The Importance of a Full Ice Bucket

[SWLinPHX]

Definitely need my ice! People forget it serves two purposes: keeping things cold and/or for use in drinks (and maybe soothing a nasty bruise).

[B-52]

You can bring your ice bucket to a bar and they'll fill it for you. Or you can get one of the white plastic buckets, which hold quite a lot more ice. I've never gotten attitude from a bartender when I've asked for ice. Perhaps they see the dollar in my hand.:)

 

Radiance class ships have ice machines in the Windjammer, toward the outdoor seating area. Radiance herself has (or did in November, anyway) iced tea, lemonade and OJ available there, too.

 

If we have white wine or champagne in our cabin we like to keep it chilled, which mini-fridge won't do on most ships, so I prefer to have ice at all times.

 

 

After being out on a all day excursion, etc, I want to relax in my stateroom and/or balcony with a cold drink.

I don't feel I should have to go looking all over the ship for ice. Wouldn't be that big of deal if they had fridges that worked. Takes 24hrs for anything to get close to cool in one of those.

 

I wonder if there is a correlation with those who don't need ice and those who are never in their staterooms??

[SWLinPHX]

I completely agree critterchick. You know what it reminds me of? Las Vegas buffets, where you can stuff your face with plates and plates of food, but you may choke waiting for a server to refill your water or beverage, or realize you have to "ask" for napkins. I just feel comfortable doing some things myself if and when I need it, not when I can "find" someone or flag them down.

[graciepuppy]

I make 2 requests of my room steward on the first day of the cruise. Remove all items from my fridge and I want the ice bucket full at all times of the day. I give 'em a twenty at this time and if my requests are fulfilled, another twenty at the end on top of the normal gratuity.

 

Just got off the Majesty where we had the BEST cabin attendant ever. I buy the wine package and bring bottles back to the cabin. We enjoy a drink on the balcony before dinner. Teddy kept my ice bucket and a wine bucket full of ice in the fridge. For the first time on any cruise (even with the $20 tip at the beginning to keep the ice bucket full) we always had ice! Thanks Teddy!!!

 

Barb

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

I don't need an ice bucket if there is a fridge in the room. Not sure why they even put one in the room if there is a fridge there.

[FLACRUISER99]

I also insist that the ice bucket be filled twice a day.

[jackretired]

I want mine to be full every time I come back to my cabin.

One cruise that happened (after I madse a comment). She was rewarded. Next cruise we told that story to our cabin attendant. He was also rewarded. But on our last cruise we were informed ice buckets are only filled once per day at night. I requested more. It seams at great pains I could get once in am and once in pm but never FULL. No special reward was given.

[sailawayjack]

I see comments pretty regularly about keeping the ice bucket full being a main concern some folks have with their cabin stewards. I don't think I've ever used ice from an ice bucket in my cabin. Just curious what the results of one of these non-scientific poll threads on ice-buckets would be. Feel free to share any comments, as well. :)

 

:cool:The only request that I ever make in my cabin is please keep my ice bucket full at all times. I pay extra for this service

[Never2Late2Cruise]

Originally Posted by East Bay Skiers

That's about my only request for our steward as well! I drink lots of water and I like it very cold!

 

same with us!!:)

 

We too like a TALL glass of cold water and are fine drinking the ships water.

There has always been ice in the bucket in our room.

 

We have found that the small cabin glasses, fumbling with bent ice tongs and running

back and forth to the faucet to fill the glass leaves alot to be desired.

 

We found the solution- We asked the cabin stewart to get us a thermal coffee carafe

and keep it ALSO filled with ice. Upon returning to the room we add water and now have

cold water on demand.

Each time he refilled the ice bucket, he dumped the old ice in the carafe and refilled it too.

[GCurry]

As Texans, we enjoy ice in our drinks, always have always will, even those living North of Amarillo enjoy their iced tea, and I know that from experience.:)

 

Ice is sometimes a problem on a cruise as a lot of people here have discussed at length. Work shifts have been the major problem we've found. When you want that cocktail in your cabin at 5 and your room steward doesn't come on duty until 5:30 or later, then there's a problem. By your postings, perhaps I've not been contributing enough "Mordida" to ensure good ice service?

 

I recognize that there are some cultures that don't feel the need for chilled drinks as their climate might provide that for them, and I understand.

There was, however, that gay hotel in Oslo, but that's another story.:D

[jorapp]

Since all our cruises will probably be Caribbean until DH retires, we must have ice in the cabin to cool drinks and fill water bottles for excursions. It also is a "reserve" water source in case infrastructure fails....doncha know.

[dunblane.andersons]

I've never used the ice....I wish they would just get rid of the bucket. I really don't need it there, and it just takes up space.

 

On IOS last summer, we decided we didn't need ice so we spoke to our cabin attendant and told him we didn't need it refilled it every day. We hoped by doing so we would reduce some of the tasks he had to do during the day. We knew if we needed some we could always ask.

[SWLinPHX]

I recognize that there are some cultures that don't feel the need for chilled drinks as their climate might provide that for them, and I understand

 

Boy, you got that right! In Europe practically no drinks come with ice and if you ask for it, they bring out tongs and carefully drop one ice cube into your drink. You'd think you were asking for "ice" as in diamonds or something! :rolleyes:

[Pita K.]

I rarely use it and don't usually use ice at home except for a very hot summer day.

[SWLinPHX]

I rarely use it and don't usually use ice at home except for a very hot summer day.

 

My point is that in American culture it is everywhere and common practice, regardless of your personal preference. All self-serve drinks come with a self-service ice machine built in or else pre-filled with ice at restaurants (often too much). It is the opposite overseas.

[sjcruiser]

We hardly use the ice in the bucket, unless its late at night, and want something cold to drink. Our last cruise, we put some sodas/water in the fridge, and the temp. was ok for us. We're thinking of doing the same, this cruise, and will take a larger portable cup or mug, so we'll require ice more this time around.