Bad service from Room Stewart

[jagsfan]

Keeping the ice bucket in the fridge really helps keep it frozen longer. The ice, I mean.

I've been on ships w/o a fridge, and usually check out where the stewards get their ice.

I just get refills when I want them.

[boating girl]

We couldn't get ice on our last cruise either on Princess; maybe we had the same cabin steward. I would ask and he would say he would get it but never did. We are very low maintenance; he even commented on how easy it was to clean our cabin because we were always so neat. I was disappointed by not getting ice but would never complain because I, like other posters, would hate to have him lose his job over ice complaints. I think I will try the stickies on the pillow next time though if I need something.

[sarge98]

Last Feb on the Caribbean Princess our cabin steward apparently forgot to fill our ice. I called room service for some. About 10 minutes later our steward brought the ice along with I'm sorru won't forgt again, she didn't. Another small problem solved.

[ONT-CA]

When having friends in for drinks we called R O O M S E R V I C E for ice and they brought a half bushel plastic bowl of it. We realize that room stewards are far too busy.

[m steve]

so I just call room service and we get a large bucket delivered in a few minutes. When we get on board and meet our steward, I request that they deliver a large bucket for the cabin and refill it around 4 pm as well as when they do up the suite. It was never a need to make a complaint to the front desk. I also tip the stward when we first meet him and go over what we will need during the cruise and again when the cruise is over.

[Megsdad]

Leave notes on your pillow...they really work! :D

 

Tried that but the wife read them first and divorced me;)

[Murphey]

So, those of you who call room service for ice...do you tip?

[Carolyn R]

I really am not making excuses for "Stewart", but I think it is a cultural thing that takes a while to absorb for the newer room attendants. Americans are really addicted to their ice for cool drinks, not so for much of the world. Be gentle, leave post-its, pillow/mirror notes, etc. I have had an "ice" issue on a few of my cruises and now usually make it a point when I first meet my room steward to say that I need some wine glasses and would like to have ice in the morning and in the evening.

[Megsdad]

Be gentle, leave post-its, pillow/mirror notes??

 

Watch my lips - I would like ice, Thank You;)

[Toto2Kansas]

So, those of you who call room service for ice...do you tip?

 

I can't answer for everyone, but we do tip a dollar or two when room service brings us ice. In fact, if we order anything from room service whether it be glasses, ice or food, we always tip the delivery staff. ;)

[cruisin36]

Also one must remember that "Stewart" is on break between, I think, noon to 5 PM or something like that so for ice one must call room service.

[jollyjones]

I eat dinner late so I like to have the evening cabin service quite late but I also like a drink in my cabin whilst I'm getting ready for dinner but the morning ice has usually melted by then. So I simply pick up my ice bucket and wander down the corridor to wherever my steward is working on a cabin, and therefore his cart with the ice chest is, and ask him very sweetly for a refill - works a charm!

[Bowie MeMe]

On Coral in March, I first thought there was not ice but then that nice STEWART showed me it was in the small refridgerator:o. I did notice that it seemed that a different person from Danny (Steward) replaced the ice bucket with a new bucket from a service cart. Perhaps they are doing crews where certain tasks are performed by roving workers and the Steward does the final check. Not sure if this is Princess model but have seen it more on Celebrity and Oceania -- lots of rooms but people who come in to sweep, deliver towels and supplies , ice, inventory mini-bar,etc.

[ONT-CA]

So, those of you who call room service for ice...do you tip?

 

Starboard or Port?

[cruisealot54]

I am glad to see that others have experience the same issue, be it a small one. I don't want people to think that we are demanding and have " outlandish expectations" as that is not the case at all. We usually let things roll off and figure oh well. My hubby and I are always just thankful to be able to cruise once a year and call ourselves lucky. We don't let things get to us and we did just start getting our own ice. I just wondered how others handle situations be it ice or whatever. So for all of you I say thank you for giving me your input and advice, it is appreciated.

[highheel girl]

We never bribe "Stewart" to do his/her job. ;)

 

We reward him/her for a job well done.

[Go-Bucks!]

Last time I talked with Stewart, I told him to be sure he doesn't forget people's ice! Guess I'll have to give him a little pep talk when I see him on our next cruise! ;)

[caber]

Hi There,

 

Did you not get a visit from the supervisor on our last few cruisers we have had a visit, within a few days.

 

yours Shogun

 

Hi Shogun,

 

We have never had a visit from a supervisor. :

 

We have also never had a bad steward.:)

[davekathy]

So, those of you who call room service for ice...do you tip?

 

 

Yes.

[compozer]

I eat dinner late so I like to have the evening cabin service quite late but I also like a drink in my cabin whilst I'm getting ready for dinner but the morning ice has usually melted by then. So I simply pick up my ice bucket and wander down the corridor to wherever my steward is working on a cabin, and therefore his cart with the ice chest is, and ask him very sweetly for a refill - works a charm!

 

Same for us. We only use a little of the morning ice but usually have people over for cocktails and like a full bucket at 5:30. After several days I asked our stewart to please fill it when he came back on duty at 5:30 but he never did until the last night. He also said I should call room service. I hated to bother room service when he was just down the hall so I would also take my bucket and find him. On other cruises, we would find the cooler and just fill it ourselves but most of the doors were locked so we never found it this trip. I tip room service every time and was starting to run out of bills and in a way don't feel I should have to tip for ice. I ususally tip $1 for one thing and up to three for lunch, or several trays.

[james j feller]

"No tip for you"

[grandmato4]

We're never ones to quickly complain about anything but if after several repeated request we found that our request were still being ignored we certainly would speak to the supervisor in a calm manner. Without knowing there is a problem one can't expect it to be fixed and if one does not attempt to fix it they should not be complaining about it after the fact.

 

Over the coarse of all of our cruises it is not unusual to find during the midafternoon that much of our ice has turned to water and we are in need of replenishment. When we have known that to be the time of day our room steward is off duty, even though we do have his pager number to call, we have always just called room service with a request for ice and they have always brought it within a few minutes.

 

During one of our cruises with a major noro virus outbreak our icebucket disappeared from our cabin but if we wished ice we could still call room service and they quickly brought ice to us.

[ibfern]

This is a tricky situation, you want to get your needs met without causing trouble for anybody and that is a tough thing to do because who knows what is going on with the steward. He or she could be going through something terrible, or they could just be crappy workers.

 

I would probably ask them directly why they are not bringing you the ice, hopefully they respond honestly and you can bring some resolution to the problem without any further complaining.

 

If your steward was really bad without reason, you probably owe it to your fellow cruisers to speak up and complain. It's easy to say nice things to people and much more difficult to say the not-so-nice things but sometimes they need to be said! Everybody needs feedback, this is how we grow and improve in all aspects of life.

 

One more thing, while all of this is going on during your cruise, you should keep your toothbrush in your safe! You never know...:eek:

 

Amelia

[ibfern]

In many hotels clients get their own ice from an Ice Machine from a room specially there for that reason.

Why would we expect more service onboard ship than from a $300 a night hotel room only no extras.?

Most of the cabin stewards work their butts of for us.Also how many hotels still give turndown service every evening apart from their special high priced floor?

So if ' ICE' is the only complaint I am sorry but thats not a good one in my books.

 

I believe that providing ice is part of the standard service on a cruise ship, differentiating them from hotels because of this higher level of service. This is why we hardly ever take road trip anymore and love to cruise instead, we are spoiled.

 

Ice is not important to us, but I know others want it, need it, and/or depend on it and I don't judge their needs. I think if you are not getting your needs met you should always speak up, that is what you are on vacation for isn't it?

[highheel girl]

I believe that providing ice is part of the standard service on a cruise ship, differentiating them from hotels because of this higher level of service.

 

I agree.

 

Can you imagine the Noro outbreaks if they had an "ice machine" available to passengers on cabin decks?

All I can say is eewwww. :eek: