HAL still rationing soap?

[Vic The Parrot]

Hey gang. Hope all is well.

 

About a year ago, there was chat regarding that some ships management was stingy with the cabin soap.

 

Is this still the case?

Anyone currently on board with some news?

 

I booked a trip on Westerdam, and wondering if I should bring a bar of Ivory.

;-)

[rkacruiser]

Just off the Noordam on January 26th and did not have any problems with obtaining soap.

[cb at sea]

Ivory? Really? Oh, well...stick a bar in a shoe or something....or bring a half-used bar.....better to have what you want, rather than not!

 

I don't like the bar soap provided, so I always bring mine....but not "soap"...that leaves a film!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Can't help you Vic.

We bring our own Dove soap as neither of us like the Elemis products.

How have you been Vic?

[Moriah]

I love those little round bars of Elemis soap, and I can remember cruises not too long ago (5 or 6 years ago) when every time we opened a bar and used it - even if only once - one in the tub, and one on the sink (and in SA cabins sometimes we put one in each shower and one at each sink) the cabin stewards would leave a fresh, new bar, so that by the end of the cruise I might have 10 or more new bars - I felt a little guilty so would leave the unused ones (okay maybe I took one or two home!) when we left... but it's not like that anymore. Now you get one bar at the beginning of the cruise and you are expected to use it up. Fair enough, right? And also, when I have requested an additional bar (I like one at the sink for hand washing and another in the shower) I have always received one, no problem. No extra bars to bring home, but hey, no argument here. I have not see soap "rationed", more like "not wasted."

[SilvertoGold]

One bar until it is almost invisible has been the norm in the past 4 years.

 

I just ask for more once the bar gets too thin.

 

The larger white bar makes me sneeze, but the smaller yellow one was fantastic until they discontinued it last year!

 

I bring my own soap for me now out of necessity. Sort of takes some of the fun out it, though.

Edited February 8, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[sail7seas]

One bar until it is almost invisible has been the norm in the past 4 years.

 

I just ask for more once the bar gets too thin.

 

The larger white bar makes me sneeze, but the smaller yellow one was fantastic until they discontinued it last year!

 

I bring my own soap for me now out of necessity. Sort of takes some of the fun out it, though.

 

I remember when HAL was donating soap to homeless shelters and 'women at risk' shelters. That was wonderful. Being stingy with soap for guests is not so wonderful.

 

I agree about the glycerine soap. I really liked the Elemis orange bars.

 

[ellieanne]

I had no problem getting soap for my bath on my January cruise. In fact, I had to ask the stewards not to leave any more because I knew I would not use it. I had one white bar in the bath upon arrival. I asked for another bar for the shower (as the shower gel causes me to break out in hives) and received it within 10 minutes. After that I had a new bar every other day.

 

My brother did not have a bar of soap at the sink upon arrival. He asked for one and then got a new one each day.

 

My parents (who had the same cabin stewards I did), had a bar at the sink on arrival and did not get another one during the cruise, but they did not ask for one either as they did not need it.

 

My experience on that cruise indicates that if you ask for soap, it's replenished whether needed or not.

[DaveOKC]

Hey gang. Hope all is well.

 

About a year ago, there was chat regarding that some ships management was stingy with the cabin soap.

 

Is this still the case?

Anyone currently on board with some news?

 

I booked a trip on Westerdam, and wondering if I should bring a bar of Ivory.

;-)

 

Just off the Westerdam. One round soap for two sinks. We asked for another and got it. Never replaced all week though.

[SilvertoGold]

I had no problem getting soap for my bath on my January cruise. In fact, I had to ask the stewards not to leave any more because I knew I would not use it. I had one white bar in the bath upon arrival. I asked for another bar for the shower (as the shower gel causes me to break out in hives) and received it within 10 minutes. After that I had a new bar every other day.

 

My brother did not have a bar of soap at the sink upon arrival. He asked for one and then got a new one each day.

 

My parents (who had the same cabin stewards I did), had a bar at the sink on arrival and did not get another one during the cruise, but they did not ask for one either as they did not need it.

 

My experience on that cruise indicates that if you ask for soap, it's replenished whether needed or not.

 

Maybe the cabins stewards just liked you best!

 

It varies so much ship to ship, steward to steward. It is good to hear you had great HAL service!!

[rkacruiser]

I am probably in the distinct minority, but I like the Elemis shower gel and shampoo that are in the dispensers in the bath.

 

I also miss the glycerine soap bar that once was available. But, the round, white Elemis soap bar did an excellent job and even after 21 days could have been used much, much longer.

[POA1]

The soap is about the size of a face soap bar... Probably because it's, you know...face soap. Our steward always gave us enough for each sink, the shower and the tub.

 

Just ask.

[curiouscat]

In a regular Verandah state room what bathroom amenities are supplied?

 

Shampoo, Conditioner, cotton tips etc... and how is the hair dryer ladies ?

 

 

CC

[Moriah]

In a regular Verandah state room what bathroom amenities are supplied?

 

Shampoo, Conditioner, cotton tips etc... and how is the hair dryer ladies ?

 

 

CC

 

Shampoo and shower gel and conditioner will be in the wall dispensers in the shower (Elemis). Bar soaps as discussed. You will probably get the white soap, but I did get a citrus one on my last cruise in September on Oosterdam. As far as hair dryers, they seem to vary from ship to ship and stateroom to stateroom. Some of them are really great, others very weak. I've had good dryers in inside cabins and pathetic ones in Neptune Suites (and vice versa), so it doesn't go by that...

[TiogaCruiser]

Hey gang. Hope all is well.

 

About a year ago, there was chat regarding that some ships management was stingy with the cabin soap.

 

Is this still the case?

Anyone currently on board with some news?

 

I booked a trip on Westerdam, and wondering if I should bring a bar of Ivory.

;-)

 

Welcome back!

[Himself]

Hey gang. Hope all is well.

 

About a year ago, there was chat regarding that some ships management was stingy with the cabin soap.

 

Is this still the case?

Anyone currently on board with some news?

 

I booked a trip on Westerdam, and wondering if I should bring a bar of Ivory.

;-)

 

Vic: It is nice to see you posting again. Until the other day you had been away from the HAL board for months.

[take us away]

In a regular Verandah state room what bathroom amenities are supplied?

 

Shampoo, Conditioner, cotton tips etc... and how is the hair dryer ladies ?

 

 

CC

 

In a veranda cabin, Elemis liquid soap, shampoo and conditioner will be in each shower, bar soap will be provided for the sink, and a hair dryer will be in each cabin often either on the wall in the bath or in a drawer or cupboard in the cabin. They can be powerful or measly as seems luck of the draw. No other bathroom accessories are provided, i.e. cotton tips, mouthwash, etc.

[makai 7]

On the Noordam Thanksgiving cruise we had a Neptune suite (two sinks, tub, shower).

ONE bar of soap - that was it. We asked for two more so we could have one for each sink and the shower (my DH does not use shower gel). No problem getting the additional soap.

 

They are now stingy with everything, so it was no surprise there.

[Katie333]

Recent Westerdam NS and we were provided with a single bar (circle? :D) of soap. Given there were two soap dishes for the two sinks I would have liked another one to avoid reaching across to use it.

 

With that said, it wasn't important enough for me to ask for it, and given all our other requests were met I'm sure it would not have been a problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is a picture I took of the small, round soap that we have gotten beside our bath size Dove soap:

[kazu]

The soap is about the size of a face soap bar... Probably because it's, you know...face soap. Our steward always gave us enough for each sink, the shower and the tub.

 

Just ask.

 

same here, if it isn't there, we just ask. never a problem. And always replenished.

Edited February 9, 2015 by kazu

[doublebzz]

About a year ago, there was chat regarding that some ships management was stingy with the cabin soap.

 

Is this still the case?

 

;-)

 

The answer is Yes. However, as posters have stated, the cabin attendant will bring soaps when requested so its really not a problem. But, if HAL is stingy with soap, what would you call European hotels? I find that,in less than 5 star hotels, they treat soap like bars of gold. They provide tiny bars of made in China soap that is hardly adequate for one or two showers so I always bring my own soap when traveling around Europe.

[jhannah]

So, Vic ... you're bathing on cruises now? :D Nice to "see" you again. Other posters have covered the topic accurately, IMO. Enjoy the Westerdam!

[InTheWASide]

On the Noordam Thanksgiving cruise we had a Neptune suite (two sinks, tub, shower).

ONE bar of soap - that was it. We asked for two more so we could have one for each sink and the shower (my DH does not use shower gel). No problem getting the additional soap.

 

They are now stingy with everything, so it was no surprise there.

 

Funny... I don't consider that stingy... TO me, stingy would be them arguing that you already have one and once that is gone you may have another.

 

Different strokes I suppose... :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Funny... I don't consider that stingy... TO me, stingy would be them arguing that you already have one and once that is gone you may have another.

 

Different strokes I suppose... :rolleyes:

 

If a steward was 'arguing' with a guest about anything I would find words other than stingy to describe that. :eek: I understand your message but I don't like combining hospitality business and arguing in the same sentence.