Adding Phone Cards to Staff Tips

[KYCruiseCrazy]

Could someone please give me some ideas about where to purchase phone cards to put in the tip envelopes. I just read a post where passengers had included them as a little tip "bonus" and thought it was a wonderful idea. I like the gesture of giving the crew calling cards so they can "phone home". I wish this thought had occured to me on our last cruise. Where are some places to get good international calling cards?

 

[Luv2Dream]

We bought ours at Sam's Club. They came in a pack of 8, I believe. We gave them to our stateroom host, as well as the servers, and some of the kids club counselors.

 

[PhotobearSam]

No Sam's Club here...I hope there are more places to buy them...

Any particular brand recommendations? We get ours to use on the trip at Walmart here in Canada. They say AT&T on them...Would these do?

What is a good amount of minutes to give?

 

[Luv2Dream]

They were A T & T phone cards but they did say you could use them International as well. Each card was 120 minutes. I've also heard that they enjoy receiving Wal Mart certificates since they have to purchase personal items for themselves when in Port. If you can't do the phone cards, maybe you could use those.

 

[WDWLVR]

We buy ours at Wal-Mart. Be sure they say they can be used for international calling. Also there is usually a chart on the back that shows the minutes they will get for an internation call (which is well below what the US minutes listed on the front of the card are).

They were a big, big hit with our serving team last year. They couldn't stop thanking us Saturday morning.

 

[Miss Kelly]

I would like to do this too. How much were the phone cards? Thanks!

 

[jgalecpa]

Sams Club charges 3.47/minute for all their cards.

They can also be bought online at samsclub.com

A 7 pack of 120 minute cards costs about 29.50


Jim

 

[scrapperjill]

We get ours at Costco...which is sort of like Sams Club (I think)...but if they don't have one in your area you can alway order them on line..at costco.com....and maybe at Sams Club (not sure about that..we don't have one of those.

I also read a post that the CM enjoy GC to places like Wal Mart. It was a post a month or so ago from a CM parent. Which the poster made a good point in the fact that if you have left over gift cards you can still use them your self....where if you get a pack of international phone cards...how much use will you get out of them if you don't find 8 or so CM to hand them out to.?. Not that it would be any problem finding enough wonderful people to give them to...but hey maybe your children will hate the kids clubs and not want to stay there, or for some reason your room stewart dosen't quite do what you expect...just some what if's...

 

[invaderzim]

We got ours at Walgreens. Usually buy International cards for 120 minutes -- and some for 60 depending on the level of server/assistant/crew member we are giving them to. They are great thank yous to the people working in the kid's clubs.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

thanks for all the replys everyone. i know a few DCL CM's that will be happy on our next cruise

 

[Luv2Dream]

The way I look at it if I don't want to give out all the phone cards, I'll keep them for myself. I always use phone cards when vacationing. It certainly saves on the cell phone bill. And I could always use it at home as well. Saves on my home phone long distance bill.

 

[CM_Mom]

We found out our stateroom host had a cell phone so we gave extra cash instead of a phone card. The stateroom hosts almost never get off the ship in Port Canaveral so WalMart gift cards are difficult for them to use.

The CMs in the Club/Lab do have time off in Port Canaveral so WalMart gift cards are great for them to use for personal items.

We didn't find out specifically about our servers so they got phone cards and rave reviews.

I gave out all the phone cards I took since I have Cingular nationwide service and never use anything but my cell for long distance.

Totally off the wall, we had senior recognition at church today and it occured to me that phone cards and Wal Mart gift cards would make great graduation gifts also.