Not thrilled with the new pool towel deposit program

[LidoBoy]

Just off the Oasis a week ago and it was our first experience with the pool towel deposit program.

 

To get a pool towel you had to shell out your sail and sign card and they charge a deposit of $20.00 per towel. I actually don't think the charge occurs until the last day, though.

 

The issue I had with it was not so much that you are on the hook for $20.00 per towel if you don't return it... (Actually if they sold those towels in the gift shop they would likely be more than $20.00) ... I was more annoyed with the process to return the towel on the last night.

 

Here is how the process works for quite a few people on the last night...

 

You are packing your bags and you realize that you have towels to return. I took my two towels to the pool deck at 10:15 and they were just closing the stand that returns the towels. IMO, this stand should be open till midnight on the last night. The guy standing there told me to go to Guest Services to return the towel. I go down to Deck 5 and stand in line... I notice that there are at least 5 other people standing there with towels to return. A lady approaches me and takes my name and cabin number and insists that they will properly credit my account. I was a bit hesitant to give them up with out some sort of receipt, but I had no choice. The next morning I review our statement and see that there is a charge for $40.00 for the two towels I returned the night before. So back to Guest Services I return. This time I see another 5-10 people standing in line returning towels and there were a couple hundred towels in a bin off to the side. When I got to the counter, my account was credited without even a question from the guest relations person.

 

Moral of the story...

 

If you forget to return the towels, wait till debarkation morning and take them to Guest Services. This will save you a hassle.

 

RCCL can learn to improve this process... keep the towel hut open late on the last night.

[Allure2011]

Guess I'll be bringing a whole bunch of my own towels, not gonna deal with that process. Thanks for the info.

[bajathree]

The process is actually VERY easy....just exchange them daily....what I found worked best is at the end of the day I would exchange for fresh ones so i would be all set in the AM;) On the last day just remember to return them before you go to dinner.....it's really that easy:)

[MTSHQMP]

The process is actually VERY easy....just exchange them daily....what I found worked best is at the end of the day I would exchange for fresh ones so i would be all set in the AM;) On the last day just remember to return them before you go to dinner.....it's really that easy:)

 

 

I agree as well.

[MickeyB426]

Moral of the story...

 

If you forget to return the towels, wait till debarkation morning and take them to Guest Services. This will save you a hassle.

 

 

Or, don't return the towels and say you did.

 

If this wasn't a nice little moneymaker for RCCL they wouldn't go through the trouble.

[stbrown]

Why is it NOT hard to believe there is another thread about towel dissatisfaction on Oasis? I wonder.

[Loyal2RCCL]

The process is actually VERY easy....just exchange them daily....what I found worked best is at the end of the day I would exchange for fresh ones so i would be all set in the AM;) On the last day just remember to return them before you go to dinner.....it's really that easy:)

 

That's what we did and it worked perfectly. I can't believe the OP kept the same towels for an entire week :eek::eek:.

 

Actually, I like the new program.. it really has done a lot to eliminate the chair hogs.

[MickeyB426]

Why is it NOT hard to believe there is another thread about towel dissatisfaction on Oasis? I wonder.

 

Hoo boy...

 

Mention the word "towels" and look who slinks back in...

[MickeyB426]

That's what we did and it worked perfectly. I can't believe the OP kept the same towels for an entire week :eek::eek:.

 

Actually, I like the new program.. it really has done a lot to eliminate the chair hogs.

 

I agree. I don't mind being a responsible towel-returner. The wistful part of me just wishes RCCL did it for that reason.

[robntawn]

Agree with Bajathree...it was quite easy to exchange them daily and turn them in on the last day. I also seem to remember some sort of notice that recommended turning them in before 8pm on the last night in order to avoid a charge to your SeaPass. Oh, and it wasn't a problem to get 2 towels!;)

[starcat]

I had no problems with the towel procedure once you get used to it. I turned in the towels each time I left the pool area and got new ones the next time i went out there. there was never a line and the towel attendants were friendly. It seemed you could get as many as you wanted.

[LidoBoy]

That's what we did and it worked perfectly. I can't believe the OP kept the same towels for an entire week :eek::eek:.

 

Actually, I like the new program.. it really has done a lot to eliminate the chair hogs.

 

I was a bit wordy on the original post... just to clarify for my own sanity, we did exchange towels throughout the week. That process was fine. My post only describes what I experienced (and I was not alone) trying to return the towels on the last night. I hated to see Guest services get slammed with all those towel returns. My suggestion was to keep the towel exchange open later on the last night. But then I suppose they have to have a cut off at some time in order to have enough time to print and deliver the statements.

 

Now that I know more about the process, the next time I will remember what to do. I'm an old dog that can still be trained. :)

[Boo's Mom]

=

Actually, I like the new program.. it really has done a lot to eliminate the chair hogs.

 

BINGO ! :D

 

 

Is someone going to leave their towel on a chair, knowing that their towel could disappear, and cost them $20.00?

[WineDown17]

BINGO ! :D

 

 

Is someone going to leave their towel on a chair' date=' knowing that their towel could disappear, and cost them $20.00?[/quote']

 

 

LOVE IT!

 

Chair hogs be warned.

[MickeyB426]

BINGO ! :D

 

 

Is someone going to leave their towel on a chair' date=' knowing that their towel could disappear, and cost them $20.00?[/quote']

 

A Chair Hog would simply steal someone else's towel and turn that one in. After all, we ARE talking about a Chair Hog.

[WineDown17]

Mickey- Excellent point. Darn.:mad:

[skyhighcomputerguy]

We exchanged our towels when we left the pool and was never an issue. Obviously if the towel program bothers is a problem for someone, they could take a bathroom towel up - which we did when we went to a St. Martin beach excursion. After reading a post here that this program was meant to fix the chair hog program, wow, I couldn't agree more. With 5,700 pax, my family found open chairs all over the place on the ship. Never was there a problem finding a deck lounger. Great program RCL!

[1BDNANA]

It may be worth 20bucks to be able to get a chair by a pool after 5am.

[GXmanDC]

Got off Liberty today, this was the first time I used the new system. It really did not bother me. I would get a towell in the AM and return it when I was done later that day.

 

I appreciated not having the towels in my stateroom, now there is more room in tha bathroom.

[JLC@SD]

A Chair Hog would simply steal someone else's towel and turn that one in. After all, we ARE talking about a Chair Hog.

 

.....but he would have to steal it from another chair hog......so the hogs would have to keep stealing from themselves.......:D

[Boo's Mom]

.....but he would have to steal it from another chair hog......so the hogs would have to keep stealing from themselves.......:D

 

ha ha

exactly !

 

and then.....

one might conclude,

that if your towel is left on a chair, you are a hog who has stolen a towel,

so we will just go around and pick up all of the towels that appear to be "waiting". :D

[HulaPie]

It's not a big deal. Check the towels out, and then check em in when you are done or exchange them. RCI obviously got tired of people stealing towels.

[crusinpsychRN]

Hoo boy...

 

Mention the word "towels" and look who slinks back in...

 

Exactly.

 

What OP described is not a good scene. Waste of time.

[uncleboo]

are they in a place like a vending machine that i need to swipe a towel in and out?

 

why n ot jsut take towels from your cabin and then return them

 

this is vacation

 

sounds like too many rules

 

do the people who hog the chairs and do not return the towels get charged

[Brad1185]

My dad just got back from the Oasis and was charged for not returning 2 towels. He had returned all towels during the cruise. On the final night he got a printout from CS around midnight the last night. There were no towel charges on the stmt. When the final stmt came to the room a few hours later there were two $20 charges for towels.

 

Fortunately he got a written receipt when he returned a towel and they removed the charges. Without the receipt i think he would be out of luck it would be his word bs their word.