Room Stewards into my stuff

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have noticed on our last several cruises that our room steward has left new laundry bags either on the bed or on the desk whenever we used one and needed to have it replaced. Our cabin steward did not place it on a hanger in the closet.

[sail7seas]

We've noticed we often have to ask for a new form after we send out laundry. For some reason, the last few stewards haven't automatically left a new one. No big deal. They've all been wonderful stewards, easy to find and happy to promptly fill any reasonable request. :)

[Grumpy1]

Prinsendam has the walkin closets, which have a fairly large floor area. since ours was a cruise of over 100 days, I would fully expect it to be cleaned a few times during the cruise. We found a place on the top shelf for the lifejackets where they were easily seen, and left one lower shelf open for the laundry basket, bags and forms. Everytime that laundry was picked up, replacement bags and forms were immediately placed in the basket in the closet. Nothing was ever removed from our cabin unless we placed it in the waste basket, with the exception of empty cans left on the bar, and what the steward considered to be over ripe fruit in the fruit basket. now, on that last point we differed. Slinkie and I both like bananas that are ripe. No green, nice mellow yellow with a few speckles. Just as we thought that the bananas would be just right in another day, they disappeared and were replaced with bright green ones. We started hiding them in a drawer. If our steward ever went into a drawer, we never were aware of it. We know he was in our closet, but nothing was ever removed.

[F11]

I am told that legally if they are suspious of something-drugs,liquor,they have a right to check and remove. Were you carrying drugs? or liquor?

[RevNeal]

On the Zaandam in 2004 my steward was wonderful. I had developed a habit, when coming back from a shore excursion, of emptying my pockets of any loose change. When I would return to my cabin after a cleaning I would notice that the coins would be stacked, orderly, on the table top. I kept emptying my pockets of change, and over the 21 days of the cruise the stacks of money kept growing. I think it was up to about $25 or $30 in coins by the end of the cruise.

 

When I went to disembark the ship I left the change sitting on the counter (I had already left a sizable tip in an envelope on the bed the night before). While walking down the hall, away from my cabin, my steward can running after me with the coins in a bag, shouting "Rev. Neal, you forgot your change!"

 

I smiled, thanked him, and told him to please keep it.

He grinned real brightly and said "but you left me a nice tip last night." And I laughed and said "true, but here's a tiny be more. Bet you didn't realize you've been stacking a part of your tip for the last 3 weeks." He laughed and hugged me (which surprised me).

[RevNeal]

On the Oosterdam in January I was rather annoyed that my Cabin Steward threw away the plastic dry-cleaner bags that I had packed my clothing in for transit to and from the ship. I had folded the bags carefully and stored them in the closet. On the 2nd to the last night aboard they vanished. :(

[dakrewser]

I would hope people would stop alluding to "stealing" on the part of the crew - that hasn't been mentioned by anyone - most especially the OP.

 

So what we're really criticising here - those who are berating the cabin stewards - is that they are acting like traditional personal attendants. That I do find humerous, especially from those who usually join me in bemoaning the erosion of "traditional" ship-board service.

 

But I do wish the OP would let us know the articles in question so that we might better understand the complaint. Was the item on the verandah a souvenir purchased in port? A napkin with someone's autograph? A plastic water bottle???

[RevNeal]

Dave,

 

I don't think that my cabin steward "stole" the plastic dry cleaner bags. It just bothers me that he opened the closets, found them, and decided to toss them. They were neatly folded and waiting my packing to return home. I've never had something like this happen before. It just frustrated me. Next time, I'm putting those bags into my luggage before storing the luggage under my bed. :)

[dakrewser]

Dave,

 

I don't think that my cabin steward "stole" the plastic dry cleaner bags.

 

I didn't mean that you had, Greg. Some posters specifically used words like "steal" in their notes, though. It was those I referred to.

[sail7seas]

Dave,

 

I don't think that my cabin steward "stole" the plastic dry cleaner bags. It just bothers me that he opened the closets, found them, and decided to toss them. They were neatly folded and waiting my packing to return home. I've never had something like this happen before. It just frustrated me. Next time, I'm putting those bags into my luggage before storing the luggage under my bed. :)

 

That happened to me so long ago, I forgot about it until you mentioned it, Rev.

 

When I pack, I NOW always put all our garments in dry cleaner bags and I automatically leave the empty bags inside our suitcases until it is time to repack.

 

Many years ago, a steward removed the bags from our closet....exactly as you mention happened to you.

 

He should not have IMO

[Crazy]

I had never had this problem. At the first of each cruise I tell my room steward that I am on vacation so don't worry about cleaning up to where I can't find my "stuff". My nephew brings my lap top, leaves it in the room, we have left things on the balcony, I am always leaving things out that probably should be in drawers but I have always had room stewards that respected my space.

[Copper10-8]

I am told that legally if they are suspious of something-drugs,liquor,they have a right to check and remove. Were you carrying drugs? or liquor?

 

Wrongo dongo on that assumption (the first one;) )

[Bramcruiser]

Never had anything touch or taken in any of our cabins. So far so good. I have to agree with those, however, that say their clothing and personal items are just that - personal. I have heard stories on these boards about clothing being taken out and arranged into animals or some other odd caricature but I think this is more odd than cute. If personal items were arranged in such a way I might make mention of it to the front desk to say I rather not have them touched.

 

Now if something was stolen then I'd be raising a big stink however I'd make sure I look around before I say a word. Once in a hotel in California we were so certain our travellers' cheques were stolen. So we reported it to the front desk. The next morning we woke up and found them. I went straight back to the front desk and apologized. It was a good thing that the night before I reported it in a calm fashion and didn't rant and rave and point fingers or I would have looked rather foolish the next morning.

[RevNeal]

Hey, Sail ... up until now I've not removed the plastic until I'm ready to wear each item of clothing. I never wrap my underwear or my easy-to-wash polo shirts or casual slacks, all of which go folded into my suitcase. Anything that's on hangers, however, I put in dry cleaner bags. Suits, dress shirts, dress slacks, hawaiian shirts, silk shirts, print shirts ... anything that might wrinkles, I keep them in cleaner bags. But I usually haven't removed them from their bags until I'm ready to wear them. Not anymore. I'll make removing them from their plastic a part of my unpacking process. It will slow that process down, but it will be worth it if I can keep the plastic bags safe in my suitcases.

[Grumpy1]

So what we're really criticising here - those who are berating the cabin stewards - is that they are acting like traditional personal attendants.

You have a point there, Dave, but the vast majority of cruisers have never had a traditional personal attendant... other than Mommy or DW:D ... and would not be used to turning over the more intimate details to someone else, especially someone that you do not know well enough to have a high degree of trust in them. I don't think of HAL stewards as personal attendants and doubt that many others do either. if I wanted or needed a personal attendant, I would bring one with me that I knew well.

[Grumpy1]

If nothing else, this thread has made us all aware of things that might happen. Now that we know, we can probably head off problems with a little up front communications with the room steward. I know that from now on I will tell my steward that I do not want him/her to open any drawer in the room without my permission. In RevNeal's situation, I would leave the clothes in the bags until ready to wear them, but I would tell the steward that I will need the bags for packing and they are not to be thrown away. Also telling them that anything that you want discarded will be in or on the wastebasket should head off problems there.

[gophercruiser]

Have had some 24 cruises under our belts and cannot say that we have noticed any personal discretions being abused. I do not believe you did HAL any favors by not putting the incident on the end of cruise form as if it was serious enough to bring to the Forum, it should have been reported to HAL.

[dakrewser]

You have a point there, Dave, but the vast majority of cruisers have never had a traditional personal attendant... other than Mommy or DW:D ... and would not be used to turning over the more intimate details to someone else, especially someone that you do not know well enough to have a high degree of trust in them. I don't think of HAL stewards as personal attendants and doubt that many others do either. if I wanted or needed a personal attendant, I would bring one with me that I knew well.

 

It's interesting in this regard to note that one of the service that Celebrity's butlers offer to suite passengers is unpacking and packing service... i.e., it's part of the "suite life" to ghave someone handle all of your clothing.

[Maryandi]

Hi - Seems like we all agree that the drawers in our cabin should not be opened and most believe that the closets are personal space - with a few exceptions - too. IMO the deciding what to take out of these spaces should not be allowed to continue. What might look like junk or unnecessary might have a value to that person (See Rev. Neal). Who are they to decide ?? It makes me mad.:mad:

 

Some people cannot get past wondering about what was taken from me - bear in mind - I still stress, it is not the item it is the deciding to take that is more important !!

Volendam:

I knew he was in my closet when he made reference to a clip on chair umbrella that I had in my closet.

 

A thermal coffee server was missing from the shelf by the safe in my closet. We wanted it on the last AM to get Lido coffee while getting ready to vacate the room. !!

 

Disney Wonder balcony : a full unopened bottle of soda and a souvenier book of matches.(wet towel was left out there and ashtray 1/2 full )

 

Another poster mentioned glassware taken from a drawer-I do remember a couple of years ago that happening, too. Just didn't pay attention then-should have been more aware.

 

MaryAnn

 

PS I have had liquor, snacks and such in drawers that haven't been taken (yet !)

[Mary Ellen]

My father & step-mom did have about $1000 taken from their unlocked nightstand drawer a few years ago (why they didn't have it in the safe, I don't know :confused: Maybe my 80+ dad was confused about working the safe, but they could have had us put it in our safe). I didn't learn of it until about a year later - as they didn't want to upset me and ruin the end of our cruise. They didn't tell anyone on ship as they knew they didn't have any way to prove the loss. I felt they should have told someone as if in the future there were other reports of similar losses in the (brand new) cabin steward's rooms, there would be some 'history'.

[mickeyfitz]

I did have my wallet stolen from room years ago on RCI( I forgot and left it out and it was gone within the 5 to 10 minutes it took to return to the cabin), bit it does seem that the main issue here is one of misunderstanding by the steward, not dishonesty or ill will, and the solution is the setting of boundaries- what we want and don't want from our steward.

[Maryandi]

So sorry to hear of the thefts. Too bad, it can happen anywhere and will taint a good memory forever.

 

While I don't believe anything taken was with that intent- it sets up an atmosphere of distrust. I don't like going on vacation and having to put things in locked suitcases, etc. but I guess that's what it's coming to.

 

I will make sure the RS knows how I feel so there is no misunderstanding.

 

M.A.

[Maryandi]

So sorry to hear of the thefts. Too bad, it can happen anywhere and will taint a good memory forever.

 

While I don't believe anything taken was with that intent- it sets up an atmosphere of distrust. I don't like going on vacation and having to put things in locked suitcases, etc. but I guess that's what it's coming to.

 

I will make sure the RS knows how I feel so there is no misunderstanding.

 

M.A.

[amusea]

The last night on a 12 day Crystal cruise I had left my work papers on the desk. My room is always neat so there was no confusing this with trash. Anyhow, the RS collected all my work papers from my desk as well as some from a shelf in my closet and threw them out! I was flabbergasted.

I immediately panicked and reported the incident to the front desk. They said that they would try to retrieve them from the trash compactor but, alas, the report came back that the papers had been destroyed. The RS said it was the last night of the cruise and he was getting ready for the next cruise. I said that as far as I know I had paid for transit that night and he was completely at fault. But - I never got any real apology from the cruise line.

[BasenjiMom]

I am very confused over the OP's post. :confused: Taking things out of a private area ? I think the post is lacking in detail so it makes it difficult to comment. I think "what stuff" does matter.

 

 

I do know at one time, Carnival's RS would lay out night gowns for the ladies. And YES , the did go through drawers/closets to get the night gown. I have no idea if this is still a practice or not.

 

 

 

 

Does anyone know if they get upset if there is no nightgown? LOL :eek: