Does HAL provide soap?

[Toad]

What's next, pack your own toilet tissue ;)!

[PathfinderEss]

What's next, pack your own toilet tissue ;)!

Hey now, I bring my own soap, shampoo, gel and hair dryer because I like mine better. No one says you have to use Hal's toiletries. There for awhile they were using a soap that made my DH break out, that's one reason I carry my own now.

[Rinderoo]

I bring a pump dispenser of hand soap on trips. Can't stand how the bars of soap get mushy. Since I travel somewhat frequently I also have my own body wash and other toiletries. An over the door shoe organizer works pretty well for toiletries both in the stateroom as well as in the luggage. It also holds cosmetics, socks, jewelry (not the good stuff) and other little things that can be 'lost' in a cruise ship stateroom.

 

Being organized is pretty important to me. :p (Or obsessive... you pick.)

[fuzzywuzzy]

DH always packs liquid anti septic soap, anti septic spray, and air freshener.

 

For the first time ever at a hotel, the last hotel we stayed at in Fort Lauderdale provided a can of air freshener.

 

Yes, I've learned to pack a small container of air freshener although I've never really had to use it onboard HAL. I always pack a shower puff as well.

P.S. I like HAL's toiletries. I think they're lovely.

[uppitycats]

When I found out that HAL uses Elemis products, I plan to pack my own. I think Elemis smells medicinal, unpleasant. The few toiletries I use take up very little space.

[billyelliot]

Could some one tell me, is the shampoo and conditioner separate? Or all in one? Thanks x

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

One container of each on the shower wall.

[NoobCruise]

I always take my own everywhere because I have very sensitive skin. Wrong shampoo, body wash or even hairspray and I'll be covered in hives and itching like crazy. And one exposure will take a week to heal. guaranteed to ruin even the best vacation!

[pms4104]

It makes me sad and disgusted to read some of the posts above where people stated that they had to beg repeatedly for a bar of soap. Geez, HAL isn't the No-Tell-Motel and there is no excuse for such poor planning of essential supplies, particularly when Noro can be a problem onboard and the staff often remind passengers to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

 

I've already put bar soap on my list of stuff to take ... but I simply can't imagine why I should need to do so! Well, except that there could be a soap shortage onboard.

[rkacruiser]

Some friends on the Amsterdam's World Cruise asked the Hotel Manager about why no glycerine soap. He said that it had been discontinued fleet wide.

[Vic The Parrot]

Some friends on the Amsterdam's World Cruise asked the Hotel Manager about why no glycerine soap. He said that it had been discontinued fleet wide.

 

 

 

But will that type of soap be replaced by something else? :confused:

 

A smaller version of the white cake by Elemis, perhaps. We gotta wash our hands somehow, ya know. :D

[Amuse Bouche]

According to some sources, it's thought that glycerin may actually prevent you from washing away norovirus. I don't know if it's true, but it's a pretty strong virus. It wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[rkacruiser]

But will that type of soap be replaced by something else? :confused:

 

A smaller version of the white cake by Elemis, perhaps. We gotta wash our hands somehow, ya know. :D

 

Yes, the white bar of soap is still available.

[sail7seas]

According to some sources, it's thought that glycerin may actually prevent you from washing away norovirus. I don't know if it's true, but it's a pretty strong virus. It wouldn't surprise me a bit.

 

 

Really?

I wonder why. I'd be interested to read something about that but couldn't find anything. I'll have to look harder.

 

 

Yes, the white bar of soap is still available.

 

 

I had to make several requests before I received any in our suite yet we had really good stewards. :confused:

 

[CowPrincess]

 

I had to make several requests before I received any in our suite yet we had really good stewards. :confused:

 

 

 

On the O-dam in October all I could get was the yellow glycerine stuff. My steward said the white stuff was being discontinued :rolleyes: He was an adequate steward at best, and I didn't really believe him.

 

I cannot find the Elemis white soap on the Time to Spa website any longer, and I've had several friends haunting the spas on several ships, and none is available for purchase either.

[Cruiser4310]

On the O-dam in October all I could get was the yellow glycerine stuff. My steward said the white stuff was being discontinued :rolleyes: He was an adequate steward at best, and I didn't really believe him.

 

I cannot find the Elemis white soap on the Time to Spa website any longer, and I've had several friends haunting the spas on several ships, and none is available for purchase either.

The yellow soap is awful. Melts into an awful glump. Ick. I like the white soap. Oh, too bad. Time to order Bulgari online and bring it on board. Now there's a thought!!!:)

[bob brown]

Last time I was on HAL, the Amsterdam in 2010, they still had the two types of bar soap mentioned.

When I sailed on NCL, there was only liquid soap for both the sink and shower. I am used to using bar soap for both at home, so I went into ship's sundry shop, and purchased some 'Irish Spring' for a relatively steep price. Later I mentioned this to my steward, and he told me that bar soap is still available on request, and he promptly gave me several cakes.

He said the line found that bar soap was either wasted (tossed in trash, half used), or taken home by some passengers (and requesting more each day); so they went to liquid soap.

[NoobCruise]

According to some sources, it's thought that glycerin may actually prevent you from washing away norovirus. I don't know if it's true, but it's a pretty strong virus. It wouldn't surprise me a bit.

 

I don't know if it prevents washing away the virus or not, but bacteria like glycerin. In research labs, bacteria are always frozen/stored in glycerol. It's very thick and sticky, and it makes sense that it may make it more difficult to wash the virus away. Kind of like washing your hands in glue.

 

And how much space does a bar of soap take? If getting soap for your sink is an issue - and considering the norovirus problems - I think you should just pack a bar. JMO

[HamburgAvonLady]

It would never ever occur to me to take my own soap on a cruise. Booking a cabin is the same as booking a hotel room where we have never had to provide our own soap. Does anyone ever take their own soap when land traveling? There are just certain essentials that come with the room.

 

I take my own complexion soap -- it's glycerine based and I will NOT use anything else. To each his own --- that's what makes the world interesting, IMO.

[cirman52]

I don't mean to sound rude, but if you can afford a cruise on HAL, you can afford to bring your own bar of anti bacteria soap.

[peaches from georgia]

I take my own complexion soap -- it's glycerine based and I will NOT use anything else. To each his own --- that's what makes the world interesting, IMO.

Oh, I understand that! ;) I take my cream facial cleanser that comes in a tube, but wasn't even thinking of that when I said I don't take 'soap'. The only bar soap I was thinking of was hand soap at the sink which I don't ever take. I never leave home without my 'beauty' products and makeup bag!

[innlady1]

The yellow soap is awful. Melts into an awful glump. Ick. I like the white soap. Oh, too bad. Time to order Bulgari online and bring it on board. Now there's a thought!!!:)

 

That's what we had on the Maasdam, too. One bar for the entire cruise (14 days). It got stuck on the soap dish...I couldn't even remove it. I'm glad that I'd brought our own soap; I always bring my own shampoo and conditioner as well.

I don't like the yellow glycerin but I loved the white round bar of days gone by.

[sail7seas]

I don't mean to sound rude, but if you can afford a cruise on HAL, you can afford to bring your own bar of anti bacteria soap.

 

 

We all know we can afford the soap but that is so far from the point.

This is a luxury vacation in a self-proclaimed deluxe cruise ship and we have to provide our own soap? Each time any establishment takes away something they always provided in the past, it lowers their level of luxury and rating IMO For any hotel /cruise line to fail to provide a bar of soap, does not improve its image of luxury.

 

No guest should be expected to bring their own soap with which to wash their hands unless it is their choice.

 

Clearly, I find this gives such a cheap image that it amazes me especially given Noro risks.

 

Can you imagine a guest speaking with the press after leaving a ship that had a bad Noro outbreak and saying they failed to provide us with bars of soap for our sink? :eek:

IMO, this is one of the less sensible decisions at cost cutting.

 

Anyone on the ship certainly can afford a bar of soap but I would think it would embarrass them to tell any guest let alone a suite guest, you have to purchase and bring your own soap. Really?? The luxury is becoming less and less luxurious IMO

[OVgirl]

On our last cruise we had a round bar of soap, a small bottle of lotion and a shower cap on the bathroom counter. In the shower we just used the 3 dispensers.

[Toad]

As far as I am concerned they can cut costs by keeping the shower cap, and providing soap.