Christmas Gifts for the Crew

[Sharon Lee]

Hi all!
We are sailing on the Zuiderdam for Christmas this year. Would it be appropriate to bring some small gift for the cabin stewart or other crew for Christmas? Has anyone else ever done this? I'd appreciate any advice.
Thanks!
Sharon

[naxos]

Sharon I have recently posted this question in the Ask A Cruise Question Forum. Check it out- I will be on the same sailing. The board members have very definite opinions about this topic- which mainly boil down to- money ids the most appreciated gift and the crew has no room to store gifts and probably do not want candy,

That being said- I usually bring something small- either specialty candy or just a small gift to give to the steward when we board- others say giove cash each day.. I will tip at the end as always- since to me a small wrapped gift is appreciated- just a token tolet the crew know their work on what may be a holiday fro some (Not all the crew) is appreciated.

I HAVE RECEIVED GIFTS OVER TIME THAT i REALLY HAVE NOT NEEDED BUT THE THOUGHT WAS SURELY APPRECIATED.

Naxos

[lwnbwlr]

We're going to be on the Amsterdam over Xmas and I'm thinking about a pre-paid telephone card for a Xmas gift for our waiter, assistant waiter and room steward. I know what you're saying about the value of cash but I want to give them a gift, not an extra tip. What do you think??
Jim

[cruise freak]

Last Christmas we sailed on the Carnival Victory. I took pre-paid phone cards and put them in a Christmas card and gave to all that took care of us. They loved them and each came to me and told me when they called their family and how much they appreciated it. Go ahead and it will make you have a good feeling that others contacted their families even though they were far away.

[grannynurse]

What a great idea! Thanks for the information. I can't think of another small gift that would be more appreciated.
GN

[jazzsea]

I buy a package of phone cards at Costco. Last time I was there I purchased a package of 14 phone cards of 100 minutes each. Total cost was $45. I use them in my business and also give them as gifts.

They are great gifts for many people on my list and great as gifts for crew members on ships.

[jasl]

Have taken phone cards in the past, not just for Christmas, and they were very much appreciated. Make sure they are useable worldwide, the first time I took the wrong ones.

[sail7seas]

Some phone cards are not very valuable to stewards from Philipines and Indonesia. The 100 minutes you think you are giving them can quickly turn into about 10 depending upon which card you buy. Verify how many minutes the card you select will be worth for these stewards to call to their homes.

Cash and/or a phone card is ALL I would consider giving them as gifts. They don't want caps or t-shirts from where we live, they don't need trinkets that will be tossed when they pack to go home and they have so little storage space. We gripe about the baggage limits we have to travel under.....can you imagine them trying to get their things home after being aboard for a year's contract? They don't want a bunch of mugs and junk we might think they would welcome.

[grannynurse]

Do you have any suggestions on determining how valid the phone cards are? Are there specific cards that are better for the Phillippines and Indonesia?
Thanks for the advice.
GN

[sail7seas]

Sometimes there is a chart on the card which indicates number of minutes to various foreign countries. If not, I would mark down the name of the card I am considering and before purchasing, perhaps could try to call the issuer to ask.....or maybe be really lucky and find they have a website. Rather than doing it last minute....plan a little ahead and hopefully it will be possible to get that info.


(I have managed to get cards we normally do not have access to that provide the crew with the most minutes for the money......) They're delighted when we give them these cards.

[Little Feet]

Forgive me for asking this: Why would one not want to give money??? We all know that crew are paid low wages, have little personal space, & would accept anything with grace & a smile. Why not give the means to a crew member to do what they need or want? If we think that cash is "not personal" enough...that really is our problem. Money offers the most in "possibility and options" to a crew member. Why would one not want to give the one thing that gives the most? If your rationalization is that you already give a cash tip....then double it! A phone card is not so useful to someone that has no family to call. There are many that work on board because they have no one to call family. Those that do could use the money to buy a phone card if they wish. The options are personal if you give cash....not so if you give a "gift" item.

Again, forgive me for asking....I just do not understand why cash would not always be the best option. Please inform me if my thoughts are off base.

[sail7seas]

I agree with you, LittleFeet.


I think you expressed the message very well.

[dakrewser]

Again, forgive me for asking....I just do not understand why cash would not always be the best option. Please inform me if my thoughts are off base.
Cash gifts would be considered tips. Tips need to be pooled. Phone cards, on the other hand, don't.

-dave

[dakrewser]

While the Phillipine crew members may well be christian and celebrate Christmas, the Indonesian crew are most likely moslem and don't.


Thoughtless cultural insensitivity is hardly ever welcome.

-dave

[sail7seas]

I don't think a cash gift presented in a Christmas card would have to be shared. If a guest persented it such a manner that it was clearly a gift, I think the steward would be honest/honorable in not putting it in the pool.

[gizmo]

Cash gifts would be considered tips. Tips need to be pooled. Phone cards, on the other hand, don't.

-dave
I tend to agree cash is the best gift but with the pooling of cash, I would do something else. This is pure speculation but perhaps they have been told that any cash received must be pooled. I don't know if anyone on this board knows for sure what the policy is. If cash gifts were allowed why not just give a cash gift instead of a tip?

[RuthC]

Cash is only pooled if the person giving cash has reduced or removed the service charge from his/her account. Otherwise it may be kept by the recipient.
Lounge stewards are in a different tipping system of 15% of the bill. Since there is no way to opt out of that service charge the recipient may keep all cash received.

I agree, the best token to give as a gift is cash. The person receiving it can combine it with other cash received and purchase whatever he/she wants---including the phone cards that best meet their needs. When cash is tucked in a nice thank-you card it has meaning. When the steward is named favorably on the comment card it is even better.
I also agree that it is presumptuous to call it a "Christmas" gift when you can't know the religion of the recipient.

[jasl]

Almost always the crew has little time ashore and that is spent calling home. If they have to shop around to buy a phone card, that is wasted time for them. As S7S pointed out we have the means to research which card is best for Indonesia or the Philippines. So in showing our appreciation, a phone card seems quite appropriate and does not get them into a situation where they have to turn in their reward. Those that have no one to call, could always sell the card to one of their collegues. JMHO

[gizmo]

Cash is only pooled if the person giving cash has reduced or removed the service charge from his/her account. Otherwise it may be kept by the recipient.
Lounge stewards are in a different tipping system of 15% of the bill. Since there is no way to opt out of that service charge the recipient may keep all cash received.

Thanks Ruth, I completely forgot about this. :)

[Esme]

Ruth is definitely correct about whether tips are pooled or not.

From what I understand the crew can buy the phone cards on board the ship at a reduced rate. I, personally would give them cash and as Dave pointed out the majority of the cabin and dining room stewards are Muslim and do not celebrate Christmas, although they do wish you a Merry Christmas.

[sail7seas]

They are celebrating Ramadan now. Would you give them a gift for their holiday?

[dakrewser]

They are celebrating Ramadan now. Would you give them a gift for their holiday?
Sure. And I'd hope that everyone would wish them an "Eid Mubarik" at the end of the fasting period (which should be the end of next week).

-dave

[arzz]

Are all the crew still from Indonesia or the Phillipines? My latest HAL brochure has a prominently placed crew member who sure looks a lot more Eastern European than Asian.

[sail7seas]

Most dining stewards, cabin stewards/bar stewards are still Filipino and Indonesian. There are some Eastern European crew who work in Pinnacle and the Neptune Lounge.

[Cruiseoften]

Canada is multi-national and we've become very conscious about being politically correct! We only say "Merry/Happy Christmas" to close friends and those whose religion we know. A 'politically correct' greeting/gift would be Happy Holiday.

I agree that cash is the best thing to give. We've done several Christmas and New Year cruises and have always given money tucked into a card saying something like 'thank you for adding so much to our special Holiday cruise'.

[sail7seas]

Canada is multi-national and we've become very conscious about being politically correct! We only say "Merry/Happy Christmas" to close friends and those whose religion we know. A 'politically correct' greeting/gift would be Happy Holiday.We Americans are also aware of being politically correct....very much so. We, too, are multi-national in origin.

I agree with your post but wonder why one would think it politically correct to say "Happy Holiday" rather than Merry Christmas if you do not know that it is a holiday at all for the person you are saying it to.

It would be fine for a Christian or a Jewish person celebrating Chanukah during the season.....but what of a Jehovah Witness who celebrates neither? Who does not have a holiday celebrated during December? "Happy Holiday" to them would not be appropriate IMO.

[MBeamTX]

Happy Holidays is considered a neutral, appropriate greeting by many people because it encompasses the entire season, from Hannukah to Christmas to Kwaanza to the Winter Solstice (for you Wiccans out there) to New Year's Day. Even people who celebrate a different religious calendar recognize January 1 as the start of a new numerical year. I can't see anything politically incorrect about that.

If you'd like to see a list of major religious holidays, look here. (http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/2004.htm)

Happy cruising,
Susan