Treats / snacks for crew members

[Texas]

We always leave a very nice cash tip for our stewards. In addition,

We leave our paperback books that we read while on the cruise. I also bring along extra bars of soap and shampoo/conditioner and the stewards have always been very happy to accept. Instead of making it sound like a gift, I always say something like, "I've bought so many souviners, I don't have room in my suit case to take this stuff home.... If you can't use it, share it with some of the other crew.

 

On our last cruise, a group of us touring Tahiti together for the second time, really enjoyed our table servers. After dinner one night, one of them mentioned that he was off the following day. We invited him to join us on a snorkeling excursion we had planned. We all chipped in to pay for the excursion. One of the ladies had purchased brand new snorkeling gear and decided she did not like snorkeling and gave him her gear. Another one gave him a disposable camera to use. When we reboarded the ship after the excursion, one of the guys helping us off the tender remarked to our server, "did you buy that snorkeling gear in port?", he replied, "No, my GOOD friends gave it to me". He was thrilled. The next day he had his pictures printed and shared them with all of us at dinner. It was a good time for all of us!

[Lurkyloo]

For our last cruise, I brought several of the small 1/2 pound boxes of Sees Candy and then I made a bow out of $10 and $20 bills and attached it. (Just fold them fan-like and tie in the middle with some ribbon.) Then I passed them out to our Steward, head waiter, asst. waiter, favorite bartender, waitress, etc... They all loved it (this was on top of the automatic tip on the S & S card, of course! ;) )

[islanderbob654]

I think money would be a great gift. After all, you can get anything with it. I guess I'm biased because I'm a waiter. If I had a choice between $20 and a $20 phone card I'd take the $20. That way I could buy whatever I want.

[toescat]

Since I don't have to fly to my port I usually make cookies and have them in a box for my Cabin Stewart, plus I alway tip extra. Money is so important to them since they work very hard for very little. In most cases just room and board and the tips are their wages

[hipquest]

I bought a gift cert. at a restaurant at this cute place in St. Maarten for our steward. We also left an additional cash tip. He sent me an email thanking us for the GC, he said he would never have spent the money on himself but it was nice to have a "guilt free" indulgence (most $$ went to his family).

[kenandlinda]

In addition to the tip at the end of the cruise we alway hand write a card of a Thank You in Advance and slip 10 two dollar bills in it. They almost never get to see two dollar bills and seem to love them. We get great service. Tip early and reap the benifits.

 

Do you do this just for the cabin steward or the wait staff in the dining room also? Do you give just to the waiter, or to the asst. waiter too? I think it sounds like a great idea.

[hobbit81]

There is another thread on this same topic going on that I have been reading. This is only my second cruise and had thought of giving our steward little "gifts". After reading this thread and the other thread, I have decided to save my little "gifts" for other occassions and purchase a very nice card (before I leave) and have extra money at the end of the cruise. This way, if the service was good, I can leave a card of appreciation for the fine work of making my cruise even more enjoyable, and leave them money for them to use as they please and to purchase, or send, where ever they chose. THis would appear to be the most logical way of thanking them.

[hobbit81]

There is another thread on this same topic going on that I have been reading. This is only my second cruise and had thought of giving our steward little "gifts". After reading this thread and the other thread, I have decided to save my little "gifts" for other occassions and purchase a very nice card (before I leave) and have extra money at the end of the cruise. This way, if the service was good, I can leave a card of appreciation for the fine work of making my cruise even more enjoyable, and leave them money for them to use as they please and to purchase, or send, where ever they chose. THis would appear to be the most logical way of thanking them.

[lindslea]

We tried this for the first time on our last cruise. On the first night, we handed our cabin steward and waiter an envelope with $20 and a very nice note saying that we were looking forward to spending the week with them. It said, in different words, that there would be more to come above the standard S & S gratuities at the end of the cruise. We got the best service we have EVER had. We will do that again this time, but I like the idea of getting creative with it. Maybe some homemade cookies in a box with a bow made out of a $20. bill. Thanks for the more creative ideas!

[OldNavy]

I agree. We tipped early (the first day) as well as carried phone cards for little extras. Regardless what folks say, the gold dollars and $2 bills were always a hit and tipping a 20 to the cabin steward the first day gave us better service than we ever received. Another nice thing we found is if you have to give them something other than cash, a pin or trinket from your home always brings a smile.

[blondie02_84]

I've never done this since I've only been on one other cruise, but I have heard that the staff loves to receive the $2 bills and gold dollar coins! They can send it home to their children or keep it for themselves. This is what I plan on doing when I go on my honeymoon cruise in July!

 

 

[christinelee]

I've never done this since I've only been on one other cruise, but I have heard that the staff loves to receive the $2 bills and gold dollar coins! They can send it home to their children or keep it for themselves. This is what I plan on doing when I go on my honeymoon cruise in July!

 

 

 

 

That's why they are so hard to find ($2.00 bills) all of the non-USA people have them.

[bubiesmom]

What about gift cards for major retailers? Does the crew get time off the ship to shop? I heard that most of the crew for POH is american, so they probably shop at Target, Marshall Field's etc. any thoughts?

[DonnaK]

We leave our paperback books that we read while on the cruise.

 

If you leave books behind, you should check out www.bookcrossing.com, an online site where you label books so you can track the book's journey. Celebrity cruiseline has an official bookcrossing zone in their library where you can leave your books for others to pick up and hopeful they, or a subsequent reader, will record its journey online.

[Susan in Maine]

We've found that they really love the phone cards. It's along the same idea as cash - they really appreciate the opportunity to call home to their families.

 

And don't forget some of the crew that you wouldn't ordinarily tip. My daughter, a photographer, made good friends with the ship photographers on our last 4 day cruise. At the end she gave them $5 phone cards. You'd think she'd given them $100!

 

So if there's a bartender, photographer, or pool attendant or any other crew member who's done something to give you a special cruise, a phone card is much appreciated!

[sweetpea-2]

When we get to our first port, many times we get snacks, small gifts for our dinning staff and cabin steward. We get the best service and they usually seem really flattered that we thought of them. We usually try to get things they can't get on the ship.

 

Does anyone else do things like this? If so, do you have suggestions for small tokens. We don't spend alot, but it makes the cruise special.

 

tshirts with that ports logo on it...........they don't get to get off, the room stewards work 24-7 as we've talked to them....so I get them something like a t-shirt, hat, or for the females something for their hair....we stick to $12.00 and under.....I think they are touched that we even think of them...;)

[tksail]

It does seem like one could find a creative little gift besides money. We do give the room steward a tip at the beginning and of course at the end. But, I would like to give just a little something more. I wonder if there is a specific phone card to give??

[Dustyone]

I am Canadian - before every cruise I gather together such things as neck lanyards, pens, luggage tags with suitable Canadian Flag logos - I have never seen so many smiles or received so many hugs as when I make a hardworking crewmember an honorary Canadian - they seem to show so much appreciation. We also provide monetary tips to those crewmembers who have worked extra hard for us.

[CalifornianinKansas]

I have always wanted to do this, but I wasn't sure if it would come across as overly familiar

or gauche. I have a degree in Social Sciences so I tend to over-think stuff like this.

Do you all do this on the first day, during, or at the end of the cruise?

[Dustyone]

I have always wanted to do this, but I wasn't sure if it would come across as overly familiar

or gauche. I have a degree in Social Sciences so I tend to over-think stuff like this.

Do you all do this on the first day, during, or at the end of the cruise?

I usually make a practise of giving some little gifts out on "formal" nights which I think are special for both the crew and passengers. Really you may give them out anytime - sometimess I'll give a few $$ to a good bartender early on and for the rest of the cruise you will be treated like Royalty. It really is a personal preference, however, I can guarantee you a little gratitude will go a long way.:cool::cool::cool:

[Rdy4Passion]

what do you think? i make rose's out of dollars bills. It takes 4 bills to make a rose, so depending on the bill amount = the tip. I was thinking of making $20 roses ($5bills x 4=$20) and $10 roses using $2bills what do u think?

 

[Rdy4Passion]

sorry not sure what i'm doing wrong. . here's a link to see what the roses look like. . .

 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m237/Rdy4passion/money8.jpg

 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m237/Rdy4passion/money21.jpg

[flutterby14]

Can you tell me how you make them. Great idea for tips. I still have a dollar bill bow tie that someone gave me. Andie:)

[HARRIST3C1]

I start a journal on the first day of the cruise on "cruise stationary" and title it:

 

MY COMMENTS FOR THE "END OF THE CRUISE" SURVEY ON OUR CABIN STEWART, ___________:

 

1.

2.

3.

 

and so on...

 

I leave this out in plain sight and add to it as the cruise progresses and we see exemplary service. Then this is my reminder to include in the survey at the end of the ship.

 

i think I will try this one.

[Rdy4Passion]

Can you tell me how you make them. Great idea for tips. I still have a dollar bill bow tie that someone gave me. Andie:)

 

i'll try to take pics and posted them it's kinda hard to explain how to do them,:)