Gifts for the crew

[Susan in Maine]

I was reading on another board (MSC) that the crew rarely get a chance to get off the ship to get necessities. In the past, it was helpful to give them phone cards or extra cash. They are saying now that bringing things like toothpaste and shampoo are more helpful.

 

Anyone have any recent experience with this?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[staceyglow]

I have never heard of this being the case on a Carnival cruise, and I talk to many crew members about ship life on each cruise I take (and I am a platinum member).

 

Give them cash.  Handing them personal toiletries sounds demeaning to me.

Edited October 24, 2021 by staceyglow

[klfrodo]

MY thoughts and opinions

 

CASH!

 

Before I retired, I was in customer service. You are trained to smile and never say No. I didn't work for toothpaste or shampoo. I worked for cash to pay my bills and to support my family. Of course if someone gave me a small token of appreciation that was not cash, I would smile, say thank you, then most of the time throw it in the trash when they weren't around. Small tokens may make YOU feel good, but is that really the intent?

Phone cards are so yesteryear. Everyone has cell phones. The carrier only accepts cash as a payment towards that bill.

 

Therefore,,,, CASH

Edited October 24, 2021 by klfrodo

[Host Carolyn]

I can't find it now but a month or so ago a thread discussed this ad nauseum. General concensus was cash

[crewsweeper]

And it does appear that crew can get off the ship to get personal items.

Want to do something helpful?   Look up orphanages or community schools in the ports you are visiting and inquire about dropping off things.

[ontheweb]

26 minutes ago, Host Carolyn said:

I can't find it now but a month or so ago a thread discussed this ad nauseum. General concensus was cash

I guess there needs to be an improvement in the search function if even host Carolyn cannot find something that she knows (and I also remember reading it) is there.😢

[johnlcruise]

On our last cruise we ask if we could get anything for our cabin attendant. He said there ship stores for employees had everything but the one thing he really missed, was BBQ potato chips. So we got him six bags at our stop and he was very thrill to get them.

It's the little things that count.

[momof3cruisers]

I chatted one night on my cruise last week with the Alchemy staff and they said that some staff do NOT get to get off the ship (one of the bartenders there couldn’t get  off the ship for 6 more weeks but the other two had been waiting n the ship for longer than her and they were) and that some ship’s staff stores were running out of things at the beginning of the restart because no one could get off for many weeks. Seems like now that at least some staff can get off, that is helping the situation. 
 

That said, I had noticed that in the past, when John Heald had been asked about the gifts vs extra money thing, he always said that the crew “of course” appreciated gifts, money and a word to management about their performance was usually most appreciated. However, this year he has been saying that some of the supplies for crew have been running low so to please go ahead and ask your stewards etc if there were things that they needed from port. 

[JoeMo]

I believe in "generic gift certificates", the ones with presidential portraits. 

[Buffalobills]

I was just on the Mardi Gras 2 weeks ago and yes they do need the basic essentials. Some of the crew have not been able to get off in port and that their supplies are running late. Ask your servers and bartenders if they need anything too not just the room stewards. 

[Susan in Maine]

21 minutes ago, Buffalobills said:

I was just on the Mardi Gras 2 weeks ago and yes they do need the basic essentials. Some of the crew have not been able to get off in port and that their supplies are running late. Ask your servers and bartenders if they need anything too not just the room stewards. 

 

Anything specifically? I was planning on hitting WalMart, the Dollar Store, etc before we got on the ship.

[Elaine5715]

10 hours ago, Susan in Maine said:

I was reading on another board (MSC) that the crew rarely get a chance to get off the ship to get necessities. In the past, it was helpful to give them phone cards or extra cash. They are saying now that bringing things like toothpaste and shampoo are more helpful.

 

Anyone have any recent experience with this?

 

Thanks!

 

 

That was a farce story created entirely in the mind of a FB poster.  Phone cards haven't been useful for years.  Cash and only cash is what they need.  

[Elaine5715]

45 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said:

 

Anything specifically? I was planning on hitting WalMart, the Dollar Store, etc before we got on the ship.

Cash, no toiletries.  

[Elaine5715]

6 hours ago, momof3cruisers said:

I chatted one night on my cruise last week with the Alchemy staff and they said that some staff do NOT get to get off the ship (one of the bartenders there couldn’t get  off the ship for 6 more weeks but the other two had been waiting n the ship for longer than her and they were) and that some ship’s staff stores were running out of things at the beginning of the restart because no one could get off for many weeks. Seems like now that at least some staff can get off, that is helping the situation. 
 

That said, I had noticed that in the past, when John Heald had been asked about the gifts vs extra money thing, he always said that the crew “of course” appreciated gifts, money and a word to management about their performance was usually most appreciated. However, this year he has been saying that some of the supplies for crew have been running low so to please go ahead and ask your stewards etc if there were things that they needed from port. 

Some crew can't get off for ship reasons but they all know someone who has shore time that could get they exactly what they need.  John says this stuff to appease those who insist on this behavior.  Crew also put in Amazon orders.  

[RGEDad]

6 hours ago, JoeMo said:

I believe in "generic gift certificates", the ones with presidential portraits.

Ben Franklin did a really good portrait - Don't you think??

Our cabin Steward really like it on our last cruise, of course...we liked his service - a lot.

[firefly333]

12 hours ago, Susan in Maine said:

I was reading on another board (MSC) that the crew rarely get a chance to get off the ship to get necessities. In the past, it was helpful to give them phone cards or extra cash. They are saying now that bringing things like toothpaste and shampoo are more helpful.

 

Anyone have any recent experience with this?

 

Thanks!

 

 

I went to the 7 11 in cozumel and bought a whole big bag of different potato chips. Pringles and another kind, small bags. I asked my cabin steward first and she said she would like some chips. I also was told they werent allowed out of the port area. This was last month on the vista.

 

I'm here in Galveston boarding tomorrow and grabbed some talls cans of pringles that I will give to my cabin steward. Others on my roll call were giving Halloween candy. Nothing wrong with it imo, as I'm doing it. Give whatever extra you want. Dont let cc members discourage you. My cabin steward loved them last month and when I asked said sure she would like some.

[Elaine5715]

36 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I went to the 7 11 in cozumel and bought a whole big bag of different potato chips. Pringles and another kind, small bags. I asked my cabin steward first and she said she would like some chips. I also was told they werent allowed out of the port area. This was last month on the vista.

 

I'm here in Galveston boarding tomorrow and grabbed some talls cans of pringles that I will give to my cabin steward. Others on my roll call were giving Halloween candy. Nothing wrong with it imo, as I'm doing it. Give whatever extra you want. Dont let cc members discourage you. My cabin steward loved them last month and when I asked said sure she would like some.

 

12 hours ago, klfrodo said:

MY thoughts and opinions

 

CASH!

 

Before I retired, I was in customer service. You are trained to smile and never say No. I didn't work for toothpaste or shampoo. I worked for cash to pay my bills and to support my family. Of course if someone gave me a small token of appreciation that was not cash, I would smile, say thank you, then most of the time throw it in the trash when they weren't around. Small tokens may make YOU feel good, but is that really the intent?

Phone cards are so yesteryear. Everyone has cell phones. The carrier only accepts cash as a payment towards that bill.

 

Therefore,,,, CASH

I can also shine you up as you donate a four slice toaster with a bagel still jammed in.  

[firefly333]

6 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

 

I can also shine you up as you donate a four slice toaster with a bagel still jammed in.  

Is this supposed to make sense or just be sarcasm. I wouldnt have even mentioned it but saw a thread.

 

I still say do whatever you want in spite of cc posters. It's your choice if you want to give something as a extra gift. Just do it. I can see why people dont want to post with the posters who want to tell you what to do. You are required to give cash, do not give stuff .. ok. Lots of bossy people here. My only pt was do what you want. Even if people want to make fun of you. 

[LandlockedCruiser01]

10 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Crew also put in Amazon orders.  

How do the orders get delivered?    Do crew members have it delivered to a specific port, and if so, what address do they use?  And what if the ship misses that port?

 

As for giving gifts and personal care items to the crew, it smacks of virtue-signaling.  Don't do it.  Give strips of paper with pictures of old white dudes on them.

Edited October 25, 2021 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

How do the orders get delivered?    Do crew members have it delivered to a specific port, and if so, what address do they use?  And what if the ship misses that port?

 

As for giving gifts and personal care items to the crew, it smacks of virtue-signaling.  Don't do it.  Give strips of paper with pictures of old white dudes on them.

Deliveries are done to home port.  

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Is this supposed to make sense or just be sarcasm. I wouldnt have even mentioned it but saw a thread.

 

I still say do whatever you want in spite of cc posters. It's your choice if you want to give something as a extra gift. Just do it. I can see why people dont want to post with the posters who want to tell you what to do. You are required to give cash, do not give stuff .. ok. Lots of bossy people here. My only pt was do what you want. Even if people want to make fun of you. 

It means those of us in positions where we are required to accept items, we must do it like our moms taught us.  You thank the person profusely publicly and dispose of the unwanted, unsolicited items privately. 

[firefly333]

20 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

It means those of us in positions where we are required to accept items, we must do it like our moms taught us.  You thank the person profusely publicly and dispose of the unwanted, unsolicited items privately. 

If you read the post I said I asked her..  .then after she said she would like some pringles, at the next stop which was cozumel got off and bought what she asked for. She could have said no thanks, but she said she would like some pringles. First time a cabin steward ever said sure she would like something. I agree usually in the past they said no thanks. After she said she would like them I went to 7 11 in cozumel and filled up a bag. 

 

Why ask for something she didnt want. She asked. If she didnt want them I'm sure she has friends she can give them to. Whatever. I'm boarding breeze at 1030. I'll do as I want. Dont bother replying as I'll be on my cruise. 

 

 

 

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

If you read the post I said I asked her..  .then after she said she would like some pringles, at the next stop which was cozumel got off and bought what she asked for. She could have said no thanks, but she said she would like some pringles. First time a cabin steward ever said sure she would like something. I agree usually in the past they said no thanks. After she said she would like them I went to 7 11 in cozumel and filled up a bag. 

 

Why ask for something she didnt want. She asked. If she didnt want them I'm sure she has friends she can give them to. Whatever. I'm boarding breeze at 1030. I'll do as I want. Dont bother replying as I'll be on my cruise. 

 

 

 

Which part of unsolicited did I miss?   

[Cruisesfun65]

Bottom line - these nice people work for money, not chips.

[sanger727]

I'm pretty sure that no one under the age of 70 has used a phone card in the last 10 years so think that can get taken off the suggestion list. 

 

Cash will never go out of style

 

I don't have personal experience, but I do like the idea of asking people what they need/would like and purchasing them in port. I doubt they will list something that they plan to throw out. I would feel quite awkward leaving my room stewart and unsolicited bottle of shampoo however. That does reek of condescension.