Go Green—reduced housekeeping services—is this new?

[cruisestitch]

Anyone know any details?

[mek]

58 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Anyone know any details?

Nope - not interested - I want dry towels every day and like my bed made up.  Will reduced services also mean a reduction in tips?  (And before anyone goes off on that, I always leave the auto gratuities on my bill and also tip extra.)

[Alakegirl]

I found this but I wonder what it means  to “adjust the room ambiance” and really, is it too much to ask that someone proofread before they publish?

[bEwAbG]

"Adjust the room ambiance" is when they draw the curtains and turn on certain lighting as part of the turndown service.

 

Someone in one of the other threads posted that they had gotten the email with this language for an upcoming cruise.  I don't know that I've seen anyone who has posted about actually doing it yet or if it's even rolled out to any of the current sailings.  I honestly didn't know that what they were currently doing was "full daily cleaning" at each visit rather than what this language describes as the "night touch" service for the evening visit.  Guess we don't really mess up our room much after the initial daily service.

 

 

[jelayne]

Room ambiance could be turning on lights, removing dirty glasses or dishes, leaving the chocolates, straightening furniture on the balcony.  
I really don’t see a significant difference in the service 

[WonderMan3]

With the amount of money we have to pay for these cruises (especially in suites) I want my daily housekeeping thank you very much.

[chemmo]

Things I am very happy to do to be greener on board ship include...

 

Hanging up and reusing some towels

Not needing bedding changing daily

Sometimes having iced water rather than bottled with meals

 

What I am less happy to accept is less cleaning in my room. Much as we tend to board with some disinfectant wipes (boarding routine of cleaning remote, door handles, phone...) I expect a twice daily spruce up by the room attendant.

 

Now, in my opinion, is not the time to be looking at reducing room attendant services.

 

Perhaps if enough people ‘opt in’ they will simply give each room attendant more rooms to maintain thus reducing staff members on board so the ship becomes greener...Me, cynical? Nooo.

[happy cruzer]

Reducing the level of service will make a cruise more like a land based hotel.  Sure it is an option but it may become another decision point.  Many new cruisers are shocked by the tips/service charges; this may add more fuel to those who view the charges negatively. 

[rodndonna]

We'd opt-in, we don't need twice a day cleaning. Heck - every other day cleaning would be fine for us.

 

Many years ago we did an EasyCruise around the Greek islands (shortlived budget line - floating hostel).  You had to select and pay for any housekeeping services you want. We did one cleaning/towel change mid week on a 7 day cruise and it was surprisingly quite fine. Of course that cruise was $11/day  per person.

 

I understand why many would still want the full service, but interesting to see if they get uptake.

 

 

[AbbyCruiser45]

It sounds like people are missing the point of this program. It’s not removing housekeeping altogether. Read what @Alakegirl in post #3 shared. You still get a once daily FULL clean which presumably means wiping down all surfaces, cleaning the toilet, shower, etc. In the green program you get this plus the nightly turn down where they remove glasses, adjust the bed, and tidy the room. The difference is that they’re not wiping down and deep cleaning the entire room twice a day.  
 

I would never have assumed they were doing a full cleaning twice a day. I am more than happy to sign up for the program because it is still cleaned fully once a day and turned down and tidied in the evening. 

Edited July 4, 2021 by AbbyCruiser45

[Miaminice]

I am fine with that... 
Cleaning once a day is good enough for us. We don´t need the lights turned down at night and we wouldn´t need the towels to be changed every day. Waste of water and energy...

 

[Alakegirl]

Might be useful for someone who just needs one or two Captains Club points to get to the next level

[mek]

13 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

I am fine with that... 
Cleaning once a day is good enough for us. We don´t need the lights turned down at night and we wouldn´t need the towels to be changed every day. Waste of water and energy...

 

I'm fine with cleaning once a day and don't care about the lights, but while you may like to reuse a damp bath towel, I don't and for me it's not a waste of energy to have the towels changed daily.

 

[SingBill]

I’m going to try it.  Signed up for our July 10 sailing on Edge

[little britain]

9 hours ago, jelayne said:

Room ambiance could be turning on lights, removing dirty glasses or dishes, leaving the chocolates, straightening furniture on the balcony.  
I really don’t see a significant difference in the service 

Neither do I. And they usually just refold the towels we have left in the bathroom.  I do not need new towels daily as the ones I’ve used in the morning are dry by the evening; and I don’t need my shower cleaned again after my evening shower. 
Signed up. 

Edited July 4, 2021 by little britain

[Fouremco]

While my inner cynic says that Celebrity's motivation has nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with reducing crew and saving dollars, a good daily cleaning suffices for us. Perhaps as part of the Go Green program, Celebrity will allow us to opt out of the multiple daily flyers that we immediately toss.

[Oxo]

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

While my inner cynic says that Celebrity's motivation has nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with reducing crew and saving dollars, a good daily cleaning suffices for us. Perhaps as part of the Go Green program, Celebrity will allow us to opt out of the multiple daily flyers that we immediately toss.

Totally concur with you!

Once a day is adequate.

Have you ever walked down the halls and looked at some of the cabins which were open for cleaning? We have seen total disasters with clothes all over the floor,  mattress on the floor, food and dishes all over. 

Those cabins should be charged extra for cleaning. Some cruise lines do not allow the staff to pick up clothes anymore. Good for them. 

Don't need an extra point. Will never get to Z as we cruise other lines. 

Happy Cruising! 

[Miaminice]

53 minutes ago, mek said:

I'm fine with cleaning once a day and don't care about the lights, but while you may like to reuse a damp bath towel, I don't and for me it's not a waste of energy to have the towels changed daily.

 

 

I admit that I don´t know how often a day you shower... but our towels are dry agin for the evening shower. We just hang them up. 

[ighten]

Sounds like a copy of DIsneys WDW new policy - though in DIsneys case its charge more each year and reduce housekeeping to every other day with the only other  option being of none at all!!!!

[helen haywood]

We must take wetter showers 😜!  We shower before dinner and there is not enough room to hang three towels and two washcloths up to dry in a regular bathroom.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Not new but in the past they just had a card in bathroom saying something about save the environment.    Hang Towel if you wish to reuse or put on floor for replacement.

[mek]

2 hours ago, Oxo said:

Totally concur with you!

Once a day is adequate.

Have you ever walked down the halls and looked at some of the cabins which were open for cleaning? We have seen total disasters with clothes all over the floor,  mattress on the floor, food and dishes all over. 

Those cabins should be charged extra for cleaning. Some cruise lines do not allow the staff to pick up clothes anymore. Good for them. 

Don't need an extra point. Will never get to Z as we cruise other lines. 

Happy Cruising! 

Several years ago we cruised with two teenaged grandkids who were  a total mess. I told the room steward to leave the stuff alone and if there were clothes on the bed to not work about making it and asked him to only refresh the towels.  

We've taken all of our grandkids on cruises and they were the worst - I really couldn't wait to get home.

[mek]

48 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

We must take wetter showers 😜!  We shower before dinner and there is not enough room to hang three towels and two washcloths up to dry in a regular bathroom.

 

The towel I wrap my hair in gets sopping wet - no way it dries quickly and depending on the itinerary, if it's hot and sticky, I might take two showers a day.  To each his own.

[phoenix_dream]

I am fine with once a day deep cleaning, but I am not fine with not replacing towels.  We take mostly Caribbean cruises and that means we shower in the morning, and then again before dinner.  And no, in that humid of an environment (even in ship's air conditioning) the towels would not be dry by the afternoon, and there is really no room to hang them where they could adequately dry.  One of the many reasons I enjoy cruises much more than land vacations is the extra service provided, which we pay a pretty penny for.  As an Elite Plus who is unlikely to get to Zenith in my lifetime, extra points mean nothing to me.  I also don't need someone "organizing my items" .  I keep my stateroom very neat, thank you.

 

Regardless of pro or con, I am also cynical about the reason.  They are cutting down to reduce cost and staff.  Same reason the hotels are doing the same thing with daily housekeeping.  It's all about the bottom line.  They lost a ton of money last year and they are going to do whatever they can to make it up, just like land hotels.  At least for now it is optional - emphasis on the "for now".  This may be a test run to see how many would be satisfied with this option.  Yes, more cynicism from me

[cruisestitch]

29 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Not new but in the past they just had a card in bathroom saying something about save the environment.    Hang Towel if you wish to reuse or put on floor for replacement.

Club points incentive is new