Towels on shore excursions

[Hotch126]

Every shore excursion says bring a towel from the ship. Someone told me there is a charge for this. Does RC charge for bringing the ship towels off? Thanks

[cruisinfanatic]

Every shore excursion says bring a towel from the ship. Someone told me there is a charge for this. Does RC charge for bringing the ship towels off? Thanks

No charge ever. Who told you there was?

[Paulxyz2004]

There isn´t a towel Charge for taking it off the ship, but there might be one for not returning it.

 

They might make you check-out the towel and if you fail to return the towel a Charge for it might appear on your final bill.

 

Maybe that´s what you heard.

[pjnj40]

You can take towel off the ship for free. If you fail to bring it back before you disembark on your last day of cruise, that when towel will get charges.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[robtulipe]

The charge for not returning pool towels, even for those that remain onboard, is $20 per towel or was that on Anthem last month. ;)

[cruisinfanatic]

The charge for not returning pool towels, even for those that remain onboard, is $20 per towel or was that on Anthem last month. ;)

That's the threat, but never happens anymore. Towels are just thrown in a bin when coming back from the beach. Never tracked back to original owner

[robtulipe]

That's the threat, but never happens anymore. Towels are just thrown in a bin when coming back from the beach. Never tracked back to original owner

 

Then why was our seapass card scanned whenever we took out the towel and scanned again when they were returned.

I've seen here on CC that a common after cruise billing to one's credit card used for onboard expenses is the not returned towel charge. :confused:

[spookwife]

Every shore excursion says bring a towel from the ship. Someone told me there is a charge for this. Does RC charge for bringing the ship towels off? Thanks

 

you are charged if you do NOT turn it back IN. they do scan your sea pass card and indicate the number of towels you check out.

[spookwife]

Then why was our seapass card scanned whenever we took out the towel and scanned again when they were returned.

I've seen here on CC that a common after cruise billing to one's credit card used for onboard expenses is the not returned towel charge. :confused:

 

exactly which is why we would NEVER just chuck it in a bin when coming back.

[BND]

Then why was our seapass card scanned whenever we took out the towel and scanned again when they were returned.

I've seen here on CC that a common after cruise billing to one's credit card used for onboard expenses is the not returned towel charge. :confused:

 

For a while, they weren't checking out towels, but that ended (at least on most ships) in the last year or so. I think it was changed back to check out/check in due to the major problems with chair hogs and people not returning them from ashore. People were just grabbing multiple towels and dropping them on chairs to save them because it didn't matter if the towels were removed by staff later as no one would be charged and also not wanting to bring back wet towels so they were leaving them in ports. Don't listen to anyone on here concerning returning towels. Use the policy that you are told onboard which will be clear by whether you have to have your seapass scanned or not.

 

We've brought towels ashore on multiple occasions and just plan to have a wet or sandy towel to bring back.

Edited February 20, 2016 by BND

[Lionesss]

Try to get your towels the day before you need them for shore excursions, the line can get pretty long in the morning of the excursion.

 

Note: Last year on barefoot beach their was a bin to collect the ships towels so you did not have to carry them back on board.

 

It was nice.

 

Sea Ya

[Clarea]

Try to get your towels the day before you need them for shore excursions, the line can get pretty long in the morning of the excursion....

That's also a good way to avoid checking them out (if they are really checking them out anymore).

[cb at sea]

All cruise lines provide towels for pool and beach. There is no charge to take them ashore. They do reserve the right to charge you if you don't bring them back...but they rarely actually enforce that! If you ever get hit with a charge for a towel you didn't lose, simply tell them it was returned.

But..do be responsible and return the things you borrow!

[mellowmarshmom]

We went on Liberty of the Seas December 2015. We were told there is only a charge if you do not bring them back. We tried to make sure our card got scanned each time we returned towels, but there was at least once when a room steward further down the hall insisted on turning in our towels for us because she could see we were dressed for dinner (very sweet) and she did not ask our cabin number, which I didn't think about until later and we were never charged.

[mellowmarshmom]

And we did get our towels the night before excursions.

[astro1861]

On the Freedom of the Seas last week (Feb 7, 2016 sailing), you had to check-out/check-in towels. Upon returning from a shore excursion, there was a bin for towels, but a staff person with a handheld scanner was present to scan your sea pass card. They seemed pretty strict about it.

[cruisinfanatic]

On the Freedom of the Seas last week (Feb 7, 2016 sailing), you had to check-out/check-in towels. Upon returning from a shore excursion, there was a bin for towels, but a staff person with a handheld scanner was present to scan your sea pass card. They seemed pretty strict about it.

I was on the same sailing and never checked towels back in. Did it several times

[Pipo]

My experience:

Allure, 2013: return tracking against Seapass, $20 penalty if not returned by 9pm.

Allure, March 2014: no tracking at all.

The towel use (including off the ship) is free.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Pipo

[Hotch126]

Thanks for all the information.

[cruisinfanatic]

My experience:

Allure, 2013: return tracking against Seapass, $20 penalty if not returned by 9pm.

Allure, March 2014: no tracking at all.

The towel use (including off the ship) is free.

There was no such rule to return your towel by 9PM every day

[BND]

Try to get your towels the day before you need them for shore excursions, the line can get pretty long in the morning of the excursion.

 

Note: Last year on barefoot beach their was a bin to collect the ships towels so you did not have to carry them back on board.

 

It was nice.

 

Sea Ya

 

Well, if you were on Barefoot beach (suite beach), they provide towels for everyone on that beach. We've been there several times and it's nice not to have to worry about lugging towels, but not nice enough to justify a GS very often :-)

Edited February 20, 2016 by BND

[Pipo]

There was no such rule to return your towel by 9PM every day

 

Well, it was.

[AustinCruise]

OP -

 

The bottom line is towels will be available for free. Depending on who knows what, they may scan your card and charge you a few if not returned.

 

Just watch for and follow the rules.

[cruisinfanatic]

Well, it was.

Never. Maybe you were to return by 9 on last day

Edited February 20, 2016 by SeaUs

[Pipo]

Never. Maybe you were to return by 9 on last day

 

Read my first post: MY EXPERIENCE

I know what I'm saying. Do I have to save a Compass or take a picture to every rule that is published to demonstrate what happens in a particular cruise? Where you on board the Allure of the Seas of February 3rd 2013? As you may see, the rules changed within a year, in early 2013 they were enforcing the return of towels, in 2014 they didn't.

Every cruise line, every ship, every season, every itinerary, every sailing, every cruise director, every captain is different. So don't expect what has happened to you, has also happened to the rest of people.