new towel policy

[AlohaPride]

I remember having the towels in our cabin when we used to sail on Princess. And we haven't sailed on them in quite a few years.

Now I don't know if Princess still does this or if we had a bad cabin steward, but we would leave our wet beach towels on the bathroom and thought they would be replaced. Didn't happen -- cabin would just lay them on the edge of the bath tub to dry out. We used the same towels for the entire week.

 

Eeewwww!!

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

[Robin7]

I believe it was RCI that has a table so you can exchange your dirty towel for a clean one by the gangway so you don't have to drag a sandy one through the ship to your room. I liked that a lot.

 

I imagine they have statistics on the average number of towels lost and/or taken each cruise. I also imagine it impacts their bottom line or they would not have a motivation to put this policy in place.

 

Robin

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is good to know that the dark blue towels will still be around the pool areas -- on most ships I hope.

[cbr663]

Is it that difficult to pick up your towel and carry it back to the ship? Frankly, I don't want to be that person that adds work to someone that has plenty already. I just don't understand how some folks are pretty ok with making others do what they could easily do.

 

Can we reasonably assume from your comments that you are completely self sufficient when you cruise? There is no need whatsoever for you to even avail of a room steward as you are more than capable of making your own bed, tiding your own cabin and cleaning your own bathroom. Dining room waiters bringing you your meal? No way - it is the lido only for you as you are quite capable of serving yourself and you cannot understand having anyone else serve you. No room service either as it is just so much easier for you to go and retrieve the things that you want rather than have someone else bring it to you.

[cruz chic]

Can we reasonably assume from your comments that you are completely self sufficient when you cruise? There is no need whatsoever for you to even avail of a room steward as you are more than capable of making your own bed, tiding your own cabin and cleaning your own bathroom. Dining room waiters bringing you your meal? No way - it is the lido only for you as you are quite capable of serving yourself and you cannot understand having anyone else serve you. No room service either as it is just so much easier for you to go and retrieve the things that you want rather than have someone else bring it to you.

I didn't think my post was difficult to understand but I will try to clarify it for you. Why would you leave a towel on a beach? That is extra work for them. All the things you have listed here is what can be reasonably expected for stewards to do. I'm sorry you are struggling with that concept.

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruz chic

[CowPrincess]

Cruise chic, I agree. Some cruisers really need to get a kindergarten refresher. Basic stuff, like

 

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours

Say "please" and "thank you"

Edited March 13, 2014 by CowPrincess

[Robin7]

Cruise chic, I agree. Some cruisers really need to get a kindergarten refresher. Basic stuff, like

 

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours

Say "please" and "thank you"

 

Oh, how I wish there was a like button!

 

We also hate to make extra work for the crew. I believe having to pick up towels after ill-mannered passengers is 'extra' work. My mama raised me to pick up after myself. I don't believe having to keep track of a towel and not leave it in a heap somewhere is too much to ask of responsible adults.

 

Robin

Edited March 13, 2014 by Robin7

[Gunther1]

I didn't think my post was difficult to understand but I will try to clarify it for you. Why would you leave a towel on a beach? That is extra work for them. All the things you have listed here is what can be reasonably expected for stewards to do. I'm sorry you are struggling with that concept.

 

 

I totally agree with this. IMHO, people that are incapable of picking up their trash/filth/dirty towel/candy wrapper/cigarette butt/whatever and putting it in the nearest designated container for the same item were not trained well by their parents. Yes, the stewart is to clean up your room...that is their job. However, common sense and COURTESY has me trained to pick up after myself for other things. Common sense and courtesy here, folks.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Gunther1

[runnergirl71]

Eeewwww!!

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

 

 

You change out your towels at home every day???

 

On my most recent Disney cruise, I religiously followed the "to use again" instructions, but my cabin steward never paid attention and always gave me new ones. I felt bad about it. As long as it is dry and not muddy, there is no reason a towel cannot be used more than once between launderings.

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

You change out your towels at home every day???

 

On my most recent Disney cruise, I religiously followed the "to use again" instructions, but my cabin steward never paid attention and always gave me new ones. I felt bad about it. As long as it is dry and not muddy, there is no reason a towel cannot be used more than once between launderings.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

AlohaPride was responding to my thread about our having to use the same beach towel for an entire week.

On the particular cruise -- Princess -- just about the last one we did with them -- our first stop was Grand Cayman and we went to a hotel on the beach and the towels had sand on them and we assumed that when we placed them on the bathroom floor we would get new ones -- we didn't.

[doublebzz]

Believe me, I respect and appreciate opposing points of view but some of posts in this thread really have me stomped. It seem clear to me that HAL's change of policy has less to do with modifying people's behavior and more to do with selling over-priced towels and/or reducing the cost of replacing lost or stolen towels. In order words, the policy's objective is to enhance profit. Nothing wrong with this if one understands there is some associated reduction in service whether is needless worry about losing a towel, not having a towel available at the gangway or whatever. So why so many people favor a reduction in service without any corresponding benefit is a mystery to me. Its like being led to the gallows and when the hangman has difficulty putting the noose over your neck, you say: "Can I give you a hand."

[Linda&Vern]

Believe me, I respect and appreciate opposing points of view but some of posts in this thread really have me stomped. It seem clear to me that HAL's change of policy has less to do with modifying people's behavior and more to do with selling over-priced towels and/or reducing the cost of replacing lost or stolen towels. In order words, the policy's objective is to enhance profit. Nothing wrong with this if one understands there is some associated reduction in service whether is needless worry about losing a towel, not having a towel available at the gangway or whatever. So why so many people favor a reduction in service without any corresponding benefit is a mystery to me. Its like being led to the gallows and when the hangman has difficulty putting the noose over your neck, you say: "Can I give you a hand."

So you are saying it is okay to take HAL towels off the ship and leave them on a beach somewhere? Do you feel HAL should have to pay for all those "lost" towels? Your post is difficult to follow - or was that the point?

Edited March 13, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[VermeulT]

This is good to know that the dark blue towels will still be around the pool areas -- on most ships I hope.

Both light and dark blue towels were around the pools on my Eurodam trip last week.

 

Cruise chic, I agree. Some cruisers really need to get a kindergarten refresher. Basic stuff, like

 

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours

Say "please" and "thank you"

 

Thank you.

[Stratheden]

So you are saying it is okay to take HAL towels off the ship and leave them on a beach somewhere? Do you feel HAL should have to pay for all those "lost" towels? Your post is difficult to follow - or was that the point?

 

Thank goodness for your post. I didn't understand it either. :confused:

[doublebzz]

So you are saying it is okay to take HAL towels off the ship and leave them on a beach somewhere? Do you feel HAL should have to pay for all those "lost" towels? Your post is difficult to follow - or was that the point?

 

Of course not. There is a world full of inconsiderate and irresponsible people. So should we make policy based on their fallibility and penalize the majority of us who are considerate and respectful?

[WhansaMi]

Believe me, I respect and appreciate opposing points of view but some of posts in this thread really have me stomped. It seem clear to me that HAL's change of policy has less to do with modifying people's behavior and more to do with selling over-priced towels and/or reducing the cost of replacing lost or stolen towels. In order words, the policy's objective is to enhance profit. Nothing wrong with this if one understands there is some associated reduction in service whether is needless worry about losing a towel, not having a towel available at the gangway or whatever. So why so many people favor a reduction in service without any corresponding benefit is a mystery to me. Its like being led to the gallows and when the hangman has difficulty putting the noose over your neck, you say: "Can I give you a hand."

 

Beyond my belief that, even on a vacation, there is some minimum standard of self-care and responsibility that one should assume, I don't have a problem with HAL reducing the cost of replacing lost towels because in the end the cost of cruises will reflect *all* of the cost of doing business, including the cost of replacement towels. In the end, it will save me, the consumer who doesn't lose her towel, money.

[WhansaMi]

Of course not. There is a world full of inconsiderate and irresponsible people. So should we make policy based on their fallibility and penalize the majority of us who are considerate and respectful?

 

I don't understand how considerate and respectful people are penalized.

 

I was on the Ryndam last month. We took our beach towels out, we brought them back. Our steward exchanged them for clean ones. No big deal. If I had been careless and lost a towel, of course I would expect to pay for it, just as I would expect to have to buy a new one for myself, if I were careless and lost my own, personal, towel.

 

Think of it this way: there are people who never go to the beach or a pool while on a cruise. From their point of view, why should they have to absorb the cost of *any* lost beach towel, when they never even use one?

[Copper10-8]

Of course not. There is a world full of inconsiderate and irresponsible people. So should we make policy based on their fallibility and penalize the majority of us who are considerate and respectful?

 

Who's being penalized? You'll have a beach towel for whoever occupies your cabin. You're not getting charged for it and it's yours to use; it'll be replaced with a clean one upon request when you bring it back used. All that is asked of you is that you bring it back from the beach, the hotel pool, the Bomba Shack in Tortola, Margaritaville, or wherever else you choose to take it, and leave it in your cabin when you disembark at the conclusion of your voyage. HAL is hoping that process cuts back on, as you describe them, "inconsiderate and irresponsible people" who like to line the beaches of the Caribbean islands with those towels instead of bringing them back to the ship. What's wrong with that?

Edited March 13, 2014 by Copper10-8

[RuthC]

It's really very simple: When adults borrow things that belong to others, they either return them in acceptable condition, or they take responsibility and replace them.

It's not complicated.

[Gunther1]

It's really very simple: When adults borrow things that belong to others, they either return them in acceptable condition, or they take responsibility and replace them.

It's not complicated.

 

 

Where is that "like" button

[innlady1]

I do seem to recall that the smaller solid blue towels were available at the pool when we were on the NA. I am not 100% sure though as we don't use the pool, but one night we were at the aft pool and I noticed them all piled there.

 

The striped towel is an additional feature for your cabin. Ours were in our cabin as soon as we entered. You can use the towel anywhere you like and anytime you like. When you want it laundered, just leave it in your tub like you would any other towel and the steward will replace it with a freshly laundered beach towel.

 

The difference is that you are now responsible to ensure that the towels (I use the plural as we had 2 towels being a twosome) are in your cabin upon disembarkation. If not, HAL will charge you the replacement fee for the towel, much like if a robe were to be missing. Of course, you will most likely discover this charge after you are off the ship and back home and good luck disputing the charge then.

 

Yet another billable item that you must keep track of in your cabin.

 

We had the same thing o our recent Noordam cruise. I think it's a great system...we owned a B & B inn for 19 years on Nantucket Island. First year we provided beach towels. With so many things to keep track of with a 14room inn, I didn't check the beach towel status...until mid summer, we were down to zero towels! And we began the season with enough for two per room and more.

 

People weren't taking them home...at least I don't think so. With no responsibility for the towel, they just left them at the beach rather than tote a damp towel back to the inn.

 

From then on, we started charging a small deposit. Never lost another towel after that.

 

My DH and I are adults...so we can certainly take on the responsibility of our towels while on a cruise!

 

So, I applaud HAL's new policy.

Edited March 13, 2014 by innlady1

[doublebzz]

O.K. So nobody's buying the theory that HAL is trying to sell towels along with or instead of trying to modify guest's behavior? There is a larger issue here as well. Some posters have stated that HAL's new towel policy makes it comparable to NCL, RCL and Princess. With the loss of other amenities such as unlimited wine, complimentary expresso, among others, HAL is comparable to the other standard lines. And isn't that a shame? I became a HAL loyalist precisely because HAL was distinctive from other mass market lines.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We had the same thing o our recent Noordam cruise. I think it's a great system...we owned a B & B inn for 19 years on Nantucket Island. First year we provided beach towels. With so many things to keep track of with a 14room inn, I didn't check the beach towel status...until mid summer, we were down to zero towels! And we began the season with enough for two per room and more.

 

People weren't taking them home...at least I don't think so. With no responsibility for the towel, they just left them at the beach rather than tote a damp towel back to the inn.

 

From then on, we started charging a small deposit. Never lost another towel after that.

 

So, I applaud HAL's new policy.

 

 

That was a great idea for your inn.

[Typhoon1]

Nothing really new. Many other cruise lines have been using this practice for years. People ruined it for themselves, they would take a towel at the gangway, but never return it. Attach a fee for non return, and watch them get retuned.

[RuthC]

O.K. So nobody's buying the theory that HAL is trying to sell towels along with or instead of trying to modify guest's behavior?

Nope. HAL is trying to cover a loss. :rolleyes: