What have you done for your room steward?

[WetToes]

Always does.

[Emmski35]

I get the impression that most people here are not looking to make the steward's life a breeze, or be his or her best friend for the week, or anything like that. The OP had said they did a few fun things in addition to tipping. Then it turned into a trinkets and presents discussion and how to tip. Oh well.

 

Sorry! My mind is too full of fun things I can do for myself on my cruise that I have saved all year for! We are in a royal suite this year and most other cruises have been in a grand suite or owners suite and the best thing we do for our harried room steward is tell him to leave us alone, let us sleep and he or she can get on with their day without constant demands from us! Threads do tend to deviate from where they started. I am new to these forums, but am starting to realise how heated things can get! Happy cruising to all, whatever you choose to do!..x. :)

[Emmski35]

Sorry if that reply was a bit off! I have been cruising for 9 years and have never ever commented on these boards and have just started as I'm so excited about my upcoming cruise this year, it's been a tough year! But a different thread I have been commenting on got a bit heated and its upset me a little! Took the fun away a bit! I didn't think these boards would be like this...phew! I need a wine...waiter, where's the wine!!? I think I may just stick to being mosey and not commenting, it's easy to get sucked in and to deviate from the subject! :o

[Brigbound]

I get the impression that most people here are not looking to make the steward's life a breeze, or be his or her best friend for the week, or anything like that. The OP had said they did a few fun things in addition to tipping. Then it turned into a trinkets and presents discussion and how to tip. Oh well.

 

Up next, fancy jeans: Nouveau Formal Attire or Harbinger of Destruction? :eek:

[cjdixon4]

Up next, fancy jeans: Nouveau Formal Attire or Harbinger of Destruction? :eek:

...immediately followed by What Being A Diamond+ Means To Me. ;)

[cruzincurt]

We treat them with respect and don't leave a mess. Rather than be arrogant and tip them in advance, instead we promise not to be a pain and promise them an easy week looking after us. One Christmas morning we let a Christmas card with $$$.

 

Where is the lady that brings them sandwiches from the Windjammer or the one that leaves her clothes she bought at the thrift store, or the half used shampoo bottles?:rolleyes:

[StarSong]

My goodness. All you neat freaks who make your beds, clean the rooms and dust the furniture before going to breakfast! Surely there isn't an ounce of exaggeration or poor memory in the bunch. :D

Where are those less than perfect people whose rooms are "those cabins" that we all pass while ambling down the halls? Not to mention the non-low or just-leave-the-suggested-amount tippers?

Glad that I fall into the group described in my first paragraph rather than my second! :eek:

[celle]

Keep the room tidy.

Be polite.

Smile and remember his/her name.

Say thank you.

Tip as suggested and give extra if service has been outstanding.

[Kathie13]

Last cruise our Rs told us about her 2 year old son & when we went ashore we bought a toy & shirt!, what hugs we got!!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[Merion_Mom]

Up next, fancy jeans: Nouveau Formal Attire or Harbinger of Destruction? :eek:

 

...immediately followed by What Being A Diamond+ Means To Me. ;)

 

...immediately followed by Why the Green-Eyed Monster Is Not Your Friend.

[ticktoneer]

#stuffonthebottomoftheocean

I'm confused ?!?!?!?

 

What does that mean?

 

Thanks

[ticktoneer]

I find it soooooooooooo crazy the large amounts of extra tipping on top of auto tipping people give when it has just been 'normal' service from your stateroom attendant.

 

I can understand maybe another $20 or so if you have got on with them really well and 'bonded' over the week but more than this seems quite zany.

 

Just add up the number of cabins they service and the amount of money they earn just from tips in one week.............................................

 

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[ticktoneer]

The next time I'm happy with the service I get at a restaurant, I'm going to offer the waiter a tube of toothpaste and a Las Vegas jersey...:rolleyes:

I think a waiter in a restaurant on land wouldn't like this macruisefan.

 

However may a waiter on a cruise ship might as a supplement to auto tips. After all they do live on the same vessel 100% of their time of their contract and find it hard to get hold of things.

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...................................................

[believer33323]

We keep all of our stuff put away all of the time. Never leave anything on the floor, counters, or furniture. They never need to clean around anything of ours. :D

 

We also treat them the way we want to be treated, with respect and patience. :cool:

 

We also got in the habit on cruises or even when in a hotel room of cleaning up after ourselves. We pick up trash, bottles, cups and toss in the waste basket. and general straightening up the each time we leave the room. We feel it's all about treating others as you would like to be treated, no matter what their position in life is. Just because they are paid to clean the room doesn't mean they have to pick up after us.

[believer33323]

i have never had a bad cabin steward. I find i introduce my wife and myself to them first thing and i give them at least a $20.00 tip to start with. During the week i always throw them another tip here and there. At the end i give them the auto tip and give them at least $20.00 extra. What kind of tip would you leave at a hotel if you stayed for a week? These folks sign on for 6 months at a time. They are away from their families during that time. This is how they support them. Most of them come from extremely poor backgrounds. They work hard for their tips, their salaries are negligible. I try to treat them with the dignity that they deserve and hope that they remember my wife and i as good and decent people. I hope we made a good impression on them as representatives of the u.s. Where we live. We never leave without a picture and a goodbye hug and a word of thanks.

 

Could not have said it better myself.:)

 

That said, We usually just rely on the prepaid tipping, but I think after reading some of these threads and remembering that they do come from hard places and willing to work so hard for their money and being away from their families and not do as many in the USA and live off government handouts because they don't want a job that they think is Beneath them or just too lazy to work. (OK enough politics:o) I am going to have to rethink our tipping procedures.

I can't help but think of this women I met from the Philippines that worked at the coffee shop on our first cruise on the Radiance of the Seas. She spoke of just having a baby and now she is back on board and cannot see her child again until her contract is up.:(

[Emmski35]

I just don't understand this, each to their own I guess, they are doing a job of work, same as millions of others across the globe, I don't see the need to go overboard, pardon the pun, with extras and massive tips. Just an opinion! :o

[believer33323]

I just don't understand this, each to their own I guess, they are doing a job of work, same as millions of others across the globe, I don't see the need to go overboard, pardon the pun, with extras and massive tips. Just an opinion! :o

 

In the USA, usually the ones that work for tips (waiters/waitresses, some in the service industry) usually get a lower than normal salary. That is maybe one reason why we are used to tipping extra for better service. (Or less for lousy service)

[WetToes]

I'm confused ?!?!?!?

 

What does that mean?

 

Thanks

 

I could be wrong, but I believe the poster was saying that a lot of these 'treats and trinkets' wind up thrown out in the trash (bottom of the ocean).

[Bobal]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned a vital thing for the room steward - full marks and an extra comment on the feedback form (or maybe I missed it)

 

I'm with the keep the room reasonably tidy (I won't go so far as making the beds though;)), tip extra for good service and remember to use the Do Not Disturb/Make up my Room cards. Our last steward told us this was the most frustrating part of his job as he couldn't finish for the morning until all the rooms were done.

 

As for giving trinkets, they just don't have the room for 'stuff' - money is always best. Of course they are going to act delighted if you give them things. One of our stewards gave us a bottle of sparkling wine as he'd seen that we were drinking the same one. I'm sure he didn't buy it himself, so it must have been given to him by another guest and he would have probably felt rude refusing it.

[Reader0108598]

I just don't understand this, each to their own I guess, they are doing a job of work, same as millions of others across the globe, I don't see the need to go overboard, pardon the pun, with extras and massive tips. Just an opinion! :o

 

 

I sometimes get the impression here that some people go on vacation solely to benefit the people working on the ships. Sorry I go to enjoy my hard earned vacation with my family.

 

Watch where a good number of staff go when they get off ship. They go buy cigs and alcohol, so I do not buy the they are only trying to feed starving families at home. However that is none of my business, what they do on their free time should not impact my tip. (More or less)

 

I always leave required tip, don't make their job any harder than it has to be, and am friendly and pleasant to work with.

 

I work many hours of Over Time at home to afford these vacations,I drive a 2007 sonata. I Don't feel guilty for not leaving large tips or extra gifts.

 

I also think tipping on top of a tip is crazy ... I mean you tip for good service right!

 

What ever you do enjoy your cruise.

 

Reader

 

.

[believer33323]

I find it soooooooooooo crazy the large amounts of extra tipping on top of auto tipping people give when it has just been 'normal' service from your stateroom attendant.

 

I can understand maybe another $20 or so if you have got on with them really well and 'bonded' over the week but more than this seems quite zany.

 

Just add up the number of cabins they service and the amount of money they earn just from tips in one week.............................................

 

:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

I went to cruiselinejob dot com and looked up Cabin Steward pay. This is what I found.

 

Assistant Cabin Steward / Stewardess (daily cleaning of assigned areas and passenger cabins, passenger laundry requests) - entry level position, no experience required. Basic English Language skills required. Salary range: $1200-1500 U.S. per month, depending on percentage of tips (gratuities). Possibilities for promotion to Cabin Steward / Stewardess.

 

I calculated out just an 8 hour day. (8 hrs. x 7 days x 4 weeks = 224 hours per Month)

at 1200 per month = $5.35 per hour ($300.00 per week)

at 1500 per month = $6.69 per hour ($325.00 per week)

This rate includes the gratuities also and remember this does not include travel expenses, fees paid to the people that get them many of these jobs etc. and I'm sure they work many more than 8 hours a day.

[POF]

My 2 cents ( before tip )

 

Per the poster above - I tipped before hand and I do not think it was an arrogant thing to do. It was the tip for my teens cabin and yeah - I thought it was going to be a messy cabin and I felt a bit guilty.

 

I did leave a modest amount extra for steward and dining room attendants - but our service was really above and beyond. At one port - we knew we would be late or hard pressed to make our 5:30 seating and we told waiter about it. He insisted we come 1/2 hour late ( we are quick eaters and had a 4 top ) and it would be fine. We sat down, ordered and got to eating :)

 

I always pick up after myself - just so they can really clean.

[bluemarlin1]

Matt, no one said anything remotely like that. This thread is about doing something nice and unexpected for the steward outside of tips. We all fully realize that they work for money just like all of us do. Have you never done something nice for anyone out of the goodness of your heart? :p

 

Based on all the snarky/nasty remarks he leaves on the CC boards, I would guess not.

[cruzincurt]

Didn't take long for the dissection of the steward wage scale to show up.

 

bus·y·bod·ies A person who meddles or pries into the affairs of others.

[believer33323]

Didn't take long for the dissection of the steward wage scale to show up.

 

bus·y·bod·ies A person who meddles or pries into the affairs of others.

 

And your point "busy Body" for contributing to this thread is?????????

How long did you browse the Cruise Critic forum until you found a thread you could write a nasty remark to?