Personal Items Left Behind ... Post Cruise

[canehdn]

Has anyone had experience trying to retrieve personal belongings left on the ship post cruise? Just off the Westerdam yesterday and realized when unpacking at home, that I forgot to check that wonderful drawer at the foot of the bed. Left 4 articles of clothing behind. Left a voice message with Guest Relations of the Westerdam this morning and waiting for a call-back. Just wondered what my chances are of getting those items returned. What a way to end a fabulous cruise .... :eek:

[jhannah]

I'd say your chances are fair. They have been known to return items of value before. Clothes, however, may not be high on their priority list.

[canehdn]

Thanks ... I just spoke with Yvonne in the Lost & Found Dept, Seattle who took all the necessary information, was extremely professional and helpful. It was just a few articles of clothing and is definitely not life shattering ... I would be happy to get them back though. She did explain if they aren't returned to the Seattle office immediately, it could take 3-4 weeks as they check the following few sailings ... it's possible the drawer isn't used each sailing.

[Susie51]

Thank you for asking this question. I didn't realize when cleaning a room the cabin steward wasn't expected to check all of the drawers to make sure they were clean. Occasionally, I find snacks, lotion, ect. left in drawers from previous cruises, but I thought it was an accidental oversight. Your post makes it clear the drawers are not checked.

 

I hope you get your clothes back.

[canehdn]

Thanks Suzie ... Funny you should say that ... I found some barettes in the medicine cabinet and I wondered the same thing myself. Why wasn't the cabinet checked and cleaned. Well, I'll post the results of my lost and found claim whether positive or negative. It could help someone in a similar situation.

[tottoncruiser]

We also thought that the drawers would be checked and cleaned before new passengers embarked? but obviously not as upon embarking the Maasdam in March we found 12 pairs on Gents incontinence pants in the drawer:eek:.

 

Anne

[Vic The Parrot]

Thank you for asking this question. I didn't realize when cleaning a room the cabin steward wasn't expected to check all of the drawers to make sure they were clean. Occasionally, I find snacks, lotion, ect. left in drawers from previous cruises, but I thought it was an accidental oversight. Your post makes it clear the drawers are not checked.

 

I hope you get your clothes back.

 

 

 

Either that cabin steward was lazy, or just cutting corners.

 

But have to say I never found anything in drawers, or the closets. A few crumbs on the balcony, tho ... but I guess the former passenger was feeding the birds before leaving the ship. :D

[GeriatricNurse]

Thank you for asking this question. I didn't realize when cleaning a room the cabin steward wasn't expected to check all of the drawers to make sure they were clean. Occasionally, I find snacks, lotion, ect. left in drawers from previous cruises, but I thought it was an accidental oversight. Your post makes it clear the drawers are not checked.

 

I hope you get your clothes back.

 

 

Nor, apparantly, is the area beneath the bed vacuumed, as DW & I always discover various different items under it after we have checked into our stateroom, during the process of storing our empty suitcases beneath the bed! Not a high priority area for vacuuming between cruises, I guess!

[GeriatricNurse]

Thanks Suzie ... Funny you should say that ... I found some barettes in the medicine cabinet and I wondered the same thing myself. Why wasn't the cabinet checked and cleaned. Well, I'll post the results of my lost and found claim whether positive or negative. It could help someone in a similar situation.

 

 

Perhaps related to too many staterooms and not enough time to clean between cruisings, plus, perhaps, lack of communication/co-ordination between the stateroom stewards?

[mamadot]

FINNY! 12 Pairs of DRAWERS in drawers!!

[skippyy]

We also thought that the drawers would be checked and cleaned before new passengers embarked? but obviously not as upon embarking the Maasdam in March we found 12 pairs on Gents incontinence pants in the drawer:eek:.

 

Anne

If I provide my address and pay postage :confused:

[flamingogal]

We left 2 sweatshirts behind in the closet on the Noordam in March. We contacted Lost and Found that day and gave them the description of the garments. She said it may take 3-4 weeks for any information. We recently received a letter from HAL Lost and Found - they didn't find our sweatshirts, but they hope we had a good cruise nonetheless. Still hoping something will turn up, DH's sweatshirt was from his fire station and was pretty special.

[lovebug33]

On our last cruise, we found an entire box of hair accessories at the top of the closet (who am I kidding, it was DH because he's the only one tall enough to see up there!). We gave them to the steward who said they would put them somewhere to see if anybody claimed them. On a Princess cruise, we found 12 jars of baby food. I'm assuming the people just didn't want to drag it back with them. My Dh ate some of it, which I found disgusting!

[jhannah]

On a Princess cruise, we found 12 jars of baby food ... My Dh ate some of it, which I found disgusting!

Yikes! :eek: For real??? Of course, if the top button was still down and it was sealed, I'd guess it would make a nice late night snack!

 

I once found a nightstand drawer full of Saltine crackers. The first thing I thought of was that one of the prior occupants was sick and that's all they could eat. I was hoping the cabin was properly sanitized! (Neither of us got sick.) I did call the cabin steward and had him remove them.

[JimVrhovac]

Years ago Ruth left a diamond bracelet in the corner of the same (we both thought it was empty) and received a call from HAL and a pactage containing the bracelet about 3 weeks after the cruise

 

Ruth & Jim

[KAKcruiser]

A couple of years ago we received a call about a month after a cruise asking us about a few items of clothing that had been found in our stateroom. HAL wasn't sure which week they were left behind. They didn't belong to us but I was really impressed that they were going through so much trouble to locate the owner.

[timothy998]

On our March cruise we found soiled men's BVDs (yuck) in one of the closets, plus various food wrappers in some of the cabinets. Not as bad as things I find in hotel rooms along the way. At some point I quit looking under the bed unless I'm with my family, as I don't want the kids to find things. "Daddy, what's this for?" :eek:

[DutchByAssociation]

Perhaps related to too many staterooms and not enough time to clean between cruisings, plus, perhaps, lack of communication/co-ordination between the stateroom stewards?

 

There are no more rooms than usual for the stateroom stewards, simply 2 per room now as opposed to one and their areas were merged. In doing this, things like making the bed go A LOT faster!

[DutchByAssociation]

Years ago Ruth left a diamond bracelet in the corner of the same (we both thought it was empty) and received a call from HAL and a pactage containing the bracelet about 3 weeks after the cruise

 

Ruth & Jim

 

Now THAT is the kind of story I like to hear!

[PenelopeCorelli]

I remember several years ago when I went on a tour of a HAL ship as it was docked in Seattle, where we lived. Had a nice lunch in the dining room, then left, leaving my jacket on the back of my seat. I remembered it too late, as the ship was getting ready to leave port. Got the same story as everyone else. Had to wait, they'd see if they could find it, etc. I know they wouldn't leave it on the chair at dinnertime, so I figured at that time that a crew member wanted it:confused: They never found it. It was very disappointing, because it was a matching piece to one of my Units knit outfits.:(

 

But I'm now going on my first cruise, and I'll try not to leave anything on board!:)

[canehdn]

After my conversation with the gal in Lost & Found I came to realize the secret in getting your belongings returned is "if" and only "if" the occupants or room stewards turn them in. When speaking with Seattle I did not get the impression they would actively search for the items, but if found items are turned in, they will make every effort to get them to their owner. I think that's fair and can live with that ... "my bad" not double checking each and every drawer. And BTW this did not take anything away from my fantastic week on HAL's Westerdam. Thank you all for your input.