Room Stewards into my stuff

[Maryandi]

See that it is happening on a lines - and you are correct it is your cabin (and everything in it) until you are finished with the cruise.

 

Grumpy 1 is on the Baltic cruise and reported that the RS threw out 2 souvenier glasses on the desk - that they paid for !! He told the RS to only throw out what is in the wastebasket.

 

I am so aggrivated about this esp. when no attempt to apologize, retreive or replace the item is made !:mad:

 

Do we need to have little signs everwhere ? duct tape the closets and drawers closed ? Lock things in our luggage ?

 

Never had this happen in a hotel - even when they knew we were leaving the next day.

MaryAnn

[Guest Celestia]

Upon arrival in our room we prop the door open until our Steward comes to introduce himself.

 

At this time we have ready for him the robes, umbrellas, laundry service papers and bags and any other unwanted items such as the room book, signage, warm sodas, etc. We have him sign our itemized list that he is removing these items from our cabin (important, so as not to be charged for the nasty used robe at departure). We also have him remove the ottoman (which is meant to double as your laundry hamper) and any other small furnishings we do not want in our way (one of us is mobility challenged). If the television is in our way we have that taken at this time as well.

 

We inform him that we do not want the beds turned down at night and request new bedspreads, which are not to be removed from the bed during the evening room servicing. We also tell him we do not want the closet 'cleaned' and we will place anything to be removed from the room in the wastebasket, otherwise all is to be left untouched. We ask that they not fill the icebucket, if ice is wanted we are well able to get it ourselves.

 

We are both very tidy people and really all we want from the room attendant is to vacuum DAILY, mop the bathroom floor DAILY, and replace soiled toweling. We make our own beds unless we want linen service. Beyond that we need little else from them. If they follow though on this, they will find themselves well rewarded come the end of the trip!

 

Any souvenier items are placed in one of our locked suitcases as we bring them aboard - this after the disappearance of brochures and other small items intended to go home with us from the desktop. Another case is used for laundry. We've yet to have any service people go through our luggage, though we have most definitely had them search through the closet and drawers in search of nightwear for 'making pretty' and yes, they do seem a bit non-plussed when they do not find any!

 

YMMV

[jessemon]

OK...here we go.

Someone in the drawers of your cabin taking out nighties might be a touch strange. Turning them into animals on the bed is funny. My wife would have me taking pics before putting them on the dresser and not wearing them the rest of the cruise. (Bigger tip for the "Cabin steward" for wife naked in cabin the rest of the cruise.)

At one time and still today on few lines and better resorts they still have a traditional turn down of the bed. Ladies nighty and gentlemans pajamas are layed out on the bed.

As to them being in closets and drawers...it might go under the heading of security and pilferage or cleanliness.

Someone long ago on this post mentioned that they had put "cruise line " wine glasses in a drawer. The cabin steward might have heard them rolling around on a sea day...opened the drawer and said..."Ah - Ha" someone trying to pilfer more glasses from us. How is he to know that they were just saving them to drink out of. My other question is if I am not mistaken...any cabin we have been on on HAL always has wine glasses (or maybe just tumblers) above the desk/dressing area.

On leaving things on the veranda...that is an open area. If it is a sea day it can be blown away even while a towel stays on the back of a chair simply because of the angle of the wind. If it is a port day the maintainance people who paint or clean windows could have been there. That is no excuse...but more than just the cabin steward can access the veranda.

As for the security idea...all crew are trained on issues of security. I am sure at one time or another that our dresser drawers have been gone through on a cruise. But have never noticed it. For the nonbelievers out there...they (the cruise line) have the right at any time to look in closets and drawers...

If you have a problem with the cabin steward making funny things with your jammies..."Tell them to knock it off". If something is missing...report it immediatly...

And in closing just remember one thing always...

It's a cruise...a vacation...relax and enjoy. Most of the time the crew is just trying to make you happy.:cool:

[happy cruzer]

I have two comments to add. I'm not trying to contradict anyone's observations or experiences.

 

1) I have think most of this is leftover from the "personal attendant" days. I have had some very good room attendants. They have taken good care of me. They put some of my things away for me and they take some things out for me. Since they see all my trash and clean my bed and bath, I don't think I have any important secrets from them and don't mind. My personal opionion - I know others differ.

 

2) Humorous story - The most outrage I have ever heard on this topic was on the old Noordam many years ago. The Noordam was nearing the end of her career and sailing out of Tampa at a pretty good price. We had some table mates from Alabama who bragged that they sailed the Noordam about every 4 months. They bragged that they had a full service of silverware at home from HAL as well as towels etc. Anyway, the last night apparently they had already packed up their loot because at dinner they were outraged that their suitcases had been opened and all the towels and things had been removed.

 

Just my two comments.

[Maryandi]

I have never had a RS put away or hang up any of my clothing .

 

Any searching thru bags, drawers, closets, etc, should be with the knowlege and in the presence of the guest if anything is suspected. Yes, I know we are in International waters, etc. and rules of US law wouldn't apply. But If they want to avoid any assumption of theft, etc. They should do this.

 

Nothing that I reported taken, thrown away or missing was in the category of 'moved so it would not come to harm'. There are alternate scenarios that would apply in some cases.

 

Celestia, you certainly have this subject covered. I will use many of your ideas and thank you for posting in such detail.

 

If all this removing, looking around and opening private areas does bother you, I would tell them to only throw out what is in the wastbasket and to stay out of anything else. As I will be doing on my next cruise.

 

MaryAnn

[BasenjiMom]

I find this taking the nightclothes and folding into animals thing just very very bizarre.

I mean, how does the RS know what I'll be wearing that night? Sometimes I'm not even sure until the moment arrives. School girl, French maid, depends on my mood really. Am I to take his choice as an order, or merely a suggestion?

[Scrumpy]

I find this taking the nightclothes and folding into animals thing just very very bizarre.

I mean, how does the RS know what I'll be wearing that night? Sometimes I'm not even sure until the moment arrives. School girl, French maid, depends on my mood really. Am I to take his choice as an order, or merely a suggestion?

 

Good point! And from America's Heartland, too. ;) I guess a submissive would take it as an order, LOL!!! :confused: <Too funny; too, too funny:) - thanks so much for a real laugh!>

[Copper10-8]

I find this taking the nightclothes and folding into animals thing just very very bizarre.

I mean, how does the RS know what I'll be wearing that night? Sometimes I'm not even sure until the moment arrives. School girl, French maid, depends on my mood really. Am I to take his choice as an order, or merely a suggestion?

 

You go BasenjiMom!;)

[Maryandi]

I would draw the line - when he asks you to model the choice of the evening:p

 

M.A.

[Starspangle1]

ya find my black bra. I'm telling ya I don't know where it went. I was on a Princess cruise to Bermuda (Pacific Princess) with a group of friends but we all had our own rooms just in case someone thinks that someone in my room took it by accident. I had put out my dress and black bra to wear to dinner that night on the spare bed and it was gone. I went to the RS and he said he didn't know where it went and he checked with the laundry service thinking it got mixed up with bedding but no luck there. Pissed me off, it was nothing fancy or anything that he would have wanted to show off to his friends but it was a fifty buck bra.

On the topic of RS going in closets or drawers, if they want to run the vacuum in the closet fine but to point out something that they had no business in in the first place. And about the glasses in the drawer, next time lock them up in you suit case. If what is true about them hearing them clinking that's why they took them, I don't buy that, RS shouldn't be in the drawers it could have been my handcuffs.

[bepsf]

First cruise aboard Oosterdam, I purchased those goofy souvenier glasses and left them on the desk. A couple days later - they disappeared, but I was so busy with excursions and parties that I didn't notice till packing the last night.

Oh well - I really didnt have space for them anyway and don't know what I would have done w/ them anyways. I guess I figured that he took them to clean the ice/sticky mess out and forgot to bring them back - not worth it to go scouting after them...

I've left suits of clothing strewn on the sofa and returned to find it neatly folded or hung over the back of a chair. I've come in looking for the dry-cleaning that I expected that evening and found it neatly hung in the closets. I keep my daily schedules piled up neatly on the desk as I know I'm going to save them - they're never bothered. Yesterdays undies and socks have been left on the floor in the bathroom and i've found them on the shelf below the sink - and the pajamas I left on the bed are folded neatly under the pillow. I've left my laptop on the desk and returned to find the steward mesmerized at the images on the screensaver - but never touched. I've lost some other pajama's on one of my trips (at least they weren't my favorite jammies w/ the cowboys on 'em :rolleyes: - probably shoulda looked under the pillows! ) - but who knows if it was in the hotel or on the ship? No matter - I figure it all works out in the end...

Now that verandah fires have become a safety issue, we should all expect that our belongings left out there will be brought in and placed somewhere. I also expect that since safety is an ever-present issue - stewards may be inclined to look in drawers to see just what it is clanking around in there to ensure there isn't a safety hazard - Wineglasses? Irons? Ashtrays w/ smouldering cigarettes? (people have done weirder things...)

I don't think that its unreasonable to ask the OP what the items were that the steward threw away - as with the dry-cleaning bags (one man's trash is another man's treasure) - it could have been an honest mistake.

I think that by and large, these guys on HAL pretty well know their limits.

[BasenjiMom]

Good point! And from America's Heartland, too. ;) I guess a submissive would take it as an order, LOL!!! :confused: <Too funny; too, too funny:) - thanks so much for a real laugh!>

 

LOL

America's Heartland, where the winters are cold and long, we tend to entertain ourselves.

I'm intrigued with this 'personal servant' idea, I've never had one. Could have a bit of fun with that!

[dakrewser]

LOL

America's Heartland, where the winters are cold and long, we tend to entertain ourselves.

I'm intrigued with this 'personal servant' idea, I've never had one. Could have a bit of fun with that!

 

I doubt it would be "fun" for you. A cabin steward is not the same as a hotel maid, but is trained in the tradition of personal service.

 

Sadly, far too many passengers are equally trained.

[BasenjiMom]

I doubt it would be "fun" for you. A cabin steward is not the same as a hotel maid, but is trained in the tradition of personal service.

 

Sadly, far too many passengers are equally trained.

 

Aw, I was just kidding.

But, I'm glad I read this thread, because now I know the reason behind the steward going through personal stuff, and will overlook it should it happen.

I have never had anyone wait on me, just wasn't raised that way, and admit to being a bit out of sorts when I stay in a hotel and people clean up after me. I actually clean a bit before I leave the room.

It will take some serious adjustment to my basic character to feel comfortable being so attended to on the cruise. Hopefully I will not become used to it LOL