RCL charges for the use of pool towels?

[QTBabyNurse]

When we get on deck we always say look, the pool attendents have gone around and placed all these clean towels and books on all the chairs, so we walk over and get a towel & a chair, and if we don't like the book we just exchange it with one on another chair. Works just like the barber shop. Sometimes we even exchange the sandles there leaving ours behind!!!

 

No cards needed.

 

This is the best idea I've ever picked up on Cruise Critic! Thanks! ;)

[Ocean Boy]

Is there a towel attendant on duty 24 hours/day? What if you want to use the hot tub at midnight and need a towel???

On Idependence I believe there was an attentent there until around 10PM. I am not sure exactly what time they got there in the morning. You are not limited in the number of towels you check out. We always had some down in our cabin in case we needed them. If I happened to be on deck when I wanted a towel I would just go check out some more instead of going to the cabin to get them. As long as you come out with a zero balance at the end of the week you won't incur any charges. When I handed in my last towels I had the attentent confirm that my acount was showing zero towels checked out.

[kelleyfarms]

When we get on deck we always say look, the pool attendents have gone around and placed all these clean towels and books on all the chairs, so we walk over and get a towel & a chair, and if we don't like the book we just exchange it with one on another chair. Works just like the barber shop. Sometimes we even exchange the sandles there leaving ours behind!!!

 

No cards needed.

 

Aha!! So you're the one that left your size 7 sandals and took my size 11 haha!! But thanks for the new book! I had just finished that one, and as always I had the killer wrong... Great post Setsail!

[island visitor]

I do not like the new towel policy. Was on the FOS in January and after being on Princess the two previous cruises was surprised that RCI had changed their towel policy. Matter of fact this was the only complaint that we had on our survey card. Just didn't like the lines to check the towels, and there were long lines on that particular cruise. Still like the ideal of the cabin steward providing clean towels. Is this something that would keep me from cruising on RCI again??? Heck no! Wouldn't let something like this effect my cruise, just not a fan of it.

[csoud]

why doesnt everyone just check thier towels back in at the end of every day, regardless of cleanliness? The last thing i want to do is carry a towel back through the ship after i have used it.

 

Just check them out and turn them back in. That will ensure that you get a fresh towel every day. It also ensures you dont look like a a REDNECK when going through the ship.

[Stevesan]

why doesnt everyone just check thier towels back in at the end of every day, regardless of cleanliness? The last thing i want to do is carry a towel back through the ship after i have used it.

 

Just check them out and turn them back in. That will ensure that you get a fresh towel every day. It also ensures you dont look like a a REDNECK when going through the ship.

 

 

You might be a REDNECK if your pool footwear is army shoes. :p

[croozer]

I'm with you, csoud. After a nice afternoon in the sun, I might wander to the casino, trivia, or the buffet and the last thing I want to do is lug a dirty, soggy towel around.

[cruiselvr04]

Although I'm not crazy about checking the towels in and out (like a Motel 6 to me), I'd rather do that then bring one with me from home to use in ports of call. This way I always have a fresh, clean towel to use. We use them on our balcony too! We haven't had any problem with the new system but I always make sure on the last day to check with the towel person to make sure no one has charged us for a towel.

[cruisinfanatic]

why doesnt everyone just check thier towels back in at the end of every day, regardless of cleanliness? The last thing i want to do is carry a towel back through the ship after i have used it.

 

Just check them out and turn them back in. That will ensure that you get a fresh towel every day. It also ensures you dont look like a a REDNECK when going through the ship.

why would you?

If you did that, you'd have no towel for a late swim or the beach the next day. You'd also be holding up people who simply want to exchange.

The old way you had to bring the towels (wet) back to the cabin unless you exchanged them anyway. You didn't mind looking like a redneck then?

[Ocean Boy]

why would you?

If you did that, you'd have no towel for a late swim or the beach the next day. You'd also be holding up people who simply want to exchange.

The old way you had to bring the towels (wet) back to the cabin unless you exchanged them anyway. You didn't mind looking like a redneck then?

 

Every once in a while someone around here has to try using logic to make a point.;):D I wonder if it is just carrying a towel that makes someone look like a redneck or if all the other stuff counts that people carry to the pool to use for saving their chairs for the day?

[clochette]

I checked out 4 towels the first day of the cruise, I checked back in 4 towels on the last day of the cruise. During the cruise we just used and exchanged our towels as needed easy as can be. I really had no issue with the system.

[rccl2675]

What do you mean by this?

If you had a charge, it was their impression that you did not return your towels.. You have to really watch, if you just throw the towels into the hamper and not have your card scanned, this gives them the indication that you did not turn in your towels.

 

It true I got charge for 4 towels becouse I threw them in the hamper I forgot to scan my seapass

[cruisinfanatic]

It true I got charge for 4 towels becouse I threw them in the hamper I forgot to scan my seapass

I guess that would be why

[HdGDanceMom]

So the towels for the pool are different than the ones in your room? Forgive my ignorance on this, but we have mostly sailed on Disney, and all the towels are the same, so no need to check towels in/out. All big white fluffy towels.

 

I think I may need to pack our own beach towels....

[critterchick]

Is there a towel attendant on duty 24 hours/day? What if you want to use the hot tub at midnight and need a towel???

 

Bring one of your cabin towels.

[MrsPete]

Not quite right.

 

RC's old system: Towels were available by the pool, you picked them up there, left them there or in your room, or wherever, there was no checking on towels.

 

RC's next system: Upon check-in, you had a beach towel in your room. Every time it got dirty, you exchanged it for a clean one. At the end of the week, your cabin steward was responsible for making sure you'd left a towel in your room. At worst, you have to take a wet towel back to your room that night.

 

RC's new system: First time you want a towel, you check it out from the pool area. Every time it gets dirty, you exchange it for a clean one. At the end of the week, you return it to the pool attendant and make sure he credits you for its return.

Ah, well. Your cruising experience obviously goes back more years than mine!

Is there a towel attendant on duty 24 hours/day? What if you want to use the hot tub at midnight and need a towel???

Here's the easiest thing to do: Every time you've dirtied a towel, trade it in for a fresh one. Always return to your room with a fresh towel. That way, if you decide to use the hot tub late-late at night, you have a towel ready.

why doesnt everyone just check thier towels back in at the end of every day, regardless of cleanliness? The last thing i want to do is carry a towel back through the ship after i have used it.

The better option is to exchange the towel for a fresh one after every use. You might look a bit odd if you were carrying a towel (clean or dirty) back to your room while dressed in formal wear, but when you're wearing a swimsuit and have obviously just left the pool, it's not a bit out of place.

 

The more times you return a towel (as opposed to just exchanging it), the more times you have an opportunity for a mistake to be made in the computer.

Although I'm not crazy about checking the towels in and out (like a Motel 6 to me), I'd rather do that then bring one with me from home to use in ports of call. This way I always have a fresh, clean towel to use. We use them on our balcony too! We haven't had any problem with the new system but I always make sure on the last day to check with the towel person to make sure no one has charged us for a towel.

I've never actually stayed in a Motel 6, but I've stayed in plenty of Best Westerns and Holiday Inns. They tend to have scads of cheap-0, super-thin towels piled up in the pool area, free for the taking. On the other hand, we stayed at a 5-star oceanfront Marriott timeshare property recently, and they were the most rabid, where's-my-towel-people I've ever encountered. In our room we found four "credit card type things" that read "Towel card". When we wanted towels, we had to hand over one of the cards. Four people - four cards. No, you can't have two.

 

This is all because people steal towels and because people take them ashore and are careless with them. I don't blame the cruise line. They're a business, and they can't afford to keep replacing inventory. I'd rather they institute these simple measures than raise cruise prices.

[Flacruiser123]

My first experience with this "new" towel process was not pleasant. I, too, was used to having them in the room upon arrival, and replaced by the attendant after use.

 

My husband and I seldom use the pool, but do often take the towels with us on excursions. Our previous cruise had the towel attendants at the ship exit so that you could grab them on your way out. Imagine our surprise when we didn't see the towels when exiting the ship for CoCo Cay! We had all our snorkel gear and such with us and now I had to go back up to the pool deck to get towels. But no! They had moved them to the Excursions area. Once I got there I was informed of the new "sign out" policy for towels, and I now needed my seapass card, which I had left with my husband while I went to fetch towels. So I had to go back down to the exit floor (2) again, get my sea pass, and then back up to sign for the towels.

 

It was worse returning the towels. We left CoCo Cay on the 2nd to last boat in, running to our room to quickly shower for a kitchen tour and then main dining with our group, the evening show, and was too late to return our towels! We were told the towel attendants would be on the pool deck 'til 10 but there was no one there at 9. So we went to Excursions, no one there, and then Customer Service, who told us someone should be on the pool deck. They tried to call someone (no answer) but finally told us we would have to check them in the following morning early at Excursions desk or the towel fee would certainly be on our bill. Yes, I did this all while holding two wet towels!!!

 

Early the next morning, imagine my dismay when I discovered I now had to somehow make my way through the traffic of the early departures, now departing on the fourth floor, the same as Excursions! It was a madhouse cutting through everyone with still-damp towels and people obviously were not happy with me.

 

Yes, I long for the happier days when my room attendant accounted for our beach towels!!