Are passengers really stealing pool towels?

[kyriecat]

I had a notice today that all pool towels must be checked in by 10 PM on the second to last night of the cruise or we would be charged $25 per towel. I didn't realize they had changed the towel policy. When I was on Liberty in June, they had to be turned in by the last night.

 

My husband and I borrowed two towels for our snorkeling tour. We made it back with just enough time to shower and change before we went to a show and dinner. Because we were in a rush, I was negligent and didn't read through the various papers the steward had left while we were ashore. After dinner we stopped by the cabin and I found the notice. Fortunately is was 20 minutes until 10 so I was able to turn the towels in before the deadline. I had planned to take them in the morning.

 

I asked the towel attendant about the change and was told it was due to so many people keeping towels and he had received several complaints. I went by guest services to complain that I wasn't informed about the new deadline for turning towels in. I was again told that too many people weren't turning in their towels so they are charging for them on the second to last day to encoursge people to turn in towels. I was told if I had waited until tomorrow to turn them in, I would have been charged, but if I brought proof that I returned them, they would remove the charge. I can only imagine how long the guest services line will be with people upset about towel charges tomorrow.

 

Since tomorrow is a sea day, I asked what to do about towels. I was told that to avoid a towel charge, I should wait until I need a towel to get one then use it and immediately turn it in. If I keep it more than 2 hours on the last day, I will be charged.

 

I don't know how many towels are lost/stolen on each cruise, but it seems like a waste of effort and cause for aggrevation over a few towels.

[lbjen]

It’s gross, why would anyone want to steal a towel that’s been used by thousands of other people!

[dizneydawn]

That is insane!! You shouldn't have to worry about having towel all day your last day on the cruise!!![emoji35][emoji35][emoji35]

 

 

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[champagne123]

That is absolutely ridiculous. Almost every cruise, the last day is a sea day and therefore the pool and solarium areas are packed with people. :mad:

[Clarea]

I doubt many people are stealing towels to take home. However I have seen people leave towels on the beach at ports. I believe it was at St Croix once, where there was a beach very close to where the ship docked. As we pulled away from the dock, the beach was a sea of blue towels that guests had just left there.

[matj2000]

Something is totally wrong here.

It's probably there fake towel computer system was down that week.

 

Why would anyone want to keep a plain blue towel?

With the last Sea day at the end, everyone needs towels for the pool, ect.

No way they will they want that much chaos the last night or next morning dealing with this.

If this is true, I will bring a bunch of wet, sandy towels to the GS and turn them in there.......

[grapau27]

It’s gross, why would anyone want to steal a towel that’s been used by thousands of other people!

Probably the same tight wads who stop their gratuitys.ie the out for nowt brigade.

[grapau27]

I doubt many people are stealing towels to take home. However I have seen people leave towels on the beach at ports. I believe it was at St Croix once, where there was a beach very close to where the ship docked. As we pulled away from the dock, the beach was a sea of blue towels that guests had just left there.

Great point.

They either need to stop people taking towels off the ship or record the cards of people who do and take the towels off them when they return like what happens around the pool.

[spookwife]

it has less to do with out right theft and more to do with people not turning them in, whether they leave them on the lounger at the pool, or on the beach in a port, they only have so many available and if they aren't turned in, they don't get washed and made available for the next guest to use. ( yes, I know on board they get collected but that's not the point.. they won't get collected until late in the day/overnight)

 

I never bothered to hold on to a towel once I am done with it.. it takes an extra 10 steps to go from the Solarium to the towel station.

 

I will say this: 2 hours is unreasonable. I spend two and three times that much time in the Solarium reading. and I will step into a hot tub sporadically during that time . I could see by first dinner seating though.. after that most people will be busy packing.

[BillOh]

The last time I saw a towel that someone might like as a Souvenir was Allure's inaugural season. The Blue towels I've seen the last 7 years probably don't cost the cruise line more than 1 or 2 dollars each. Maybe they should raise cruise fares $1 or 2 dollars per person or make the next sale, Buy one get one 29% off. At $25 per towel they are basically instituting a fine, not covering costs.

[BillOh]

I will say this: 2 hours is unreasonable. I spend two and three times that much time in the Solarium reading. and I will step into a hot tub sporadically during that time . I could see by first dinner seating though.. after that most people will be busy packing.

 

 

We like to use the hottub as relaxation before sleeping even on the last night. I had to stand in line on Majesty last time as the towel stations were all closed by 8pm the last night. I guess I'll just insist on the robe and wear that to the pool and endure the distain on cruise critic members who happen to be on board.

[grapau27]

We like to use the hottub as relaxation before sleeping even on the last night. I had to stand in line on Majesty last time as the towel stations were all closed by 8pm the last night. I guess I'll just insist on the robe and wear that to the pool and endure the distain on cruise critic members who happen to be on board.

We never use the hot tub but maybe taking your white cabin bath towel might be a solution.

[wendychloecruiser]

I can’t remember which Caribbean island it was but I was on some sort of scuba/snorkel tour and the guides were “extremely helpful” in offering to take all the towels back to the ship for us. I actually joked with him and said that this island must be loaded with the same blue towels. He did admit that this was true.

[Ocean Boy]

If this policy change is in fact true it is one of the dumbest thing RCI has dreamed up lately.

[John&LaLa]

It’s gross, why would anyone want to steal a towel that’s been used by thousands of other people!

Like the sheets you sleep on, or maybe the bath towels

 

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[vickiw0318]

I can remember reading a review of one of the ships' inaugural cruise where the author said that he/she had taken beach towels home as gifts for friends and family. All I could say to myself was "Really?"

 

I have been on a couple of cruises lately where I have been asked if I plan to take a towel off the ship. If the answer was "no", I was simply handed a towel. If "yes", they took my card and ran it through. This makes me think that leaving the towels on shore is more of a problem than taking towels as souvenirs.

 

Although superficially unrelated, I can also remember someone explaining that the way to run up points on your Royal Visa card was to ask for cash advances on your account in the casino. I believe the next bit of advice was that the cash advance was then deposited in a bank account and used to pay off the credit card. Guess this was such a good idea that the company started adding a withdrawal fee for the casino cash advances.

 

Both, to me, are examples of the few making life a little tougher for the rest of us.

[njmomof2]

We sailed Anthem over Christmas. We did not do any beach time at all, and my kids only used towels for the flowrider. In fact my son only had out 2 towels. He returned them during the last day, as the flowrider closed down due to weather the day before and the last day it was not open, so no need for towels.

 

Imagine my surprise when I get my bill and we're in the car reviewing it and there is a $100 charge for towels. The kid didn't even have 4 out, let alone took them home.

 

I called RC on the first business day back, and they credited the account. Seriously, those towels are like the cabin bath towels, thin and useless.

[griffy116]

We were out by the pool one afternoon on the last day of a cruise and there were about 4 kids, maybe 9-12 years old who were with 2 families traveling together. They were taking wet towels off other people's loungers, exchanging them for dry ones and were admonishing the younger ones about how their Moms were packing the suitcases and wanted DRY towels...not wet ones, to take home with them. They walked away with EIGHT towels. These are high quality towels but we consider it a great convenience not to have to pack a beach towel while on a cruise. We also visited a beach where there were a couple of "vendors" walking around with a duffle bag collecting the blue towels and stuffing them in the bag. I guess they belonged to cruisers who were enjoying the water. We were talking to a couple that had intentionally left their towels on the beach because they said they didn't want the sand getting on them while returning to the ship. Royal stopped putting their logo on the towels to try to stem the theft MANY years ago. They used to have the royal logo on all the coffee cups in the WJ years ago too. It would be interesting to see what the inventory is at the beginning of a cruise and at the end.

[grapau27]

We sailed Anthem over Christmas. We did not do any beach time at all, and my kids only used towels for the flowrider. In fact my son only had out 2 towels. He returned them during the last day, as the flowrider closed down due to weather the day before and the last day it was not open, so no need for towels.

 

Imagine my surprise when I get my bill and we're in the car reviewing it and there is a $100 charge for towels. The kid didn't even have 4 out, let alone took them home.

 

I called RC on the first business day back, and they credited the account. Seriously, those towels are like the cabin bath towels, thin and useless.

Totally agree.

Now that the phantom mini bar charges seem to have stopped isn't it strange that this is now happening.

[mcatmcat]

10pm on the last day?

If you don’t return it before 4pm on the last day they will automatically charge you sea pass. Pools in a ship is not my big thing because I have pool at home but one the last day we tend to check out towels to use them as we seat near the pool.

 

We always return them before windjammer opens for dinner and we always get a paper later at night to return the towels or be charged. I made sure he scan my sea pass when returning the towels but still the charge appears. I need to come out with an alternative, the last thing I want is to visit guess service on the last night.

 

 

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[marci22]

I believe it was at St Croix once, where there was a beach very close to where the ship docked. As we pulled away from the dock, the beach was a sea of blue towels that guests had just left there.

 

I've seen the same thing leaving various beaches.

[reallyitsmema]

I've seen the same thing leaving various beaches.

 

We have too. We got a taxi back from Maho Beach once and the driver asked if anyone still had a wet bathing suit. Once couple said they did, so he asked them to wait while he got a towel out of the back. He easily had 20 blue Royal Caribbean towels. He said he just grabs them off the beach at the end of the day, if he needs more.

[tugboat]

We have too. We got a taxi back from Maho Beach once and the driver asked if anyone still had a wet bathing suit. Once couple said they did, so he asked them to wait while he got a towel out of the back. He easily had 20 blue Royal Caribbean towels. He said he just grabs them off the beach at the end of the day, if he needs more.

 

It's strange RCL is the only cruise line with this problem:confused:

[Mikew0805]

I am not sure that anyone steals the towels... they are dingy and quite honestly cheap. I am sure they are misplacing them rather than stealing them.

 

I have to say I prefer the way CCL handles this. They leave the towels in your cabin, and you leave them there for the stewards to collect. Seems pretty simple.

[grapau27]

I am not sure that anyone steals the towels... they are dingy and quite honestly cheap. I am sure they are misplacing them rather than stealing them.

 

I have to say I prefer the way CCL handles this. They leave the towels in your cabin, and you leave them there for the stewards to collect. Seems pretty simple.

P&O do that too.