Trinkets for Cabin Steward

[Karson]

they can use the shoe storage to keep their cabin organized, it is not TRASH, I have to buy another one for my next cruise......and, wrinkle release, YES..........they can use it, and, I have to buy another one for next cruise..........................and, $$$

[halos]

they can use the shoe storage to keep their cabin organized, it is not TRASH, I have to buy another one for my next cruise......and, wrinkle release, YES..........they can use it, and, I have to buy another one for next cruise..........................and, $$$

 

It's not trash if yours is the only one the cabin steward recieves. There is only one door to their cabin (that they share with 2 or 3 other crew members).

[WhansaMi]

This is different than trinkets. It is not something that is going to take up space and is enjoyed by most people. I doubt that the shapes you left them in had anything to do with the enjoyment, but who cares.

 

Although I'm not a germophobe (I have never taken Lysol wipes along), if I were the crew, I'd be hesitant about eating chocolate that has been shaped by the passengers.

 

I've never eaten anything my students make for me either. Very, very few teachers in my school do. Of course, I *tell* them I do, but....

 

Just something for folks to consider...

[halos]

Although I'm not a germophobe (I have never taken Lysol wipes along), if I were the crew, I'd be hesitant about eating chocolate that has been shaped by the passengers.

 

I've never eaten anything my students make for me either. Very, very few teachers in my school do. Of course, I *tell* them I do, but....

 

Just something for folks to consider...

 

I'm glad someone else mentioned this....when I read that post I was so confused. They bring chocolate and 'mold' it with their hands????

ewwyuk!

and WHY???????

Sorry, but that is just something I would not remotely consider putting in my mouth.

I thought I misread that somehow.....I wish I had.

[LemurCat]

Although I'm not a germophobe (I have never taken Lysol wipes along), if I were the crew, I'd be hesitant about eating chocolate that has been shaped by the passengers.

 

I've never eaten anything my students make for me either. Very, very few teachers in my school do. Of course, I *tell* them I do, but....

 

Just something for folks to consider...

 

Perhaps it's just me, but I read that as they used wrapped chocolates -- like the miniature bars -- as building blocks, not that they actually got a bar of chocolate and whittled it down to a shape. And I doubt they had a double boiler or microwave and molds available. ;)

[halos]

Perhaps it's just me, but I read that as they used wrapped chocolates -- like the miniature bars -- as building blocks, not that they actually got a bar of chocolate and whittled it down to a shape. And I doubt they had a double boiler or microwave and molds available. ;)

 

*phew* !

 

I feel a bit less nauseous now, thank you.

 

went back to look at the post. LOL...I saw miniature chocolates and imagined a bad of chocolate chips (that you would make cookies with) instead of a bag of Hershey Miniatures (or something like that). My apologies to the poster :) I'm happy that you aren't gross. :p

[98Charlie]

:):) We have had experiences where we gave stuff to the crew as well...on the last cruise it was St Patty's day stuff...funny glasses and necklaces and decorations that they had made a fuss over.

I don't consider this 'trinket tips' and wouldn't even mention it on this thread (or any tipping thread) because it wasn't a tip or part of a tip. Having someone specifically ask for 'crap' and handing them un-asked-for 'crap' as a tip are two totally different things. So, if a crew member asks for your over-the-door-shoe-thingie, that's one thing...gifting one (especially USED :eek:) is quite another imo.

 

Understand where you're coming from.

On a cruise a year or so ago we actually had an extra small suitcase that we didn't need or want to take home. It was still usable. We had filled it with supplies to donate at a port. Didn't want to pay the airlines to fly it back home.

 

DH asked our cabin steward if there was any crew member who might need the luggage. His assistant said he would like to have it if we were going to toss it. Turned out he was leaving for home in about 2 weeks and was actually going to buy a small suitcase the next week.

 

Now, that's not tipping with trinkets. Both cabin stewards received our extra cash tip neatly placed flat (not folded into a spider or monkey or some other silly shape) inside a hand written thank you card. Our assistant cabin steward was happy with our leftover suitcase and we were very happy to find someone who could use it.

 

But that's not trinket tipping, that's recycling. And if a crew member showed true interest in receiving a dollar store shoe hangar - or a partial bottle of wrinkle release, etc., then I would consider that recycling as well.

 

Dianne

[WhansaMi]

I should have added this to my message.

 

I am in one of those professions (teacher) where I work with a lot of people, and I get a lot of "trinkets" for holidays -- Christmas, "teacher appreciation day", end of year. I teach middle school, so I have well over 100 students per year.

 

Honestly, while I appreciate the idea and consideration behind many of the gifts kids and parents give me, I am truly saddened at the money that goes to waste. Christmas ornaments, mugs, keychains and the like -- I've gotten literally hundreds of, and, yes, they either go in the garbage or to Goodwill. Gift sets of body wash in scents that I don't like get trashed, as well. I've gotten cutesy dinnerware (I don't do cutesy), many, many knickknack items (my decor is specific and I don't have room for other collections), candles galore, and too many just weird items to mention.

 

Don't get me wrong. I act all excited when I get them. I make a fuss over them. I display them for a while in my classroom. I write a thank you note.

 

And, then I take them home and get rid of 98% of them.

 

If giving someone something is only about the sentiment, then I suppose anything is acceptable. But, it makes me sad that literally thousands of other people's dollars have been wasted on things that I have not kept.

 

If a teacher, or a room steward, has provided you with excellent service, the nicest thing you can do for them is to recognize them to their bosses. Write a letter to the principal (forward a copy to the school superintendent).... or, in the case of the cruise employee, comment on your comment cards and write to the cruise company.

 

And, yes, sadly cash is probably the best gift you can give someone that you don't know well (although Office Depot and book store gift certificates work well for teachers!) :-)

[halos]

It's not trash if yours is the only one the cabin steward recieves. There is only one door to their cabin (that they share with 2 or 3 other crew members).

 

actually, I need to change this.

It is possibly useful or appreciated if yours is the only one they recieve BUT a used door thing is trash. If the steward didn't ask for it, leaving your used items is leaving trash. If he/she did ask for it, I do like that recycle term.

 

 

 

 

-- I've gotten literally hundreds of, and, yes, they either go in the garbage or to Goodwill. :-)

 

and I wager that people will read this and still not get it.

[Karson]

thank you, exactly

[Karson]

whatever

[Perfect Stranger]

WhansaMi, you probably discuss this with other teachers and they share the same sentiment. Perhaps a printed notice could be handed out politely stating, "We appreciate the thought but please, no gifts". :confused:

[LemurCat]

WhansaMi, you probably discuss this with other teachers and they share the same sentiment. Perhaps a printed notice could be handed out politely stating, "We appreciate the thought but please, no gifts". :confused:

 

What's the old saying? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? I'd never happen.

[WhansaMi]

whatever

 

If you are replying directly to someone's post, it is helpful to quote them, so that the reader knows which statement you are replying to.

 

Just hit the "Quote" button in the lower right side of the box their statement is in, and their post will come up in a reply box, where you can add to it.

[Karson]

am sticking with roll calls only, learned my lesson

[WhansaMi]

WhansaMi, you probably discuss this with other teachers and they share the same sentiment. Perhaps a printed notice could be handed out politely stating, "We appreciate the thought but please, no gifts". :confused:

 

Many (most?) feel this way, but our principal would never allow it. It would seem rude to him.

 

I *do* tell the kids, verbally, that I don't really want them to get me gifts (although, I do not phrase it as I have here). I have told them, on occasion, if they ask what I want for Christmas, specific things for the classroom that I end up buying out of my pocket -- dry erase markers for the white boards the kids use, colored sticky notes for games and activities, new rulers. My best gift ever came when I taught 4th grade and a group of parents bought a class set of a novel I wanted the class to read. :-)

 

But, most of the time, the parents seem to make up their minds without consulting the kids, or the kids don't remember. I envision them going to Costco, seeing a 6-pack of Christmas ornaments and saying "I need to get something for Johnny's teachers. This will work. Take them out, put them in a gift bag, with a couple of pieces of candy, and we're done."

 

<sigh>

 

Seriously, folks... I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I'd rather have a packet of bright green sticky notes.

[Perfect Stranger]

Clearly understood. I'm a practical person as well. :p

[98Charlie]

Many (most?) feel this way, but our principal would never allow it. It would seem rude to him.

 

I *do* tell the kids, verbally, that I don't really want them to get me gifts (although, I do not phrase it as I have here). I have told them, on occasion, if they ask what I want for Christmas, specific things for the classroom that I end up buying out of my pocket -- dry erase markers for the white boards the kids use, colored sticky notes for games and activities, new rulers. My best gift ever came when I taught 4th grade and a group of parents bought a class set of a novel I wanted the class to read. :-)

 

But, most of the time, the parents seem to make up their minds without consulting the kids, or the kids don't remember. I envision them going to Costco, seeing a 6-pack of Christmas ornaments and saying "I need to get something for Johnny's teachers. This will work. Take them out, put them in a gift bag, with a couple of pieces of candy, and we're done."

 

<sigh>

 

Seriously, folks... I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I'd rather have a packet of bright green sticky notes.

 

I've raised 3 children and am now helping my children raise their children.

 

Through the years I've tried to teach the younger generations that a gift from the heart and hands is much better than a gift purchased in the store.

 

My children and my grandchildren spend their summer helping to plant, water and nurture flowers that they can use to make gifts for family members and teachers. They learn how to grow the flowers from seeds, harvest the flowers and then dry or press the flowers to make gifts later in the season.

 

Our little ones have made handmade gift cards from pressed flowers; drawer and closet fresheners using dried flowers and lavendar leaves or cedar chips; small collages using crayons/colored pencils/markers combined with pressed blossoms and handmade soaps with their dried flowers embedded in the soaps.

 

Motto at our house is that a gift to a teacher should be handmade from the heart and something that is actually useful in everyday life.

 

I'm always amazed at how creative the children are as they handcraft their small gifts from things they find around our house or out in our yard.

 

The look on their tiny faces as they craft their small gifts from nature is priceless as they work to make sure their handmade gift is something worthy of a teacher's approval.

 

No store purchased gifts for teachers from our house.

 

Dianne

[fllady61]

We always bring some thank you cards that are local to where we are from (pictures of our location, or made locally), and then tuck tips inside them for the staff we feel went above and beyond the auto-tips. It's a little more personal than the Carnival envelopes, but they can still throw them out after reading.

Great idea. i like this. sounds better than candy, although they did appriceate the little gift bags of money and candy.

[fllady61]

You all are saying tip the bar waiter, steward, waiter, asst waiter, and camp carnival and kids clubs crew but what about that special photographer that goes out of his way to talk to you or keep you company while waiting on the rest of your family.

 

Or just someone who made your day or week special. even if it was the captain. Or someone at the pursers desk. The people you don't really have contact with each day.

 

I don't tip the matradee(sp) because on all my cruises, i have only seen 1 an that was just for a brief moment. He/she has NEVER walked to out table and spoke to us. the one I did tip was because she gave me some sugar free recipes.

 

the little gift bags with candy and money are great. then the thank you cards at the end of the week for the big thank you.

 

I pre make 6 envelopes with 20$ in them before leaving. I adjust the cash in them according to how the service was.