Reversal on ban - What if?

[DreamingBig1]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

[bangzoom6877]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

 

I'm not so sure about that. But they could place a sign in the cabins stating not to put the tray or dishes in the hallway, to simply leave them in your cabin and the cabin steward will take care of them for you. They do come to tend to the cabin twice a day anyway.

[SuiteTraveler]

I think the best option is for NCL to COMMUNICATE to passengers where to put the used dishes/cutlery and glasses when they board the ship. Have the information displayed in cabins. People put stuff in the halls because they don't know what to do with it. NCL needs to have a clear policy as to what to do with the stuff:

 

Leave the stuff in the cabin and the steward will pick it up.

Call room service for a free pickup. (room service must be able to access the cabin to pickup if the occupants have left.)

 

I don't think that creating a bussing cart somewhere is a good idea as it likely would be rather nasty and smelly. This issue really is more about service and communication about the service to the passengers than anything else.

 

If passengers don't know what to do, then they will think the most logical solution is to leave the dishes, etc. in the hall so someone from the crew will see them and pick them up. If that is not what NCL wants done, then NCL needs to communicate what passengers are supposed to do instead and follow through with a high level of service to support the solution.

[adjjb12]

If there was a station to deposit plates, like how a food court has stations for garbage/trays I would totally use it.

 

I also like the idea of a sign saying to leave them in the room until the stewards come.

Edited May 26, 2015 by adjjb12

[DMH15]

I'm not so sure about that. But they could place a sign in the cabins stating not to put the tray or dishes in the hallway, to simply leave them in your cabin and the cabin steward will take care of them for you. They do come to tend to the cabin twice a day anyway.

 

Yes. This. With the additional message if you do not wish to leave dishes in your cabin you may take them to the buffet. Since this is where most will originate I am guessing.

 

Or, for a fee someone will pick them up. Haha. Just kidding.

[InTheWASide]

Holland America includes a little tiny card in the room service orders, about the size of a business card, that says to dial a particular extension when you would like the tray picked up. Then you can just leave it in the room, no need to do anything with it...

 

NCL could fix it with something that simple OR they could even just have the delivery person mention who to call when they are ready to have it picked up.

 

As for food people bring to their rooms themselves... that could be a little trickier without them being more "in your face" but the biggest issues I assume are the big room service trays, but someone bringing a random bowl with some cereal or a plate with some snacks.

[ColinIllinois]

People shouldn't have to clean up after themselves. Like others said simply put a sign on the back of the door. This really isn't rocket science. ;)

[gizfish]

The issue is probably not that people do not know what to do with the used stuff. Anyone walking down the halls knows how unsightly the used trays are. But no one wants to look at the used stuff or smell it until the steward comes in the evening or morning. The HAL idea is a good one. Tell people who to call to have the tray removed.

[NH Cruisers]

 

Leave the stuff in the cabin and the steward will pick it up.

Call room service for a free pickup. (room service must be able to access the cabin to pickup if the occupants have left)

 

I feel I have read this somewhere while cruising NCL. In room somewhere?

[sixesandeights]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

 

The dishes in halls is from Room service. NCL needs to step up the cleanup, have a clear policy on where to put RS trays, and they need to follow through on the pickup. Restricting customers was never the right solution. In fact before NCL mentioned the halls it was NEVER mentioned here as a problem, because it wasn't one. The hall issue was a guise to hide their revenue generation ploy and nothing more.

 

6&8

[MCAT48]

How often do you goto a parking lot and see carts all over the place some even right next to a cart return?? Just because it's there doesn't mean people will use it. People can be pretty lazy.... Sticking a plate by the door or walking 10 extra feet? Lots of people would pick the door :).

[lettienets]

If there was a station to deposit plates, like how a food court has stations for garbage/trays I would totally use it.

 

I also like the idea of a sign saying to leave them in the room until the stewards come.

I already thought there was a place/pantry where stewards put the dirty dishes etc. The same place where they have the ice bucket machine. I have seen those places on HAL and Carnival but never noticed where they are on NCL. They are usually located in the "white spaces" you notice on deck plans.

 

On Holland America they have a little card on room service tray with phone number to call for tray pick up.

 

I have added my dish to someone else's tray in hall just so I don't create another pile or keep in my room. I only put them out if the steward doesn't take them. So often the steward seems to leave mug or glass in cabin.

Edited May 26, 2015 by lettienets

[hypercafe]

If I have dirty dishes I just leave them I'm the room and the cabin attendant takes them away, very easy.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[legion3]

I had cabin stewards say to put them in the hallway. I had cabin stewards say leave them in the room.

[triptolemus]

This really isn't rocket science. ;)

 

Agreed.

 

Nice that NCL listened, but let's remember... we're on vacation aboard that ship. I'm not there to bus tables.

[Nola26]

Cabins are small as it is. We will put dishes in hallway, come get em. On my Sky cruise there were always steward carts in the hallway, far worse than dishes.

 

Honestly I left mine in the room, but I was solo. Next time it's my family of three, too little space to clutter with dishes.

[amscene1]

Personally I have found it easier to toss everything overboard!

[Cuizer2]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

 

I doubt it.

 

Personally I leave my plate either on the table in the cabin or on the table on the balcony. Somehow it always magically disappears and anyone walking in the hallway will never see it.

[TATraveler]

A friendly reminder: the stateroom attendant who has to remove dishes because people are too lazy to do their own are already working upwards of twelve hour days.

 

Personally, I'd love knowing of a place to take my dishes. It would soothe my conscience.

[Illyria]

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

I'd like to think that...but it's just not true. Let me tell you a little story. In my office building, there's a break room, and there are two "nooks" on each side of it, with trash/recycle bins. One of those nooks is also a designated area to leave dishes that people bring from the cafeteria (the cafeteria staff comes by a few times a day and picks them up). The other nook is NOT an area to leave dishes, the reason for that being that the off-hours tech support sits right next to that nook and has to deal with the smell of dirty dishes all night and all weekend (if the dishes were left late in the day, after the last pickup).

 

There are printed signs literally plastered every 10 inches on the walls all around, telling people not to leave dishes there, and signs with arrows directing them to the correct area. And yet at the end of every day there are trays with dirty dishes piled up right under those signs, because people just decide that they are too important to walk 15 feet to the other side of the break room.

 

I'd imagine that people on vacation would be ten times worse.

[jeniceglassman]

We just came off the Pearl 5/24. When danish & coffee was delivered a card on the tray instructed us to call **** for pickup. When my husband brought a snack to the room one evening he simply covered plate with napkin and placed on empty table near buffet. Please note I called & canceled our next cruise on NCL today. This was our 25th cruise and the 1st we could not wait to disembark. NCL is incapable of communicating with its "guests" "captives" or customers. In 7 days we had one warm meal. Everything from salt & pepper to water had to handled by an overworked staff. Because of the Noro on the previous cruise these precautions were in effect the entire cruise. At no point during the cruise were any explanations offered. Pls don't offer explanations or downplay what we experienced. Respectfully....

[gwsster]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

 

 

I rarely have dishes left in our room, mostly coffee cups and dessert plates. I leave them in the room and they do go "away". There does need to be communication to passengers to not leave dishes in the hallway and how to get dirty dishes picked up from the room.

Edited May 27, 2015 by gwsster
Correction

[cadien]

It also really sounds like NCL needs to consistently communicate to the stewards whether they're responsible for taking the dishes.

[shoey85]

We are currently on the Jade, docked in turkey as I write this. We have had no issues with taking food out of any of the buffet restaurants or the MDR, I also took my chicken wings from Blue Lagoon back to my balcony last night, thoroughly enjoyed then with a bud lime lite!

[3XX1XY]

I appreciate NCL's effort to listen and take into account the passengers feelings. I believe them when they say the ban was created in order to keep the ship clean. It seemed like a reasonable measure, but unrealistically restrictive, especially to a cruise line who bills itself as the Freestyle cruise line.

 

Question for all of you:

 

If NCL created places for passengers to place empty plates, glasses and other items from the dining venues, would the average passenger adhere and respect it?

 

I think that NCL should consider such a place. I would like to think people would be responsible enough to clean up after themselves. Of course there are always a few, but most people try.

 

No. Many people won't. I would but I'm already the type to haul my plate that had one cookie on it all the way back to the buffet. After reading these boards it's quite clear to me that for a really really cheap vacation people actually expect that somehow they have staff assigned to clean up their personal trail of garbage and that littering everywhere and never having to clean up is an integral part of their cruising experience, or at least it should be if that's what they want because apparently that is what freestyle means to some. I expect what we will see instead is an increase in staffing to clean up and a price increase to compensate for that.