to go to the trouble of removing prepaid tips. of the prepaid tip what percentage does the steward get?

 

Not sure who you are responding to here but as far as my comment about tipping goes we have never had a bad room steward. So we tip extra every time. Some of the things described in this thread and in particular arguing would be a deal breaker. Not providing the expected level of service would have the tips adjusted or removed accordingly.

 

As far as what percentage they get I dont know or care. Thats not my concern at all. They signed up for the job and I am betting they were prob in a long line to get it. If they are having a bad day, cruise, contract, whatever its not my problem. When I go to work I cant take my bad day with me and pass it on to all my customers. I dont care if their contract is one week or one year. Its a contract THEY agreed to do. Again we have never run into the problems here and hopefully never do.

[billybeachboy]

I've never experienced a problem with my room being made up. I always select the late dinner sitting but usually on alternate nights for variety I eat elsewhere and at varying times, thus the steward cannot know when I will be out. I have never had an early knock or come back to find the cabin unmade. No complaints from me. :)

[griffy116]

We have never needed to have the steward return to turn down the beds, unless we've had 3 in our cabin and need the overhead bed brought down. We have asked that we get clean towels and ice, but that's all we require. Our cabin stays neat and orderly and everything stays put away during the day and we've found that the cabin steward has to spend very little time in our cabin. Great for us, great for him/her.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I agree' date=' I think it's because of the auto tipping. On Voyager last Feb our room attendant would clean our room about 3 times a day, I was truly impressed. Every time you left your room he would go back in and tidy the towels and it was obvious he had been back. On Radiance last Dec our room attendant was lucky to get to our room before dinner. Also we had towel animals every night on Voyager and on Radiance we received 3, same length cruise (9days).[/quote']

 

When did RCI switch from envelope tipping to auto-tip? NCL has been using this practice since my first cruise with them in 2002, and I didn't notice a dip in service. Most of our stewards were fantastic.

 

Our very first cruise was on Carnival when they still used the envelope system, and they knew that the passenger had control over the tips. Service was always top notch.

 

We look forward to our first RCI cruise soon. I don't feel that passengers need to leave daily tips, for the stewards to do their jobs. We do leave an extra tip at the end, to reward for good service.

 

I do recall reading on some boards, that the diningroom service had slowed down, due to the shortage of servers----no more assistant waiters. Maybe the cruiselines need to increase their staff, to keep service moving along at a better pace.

 

Happy passengers------happy bottom line.

[griffy116]

We have never needed to have the steward return to turn down the beds, unless we've had 3 in our cabin and need the overhead bed brought down. We have asked that we get clean towels and ice, but that's all we require. Our cabin stays neat and orderly and everything stays put away during the day and we've found that the cabin steward has to spend very little time in our cabin. Great for us, great for him/her.

[parrotfeathers]

On my recent Liberty cruise our steward did seem to have a heavier workload than my other cruises in a GS. I got the impression she was new somehow and finally asked her how long she had worked for RCL. She said 16 years! One day my ice bucket was gone (I like to make my own tea in my cabin) and I looked in the hall to see if I could see her. She was coming down the hall and I asked her what happened to my bucket (I had the lid). She told me she went to fill it up and forgot which cabin it went in. We laughed about it.

 

On turn around day i was all packed before 7 a.m. but wanted some breakfast. I saw her in the hall again and she started to ask permission to do something in my cabin and then stopped midsentence. I told her we were done in our cabin and she told me moving the beds back together took a few minutes and that was what she was going to ask--if she could go ahead and move them back. I told her to do whatever she liked--I just wanted to leave my carryon.

 

I do think over the last couple of years the stewards have more pressure on them and cannot be quite as personable. On Voyager a couple years ago our steward seemed to be there every time we walked down the hall and opened our door for us and all that good stuff to make us feel special. Not necessary but nice. I also tell them my cabin does not have to be serviced every day and I do the same thing in hotels.

[Clarea]

When did RCI switch from envelope tipping to auto-tip? ....

March 2013.

[SilverDollarDoll]

Asked to move our luggage on a B2B and were told we had to pack everything as his dolly did not have a bar for clothes on hangers. .

 

 

Not familiar with B2Bs. Do you do the same cruise you just finished? Do you want or have to get a different room? Sounds like a cool way to turn a one weeker into a two weeker. Maybe we should try that sometime. Thanks.