When did you last...

Perhaps compassion???

Thank you Phoenix1181!!

Some people get it :rolleyes:

Ouch!

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you have no idea who I am, or anything about me.

However, for the record, I have on several occasions told my cabin steward I will be leaving the "do not disturb" on my door all day, probably 3 times on a 10 night cruise. This is because I don't need clean towels or turn down every day. It may be only one cabin, but it's one less cabin they have to do. I never remove the hotel service charge and other than 1 cruise (when I never even saw our cabin steward) tip extra by shaking their hand and thanking them.

I also, on occasion, tipped extra to certain bar staff, if they've made a difference. On our last cruise I also gave a (smaller) tip to a waiter on the table next to us because he made a difference to our cruise.

Honestly, some people think the crew on cruise ships are their best friends forever. Their not, it's a professional relationship. 7, 10, 14 nights, however long the cruise is and then they're onto the next group of passengers.

How many threads do you see about giving crew "special gifts" and 98% of the responses talk about giving cash, and only cash. Because it's a job, not a social club.

So again, for the record, I've plenty of compassion. For my friends, my family and many others, but not for (and I don't mean this with any dis-respect) the hired help.

papcx...agree with you completely.

I do not get it either. Why compromise the relationship. I do no need to become best friends with the room steward, and the reverse is true.

And, like you, I just do not get this special gift idea. These hard working folks are working for money...they want tips not some tshirt from East Rubber Boot or a box of salt water taffy.

I could not agree more the only way to 'tip' a steward is with cash. They don't want t-shirts, caps, key chains or any other food or trinkets. However, offering the simple courtesy to pick them up some small item they may want while we go ashore, does not compromise any relationship. It crosses no boundaries and we have no intention of 'steward-napping' and attempting to bring them home.

I could not agree more the only way to 'tip' a steward is with cash. They don't want t-shirts, caps, key chains or any other food or trinkets. However, offering the simple courtesy to pick them up some small item they may want while we go ashore, does not compromise any relationship. It crosses no boundaries and we have no intention of 'steward-napping' and attempting to bring them home.

 

Well said!

Several times over the years I have asked and been thanked but they did not need anything. In September I asked again and mentioned chocolate, soda pop, chips? I saw my room steward react when I mentioned potato chips. So I asked did he like potato chips and yes he did. Any special flavor, etc.? No, he liked plain ones so I bought a big bag of potato chips for him and left them on the bed for him when he came in to do the evening service. Next time he saw me I received a big smile and thank you and several days later I asked if he had eaten them all and he said no he wanted to make them last. So I will continue to ask.

I have never asked and probably never will. If the steward mentions something in conversation about needing something, I would probably try to help, but to suggest it is a bit over the top to me. The crew helps each other out with such needs.

I tip over the automatic tip, I engage in conversation, I keep a tidy cabin, and I ask no special favors. If they are into towel animals, I ask that they not bother with it for me as I think it takes up their time unnecessarily.

A standard shopping inquiry? No.

Almost always ask. Only a few have taken us up on the offer, usually it's grocery items. No problem because we almost always go to the market when we're in port. One asked for (and wanted to pay for) a T-shirt from port for his daughter. He gets one at every new port for her.

Nope, not spending my vacation running errands for anyone. Call me a jerk, I don't care.

Nope, not spending my vacation running errands for anyone. Call me a jerk, I don't care.

Heck, I don't even want to spend my vacation running errands for ME!;)

If someone likes to pick up things for the crew while in port, that's terrific. If someone else wants to show appreciation for a job well done by tipping extra, that's terrific too. And there is nothing wrong with just tipping the suggested amount for a job well done. The only "jerks" are people who expect a job well done and then remove the tips IMHO.

Never have. Probably never will. Sorry, but just do not see myself running errands for a stranger on my vacation.

I think it's a lovely idea :) I will definitely ask on our next cruise at any port where we plan on visiting shops.

One thing is for sure, this topic sure is black and white. No grey areas here.

I wonder why, of all the people who think this is a great idea, stop at their cabin steward?

Maybe you should pass a clipboard around the crew mess, think of all the shopping you could do then. What about the boys (and girls) on the mooring deck (not sure if that's the right term) or the chefs in the restaurants. They hardly, if ever, see a passenger. Who's going to ask them if they need anything while you pop to the shops.

And just to be clear, this is not ment in an arsey manner, it's light hearted, and to prove to I'll put a smiley face.

:D

On every cruise with the exception of one, we have got to know our cabin steward better than any other staff member. You can't help everyone but even helping the one closest to you can make a difference to that person. Have you ever heard the Starfish Story? ;)

Sometimes it is the small things which can make someone's day and just because you are paying them it doesn't mean you can't offer to do something nice in return on top of the usual tip etc :)

Well, I think it is a nice gesture. I'm sure most of the time the answer is no thank you anyway. It is always nice to be thought of. At my work people ask all the time if they can do things for me and I ask them. Nothing wrong with helping someone out. And I'm pretty sure all my stewards have asked if I needed anything or had a preference on every cruise.

That being said I would probably never ask, for several reasons.

First I don't shop usually while in town and wouldn't want to run around looking for something specific if they did say yes. I am sure they have friends on board that can pick up things when they can't get off.

And For me this is a professional relationship. They are not my friends and I am not theirs. I appreciate what they do and tip well.

Two phrases come to my mind as I read this: "random acts of kindness" and "pay it forward" both of which are voluntary and simply to make the world a nicer, more considerate place. Is there an obligation to do this? Nope....and don't do it if you don't want to. Is it a random act of kindness? Yep and it can make another person's day.

Well, I think it is a nice gesture. I'm sure most of the time the answer is no thank you anyway. It is always nice to be thought of. At my work people ask all the time if they can do things for me and I ask them. Nothing wrong with helping someone out. And I'm pretty sure all my stewards have asked if I needed anything or had a preference on every cruise.

That being said I would probably never ask, for several reasons.

First I don't shop usually while in town and wouldn't want to run around looking for something specific if they did say yes. I am sure they have friends on board that can pick up things when they can't get off.

And For me this is a professional relationship. They are not my friends and I am not theirs. I appreciate what they do and tip well.[/quote

 

I do agree with this. There is a line that should not be crossed, as it may make them feel uncomfortable anyway. I wouldn't dream of asking the housekeeping staff in a hotel if they need anything when I go out. After all, I am sure the room stewards manage quite well to get what they need when we are not onboard, they don't have to rely on passengers to do it for them.

On every cruise with the exception of one, we have got to know our cabin steward better than any other staff member. You can't help everyone but even helping the one closest to you can make a difference to that person. Have you ever heard the Starfish Story? ;)

 

Sometimes it is the small things which can make someone's day and just because you are paying them it doesn't mean you can't offer to do something nice in return on top of the usual tip etc :)

We never felt the need to "get to know" our cabin steward. We would prefer to not see them during the cruise. Just clean the room and disappear.

We never felt the need to "get to know" our cabin steward. We would prefer to not see them during the cruise. Just clean the room and disappear.

Exactly!

I'll be polite, ask them how they are and wish them a good day. IF I see them.

If not, and they've done a good job, I'll look for them with a day or two left and give them a small envelope.

Other than that, I just expect them to do the job.

Two phrases come to my mind as I read this: "random acts of kindness" and "pay it forward" both of which are voluntary and simply to make the world a nicer, more considerate place. Is there an obligation to do this? Nope....and don't do it if you don't want to. Is it a random act of kindness? Yep and it can make another person's day.

This!!

I figure cabin stewards have friends among the crew who run errands for each other on port calls.

 

My policy is to tip generously and keep our cabin as clean and neat as possible to ease the steward's work load a bit. I also praise highly the effort they are making and let them know I appreciate their work.

 

Beyond those things, I don't want to get on a more personal basis with them anymore than I would for land-based wait staff in restaurants or room cleaners in hotels.

Yes.......exactly how I feel. I could have written this post.

We do a random act of kindness.

We leave a cash tip over and above the cruise line gratuity.

We do not feel a need that we have to be best buddies or make friends with everyone we come in contact with. This is a business relationship.

I always did not ask my room stewards if I could pick up something for them in port.

If they were sneezing or coughing or looked under the weather I would definitely ask them if there was something that I could pick them up from a pharmacy.

We do not feel a need that we have to be best buddies or make friends with everyone we come in contact with. This is a business relationship.

I agree. I do not consider crew members to be friends. In order for friendship to happen, the two people must be social equals, or at least near-equals. This is not possible where one is a passenger and the other is a service employee. Those aren't equal roles. So I do what I consider appropriate for my role: make their job easier by pre-cleaning my cabin. Things like dumping all trash into the wastebasket and putting all dirty laundry into one pile. I also try to talk to them directly to get a minor problem fixed (like a missing beach towel or a burned-out light), rather than go straight to management, as not to get them in trouble unnecessarily.

Personal anecdote to lighten the mood here. I use the porthole ledge as a dumping ground for my open suitcase and used clothes; it looks pretty bad :o. I thought it was funny how the steward always closed the curtains to make the cabin look clean (since he's not allowed to touch the stuff).

... At my work people ask all the time if they can do things for me and I ask them. Nothing wrong with helping someone out. And I'm pretty sure all my stewards have asked if I needed anything or had a preference on every cruise.

People are quite happy to help out at my work, too - but fellow members of staff, not customers. I wouldn't dream of asking my clients to run errands for me, and I'd be very surprised if any of them offered - especially if it was just random with no specific reason.

As for stewards asking me if I want anything, that's their job. They are paid to do that. I ask my clients if I can do anything for them, too.

If I knew my steward had no days off, ever, and had no friends willing to help him out, I might ask. But otherwise, I don't see the need to go significantly out of my way to help someone who doesn't actually need it.