Cleaning/Not Cleaning the Cabins

[Seafan22]

Given the recent trend in many hotels to not clean rooms every day during a short stay, how long do you think it will be until NCL - and other mid-range cruise line - will start having cabins only cleaned every-other day with of course no adjustment to the Onboard Service Charge?  I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. 

 

The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, Seafan22 said:

Given the recent trend in many hotels to not clean rooms every day during a short stay, how long do you think it will be until NCL - and other mid-range cruise line - will start having cabins only cleaned every-other day with of course no adjustment to the Onboard Service Charge?  I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. 

 

The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

We were on the Encore in September and the Epic in October.  Our stateroom attendant cleaned the cabin twice a day, just like always.

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, Seafan22 said:

Given the recent trend in many hotels to not clean rooms every day during a short stay, how long do you think it will be until NCL - and other mid-range cruise line - will start having cabins only cleaned every-other day with of course no adjustment to the Onboard Service Charge?  I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. 

 

The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

Things I’m not worried about for $200.

[ColeThornton]

Why think about negative things that aren't happening? 

Edited November 24, 2021 by ColeThornton

[phillygwm]

2 hours ago, Seafan22 said:

Given the recent trend in many hotels to not clean rooms every day during a short stay, how long do you think it will be until NCL - and other mid-range cruise line - will start having cabins only cleaned every-other day with of course no adjustment to the Onboard Service Charge?  I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. 

 

The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

There's a difference from the Dubuque Hilton and NCL:  Most people NEED to be at the hotel and most people WANT to be on the cruise.  

 

When I'm traveling on business, if my hotel isn't cleaned daily I can live with it.  I'm not happy, but I'm usually not there more than a day or two anyway.

 

When I'm arranging my own accommodations for leisure, I ask the question.  If I don't have the option for daily housekeeping, I'll choose the hotel down the street.  Recently, I've found that many hotels provide daily only upon request.  So I request.  Problem solved.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Seafan22 said:

Given the recent trend in many hotels to not clean rooms every day during a short stay, how long do you think it will be until NCL - and other mid-range cruise line - will start having cabins only cleaned every-other day with of course no adjustment to the Onboard Service Charge?  I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

Never. 

 

The big difference is that hotels have random people staying in their rooms. And hotels hide behind COVID to provide sub-standard service to their clients. Every hotel that I have stayed at recently has provided daily cleaning, on request... and we request it. Cruise ships have taken risk mitigation steps to minimize the risk of infected guests being on board and additional protocols like masks to help keep their crew members safe. 

Edited November 24, 2021 by BirdTravels

[jkrislc]

I just read that on at least one Princess ship the stewards are only servicing the cabins once per day. I know they've toyed with this idea on Carnival in the past, too. There's some uproar since the service charge/gratuity has remained the same but less service is being received.

 

I never use housekeeping in hotels. I'd rather they not come into my room during my stay. Once a day would be sufficient on a ship for me. I don't really need my bed turned down or my drapes closed . . . at least not in an inside cabin. 😉

[penlanspice]

On our two msc cruises earlier this year there was only one housekeeping per day, no turn down, im not sure if they did this before covid or not.

 

We quite often keep our sign/light out not to have housekeeping, we can live with making our own bed and saving the cabin stewards a job.

[Level six]

Princess is just servicing the room once a day unless requested.  Still same "crew incentive fee" 

[melodyesch]

The last cruise we went on (NCL) was just before COVID.  I told the room steward that we didn’t need the bed turned down or towel animals or anything so we were good with only morning service.  Didn’t matter.  He turned down the bed every night, cleaned the bathroom and left a towel animal.  So not on that guy’s watch!

[phillygwm]

11 hours ago, melodyesch said:

He turned down the bed every night, cleaned the bathroom and left a towel animal.  So not on that guy’s watch!

You'll pull those towel animals from my cold dead hands!

 

Is it still by request on NCL?

 

[bkrickles1]

3 hours ago, phillygwm said:

You'll pull those towel animals from my cold dead hands!

 

Is it still by request on NCL?

 

Sailed Encore January 2020 and we had towel animals every night without requesting them. They were very much appreciated. 

Sailing Joy January 2022 and can't wait for the full experience. 

[CruiseMH]

22 hours ago, penlanspice said:

On our two msc cruises earlier this year there was only one housekeeping per day, no turn down, im not sure if they did this before covid or not.

 

 

On my last MSC cruise in September 21 on the Splendida there was twice daily housekeeping service.

 

I personally think Covid can`t be an excuse. Cause usually the guest is not in the cabin during the housekeeping service,so no chance for a close contact. The aerosols also shouldn`t be any issue,only one person for a few minutes inside the cabin is no problem for the air condition.

[The Traveling Man]

On 11/25/2021 at 9:27 AM, bkrickles1 said:

Sailed Encore January 2020 and we had towel animals every night without requesting them. They were very much appreciated. 

Sailing Joy January 2022 and can't wait for the full experience. 

I think the last time we saw towel animals was June 2019 on the Joy in Alaska.  Since then we have been on the Dawn in September 2019, the Gem in January 2020, the Encore in August of 2021, and the Epic in October of 2021.  Not a single towel animal on any of those cruises.

[phillygwm]

20 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

I think the last time we saw towel animals was June 2019 on the Joy in Alaska.  Since then we have been on the Dawn in September 2019, the Gem in January 2020, the Encore in August of 2021, and the Epic in October of 2021.  Not a single towel animal on any of those cruises.

Pre-pandemic, it was announced that they'd be "on request" only.  I'm always sure to request.  I know it's dumb:  I'm a middle-aged guy travelling solo.  But it makes me smile.  The more I smile, the more I'll tip my room attendant 🙂

[The Traveling Man]

2 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

Pre-pandemic, it was announced that they'd be "on request" only.  I'm always sure to request.  I know it's dumb:  I'm a middle-aged guy travelling solo.  But it makes me smile.  The more I smile, the more I'll tip my room attendant 🙂

Thanks for the info.  I figured it was something like that.  They always made me smile, too, but I'm not sure that they are something that I just can't live without.  They take up a lot of the  cabin attendant's time to make them.  I'd rather he spend that time cleaning the room and then finishing his work day at a reasonable hour.

[GeezerCouple]

On 11/25/2021 at 10:27 AM, bkrickles1 said:

Sailed Encore January 2020 and we had towel animals every night without requesting them. They were very much appreciated. 

Sailing Joy January 2022 and can't wait for the full experience. 

 

I guess it's just a personal preference.

I don't understand the big deal about the towel animals.

Sure, some are especially cute or really creatively constructed!

And DH really gets a kick out of them, so we won't be actively "declining".

However, I'd MUCH rather that those stewards spend their time and energy on keeping up with the cleaning, etc.  That's not an easy job -  and I can't imagine changeover days, though I've seen some it partly in action, when we leave a suite a bit on the late side, by arrangement.

 

This would be great as some sort of activity, occasional classes in how to make them.  But when I think about the amount of total time, summed over all accommodations every day... that it takes to make these towel animals... Yikes.

If they at least had a convenient place to indicate, "thanks but not necessary"...

A swan pair on an anniversary or something on a b-day, that's quite different.

 

Or if there are children, that would probably be quite different.

(Do any of the children's groups include how to make them?)

 

Yeah, I guess I'm a spoil-sport type about this.

And then there's all the extra laundry.  Several aspects don't click with me.

 

One thing about these "towel creatures" that I did find completely hilarious, and just overall terrific, was when I'd see photos someone posted of when their steward (perhaps with some help?) had created a human-sized "critter", wearing a had that belonged to one of the occupants, or perhaps sunglasses or eye goggles, or even a shirt...

😁

Only problem with that is, I'd probably have a heart attack upon entering before I could even contact Security! 😱

 

GC

[bookbabe]

4 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

One thing about these "towel creatures" that I did find completely hilarious, and just overall terrific, was when I'd see photos someone posted of when their steward (perhaps with some help?) had created a human-sized "critter", wearing a had that belonged to one of the occupants, or perhaps sunglasses or eye goggles, or even a shirt...

😁

Only problem with that is, I'd probably have a heart attack upon entering before I could even contact Security! 😱

 

GC

Like this one from our final night on the Bliss recently?  Sorry his head fell over, and I didn’t realize until much later when he’d already been dismantled and it was too late to take another pic.  He did have a proper head and face, though, complete with googly eyes.

 

[BirdTravels]

Just pre-pandemic shutdown. 

 

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, bookbabe said:

Like this one from our final night on the Bliss recently?  Sorry his head fell over, and I didn’t realize until much later when he’d already been dismantled and it was too late to take another pic.  He did have a proper head and face, though, complete with googly eyes.

 

 

😁

 

Yup.  Remote is a cute touch.

 

GC

 

[Cruisingcrew5]

On 11/26/2021 at 2:42 PM, bookbabe said:

Like this one from our final night on the Bliss recently?  Sorry his head fell over, and I didn’t realize until much later when he’d already been dismantled and it was too late to take another pic.  He did have a proper head and face, though, complete with googly eyes.

 

Cute!!

 

It definitely wouldn't ruin our vacation if we didn't get towel animals or night turn downs or heck even cabin cleaning every day but it is nice to have when your on vacation so I wouldn't turn it down either 😁

 

We have seen some really cool towel animals over the years but mostly in Disneyworld rooms. For some it may be a creative outlet that breaks up their other routines versus a " oh man I have to make another one of these silly towel animal creatures " too. 

[BermudaBound2014]

On 11/24/2021 at 9:58 AM, Seafan22 said:

I believe they will start with eliminating the refreshing of the cabin in the evening along with the turn-down service, and then move to every other day service so Stewards can cover more cabins. 

 

The problem is they will need the staff for turnaround day.

 

 

I agree. Cruise lines are going to need to cut costs at every possible chance. Pre-covid we often asked our cabin steward not to clean our room daily as a way to lessen their load. We aren't messy, I can make a bed, and I surly don't need fresh towels after every shower. For us, once a day is overkill and twice a day is totally ridiculous. I see this cut as one of the first to be implemented.

[Cruising Lynne]

I like having the evening turn down and quick refresh of towels. Especially if we have taken an active excursion or beach trip. Or, if I have used a towel to roll underwear or a bathing suit that I have hand washed to get excess water out of it before hanging to dry. We also like getting our fresh daily delivered. My husband likes our coffee set up replenished. Towel animals are a special thing that we only get when cruising, but I don't need one everyday.

 

Why take away the service that some people enjoy? If you don't want it done, just tell your steward. I think it is part of what makes cruising special.

[Level six]

47 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

I like having the evening turn down and quick refresh of towels. Especially if we have taken an active excursion or beach trip. Or, if I have used a towel to roll underwear or a bathing suit that I have hand washed to get excess water out of it before hanging to dry. We also like getting our fresh daily delivered. My husband likes our coffee set up replenished. Towel animals are a special thing that we only get when cruising, but I don't need one everyday.

 

Why take away the service that some people enjoy? If you don't want it done, just tell your steward. I think it is part of what makes cruising special.

True!  They should have an option for those that like it and expect it, then they pay full gratuities.  Those that don't want turndown, or even daily service get a reduced fee. 

We just returned from a busy beach day cruise and we never had towels.  It was okay, but we did miss it.  But, we still paid the same amount as before.  I am willing to do that now, during this hard time for cruise lines, but I am not sure I want to pay $30+ a day per two for limited service.  

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, Level six said:

True!  They should have an option for those that like it and expect it, then they pay full gratuities.  Those that don't want turndown, or even daily service get a reduced fee.

That's a good point.  Some motels and hotels have even begun offering rooms at two different rates, with one price that includes daily maid service and a lower price without service.