No Soap For You!

[mpicard]

Had an almost Seinfeld flashback experience on Fantasy a few weeks ago.

 

On entering our cabin, there was a small wrapped piece of bar soap on the sink, just like you see in any hotel from the cheapest flop house to the most expensive luxury resort. Little bitty wrapped bar soaps are the norm in travel. On Carnival they have liquid soap dispensers in the showers. I don’t care for liquid soap, I prefer bar soap. So I moved my little bar from the sink into the shower, but it wasn’t replaced the next day. So I went down to the customer service desk and asked for an extra piece of bar soap and had my SNL-skit experience:

 

"We don’t have bar soap,” the rep said.

"But there was one by the sink when we arrived."

"Oh, that’s a ‘promotional item.’ We don’t replace promotional items."

"'Promotional item?' Soap? Seriously?"

"The liquid soap is complementary. The bar soap is meant to last you seven days. You can buy soap in the gift shop."

"Wow."

 

I tried not to laugh, it was both funny and sad that Carnival is cutting costs so much that they take a hard line on not doling out a .20 cent piece of soap for a probably rare request such as mine. This wasn't the only cost-saving measure noticeable --my husband is still going on about his supposedly watered-down martini--but it is the most bizarre I think I've ever experienced.

[poison7fl]

I bring my own bar soap, everywhere I travel. Now, you know to do the same.

Edited February 18, 2014 by poison7fl

[SadieN]

Had four bar soaps on the Inspiration this past weekend.

 

Did you ask your room steward for another bar?

[Mysticks1]

Had four bar soaps on the Inspiration this past weekend.

 

Did you ask your room steward for another bar?

 

That was my question as well, I would have asked the steward for one. I guess it is good I planned to bring my own soap. :)

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Thanks OP for the Laugh! :D

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

I take my own. If it was advertised that they provided bar soap and said that, then I would see your point.

 

What would you have done if they didn't 'give' you that one bar of soap?

[irishnyc]

I always keep a few hotel bars of soap in my travel kit, just in case, but I can't believe they didn't replace the bar soap unless it truly was a special promo item. We had more soap than we knew what to do with on Splendor. It was little round bars.

[kona_wahine]

That's ridiculous. We had 2 bars on the liberty last month. And I would never take my own.

[Velvetwater]

You used a whole small bar in one day?

 

I usually ignore bar soaps where ever I stay as they make my skin dry.

[tree.critter]

LOL, I don't think I've ever opened one of those little bars. I use a handmade bar soap and don't expect anyone else to provide me with this special treat so definitely bring my own bar too. It's pretty large though so use the same one in the sink as in the shower.

[sanmarcosman]

Your steward is the one to make such a request of in this case. We like the Bienvenue of Paris brand of bar soap with vitamin e that Carnival provides. One bar for the sink and one for the shower is typical for us on Carnival. Pursers talk the party line at the front desk in the lobby while a steward is likely to be more forgiving, after all, they works for tips! ;)

[ShakyBeef]

OP, your Seinfeld "Soup N***" reference was funny and appreciated.:p

 

And I get it - you wanted a bar in the shower and another bar at the sink. DH and I always want that, too.

 

It is ridiculous to be chastised for not taking your own soap, and a perfectly reasonable assumption that not only would the cruiseline provide bar soap, but would be willing to part with more than one bar per cabin per week.

 

Since Carnival cut back the quality of their soap from the green "Beinvenue" bars to the crappy, chalky, white bar in the bag labled "SOAP" in big, black letters, DH has been bringing his own soap. His own soap is actually the old Carnival Bienvenue bars, from a stash he was given by our room steward years ago. I suspect Carnival got a deal with the suppliers of prison soap for that nasty white stuff.:rolleyes::p Promotional item, right.:rolleyes:

Edited February 18, 2014 by ShakyBeef

[ShakyBeef]

Your steward is the one to make such a request of in this case. We like the Bienvenue of Paris brand of bar soap with vitamin e that Carnival provides. One bar for the sink and one for the shower is typical for us on Carnival. Pursers talk the party line at the front desk in the lobby while a steward is likely to be more forgiving, after all, they works for tips! ;)

 

 

You still get Beinvenue on Carnival ships? Pride hasn't had it for well over a year, now. Unless, that is, they have recently gone back to using it. That would be wonderful.

[sanmarcosman]

You still get Beinvenue on Carnival ships? Pride hasn't had it for well over a year, now. Unless, that is, they have recently gone back to using it. That would be wonderful.

 

Oh no! we sail this Saturday on the Miracle. Mystery, generic soap doesn't sound good.

Edited February 18, 2014 by sanmarcosman

[firemanbobswife]

Wouldn't the first step be to ask your room steward? They have always given us extra of whatever we wanted. Why would Guest Relations have bars of soap behind the desk anyway? Hope you didn't get your room steward in trouble.

Edited February 18, 2014 by firemanbobswife

[Tapi]

We always bring our own soap, and most definitely shampoo and conditioner. That crap that they put in those dispensers is absolute garbage. My wife and I always giggle because we can tell who's been using the "Carnival-provided" shampoo. Their hair usually looks like this:

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited February 18, 2014 by Tapi

[ShakyBeef]

Oh no! we sail this Saturday on the Miracle. Mystery, generic soap doesn't sound good.

 

 

No brand - just a small, white, round bar in a clear plastic wrapper with SOAP printed in large black letters. It was in the "Freebie Dish", where there used to be a bunch of good promotional items from various companies. It sucks!:mad: Nowhere near as good as Bienvenue. Good thing DH still has a few bars of Bienvenue left.

 

We haven't had Bienvenue on Pride since our January 2012 cruise, IIRC.:(

 

ETA: Oops, I was replying to your "what brand?" question but you must have edited just before I clicked the quote button. Now my reply doesn't make any sense in relation to your post. :P

Edited February 18, 2014 by ShakyBeef
spelling

[sanmarcosman]

Wouldn't the first step be to ask your room steward? They have always given us extra of whatever we wanted. Why would Guest Relations have bars of soap behind the desk anyway? Hope you didn't get your room steward in trouble.

 

The front desk wouldn't have soap but it's logical for someone who has never worked in the hotel/cruise industry to think the desk could contact housekeeping on their behalf and make a simple request to the housekeeping department for it. This scenario could easily happen when someone had a "stealthy" steward who was rarely seen yet did a good job servicing the cabin anyway. Why would the steward get in trouble because they didn't know a guest wanted a second bar for the shower? It's soap folks, only soap. :)

[sanmarcosman]

No brand - just a small, white, round bar in a clear plastic wrapper with SOAP printed in large black letters. It was in the "Freebie Dish", where there used to be a bunch of good promotional items from various companies. It sucks!:mad: Nowhere near as good as Bienvenue. Good thing DH still has a few bars of Bienvenue left.

 

We haven't had Bienvenue on Pride since our January 2012 cruise, IIRC.:(

 

Thanks for the update. What's next, pre-wrapped sandwiches served at dinner with the word "food" printed on the wrapper ? j/k I always have had fun sailing Carnival and it's my line of choice still.

[ShakyBeef]

Thanks for the update. What's next, pre-wrapped sandwiches served at dinner with the word "food" printed on the wrapper ? j/k I always have had fun sailing Carnival and it's my line of choice still.

 

LOL:p:D I wouldn't be that surprised if it happened.:rolleyes::p

[sanmarcosman]

 

ETA: Oops, I was replying to your "what brand?" question but you must have edited just before I clicked the quote button. Now my reply doesn't make any sense in relation to your post. :P

 

No worries, we're talking past each other, it happens on message boards from time to time. We're packing a bar of Bienvenue now to take on the Miracle. ;)

[firemanbobswife]

The front desk wouldn't have soap but it's logical for someone who has never worked in the hotel/cruise industry to think the desk could contact housekeeping on their behalf and make a simple request to the housekeeping department for it. This scenario could easily happen when someone had a "stealthy" steward who was rarely seen yet did a good job servicing the cabin anyway. Why would the steward get in trouble because they didn't know a guest wanted a second bar for the shower? It's soap folks, only soap. :)

 

 

I've never worked in the industry, but whatever. A simple note to the room steward should have been sufficient. They even provide you with pen and paper.

 

They could possibly get in trouble if they thought they weren't being properly taken care of by their steward.

 

Lesson: If you need more soap, ask your room steward. Don't go to GS because they don't have soap and are clueless as to why you may need more than one little round disc of soap.

[Tantra1]

We always bring our own soap, and most definitely shampoo and conditioner. That crap that they put in those dispensers is absolute garbage. My wife and I always giggle because we can tell who's been using the "Carnival-provided" shampoo. Their hair usually looks like this:

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

:D

Well worth seeing again.

 

Cheers!

[mousey]

Had an almost Seinfeld flashback experience on Fantasy a few weeks ago.

 

On entering our cabin, there was a small wrapped piece of bar soap on the sink, just like you see in any hotel from the cheapest flop house to the most expensive luxury resort. Little bitty wrapped bar soaps are the norm in travel. On Carnival they have liquid soap dispensers in the showers. I don’t care for liquid soap, I prefer bar soap. So I moved my little bar from the sink into the shower, but it wasn’t replaced the next day. So I went down to the customer service desk and asked for an extra piece of bar soap and had my SNL-skit experience:

 

"We don’t have bar soap,” the rep said.

"But there was one by the sink when we arrived."

"Oh, that’s a ‘promotional item.’ We don’t replace promotional items."

"'Promotional item?' Soap? Seriously?"

"The liquid soap is complementary. The bar soap is meant to last you seven days. You can buy soap in the gift shop."

"Wow."

 

I tried not to laugh, it was both funny and sad that Carnival is cutting costs so much that they take a hard line on not doling out a .20 cent piece of soap for a probably rare request such as mine. This wasn't the only cost-saving measure noticeable --my husband is still going on about his supposedly watered-down martini--but it is the most bizarre I think I've ever experienced.

 

LOL! If I had been that person, I would have been embarrassed to tell you what they did!:o:o:o It's so laughable! You probably would have done better asking your cabin steward. They always seem to be very considerate and helpful (my personal experience after umpteen cruises).

 

Next time you cruise you'd better bring your own soap because it seems Carnival's rule is..."No soap for you!" LOL!:p

 

P.S. I love and cruise Carnival all the time...just think this is a very funny thread!

Edited February 18, 2014 by mousey

[LostPuppy]

I bring my own bar soap, everywhere I travel. Now, you know to do the same.

 

What a perfect response! Thank you for sharing your travel insights..