Other Than A Tip What Else?

[misfit cruiser]

In another thread somewhere I had read that phone cards would be a nice "tip" extra...I have found some cards at various stores but they say that they are for the United States.. anyone know the best place to get cards that would be good internationally??

 

I thought a phone card would be great too, but I've read here in a couple of places that not all US phone cards work for them, and that they can get much better rates on the cards they can already get. So I'll be substituting more cash instead. :)

[halos]

Personally for myself, I ALWAYS prefer $$$ so that's what I give them...the LAST thing someone who works on a cruise ship needs is a food item.

If they need a phone card they can purchase on with the $$ I give them. I can't see how they'd appreciate anything but cash. I know it's the thought that counts...but for me it just makes no sense to give these people 'nonsense' gifts.

[luv2cruise99]

If given the choice between money AND a turkey, or money and $5 the turkey would have cost I will take the money and the $5. Then I can buy roast beef or ham if I don't like turkey!!!:D

 

I think alot of people feel this way. I work for a company that is always very generous at Christmas time. For years each employee would receive $500 in cash and a $30 ham from a very expensive specialty ham store. But then people started complaining that they didn't know how to cook the ham or they didn't like ham. So for a few years we received $500 cash and a $30 gift card to a local grocery store so we could buy what we wanted. People still weren't happy and complained that the grocery store chosen was too far from their homes or not their favorite chain. So now for the past two years, we have received $530 cash and everyone is happy!

[beaming90]

On our Fantasy cruise this past Feb. Each morning we left a 2-3.00 tip and a small candy bar or 2. The last night of the cruise we left a $20.00 tip and the rest of the candy. Our steward thanked us each day several times a day. He said he loved the candy, and it was just a small trinket for him. But I always left money with the candy and I also left the tips on my S&S card so he was taken care of. If they don't want candy or whatever, they can throw it away!