Buttering up room steward(s) at the beginning of the cruise

[lrowe70]

Is that fairly new to Carnival? When I cruised Carnival ice delivery was part of the standard room make up and turn down; it was never a special request or extra service.

 

On our last Carnival cruise the steward re-filled our ice bucket every day without an extra tip. In fact, we hadn't even asked and didn't even realize it until day 3.

 

 

But even if this was something extra, is putting a scoop if ice in a bucket really worth $100. Seriously :eek:

[rolaur]

We always cruise in 3 adjoining balcony cabins. My wife and I in one, my grown daughter and her husband in another and my teen daughter and a friend in the other. When the steward comes around the first day, I always shake their hand with $100 in it and say thank you in advance for taking care of my family for the week. It's not a bribe, it's a way of my showing that I have cruised before and realize just how hard these folks work. Whether the service is better or not doesn't really matter to me. And it makes me feel like they are looking out for my families needs maybe with a little extra care. Plus, have you ever tried to find these hard working folks on turn around morning to tip them? I like tipping eye to eye and really showing my appreciation. It's a "human" thing.

[mintsugarcube]

Any employee paid up front will do the same job if they got paid at the end of the week.

 

You have no clue if you have the best or the worst before you see them do anything, so don't waste your time.

 

I could not agree more with you!! I have given tips just at the end, just at the beginning, at the beginning and at the end..and it has made NO difference.

 

I foolishly thought I would get better service when I gave them a hefty tip as soon as I saw them and explained I was leaving the automatic tips on as well. I didn't! Some of the stewards were great. Some weren't. Period. Giving extra tips did nothing.

[grumpyjr88]

I had an FA on flight back in October named "Snake".

 

Get out! That would totally make my day.

 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Forums mobile app

[bailey57]

If there is an ice bucket, yes, they should fill it automatically twice a day. MY PH cabin on Paradise didn't have an ice bucket - my understanding is that that is no longer standard :confused: - so I did need to ask them to fill my own little cooler. I do believe you can ask for a bucket, but again, not sure it's standard anymore on at least some ships.

[bunchesofun]

Three cruises, each time tipped $20 on first day. First two cruises, ice every day, towel animals every night, no problems. Third cruise, no ice, would come very late so we would be in the room then just hand us the Funtimes and chocolates at the door, no towel animals many nights. In fact one night my daughter got pizza sauce on the bedspread. That night came back to the room and the steward had folded my daughter's shirt and placed it over the pizza stain! So could work either way.

[TrinaLC]

You will get the same result simply asking for ice. And that's made out of the same water.

 

Not true. We have the hardest time getting ice on Carnival. Last cruise I gave up and just brought the bucket up to a bar when we needed ice.

 

I asked the steward at least several times for ice service and nada.

 

I called room service who wouldn't deliver it claiming it was the steward's job.

[Perfect Stranger]

Maybe some of you like feeling like big shots flipping $100.00 around like it's nothing. Not everyone can afford that, nor is it necessary, to get great service.

[CRUZBUDS]

Not true. We have the hardest time getting ice on Carnival. Last cruise I gave up and just brought the bucket up to a bar when we needed ice.

 

I asked the steward at least several times for ice service and nada.

 

I called room service who wouldn't deliver it claiming it was the steward's job.

 

We've never encountered that in 35+ cruises on many lines --- I'm sorry that you got a bad steward. I would have spoken the to his supervisor and had it corrected. It is his job.

Edited May 2, 2014 by CRUZBUDS

[SASA13]

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE....

If you feel your steward deserves extra....give it to him/her, on your last day with a smile and handshake.:)

 

AGREE, and if we feel the steward is going above and beyond for us, we also give him/her something in the middle of the cruise also.

[DirtyDawg]

Wow, you would think I asked something controversial!

 

:D It's amazing what topics become controversial on CC.

 

But it does make for entertaining reading.;)

 

BTW if you want to give your steward something upfront go right ahead, it's your vacation. When we've 'bribed' our steward we just gave him cash - U.S. cash not our Canadian stuff which is more colourful than your money but not as useful on a U.S. based cruise. ;)

 

And if you give your steward cash it doesn't matter if it's $1, $5, $10, $20, $100, or $1,000. It's your money do with it what you want. It's nobody else's business how much extra you tip/bribe/bonus.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

Edited May 2, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[TPFKAH]

Not true. We have the hardest time getting ice on Carnival. Last cruise I gave up and just brought the bucket up to a bar when we needed ice.

 

I asked the steward at least several times for ice service and nada.

 

I called room service who wouldn't deliver it claiming it was the steward's job.

 

I would not have a hard time rewarding that steward with a less than stellar tip.

[Sparky2]

We've never tipped up front. We are friendly, politely communicate whatever we'd like done or not done with the room and make conversation whenever we see them. We've always gotten good to excellent service and 9 times out of 10 tip extra in cash on the last day.

 

Same here. We have had excellent service (even on lowly Riviera Deck) and always tip at the end. Don't feel the need to tip in advance.

[topofE]

Makes you feel good to tip at the beginning, makes them feel good to get a tip at the beginning. Sounds like its win win.

[honeybunches]

I am a banquet server and rarely get tipped. People don't think to give their wedding server a tip like they would their restaurant server. But if they do, I do go out of my way to give that person a little extra special attention.

 

But, getting back to THIS subject, I can't believe that after spending all that $$ for cruise fare, new clothes, excursions, drinks, etc., that there is such an uproar over $20!

[Cruising Rules]

I am leaving out of Charleston in Oct. I love the idea of writing a thank you card at the beginning of the cruise to help ensure great service and an extra-friendly experience, and I plan to do that. However, I thought of maybe adding a "goodie", as well. Maybe even something specific to Charleston. My problem is I don't know what. It has to be just a couple of dollars, but something they will like or use. Any specific ideas? And will I have more than one steward?

 

Be a good human being. That's all you should ever have to be. No extras should be needed.

[TPFKAH]

I am a banquet server and rarely get tipped. People don't think to give their wedding server a tip like they would their restaurant server. But if they do, I do go out of my way to give that person a little extra special attention.

 

But, getting back to THIS subject, I can't believe that after spending all that $$ for cruise fare, new clothes, excursions, drinks, etc., that there is such an uproar over $20!

 

Its not the amount; it's when. If as a banquet server you got $20 before you did anything, what would you do different for that person, as opposed to others that you would hope to get some tip money afterward, but rarely do?

 

I'm also curious being you brought it up; is your salary at least minimum wage, or do you get that wait staff $2.13 an hour?

Edited May 2, 2014 by TPFKAH

[fireofficer5]

There's a lot of heavy hitters sailing on carnival.

I'm kind of embarrassed about smuggling booze now due to

sailing with so many that are well off.:o

[kmc500]

Kinda shocked by the number of bitter and cynical people on here. To tip or not is a personal choice but to try to talk someone out of tipping seems kind of vindictive towards the person they are tipping...I worked as a server for years including some very high end establishments. I gave everyone excellent service but if someone slipped me a $20 when they were seated I'd make darn sure that once they took two drinks of water, it would be refilled. Can't see how someone would be offended when we all know that everyone LOVES money. They aren't working there for the opportunity to travel. They are working for the money.

 

Nice to hear from someone who was a service person. I was as well as a kid, and feel the same way.

 

I always go out of my way to meet the room steward on embarkation day and tip him and his/her assistant well. It seems to work well for us, and I have never got the feeling that they have been insulted by it, as a matter of fact, far from that.

 

Kevin C

[champagne123]

Its not the amount; it's when. If as a banquet server you got $20 before you did anything, what would you do different for that person, as opposed to others that you would hope to get some tip money afterward, but rarely do?

 

I'm also curious being you brought it up; is your salary at least minimum wage, or do you get that wait staff $2.13 an hour?

 

She must mean "extra" tipped. Banquet servers ARE tipped. What ever the function is, a 15-20 % gratuity is added onto the contract and this is divided amongst the servers.

[kmc500]

Besides, why should they trust that superior service, fulfilling constant requests will result on any gratuity from you? And so what, if an up front tip results in you getting better service than their other cabins? Oh, because if one of these who are naysayers might be in that cabin.

 

Very well said. It is exactly the point of the upfront tip for us. If there is an issue, and the service levels slip on the fifteen or however many cabins our steward team attends to, whose service level will slip first?

 

Kevin C

[TPFKAH]

Very well said. It is exactly the point of the upfront tip for us. If there is an issue, and the service levels slip on the fifteen or however many cabins our steward team attends to, whose service level will slip first?

 

Kevin C

 

I don't know. Do the performing dogs in a show work to get their treat before or after their trick?

 

I would cater to the one that didn't pay me yet.

[Dwtlcambre]

We just returned from the April 23rd Dream cruise out of New Orleans. Had a great cruise but did notice a huge change. Not sure if it's fleet wide or just that ship. The steward would fill the ice early in the morning and again late at night. The hardest thing was if you needed ice during the day. You would dial the room stewards number which when the call was picked up they would state that he was off duty and would not return back on duty till 6pm. If ice was needed you would have to call room service. Which room service would bring within 15-25 minutes generally after the call. Getting through to them during these peak times during the day was almost impossible sometimes. Usually after returning from a port visit, the ice would be melted and the room service line leaving you hold for ten to 15 minutes resulted in going up to the lido to get ice from either the drink station or a bar. Last year on the Magic I had this same problem but was across the hall from the stewards closet with the ice machine and happily filled my own. This time the steward locked his closet. The few times we found it open and tried to get our own ice I was chastised and told that I could not get my own. They then locked the closet and informed me to call room service. Back to waiting on hold again. If they would just allow us to get our own ice I would be more than happy to fill it myself.

[elliair]

I could not agree more with you!! I have given tips just at the end, just at the beginning, at the beginning and at the end..and it has made NO difference.

 

I foolishly thought I would get better service when I gave them a hefty tip as soon as I saw them and explained I was leaving the automatic tips on as well. I didn't! Some of the stewards were great. Some weren't. Period. Giving extra tips did nothing.

 

Some here don't get that part. First thing we tell our steward is that we do not want turn downs at night. We like to sit on our balcony in the evening and don't want to be bugged. Never had a steward complain about not having to do something for us. We paid our fare, and we pay our tips at the end. If someone does something special for us, then we tip, otherwise it's business as usual with us.

[cuzzx]

WHAT !

 

you can get the same service without tipping ???:eek: