new towel policy

[Aruba]

The last time I was in Grand Turk and in Half Moon Cay, I was shocked at -- saddened by is probably more accurate -- the number of towels that guests left on the beach. Dozens. :eek: Is that much different from leaving behind litter? How much effort can it take to pick up your towel, shake it off, and return it to the ship?

I hope this new policy encourages people to think twice before leaving towels behind on the beach.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Princess has done this for years and years. Didn't Mr. Kruse move over to Princess?

[sail7seas]

I don't think Mr. Kruse moved over to Princess.

What I seem to understand about his new position is three brands including Princess and HAL are under his umbrella of responsibility.

[runnergirl71]

My guess - and it's just a guess - is that some of those towels were making their way into suitcases instead of being lost or left somewhere.

[sail7seas]

My guess - and it's just a guess - is that some of those towels were making their way into suitcases instead of being lost or left somewhere.

 

 

Likely a combination of both. :rolleyes:

 

[adrift@sea]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet this season...

 

HAL has a new towel policy. No more light blue towels on the gangway to take off ship. You are provided with 1 towel per person by your room steward. If you don't return it - you are charged. Our steward refreshed them each day with clean/dry ones.

 

Not really a new policy as these towels were being distributed on the Eurodam in Dec. 2012.

 

There was a thread discussing this sometime last year as I recall.

[adrift@sea]

Likely a combination of both. :rolleyes:

 

 

I think you are right!

[RuthC]

It's a shame that HAL was put in the position of needing to implement this policy because some so-called adults act like children and leave things behind. There's no valid reason why HAL should absorb the cost, or should have to send out staff to pick up after these passengers.

 

It's about time passengers either bring the towels back, or accept responsibility for their failure by paying for them.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You just missed them as we had them on our late Nov. and early Dec. NADM cruise.

 

 

That figures -- well -- hopefully we will soon see the new ones.

Personally I think that all the dark blue and light blue beach towels needed to have been replaced a long time ago. Many were getting pretty bad looking.

[Krazy Kruizers]

NO. :mad:

I remember being one of the later folks returning to the ship in Grand Turk and the beach chairs were littered with light blue towels. I also have seen plenty left at Half Moon Cay.

 

If you borrow a towel for use on anywhere - on or off the ship - you should return it yourself. The problem is too many people act like they are still in Kindergarden and have others to clean up after them. There is nothing wrong with encouraging people to take a little responsibility and return something they borrowed.

 

Were you "in fear" of loosing the light blue towels? Just because they didn't charge you for not bringing it back, did that make you more willing to use theirs &/or not care about bringing it back?

If you think it didn't cost you anything - think again. Perhaps not on that particular cruise's stateroom charge; but in the end, the more the cruise line has to spend to replace items carelessly lost by passengers, the more they will need to raise prices or make cuts elsewhere.

 

Agree 100%. If people acted like adults HAL wouldn't need to do this. I can't imagine people being so irresponsible to get off a chair and just leave a towel. If it was theirs would they do the same? No.

 

 

I agree with both of you 100%.

All too often as we have pulled out of Grand Turk, we saw lots of towels laying around.

And yes, if it were their own beach towels, they would certainly make certain that they picked them up and didn't leave them behind anywhere.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Princess has done this for years and years. Didn't Mr. Kruse move over to Princess?

 

 

I remember having the towels in our cabin when we used to sail on Princess. And we haven't sailed on them in quite a few years.

Now I don't know if Princess still does this or if we had a bad cabin steward, but we would leave our wet beach towels on the bathroom and thought they would be replaced. Didn't happen -- cabin would just lay them on the edge of the bath tub to dry out. We used the same towels for the entire week.

[runnergirl71]

Likely a combination of both. :rolleyes:

 

 

Yep! That's why I said "some". :)

[1of4]

It's a shame that HAL was put in the position of needing to implement this policy because some so-called adults act like children and leave things behind. There's no valid reason why HAL should absorb the cost, or should have to send out staff to pick up after these passengers.

 

I agree Ruth. I also understand the reason for the new policy 100%.

 

But on the flipside, I have also stayed at land resorts that had a 'return' policy for their pool towels and had more than one of ours swiped when our backs were turned (watching children in the pool).

 

So people who are careless are also thoughless and have no problem with taking your towel so they don't have to pay the penalty.

[Lizzie68]

I remember having the towels in our cabin when we used to sail on Princess. And we haven't sailed on them in quite a few years.

Now I don't know if Princess still does this or if we had a bad cabin steward, but we would leave our wet beach towels on the bathroom and thought they would be replaced. Didn't happen -- cabin would just lay them on the edge of the bath tub to dry out. We used the same towels for the entire week.

 

On Royal Caribbean we exchanged wet towels for a dry towel on the pool deck. And returned the towel on the evening before disembarking. After returning it, however, they still charged us for a "lost" towel on our final billing, and I joined a fairly long line up to have that removed!

[Copper10-8]

NO. :mad:

I remember being one of the later folks returning to the ship in Grand Turk and the beach chairs were littered with light blue towels. I also have seen plenty left at Half Moon Cay.

 

If you borrow a towel for use on anywhere - on or off the ship - you should return it yourself. The problem is too many people act like they are still in Kindergarden and have others to clean up after them. There is nothing wrong with encouraging people to take a little responsibility and return something they borrowed.

 

Were you "in fear" of loosing the light blue towels? Just because they didn't charge you for not bringing it back, did that make you more willing to use theirs &/or not care about bringing it back?

If you think it didn't cost you anything - think again. Perhaps not on that particular cruise's stateroom charge; but in the end, the more the cruise line has to spend to replace items carelessly lost by passengers, the more they will need to raise prices or make cuts elsewhere.

 

 

Thanks! :)

[K&RCurt]

Just a quick question, as I don't see this specifically mentioned. Are the towels distributed to the cabins just for shore days or are they basically your towels for the cruise? Specifically, does this mean we need to bring our own towels from the cabin when we go to the pool / hot tub or are the dark blue towels still there?

Edited March 13, 2014 by K&RCurt

[cbr663]

I do seem to recall that the smaller solid blue towels were available at the pool when we were on the NA. I am not 100% sure though as we don't use the pool, but one night we were at the aft pool and I noticed them all piled there.

 

The striped towel is an additional feature for your cabin. Ours were in our cabin as soon as we entered. You can use the towel anywhere you like and anytime you like. When you want it laundered, just leave it in your tub like you would any other towel and the steward will replace it with a freshly laundered beach towel.

 

The difference is that you are now responsible to ensure that the towels (I use the plural as we had 2 towels being a twosome) are in your cabin upon disembarkation. If not, HAL will charge you the replacement fee for the towel, much like if a robe were to be missing. Of course, you will most likely discover this charge after you are off the ship and back home and good luck disputing the charge then.

 

Yet another billable item that you must keep track of in your cabin.

[adrift@sea]

Just a quick question, as I don't see this specifically mentioned. Are the towels distributed to the cabins just for shore days or are they basically your towels for the cruise? Specifically, does this mean we need to bring our own towels from the cabin when we go to the pool / hot tub or are the dark blue towels still there?

 

 

Yes, the striped blue towels distributed early in the cruise are intended for your use for shore days, however, you can use them as you please for the duration of the cruise. The solid blue towels are still available around the Lido pools as they have always been.

[Linda&Vern]

Yes, the striped blue towels distributed early in the cruise are intended for your use for shore days, however, you can use them as you please for the duration of the cruise. The solid blue towels are still available around the Lido pools as they have always been.

That's exactly how it was last week on the Zuiderdam.

[pris993]

We have no problem with having them left in our cabin and returning them. :)

LuLu

~~~

 

I'm with you, we have always done this on HAL and all the other cruise lines ... no big deal.

[cruz chic]

I thought it was a pretty "clever" policy. HAL doesn't necessarily charge you for the loss of a towel, but for not returning it to your cabin. For instance, if 30 passengers accidentally leave their towels on HMC, HAL hasn't lost those towels. HAL has staff there that will pick up every towel and return them to the ship. But, now HAL gets to pass on the charge plus more for this to the passengers.

Is it that difficult to pick up your towel and carry it back to the ship? Frankly, I don't want to be that person that adds work to someone that has plenty already. I just don't understand how some folks are pretty ok with making others do what they could easily do.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet this season...

 

HAL has a new towel policy. No more light blue towels on the gangway to take off ship. You are provided with 1 towel per person by your room steward. If you don't return it - you are charged. Our steward refreshed them each day with clean/dry ones.

I think it started last year ..

[GeriatricNurse]

On the Ryndam over New Years there were no blue towels in our cabin. The dark blue ones were stacked by the pools and the light blue ones on the gangway.

 

There were (2) blue towels in my stateroom onboard the Ryndam, Feb. 16 to Mar. 2! ;) The dark blue towels were stacked by the Lido Pool & I saw no towels of any colour on the gangway at the ports of call! :confused:

Edited March 13, 2014 by GeriatricNurse

[boards]

The new towel policy will not be a problem for us. We have always returned the towels when we re-boarded the ship. The only difference now will be that we will now bring them all the way to our cabin and drop them on the floor at some point in time to be replaced.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On Royal Caribbean we exchanged wet towels for a dry towel on the pool deck. And returned the towel on the evening before disembarking. After returning it' date=' however, they still charged us for a "lost" towel on our final billing, and I joined a fairly long line up to have that removed![/quote']

 

That doesn't sound good. Did the original towels come from your cabin or by the pool?