I am going on a cruise in July. What is something that crew members mike to have as a thank you gift that was not cash? My only experience cruising is once just over 10 years ago. I found that the room stewards worked really hard, and I would like to thank them somehow. I plan on tipping extra at the end of my cruise to the room stewards, I just wanted to find a neat way to say thanks at the beginning.

>>What is something that crew members mike to have as a thank you gift that was not cash?<<

Why not cash?

They are on a ship . . . they don't have room for tchotchkes . . .

Forget "stuff." Just more for you to carry and what do they do with it?

People who work in the service industry, particularly those who live and work far from home and do so to provide for their families, really do appreciate and need the money more than gifts. Gifts of school supplies are appropriate if you are visiting a school, but tips in cash are what cruise ship crew really need. My dad used to carry $2 bills because he liked to give out something special. For a while he also carried $1 coins. While he considered those "gifts", they were also legal tender.

Actually for the crew the best thing is cash as Doug has noted. Yes they are working very far from home because they cant get work wherever they live to support their families. For them money is the best gift.

Cash.. it may be more fun for you to bring gifts.. but if you want to give them something they really want and can use.. its cash. So.. you decide.. you want them to feel good or do you want to feel good..

Do folks just simply hand out the cash? On our last cruise, I brought along notecards and wrote a short thank you note to each of the staff we were tipping and enclosed the cash. On our first cruise, I went to the front desk and got envelopes.

I usually get envelopes from the pursers desk, put some money in it and say we prepay tips but want to give something extra. We do this the day we leave or the day before.

Giving cash can help them financially. Think of that.

What's wrong with cash? We tip the cabin steward cash at the beginning of the cruise and outline our expectation. At the end of the cruise, if the expectations are met, we tip extra on top. Our expectation is modest: fresh ice daily, bath robes, extra towels, cabin cleaned while we are away for breakfast and our morning stroll (Usually they have at least 2 to 3 hours time frame for that and we place our card on the door so they know when we are out).

Write a note complimenting their service to go in their personnel file.

That is a BIG YES, especially if it is true, but you are doing it at the end of the cruise. The OP was looking for something to give to the crew at the start of the cruise so the written compliment may not work in this instance.

Hi w,
Even if you were visiting a statly country home, you would give the staff cash.

Hostess gifts are for the hostess.

Give cash! Years ago I read on Cruise Critic the importance of giving cash instead of a gift by someone who worked on the ship.

Weirdone posted and hasn't been back in the building since. A one-post wonder who's cruise was last month