Throwing clothes away

[lisiamc]

The room stewards are not allowed to throw away clothing found in waste baskets to avoid arguments with passengers who may have made an error.

 

They don't want to be accused of theft.

 

Well, I am definitely going to think twice about throwing out old underwear on a cruise then! I would hate to see my tatty, greying underpants retrieved from the bin and folded up on the dresser!:p

[seahopper]

We threw out our old underwear into the waste basket in our stateroom on the Equinox. What's wrong with that? It was planned.

WHY would the ship not toss it out? (keep?) I would not want anyone laundering and using it, OMG!

 

My Dh also left a really good shirt that was tight around the neck in the closet hanging up. It was like NEW, in hopes that some cabin staff could use it, want it.

 

We have also, in the past, left shoes that we no longer wanted or needed. The luggage is always a problem (heavy, bulky). We leave all our toiletries, cosmetic, lotion products behind as well.... expect they toss them out, but makes me wonder now....

[jocap]

Yes, we're underwear throwers, but mainly for travelling down to the port; we sleep in old T shirts and use other ones for snorkelling. We also buy supermarket cheap toothpaste, toothbrushes and deodorant for the last night and morning, which we leave.

On a Thomson cruise in Egypt, the coaches for the airport weren't due to the ship until around 4pm, but the cabins had to be vacated at 8am. People were going off the ship, swimming, lazing in the sun etc. At around 3pm, the ladies' toilets were full of people using toileteries for the last time, then leaving them behind because of flying rules. It looked like a pharmacy in there!

[ILoveScotland]

That reminds me of a funny story that happened on the last cruise we took on the Liberty. My DH had a shirt that he has taken on the last few cruises, and he complained about how it fit everytime he wore it. Finally, i threw it in the garbage on the ship and told him to quit his complaining. When we came back to our room later that evening, the shirt was nicely folded and laying on the dresser. So, we threw it away again. Next day, it was folded on the dresser again.

I suppose our Steward thought we would never throw away a shirt in such good condition, so he took it out. The next time we threw it away, we put it in a plastic bag and then in the trash.

Finally got rid of it.

Claudia

 

Sometimes I take old underwear to wear and throw away. This very same thing happened to me several years ago when I threw away a pair of undies. The next day they were on the dresser. Threw them away again. On the dresser again. I used your idea and put them in a plastic bag and then in the trash, and they were never seen again - at least not by me.

Edited November 21, 2012 by ILoveScotland

[MrSchwump]

If the OP does this as often as it seems, why not buy a top made for snorkeling? They're very lightweight and packable they offer more protection from the sun than a t-shirt. You'll be warmer in the water too. They dry quickly so you can wear it on consecutive days.

As for the shoes, why not bring a comfortable pair and donate the bad shoes to Goodwill?

[Condocat]

Just found this thread and love it!

 

Lets face it, we all have clothes that end up at the back of the closet, not because they're worn or old, but because they're not our most favorites. Many times I take them on cruises for excursurions, i.e. tops & pants with the intention of tossing them before returning home. My husband does the same.

 

At the end of the cruise, at least on Oceania, our attendent informed us years ago, they have a program that any clothing left behind or donated is cleaned and contrubted to people living in poverty in the counties they visit.

 

Great idea Oceania!!!

 

Check with your cruise line if they have a similar program.

[fleckle]

We have often taken along old underwear and just thrown it out rather than pay to have it laundered.

Be cautious about doing that in Africa. We were checking out of the Victoria Falls hotel when, to our embarrassment, a hotel employee came running across the lobby waving our old, discarded underwear in the air and shouting that we had forgotten it. :o

 

When we told him that we had left it in the trash can because we did not want it, he asked if we would sign a form stating that he could have it because otherwise if he merely kept it, he could be accused of theft.

 

[Kartgv]

Sorry, but life's too short to wear ratty underwear on a cruise! When underwear is worn out, elastic gone, stained or ripped, it goes in a rag bag or the trash. If it just doesn't fit or suit me anymore, it goes to Goodwill or Salvation Army. NONE of it goes in my suitcase, ever! Underwear doesn't weigh enough to make room for much in the way of souvenirs.

[CruiseScrooge]

i take ready to throw away clothes on vacation. its nice coming off the ship and my luggage is lighter then most while we wander through the customs lines since i never buy souvenirs. i also use almost throwaway ready luggage when i take a long bus ride. maybe the luggage slides around in the bus compartment more then in a plane or i have bad luck but i'll never put decent luggage on a bus again. luggage with a strong handle but looks like crapola is almost free at the donation stores.

[jdvmd]

That reminds me of a funny story that happened on the last cruise we took on the Liberty. My DH had a shirt that he has taken on the last few cruises, and he complained about how it fit everytime he wore it. Finally, i threw it in the garbage on the ship and told him to quit his complaining. When we came back to our room later that evening, the shirt was nicely folded and laying on the dresser. So, we threw it away again. Next day, it was folded on the dresser again.

I suppose our Steward thought we would never throw away a shirt in such good condition, so he took it out. The next time we threw it away, we put it in a plastic bag and then in the trash.

Finally got rid of it.

Claudia

 

Same thing happened to me on our last cruise in October. Spilled red wine all over a shirt. Put it in the garbage and it kept reappearing every night, folded on the counter in the cabin. Finally took it out to the cabin steward's cart and threw it in the trash there. Told him that I wanted to throw it away. Said that a lot of times people decide to put clothes in the bathroom trashcan because they use it as a hamper.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No -- we have never left or thrown out any clothing items while on a cruise.

[Keith1010]

From time to time we do get rid of some items.

 

Keith

[D&L Thomas]

On our recent Princess cruise there was a bin in the self laundry that was marked for clothing donations for port charities, I thought that was nice.

 

I was told by a Goodwill employee that they want everything--what cannot be sold as resale clothing is sold by the pound for rags. I still throw underwear away, though!

[mr green]

I may wear 'throw away clothes', when I fly. No, I wait until I get off!;)

 

john

[tercar]

Next time ask your cabin attendant if he can use it or if one of his friends could use the piece of clothing. Especially if it is in very good condition.

 

My sister and I will always ask first before we throw something that is still in almost like new condition. And we have always found that our cabin attendants were glad to get them. Either to keep the article of clothing for themself or to give to one of their friends.

I agree with you, we usually have some items we are finished with, but are in good condition and have always found a good home for them.

[bluenoser2]

On our Alaska cruise, our travel agent had told us of the jackets to be bought for $19 at our first stop Ketchikan - I thought that would be a really fun and useful souvenir, so I took my DD's oldest jacket with me for the trip, and on the last day, just left it in the closet, and took my new jacket home. That was planned. The capri pants that I kept looking for all summer after that (usually thinking they were in the laundry) were an accidental throw-out item - I realized they had been hanging on the hanger that had the bathrobe on it, and I hadn't seen them. I still miss them.

 

On our Caribbean cruise with our kids, I mentioned to my daughters that if they had old underwear they could wear it, and throw it out. I forgot to stipulate that they should do so AFTER we did our laundry load - my youngest was throwing out her underwear before, and was running very low towards the end of the week! I learned to be specific. Assume nothing.

[lamchops]

When you cruise do you throw any clothes away. We always take a few old t-shirts on our cruise and we wear them when we snorkel or swim in the ocean. We wear them in the water to keep from getting sunburned on our backs. After swimming we throw them away. On our next cruise I'm thinking of taking some dress shoes that hurt my feet after I wear them awhile and throwing them away at the end of the cruise. More room for souvenirs and makes your load a little lighter.

 

Wiz

 

On our last TA we met a couple of Scots who told us they wear "last seasons" clothes on a cruise and drop them off at goodwill on their way to the airport. They said clothes were so much cheaper in the states that it was now part of their vacation routine.

 

Unfortunately my DW likes that idea.:(

[superduper123]

The idea of throwing away clothes on vacation had never occurred to me. But last year the person I cruised with did this exact thing. - packed old clothes with the intention of not bringing them home. I thought this was the most bizarre thing I had ever heard of!! Apparently not. :)

[Gathina]

I could never do that because I've lived in too many places overseas (and here) where some people would be very grateful to have even that to wear. If they were still useable, even though "beat up" they would still become rags at home. Shoes? Why would you even by shoes (or wear them?) if they hurt your feet.

 

My opinions.

 

When you cruise do you throw any clothes away. We always take a few old t-shirts on our cruise and we wear them when we snorkel or swim in the ocean. We wear them in the water to keep from getting sunburned on our backs. After swimming we throw them away. On our next cruise I'm thinking of taking some dress shoes that hurt my feet after I wear them awhile and throwing them away at the end of the cruise. More room for souvenirs and makes your load a little lighter.

 

Wiz

[bonsai3s]

Attached are just a few photos taken from our balcony when the ship was docked near Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). Small Vietnamese boats alongside the massive ship hoping to receive "gifts" from passengers.

Numerous items were "thrown' down to the boats...candy, chocolates, fruits, food, clothes,...

Perhaps it's a reminder to all of us that are able to cruise...of how fortunate we are. Merry Christmas to all. :)

[fenton04]

Buy a belt at goodwill and leave in room last day. Also that dress shirt that the pocket has that annoying ink stain in the pocket. Use that on one of the formal night. Note to self do not remove jacket. As far as the threadbare t shirts, socks, and underwear with holes and pitching them. Guilty as charged.

[Laurie S.]

I left my wedding dress behind in Fiji after removing the beaded trim. I had worn it diving underwater as part of the ceremony, so I didn't want, or need, to haul it back. The wedding coordinator asked if she could have it and I was more than glad to give it to her.

[NMLady]

My husband has an artificial leg. The comfort of his other leg is really important to him because he depends so much on it. He got a pair of shoes for one of our cruises and they were really uncomfortable so he tried to throw them away and the steward did the same thing...every day the shoes would be sitting neatly by the side of the bed after Clay had tossed them in the trash. So he brought them home and threw them away here. He still makes frequent jokes about the shoes that wouldn't stay in the trash and that was 3 years ago.

 

When we are throwing away items like that, we put them on the floor next to the trash with a note explaining that we no longer want the item. So would the steward either throw it away or give it to someone else. They are always gone when we return to the cabin.