Cabin Steward earns extra tips: What have you requested?

[sparks1093]

A simple search brought this up:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30514483&postcount=43

 

Not conclusive for me.

[bruadhin]

The last response I read was something along the lines of "the employees keep the tips they receive" which is not quite the same as "the tips are not pooled among the employees". Yes, I expect he is disingenuous enough to dodge the question in such a fashion. If he has declared unequivocally that tips aren't pooled I have missed it.

 

What does it matter? Let's assume that tips are pooled, how does that harm you? Your extra tips going into the pool help make up for the poor guy who got stiffed by someone else. Also, if tips are pooled, do you think the other waitstaff, cabin stewards, etc. are going to let someone slack? It may slide by management, but you better believe the other workers are going to notice with Jose's tips are always light. They aren't bound by any contract either.

 

In a tipped pool arrangement in an environment like a cruise ship, I foresee a lot of blanket parties for anyone slacking and hurting the tip pool.

[sparks1093]

What does it matter? Let's assume that tips are pooled, how does that harm you? Your extra tips going into the pool help make up for the poor guy who got stiffed by someone else. Also, if tips are pooled, do you think the other waitstaff, cabin stewards, etc. are going to let someone slack? It may slide by management, but you better believe the other workers are going to notice with Jose's tips are always light. They aren't bound by any contract either.

 

In a tipped pool arrangement in an environment like a cruise ship, I foresee a lot of blanket parties for anyone slacking and hurting the tip pool.

 

I don't care where my tips go or whether they are pooled or not, I tip the same regardless. Same thing if I tip extra- if the steward or waiter is required to split it with anyone that's their business, not mine. The poster I was responding to was adamant that tips aren't pooled based on statements by John Heald.

[golfadj]

Considering that the wife/husband cabin steward team that we had on our last cruise told us that they make enough money in 4 months to pay for a nice house, hire a nanny to assist their parents with childcare, have workers tending to their house during their absence, and will have enough money to pay for their 2 kids college education (while getting 8 weeks of vacation a year), I feel that the auto tips are a fair amount. Stewards do a consistently wonderful job, but they are compensated fairly for that job. The quality of life that these workers enjoy back in their countries is something that people with similar jobs in the US only dream about.

 

Have I ever tipped extra? Yes. For unique, beyond the call of duty service, but not because they were friendly, or kept my ice bucket full, or because they let me sleep late. Also, when Carnival wouldn't let us auto-charge tips for our son when he was under 2. I felt that our cabin steward worked harder to tend to our son than to anybody else in our family and I considered it to be unfair that he would not be compensated via auto-tips.

 

 

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[bruadhin]

I don't care where my tips go or whether they are pooled or not, I tip the same regardless. Same thing if I tip extra- if the steward or waiter is required to split it with anyone that's their business, not mine. The poster I was responding to was adamant that tips aren't pooled based on statements by John Heald.

 

Gotcha, my apologizes then.

 

Let's be frank, if tips were pooled there would be fewer bad servers and cabin stewards on board. Do you really think all the great servers and stewards we have encountered would put up for a minute having to share their tips with some slacker who won't work hard, treats the customers poorly and doesn't add his share to the tip pool?

[Rogueperson]

Gotcha, my apologizes then.

 

Let's be frank, if tips were pooled there would be fewer bad servers and cabin stewards on board. Do you really think all the great servers and stewards we have encountered would put up for a minute having to share their tips with some slacker who won't work hard, treats the customers poorly and doesn't add his share to the tip pool?

 

I honestly think its just a very different outlook from what we're used to. One of the refreshing aspects of cruising for me is that the staff is always happy. Whether its their training that allows them to do this, or just a very different outlook on life, I don't know really. I suspect its a different outlook on life as many are from third world countries and are genuinely happy to be working in this industry despite the long grueling hours (in our perspective). I don't know about many of you, but its fairly easy to see who's faking being friendly to you (go to any restaurant and you'll see it eventually) because its their job, and those who are genuinely happy.

 

Now, i understand no one is happy all the time, and people do indeed put up fronts, but when i'm on a cruise, I feel less of the front than I do anywhere else in the places i've visited in US and Canada.

 

And to answer the OP regarding the room stewards. I had one who absolutely surprised me in his efforts to ensure I had a great cruise. Unfortunately, this was on Princess, no Carnival, but hey, same parent company.

 

Anyways, Miguel was my room steward on the Crown Princess. Unfortunately for me, my brand new glasses that I had purchased a week before broke. It wasn't irreparably broken, but it was the type of glasses where the lens was held to the frame by fish wire. The wire had slipped off its hold and one of my lens fell out. It was an easy repair, if you had the correct tools. the wire just needed to be tied and secured to the frame. Well, I had mentioned it him in passing, and because my eyesight is actually not that bad without glasses, I was able to function without it for the cruise. I came back to my cabin and found..well, kind of a mess on my table which the cabin steward had left. BUT, the mess, had nothing to do with any of my belongings. It was all the steward's. Apparently, he broke out his personal tool kit and left the tools on my table as he attempted to fix my glasses. He left the tools, because he found his tools were insufficient, and went to get more tools to see if he could effect a repair of my glasses. All this with NO prompting from me whatsoever.

 

I was highly impressed at his dedication for my cruise. He got a huge tip for this alone, his other normal services were outstanding as well.

 

The sad part about this, my mother and her husband who were on this cruise with me, but in another cabin on another deck, had a mediocre steward and they weren't as impressed as I was.

[bplazo]

I do not think that I have ever asked for anything extra and every one of our room stewards were wonderful. I keep our cabin spotless and everything put away so they do not have to do much. I do write a note to the head of housekeeping saying how great the staff is and leave some extra on the last day.

 

They have enough to do without extra request.

[NathUK]

See, this is exactly why I do NOT like to give tips directly to the stewards/waitstaff.

 

If I feel they have gone above and beyond, and want to thank them for their exceptional service, I go to the service desk and add it there. Or for the cabin steward, I leave it in the cabin with a note.

 

The whole point is that I want to thank them. It isn't about making me feel good by seeing the "looks on their faces." Oh, look how generous I am! Aren't I wonderful! I feel so good about myself now!

 

I'm not saying the people don't deserve it. But it shouldn't be about you and how it makes you feel. It should be about rewarding people for the work they've done.

 

Anyway, I rarely ask for anything extra and I still get great service. I don't give bribes upfront and still get great service. I don't want cabin stewards or waitstaff hovering or grovelling in the hopes of receiving additional monies.

 

All I want is for them to do their jobs as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. I know exceptional service when I see it and will reward accordingly. But I certainly don't do it to make myself feel good about myself!!

 

Seriously, am I the only person who sees it from this viewpoint? It isn't about you!!!

 

Get over yourself.

 

There are genuine people out there. We don't all sit in a box in a city and think such things are usual.

 

If someone is nice to you, you be nice back, period. And if being nice to someone puts a smile on their face and therfore yours, all the better :).