Wash windows on ships?

[Juanita462]

Has anyone else noticed a lack of window washing on cruise ships recently?

On our Hawaii cruise the windows were not washed at the Vancouver pier -a first in our experience - nor were they washed at any port in Hawaii - so we had 10 days at sea with very dirty windows and the whole 17 days with no window washing.

It seemed pointless to have an oceanview cabin - except for the light - and sitting in the lounges looking out through dirty windows was not great.

Am hoping that this was just a one time thing.

[geocruiser]

Hi,

We were on Niew Ansterdam 1/23/11 to 1/30/11. We were in cabin 4094 OV. Our windows were washed twice that I know of. They were washed with a hose in the early morining hours before 5AM in the dark. I know because the man with the hose woke me up twice. I looked out and saw him.

Maria

[cb at sea]

On the ocean (or near it!) windows do get a salt-film quickly! It IS frustrating to look thru dirty windows!

[cruisin'mama]

I just got off the Oosterdam and the plexi-glass balcony was dirty when we boarded and only got dirtier as the cruise progressed. If they didn't clean it before the next passengers boarded, it would be very difficult to see out!

[sail7seas]

I wonder if there aren't stricter environmental controls on what ship maintenance can be done in which ports. Just about nothing is permitted in Alaska. Ship painting and window washing may well be limited/banned in some ports so what can they do?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- we have also noticed the last couple of years that there are many dirty windows on the various ships that we have sailed on -- including our verandah.

[CtheW0rld]

i've had very dirt windows, too.

[the2ofus]

I wonder if there aren't stricter environmental controls on what ship maintenance can be done in which ports. Just about nothing is permitted in Alaska. Ship painting and window washing may well be limited/banned in some ports so what can they do?


I think I remember reading about this on Captain Albert's weblog.

[Linda&Vern]

I wonder if there aren't stricter environmental controls on what ship maintenance can be done in which ports. Just about nothing is permitted in Alaska. Ship painting and window washing may well be limited/banned in some ports so what can they do?
I think you are right Sail. Someone wrote about this a few weeks ago. It might have been DBA. I'll try to find it later.

[Linda&Vern]

Found it ... this was from DBA a few weeks ago:

"There are MANY ports where even just being on the side of the ship in the window washing gear and intending to use ONLY WATER is not permitted. Some ports don't mind, some are very strict and some even moreso... Maintenance is certainly done wherever it's allowed (and obviously sea days aren't really an option :) ) "

[kazu]

yup, port rules are part of the problem & although we did see our windows being washed (and verandah), the salt accumulates quickly and can make it appear as if it were never done.

[apollobeach]

We sailed from San Diego to Hawaii on The Zaandam - even from the terminal we could see the windows were really filthy; they were never cleaned before or during the voyage. By the time we got back we couldn't see very much out of the windows at all.

Carnival does their windows at least once on their cruises; we've been on several, and that seems to be the pattern.

John/Rick
:p

[Ocean Dancer]

was on the mercury in nov, and they had automatic window washers daily, very cool, this contraption slid by while spraying the windows............she is an old ship too, don't know if this is across the board on celebrity.

[Crazy Gramps]

WOW
I've been vindicated.

I complained about the windows a few weeks ago and got trashed.

The windows in the public rooms on my last cruise were disgusting.
Gray, streaking, dripping, masses of translucent plastic. You couldn't see anything outside clearly.

There are enviormentally safe cleaners that can be used worldwide. So what's the problem. I spent the majority of my career in skyscrapers. I've never seen windows that dirty , EVER.

I never even saw a crewman even take a hose with plain water to rinse off the windows.

Just another reasom my next cruise is my last.

Gramps

[vbmom87]

Our first cruise was from Vancouver to Alaska on the Volendam in 2008. We were on the lowest deck, and our windows were filthy from day one and stayed that way the entire cruise. I wouldn't have thought much of it, expect my sister and BIL were also on this cruise. They had been on many cruises (all caribbean) and said these were the dirtiest windows they ever had.

[Juanita462]

Thanks for all the replies - I can't help wondering why we should pay extra for an oceanview cabin if we can't even see out the windows.

The windows were extremely dirty when we got on the ship and were not cleaned once - so it wasn't just that it was done but they salted up fast. Have never seen the windows washed other than with plain water and brushes.

We were on the Prinsendam before that and their windows sparkled and were cleaned regularly as needed. I think the Med ports would be just as fussy as ports in our part of the world.

have written to headquarters about this and am waiting to see what their explanation is for the lack of window washing.

[Wilbo]

Capt. Albert's blog should return in March.
Prior to his current leave, he explained the frustrations of the Capt. and his first mate regarding washing and painting a ship in many ports.
He stated ports are becoming stricter regarding contamination.
The fines are extremely high.
Don't be hard on HA regarding washing windows. They can only do what they are permitted to do in port. The harbor master has more power than the pope.

[iamirish]

I just got the Zaandam on 1/23/11 - an 11-day to the Mexican Riviera - my table mates were on the previous cruise (a 10-day to the Sea of Cortez) and they told me that the windows were not cleaned once during that time. I know in PV that some of the windows were "sorta" cleaned, but that was it.

Since there is walk-way around the Crowe's Nest - there is no reason a crew person could not have taken some Windex and some towels and at least cleaned those windows every day we were in port.

Just my thoughts!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am tempted to take a squeewgy (?) to clean our vernadah plexiglass -- they have really been bad the last few cruises.

[Juanita462]

Reply from headquarters re window washing

"This should not be the case in your up coming cruise. The staff work hard to do their very best to keep the windows clean and will wash them
in various ports"

I would have preferred "will not" rather than "should not"

70 days is a long time to look through dirty windows.

[Copper10-8]

.................................
Since there is walk-way around the Crowe's Nest - there is no reason a crew person could not have taken some Windex and some towels and at least cleaned those windows every day we were in port.

Just my thoughts!!

A walk-way around the Crow's Nest, eh? Now, that's interesting! Where would that be at and how would one get there?:cool:

[wander]

Juanita462
For your 70 day cruise it will really depend on what part(s) of the world you are traveling in. For example many (Most?) US ports forbid such window and hull washing. In West Africa ports cleanings were done. In Europe - it varied on my last trip there 2 years ago. It was not a ship decision but local laws/regulations. On several longer cruises the Captain or other officer has explained this at their interview sessions held on longer cruises.

[erewhon]

Today (Saturday)in Lyttelton, the Volendam appears to having windows washed, a few minutes ago someone working above the lifeboats probably about the library area.

Our windows were cleaned on the Volendam, on our Trans Pacific cruise, on the morning of the day we arrived at Nawiliwili. Am sure they were cleaned again before reaching Auckland.
Another day when in a port the windows of the officers rooms on Navigation deck were washed, the window cleaners were wearing safety harness.

The balcony glass was washed when we arrived at Auckland, the staff doing the cleaning opened the balcony dividers to work along the ship.

[Down-Unders]

[quote=sail7seas;27789283]I wonder if there aren't stricter environmental controls on what ship maintenance can be done in which ports. Just about nothing is permitted in Alaska. Ship painting and window washing may well be limited/banned in some ports so what can they do?


[/quot

Lack of staff and cost cutting I believe are the reasons.

[Down-Unders]

I just got the Zaandam on 1/23/11 - an 11-day to the Mexican Riviera - my table mates were on the previous cruise (a 10-day to the Sea of Cortez) and they told me that the windows were not cleaned once during that time. I know in PV that some of the windows were "sorta" cleaned, but that was it.

Since there is walk-way around the Crowe's Nest - there is no reason a crew person could not have taken some Windex and some towels and at least cleaned those windows every day we were in port.

Just my thoughts!!


Cant believe there are still filthy windows on this ship, we spent 21 days on the Zaandam last April and I spent some time with an Officer pointing out windows that were a disgrace, in his words " they were no Signature of Excellence ".

Nothing more nothing less this is staff cuts and penny pinching at it's worst.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[cruisun]

It is very rare that the windows or veranda railings are cleaned anymore. On the 1/6/11 Noordam ten day the balconies were dirty on embarkation and remained that way on disembarkation. On the 1/16/11 Nieuw Amsterdam I asked my cabin steward and he hosed down evertyhing and cleaned windows and railing. I remember just two years ago when this was done often. I did notices MSC and Celebrity ships railings being cleaned in several ports.

[cruisinjudy]

They cleaned our balcony areas one day in port on our Circle Hawaii and South Pacific cruise last month. I am not sure what they did as we were ashore, but the plexiglass was very dirty by the end of the cruise.