Gift for the workers

[swedish weave]

Sorry to buck the tide of those who think dollars are the only thing the "kids" who work on the ship like.

I take trinkets for them and the response is heartwarming. Even the officers will come to the table to get some for their kids back home, and the waitstaff will bring their friends to ask for one.

How many times will you see that reaction for a gift of money ??

[PekingeseLady]

[quote name='swedish weave']Sorry to buck the tide of those who think dollars are the only thing the "kids" who work on the ship like.

I take trinkets for them and the response is heartwarming. Even the officers will come to the table to get some for their kids back home, and the waitstaff will bring their friends to ask for one.

How many times will you see that reaction for a gift of money ??[/quote]
OK I give up, what sort of trinkets do you bring that the officers want to come over and get for their kids back home? I've been trying to think of something extra I could do. :)

[footballbabe3]

I thought this was suppose to be for something extra on top of there tips. I tip the normal amount that is recomended then extra for my steward, room service and for anyone that is excellent. I also think there is nothing wrong with bringing an extra items, like chocolate or something special to just hand out every once in awhile. I think it is a very nice gesture.

[swedish weave]

[quote name='PekingeseLady']OK I give up, what sort of trinkets do you bring that the officers want to come over and get for their kids back home? I've been trying to think of something extra I could do. :)[/quote]


Try glittery hair clips and/or stainless steel rings. Inexpensive and very popular. Also, pens with laser and led lights or led flashlights are well received and useful.

[italianfemmy]

I also always leave the auto tips on and we tip extra money to those who meet or exceed our standards and expectations of service which generally is our wait staff and room stewards.

Someone mentioned earlier that they don't believe the workers want to be our friends. It saddens me that this person feels that way. I have numerous cruise staffers that have given me their email addresses and facebook pages and whom contact me often to keep in touch.

Latanya and I always make an effort to submerge ourselves into conversations with the workers and to learn about them and their lives back home. We've had a few hug us so tightly and cry at the end of our cruises when we have had to leave.

On my cruise aboard the Miracle, we became close to a bar waitress in the Phantom Lounge Theatre. She knew we were a couple and she asked us how we had the courage to be ourselves. Come to find out, she was in love with another woman on the cruise ship but was too afraid to be with her for fear of the backlash. We talked to her every single night, sometimes at great length and stayed in touch with her, offering advice after the cruise.

Almost a year later, we received a hand written letter from her telling us how the day we met her was the day that changed her life. She finally faced who she really was, told the other woman she was in love with her and they were engaged. Her letter brought tears to my face. I think the "time" we gave her was the best "tip" she had ever gotten based on what she wrote in that letter.

On another cruise, one of our itineraries was Grand Cayman and we were booked to swim with the stingrays. We walked out of our stateroom and our cabin steward asked us what our plans were for the day. We told him and his face lit up. We asked him if he'd ever done it before and he almost sadly shook his head no. We then proceeded to tell him that he should do it and asked him if he ever has time to get off of the ship to do things. He said that he is able to get off of the ship there occasionally for a few hours but that he normally chooses not to because he didn't have enough extra money.

I felt saddened to hear this because I know that if I was a cruise ship employee, I'd want to run out and experience everything with this free mode of travel beneath my feet. He went on to tell us that he made "good" money on the ship, much better than he'd make at home but that he had to take care of his parents who were both sick as well as his own wife and 3 children and that he didn't get to keep anything for himself. He then smiled and said he was okay with that because he was doing this for them.

I bought an extra 2 vouchers that day during my excursion for the stingray swim and brought them back and left them in the cabin with a note explaining to him that he could take another crew member with him or go twice on his own. I left him a cash tip as well. But in my note, I explained to him that sometimes he needs to take a moment to do something for himself and that's why I bought the vouchers.. because if I'd left only money, he would have just sent it all back home. I left this note on our way out of our room on the final day and we walked away.

By the time I had made it home, I had a facebook friend request from him. Apparently he used the name on my room to request me. I don't know if this is against policy or not so I won't mention his name. But, I accepted. He then sent me a letter telling me how it was the most amazing thing anyone had done for him and how he needed that as a reminder that he is important too... along with a lot of other meaningful stuff.

He wrote me again about 2 months later and asked me for my actual email address. I gave it to him. He emailed me photos of him and a buddy from the ship, swimming with the stingrays. He said that it was the best day of his life after the birth of his kids and his wedding day. His face was radiating in the photos with joy. We still talk about once a month when he gets off of the ship and does his emails. He now tries to get off of the ship once every other month and discover something new and sets a very small amount aside for himself to do this because he understands how important it is.

[B]I guess.....[/B] that every situation is different. Latanya and I treat many of the crew like they're family. We pretty much keep our own room clean. We put the "don't disturb sign up" atleast 2 days a week even when we're gone all day as our way of giving our cabin stewards a vacation from our room. We clean our own room very well on these days so they don't have to do extra work the following day. And we still tip extra.

These people go for months sometimes without interaction with their loved ones. They have a new "family at sea" every week and get to meet lots of new people but don't get to keep them. Many of them are extremely lonely and going through a lot but they do this to provide for their large families back home where conditions aren't the best. They DO appreciate you taking the time to genuinely express interest in their lives. And they do appreciate you staying in touch with them when you've built a genuine bond.

Sorry this got so long! The crew have always been so amazing to us and we wish we could do something extra special for all of them.

Edited: to correct calling the Miracle's lounge: Encore.. mixing it up with the Dream.. it was the Phantom! Ahhhh cruise confusion! Gotta love it!

[inseason]

Great tips (pun intended) :) thanks for the guidelines and suggestions!

[H82seaUgo]

[quote name='mkgwhite']I read to bring candy for those who clean your room or leaving your extra lotion and shampoo. Can you bring a gift for your waiter? Any suggestions about what they might like?[/quote]

cash. they want nothing but your cash. by the way they have a cart full of candy they put on your pillow.

cash. cash. anything else goes in the garbage, not matter what they fawn over.

[footballbabe3]

It is so nice to hear of someone thinking of someone besides themselves. I hope you and your partner are blessed in return. You sound like very lovely ladies. Happy Cruising!!

[italianfemmy]

[quote name='H82seaUgo']cash. they want nothing but your cash. by the way they have a cart full of candy they put on your pillow.

cash. cash. anything else goes in the garbage, not matter what they fawn over.[/quote]

Everything else does not go in the garbage. As someone else on here mentioned, a wait staffer pulled out the card their little girl made them from years before as one of their fondest memories. And someone else made an entire ship buzz and so happy that they got gift baskets sent to their room as a way of the ship showing their appreciation back to them. When is the last time someone got a gift basket in appreciation for a cash tip?

These people are lonely and missing their loved ones and when one of us does something other than treat them like a servant by showing an extra form of appreciation that extends beyond "you're a worker" and transcends into "You're someone I care about and appreciate so much so that I wanted to do this little extra for you.."..... it makes a difference.

Also, this is the 2nd reference I've seen to they have all the candy they can ever want on their carts. I don't bring them candy but don't discourage those that do either. Don't get me wrong - I am in LOVE with Carnival's mints... but I think I would be SICK of them if I worked on a ship and would gladly welcome anything new or different from the states that maybe I'd never even heard of or gotten to try! One can only eat so much of the exact same thing before it gets old.

[scooterpopsnana]

[quote name='swedish weave']Try glittery hair clips and/or stainless steel rings. Inexpensive and very popular. Also, pens with laser and led lights or led flashlights are well received and useful.[/quote]



Yes, the men and women both like jewelry. I took a jewelry making class on NCL a few years ago. Crew members were outside the lounge watching and commenting. The lady teaching the class said she stays busy making things for the crew. The men like to send the items home to their wives and daughters and the women love to wear it there. So, for my next cruise, which was on CCL, I carried several pairs of earrings, bracelets and hairbows I had made and gave them to the crew. The girls put them on immediately and I asked the men if they would like to send a gift home to the wife or girlfriend. I put them in the little plastic zip lock bags made for jewelry. The women of the crew almost all have long hair that is pulled back by hairbows.

[italianfemmy]

[quote name='scooterpopsnana']Yes, the men and women both like jewelry. I took a jewelry making class on NCL a few years ago. Crew members were outside the lounge watching and commenting. The lady teaching the class said she stays busy making things for the crew. The men like to send the items home to their wives and daughters and the women love to wear it there. So, for my next cruise, which was on CCL, I carried several pairs of earrings, bracelets and hairbows I had made and gave them to the crew. The girls put them on immediately and I asked the men if they would like to send a gift home to the wife or girlfriend. I put them in the little plastic zip lock bags made for jewelry. The women of the crew almost all have long hair that is pulled back by hairbows.[/quote]

Aww that's cool! Thanks for sharing your story!

[christie629]

[quote name='italianfemmy']I also always leave the auto tips on and we tip extra money to those who meet or exceed our standards and expectations of service which generally is our wait staff and room stewards.

Someone mentioned earlier that they don't believe the workers want to be our friends. It saddens me that this person feels that way. I have numerous cruise staffers that have given me their email addresses and facebook pages and whom contact me often to keep in touch.

Latanya and I always make an effort to submerge ourselves into conversations with the workers and to learn about them and their lives back home. We've had a few hug us so tightly and cry at the end of our cruises when we have had to leave.

On my cruise aboard the Miracle, we became close to a bar waitress in the Phantom Lounge Theatre. She knew we were a couple and she asked us how we had the courage to be ourselves. Come to find out, she was in love with another woman on the cruise ship but was too afraid to be with her for fear of the backlash. We talked to her every single night, sometimes at great length and stayed in touch with her, offering advice after the cruise.

Almost a year later, we received a hand written letter from her telling us how the day we met her was the day that changed her life. She finally faced who she really was, told the other woman she was in love with her and they were engaged. Her letter brought tears to my face. I think the "time" we gave her was the best "tip" she had ever gotten based on what she wrote in that letter.

On another cruise, one of our itineraries was Grand Cayman and we were booked to swim with the stingrays. We walked out of our stateroom and our cabin steward asked us what our plans were for the day. We told him and his face lit up. We asked him if he'd ever done it before and he almost sadly shook his head no. We then proceeded to tell him that he should do it and asked him if he ever has time to get off of the ship to do things. He said that he is able to get off of the ship there occasionally for a few hours but that he normally chooses not to because he didn't have enough extra money.

I felt saddened to hear this because I know that if I was a cruise ship employee, I'd want to run out and experience everything with this free mode of travel beneath my feet. He went on to tell us that he made "good" money on the ship, much better than he'd make at home but that he had to take care of his parents who were both sick as well as his own wife and 3 children and that he didn't get to keep anything for himself. He then smiled and said he was okay with that because he was doing this for them.

I bought an extra 2 vouchers that day during my excursion for the stingray swim and brought them back and left them in the cabin with a note explaining to him that he could take another crew member with him or go twice on his own. I left him a cash tip as well. But in my note, I explained to him that sometimes he needs to take a moment to do something for himself and that's why I bought the vouchers.. because if I'd left only money, he would have just sent it all back home. I left this note on our way out of our room on the final day and we walked away.

By the time I had made it home, I had a facebook friend request from him. Apparently he used the name on my room to request me. I don't know if this is against policy or not so I won't mention his name. But, I accepted. He then sent me a letter telling me how it was the most amazing thing anyone had done for him and how he needed that as a reminder that he is important too... along with a lot of other meaningful stuff.

He wrote me again about 2 months later and asked me for my actual email address. I gave it to him. He emailed me photos of him and a buddy from the ship, swimming with the stingrays. He said that it was the best day of his life after the birth of his kids and his wedding day. His face was radiating in the photos with joy. We still talk about once a month when he gets off of the ship and does his emails. He now tries to get off of the ship once every other month and discover something new and sets a very small amount aside for himself to do this because he understands how important it is.

[B]I guess.....[/B] that every situation is different. Latanya and I treat many of the crew like they're family. We pretty much keep our own room clean. We put the "don't disturb sign up" atleast 2 days a week even when we're gone all day as our way of giving our cabin stewards a vacation from our room. We clean our own room very well on these days so they don't have to do extra work the following day. And we still tip extra.

These people go for months sometimes without interaction with their loved ones. They have a new "family at sea" every week and get to meet lots of new people but don't get to keep them. Many of them are extremely lonely and going through a lot but they do this to provide for their large families back home where conditions aren't the best. They DO appreciate you taking the time to genuinely express interest in their lives. And they do appreciate you staying in touch with them when you've built a genuine bond.

Sorry this got so long! The crew have always been so amazing to us and we wish we could do something extra special for all of them.

Edited: to correct calling the Miracle's lounge: Encore.. mixing it up with the Dream.. it was the Phantom! Ahhhh cruise confusion! Gotta love it![/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting! I would agree with some of other posters that money would be the biggest want however; your post reminds us that you can make such an impact on someone - in a positive way with only the most casual initial contact. How wonderful that those employees kept in touch. Not to get too sappy but it should inspire them to pay it forward as well.

[H82seaUgo]

[quote name='italianfemmy']Everything else does not go in the garbage. As someone else on here mentioned, a wait staffer pulled out the card their little girl made them from years before as one of their fondest memories. And someone else made an entire ship buzz and so happy that they got gift baskets sent to their room as a way of the ship showing their appreciation back to them. When is the last time someone got a gift basket in appreciation for a cash tip?

These people are lonely and missing their loved ones and when one of us does something other than treat them like a servant by showing an extra form of appreciation that extends beyond "you're a worker" and transcends into "You're someone I care about and appreciate so much so that I wanted to do this little extra for you.."..... it makes a difference.

Also, this is the 2nd reference I've seen to they have all the candy they can ever want on their carts. I don't bring them candy but don't discourage those that do either. Don't get me wrong - I am in LOVE with Carnival's mints... but I think I would be SICK of them if I worked on a ship and would gladly welcome anything new or different from the states that maybe I'd never even heard of or gotten to try! One can only eat so much of the exact same thing before it gets old.[/quote]

if you ever get a chance, visit the many crew pages on facebook that are open. they laugh at the things we think we are doing for them. and then look at those youtube videos of them partying like there's no tomorrow below deck.

cash. they want nothing more.

[italianfemmy]

[quote name='H82seaUgo']if you ever get a chance, visit the many crew pages on facebook that are open. they laugh at the things we think we are doing for them. and then look at those youtube videos of them partying like there's no tomorrow below deck.

cash. they want nothing more.[/quote]

There will always be someone laughing at something. Do you think the pages you've seen represent the ENTIRE crew community? Just because some people feel a certain way doesn't mean everyone does.

I guess you're right... I guess our room steward kept in touch for months and sent me photos of himself enjoying the excursion while laughing at me for doing it. On second thought, he could have sold it to someone else if he just wanted the money..... :rolleyes:

Oh... and just a thought... but maybe they're making fun of the people who leave them ONLY candy and remove their auto tips.....

[rainbowflag]

[quote name='H82seaUgo']cash. they want nothing but your cash. by the way they have a cart full of candy they put on your pillow.

cash. cash. anything else goes in the garbage, not matter what they fawn over.[/quote]

You may be right. On our last cruise we tried to give away some of Liz Taylor's rings and necklaces we purchased at Christie's Auction House and the steward told us it would be difficult to find a buyer for them and to just give her cash. :rolleyes:

[H82seaUgo]

[quote name='rainbowflag']You may be right. On our last cruise we tried to give away some of Liz Taylor's rings and necklaces we purchased at Christie's Auction House and the steward told us it would be difficult to find a buyer for them and to just give her cash. :rolleyes:[/quote]

you can send them to bergen county att:me.

but yes, just give them the cash value of such.

[H82seaUgo]

[quote name='italianfemmy']
I guess you're right... I guess our room steward kept in touch for months and sent me photos of himself enjoying the excursion while laughing at me for doing it. On second thought, he could have sold it to someone else if he just wanted the money..... :rolleyes:
[/quote]

was that considered his gift or yours? :rolleyes:

[italianfemmy]

[quote name='H82seaUgo']was that considered his gift or yours? :rolleyes:[/quote]

Being as that we left the vouchers in our stateroom on the final morning as we were leaving and never expected to see his reaction or to ever see him again, it was his gift. It was completely selfless. He then gave us the gift of knowing what he did with it because he was moved to do so. We didn't hand it to him in person and wait to see his face. We didn't leave our contact info and tell him to keep in touch.

[scooterpopsnana]

[quote name='H82seaUgo']if you ever get a chance, visit the many crew pages on facebook that are open. they laugh at the things we think we are doing for them. and then look at those youtube videos of them partying like there's no tomorrow below deck.

cash. they want nothing more.[/quote]


While they may want cash, they DO APPRECIATE other gestures. As for the candy.....we carried 14 pounds of individually wrapped assorted hard candy. Now, if they did not apprecitate that first little piece, why did they hold out their hands and smile as I passed the next time. Or, why was the keyring/flashlights hanging on their belt bands? I know what I saw and experienced. Not everyone who received a "trinket" was someone who had performed a service for me. So, why would I give them a cash tip? Also, I would think the candy left on the pillows would be off limits to them and inventoried, as other things are. Keep giving your cash and I will AS I POSTED, keep giving my cash as well as my little "trinkets" and will continue receiving my smiles.

[scooterpopsnana]

I also always leave the auto tips on and we tip extra money to those who meet or exceed our standards and expectations of service which generally is our wait staff and room stewards.

 

Someone mentioned earlier that they don't believe the workers want to be our friends. It saddens me that this person feels that way. I have numerous cruise staffers that have given me their email addresses and facebook pages and whom contact me often to keep in touch.

 

Latanya and I always make an effort to submerge ourselves into conversations with the workers and to learn about them and their lives back home. We've had a few hug us so tightly and cry at the end of our cruises when we have had to leave.

 

On my cruise aboard the Miracle, we became close to a bar waitress in the Phantom Lounge Theatre. She knew we were a couple and she asked us how we had the courage to be ourselves. Come to find out, she was in love with another woman on the cruise ship but was too afraid to be with her for fear of the backlash. We talked to her every single night, sometimes at great length and stayed in touch with her, offering advice after the cruise.

 

Almost a year later, we received a hand written letter from her telling us how the day we met her was the day that changed her life. She finally faced who she really was, told the other woman she was in love with her and they were engaged. Her letter brought tears to my face. I think the "time" we gave her was the best "tip" she had ever gotten based on what she wrote in that letter.

 

On another cruise, one of our itineraries was Grand Cayman and we were booked to swim with the stingrays. We walked out of our stateroom and our cabin steward asked us what our plans were for the day. We told him and his face lit up. We asked him if he'd ever done it before and he almost sadly shook his head no. We then proceeded to tell him that he should do it and asked him if he ever has time to get off of the ship to do things. He said that he is able to get off of the ship there occasionally for a few hours but that he normally chooses not to because he didn't have enough extra money.

 

I felt saddened to hear this because I know that if I was a cruise ship employee, I'd want to run out and experience everything with this free mode of travel beneath my feet. He went on to tell us that he made "good" money on the ship, much better than he'd make at home but that he had to take care of his parents who were both sick as well as his own wife and 3 children and that he didn't get to keep anything for himself. He then smiled and said he was okay with that because he was doing this for them.

 

I bought an extra 2 vouchers that day during my excursion for the stingray swim and brought them back and left them in the cabin with a note explaining to him that he could take another crew member with him or go twice on his own. I left him a cash tip as well. But in my note, I explained to him that sometimes he needs to take a moment to do something for himself and that's why I bought the vouchers.. because if I'd left only money, he would have just sent it all back home. I left this note on our way out of our room on the final day and we walked away.

 

By the time I had made it home, I had a facebook friend request from him. Apparently he used the name on my room to request me. I don't know if this is against policy or not so I won't mention his name. But, I accepted. He then sent me a letter telling me how it was the most amazing thing anyone had done for him and how he needed that as a reminder that he is important too... along with a lot of other meaningful stuff.

 

He wrote me again about 2 months later and asked me for my actual email address. I gave it to him. He emailed me photos of him and a buddy from the ship, swimming with the stingrays. He said that it was the best day of his life after the birth of his kids and his wedding day. His face was radiating in the photos with joy. We still talk about once a month when he gets off of the ship and does his emails. He now tries to get off of the ship once every other month and discover something new and sets a very small amount aside for himself to do this because he understands how important it is.

 

I guess..... that every situation is different. Latanya and I treat many of the crew like they're family. We pretty much keep our own room clean. We put the "don't disturb sign up" atleast 2 days a week even when we're gone all day as our way of giving our cabin stewards a vacation from our room. We clean our own room very well on these days so they don't have to do extra work the following day. And we still tip extra.

 

These people go for months sometimes without interaction with their loved ones. They have a new "family at sea" every week and get to meet lots of new people but don't get to keep them. Many of them are extremely lonely and going through a lot but they do this to provide for their large families back home where conditions aren't the best. They DO appreciate you taking the time to genuinely express interest in their lives. And they do appreciate you staying in touch with them when you've built a genuine bond.

 

Sorry this got so long! The crew have always been so amazing to us and we wish we could do something extra special for all of them.

 

Edited: to correct calling the Miracle's lounge: Encore.. mixing it up with the Dream.. it was the Phantom! Ahhhh cruise confusion! Gotta love it!

 

The vouchers are a great idea. I have left gift cards for chains like "Senior Frogs" but never thought about excursions. I love that idea.

[classychick]

cash. they want nothing but your cash. by the way they have a cart full of candy they put on your pillow.

 

cash. cash. anything else goes in the garbage, not matter what they fawn over.

 

 

I agree! They have no room for trinkets.

[scooterpopsnana]

I agree! They have no room for trinkets.

 

 

Watches on arms, jewelry on body, hairbows in hair, candy and gum in mouth, flashlights on belt loops, vouchers and gift cards in wallets....and as I posted more than once, these are IN ADDITION TO the auto tips AND "above and beyond" tips.

[cdamion]

if you ever get a chance, visit the many crew pages on facebook that are open. they laugh at the things we think we are doing for them. and then look at those youtube videos of them partying like there's no tomorrow below deck.

 

cash. they want nothing more.

 

Actually, they do - positive comments on comment cards. I usually befriend a crew member or two on cruises - particularly when solo. I have been told specifically that besides cash, the next biggest thing is to be mentioned by name on a comment card - this goes a long way in them getting promoted.

 

They also like phone cards, but would prefer to have the cash to buy it themselves.

[H82seaUgo]

Actually, they do - positive comments on comment cards..

 

yup. missed that one. :o

[italianfemmy]

I agree! They have no room for trinkets.

 

Their stomach has room for the candy that they gobble up (I don't bring candy but support those that do.)

 

Their wallet has room for a voucher for a fun excursion to treat themselves to or a gift card to a place like Senor Frogs (like another posted mentioned doing).

 

Their hearts have plenty of room for the time you give them to show them you care and to get to know them.

 

I'd bet the Costa Concordia crew that were given little flashlights as gifts from passengers were surely glad they made room for them when they turned them on and used them to help them see on what would become the worst day of their lives....

 

I won't argue that these people need money. And we always leave them plenty of that too. But that's what is "expected". For me, it's what is unexpected that makes a "difference". I have left some HUGE tips over the years and while they were grateful and hugged and thanked me, it was left there. The money helps them in the current moment to pay the bills for the month.. (and that's awesome!) But the memories of the extra mile that some passengers made for them are what they'll remember years down the road.