Best gift for Room Steward and other Cruise Employees?

My fiance and I are going on a B2B honeymoon cruise in November. Since we will most likely have the same steward and a few other Carnival employees, I wanted to bring something to leave them in addition to a nice tip.

Any ideas on what the crew appreciates getting as an addition tip besides cash?

Maybe a prepaid phone card or something along those lines. Anything to send home or contact home.

My fiance and I are going on a B2B honeymoon cruise in November. Since we will most likely have the same steward and a few other Carnival employees, I wanted to bring something to leave them in addition to a nice tip.

 

Any ideas on what the crew appreciates getting as an addition tip besides cash?

There's not much they appreciate besides cash. Their living quarters are very very small and they don't have room for any gifts, give a little extra cash and a nice thank you.

CASH! CASH! CASH! Crew quarters are very tight and crew members have very little room for trinkets.

My fiance and I are going on a B2B honeymoon cruise in November. Since we will most likely have the same steward and a few other Carnival employees, I wanted to bring something to leave them in addition to a nice tip.

 

Any ideas on what the crew appreciates getting as an addition tip besides cash?

$$$$$$$$$

Bill

I was not really thinking a trinket or anything. Maybe a carepackage of candy bars and snack food? I have plenty of cash set aside for them in addition to the prepaid gratuities; I was just thinking of something they may appreciate that they cant get onboard.

Money. They work for tips. Your heart is in the right place, but they want money.

Perhaps a phone card but they work for cash like we do and have little room for stuff we might think they would like.

each person might like something different so there is no way you can know.

they appreciate $$$$ best

Fair enough. Sounds like cash only is the plan. Thanks for the input.

And unless anyone responding has been a crew member, how would any of us know exactly? We can all assume that "tips" or "cash" is the preferred method, but have any of us actually worked on a cruise ship in their capacity?

Legit question from OP and I think doing something above and beyond the cash is kinda cool, especially if you are planning to leave plenty of cash for them.

I totally agree with all the other answers CASH and if the service is really good drop a note to the head of housekeeping or the Maitre 'd.

Just in case the person is a sentimental sort I always leave a thank you note with a little message on how they how helped enjoy my vacation. If it ends up in their circular file no harm.

My fiance and I are going on a B2B honeymoon cruise in November. Since we will most likely have the same steward and a few other Carnival employees, I wanted to bring something to leave them in addition to a nice tip.

 

Any ideas on what the crew appreciates getting as an addition tip besides cash?

I know I will get all sorts of nasty comments, but, here goes.

I ALWAYS do the automatic gratuity and additional cash. Always! However, I carry candy and lots of it. I give a candy dish to the guest services crew the first day and refill it each day. I also pass out candy to any and all crew I meet in the hallways and around the ship. I started this one year when we did a Christmas sailing. DH and I boarded the ship in our Santa's hats and we had a blast doing this, so we made this a tradition. As for the candy dish at guest services. That come from a personal experience I had on a cruise. Last time I even made beaded bracelets for the girls who worked there and NOT once in the week did I not see them wearing them.....and they all ran to the candy dish when I filled it. I also have candy dish in the room and tell the room stewards to help themselves. Last cruise, I had a pack of M&Ms left and I handed them to one of the stewards. She said she was going on her leave the next day and she was going to give them to her 3 year old daughter.

Like others said, space is small in their quarters.

I know I will get all sorts of nasty comments, but, here goes.

 

I ALWAYS do the automatic gratuity and additional cash. Always! However, I carry candy and lots of it. I give a candy dish to the guest services crew the first day and refill it each day. I also pass out candy to any and all crew I meet in the hallways and around the ship. I started this one year when we did a Christmas sailing. DH and I boarded the ship in our Santa's hats and we had a blast doing this, so we made this a tradition. As for the candy dish at guest services. That come from a personal experience I had on a cruise. Last time I even made beaded bracelets for the girls who worked there and NOT once in the week did I not see them wearing them.....and they all ran to the candy dish when I filled it. I also have candy dish in the room and tell the room stewards to help themselves. Last cruise, I had a pack of M&Ms left and I handed them to one of the stewards. She said she was going on her leave the next day and she was going to give them to her 3 year old daughter.

 

Like others said, space is small in their quarters.

For what it's worth, I think your idea is SPLENDID! You're right, too many people here will probably have nasty comments but obviously candy can be consumed and won't take up any space in "tight quarters". Great idea.

I agree with the candies. I always tip cash but have often thought of taking chocolate bars and giving them to the staff that help me have great vacation in addition to the cash. I am going on a halloween cruise this year in 9 days and have already pack several packs of the bite size candy bars to hand out and leave in a dish in the room for the staff to help themselves to. They work so hard and it is just something to let them know we do appreciate what they do. :cool:

Extra cash and candy. I got off the Fantasy on Sunday. Our cabin and door were decorated for Halloween. I brought lots of chocolate Halloween Candy. Every morning before I left the cabin I left a handful of kisses, reese cups and snickers on the deck. The first 2 mornings I sat them on a paper that said "Thank You Imade!" (our steward) after that I just left the stash with no note. It was gone everyday and he and the other stewards thanked me everyday and would pull a piece of candy out of their pocket and pop it in their mouths. :)

Extra cash and candy. I got off the Fantasy on Sunday. Our cabin and door were decorated for Halloween. I brought lots of chocolate Halloween Candy. Every morning before I left the cabin I left a handful of kisses, reese cups and snickers on the deck. The first 2 mornings I sat them on a paper that said "Thank You Imade!" (our steward) after that I just left the stash with no note. It was gone everyday and he and the other stewards thanked me everyday and would pull a piece of candy out of their pocket and pop it in their mouths. :)

Any change you're going to do a review? I'm sailing on the Fantasy next week. :D

Fair enough. Sounds like cash only is the plan. Thanks for the input.

Your heart is in the right place.:) Along with the cash a short thank you note is a nice idea.

I underlined, bold faced and italicized the important part. :D

And unless anyone responding has been a crew member, how would any of us know exactly? We can all assume that "tips" or "cash" is the preferred method, but have any of us actually worked on a cruise ship in their capacity?

 

Legit question from OP and I think doing something above and beyond the cash is kinda cool, especially if you are planning to leave plenty of cash for them.

I know someone that has worked on a cruise ship. CASH. Getting gifts from strangers really has no meaning, since most likely they wouldn't want it. With cash, they can buy their own gift cards, phone cards, candy, etc, send it home for family, or save it for when they need it. They can buy clothing that fits, books or a few beers. Maybe spend it on internet, or their cell phone. But a box of candy, or some trinket is useless. They are not your friends and family, but service workers that do their job, and expect $$$$. They are not lonely individuals, and they make the choice to work on the ship. Yes, some are away from family, and others are on an adventure. Some just love the job. Assumptions of the lonely cruise ship worker seem to be plenty, but the reality is, they chose the job, and if they like it, they will sign a new contract. Just give cash.

Bring pictures of famous dead Americans.

like

I'm going on a Christmas cruise next yr and plan to tip extra and bring along some candy. It's always nice to spread a little cheer and it's not something that will take space in their room. If they don't want it who cares if they trash it or give it away.

Any change you're going to do a review? I'm sailing on the Fantasy next week. :D

I plan to do one on Sunday. I have plans for the weekend. I saved all the funtimes. Is yours a 7 or 5 day? Ours was 7..GT, HMC and Nassau. I had a really good time. I've been on the Fantasy a few times. Two things I was bummed about: First, and most important to me, they changed the coffee. The new stuff is horrible! I only drink coffee..all day, all night,...everyday. So, this was a bummer for me. Even the specialty coffee was horrible. Second, they bought all new mattresses and they suck..lol. My back killed me for the first few hours everyday. The steward brought me a second mattess to put on top but it did nothing. I didn't tell him that though. But, neither of those two things effected my cruise. Sunny skies all week long during the day, it was awesome! :)

For what it's worth, I think your idea is SPLENDID! You're right, too many people here will probably have nasty comments but obviously candy can be consumed and won't take up any space in "tight quarters". Great idea.

Thank you for the positive comment. We really enjoyed it and you'd be surprised at the floor sweepers and window washers who called out to us as we passed and who knew us at the end of the cruise.

And unless anyone responding has been a crew member, how would any of us know exactly? We can all assume that "tips" or "cash" is the preferred method, but have any of us actually worked on a cruise ship in their capacity?

 

Legit question from OP and I think doing something above and beyond the cash is kinda cool, especially if you are planning to leave plenty of cash for them.

I actually lived on a cruise ship for 3 months. Did it as part of my senior thesis with one of my professors and a few other students. Got to know the crew REALLY well and even hung out with them a bit.

Cash is the way to go. Your heart is in the right place, and I am sure they'd appreciate the gesture, but if you give them cash they can get anything they want. Cash is king.

Looking forward to the review as we'll do the 7 day in Jan '14.