Remember Those Little Bottles

[bepsf]

Do people actually count how many cabins stewards are taking care of?

I cannot ever remember in all our years of cruising feeling the need to ask our stewards how many other cabins? Not when there clearly were more stewards and not now as they work in pairs and it seems they are responsible for more cabins.

 

I have always found it interesting to chat w/ the stewards about themselves and their work.

I typically make the comment that they take such good care of us, but they seem so busy - and how many cabins are they responsible for...?

After the compliment, they are always glad to tell me.

We have sailed these same ships in the same cabins for many years. If they needed a certain (higher) number of stewards taking care of them 15+ years ago, why does the same ship, the same deck, the same cabin require what appears to be a considerable reduction in staffing? Didn't they think the stewards 15+ years ago worked hard enough then? :confused: Do the stewards today have too much work?

 

Management always seeks "Efficiencies" - whether by keeping salaries and overhead low, outsourcing if they can, reducing staff...

...which is why HAL went to an Indonesian and Filipino staff in the first place back in the 1960's(?) - as they were less expensive and less "trouble" than the expensive Dutch stewards and waiters.

[kazu]

 

 

 

Management always seeks "Efficiencies" - whether by keeping salaries and overhead low, outsourcing if they can, reducing staff...

...which is why HAL went to an Indonesian and Filipino staff in the first place back in the 1960's(?) - as they were less expensive and less "trouble" than the expensive Dutch stewards and waiters.

 

of course the fact that they are much more friendly and accomodating probably has nothing to do with it. ;)

[sailandcruise]

The dispensers were installed during our Mexican Riviera cruise on the Zaandam between January 2-12, at least in our cabin C3322. We're all in favor of the ecological benefits -- no more bottles in landfills, no more wasted bottles -- as well as the ability of passengers to use as much or as little as they need.

[piscesgal223]

I always pack my own body wash(always prepared!) but I still have the shampoo and conditioner from my first HAL cruise(the body wash is long gone-used when I got back on land!)-I can't resist free stuff!

[shutterbug29]

You pay quite a few dollars for your cruises and all you have to discuss is the shampoo bottles! I have been on a number of cruises with the dispensers. I find them to be extremly convenient. The brand that HAL uses is extremely high end. Wouldn't a better souvenier fom your cruise be something from one of the ports visited or the new friendships made during the voyage?

[Typhoon1]

Less things we have to take off the ship at the end of the cruise.

[piscesgal223]

You pay quite a few dollars for your cruises and all you have to discuss is the shampoo bottles! I have been on a number of cruises with the dispensers. I find them to be extremly convenient. The brand that HAL uses is extremely high end. Wouldn't a better souvenier fom your cruise be something from one of the ports visited or the new friendships made during the voyage?

 

That's true..I'm going to Puerto Rico, and I've been reading up on what kind of stuff is a "must buy" while I'm there.

 

 

As for making new friends..I am such a chatty Kathy that won't be a problem!

[sail7seas]

The only place I have seen these sort of dispensers was my heart surgeries at Mass General Hospital. I'm glad I was 'warned' the next time we sail 'my' :) Maasdam, we will have them installed in the shower. We have never seen these in any of the hotels in which we stay.

 

[Jade13]

Yes -- the dispensers are slowly being replaced on all the ships.

 

When we were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in Nov/Dec -- I took a picture of the dispenser showing how the conditioner has not been used for so long that it had separated:

 

 

Is there still my favorite sharp shower gel?

[sail7seas]

It's in the bottle on the right, Jade.

I love it as well as the shampoo.

 

[We thought of you tonight at 'our' restaurant.]

 

 

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is there still my favorite sharp shower gel?

 

Yes -- on the right of the 3 bottles.