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

[Disconnections]

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.

 

Why would you not report this service failure to the Hotel Director or Chief Purser/Guest Services Manager... or at least the deck supervisor? It sounds like you're still upset over this situation you encountered on your last cruise enough to share this experience on a message board, but did you attempt to do anything to ensure another guest does not experience this issue from said stateroom steward?

[3ricT]

Are you saying you actually had a steward named 'Stewart?' That would be a coincidence!

 

Yes, but he goes by "Stewie", and he has a time machine so he can get all of his work done...

[Laurie S.]

On port days, I order breakfast from room service and write in the ticket, "bucket of ice, please." They bring a big bucket, which our room steward's assistant will refill during the day. I tip room service, of course, but I do not pretip the room steward. I leave the automatic gratuities on, and unless the service is above and beyond, we don't add any extra. We also don't make any special requests to warrant extra tips.

 

However, on one cruise, we needed to clean shell specimens and our room steward brought us the cleaning liquids to do so. He received $20 each day he did that.

[fla_momuv3]

on the first day i give the room steward a $100.00 and his/her helper $50.00.

 

after that they keep my ice full, my bed is always made up when i leave and come back , even if its two or three times a day. the bath room is clean with fresh paper, folded. towels up and soap full.

 

the floors are clean and the air is on.

 

if theirs a ref. in the room they empty it so i can put all my drinks in.

 

and at nite theirs a mint and a towel animal on my bed .

 

they call me by my name .

 

is this not worth it ?

 

 

That seems pretty excessive. I have received terrific service, been called by name, Ice in buckets, ac on, etc...without tipping first. Some stewards are friendlier than others, but no less attentive. Some will chat , others are all business. They are happy that you chose their cruise when there are so many to choose from. $100/$50 tips seems to just be showing off.

 

 

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[lostdart1]

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

 

 

Comparing the stewards to performing dogs?? :rolleyes:

[TPFKAH]

Comparing the stewards to performing dogs?? :rolleyes:

 

No, you are. I'm comparing reward to reward.

[honeybunches]

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?

 

 

Yes, if I'm given it before the meal is over, they get special little extras, with an extra wide smile. I would not hesitate to get another bottle of wine for the table, or even one that is not on the menu. Maybe an extra dessert.

Yes, I am paid minimum wage as there are no guaranteed tips. That's why a little "extra" is so appreciated.

[honeybunches]

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.

 

No, I don't mean an "extra" tip, we get no tips at all.

Yes, the owner collects a "service" charge on the contract but does not give it to us. Per law, he doesn't have to. Believe me, I have looked at the law with a microscope.

However, this is the particular banquet hall I work for. That is why we are paid minimum wage.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Just be nice to him or her and that goes a long way to them treating you well also. Kinda like treat others how you would like to be treated. They are humans and many of them have families and lives back home. Believe it or not, a lot of them just like to talk about stuff with passengers because seeing the same people and things for months on end does get monotonous. They do like to talk about themselves and know a little about the people they are serving also. Of course they aren't all that way and I'm sure they can tell which pax are more open to communicating more with.

 

I have never pre-tipped before and have never stiffed a steward either. I have given more to better ones and less to bad ones at the end of the cruise because even if they do a subpar job, they still did something and still deserve at least a little compensation. I don't think any way anyone does it is wrong though, just as long as you take care of the staff at some point.

[maldenmusic]

We have always tipped our steward and his or her helper at the beginning of our cruise-usually $20 each. Not meant to be insulting or anything. They have always taken it with a smile on their face.

[KPfromCT]

I really think it's a personal choice. Not to say it always works, but we always give the steward a $20 on the first day, during introductions:D:D

 

However, last year on the Breeze, we had the absolute WORST steward ever. Just blah. Didn't see him much. Towel animals every other night, etc.

Just NOT impressed with him, AT ALL.

 

Did it ruin or cruise? Absolutely NOT!!!

These people need the money.

I don't look at it as a bribe, although I don't think it hurts.:rolleyes:

 

I just PRAY we don't have the same steward this year on the Breeze, as we are on the same deck. I really hope he's gone.

[Lace]

I really think it's a personal choice. Not to say it always works, but we always give the steward a $20 on the first day, during introductions:D:D

 

However, last year on the Breeze, we had the absolute WORST steward ever. Just blah. Didn't see him much. Towel animals every other night, etc.

Just NOT impressed with him, AT ALL.

 

Did it ruin or cruise? Absolutely NOT!!!

These people need the money.

I don't look at it as a bribe, although I don't think it hurts.:rolleyes:

 

I just PRAY we don't have the same steward this year on the Breeze, as we are on the same deck. I really hope he's gone.

 

Hopefully enough people pulled their tips on him that he quit. I'd hate to think someone was paying full tips that they stay and do poor service week after week after week.

[SeagoingMom]

Wow, you would think I asked something controversial!

Ahh, yes, you're new to Cruise Critic... ;)

[SeagoingMom]

I used to tip at the beginning of cruises and always had great service. Then after reading these boards I decided to change things up and not tip at the beginning. The service was just as good when I did tip upfront. The service was so good on those early cruises that I assumed the tip upfront must have had something to do with it, not realizing that the service on cruises are exceptional. It's just the way the cruise lines roll.

Yes, the point you make is the one that somehow seems to be easily forgotten in this everlasting debate -- no one can really tell what would happen if they changed their behavior, unless they try the sort of experiment you did. But even this is not a valid test, as cruise staff and service quality varies from ship to ship and even from person to person. So anyone who says they get just as good service without "tipping" up front, or get better service by "tipping" up front, cannot know this and cannot validly draw this conclusion.

 

The most folks can do is share their feelings about the benefits of their own behavior, and of course these conclusions are colored by the fact that we all generally believe that the choice we make is the right one and gives the best results!

[CRUZBUDS]

Wow, you would think I asked something controversial!

 

Just wait until some asks if they can smoke on their balcony --- then you will see a spirited debate :)

[finoky]

We have never tipped up front and have always received excellent service from every room steward.

[cruzincurt]

To those that tip $100 or $50 at the beginning, don't you think the server/steward probably expects (big spender here) more as the week goes on? Do you?

 

I agree that those of you who are high maintenance, know you are going to be a pain in the butt, should tip extra. Just the opposite, when we meet the steward, we tell him/her we are low maintenance and won't need much at all.

 

Last cruise, we met the steward the first day; never needed nor saw him the rest of the week. He did his job, we were happy.

[mwoody1967]

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.

 

Hey, it is said everyone has a twin. You must be mine! That sounds just like me and I totally agree with what you said and do the same. I will be cruising this July with 3 cabins and the first afternoon on board will be seeing my steward eye to eye, say thank you to them, and give them a "monetary" handshake.

[mwoody1967]

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.

 

Not a big shot. If you can't afford it, or don't want to, then don't. Its all up to you. I choose to, like to, and choose to!

[mwoody1967]

: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.

 

Bingo, Dirtydawg!

[mwoody1967]

To those that tip $100 or $50 at the beginning, don't you think the server/steward probably expects (big spender here) more as the week goes on? Do you?

 

I agree that those of you who are high maintenance, know you are going to be a pain in the butt, should tip extra. Just the opposite, when we meet the steward, we tell him/her we are low maintenance and won't need much at all.

 

Last cruise, we met the steward the first day; never needed nor saw him the rest of the week. He did his job, we were happy.

 

Oh, I guess if you give extra at the beginning your a pain in the assterick, but if you tip at the end you are doing what's expected?!

 

Now with that said, I maybe, but yes, I give extra on day 1, day 3, day 5, and day 7. I've never once had any of them complain about it, and always, I have received spectacular service. Coincidence? Maybe, but we both get what we want and that makes it a successful week for the both of us.

[RWolver672]

I must admit that I have given a steward a tip at the begging of a cruise. One cruise we went with our three teenage sons who had the balcony cabin next to ours. If any of you have or had teenage boys you know what one boy's room looks like. Try multiplying that be three in a room!:eek:

 

Some posters here my see my advanced tip as a bride. I just thought of it as Danger Pay.:D

 

I'll bet your sons were happy. :D

[DirtyDawg]

I'll bet your sons were happy. :D

 

Thanks Dick. I missed that one!:D:D

 

It's actually is funnier with bride and danger pay in the same paragraph!:D:D

Edited May 3, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[Bookbug53]

I did not read through all of the replies to the OP but IMHO if I have to 'butter up' the steward to get good service before the cruise even starts he/she is probably not that good to begin with. :rolleyes:

 

I do however tip extra at the end for the exceptional ones that we have had that made our experience all the better. If they simply do their basic job as expected they are already tipped through the automatic gratuities. :)

[fishtaco]

Just out of curiousity, do you get a paycheck BEFORE you do anything to earn it? Why would you pay someone (such as your room steward) before they do anything for you? If you give an extra tip to your room steward at the beginning of the cruise, and he/she does a really lousy job, are you going to ask for your money back?

 

If they did an awful job after the first days "Buttering up" tip then you just remove the stewards entire onboard Grats and justifiably guilt free:confused: