Towel fee eliminated

[Ourusualbeach]

Not sure if this has been posted but effective today RCI has eliminated the $25 fee for unreturned towels.

 

 

Starting today, January 1, 2014, Royal Caribbean has eliminated the $25 (per towel) fee for unreturned towels.

 

 

 

Previously, you could rent towels from the pool deck but would be charged $25 per towel if you did not return it before the end of your cruise.

 

The change is being cited as a result of guests feedback and Royal Caribbean wanting to offer guests "greater convenience and help them enjoy their Royal Caribbean vacation even more."

 

Here is the full statement by Royal Caribbean as to why they decided to get rid of the penalty fee.

 

"We think this policy adjustment will offer guests greater convenience and help them enjoy their Royal Caribbean vacation even more. We’re constantly evaluating our policies and implementing feedback. This is just one of many ongoing changes and improvements we’ve made to ensure Royal Caribbean International is giving guests the Royal Advantage - the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service. "

Edited January 1, 2014 by Ourusualbeach

[dacsmom]

Do you have a link to the information? Do you still have to show your seapass to get a towel or is it on the honor system? I see many towels going home in luggage.

[goouchjac]

Not sure if this has been posted but effective today RCI has eliminated the $25 fee for unreturned towels.

 

 

Starting today, January 1, 2014, Royal Caribbean has eliminated the $25 (per towel) fee for unreturned towels.

 

 

 

Previously, you could rent towels from the pool deck but would be charged $25 per towel if you did not return it before the end of your cruise.

 

The change is being cited as a result of guests feedback and Royal Caribbean wanting to offer guests "greater convenience and help them enjoy their Royal Caribbean vacation even more."

 

Here is the full statement by Royal Caribbean as to why they decided to get rid of the penalty fee.

 

"We think this policy adjustment will offer guests greater convenience and help them enjoy their Royal Caribbean vacation even more. We’re constantly evaluating our policies and implementing feedback. This is just one of many ongoing changes and improvements we’ve made to ensure Royal Caribbean International is giving guests the Royal Advantage - the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service. "

 

Well hooray,,making sure your towels are back or else is a pain in the you know where,,so who wants their towels anyway to bring home:eek:

[Clarea]

Good to hear, one less thing to worry about now.:)

[Spring Valley]

Good to hear, one less thing to worry about now.:)

 

Kinda like Forrest Gump said!:rolleyes::D

 

Keith

[matj2000]

I guess to many people were catching on to their scam of falsely charging people at the end of the trip.

It seems hard to justify anyone wanting to take one of those ugly brown towels.

Princess, NCL, & Carnival's towels are much nicer and are worth stealing, but they don't try to charge you for them...

[Ourusualbeach]

Do you have a link to the information? Do you still have to show your seapass to get a towel or is it on the honor system? I see many towels going home in luggage.

 

CC blocks the link but it is the unofficial blog site. I checked the press area of. RCI and found no mention of it.

 

I don't foresee many towels going home in luggage but what I envision more is many towels left on the private beaches.

 

It will be interesting to see how this is rolled out and if you still need to check them out using your Seapass cards. No need for the chair hogs to ever return to get their towels now.

[cjdixon4]

Always hated that crazy towel policy. I'd like to see the actual link to the topic for myself. Can you post that?

[Rdytogo2]

Princess, NCL, & Carnival's towels are much nicer and are worth stealing,

 

So you are a stealing towels!

 

I hope not many are doing that, as the cost of stolen towels will justify the cruise lines to raise prices to offset your theft.

 

Hope you enjoy your towels.

[matj2000]

So you are a stealing towels!

 

I hope not many are doing that, as the cost of stolen towels will justify the cruise lines to raise prices to offset your theft.

 

Hope you enjoy your towels.

 

 

No matter how hard you twist my words,

I never said I have taken any towels.

I made mentioned that the other cruiselines have much nicer ones.

Nice try.....

[Lionesss]

If this is true and I hope it is, can you now imagine the revenue lost to them by travelers leaving the towels at Ports of call!!

 

When we sailed Disney there were bins to collect towels as you left Castaway Cay..........Would it not be nice if that occurred on Labadee!

 

Knowing the way cut-backs have occurred by them changing the towel policy.....................can only wonder what can follow:confused:

 

Sea Ya

[The Big Booper]

The $25 towel fee was also aimed at the chogs.

[matj2000]

If this is true and I hope it is, can you now imagine the revenue lost to them by travelers leaving the towels at Ports of call!!

 

 

I never thought about people leaving towels at ports.

We would never do that no matter how wet, sandy, or heavy they got, and I doubt the majority would do the same.

 

But I guess it happens some..

 

Edited January 1, 2014 by matj2000

[Debde]

I never said I have taken any towels.

 

I made mentioned that the other cruiselines have much nicer ones.

 

Nice try.....

 

 

 

Isn't that you selling them on e-bay!!!? :p;)

[Ocean Boy]

If this is true and I hope it is, can you now imagine the revenue lost to them by travelers leaving the towels at Ports of call!!

 

When we sailed Disney there were bins to collect towels as you left Castaway Cay..........Would it not be nice if that occurred on Labadee!

 

Knowing the way cut-backs have occurred by them changing the towel policy.....................can only wonder what can follow:confused:

 

Sea Ya

 

When we were at Labadee this past March, as we were going back to the ship crew were pushing two huge bins of used towels back to the ship. I don't know if they were just left around or if they were from the cabanas. At least on the private stops RCI has a way to retrieve the towels. At regular ports of call they are just gone. I dislike the present policy but I agree with you that the expense of replacing towels is going to be made up somewhere.

[BND]

When we were at Labadee this past March, as we were going back to the ship crew were pushing two huge bins of used towels back to the ship. I don't know if they were just left around or if they were from the cabanas. At least on the private stops RCI has a way to retrieve the towels. At regular ports of call they are just gone. I dislike the present policy but I agree with you that the expense of replacing towels is going to be made up somewhere.

 

I would say Cabanas as they give each one at least 4-6 towels which add up fast and would easily fill a couple of bins.

[matj2000]

Isn't that you selling them on e-bay!!!? :p;)

 

 

Not me, but I did just look and found people do sell them.

I like the Celebrity one with the ship..

[dacsmom]

All my RC towels have been blue. Do they have brown ones now too? I have no interest in taking the towels home but there are some people who will take anything as a souvenir.

Edited January 1, 2014 by dacsmom

[Sunny AZ Girl]

If other cruise lines aren't charging for unreturned towels, then I doubt there is a huge a huge problem with towels being left in port. Some, of course. However, I believe the vast majority of people will bring them back. It would be nice to have a collection bin right at the entrance to the ship, though and not have to carry the wet, sandy towels back to the cabin. (We do shake out our towels before leaving the beach, but it's hard to get it all off.)

[LMaxwell]

On 12/15 Allure there was no towel fee and no SeaPass needed to check out towels. The crew stated that was the first cruise for the new policy.

 

I am sure some low life will be packing away fresh towels day one and ruin this for us all, but I personally am plenty happy to leave damp towels in a bin and never give it another thought.

[Cindy]

I like what HAL does with beach towels for ports. They hand each person a towel as they exit the ship. When you return, there are big bins just inside for towel collection. You can just place your dirty, wet towel in the bin instead of having to carry it upstairs.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Really glad to see them get rid of the policy, felt it was petty and called for a bit too much time onboard worrying about towels.

 

Now, what will they be cutting to make up revenue? ;)

[Ocean Boy]

Really glad to see them get rid of the policy, felt it was petty and called for a bit too much time onboard worrying about towels.

 

Now, what will they be cutting to make up revenue? ;)

 

I don't know the answer to your question but Happy New Year, Stacy.:)

[crookedhalo]

Really glad to see them get rid of the policy, felt it was petty and called for a bit too much time onboard worrying about towels.

 

Now, what will they be cutting to make up revenue? ;)

 

I never thought of it as a revenue generating proposition, but rather a loss prevention policy. Never bothered me in the least - in fact on our last trip, we missed the guy on the pool deck the last night. Went and turned my towel in @ guest services, no bother;).

[DonnaK]

This is very interesting indeed. I guess that sometimes, they do read and pay attention to feedback from the surveys.

 

Thanks for posting this because I wouldn't have known about it otherwise