Ideas for Christmas Gift for Crew Members

[pcakes122]

3 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

To each his own, but as someone with a post graduate degree, if someone wants to add some chocolate (or wine) to the gift card or cash they are giving me, I’m not going to be insulted.

 

The key there is ADDING it to cash, not giving it INSTEAD OF cash! 😉

 

I'll take Godiva (or some Dom!) with my Tiffany gift card any day, thank you! 

[mjkacmom]

5 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

The key there is ADDING it to cash, not giving it INSTEAD OF cash! 😉

 

I'll take Godiva (or some Dom!) with my Tiffany gift card any day, thank you! 

Absolutely! Cash is the main gift.

[lisakoivu]

On 11/30/2018 at 12:04 PM, mjkacmom said:

I give gifts to teachers, crossing guards, hair stylist, and if my favorite waiter was a college student, I’d definitely add some chocolate to the tip (up until a few months ago my oldest paid room and board by waitressing).

 

Stop giving gifts to teachers. We don't all celebrate Christmas either. If we did, there are only so many coffee mugs and dollar store candles we can use. Then they go to the landfill. This destroys the earth and raises global temperatures. Please, please don't force your kid's teacher or the NCL crew to participate in the insanity needless collection of useless "things". Give them money to support their families. Give to the foodbank in the name of teachers, crossing guards and hair stylists. 

[mjkacmom]

33 minutes ago, lisakoivu said:

 

Stop giving gifts to teachers. We don't all celebrate Christmas either. If we did, there are only so many coffee mugs and dollar store candles we can use. Then they go to the landfill. This destroys the earth and raises global temperatures. Please, please don't force your kid's teacher or the NCL crew to participate in the insanity needless collection of useless "things". Give them money to support their families. Give to the foodbank in the name of teachers, crossing guards and hair stylists. 

I would never give a teacher a coffee mug! My go to is a note and an amazon gift card. I’ve also written letters to the principal if the teacher is really great. I have many friends who are teachers, none seem to mind gift cards.

[ray98]

Gold bars....

[inspiration100]

give them a cruise next voucher .

Edited December 2, 2018 by inspiration100

[xcell]

If you didn't bring enough for the whole class, then don't bring anything...

[ziggyuk]

I am shocked by some of the answers in this post, a simple chocolate or cookie collection from your part of the world, offered to just your room steward of favorite dining room staff, is that really too much?

As to christmas, I enjoy sharing in other countries customs and see no reason why a christmas offering needs to be renamed because it might offend other people.

[LrgPizza]

On 11/30/2018 at 3:44 PM, mjkacmom said:

You would throw it away instead of giving it to someone who would enjoy it? Especially something that most people enjoy?

 

Most definitely. I don't give food gifts to complete strangers. I find the idea bizarre.

[Seminole1975]

Call me Scrooge, but since many of the crew members are not Christian, I would not worry about Christmas gifts. A good tip will suffice and be much appreciated. 

[mjkacmom]

30 minutes ago, Seminole1975 said:

Call me Scrooge, but since many of the crew members are not Christian, I would not worry about Christmas gifts. A good tip will suffice and be much appreciated. 

Does that depend on cruise line? I thought the majority of staff on NCL are from the Philippines.

[cdnsteelman]

23 minutes ago, Seminole1975 said:

Call me Scrooge, but since many of the crew members are not Christian, I would not worry about Christmas gifts. A good tip will suffice and be much appreciated. 

So while I strongly agree with the cash only sentiment... Christmas long ago ceased being just a celebration of the birth of Christ despite that being its roots. More people that I know celebrate a secular version of the holiday with the gathering of family being the core of the tradition than a true religious version. Most of the staff I've met and interacted with in my cruise history come from countries where Christmas would be observed in some way. Further, I lived in Istanbul for three years and locals went out of their way to wish me a Merry Christmas just like we would participate in celebrating EID post Ramadan... we were routinely invited to Ramadan "breakfasts" despite not being Muslim. Being offended because someone wishes you a happy or merry whatever wether you celebrate or not is quite silly if you ask me. My Jewish friends wish me Merry Christmas and I wish them Happy Hanukkah... I have been wished Happy Hanukkah in these interactions literally hundreds of times - I smile and say thank you with happiness at the great diversity and inclusiveness in my world.

[chengkp75]

On 11/29/2018 at 5:00 PM, April42749 said:

Just a note, but on the Escape the crew doesn't share quarters.  They each have a tiny cabin, but they share bathrooms.

If this is true, I wonder how they fitted over 1700 single cabins into the hull, even the tiny singles we had on the Sky (about 6' x 8', with a bed, closet, desk and sink, with shared toilet and shower with the adjoining cabin), the space is almost less than what your share of a 2-4 person cabin was.  Most ships, and I don't see NCL breaking ground on this front, only give the small singles to first line supervisors, while the 2 person cabins go to team leaders and 4 person cabins are for front line crew positions.  Cabin assignment is a major perk of crew, used in place of raises, and I just don't see NCL changing this business model.

[ziggyuk]

19 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Does that depend on cruise line? I thought the majority of staff on NCL are from the Philippines.

 

Exactly right, where 86% of the population are christian.

Not that it matters, lots of people celebrate Christmas without any religious connotations.

 

If a muslim friend asked me to join in an end of ramadan celebration meal, should I refuse as it's not my religion or do I attend and have a good time?

[cdnsteelman]

27 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

Exactly right, where 86% of the population are christian.

Not that it matters, lots of people celebrate Christmas without any religious connotations.

 

If a muslim friend asked me to join in an end of ramadan celebration meal, should I refuse as it's not my religion or do I attend and have a good time?

Not to mention the fact that the ships are absolutely DECKED OUT for Christmas... NCL hasn't felt the need to eschew Christmas for fear of offending people. 

[Seminole1975]

4 hours ago, cdnsteelman said:

So while I strongly agree with the cash only sentiment... Christmas long ago ceased being just a celebration of the birth of Christ despite that being its roots. More people that I know celebrate a secular version of the holiday with the gathering of family being the core of the tradition than a true religious version. Most of the staff I've met and interacted with in my cruise history come from countries where Christmas would be observed in some way. Further, I lived in Istanbul for three years and locals went out of their way to wish me a Merry Christmas just like we would participate in celebrating EID post Ramadan... we were routinely invited to Ramadan "breakfasts" despite not being Muslim. Being offended because someone wishes you a happy or merry whatever wether you celebrate or not is quite silly if you ask me. My Jewish friends wish me Merry Christmas and I wish them Happy Hanukkah... I have been wished Happy Hanukkah in these interactions literally hundreds of times - I smile and say thank you with happiness at the great diversity and inclusiveness in my world.

Sadly, I agree with you that the true meaning of Christmas is often lost in the frenzy of secular activities. However I still would not worry about Christmas gifts per se and I certainly would not give food or trinkets. I would just give really good tips, perhaps with a hardy "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!" 

 

I do kinda like Large Pizza's idea about giving a puppy. It gets lonely out there on the high seas for 6-9 months!

 

Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah everyone!

 

[April42749]

6 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

If this is true, I wonder how they fitted over 1700 single cabins into the hull, even the tiny singles we had on the Sky (about 6' x 8', with a bed, closet, desk and sink, with shared toilet and shower with the adjoining cabin), the space is almost less than what your share of a 2-4 person cabin was.  Most ships, and I don't see NCL breaking ground on this front, only give the small singles to first line supervisors, while the 2 person cabins go to team leaders and 4 person cabins are for front line crew positions.  Cabin assignment is a major perk of crew, used in place of raises, and I just don't see NCL changing this business model.

We did the platinum ship tour on the Escape in October.  Hard to believe....but true.  The guide said that just a few workers had to share.  I didn't see any of these cabins....but they are probably just enough room for the bed and a small dresser.

[GUT2407]

22 hours ago, LrgPizza said:

 

Most definitely. I don't give food gifts to complete strangers. I find the idea bizarre.

Perhaps even more bizarre would be eating food gifted by complete strangers

[GUT2407]

2 hours ago, Seminole1975 said:

Sadly, I agree with you that the true meaning of Christmas is often lost in the frenzy of secular activities. However I still would not worry about Christmas gifts per se and I certainly would not give food or trinkets. I would just give really good tips, perhaps with a hardy "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!" 

 

I do kinda like Large Pizza's idea about giving a puppy. It gets lonely out there on the high seas for 6-9 months!

 

Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah everyone!

 

No way on earth I’d give anyone a puppy, I’d just keep it for me. Cause I love puppies.

[NLH Arizona]

2 hours ago, Seminole1975 said:

 

 

I do kinda like Large Pizza's idea about giving a puppy. It gets lonely out there on the high seas for 6-9 months!

 

Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah everyone!

 

A kitty would be easier, as you wouldn't have to take a lifeboat out for it to do its business

[ziggyuk]

2 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Perhaps even more bizarre would be eating food gifted by complete strangers

 

Good job nobody does that on Halloween.

[GUT2407]

19 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Good job nobody does that on Halloween.

One of a few reasons I’m glad Halloween didn’t exist at all in Australia when my kids were young.

[mjkacmom]

6 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

One of a few reasons I’m glad Halloween didn’t exist at all in Australia when my kids were young.

One of my joys of parenting was Halloween! The kids get so excited, and I get chocolate (and everyone knows Halloween candy has no calories). And such a nice variety!

[mugtech]

14 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Does that depend on cruise line? I thought the majority of staff on NCL are from the Philippines.

Plenty of Muslims and other non-christians in the Philippines.  Plenty of people who celebrate no holidays or birthdays.

[mugtech]

On 11/30/2018 at 8:31 AM, LrgPizza said:

 

 

 

I should have suggested giving the crew member a puppy. 

As long as it is a service dog, not one of those emotional support animals.