Holiday Gift

[rucrazy]

When cruising during the end of the year (Christmas and New Years) do you normally give an extra tip to favorite /your cabin stewards and table servers?

If so how much?

More importantly for me at least, I am lead to believe that most (not all) crew that interact with passengers are of the Muslim faith and as such don't celebrate Christmas, would it be wrong to pass such thanks inside of a holiday card?

 

Joseph

[RuthC]

I would consider a secular holiday card to be all right. But why not just use standard Thank You notes that are used year round? 

[rucrazy]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

But why not just use standard Thank You notes that are used year round? 

Interesting, Maybe Ruth the reasons I considered were the fact ship is decorated holiday themed, the staff is sending "holiday wishes", so I just felt that a holiday thank you type card was appropriate.

 

[seachef318]

I think as long as you stay away from highly religious themed cards the crew would be thrilled to receive a holiday greeting.  Knowing someone thought of them is huge.   I worked on ships for a few years and would do 12 days of Christmas in Christmas stockings for my crew who weren’t all Christian and they loved it.  

[OVgirl]

In the past I've worked with many people of different faiths. I think pretty much all of them enjoyed any reason to have a party and have fun. So, I'd definitely give something extra to any staff you like. 

And many of the bar staff (Filipinos) could very well be Christian.

[rkacruiser]

It is my custom to offer a small monetary gift enclosed in a note card offering holiday greetings to both of my DR Stewards, both of my Cabin Stewards, as well as my DR Wine Steward.  If at that point of my cruise,  bartender(s) or lounge Stewards are "stand-outs" in my opinion, I will also give them a holiday greeting.

 

As another poster stated, some of those crew whom you would think were Muslim are not.  I had a DR Steward who was a Christian.  And, what about the increasingly international mix of crew members on a ship?  My Cabin Stewardess on Coral Princess this Summer was from Thailand.  Of what faith might she be? 

[St. Louis Sal]

My family has sailed many times over Christmas and New Years.  We have always given an extra gift at Christmas.  I usually take cards with me that say Happy Holidays and I always write a personal note thanking them for what a great job they do in taking care of us.  I always give to our room steward(s). If we have assigned dining and become close to our waiters we may give them gifts as well. For the room stewards I usually do $5 or $10.  $5 for the dining room staff.  The gifts to our room stewards are in addition to what I usually give them at the end of the cruise as an extra tip.  

 

St. Louis Sal

[rucrazy]

12 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

It is my custom to offer a small monetary gift enclosed in a note card offering holiday greetings to both of my DR Stewards, both of my Cabin Stewards, as well as my DR Wine Steward.  If at that point of my cruise,  bartender(s) or lounge Stewards are "stand-outs" in my opinion, I will also give them a holiday greeting.

 That has been our approach as well.....

I want to thank all that responded.. at the end of the day..we will continue to do what we have done over the years and to pass along thanks in our own "special" way :)

Joseph

Edited September 4, 2019 by rucrazy

[victory2020]

I bring candy, nuts, gum, etc on every cruise for my cabin steward. You'd be amazed at how much it is appreciated.

[rucrazy]

16 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

I bring candy, nuts, gum, etc on every cruise for my cabin steward. You'd be amazed at how much it is appreciated.

I love handing out hershey kisses....