Can we decline house keeping on Princess ships?

[villauk]

OP,

Just speak to your steward when you board and explain what you would like to happen. From experience, as our DS has OCD, you can take out your own trash and exchange towels when your cabin attendant is in the corridor. They will probably want to come and change your bed linens and check the room once during the cruise; they will sanitise the room at the same time. You’ll be able to wipe over/sanitise after that visit if you feel more comfortable (as you will probably do when you first arrive in the cabin). Keep your gratuities in place and all should be good.

[d9704011]

2 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Question was to the OP

 

And it might be relevant depending on the answer

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I understand what you're inferring.  Has nothing to do with what the poster is interested in doing/not doing as far as towels and bedding goes.

[edspec]

Ick.  I keep an exceptionally clean house and one thing I love about a cruise is coming back to the cabin with everything just so.  I'd be a basket case with the above situation.  Lots of precaution, hubbub, and clutter with no guarentee of evading germs.  

[cr8tiv1]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:39 PM, wsp2205 said:

We would happily pay the required staff appreciation regardless.  Thank you!

This was in OP’s original (first) post.  

[wsp2205]

Okay one more post here and then I am out of this forum for good. 

 

1. Thank you everyone for your time and interest 

2. For those who gave kind and respectful suggestions, thank you! Appreciate your help. 

3. For those who are opinionated and judgmental enough to pass on so many unnecessary and hostile comments, I tried my best to understand: I was told a lot of people who love cruising are seniors and in general the older we become, the less we are open minded to other people and to different way of thinking. It doesn't necessarily mean we mean to be rude, at least not for most of the senior population, I hope.

4. What has happened here has convinced me cursing is indeed not the kind of vacation we would enjoy. To satisfy my mother's desire to see glacier, we would let her do this cruise with her younger sister, and all rest of us have decided to go meet them up in Whittier instead. Luckily we are still in the window of full refund. I guarantee everyone neither my mother nor my aunt will ever come to this forum to get frustrated the way I did in the last few days, so those who plan to continue on preaching about what they enjoy most in a cruise ship could save their time. but it's a free world and if they do want to do that to each other, go for it. at least we are out of here. 

5. And my mother and aunt WILL decline house keeping service as long as it comply with the cruise line's rules. So save your opinion. This doesn't change whatever you think. 

Edited February 17 by wsp2205

[Hlitner]

Fascinating post/thread and we will be respectful but real. With more than a 30 year background in healthcare (government) I will take the OP's post at face value.  We all have different fears, risk tolerance, etc.  The OP is obviously a victim (using victim would be debatable) of Covid phobia.  I would suggest, to that person and family, that the risk of COVID will always be real, but so is the risk from many other diseases/ailments.  

 

If the OP (and family) is truly so Covid adverse, we respectfully suggest they avoid travel and especially cruise ships.  Putting yourself into a situation where you will be in the constant vicinity of strangers certainly increases you risk of Covid, Flu, and just about any other communicable disease that one can imagine.  Travel/cruises come with risk.  Trying do to the deed, and thinking you can eliminate the risk, is just folly.  I could make an argument that the biggest risk is getting to the port and using elevators (they are closed chambers).  Dining in a ship;s Lido (buffet) is also a huge risk for both Covid and Noro and just about anything else you can imagine.

 

The least of the OP's risk are the sheets and towels in a cabin.  In fact, Covid is a respiratory virus generally spread through the air, not through sheets.   And respiratory viruses/bacteria are a big risk when on a cruise ship or anywhere else where there are lots of folks in a limited space. 

 

 Cruise lines use very hot water to do their laundry and there is little virus/germ risk from linens and towels.  The bigger risk is leaving your cabin and being in the vicinity of anyone!  Most folks understand that being around other folks is just part of life, but some do have issues.  They should simply not be on a cruise ship.  If you cannot handle the risk (which will alway exist) of Covid and other diseases, the best advice would be to stay home.

 

As to requesting that your cabin steward completely avoid servicing your cabin, that will be a red flag with staff.  While they might be willing to reduce visits, it is unlikely that they would leave your cabin unserved for a few days.  

 

Hank

[RocknRoll22]

3 hours ago, wsp2205 said:

For those who are opinionated and judgmental enough to pass on so many unnecessary and hostile comments, I tried my best to understand: I was told a lot of people who love cruising are seniors and in general the older we become, the less we are open minded to other people and to different way of thinking.

Fair enough. But you did come to an open forum and post questions to a large group, so what type of answers did you expect?

 

Bottom line, people need a thick skin to participate in a forum. If you were just expecting to get sympathy for your personal concerns.... well, that doesn't happen in an open forum. You get a wide range of responses/opinions (as you just experienced).  To get hostile to other posters because you didn't get the responses you hoped...  well...  It is what it is.

[cattolica]

45 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Fascinating post/thread and we will be respectful but real. With more than a 30 year background in healthcare (government) I will take the OP's post at face value.  We all have different fears, risk tolerance, etc.  The OP is obviously a victim (using victim would be debatable) of Covid phobia.  I would suggest, to that person and family, that the risk of COVID will always be real, but so is the risk from many other diseases/ailments.  

 

If the OP (and family) is truly so Covid adverse, we respectfully suggest they avoid travel and especially cruise ships.  Putting yourself into a situation where you will be in the constant vicinity of strangers certainly increases you risk of Covid, Flu, and just about any other communicable disease that one can imagine.  Travel/cruises come with risk.  Trying do to the deed, and thinking you can eliminate the risk, is just folly.  I could make an argument that the biggest risk is getting to the port and using elevators (they are closed chambers).  Dining in a ship;s Lido (buffet) is also a huge risk for both Covid and Noro and just about anything else you can imagine.

 

The least of the OP's risk are the sheets and towels in a cabin.  In fact, Covid is a respiratory virus generally spread through the air, not through sheets.   And respiratory viruses/bacteria are a big risk when on a cruise ship or anywhere else where there are lots of folks in a limited space. 

 

 Cruise lines use very hot water to do their laundry and there is little virus/germ risk from linens and towels.  The bigger risk is leaving your cabin and being in the vicinity of anyone!  Most folks understand that being around other folks is just part of life, but some do have issues.  They should simply not be on a cruise ship.  If you cannot handle the risk (which will alway exist) of Covid and other diseases, the best advice would be to stay home.

 

As to requesting that your cabin steward completely avoid servicing your cabin, that will be a red flag with staff.  While they might be willing to reduce visits, it is unlikely that they would leave your cabin unserved for a few days.  

 

Hank

Thank you for a very thoughtful response.    You are a very wise person.  

[Hlitner]

5 minutes ago, cattolica said:

Thank you for a very thoughtful response.    You are a very wise person.  

Perhaps you can tell that to my DW :).

[rhblake]

10 hours ago, wsp2205 said:

To satisfy my mother's desire to see glacier, we would let her do this cruise with her younger sister, and all rest of us have decided to go meet them up in Whittier instead.

I would guess that you will need to fly to Whitter to join your mother. Wouldn't flying in the enclosed plane with 200 other people not wearing masks be just as bad as cruising?

[Grego]

I have read some of the replies and had a good laugh and now I wonder why folks with the elevated sense of fear of germs would even consider being on a ship or plane or any other public space.

[Cruise Raider]

12 hours ago, wsp2205 said:

Okay one more post here and then I am out of this forum for good. 

 

1. Thank you everyone for your time and interest 

2. For those who gave kind and respectful suggestions, thank you! Appreciate your help. 

3. For those who are opinionated and judgmental enough to pass on so many unnecessary and hostile comments, I tried my best to understand: I was told a lot of people who love cruising are seniors and in general the older we become, the less we are open minded to other people and to different way of thinking. It doesn't necessarily mean we mean to be rude, at least not for most of the senior population, I hope.

4. What has happened here has convinced me cursing is indeed not the kind of vacation we would enjoy. To satisfy my mother's desire to see glacier, we would let her do this cruise with her younger sister, and all rest of us have decided to go meet them up in Whittier instead. Luckily we are still in the window of full refund. I guarantee everyone neither my mother nor my aunt will ever come to this forum to get frustrated the way I did in the last few days, so those who plan to continue on preaching about what they enjoy most in a cruise ship could save their time. but it's a free world and if they do want to do that to each other, go for it. at least we are out of here. 

5. And my mother and aunt WILL decline house keeping service as long as it comply with the cruise line's rules. So save your opinion. This doesn't change whatever you think. 

Sorry that others have attacked you with their opinions.  It does seem to have become rampant on social media sites, more so than you will see while on a cruise, if you decide to go.  
And I’d you are still here on this post … Please don’t let their remarks keep you away from what could be an awesome experience for you and your family.  
While your room steward may have to take a quick peek into your cabin every so often just to make sure everything is ok, a quick visit with him/her in the hallway to let him know that you would like your privacy will probably do the trick.  Then, just turn on the little red button on your door panel.  During the return to service after CoVid shut them down, they were more than happy to never have to enter your room.  They even preferred that you eat your meals in your cabin.  We still oftentimes let our steward know to take time off from our cabin as sometimes, we just feel like holing up.  In hotels, we still tell housekeeping we will trade out our towels and they don’t need to make our beds or clean up in the bathroom.  We aren’t messy people so they always oblige, even though they see us leave our room.  
You can always call or order room service and put in an order your dirty dishes to be picked up.  Just meet them at your cabin door for pick up and drop off.  


 

[Host CJSKIDS]

Okay, the OP has their answer and the thread has run its course!