Los Cabos whats up having to pay for bathroom?

[hm9912]

For those complaining about having to pay for clean toilets here are some photos of a few free ones that we encountered on our trip to Russia.

 

 

 

 

Howard

[MakeItCount]

This is very common in countries where typically at least two of three elements are present, so it shouldn’t be surprising. It could be all three, but the requirement of paying for the use of restrooms typically occurs when:

 

1) Resources are scarce (could be money, infrastructure, physical space, etc) and/or things must be retrofitted at great expense to install plumbing

2) Poverty is plentiful.

3) The local or national government has a bent toward socialism as its governing influence.

 

Again all 3 may not be present, but at least one, and most normally 2 of those elements are at work, with a dose of supply and demand, and voila, you pay for the toilet.

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 12, 2018 by MakeItCount

[InTheSticks]

Last September, it cost us $1.80 to use the bathroom at a park in Iceland. If you gotta go, you gotta pay!

 

 

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[LondonTowner]

InTheSticks

 

Iceland is particularly expensive, but there are free toilets in coffee shops and restaurants.

 

 

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[LondonTowner]

Agree. Some "travel challenged" people offering inane comments.

 

Note that in the US today you find many signs stating that restrooms are for customers only...

 

In most of these countries the money goes to the attendants and is their only income.

 

If you don't like it, please say home, inside and away from the public. The US has enough international embarrassment coming out of the White House.

I agree with your comments.

 

God forbid some of these people ever go to India where you get a dirty hole in the ground and just a jug of water.

 

Not everywhere in the world is the same as in your home country. I thought travel was supposed to broaden the mind, but obviously doesn't work for everybody.

[moosenaroundtheship]

You obviously have not been to many places in the world. There are many countries where paying to use the loo is the norm and not the exception.

 

DON

You are missing what I said. I have been all over the world, so do tell me what I have or have not done. I even mentioned that I have in fact paid for the use of a bathroom before. I brought this up because I have NEVER had to pay to use a bathroom in a cruise port. My question was is Los Cabo's a Princess cruise port or not. I wish people would READ and not just pick out certain things to complain about.

[gooch47]

I was on a bus tour in Bruges some time ago. The tour guide handed out coins in the local currency so we could use the restrooms. I thought that was pretty thoughtful and classy.

[elliair]

You are missing what I said. I have been all over the world, so do tell me what I have or have not done. I even mentioned that I have in fact paid for the use of a bathroom before. I brought this up because I have NEVER had to pay to use a bathroom in a cruise port. My question was is Los Cabo's a Princess cruise port or not. I wish people would READ and not just pick out certain things to complain about.

 

Many cruise lines stop in Cabo San Lucas. I doubt Princess or any other cruise line built the shopping area, but the tourists helped build it by shopping in their stores and eating at their restaurants and bars. One can take a taxi to Wal Mart or Costco and there's no charge for using the bathroom facilities. There's plenty of bars/restaurants on the boardwalk where you can use a restroom. If you've been to these ports many times like I have, you learn quickly where the "free" restrooms are. Most of them are shared by both male and female and bring your own sanitation wipes. Easy peezy.

[PrincessLuver]

This is very common in countries where typically at least two of three elements are present, so it shouldn’t be surprising. It could be all three, but the requirement of paying for the use of restrooms typically occurs when:

 

1) Resources are scarce (could be money, infrastructure, physical space, etc) and/or things must be retrofitted at great expense to install plumbing

2) Poverty is plentiful.

3) The local or national government has a bent toward socialism as its governing influence.

 

Again all 3 may not be present, but at least one, and most normally 2 of those elements are at work, with a dose of supply and demand, and voila, you pay for the toilet.

 

 

 

 

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It may be common in countries where people have to relieve themselves too.....your logic is ridiculous and false.....in many countries private toilets are a business to provide clean restroom facilities....more like capitalism then socialism....:rolleyes:

[rccampbell]

I remember as a child growing up in the Phoenix, AZ area. If you used the restrooms in the Woolworth's, you need either a nickle or a dime to put in the coin slot to get the door to the stall to open.

How do you know if the person wanting your money is actually the restroom monitor/attendant and not just some shake down person looking to make a buck?

[gerelmx]

If you consume you are allowed to use the bathroom, otherwise you will be asked for a fee for maintenance, cleaning, disinfection, etc. If you were the owner of a place in front of the port you would not like many people to use the bathroom for free.

[voljeep]

You may not... So, do you pay the fee, chalk it up, or do you just walk on by and run the risk - whatever that may be - of being detained for questioning for 'theft of services' and then suddenly released as your ship sails without you?

[LondonTowner]

I am finding this thread very eye opening ( and quite amusing).

 

 

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[Thrak]

Question: In Cabo, if there is not a sign with a "set fee" listed (such as $1 USD which seems unlikely since locals won't be carrying that currency) what would be an acceptable amount in Pesos?

 

I'm not "pot stirring" but would like to know what frequent travelers have to say.

[yukongold]

I walked right past the shakedown woman and went to the bathroom, washed my hands and left. They ought to be happy that the ship even stops there now with all the violence going on in Mexico.

 

Same here. I don't think they have any official capacity.

[land lover]

For those complaining about having to pay for clean toilets here are some photos of a few free ones that we encountered on our trip to Russia.

 

 

 

 

Howard

 

How could u stay long enough to take a Photo! Can smell the stench right through my screen... I was in Russia St. Pete's, Moscow and in-between for 3 weeks 10 years ago.....never saw or remember anything like this, where were u traveling? China, yes Twain, India yes....but then thinking about it maybe our bus had a toilet.

[neverbeenhere]

Question: In Cabo, if there is not a sign with a "set fee" listed (such as $1 USD which seems unlikely since locals won't be carrying that currency) what would be an acceptable amount in Pesos?

 

I'm not "pot stirring" but would like to know what frequent travelers have to say.

 

Might I suggest, in Mexican ports that some coinage that you have in your pocket will be a sufficient amount. Be that 25 pesos or whatever combo of pesos and centavos that you have received as change. The good ole' greenback is quite appreciated too. If someone is thinking of bringing their penny and nickel collection from home to dump, this will not be appreciated as much.

 

Rubles are a bit of a tough exchange.

 

The women and children that run this horrendous "extortion" make substantially less than the average annual Mexican wage of $ 10,000. I am quite sure that I make many times their annual "take" in a single day of work.

Edited January 12, 2018 by neverbeenhere

[3kidsncats]

I didn't say I wouldn't pay to use a bathroom. I didn't need to use the bathroom, my husband only wanted to wash his hands. What did I say that was so bad I shouldn't be allowed off the ship? It was a question I asked when the bathrooms are inside the cruise ship terminal port so I know what to expect next time. In the ports we've visited, we do a city tour to understand the culture. We eat in resturants and shop in areas to support local culture. I've even PAID for the use of bathrooms before. I feel bad with the hurtful comments and apoligise if I offended anyone. That wasn't my intention.

 

There is no cruise ship terminal/port in Los Cabos -- ships drop anchor in the harbor and they tender people ashore. If there was an actual terminal, then they would possibly have free public restrooms, but Cabo only has a harbor with private businesses. It really doesn't matter if you, or your husband had to empty your bladder, bowels or wash your hands. Someone in your party wanted to use the bathroom facility in a shop (per your description)-- washing your hands IS using the facility -- their plumbing system, water, soap, etc.

 

Many of us can't understand why others think they are entitled to this service for free. I didn't find your post offensive -- but others who posted after you kind of went over that line.

[RDC1]

There were many times when we travel overseas where we had to use the loo and there was no public toilet - for which you would have had had to pay if there was one. We would then go into a cafe or bar to use the toilet but we always bought a coffee, a drink or a pastry before we left. Figured that this was the right thing to do.

 

People like Moosearoundtheship (doesn't the handle somehow seem appropriate) should not be allowed off the ship in a foreign country.

 

For those out there who are much younger than me, The Ugly American was an important book that was published in 1958. Check out the plot summary - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ugly_American.

 

DON

 

In many countries, Italy for example, that is the expected norm. The rest rooms in businesses are for paying customers, so you get used to buying a coffee or something else that is inexpensive in order to gain access.

[Jess777]

For everyone paying $1 USD thats way too much to tip for the restroom and toilet paper. Try to get Mexican pesos or Mexican coins from the bank for example or try to get them to pay you some of the money back in pesos when you purchase something. I believe 19.4 peso per 1USD. A couple of pesos should be way more than enough to use the restroom and pay for TP. They are ripping you off when the daily wage on average 5-10 dollars a day.

 

 

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[swedish weave]

After reading five pages of this, I question why people would walk past the tourist info center in Cabo which has well maintained restrooms, and is a short distance to the right of the dock that the tenders use.

 

They don't charge you to use them.

[mhg7274]

We’ve been cruising for 15 years; mostly Caribbean, but also Italy, Greece, and Alaska and the only place we have ever been charged to use toilet facilities was in Cuba, so I’m just as surprised as some of the other posters that they are being charged in Mexico. Cruise ships often have a talk about upcoming ports where this kind of info is usually shared; so going to these talks is good, even if you’ve been to that port before. I totally understand why there are bathroom attendants and why there is a fee, but at the same often people really don’t know that a fee is required.

 

 

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[thatsjdsgirl]

I’ve spent a lot of time in Cabo. The only real industry they have is tourism. It’s most likely the attendants only income. Many sale their wares on the street too. I gladly tip them. I actually stop at the bank for ones and fives before heading down there so I can tip them. I count myself as extremely blessed to travel as I do and don’t mind paying.

 

 

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[CruzerJim]

I recall a gentleman in Croatia standing 50 ft. from a restroom and selling bits of paper for the restroom. When it was my turn to enter the two-holer that is literally what I found-two holes in the ground. God Bless America where I haven't seen a pay toilet in over 40 years.

 

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[RDC1]

We’ve been cruising for 15 years; mostly Caribbean, but also Italy, Greece, and Alaska and the only place we have ever been charged to use toilet facilities was in Cuba, so I’m just as surprised as some of the other posters that they are being charged in Mexico. Cruise ships often have a talk about upcoming ports where this kind of info is usually shared; so going to these talks is good, even if you’ve been to that port before. I totally understand why there are bathroom attendants and why there is a fee, but at the same often people really don’t know that a fee is required.

 

 

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If you include pay a small fee together with buy something from the store to use the rest room as being pay, I have encountered them in Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Mexico, Hungary, Czech Republic, and even in the US. I am quite sure that even those of you have say that they have never run into them have encountered Starbucks in major cities where you need a code (usually printed on the receipt) in order to use the restroom. Quite normal for tour guides in Europe to tell you to carry coins for the restrooms. One of the main values of local tour guides is knowing where the rest rooms are, especially free public ones, or have arrangements with stores for their tours to be able to use the restrooms free.