Here's your hat; what's your hurry?

[bdjam]

Not spiteful nor immature. Nor was any mess created by pouring shampoo down a sink drain. Sorry - but I don't care about how busy the stewards are on turn-around day. If I pay for a 5 night cruise, I am entitled to enjoy my cabin for 5 nights and 4 days, not 4 nights and 3 days. Princess will keep cutting corners with staff and passenger amenities only if we allow them to do so.

 

To those who think my actions were immature, or a bad example -- do you know how many ecoli bacteria, norovirus germs, etc. are propelled (forcefully, too) when any toilet, but especially a cruise ship toilet, is flushed? And, if you're being honest, I know that most of us do not close that lid for every flush. Where do you think those germs go when they settle? How about an uncapped bottle that sits less only 1 to 2 feet away? I'm not being petty here folks. These reusable bottles are a bad idea to begin with - but leaving them uncapped for 24 hours is downright reckless and negligent.

 

I thought you were tossing the shampoo down the sink because you didn't like the communal bottles and were hoping to send Princess a message? I think sending Princess a message instead of hoping they guess what you're trying to tell them by throwing shampoo down the sink would be a better approach.

 

But now your tossing it due to Norovirus? Hmm... You know those same ecoli and norovirus bacteria come out of your toilet at home too? And if the lid is ON the bottle of shampoo the bacteria will settle on that. Or anything else you have in vicinity of the toilet. Solution - put the lid down!

 

Whatever the case, dumping soap down the sink is only going to make Princess buy it more often, which will only increase the prices of your cruise...and mine. Thanks for that.

 

As for the ritual on the last day of the cruise, I agree that basic stateroom amenities - like soaps in the bathroom and glasses/trays - should be in the room until the final morning. Luggage mats are a different story...why not put them in the room on the last day? The room stewards usually leave them there after their morning clean up of the room. I pack in the afternoon so that I can put my bags out before I go to dinner. I'm happy they've left the luggage mat for me. And if I didn't want it I would probably move it aside MYSELF.

 

I also understand that there's pressure to turn around the rooms for the next passengers, and since I'm often one of those "next passengers" getting on the ship on turn around day, I do appreciate the work that goes in to having my cabin ready for me when I come aboard. So I bend a little to give the cabin attendants what they need to do their jobs.

[tip]

As for the ritual on the last day of the cruise, I agree that basic stateroom amenities - like soaps in the bathroom and glasses/trays - should be in the room until the final morning. Luggage mats are a different story...why not put them in the room on the last day? The room stewards usually leave them there after their morning clean up of the room. I pack in the afternoon so that I can put my bags out before I go to dinner. I'm happy they've left the luggage mat for me. And if I didn't want it I would probably move it aside MYSELF.

 

I also understand that there's pressure to turn around the rooms for the next passengers, and since I'm often one of those "next passengers" getting on the ship on turn around day, I do appreciate the work that goes in to having my cabin ready for me when I come aboard. So I bend a little to give the cabin attendants what they need to do their jobs.

 

Well said!

[nnzz]

We have had this happen several times. When they remove the trays and

ice buckets I take offense. For me I assume they think we are thiefs and will

steal them. Removing those types of items save the room stewards no time

and insults my integrity

[FritzG]

So far nobody has posted that the soap and shampoo in the shower containers produce any noticeable amount of suds.

 

Another poster emptied the whole bottle in the sink as a protest. I didn't suggest that normal usage would produce noticeable suds.

[MustangGT]

I am also in the camp of appreciating that my cruise starts once I step onto the ship. No lugging around carry-ons and having to wait for my cabin to be ready. More than worth the trade-off of having to vacate my cabin early on the last day:)

[GottaLuvCruising]

We have had this happen several times. When they remove the trays and

ice buckets I take offense. For me I assume they think we are thiefs and will

steal them. Removing those types of items save the room stewards no time

and insults my integrity

 

We just thought the missing nozzles was a mistake. I, too, would take offense at the assumption that we are thieves.

 

We don't mind leaving the stateroom at 8am and would not be inclined to hang around the ship for an extended time on disembarkation day anyway. We usually have flights to catch or a bit of a drive. Our frustration (again) was that we kept feeling pushed out and were then blatantly inconvenienced with no shower gel our last evening. Seriously? This was my 36th cruise and we've never had this kind of experience before. If it should happen again, I will page stateroom attendant and call Guest Services.

 

FYI - the luggage mat was rolled up and stored under the bed. I'd prefer to pull it out when we choose to pack (which is generally late evening - after showering! - night before disembarkation). After we used it, I rolled it back up and put it away.

[capriccio]

Folks are taking umbrage at the removal of the dispenser nozzles accusing Princess of 'thinking that we are thieves.' How many of us have taken the 'extra' lotion, shampoo, conditioner, or soap from a cruise or a hotel? I know I'm guilty of that but the thought of lugging home a large dispenser of mediocre product would never occur to me -- and that is probably what they are counting on with the change. They're they're trying to ensure it with the nozzle removal which I think is drastic.

Edited January 28, 2014 by capriccio

[Jadn13]

I was also on the Ruby this past week and...SAID THE SAME EXACT THING!! I called it... RELAX and GET OUT! :)

[pablo222]

Royal Caribbean and Carnival have been successfully doing the short cruises for years and Princess just wanted to tap into that market. Probably most of the passengers live within driving distance to the port.

 

Remaining to be seen is how successful Princess will be at doing that. One problem has been that most of the Princess short cruises are not organized around a weekend and thus rerquire more vacation time to take them.

 

For some of the short itineraries, Princess offers a single port -- princess cays. Carnival usually manages two ports. Additionally, the short cruises I have been on are not anything like longer cruises. They are not 3/7 of a normal cruise. They are 3 days of something completely different. It is interesting that princess wants to dillute their brand in this way. As to how successful? When the cruises are being given away for free, I think it's pretty easy to judge how successful they are.

[Who Knew]

Yeah, I've never had the nozzles taken off.

 

It may be an individual steward or a ship thing, but I've not had that happen even on the several shorter coastal cruises.

 

I just got back Friday from a 4-day cruise and was not made to feel rushed by my steward--the nozzles were still there for my last morning. In fact, he never even put the luggage mat on the bed, lol, I used a pool towel so as not to dirty the linens.

 

Receiving disembarkation paperwork early on a short cruise is pretty much the norm in my experience...it's ALWAYS sad to get that info, but it HAS come in handy when they've assigned us an undo-able departure time--gives us time to exchange our luggage tags. :)

[pablo222]

Another poster emptied the whole bottle in the sink as a protest. I didn't suggest that normal usage would produce noticeable suds.

 

Other than possibly annoying the cabin steward, I doubt anyone in any sort of decision making position was even aware of the 'protest'.

[Who Knew]

And regarding the removal of ice buckets and such, it could also be that those need to be sanitized for the next guests and I suspect that DOES take more time on turnaround day...taking it out early gives them a chance to do that.

 

I will say that my friend and I had separate cabins on our last trip and oddly had different stewards (though our cabins were next to each other)...her steward took the extra roll of toilet paper out of the bathroom...couldn't really come up with an explanation for THAT one, lol. Mine was left intact. And, both of us had our shower gels, etc. left intact. :D

[RetiredNTraveling]

This is a saying my Mom used (so therefore, I now use it) when people are being encouraged to leave.

 

Really liked you quote! :D My great-grandfather had a saying: "Come on Anna, let's got to bed so these folks can go home." Then they got up and left everyone setting there! ;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

And regarding the removal of ice buckets and such, it could also be that those need to be sanitized for the next guests and I suspect that DOES take more time on turnaround day...taking it out early gives them a chance to do that.

 

I will say that my friend and I had separate cabins on our last trip and oddly had different stewards (though our cabins were next to each other)...her steward took the extra roll of toilet paper out of the bathroom...couldn't really come up with an explanation for THAT one, lol. Mine was left intact. And, both of us had our shower gels, etc. left intact. :D

 

As I said before, I don't recall items being taken the night before disembarkation on our cruises. But if our steward had asked if he can take the ice bucket, we would have said that was fine. Soap, no, as we would have needed some the last morning.

[Who Knew]

As I said before' date=' I don't recall items being taken the night before disembarkation on our cruises. But if our steward had asked if he can take the ice bucket, we would have said that was fine. Soap, no, as we would have needed some the last morning.[/quote']

 

Oh sorry, I totally agree with you. Letting you know would have been the thing to do--was just trying to think of reasons why. Like you, I don't recall ever having items taken the night before. The soap thing is really weird...I can't imagine any reason why they would take it the night before (same with toilet paper, lol).

[helenb]

I can't imagine any reason why they would take it the night before (same with toilet paper, lol).

 

You know everyone wants to take home one of those luxury one-ply break-up-in-your-hands rolls of toilet paper home as a souvenir! :D

[GottaLuvCruising]

You know everyone wants to take home one of those luxury one-ply break-up-in-your-hands rolls of toilet paper home as a souvenir! :D

 

Cruise Critic really needs a "LIKE" button!

[Who Knew]

Cruise Critic really needs a "LIKE" button!

 

Ditto!!! LOL