Suggestion for Taking on Board!

[clconnell]

One of the best things I read in a thread was the suggestion to take "treats" for CMs with you on the ship. I took several boxes of 12 packages of oreos and nutterbutters, gum, and other candy in my suitcase to hand out to CMs as a THANK YOU for taking such good care of us. I can not tell you the way their faces would just light up when my kids handed one to them! And my kids LOVED doing it! If you think about it, the CMs have very limited access to stores while on board other than having to pay the high prices on the ship. So this would literally just make their day. We took a different treat with us each day to dinner for our servers and same for our room attendant, but some of the most fun was giving it to the CMs working the buffet, handing out the hand wipes as you entered the dining room, giving it to the person busing your table up by the pool or making your pizza in the hot sun, or the CMs cleaning the restroom as you entered or exited. It was seriously such a blessing to our family to watch how we brightened someone's day and something that is SO simple to do! Just wanted to pass along in hopes that more would do the same

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Just warning you, this thread may get ugly. While many like the idea of something like that, there is a very vocal and sometimes rude minority that believes anything but cash is an insult/worthless to the cast member.

 

[thumpie's mom]

I think that is a great idea! We did not realize that they could accept food gifts. Thank you for the information!

 

[Krissy22222]

We like to take a big bag of assorted wrapped candy to the club/lab/edge staffers, they seem to enjoy it. One tip i learned from a CM on disboards is to always include a note so the recipient won't be questioned about the gift, so I always write something like "thank you staff of Edge for making our cruise great, from the so and so family" and attach it to the bag.

 

[AtticusandArella]

We took the phone cards with us on our last cruise. They sure appreciated since they are on the ship months at time.

 

[FLpixie]

I think that is a great idea! We did not realize that they could accept food gifts. Thank you for the information!

Has to be prepackaged food though - no homemade gifts.

We have also done various granola bars and our room steward loved them. A lot of people tend to give candy/sweets but the CMs don't have much option for "healthier" snacks.

 

[clconnell]

Just warning you, this thread may get ugly. While many like the idea of something like that, there is a very vocal and sometimes rude minority that believes anything but cash is an insult/worthless to the cast member.

We did tip of course still tip everyone we were supposed to above the recommended. This was just a different way of thanking them. No one we gave it to appeared to be insulted, just extremely surprised and grateful

 

[clconnell]

We like to take a big bag of assorted wrapped candy to the club/lab/edge staffers, they seem to enjoy it. One tip i learned from a CM on disboards is to always include a note so the recipient won't be questioned about the gift, so I always write something like "thank you staff of Edge for making our cruise great, from the so and so family" and attach it to the bag.

Good point. I printed address labels and attached to each package that just said Thank you! ~ Our Names

 

[clconnell]

Has to be prepackaged food though - no homemade gifts.

We have also done various granola bars and our room steward loved them. A lot of people tend to give candy/sweets but the CMs don't have much option for "healthier" snacks.

Yes nothing homemade and the only non sweet option I had was gum so next time I will add in a non candy option. Good advice!

 

[RedSox68]

Just warning you, this thread may get ugly. While many like the idea of something like that, there is a very vocal and sometimes rude minority that believes anything but cash is an insult/worthless to the cast member.

How sad people feel that way. We always bring treats -- salt water taffy from Atlantic City, Pepperidge Farm cookies, granola bars, candy bite size chocolates, etc. (The most popular so far has been the cookies and Peppermint patties). We have even made up goodie bags to hand out full of each item. We have never lessened their tips because of the treats. The treats are in addition to the gratuities, but the responses we have gotten over 10 cruises have been invaluable. Well worth the extra room they took in the suitcases!

Last trip on the Carnival we had such an amazing bartender that at the end of the cruise we gave him extra tip plus a whole box of Oreo cookies. Oh my gosh, you would have thought we had given him gold. He couldn't wait to share them with his roommate. It's those little things......

 

[bumbershoot]

While many like the idea of something like that, there is a very vocal and sometimes rude minority that believes anything but cash is an insult/worthless to the cast member.

I think that people are generally just pointing out that there might be something a CM might appreciate MORE than American junk food.

And, of course employees are going to be delighted with an extra gift. Or pretend to be. They are reliant on tips for their livelihood; they aren't going to act glum about it and maybe ruin their chances for something that might pay their rent back home.

 

[RedSox68]

I think that people are generally just pointing out that there might be something a CM might appreciate MORE than American junk food.

And, of course employees are going to be delighted with an extra gift. Or pretend to be. They are reliant on tips for their livelihood; they aren't going to act glum about it and maybe ruin their chances for something that might pay their rent back home.

We have been told more than once, by employees on more than one cruise line, that they crave American treats -- they don't get the same kind of treats available to them that passengers do and they love extra goodies.

We have also given those sailing out of PC gift cards to the mall they use the most (can't remember the name -- it was years ago) and international calling cards.

 

[darnheather]

As kids CMs are not listed on the tip list I did not realize that they relied on tips the same way other CMs do. Don't they get paid at different rates? One thing the CMs in vibe mentioned was that they don't get a lot of fresh fruit. However, that isn't something you can take on the ship to give them.

 

[Shelley Chiarats]

One thought that I had regarding the food gifts vs the money gifts. If they are saving and sending as much money as possible back home then they may feel that any tips given should also be sent home. But a food goodie is more a present than a tip and would need to be enjoyed sooner rather than later. Thus it would not really be a candidate for sending back home and they could enjoy it themselves without feeling guilty about taking something away from their family.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As kids CMs are not listed on the tip list I did not realize that they relied on tips the same way other CMs do. Don't they get paid at different rates? One thing the CMs in vibe mentioned was that they don't get a lot of fresh fruit. However, that isn't something you can take on the ship to give them.

Kid's club CMs are not a tippable position. They are paid a standard wage. Although stuff like current magazines, candy, and such are good as anything that is left for them is shared.

If you tip them in cash, they are required to pool it for a kid's club CM party.

 

[darnheather]

Kid's club CMs are not a tippable position. They are paid a standard wage. Although stuff like current magazines, candy, and such are good as anything that is left for them is shared.

If you tip them in cash, they are required to pool it for a kid's club CM party.

Good to know I didn't dis them. I will remember to take magazines and such next time.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Good to know I didn't dis them. I will remember to take magazines and such next time.

Last night of our cruise, I sent DS up to Edge with current magazines DH and I were finished with. He said he thought the CM was going to cry she was so happy.