Cabin Steward gifts

My wife and I thought we'd give them something from where we're from. A local key chain with a city name on it, or some other little trinket that they can't get anywhere near the coast. It doesn't have to be expensive, just interesting or regional I suppose.

When we sailed through the Panama Canal on a 23 day cruise, Our cabin steward became quite familiar with our needs, and serviced them accordingly, and well beyond the usual scope. We tipped him very well at the start and at the midway point of the cruise. We discovered that he had put 3 daughters through university and had the last one starting that year. On the last day we gave him our emergency cash fund, close to $400.00 U.S with the stipulation it goes for the books the girl will need to start the school year. What the biggest surprise was when three months later we received a letter from the daughter with a picture of her and a stack of books.

update, she has completed her pre med degree and is now studying in the US somewhere.

Sometimes it just feels good to do something like this.

No problem whatsoever.....sometimes its hard to discern exactly what a poster is trying to opine. I'm probably guilty of it too..Folks can do as they please onboard...many times I find others actions vulgar, or tacky, as my wife said. I've learned to try and "not see" some of the stuff that goes on. It ruins the very reason we (and others) cruise to begin with. Unfortunately, it can be darn near impossible to "unsee" something. FWIW,, what folks do re tipping is their business...up to and including lining up at the end to have it removed...not necessarily because something happened, but because they're cheap, or learned they can.....

A camera. It was a fisheye lens camera from Lomography and I didn’t really like it. He had seen it and expressed interest so I left it for him.

I am not saying I think it's vulgar - I absolutely do not - but offered an option for those who do consider putting cash in someone's hand as vulgar or tacky (another term someone used in this thread).

End goal is the same - give extra money to awesome people providing excellent service.

So how exactly does that work? Do you purchase the item prior to leaving home? Or do you buy them when on a port call? If it's the former, I don't have room in my carry-on suitcase as it is, and less if I have to add a "swag bag".

It might be a nice gesture, but I too think that cash is not only acceptable, but also very much appreciated. They can use it to buy toothpaste and other sundries of their own preference.

We also tip extra as seems appropriate. We have started including a hand written note to the individual for service above and beyond that they can show to their supervisor. It can help with an extra hour off.

"VULGAR"??? are you kidding? why should i care what anybody thinks on board? thousands of people I'll never see again? and even if I did, so what? Unless its physically difficult, I put it in their hands and look em in the eye doing it...I get thanks and smiles every time. EVERY TIME...bartenders, stewards, all of em...tell you what, sometimes we see the same folks at other tables during a cruise, and I know they see it happen...next meal, the wait staff stops by our table more often to inquire how we're doing, and sometimes we get courses faster...and no, its not my imagination either...what you need to do is try to make sure you're getting the same staff every night. Some folks wait till the end..I'd rather not...At least the folks who are doing the work are getting my $$...the ones I can meet that is...

Put cash on an envelope (you can get them from Guest Srvc) and write cabin stewards names on it - leave it on the room desk at checkout, on their cart in the hallway (just be sure they're nearby) or hand it to them. They will appreciate it and it's your guarantee they get all of it rather than it being diluted as part of the "pool."

You can do the same for MDR staff and anyone else on the ship you want to tip but don't want to be "vulgar" by putting bills directly into their hands. :)

Wife and i are having an interesting discussion about this..she thinks its tacky..probably because of how an American might react to getting toothpaste or toiletries and such..as opposed to someone from somewhere else..like the Pines or India...then she says, they're now going to do LESS for paying passengers, and you want to give them MORE? Don't get us wrong, we tip, we thought rather generously, over the years...REGULAR bar staff (once we settle in), REGULAR wait staff (same rules) and of course, the STEWARD, and whomever brings us our AM coffee+...(and dare I forget the baggage handlers)...can't remember the last time I added anything to one of those chits...thats what the % "built in" is for. ....interesting thought GIL...be curious meself re what others think of it...

Just a reminder to anyone who happens to read this..you add something to the tip line on those chits, that person who you think deserves it DOESN'T get it..it gets added to the pool. That human you think is worth "something extra" for services rendered? Put CASH in their hand, no matter what the cruiselines say about not needing it onboard.