Candy for the Crew

[pcur]

On 7/19/2023 at 3:40 PM, pilot said:

How do you know they want candy?

 

You should try a test. On a table place a $10 bill and a bag filled with $10 bag of candy. Ask them to pick one. 

Another opportunity to build my ignore list.  And....I see that two of my other ignore favs reacted to your post.  It's like a tiny club.

[Etta1213]

4 minutes ago, pcur said:

I went on a "chocolate farm" tour in Kauai in 2021.  They gave us samples to eat from 24 different countries so we could taste the difference.  Truly educational (hint: it's the soil).  Anyway, yes, US chocolate is not made the same, but most people just taste the chocolate flavor.  Kind of wine connoisseur vs just somebody that wants a good tasting wine to drink.

 

But, if I was working somewhere I had little access to chocolate, ANY chocolate would taste great to me!

 

IMO, Ghirardelli chocolate is one of the best US made chocolates, but I'm a local and prejudiced.  Godiva is next IMO.

 

If you want THE best, order online some from Lydgate Chocolate Farms in Kauai.  Also, if Coralc is anywhere on this board, she can tell you what she thinks, too. I brought her a bag of it home with me.

Thank you🤗

[pcur]

On 7/19/2023 at 3:58 PM, Kiki and The Noush said:

My fav - Defroidmont chocolate in Erezee Belgium.  Even cheap Galaxy chocolate from the UK is better than our American Hershey imho

Belgium chocolate is soooooo good.

[pcur]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Then off for a 90 minute nap. 

That would be her daily sugar coma break?  Good on her!!

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

If you want THE best, order online some from Lydgate Chocolate Farms in Kauai.  Also, if Coralc is anywhere on this board, she can tell you what she thinks, too. I brought her a bag of it home with me.

Yes! It was very, very good. I love chocolate. Thanks again. ☺️

[Merion_Mom]

I only bring and give candy to non-tipped staff, particularly Guest Services.

 

They have to deal with some of you difficult guests.  😄 😄 😄 

[pcur]

24 minutes ago, Coralc said:

Yes! It was very, very good. I love chocolate. Thanks again. ☺️

Wasn't looking for another thank you.  Seeing your head buried in the bag when I gave it to you was a huge thank you!

 

(Pssst....I may go back to Kauai next year....stay tuned)

[pcur]

16 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

I only bring and give candy to non-tipped staff, particularly Guest Services.

 

They have to deal with some of you difficult guests.  😄 😄 😄 

😇

[pcur]

21 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

Thank you🤗

CFEO.....Chocolate For EveryOne!!!

[BirdTravels]

The crew would really, really prefer an extra $5 tip because that will pay for a beer at the crew bar after work. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 7/16/2023 at 10:39 PM, Husky1987 said:

Yes, I'm sure a crew member would rather have $20 and a couple Butterfingers than $20.  But I'll bet they'd also rather have $25 than $20 and a couple Butterfingers.

 

43 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The crew would really, really prefer an extra $5 tip because that will pay for a beer at the crew bar after work. 

So now either EVERYONE should tip an extra $5 to every crew member OR folks here think candy bars cost $5?  I thought it was impolite to tell people how much they should tip? 

 

Maybe if you buy them in a gas station, but if this is something someone wants to do seriously, you can get candy in bulk for less than $1 each.  

 

[RyderJ201]

I think the gift giving thing is so self serving. It's all about the gift giver feeling special and connected to the poor little servants. Just give them a cash tip and let them get on with their job. They don't want to be your best friend. Nobody wants to put off cleaning 25 toilets to hear about where you come from. This isn't 1940s France. Leave the chocolate bars and nylons at home and just say hello, please, and thank you. And let them get on with their work. $25 in cash tips is better then $20 cash and $5 worth of candy.

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 7/19/2023 at 6:08 PM, Tree_skier said:

DW was a teacher in BC until she retired in 2016.  The funniest end of the year gift she got was a goat, donated in her name, to some African family in some country we have long since forgotten about. It came with a nice certificate in a plastic frame. We still laugh about it to this day.  

The gift of a goat thru the Heifer Project today would cost $120.  Sounds like that student's family thought very highly of your daughter.  I imagine that the family who received it also appreciated the gift.

 

https://www.heifer.org/gift-catalog/animals/index.html

[Ferry_Watcher]

I do check-in in Seattle, and I on occasion have been given a piece of candy by passengers that I am checking in.  Examples have been older Americans in a port provided wheelchair, as well as  a passenger from an Asian country giving out hard candy, and a passenger from a Nordic country giving out chocolates.

 

It's always a surprise, followed by an awkward moment of understanding what just happened, then a smile, followed by a sincere thank you.

 

The candy does eventually gets eaten.  :  )

[ReneeFLL]

45 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

The gift of a goat thru the Heifer Project today would cost $120.  Sounds like that student's family thought very highly of your daughter.  I imagine that the family who received it also appreciated the gift.

 

https://www.heifer.org/gift-catalog/animals/index.html

Thanks for posting this info. I belong to an organization where we do Kiva loans and donations to charities. This looks like something we would be interested in doing after I look into it. Thanks.

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by ReneeFLL

[pcur]

5 hours ago, RyderJ201 said:

I think the gift giving thing is so self serving. It's all about the gift giver feeling special and connected to the poor little servants. Just give them a cash tip and let them get on with their job. They don't want to be your best friend. Nobody wants to put off cleaning 25 toilets to hear about where you come from. This isn't 1940s France. Leave the chocolate bars and nylons at home and just say hello, please, and thank you. And let them get on with their work. $25 in cash tips is better then $20 cash and $5 worth of candy.

(I wish this board had a cynical font; it would help lessen the blow)

 

I say give the crew member the $25 AND the $5 in candy!

 

I have actually befriended many crew members over my years with RCCL.  I have been told many times that having a genuinely friendly conversation helps them a lot, since they are separated from their families for so long.  One cabin steward told me she and the Loyalty Ambassador onboard are friends back home, too, and when they have their breaks between contracts, they take care of each other's children if the other one is still on a ship. That really helps them both get by.  That particular cabin steward was having a VERY hard time with seasickness up the Atlantic US Coast.  I got her a 250 pill bottle of nondrowsy meclizine, because the itinerary was repeated every week.  The ship gave her Dramamine and she could barely keep her eyes open.

 

One cabin steward was going home to see his wife after the cruise, and when I found out the hardback book I was reading was her favorite author, I gave it to him with a bottle of champagne (free to me).  

 

It's not always about money:  it's about human caring, kindness, and chemistry.  They take care of me; I take care of them (besides tips).

[bonsai3s]

On 7/24/2023 at 6:21 AM, pcur said:

(I wish this board had a cynical font; it would help lessen the blow)

 

I say give the crew member the $25 AND the $5 in candy!

 

I have actually befriended many crew members over my years with RCCL.  I have been told many times that having a genuinely friendly conversation helps them a lot, since they are separated from their families for so long.  One cabin steward told me she and the Loyalty Ambassador onboard are friends back home, too, and when they have their breaks between contracts, they take care of each other's children if the other one is still on a ship. That really helps them both get by.  That particular cabin steward was having a VERY hard time with seasickness up the Atlantic US Coast.  I got her a 250 pill bottle of nondrowsy meclizine, because the itinerary was repeated every week.  The ship gave her Dramamine and she could barely keep her eyes open.

 

One cabin steward was going home to see his wife after the cruise, and when I found out the hardback book I was reading was her favorite author, I gave it to him with a bottle of champagne (free to me).  

 

It's not always about money:  it's about human caring, kindness, and chemistry.  They take care of me; I take care of them (besides tips).

Bravo!

Human caring, kindness...genuinely friendly conversation.

 

We would often find that many of the crew members that we met years ago (and spoke to), still remember us. It is genuinely an incredible feeling when a Restaurant Operations Manager or Food and Beverage Manager comes up to us and say: "Mam/Sir, I was your waiter...I will always remember you...thank you for your simple encouragement".

 

 

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, pcur said:

(I wish this board had a cynical font; it would help lessen the blow)

 

I say give the crew member the $25 AND the $5 in candy!

 

I have actually befriended many crew members over my years with RCCL.  I have been told many times that having a genuinely friendly conversation helps them a lot, since they are separated from their families for so long.  One cabin steward told me she and the Loyalty Ambassador onboard are friends back home, too, and when they have their breaks between contracts, they take care of each other's children if the other one is still on a ship. That really helps them both get by.  That particular cabin steward was having a VERY hard time with seasickness up the Atlantic US Coast.  I got her a 250 pill bottle of nondrowsy meclizine, because the itinerary was repeated every week.  The ship gave her Dramamine and she could barely keep her eyes open.

 

One cabin steward was going home to see his wife after the cruise, and when I found out the hardback book I was reading was her favorite author, I gave it to him with a bottle of champagne (free to me).  

 

It's not always about money:  it's about human caring, kindness, and chemistry.  They take care of me; I take care of them (besides tips).

You gave someone a bottle of 250 pills?  What if they had a reaction to the medication?  I know I'm overreacting as it's the medical part of me.  Chocolates are one thing.  Medication is a little different.  My answer is to give them the cash to buy what medication they need.

[Ride-The-Waves]

Think about this.  Crew are professionals.  Just as you consider yourself a professional at your place/vocation of work.  Do you want to be paid in "candy?" I sure don't!  Give them the extra gratuity in currency!

[pcur]

16 hours ago, jean87510 said:

You gave someone a bottle of 250 pills?  What if they had a reaction to the medication?  I know I'm overreacting as it's the medical part of me.  Chocolates are one thing.  Medication is a little different.  My answer is to give them the cash to buy what medication they need.

A.  Meclizine is the same ingredient as the Dramamine the ship was giving her, only the slightly more expensive non-drowsy formula.  It is also OVER THE COUNTER, not prescription.

 

B.  She was not able to get off the ship to buy it herself, and I bought it for her.

 

C.  I am not an idiot.

[LilBlackDress]

On 7/20/2023 at 7:37 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

Per bartenders on Freedom at Schooner, Boleros, Lime and Coconut and Casino bars, 100 percent of the them stated they prefer cash over candy. Granted this is a very small poll, but that is consistent with what I have heard on my previous 66 cruises. 

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why not both?

 

On 7/21/2023 at 12:58 PM, pilot said:

I think what most of us are saying is…you are spending a few bucks for the candy, instead of buying the candy, they would probably appreciate the extra cash instead. 
 

Remember these hardworking people are working months at a time, far from home, for money, not candy. 

I run Bowling tournaments every Saturday and Sunday. We used to spend $20-$30 for candy per tournament!! Now I buy it in bulk.
The chocolate, peanuts, pretzels etc that I bring with me to share with the crew is from the tourneys, 
Before I started bringing the candy, I gave a cash tip on top of the Pre-Paid Gratuities... I didn't lower the cash tip and add chocolate in its place!! 

On 7/21/2023 at 1:13 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you ask them the right question:  "Would you rather have money ... or the same amount of money PLUS a small candy bar?"  

We heard you, but realistically anyone who brings candy is bringing a bag of $3 mini-bars.  Divided between this and that crew member, it'd be maybe .40 per bar.  Would you really say to your cabin steward, "I pre-paid my tips, and here's an extra .40 for you."?  That's the reality.  

My DH would eat the $3 bag of candy before we'd see the room attendant  lol
OK, he is not that bad, but as I said above, I buy in bulk 🙂 
 

 

[ReneeFLL]

I don’t know why some people get all riled up about cash versus candy or both. If people want to give candy with an extra tip, then so be it. If they want to give candy without an extra cash tip, then so be it. It’s up to them to decide what or how they want to tip. Some people don’t add any additional tips and some take off the gratuities that Royal adds. It is what it is.

[A&L_Ont]

Can I tip with ducks.  😉😂

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

A.  Meclizine is the same ingredient as the Dramamine the ship was giving her, only the slightly more expensive non-drowsy formula.  It is also OVER THE COUNTER, not prescription.

 

B.  She was not able to get off the ship to buy it herself, and I bought it for her.

 

C.  I am not an idiot.

 

And if you weren't there, what would she have done?  Taken the $5 and got a co worker to get it for her.  What did she do with sea sickness before you came?  

 

It doesn't matter if it's OTC or prescription.  Never a good idea to buy pills for someone.  

[jean87510]

5 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Think about this.  Crew are professionals.  Just as you consider yourself a professional at your place/vocation of work.  Do you want to be paid in "candy?" I sure don't!  Give them the extra gratuity in currency!

Bingo!