No More Washcloths on Navigator

[Cuizer2]

But thats a necessity. Like.. pillow cases.. or soap in the bathroom.

 

There are three sizes of towels in the bathroom. If the smallest size is not there, use the next larger size.

[merees17]

I may be way off base here, but RCI might not just be trying to cut costs.

 

Having worked in the hospitality and healthcare industries, I can guess that they might also trying to avoid plumbing problems. You might be surprised how many washcloths are stuffed/flushed because ppl are embarassed or don't want to bother to rinse them out.

 

Also, since they are small, I would guess they frequently "accidently" get packed and taken home.

 

Just a thought...

 

I was thinking the same thing when I read this thread. On several ships and even on these boards, anytime the subject of plumbing problems comes up, it is usually washcloths flushed (either by accident or the younger set).

 

I take the poufs myself and throw them out. No extra weight to luggage and really cheap.

[marci22]

They're running out of costs to cut.

 

ps I like all the towel sizes.

[link99]

Did they use any for the towel animals?

 

If they do not leave washcloths, use a full sized bath towel and leave that for them to wash.

 

After we received them they did. Now that I look back on it, the first towel animal was larger and was made up of the hand towels and one large towel.

 

The Mother of one family did just that, she said she used the larger hand towel to clean up her younger children. She said it was a little large but she needed one so she used that instead.

[Moeve]

Since I hate leaving make-up stains on those face towels (this causes the laundry trouble no end and some water resistant ones just never come out) I bring disposable wash cloths and don't have to worry. Just DO NOT FLUSH them!!!

[cruizinrican]

Just Off the Navigator Nov 25 sailing. We went to shower on the first evening and found there were no wash cloths in the bathroom. Just figured the room attendant had forgotten them.

 

Well the next morning I mentioned it to him and he said that starting this voyage they will no longer be placing washcloths in the room. They will only be placed in the room if the guest request them,and since we asked we would have them the rest of the trip.

 

I found the answer strange but thought nothing more of it. On the third night at dinner I said to our table mates," This may sound like a strange question but do you have wash cloths in your room?" They told me," no we do not, we found it strange that there were none, we could have used them." Our table mates were two families with younger children who were first time cruisers who did not know that part of the standard setup is to have washcloths in the room.

 

So is this a Fleet wide trend and another cost savings measure by RCCL or is this just a test on the Navigator to see how well it will be accepted or not be accepted by guest or are we going to have to start packing our own washcloth's in the future, when RCCL stops providing them completely. Only time will tell.

 

If they decide to do this fleet wide, we will just pack our own. My BF always uses one in the shower and I use one to wash my face. I think he would have been alittle less then happy if we were aboard for a week without a washcloth for him!? :eek:

 

Hope they decide against this, just one more stupid move RCCL is doing.:(

[link99]

Wasn't expecting that for a cost cutting move.

 

Me ether. Two reasons I can think of for this is that their is a cotton shortage,and after December the price of items made with cotton ( Including Clothing) will start to rise because of this. ( I remember reading a news story about the cotton shortage a couple weeks ago.) If this is the case their cost to supply them will increase, and that cost will be passed on to us.

 

Another reason I can think of is the time and cost itself to wash them. Based on 2 per cabin that would be 5000 per day that would need to be replaced and washed. So if they cut them out, it will save on the water they use to wash them, thus save on the fuel they need to burn to produce the water and electricity to wash and dry them.

 

I would bet that the Suite Guest had them from day one. I do not know this for sure, as I did not ask a suite guest.

[truffles2]

That's fascinating that this is on Navigator. We just disembarked from the transatlantic on Nov. 6. We had a washcloths, which is a good thing. We had taken an old one to the hotel in Rome, and chucked it upon departure. We were forewarned that the hotels in Europe (mainly) do not provide wash cloths.

 

The cabin steward didn't replace it every day though, either...which is fine. I use them for face washing, not other parts. So we had one in the shower and one on the towel rack. I really wonder if this will spread to other ships?

 

When travelling in Europe, I would always cut up an old bath towel into the number of days I would be gone. I would use these as wash cloths and discard them daily.

[link99]

That's fascinating that this is on Navigator. We just disembarked from the transatlantic on Nov. 6. We had a washcloths, which is a good thing. We had taken an old one to the hotel in Rome, and chucked it upon departure. We were forewarned that the hotels in Europe (mainly) do not provide wash cloths.

 

The cabin steward didn't replace it every day though, either...which is fine. I use them for face washing, not other parts. So we had one in the shower and one on the towel rack. I really wonder if this will spread to other ships?

 

He said that starting this voyage they will no longer be placing washcloths in the room. NOV 25 .

[crookedhalo]

I wash my face with my hands, since so many wash clothes are a bit rough for that delicate skin:o For removing make-up etc., I use the premoistened towelettes from Oil of Olay - it's a snap and better for my skin;)

[link99]

I could understand no washcloths if the ship were in Europe. When I travel in Europe I always bring my own inexpensive ones and leave them when I check out.

 

I appreciate the heads up.

 

I believe Navigator is heading to Europe in six months or less, maybe they are getting the crew use to this before they head over. Is this a practice on the ships that sail Europe?

[cruizinrican]

When travelling in Europe, I would always cut up an old bath towel into the number of days I would be gone. I would use these as wash cloths and discard them daily.

 

WOW! What a great idea! I love this one!

[curley23]

I may be way off base here, but RCI might not just be trying to cut costs.

 

Having worked in the hospitality and healthcare industries, I can guess that they might also trying to avoid plumbing problems. You might be surprised how many washcloths are stuffed/flushed because ppl are embarassed or don't want to bother to rinse them out.

 

Also, since they are small, I would guess they frequently "accidently" get packed and taken home.

 

Just a thought...

 

And a good thought at that. It is good to see at least someone has some common sense on these boards. It is also very easy for them to just fall into a toilet without anyone even knowing what happened.

Any time something changes, the first thing here at CC is "Oh here they go again with the cost cutting cheapness"

[EVALUATOR]

It is also very easy for them to just fall into a toilet without anyone even knowing what happened.

 

 

Like on My Cousin Vinny...

 

Imagine your a little towel animal.

 

Your thirsty. You come upon a toilet. You put your little lips down to the bowl to get a drink of water. Then

 

BAM. The toilet lid falls cutting off your head, and it gets sucked down the drain.

 

I won't repeat the rest of what the towel animal said.:eek:

[CruiseKeeper]

And a good thought at that. It is good to see at least someone has some common sense on these boards. It is also very easy for them to just fall into a toilet without anyone even knowing what happened.

Any time something changes, the first thing here at CC is "Oh here they go again with the cost cutting cheapness"

 

I don't care what the reason, I want a wash cloth, a clean wash cloth each day, sometimes twice a day. Build it into the cost of the room, who cares. I've had to go commando at times without a wash cloth but I just never feel as clean.

 

Perhaps there is a shortage for a time on this ship and this is how they are dealing with it.

[marci22]

And a good thought at that. It is good to see at least someone has some common sense on these boards. It is also very easy for them to just fall into a toilet without anyone even knowing what happened.

 

Yer kiddin me, right?

 

Any time something changes, the first thing here at CC is "Oh here they go again with the cost cutting cheapness"

 

curley we're not making this stuff up, they mention costs again and again in their business plan. They're not getting rid of washcloths because people are accidentally flushing them down the toilet. :rolleyes: der!

 

"And while we are beginning to see some cost pressures, especially with food prices, our brands and department heads continue to relentlessly focus on costs."

 

I think I want to reiterate we're very focused on cost here. We're very committed to keeping costs down.

 

Steve, it's Dan. Our cost initiatives, I think when you heard Richard and Brian both talked at the beginning, have really been management's focus across the board, and it's not just the four of us that have been focusing on it, but our teams as a whole.

 

And then across the board, we've just stayed very, very focused on doing things that are going to have a positive impact on the guest experience. And if it's not, we ask why. Why we should be doing it. If it's not improving revenue or if it's not having to cause a very positive impact on the guest experience, we'd ask why. We're doing it. And we've become much more efficient as a result, and it's really shifted the culture in the way we think about cost, and that's really what's driving it.

 

http://seekingalpha.com/article/232393-royal-caribbean-ceo-discusses-q3-2010-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=qanda

 

From their 3rd quarter earnings call.

[marci22]

Like on My Cousin Vinny...

 

Imagine your a little towel animal.

 

Your thirsty. You come upon a toilet. You put your little lips down to the bowl to get a drink of water. Then

 

BAM. The toilet lid falls cutting off your head, and it gets sucked down the drain.

 

I won't repeat the rest of what the towel animal said.:eek:

 

yer bringin the lol's today :p

[EVALUATOR]

yer bringin the lol's today :p

 

Maybe that's why the guy dropped the anchor on the other ship.

 

He wanted to rescue the washcloth, thinking it was being flushed out to sea.

 

And since it went down the toilet, hence the gloves.

[knittinggirl]

Yer kiddin me, right?

 

 

 

curley we're not making this stuff up, they mention costs again and again in their business plan. They're not getting rid of washcloths because people are accidentally flushing them down the toilet. :rolleyes: der!

 

"And while we are beginning to see some cost pressures, especially with food prices, our brands and department heads continue to relentlessly focus on costs."

 

I think I want to reiterate we're very focused on cost here. We're very committed to keeping costs down.

 

Steve, it's Dan. Our cost initiatives, I think when you heard Richard and Brian both talked at the beginning, have really been management's focus across the board, and it's not just the four of us that have been focusing on it, but our teams as a whole.

 

And then across the board, we've just stayed very, very focused on doing things that are going to have a positive impact on the guest experience. And if it's not, we ask why. Why we should be doing it. If it's not improving revenue or if it's not having to cause a very positive impact on the guest experience, we'd ask why. We're doing it. And we've become much more efficient as a result, and it's really shifted the culture in the way we think about cost, and that's really what's driving it.

 

http://seekingalpha.com/article/232393-royal-caribbean-ceo-discusses-q3-2010-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=qanda

 

From their 3rd quarter earnings call.

I recently accidently flushed a Kotex down the toilet. Didn't realize I'd dropped it in, because I close the lid to flush so nasties don't go all over my bathroom. This does happen.

 

I wonder how much time the cabin stewards save not messing with washcloths. To me, this is taking cost cutting too far.

 

Instead, clear the mini-bars, but that would decrease revenue. On our cruise last year, I was charged for a coke on the last night of the cruise. We learned later, the cabin steward had charged the wrong stateroom. Nowadays, we ask the cabin steward to clear the mini-bar on Day One.

 

I usually take microfiber make-up remover cloths along. But DH still needs the washcloths.

[jlajla]

Interesting discussion, and I imagine you are ALL right. Saves money, saves accidental trips into the toilet, and would not be missed by many. If Navigator is heading to Europe, that just makes further sense.

 

I find the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

 

I'll just ask for them. No worries.

[Shaney3401]

I'm still not understanding why they wouln't have them if traveling to Europe???

[Cruising89143]

I haven't read this entire thread. Only the OP's post but I just walked over to one of my co-workers office as he and his family debarked the Navigator on Thanksgiving day. They had wash cloths in their cabin each day and they did not have to request them.

[In Range]

I'm still not understanding why they wouln't have them if traveling to Europe???

Because the norm in Europe is no wash cloths. I always make a trip to Wal-Mart for a stack of their "finest" before a trip to Europe, then leave them behind at hotels, hoping they will reproduce and flourish.;)

[knittinggirl]

I'm still not understanding why they wouln't have them if traveling to Europe???

 

A lot of things are different overseas. I don't remember the lack of washcloths, but I do remember the heat turned off about 8 pm in January.

[cb at sea]

If you don't have one, just ask for one....