Room Stewart Tipping

[cruz chic]

They're so busy that last morning, sometimes it is hard to find them. We try to give them our extra tip on the last evening, seems to be easier that way. :)

I do that too. I leave an envelope with a note. I don't feel the need to hand it to them personally.

[NMLady]

We always tip last afternoon/evening as we know sometimes crew are not in their usual places at the usual times on disembarkation morning.

 

 

That's what we do as well.

[Boytjie]

You are reading into things. I did not say I had a "need or desire" to shame my neighbors.

 

I like to think I shamed our neighbors into tipping...

 

Say no more.

[Boytjie]

My wife and I have only cruised once before and we tipped daily just like we do during hotel stays. Each day my wife made an origami figures out of a fresh dollar bill plus left a couple of gold colored one dollar coins. She also would leave a special note thanking our steward. It was a nice way of brightening up someone else's day is all. Our steward said she saved all the figures so that she could show them to her son when she got back home. Until then she was keeping them on her small dresser in her room. We pre-pay our regular cruise tip so this was just an extra thank you. These stewards work so hard to make our stay nice. Also, if you want you can order books from Amazon that show you how to make origami figures out of dollar bills.

 

So the origami bills were not used as cash - at least not for a long while. Also, it may be difficult for the staff to do anything with US coins (or any foreign coins). It may be better to make origami from regular paper for visual affect and then leave paper currency that they will actually spend.

[kyriecat]

I've never given a steward a tip upfront. I also quit giving additional tips to the cabin stewards on the last evening after my first HAL cruise. Now I give additional on the last morning. We had a problematic cabin - lack of A/C coupled with a water leak in the wall. Our steward had to use the wet vaccuum in our cabin because the carpet had wet areas due to a leaking pipe that maintenance couldn't fix during the cruise. We had a path of towels over the wet spots. Our A/C was also not functioning very well so the cabin was constantly warm. The combination of warm and wet caused mold to grow so our carpet was replaced during the cruise and probably needed replaced a second time. We felt bad that our steward had extra work, even though it wasn't our or his fault, so we tipped him more than we normally do for good service on the last evening.

 

The next morning he obliterated my goodwill. We were staying in Florida for a few days post-cruise and were in no rush to leave the ship. We thought we would sleep until around 7 and be ready to leave by 8. Our assigned departure time was 9:15. Having only previously sailed with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity where they allow you to stay in your cabin until 8, we thought that our plan was reasonable. At 6 AM, despite having the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, our cabin steward came knocking to find out when we were leaving. I was irritated about being woken and let him know we were leaving at 8. I must have forgotten to turn the latch when I went back to bed. At 6:30 our steward used his key to walk into our cabin, turn on the lights, then seemed surprised that we were still in bed. I was really annoyed by this time but we figured he wasn't going to leave us alone so we told him that we would get dressed and leave. Although his service prior was wonderful, our steward really put a damper on our last morning. I hadn't experienced a steward before who was that eager to get rid of us.

 

On my second HAL cruise we again had a steward who was fantastic during the cruise. On the last evening, we let him know that we planned to be in the cabin until around 8 so there was no confusion. He said that would be fine. This time we were able to sleep until around 7. Our steward saw us leaving around 7:30 to get breakfast and asked if it would be okay for him to straighten a few things while we were gone. I appreciated his asking and since we had already packed everything but toothbrushes, said it would be fine. We gave him an additional tip on the last morning. If he had come knocking at 6 AM, the amount would have done down a bit.

[HoneyGV]

I don't get it. If you've already decided you are going to give your room steward an extra tip, why does it matter when you do it? I could see if you said you wait until the end to see if you thought the level of service deserved it, but I haven't seen that on this thread. It seems like a foregone conclusion you will give extra.

 

When I tipped once at beginning and end, and asked for extra ice for afternoon cocktails, I had no problem. The room steward brought one of those wine chilling buckets full of ice, and refilled it morning and evening. I never wanted for ice. I was practically in steerage.

 

Last cruise, partially because so many here frown upon "bribery", I was going to tip extra only at the end. I asked for extra ice right up front. Was told "Oh, just call for it". So each afternoon, when my stewards are off duty, I am calling for ice. And waiting. Someone else brings it. He finally says "You should ask your room stewards for additional ice." Well, I did. Three times, on three different days, and even told him a wine chiller with ice would work. But for some reason they just wouldn't bring it. Except the one day more than halfway through the cruise when most of the alcohol was gone anyway and he wakes us up early in the morning to ask if we want ice. I said "yes, when you do the room, please leave extra ice." He still did not leave extra ice. Those room stewards did not get an extra tip in the end.

 

Limited experience, but maybe tipping in advance is the way to go.

 

We always stay in a deluxe verandah suite and because I have some medical issues, I require more than some other people when I see him at the beginning of the cruise.

 

He doesn't have to give me the attention he always does and I know he appreciates me appreciating him. I don't consider it a "bribe". I consider it appreciation for the extra attention and extra service.

 

I cruise to be pampered and waited on. The ship is my destination. A few months ago I took a 10 day cruise on another Carnival Line. I went on this line years ago and I was very happy...not so much this last time. The company really changed, for the worse, IMO. So, going on the Eurodam this coming Saturday will be like coming back home.

 

To each his own..I've always gotten very very very good service above and beyond from the minute I get into my cabin until I leave it to disembark.

[SeaBands]

we sometimes want them to do something extra like delivering dinner menus or extra ice several times a day. Funny but we never had a Stewart service our cabin. He must stay in the Phillipines and hate to travvel.

[Cruising-along]

I've never given a steward a tip upfront. I also quit giving additional tips to the cabin stewards on the last evening after my first HAL cruise. Now I give additional on the last morning. We had a problematic cabin - lack of A/C coupled with a water leak in the wall. Our steward had to use the wet vaccuum in our cabin because the carpet had wet areas due to a leaking pipe that maintenance couldn't fix during the cruise. We had a path of towels over the wet spots. Our A/C was also not functioning very well so the cabin was constantly warm. The combination of warm and wet caused mold to grow so our carpet was replaced during the cruise and probably needed replaced a second time. We felt bad that our steward had extra work, even though it wasn't our or his fault, so we tipped him more than we normally do for good service on the last evening.

 

The next morning he obliterated my goodwill. We were staying in Florida for a few days post-cruise and were in no rush to leave the ship. We thought we would sleep until around 7 and be ready to leave by 8. Our assigned departure time was 9:15. Having only previously sailed with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity where they allow you to stay in your cabin until 8, we thought that our plan was reasonable. At 6 AM, despite having the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, our cabin steward came knocking to find out when we were leaving. I was irritated about being woken and let him know we were leaving at 8. I must have forgotten to turn the latch when I went back to bed. At 6:30 our steward used his key to walk into our cabin, turn on the lights, then seemed surprised that we were still in bed. I was really annoyed by this time but we figured he wasn't going to leave us alone so we told him that we would get dressed and leave. Although his service prior was wonderful, our steward really put a damper on our last morning. I hadn't experienced a steward before who was that eager to get rid of us.

 

Wow :eek::eek: I would have been so mad. In 9 HAL cruises we have never had this happen, I'm so sorry it happened to you. You had a 9:15 departure time and you had the Do Not Disturb sign out. No excuse for what he did. :(

 

This sounds a little familiar -- did you post about this after your cruise?

[kyriecat]

Cruising-along,

 

I did post about it after my trip because I was really annoyed by the experience. Of course, I got flamed by several people. Some thought I shouldn't be surprised that he opened the door and entered the cabin since I had forgotten to relatch the door. He had been told 30 minutes earlier that we were leaving around 8, the cabin door was closed, and the DND sign was still up. In my opinion, that should have been sufficient for him to know the cabin was still occupied. Others thought we should have been more understanding about the steward wanting us to leave so he could clean and maintenance could make their pipe repairs before the next guests boarded.

[Cruising-along]

Cruising-along,

 

I did post about it after my trip because I was really annoyed by the experience. Of course, I got flamed by several people. Some thought I shouldn't be surprised that he opened the door and entered the cabin since I had forgotten to relatch the door. He had been told 30 minutes earlier that we were leaving around 8, the cabin door was closed, and the DND sign was still up. In my opinion, that should have been sufficient for him to know the cabin was still occupied. Others thought we should have been more understanding about the steward wanting us to leave so he could clean and maintenance could make their pipe repairs before the next guests boarded.

 

If they were concerned about having time to have maintenance done, that should have been worked out with you beforehand (IMO). Having the DND sign out and having discussed your departure time with him, that was sufficient I agree with you.