Walked in by window washers with no warning

[Firsttimer888]

I pay for a balcony so that I can keep the curtains and door open and enjoy the fresh air and view. 
 

Recently on the Joy I was surprised by deck crew washing my windows mid-afternoon with no warning. Three crewmembers had removed the partition from next door and walked onto my open balcony. I had to scramble to close the door and curtains since I was also unclothed at the time and embarrassed. 
 

Whenever I have stayed at a hotel or apartment where this was happening, they provided advance notice.
 

I complained to guest services about this unprofessionalism and got a canned apology. I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. 
 

It really left a bad taste in my mouth for what was a mostly enjoyable cruise.  

[nalrudaini]

From my experience, this is always done on port days. They never give you advance notice because they don't have a schedule.  On my recent cruise (Feb 19, Escape) I know there was a notice somewhere that the windows and balcony could be cleaned at anytime so we should be aware of that. 

 

On a side note, free wifi/room service or next cruise credit for cleaning your windows is too much to ask for really. 

[Beer Belly]

30 minutes ago, Firsttimer888 said:

I pay for a balcony so that I can keep the curtains and door open and enjoy the fresh air and view. 
 

Recently on the Joy I was surprised by deck crew washing my windows mid-afternoon with no warning. Three crewmembers had removed the partition from next door and walked onto my open balcony. I had to scramble to close the door and curtains since I was also unclothed at the time and embarrassed. 
 

Whenever I have stayed at a hotel or apartment where this was happening, they provided advance notice.
 

I complained to guest services about this unprofessionalism and got a canned apology. I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. 
 

It really left a bad taste in my mouth for what was a mostly enjoyable cruise.  

It was during a Cabin Crawl, I volunteered our cabin for everyone to view, walked in on the Wife a millisecond before she dropped her drawers to change into her bathing suit, could of been real bad.....she made me book another cruise for her inconvenience 😋

[mjkacmom]

On our last cruise, one of my kids was sick on our GSC day. The rest of the family left, we stayed behind, they were obviously doing some loud work on the balconies above our connecting cabins. That’s when they get work done.

[Two Wheels Only]

40 minutes ago, Firsttimer888 said:

I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. 

 

...then everyone who books a balcony will "accidentally" be seen by the crew.

 

Your case was an accident but if NCL gave you something for your troubles, other guests would try to get free stuff, too.

 

What if you were in port while another ship docked next to your open balcony? NCL wouldn't announce that, either.

 

It's not a big deal and you'll probably laugh about it at some point in the future.

[MoCruiseFan]

48 minutes ago, Firsttimer888 said:

I pay for a balcony so that I can keep the curtains and door open and enjoy the fresh air and view. 
 

Recently on the Joy I was surprised by deck crew washing my windows mid-afternoon with no warning. Three crewmembers had removed the partition from next door and walked onto my open balcony. I had to scramble to close the door and curtains since I was also unclothed at the time and embarrassed. 
 

Whenever I have stayed at a hotel or apartment where this was happening, they provided advance notice.
 

I complained to guest services about this unprofessionalism and got a canned apology. I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. 
 

It really left a bad taste in my mouth for what was a mostly enjoyable cruise.  

So it is now unprofessional for someone to do their job without clearing it with you first.  It was your choice to prance around nekkid while the door and curtains were open and you want to be "compensated"? 

[Yesimapirate]

You shouldn't be embarrassed.   I'm sure they weren't 

[styles27]

On MSC Divina in November our cabin steward left us a note on our bed the night before letting us know that our balcony would be washed down the next morning between certain hours. (I think it was 9-12) it was a port day. 
We appreciated the heads up and I would expect that courtesy from other companies. 

 

Sailing NCL for the first time 3 weeks from today so I will be sure to ask our room steward about their balcony washing schedule. 
 

And for those who say NCL didn’t need to notify them beforehand, I say the reason people book a balcony is so they can enjoy it and the privacy it affords.
It’s common courtesy to let passengers know when someone plans to enter your balcony….saves a lot of embarrassment for the crew and passengers. My husband would probably give them an eye full if they pulled that on him. 🤦🏻‍♀️
 

[Greenpea2]

On one cruise on embarkation day, I was sitting on my balcony with hubby having a drink while wearing only underpants and teeshirt because it was really hot & sunny and I didn't have my luggage yet (for my shorts). . . start hearing a weird scraping sound and suddenly there's a guy on scaffolding going along the side cleaning the balcony bannisters. Oops. We just acted like everything was normal until he was gone, then cracked up. Stuff happens. 

 

[julig22]

Interesting.  I remember getting notices that they are going to wash the balcony or do maintenance while the ship is in port.  Maybe it blew away.

[jebhoward3]

As room stewards, maintenance people, supervisors, and others might come into your room at almost any time other than during the night, I make a practice of only being unclothed while in the bathroom with the door locked.

[Two Wheels Only]

20 minutes ago, jebhoward3 said:

As room stewards, maintenance people, supervisors, and others might come into your room at almost any time other than during the night, I make a practice of only being unclothed while in the bathroom with the door locked.

 

Unless you're on Epic...😛

[chengkp75]

33 minutes ago, Single Cruiser said:

is that still true on newer ships?  Pretty sure on my recent cruises the A/C would cut off if the balcony door was left open.  
I’m guilty like I guess many of having the door open at night listening to the sea and cool breeze but always made sure the a/c was off.

 

Yes.  What AC turns off is the recirculation AC that just recirculates your cabin air past the cooler.  The bathroom exhaust vent takes air from the cabin and exhausts it outside the ship.  To make up for this air exhaust, there is a second AC system, that takes fresh air from outside, cools it, and sends it to all the cabins within a single fire zone, on a single deck, so maybe 30 cabins or so.  As I said, this supply air is designed to build a slight overpressure in the cabin, which leaks out via the crack under the cabin door into the passageway, to prevent smoke ingress from the passageway.  Since your cabin with the balcony door open cannot build pressure, this fresh air AC sends more air to your cabin (air flows in the path of least resistance), sending less to all the other cabins.  Typically, cabins with the balcony doors open can be located by walking down the passageway and finding the cabin with the air "screaming" under the door.  That's where I'll knock when I get complaints of cabins being too warm.  Works every time.

Edited March 25, 2022 by chengkp75

[vacruizer]

I had this happen on my January Joy cruise. I’d always been given a notice in the cabin before that balcony washing would take place on a certain day and to keep your drapes closed. I was changing clothes at the time and pretty embarrassed. 

[trivimp]

BWAHAHAHAHA

 

I don't think I've ever had a cruise where I didn't have someone on my balcony or in my cabin unexpectedly at some point.  Window washer, maintenance guy, room steward delivering strawberries, whatever.  It's become kind of a running joke...

 

I figure I'm not the first fat old lady that has accidentally flashed them, and I won't be the last 😛 

[styles27]

1 hour ago, jebhoward3 said:

As room stewards, maintenance people, supervisors, and others might come into your room at almost any time other than during the night, I make a practice of only being unclothed while in the bathroom with the door locked.

Oh my that wouldn’t fly with us. “Sorry honey, we can’t have a romantic evening in bed because I will only be naked in the bathroom with the door locked” 😬

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Firsttimer888 said:

I pay for a balcony so that I can keep the curtains and door open and enjoy the fresh air and view. Recently on the Joy I was surprised by deck crew washing my windows mid-afternoon with no warning. Three crewmembers had removed the partition from next door and walked onto my open balcony. I had to scramble to close the door and curtains since I was also unclothed at the time and embarrassed.  Whenever I have stayed at a hotel or apartment where this was happening, they provided advance notice. I complained to guest services about this unprofessionalism and got a canned apology. I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. It really left a bad taste in my mouth for what was a mostly enjoyable cruise.  

Balconies are cleaned any time the ship is in port. It is not unprofessional. No reason for a bad taste. It is expected. You expect it. You want a clean balcony to enjoy. 

[FlGoodShips]

4 hours ago, Firsttimer888 said:

I pay for a balcony so that I can keep the curtains and door open and enjoy the fresh air and view. 
 

Recently on the Joy I was surprised by deck crew washing my windows mid-afternoon with no warning. Three crewmembers had removed the partition from next door and walked onto my open balcony. I had to scramble to close the door and curtains since I was also unclothed at the time and embarrassed. 
 

Whenever I have stayed at a hotel or apartment where this was happening, they provided advance notice.
 

I complained to guest services about this unprofessionalism and got a canned apology. I wasn’t expecting a free cruise but maybe a room service / wifi refund or credit towards my next cruise. 
 

It really left a bad taste in my mouth for what was a mostly enjoyable cruise.  

Unless you are new to cruising....window washing always is done on port days. 

Also, if you were unclothed, with curtains/door open...think about it.

You were in port. If your balcony was on the land side, people on land can see you too!!

Not NCL's fault.

[Firsttimer888]

What a mix of replies! I’m not suggesting anything nefarious I’m just saying I was surprised. I have an expectation of privacy when the only thing outside my window is the ocean. 
 

All I am asking for is advance notice. If you can tell me it’s Cuban roast pork night in the buffet you can tell me it’s washing day. 
 

And to those who claim I am wasting AC by opening the balcony I paid for... I don’t know what to tell you. 
 

 

 

 

[FlGoodShips]

30 minutes ago, Firsttimer888 said:

What a mix of replies! I’m not suggesting anything nefarious I’m just saying I was surprised. I have an expectation of privacy when the only thing outside my window is the ocean. 
 

All I am asking for is advance notice. If you can tell me it’s Cuban roast pork night in the buffet you can tell me it’s washing day. 
 

And to those who claim I am wasting AC by opening the balcony I paid for... I don’t know what to tell you. 
 

 

 

 

Maybe next vacation you could go to a hotel on the beach with a balcony. There, no one will be invading your privacy.

Suggestions..

Sandals,  Atlantis in the Bahamas, 

[don't-use-real-name]

There is always maintenance -

You would not want to cruise on a crappy ole ship -

It is expected that when your ship is in port that you will be going ashore -

If not there is that device outside your cabin door to alert the cabin crew -

WELCOME - DO NOT DISTURB - MAKE UP CABIN

However the outside crew won't see this - but there is some degree of noise

as the mop bucket and gantry service crane moves along the side of the ship -

doing whatever their assigned task is.

If the crew is moving the fire break partitions you would hear the creaky squeeky

noise of the partitions moving - especially if out on the balcony.

 

There is always maintenance

Please let the crew do their job on their schedule without interference !

[logan25]

Not on a Norwegian ship, but I had a room steward enter my cabin and start to empty the bathroom waste receptacle…while I am in the shower (opaque curtain).

 

I had put out the Do Not Disturb.  I asked the steward later how he did not hear the shower running, at least.  He replied he was chewing candy at the time.  
 

I requested a new room steward.  My request was ignored.

[mamajean1113]

We were on the Gem 2/28 and the night before we received a notice on our bed with the daily that they would be washing the balcony during the port stay. We were on the starboard side and our friends were on the port side and they got the notice as well.   Sure enough a man in a white jump suit was there in the early part of the afternoon hosing down the balconies on our deck.  So it was no surprise to us!

[ColeThornton]

I hope the window washers weren't traumatized.  😉

 

[Sailing12Away]

I assume most folks understand that the windows and balconies need to be washed at some point. Guess not...

 

Last month on the Pearl we had a group of us in the 3br garden villa. Woke up at 3am to find crew in our courtyard cleaning the hot tub. Full head to toe white suits, sitting on the loungers and taking off their shoes so they could climb into the tub and steam room to do maintenance. That was a shock...

 

I know they try to be ninjas about it, but again, a little warning would have been appreciated. Didn't expect to see a group of strangers on our deck at 3am getting ready for a dip in the hot tub. Especially since we had to chase a group of passengers out of our deck earlier in the day when they wandered into areas they didn't belong in due to a non-locked door. "We were just exploring....", as they ignored the 2 doors and multiple signs on each saying "Villa guests only".