Disappointing Cabin Steward

[Emmski35]

I have to disagree with this last comment, we had a butler on one cruise and all he did was hound us from morning till night and lecture us on the fact he'd been knocking on our door with snacks and we didn't answer, where were we?! the snacks had gone cold and he couldn't leave them because of health and safety. It didn't exactly make our cruise miserable, but we just wanted him to go away. We explained on the first day we were easy going, didn't want much, didn't really want disturbing, but if we asked for anything we knew where he was. We tipped him well at the end of the cruise, so no worries there. But where others would have loved this, we were sick of him chuntering on all the time, basically lecturing us on stuff. Anyway, rant over. It's all about what you want from a holiday, so I understand that it makes some peoples experience more rewarding, having this relationship with the crew on board. We have had butlers and room stewards before and since that have understood our needs, but there you go, each to their own! no haters please! :D

[cruizinisthebest]

I don't find anything at all whatsoever in the OPs initial post worth complaining about. That's the one takeaway worth posting? I just don't get it. But ok.

 

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[Miller_KC]

I'll be in a spa cabin in a couple of weeks for the first time. Perhaps, since the spa cabins are supposed to be restful, they try to keep the hallway activity and the disruptions to passengers at a minimum. All part of the zen experience. ;)

 

We stayed on the Spa deck of the Dream earlier this year and that is the exact observation I would make. The entire area was a little darker, warmer, and much quieter than the rest of the ship to create a relaxed atmosphere. I didn't see any service people or carts in the hall all week, but our room was properly serviced every day. I don't think it would have been as comfortable walking to your spa treatment in your robe an slippers if you had to run the gauntlet of room stewards in the hall.

 

Carnival has set high expectations with the quality of service we get and like the OP, I would not have been happy with the service he got. Paying more doesn't mean better service either. On Princess the service was prompt and professional but not friendly and personal like on Carnival. We preferred the Carnival experience.

[cincicruisers]

Some people cruise with preconceived notions of what it will be and times it will be, but let the game plan fall short of expectations, they complain. I can flip my own light switch, I can see ahead and grab towels for the next day( just in case ), I'm okay if I don't see my steward, but it does seem odd when I don't. Most stewards manage at least a quick hello on embarkation day.

 

Seriously...how would that look with 3000 or so people "grabbing some towels" just in case. Admit some things are frivolous in the grand sheme of things but gathering your own towels is not.

Edited October 7, 2015 by cincicruisers

[bobsfamily]

Well, I am going to stray a bit.

 

Just because it was a certain way before doesn't mean it's going to be a certain way tomorrow. Things change. This doesn't bother some of us in the least, especially if, like me, you're cruising mostly for the ports, not the ship experience.

 

If you want a certain level of luxury and pampering, you're going to have to pay more and sail on a more upscale line!

 

Hey NC...

 

We cruise mostly for the cruise so completely different reasons and a good steward does make the cruise better...

 

We have paid to have the "level" and most likely will again in the future! Celebrity offers a great product.

[berrieh]

Seriously...how would that look with 3000 or so people "grabbing some towels" just in case. Admit some things are frivolous in the grand sheme of things but gathering your own towels is not.

 

When we stayed on the Dream (spa cabins) we had a great steward but we always gathered our own towels (IIRC we had special spa towels? I don't even know for sure, but I thought they were a different color - I could be wrong) either at the spa or the main towel place. We didn't "pool" much though and mainly used them AT the spa so were happy to grab new ones when we left and leave our old ones. I would, personally, actually prefer to be able to grab my own towels, ice, everything! Though, as you say, it is unlikely it would be the customary way of doing things because devising efficient systems for all people to do that may be hard.

 

I swear someone on the Dream literally told us/showed us where to go for towels at one point and we didn't even realize our steward would/should replace them. But again, I could be wrong. They have been replaced on other ships but we've only been in Spa cabins in the Dream and never been in Spa cabins elsewhere.

 

To me, pool/spa towels are a fairly frivolous thing but I can see why someone might be frustrated needing them too if they didn't feel they could access them.

 

Still, I don't think that poster was being ridiculous in suggesting that if you have an early shore excursion where you plan to bring them to grab them the night before or at least call for them then (we have never brought Carnival towels off the ship, always bring a set of our own for shore). But I am the self-sufficient type. I also like the water carafe left on the table that they're starting to do now with the AT menus - if it's a basic "get this" type thing, I'd prefer to do it myself. I don't prefer to say clean the bathroom, cook my food, or do my dishes myself. BUT I prefer to grab my own towels, get my own water, would love to be able to get my own ice, etc. To me, this is not extra "work" but rather extra convenience.

[navyvet8395]

If your worried about towels.. Just go up to the Lido and take one off a chair that a "CHOG" put there earlyer. then you have a free towel to take home.... Im always tempted to do that just to teach them a lesson.. :rolleyes::D

Edited October 8, 2015 by navyvet8395

[RuthlessBoss]

Seriously...how would that look with 3000 or so people "grabbing some towels" just in case. Admit some things are frivolous in the grand sheme of things but gathering your own towels is not.

 

Are you spoiled perhaps? As the saying goes, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".

[mum2bradley]

Of course. Left a message. Towel hut wasn't open yet as it was an early port of call. Again I'm not "whining". - we had a great cruise. We cruise often- so it's interesting to compare- this was an obvious change from what we are used to and just has me wondering if it was isolated to the Dream or a growing trend.

 

I always make sure I have clean beach towels everyday but going to the towel hut and get them when we are finished at the pool. I have sailed 6 times and didn't even know the stewards would give me clean beach towels.

[cruiseclues]

If your worried about towels.. Just go up to the Lido and take one off a chair that a "CHOG" put there earlyer. then you have a free towel to take home.... Im always tempted to do that just to teach them a lesson.. :rolleyes::D

 

So...you haven't done this...but you're suggesting someone else does? :confused:

[katiel53]

I think the stewards do have a lot more work, but we were on Dream the end of July and had the best steward. I was in a cabin with my granddaughter and her parents were in the next cabin. We were able to open the balcony doors so she could go back and forth.

 

My granddaughter is 10 years old and I asked the steward if it were possible for him to make up the couch in her parents room so that if she wanted to sleep in there some night, she'd have a bed. He said yes and he made up the couch the whole week as well as her bed in my cabin.

 

She spent time in my cabin every day, as well as in her parent's cabin. Some nights she slept in mine and other nights in her parents cabin. So, in essence he had an extra bed to make up every day. He was wonderful and I tipped him extra because he was so good.

 

So, needless to say, I didn't experience any "cut-back" in service from the steward on our cruise. I guess I was really lucky.

[curious_st]

Just back from the Carnival Dream and had the most disappointing cabin steward. Been on many cruises - so have a frame of comparison. Nothing was that big of a deal- but thr culmination of the whole weeks experience is disappointing. For one- we never met any of them the entire week. We additionally never even saw any team member in the hall the whole week. We were on Deck 11 a spa balcony- so it was an abbreviated hallway- but still to never even lay eyes on anyone from the house-keeping team is odd to me. The room was serviced daily - but some little things that annoyed- one port morning- no fresh towels left the night before for our early shore excursion. We had to scamper and call all over the ship to get towels to take with us to our beach day. No lights left on at night. I'm used to the little bed side lamps being turned on as part of the turn down service. As week went on- constantly coming back to a pitch black cabin every night was an annoyance. We didn't even receive service the last night aboard which has never happened.

 

Again nothing that bad- but the whole experience was under-whelming. I'm hoping it was just the luck of the draw as we have always had fantastic cabin stewards and not another cutback.

 

I am usually generous with tipping. I leave the suggested gratuities in place, and then tip extra in person. I would not be inclined to tip the extra cash amount if the room steward did not offer to make my room up every night. And, it being the last night that he skipped, it would really stand out in my mind debarkation morning, which is when I give the tip.

[Boozebabe]

I go hunt mine down. We keep looking down the halls for evidence of them. I make sure I meet mine before dinner the first night. I need lots of ice and bring a soft side cooler/bag that I need to keep filled. Usually 2x per day is plenty and we don't mind going to a bar and asking them to fill it. On the second day he/she will fill the bag in the morning and again in the evening. If they service our room once per day thats plenty for us. Just give me my ice please.

[snedecor]

The inexperienced/marginal stewards have to work somewhere...

 

When we pick our cabins, we pick on the floors where the suites are located, and if possible, right next to the suites. We know that suites get the best stewards because their guests pay the most for their cabins. If those super-good stewards also have to service a peon's balcony cabin (ours) then so be it!

Edited October 12, 2015 by snedecor

[crusinpsychRN]

I experienced waiting until 12:30 pm to have cabin done even after putting the cruisin' sign out at 7:30am. Had no ice in small chest until then. When I saw him I told him I wasn't getting off during port stop and to please catch it early. He said I'd be the first done. By 9:45am it got done. Kind of frustrating. He did my room almost last most days. He has 27 cabins with assistant. Many snoozin' signs out too. Cabin was cleaned and I almost always got towels.

[Badfinger]

I am in your camp. If I never meet them, the better. Not a snob or anything, but I am just not interested in being there friend, and frankly they will forget you before you even begin your journey home.

 

No towels? Yeah that is not good.

[elliair]

I prefer not seeing the attendant....as long as my cabin is clean, I'm happy. Perhaps there were no clean pool towels the evening they didn't leave them for you...stuff happens! After the 1st night, I would have turned on a bedside lamp myself before leaving for dinner!

 

Us too. We tell our steward no turn down in the evening, just make sure we have clean towels for the day. Sometimes they look at us weird, but the less they are in our cabin, the better I feel about it. The light switch is by the door as you walk in, just flip it on. None of us are that helpless are we?

[elliair]

This might be part of the problem. We've been on 15 Carnival cruises and 3 on other lines. The stewards on the other lines didn't seem so exhausted. I feel sorry for the Carnival stewards. :(

 

I feel sorry for many of them too. When I walk by a cabin with the door open, I see clothing on the floor, shoes strewn around. It looks like a hurricane has hit the room. I saw this mostly on the booze cruises.:eek:

[bobsfamily]

Us too. We tell our steward no turn down in the evening, just make sure we have clean towels for the day. Sometimes they look at us weird, but the less they are in our cabin, the better I feel about it. The light switch is by the door as you walk in, just flip it on. None of us are that helpless are we?

Tell them to just throw the towels in the room as they jog by, I'll happily take the extra time in our cabin!

[snedecor]

27 cabiins? Maybe they're not as poor as we think...

 

The tip distribution is $3.90 per person per day for stateroom services. Some cabins have 2 persons, some have 4 or more. If the average is 3, and the stewards are assigned 27 cabins to do, that means:

 

$3.90 x 3 person x 270 days (9 month contract) x 27 cabins / 2 attendants = $43,000 in tips alone! Add that to their (admittedly small) salary and free room and board, and they don't seem to me to be "poor".

 

I know that some pull their tips (shame on them) BUT some (as we do) tip extra for good service.

[pmang]

27 cabiins? Maybe they're not as poor as we think...

 

 

 

The tip distribution is $3.90 per person per day for stateroom services. Some cabins have 2 persons, some have 4 or more. If the average is 3, and the stewards are assigned 27 cabins to do, that means:

 

 

 

$3.90 x 3 person x 270 days (9 month contract) x 27 cabins / 2 attendants = $43,000 in tips alone! Add that to their (admittedly small) salary and free room and board, and they don't seem to me to be "poor".

 

 

 

I know that some pull their tips (shame on them) BUT some (as we do) tip extra for good service.

 

 

Please everyone stop with the "free room and board".... These people aren't homeless. They have homes in their country's that they still pay for.

 

I have worked on ships. My mortgage company still wanted their payment every 1st of the month. Bills don't stop when you work at sea...

[sailor_jimc]

No doubt it is very good work for them. But they are also away from their families for all that time. I meet a couple that were able to work on the same ship. They left their children home with their grandparents for those 6 to 9 months at a time to make that good money. But they only needed one contract a year and they made enough to stay home the rest of the year.

 

There are not many 1st world couples that would sign up for that for those wages.

[shipty2]

Really. Come on I have never thought once oh gee maybe I should grab some towels just in case my steward does not bring me any.

 

Lol I can picture thousands of passengers grabbing towels just in case they have substandard service from the room steward. Maybe I will bring my own toilet brush too just in case as well.

[bobsfamily]

I almost, but not quite, hate to bring this up:

 

Ever met a Navy kid, married, on a ship, deployed to the Gulf or the Med or wherever, as an E-3 on E-3 wages? It's downright ugly!

 

After seeing the wages, in American dollars, the stewards make from our tips, I feel a lot more comfortable that they're earning a living wage for their families back home.

Glad you brought it up! The crew members on a ship are there to make money, and they do! Many are back year after year, back home the family lives in "relative" luxury and build wealth compared to other families. I've spoken to many crew that are on their 8th+ contract and although they miss home, Carnival is also their "family".

[guxu]

Please everyone stop with the "free room and board".... These people aren't homeless. They have homes in their country's that they still pay for.

 

I have worked on ships. My mortgage company still wanted their payment every 1st of the month. Bills don't stop when you work at sea...

Unless they are single with no kid.

 

Also, you should not assume the housing costs in other countries are the same as ours. Many Asian countries do not have the habit to borrow money. They got their houses/apartments from their parents or they buy them in cash. They do not pay mortgage. And their countries do not have property tax either.