Thread: Tips, other than cash??

Has anyone ever given a crew member a tip in a form other than cash? such as souveniers or calling cards, etc?

If so, what did you get them? What was their reaction to it?

Do you think crew members just prefer cash?

I've left booze for them before.

Mike...nice avatar!!! MUCH better!!!!!

I've always left them cash, but not always in USD. This last cruise, we had other currencies and in speaking with our assistant waiter, we know they would spend it in other ports. So we figured out the equivical amounts in USD and used those currencies as part of their tips...we figured we'd get screwed trying to exchange it ourselves anyway!!

Jodi - thats a good idea... i'll have to keep that in mind for my med cruise


Mike - you seriously left booze before? thats great!

I know this isn't a tip for staff, but last Christmas we went to Mexico and brought toys and clothes for underprivelaged kid's. We brought them to a church and had the Priest distribute them.

I have also taken many pan handlers for lunch, rather than just give them cash.....

Thats nice of you Brooke... I think with the panhandlers thats a much better idea to do that than give cash

We didnt really call them tips but on RCI we bought 2 little guitars for our waiter and asst. waiter who sang to us alot, so we thought they would like their gift LOL

Also, when we pack we take new bottles of shampoo, rinse, wrinkle releaser, hair spritz, sometimes we buy pepsi in ports, when we pack up we leave our leftovers for the steward with a note to throw away anything they wont use and keep what they want

We leave ship board tip on and tip extra through out the cruise. My DH likes to tip when extra service has been provided, not at the end eeeks!

CASH!! They really appreciate that being as they have to buy their shampoos, toath paste, soaps, etc.

Forget the calling cards - many of them don't work for all the countries. And besides - nearly every crew member has access to a computer - times have changed. And we have seen a lot of the crew walking around with their own international cell phones!

Two years ago, I brought decks of cards from Houston, and our waiters/steward really liked them. Cards don't take up much room, and they can use them to gamble for more money!

My last cruise, I was told by someone to bring them pins from the different space flights from NASA - another Houston souvenir. She had seen a steward on her South American cruise wear one proudly. I didn't see as much enthusiasm for those, but we were out of Galveston, so they may have already had enough?

I'm thinking of Koozies for my next cruise for the crew, since they will be wintering in San Juan.

We like to give the room steward a $10.00 phone card the first day on.. They really appreciate them.. We got the idea from TADick and after seeing all the crew lined up and on the pay phones in Ft. Lauderdale, I had to agree...

Also, we like to go to the bank a week or so before the cruise and get $15. - $20. dollars worth of Sacajawea dollar coins.. Most have never seen them before and think they're some worthless coin we picked up on some island.. After they check them out, they can't do enough for you.. I gave one to a pool waiter, he said thanks and pocketed it.. He came back a few minutes later with a little table to put between our chaise lounges.. Works for us...

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