How is the new process of only once a day cabin cleaning going?

[AK Dreaming]

We are three women in one cabin and want to know how the bed set up and and put away system has been working with passengers that have experienced this situation.  We are in a Club balcony suite on the Bliss and will propably need help getting the bed down and made and put back daily.  

[lfdemt]

I wonder about this as well.  I don't need the second "cleaning" just would like to use the couch as a couch during the day and a bed at night. 

[Kierste]

We didn’t have to use the sofa as a bed, so I can’t speak to that. But our steward (Prima) for our club balcony suite a couple of weeks ago filled us in on how his duties changed. He went from 14 cabins and twice a day service working from 8-12 ish with a three hour mid-day break and evening turndown started around 3 and went to 8 pm—so 28 cabin touches a day. He now has 34 cabins and works them from 8 to 6 ish with a 30 minute lunch, and by 6 pm his cart was no longer in the halls and I am sure he was exhausted. I wonder if the stewards will just undo and redo the bed on the cabins that need it—two touches just for those rooms? But then I would expect you would have to be very flexible with when they could come to the room since they are done at 6.

[Lissete]

We did not like it at all this past week on the Bliss. I don’t mind once daily, but I’d like it too be done while we’re at dinner. We always choose evening service on Carnival. I like coming back to a fresh bed & bath when turning in at night. Our steward was done around 6pm, when we were still getting ready for dinner.

[BirdTravels]

Wait for answer here

 

or

 

[SimplyAlbert]

It was fine for DH and I, but there were just the two of us in the room and we're really neat anyway.  The only day it was an issue was embarkation day.  I had noted that we would like the beds separated and they weren't.  We called housekeeping and our steward came back to separate the beds.  We also asked for extra towels (there were just two bath towels in the room) and an extra pillow.  Normally, we would just leave a note and it would be taken care of in the evening.

[AK Dreaming]

2 hours ago, Kierste said:

We didn’t have to use the sofa as a bed, so I can’t speak to that. But our steward (Prima) for our club balcony suite a couple of weeks ago filled us in on how his duties changed. He went from 14 cabins and twice a day service working from 8-12 ish with a three hour mid-day break and evening turndown started around 3 and went to 8 pm—so 28 cabin touches a day. He now has 34 cabins and works them from 8 to 6 ish with a 30 minute lunch, and by 6 pm his cart was no longer in the halls and I am sure he was exhausted. I wonder if the stewards will just undo and redo the bed on the cabins that need it—two touches just for those rooms? But then I would expect you would have to be very flexible with when they could come to the room since they are done at 6.

I would be very flexible and most apprective if this were the case.  I will make sure to tip even more than usual if we get this kindness.

[Peachypooh]

We still had two cabin services on the Getaway and it got old fast. Since we also had a butler someone was ringing our doorbell all the time. Yes, I did put the do not disturb sign out but it didn't matter. Lots of times the bed was still a sofa when it was time for my grand daughter to go to bed. So we taught ourselves how to do it. My room steward almost had a heart attack. I think if my husband had hurt himself the steward would get in trouble. He was definitely over worked. 

[JessLCH]

I'm fine with once a day housekeeping. The main thing I care about is getting fresh towels. Is it easy to request extra towels for the once daily housekeeping?

[AK Dreaming]

I chatted with NCL on the website and the person said that they would take care of setting up the bed and putting it away every day.  I"m not sure how that will fit into the schedule.  Also, they said we should ask for extra towels when we get on board.

[SimplyAlbert]

2 hours ago, JessLCH said:

I'm fine with once a day housekeeping. The main thing I care about is getting fresh towels. Is it easy to request extra towels for the once daily housekeeping?

 You can just leave a note in your room and the steward will leave the extras.  I bring stickys with me to write notes on.  

[Raleigh Traveler]

We were just on the Joy for a 15 day cruise. We had no problem with the once a day service. It did appear that he checked on the room early to see about laundry and stuff. We also often saw our steward in the hall and could communicate any special needs. 

Even though the room was cleaned once a day and the bed was not turned down at night (not a big deal), it did seem like they entered the cabin at least twice a day.

[alwalaska]

8 hours ago, AK Dreaming said:

I chatted with NCL on the website and the person said that they would take care of setting up the bed and putting it away every day.  I"m not sure how that will fit into the schedule.  Also, they said we should ask for extra towels when we get on board.

When we cruised earlier this month, the Dawn was still at twice daily, but the Hotel Manager said they were talking to other ships to try and get the process as smooth as possibly and they said the 3rd and 4th beds would be set up on embarkation day and stay set up until the cruise ended.  Someone on a different ship reported that they were told they could call guest services each day and someone could come to put the bed up and take it back down, but the standard procedure was for it to stay down all the time.  

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

So you can't have evening service? Only the morning? What about refilling the ice bucket? I usually only asked for once/day anyway, but sometimes I like it in the morning, sometimes in the evening depending on my schedule. Also I'd often not want full service in the morning or evening but just wanted some fresh ice. 

[lgrover]

22 minutes ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

So you can't have evening service? Only the morning? What about refilling the ice bucket? I usually only asked for once/day anyway, but sometimes I like it in the morning, sometimes in the evening depending on my schedule. Also I'd often not want full service in the morning or evening but just wanted some fresh ice. 

We were just on Prima 2/12/2023 sailing room was usually made up in afternoon. Which worked for us. Sometimes hubby spent some time in room, but always worked out with late lunch. Didn't have ice in room, but didn't need with beverage package.

[Kierste]

26 minutes ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

So you can't have evening service? Only the morning? What about refilling the ice bucket? I usually only asked for once/day anyway, but sometimes I like it in the morning, sometimes in the evening depending on my schedule. Also I'd often not want full service in the morning or evening but just wanted some fresh ice. 

you will have service some time between 8 am and 6 pm, you could ask your steward to leave you for the end of their day, and they may be able to accommodate you.

[uneamie]

Is there a way to have it "noted" before you board to have the bed separated? Once we board and our room is ready it is sometimes hard to find the room steward to request this. And, I don't really care about the twice a day service. My goodness they are really over worked with little down time.....shame on NC. How about letting us get our own ICE??? I hate bothering them when they are sooo busy. I can easily get my own. ugh! 

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

How does it work on embarkation day? Do they still pack it in at 6pm? Do you not get any service until Day 2? 

[cruiseny4life]

9 hours ago, uneamie said:

Is there a way to have it "noted" before you board to have the bed separated? Once we board and our room is ready it is sometimes hard to find the room steward to request this. And, I don't really care about the twice a day service. My goodness they are really over worked with little down time.....shame on NC. How about letting us get our own ICE??? I hate bothering them when they are sooo busy. I can easily get my own. ugh! 

You can call/chat NCL and an agent will note in your file that you want the beds together/separated. Doesn't mean it'll happen, but there's a good chance it will. 

[dbrown84]

I'm also wondering how this works on embarkation day?  Once the rooms have been announced as ready, is that it until the next day?  I usually ask the steward to empty the mini fridge for me.  Of course, I can empty it myself, but I don't know if they will charge you if you take it out yourself.  In case you drank something and replaced it before the end of the cruise.

[smillerholmes]

5 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

I'm also wondering how this works on embarkation day?  Once the rooms have been announced as ready, is that it until the next day?  I usually ask the steward to empty the mini fridge for me.  Of course, I can empty it myself, but I don't know if they will charge you if you take it out yourself.  In case you drank something and replaced it before the end of the cruise.

My last 3 cruises I have asked for the fridge to be emptied.  Each time the steward has simply taken the items and move them to the stool which has the hidden/storage compartment inside.  I guess it saves them on the logistics.  Just in case your steward is one and done you sorta got a work around. 🙂

[dbrown84]

9 minutes ago, smillerholmes said:

My last 3 cruises I have asked for the fridge to be emptied.  Each time the steward has simply taken the items and move them to the stool which has the hidden/storage compartment inside.  I guess it saves them on the logistics.  Just in case your steward is one and done you sorta got a work around. 🙂

yeah, I've noticed that they put it in the stool also.  Not a huge deal.  I can wait until the 2nd day if needed.

[eileeshb]

4 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

yeah, I've noticed that they put it in the stool also.  Not a huge deal.  I can wait until the 2nd day if needed.

Hmmm.. I always use the stool in the studios for my own storage, normally the bottles/cartons of water I order. 

[Kierste]

On our embarkation day a couple of weeks ago, the stewards worked until all the bags were delivered and then were done—again at around 6 pm. We didn’t even meet ours that day, met him the next morning. We got into our room at 2:30 pm and he was evidently around because there was a cart in the hall, but we didn’t see him.

 

As far as emptying the fridge goes, I did it myself and put the items back in the fridge myself on our last morning.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Kierste

[kelib]

27 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

Hmmm.. I always use the stool in the studios for my own storage, normally the bottles/cartons of water I order. 

Well the stools in the Bliss studios don’t open anymore