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

[bobandalice]

To the OP. Do what you wish. We have done both...a little something at the start along with something at the end. We have done start, middle and finish, usually on longer cruises. And have tipped at the end. And once, did not tip at all, other than the automatic gratuities.

 

Observationally, I'd say we get better service when we tip up front. But that is just us.

 

Do what you are comfortable with. And it's always cash from us, since they have limited storage space in their quarters. But, I'm guessing any gesture would be appreciated.

 

Have a great time!

 

Alice and Bob

[irishnyc]

We do the same thing. Cruised with other couples and they ask why we got better service. I give them a tip at the start and say make sure my wife is happy. Has worked very well for us. ;)

 

Better service how? Is your steward spit shining your shoes? Personally tucking you in at night? Scrubbing your toilet every time you use it? What are you getting that your friends aren't?

 

 

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 ?

 

All that stuff is done for me, too, and I never tip up front. Do you think none of that would be done without your upfront bribe? That's their job.

 

 

I doubt you get as good as me, but if you do that is great. It just means you are happy and I am happy, my steward is happy, so everyone is happy, happy, happy.

 

And I doubt you're getting anything better than me or someone that doesn't bribe tip up front.

Bed made, sometimes more than once a day? Check.

Ice? Check.

Empty fridge? Check

Plenty of soap, tp, shampoo, towels? Check.

Towel animals? Check.

A smile and calling me by name every time I see him/her? Check.

Trash emptied more than once a day, including toddler's diapers? Check.

Bio hazard bags for the dirty diapers? Check.

Chocolate on the pillow (that I could not care less about)? Check.

 

So please, enlighten us all as to what special service you are getting.

 

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.

 

Bingo!

 

 

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.

 

Terrible! Here in NYC every banquet facility we looked at for our wedding had a mandatory 20-22% gratuity, and we always asked if it was for all the staff, not just the coordinator. The facility we went with was 20% for wait and bar staff, nothing for the coordinator.

[C Cruise Dude]

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.

 

 

Agreed! They will give you and idea of their work ethic in a day or two especially if you request anything like clearing the refrigerator.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

To to OP we always tip beginning, middle and end of every trip be it land or cruise vacation. We always have amazing service since have started doing that. People say its not necessary and maybe it's not but for us its what we choose to do. I say handle it however you want but remember money talks

 

ditto and I doubt anybody will be insulted by getting tipped early.

[love my grandkids]

Yes, seems like some forget that 90 days ago they also paid the fare for the cruise? These normal services are part of the cruise fare and any gratuities are on top of that.

 

On my recent Celebrity cruise the steward was playing "hide the lounge chair". When I asked why my balcony didn't have a lounge chair he said there were only so many to go around and he might be able to find one for us. So, for my $10 I guess I got someone else's lounge chair but a happy wife. If one balcony has a lounge chair shouldn't they all have them?

 

 

I expect my fare to include towels, ice and furniture.

 

All balconies should have lounge chairs. If I didnt have it by dinnertime would be complaining to someone above steward

[Bob NC]

We almost ran out of toilet paper and that was the only negative thing I can say.

 

 

Almost running out of something is a negative?

 

Is there anything else you didn't run out of?

Edited November 22, 2014 by Bob NC

[irishnyc]

All balconies should have lounge chairs. If I didnt have it by dinnertime would be complaining to someone above steward

 

Lounge chairs don't fit on standard Carnival balconies. I certainly hope you wouldn't be complaining about something you shouldn't get in the first place.

[babyher]

We do the same thing. Cruised with other couples and they ask why we got better service. I give them a tip at the start and say make sure my wife is happy. Has worked very well for us. ;)

 

 

 

 

Years ago I worked in a club and one of the high rollers handed me a big wad of cash and told me the same thing about his wife.

 

 

Talk about ungrateful....What did I get for my efforts ? Co defendant in a divorce case.

 

It actually ended up with a bright side. She got the beach house , so I had 6 pretty good months.

 

Just goes to show this tipping thing can go either way.

[love my grandkids]

Lounge chairs don't fit on standard Carnival balconies. I certainly hope you wouldn't be complaining about something you shouldn't get in the first place.

 

oops my bad misread post and thought they were missing chairs on their balcony.

[DMH15]

Just be yourself.

 

I tip at the end.

[Elaine5715]

Just be yourself.

 

I tip at the end.

 

For some folks, that's the problem. If you or your cabin mates are high maintenance, a tip the first day goes a long way in seeing future demands ( let's be honest) are met.

[cruzincurt]

All balconies should have lounge chairs. If I didnt have it by dinnertime would be complaining to someone above steward

Well there you go, the pre-tippers set the stage for the rest of us.

[KPfromCT]

IMO, it's a personal choice if one decides to tip at the beginning of the cruise.

We normally slip our steward a $20 when we meet him and just tell him to keep the ice bucket full and give us a towel animal every night. :D:D

 

I really don't look at it as bribery, but it's worked for us.

 

To each their own.

 

We also give them more at the end of the cruise too.

[love my grandkids]

Well there you go, the pre-tippers set the stage for the rest of us.

 

25 or so cruises have never bribed the room steward to do his job and still had excellent service the vast bulk of the time

[KPfromCT]

Better service how? Is your steward spit shining your shoes? Personally tucking you in at night? Scrubbing your toilet every time you use it? What are you getting that your friends aren't?

 

 

 

 

All that stuff is done for me, too, and I never tip up front. Do you think none of that would be done without your upfront bribe? That's their job.

 

 

WOW!:confused:

How is it ANY of your business as to what other passengers choose to do?

IMO, it's a PERSONAL choice.

NOBODY should be passing judgment.

If you cannot afford it, that's fine.

And, who knows? Maybe the service WOULD be the same.

But do you have any CLUE on how much these people make?

That extra money means the world to them.

Pretty sure it's a whole lot LESS than you and me.:rolleyes:

Get a grip!

[dland4us]

When we leave our cabin each morning, we always leave a tip and a "thank you!" written on a post it note. Our room stewarts are hard workers and we like to let them know daily that they are appreciated.

[Elaine5715]

Isn't it clever how those who are intimidated attack a generous practice of giving a service industry professional additional money by using terms such as bribery as if accusing those guests of committing a crime? Or suggesting that the acceptance of such compensation is an insult to the acceptees morality.

[DirtyDawg]

I'm going to try buttering up my steward on my next Carnival cruise.

 

Way to Go Baymax. Another Lazarus thread brought back to life!:D

 

It took me months to figure out that search function and you've done it in just four days. My hat is off to you man.

 

BTW is approx. 100 posts in your first four days here some kind of record for CC? :eek:

 

Keep that pace up and you'll win CC's 'Rookie of the year' award this year, hands down!.;)

[Orison]

Isn't it clever how those who are intimidated attack a generous practice of giving a service industry professional additional money by using terms such as bribery as if accusing those guests of committing a crime? Or suggesting that the acceptance of such compensation is an insult to the acceptees morality.

 

Intimidated? I must have missed that post.

 

Actually, it's the workers themselves in many articles who say this practice confuses them, being rewarded for talents they have not yet shown.

[jmcancruise]

To me the two kindest things you can do for your steward is to keep your room tidy,( it is there job to clean not pick up after you) , and leave a nice tip and thank you note at the end.

[Jana60]

Isn't it clever how those who are intimidated attack a generous practice of giving a service industry professional additional money by using terms such as bribery as if accusing those guests of committing a crime? Or suggesting that the acceptance of such compensation is an insult to the acceptees morality.

 

I think some people feel that when others say that they give an extra tip everyday during the cruise it implies that they should also and they simply can't afford it. This makes them feel like they've been put down so they become defensive. I give an extra tip if they do an extra service and I don't wait until the end of the cruise to do so. But I do not think anybody is at fault if they do not choose to do so. Over all, the people you are meeting on these cruise ships love getting this cruise ship job. Because it includes their room and board all of the money they make is extra allowing them to send money home. Their cruise ship job pays more than any of the jobs they could obtain in their home countries. So while being away from your family is hard for anyone this is not such a bad gig for them and you don't have to feel so sorry for them that you put yourself in financial distress over it.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

[nissach]

I always leave $10 cash on my pillow every morning(do the same thing on land vacations) and, no, I'm not rich; but, I really appreciate the fact that someone else will be making my bed, picking up my wet towels and keeping my room clean every day. Then, the morning of departure, I usually leave an additional amount depending on what kind of service we've had during the week.

 

We do the exact same, for both cruises and All inclusives. We generally tend to tip each day, not only at the beginning or the just the end.

[nissach]

WOW!:confused:

How is it ANY of your business as to what other passengers choose to do?

IMO, it's a PERSONAL choice.

NOBODY should be passing judgment.

If you cannot afford it, that's fine.

And, who knows? Maybe the service WOULD be the same.

But do you have any CLUE on how much these people make?

That extra money means the world to them.

Pretty sure it's a whole lot LESS than you and me.:rolleyes:

Get a grip!

 

I totally agree! Tip what you want, when you want, or not at all! Tipping is a personal choice!

[Baymax]

Way to Go Baymax. Another Lazarus thread brought back to life!:D

 

It took me months to figure out that search function and you've done it in just four days. My hat is off to you man.

 

BTW is approx. 100 posts in your first four days here some kind of record for CC? :eek:

 

Keep that pace up and you'll win CC's 'Rookie of the year' award this year, hands down!.;)

 

Thanks DirtyDawg, but my heart isn't set on becoming the Rookie of the Year here. I'm simply the Keeper of the KAN.