what type of gifts in addition to money for staff

[martinchem]

Chocolate candy bars go a long way.

[Micahs Grandad]

LOL....why would they want some oddball trinket from a random customer the will serve for a few days?

 

exactly

[Sebleo]

I find it interesting that few people have mentioned buying/gifting bottles of alcohol to the staff.. :confused: Are they allowed to accept these type of gifts???

On other cruise lines (NCL, MSC, Costa) staff are not allowed to posses any alcohol in their cabins, leave alone receiving it as a gift from the guests! They are only allowed to drink in their crew bar, where the security can watch them. Their cabins are inspected regularly and if any alcohol is found, they are out of the ship in the next port.

 

I asked if he wanted it and he thanked me and said yes. I would think so. If not, we would have taken it with us since we drive to port.

[geckoaz]

On one cruise we had an exceptional drink server. Besides tipping him well we gave him a bottle of jagermeister on the last night. He had told me it was his favorite. I am sure he found a place in his cabin for it. I don't drink a lot but drink diet cokes. I tip in cash and never have to wait for a drink. Little things like that make a good trip great.

[proudpatriot07]

Personally, we just give additional tips- but after reading through this post, I can see where a handwritten note or card with the cash might go a long way in making the crew member feel more appreciated. You never know what someone may be going through inside and it may mean a lot to them to know they made your vacation special. As nice are cruise critic members are, not everyone on the cruise ship is nice to the workers and I''ve seen passengers give them a hard time. A handwritten note costs nothing but a few minutes of time.

 

I wouldn't do a gift. I do live in a cruise port city, though (Charleston) and know that crew members frequent a grocery store near the port with a Starbucks inside. I've seen them in the cafe using the internet. I guess the workers could always use a Starbucks card, but Starbucks does take cash and at least the cash could buy toiletries/food in the grocery store.

[NJporkroll]

NO GIFTS... THEY DON'T WANT YOUR [emoji90]. THEY ONLY WANT YOUR [emoji765][emoji765][emoji765]. When you go to a restaurant, do you ask if I should give a [emoji320]. Or at a hotel.... nope, you give [emoji383]

 

 

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[cb at sea]

Don't bring gifts...jeez...I mean, do you bring "gifts" for hotel staff? Then why would you for ship's employees? Give them their deserved tips...that's all you need to do. They may be friendly, but they aren't your "friends"...they are there to serve you...and they do it well. Tip accordingly...no gifts...just cash.

[klfrodo]

I asked if he wanted it and he thanked me and said yes. I would think so. If not, we would have taken it with us since we drive to port.

 

:confused:

He's in the customer service business. His job is to smile and make your vacation the best you've ever had.

 

What did you expect him to say? No, I don't want your crap. If you leave it, I'm throwing it away.

[riclop]

They want $$$.

[easyboy]

I would also write a favorable comment on the survey, on top of the extra cash gift.

[Elaine5715]

Chocolate candy bars go a long way.

To the trash, American candy is not a favorite in other countries.

[ray98]

You give gifts to friends, a server is not your friend, they are a employee working solely for compensation.

[perditax]

To the trash, American candy is not a favorite in other countries.

 

What, all other countries everywhere? Don't like chocolate and sugar? None of them?

[Canadianmama3]

We leave extra cash with a nice thank you note and a bottle of wine.

 

Honestly a handwritten thank you and cash would be much more appreciated. The t shirt and earrings will most likely end up in the trash. Honestly to me it sounds demeaning to leave things like t shirts or earrings. Like your either treating them like they are 5 years old, or like they are so destitute that they should be thankful for your trinkets.

 

 

 

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[Canadianmama3]

What, all other countries everywhere? Don't like chocolate and sugar? None of them?

 

 

 

Other countries have better tasting candy and chocolate. For example when I love British chocolate. It tastes way better then American/Canadian candy.

 

Honestly most of what we get here is crap lol.

 

 

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[dmdiver]

I think cash is king. They don't have a lot of space for gifts & how would you know what they would like anyway? Candy & wine - same thing. What if they don't drink? What if they have food allergies? Everyone can use more cash.

[Computer Nerd]

While in Alaska my wife and I purchased a small jade necklace for our waitress in the MDR after spending 21 nights specifically coming to her section because she was so good at her job, in every aspect. We also gave her cash, wrote her up 3 different times, and told her supervisor about how great she was numerous times. It's a she she doesn't work for Carnival so we could see her more often.

[kc58ab]

Wow some people are harsh. I bet the op is wishing they hadn't even asked the question on some of these responses. Think it's a sweet sentiment, but people make good points they probably don't have room for gifts.

[Ziggy7]

We give extra cash and anything we brought and didn't use that they might be able to use, sodas, water, umbrellas, candies, or games we brought to play, books we read, etc... we leave for them.

[Bigbob75]

I always give them cash and say thank you.

I have heard that they really like chocolates and silk stockings...... oh wait never mind that was from old world war 2 movie.

[simplelife]

Cash is most appreciated. Their quarters are very small and there is limited storage for gifts. If you want to do more, compliment them by name on your survey.

 

 

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[NJporkroll]

I would also write a favorable comment on the survey, on top of the extra cash gift.

 

 

 

I 2nd that.

 

 

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[Sebleo]

:confused:

He's in the customer service business. His job is to smile and make your vacation the best you've ever had.

 

What did you expect him to say? No, I don't want your crap. If you leave it, I'm throwing it away.

 

I'm in the customer service business and work for tips. If someone gives me a gift I graciously accept it and if i dont want it i throw it away. However, if someone asks me if I want something, and I don't want it, I tell them no thank you. I turn down gifts a few times a month...since they asked. I would consider it rude for him to say yes and then throw it away since it was wine and vodka I could have taken home and enjoyed.

[dogboy]

More cash

 

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[Elaine5715]

I'm in the customer service business and work for tips. If someone gives me a gift I graciously accept it and if i dont want it i throw it away. However, if someone asks me if I want something, and I don't want it, I tell them no thank you. I turn down gifts a few times a month...since they asked. I would consider it rude for him to say yes and then throw it away since it was wine and vodka I could have taken home and enjoyed.

Crew know that by turning down a item offered by a guest or not received with profuse thanks will cause guests to run to GS and remove all gratuities so their response to the guest can affect many people. On land, you only risk alienating one guest who don't tip you.