Are passengers really stealing pool towels?

[TBone2K]

If this policy change is in fact true it is one of the dumbest thing RCI has dreamed up lately.

It's actually a policy reversal. I recall a couple of cruises where you didn't have to check out the towels. Then it went back to check out. I guess RC proved to themselves that it really was necessary.

 

I actually forgot on anthem and last night ran up to the pool deck with our towels only to be told they had shut the towel down and they couldn't receive any more. The person there sent me to return them at customer service, where I stood in the usual last day sorting out the bill line until one of the managers realized there were quite a few people with towels standing in the line. They actually had a bin behind the counter for towel returns, so we all dumped our towels in there and she wrote down our room numbers.

 

I think the better idea would be to give you a pool towel for each person in your room at the start of the cruise. Can still trade them for dry ones and so on, but leave them in the room at the end. I think would give most people the hint that they need to have them back at the end of the cruise.

[voyager70]

I am not sure that anyone steals the towels... they are dingy and quite honestly cheap. I am sure they are misplacing them rather than stealing them.

 

I have to say I prefer the way CCL handles this. They leave the towels in your cabin, and you leave them there for the stewards to collect. Seems pretty simple.

 

This sounds like a much better policy.

[reallyitsmema]

I am not sure that anyone steals the towels... they are dingy and quite honestly cheap. I am sure they are misplacing them rather than stealing them.

 

I have to say I prefer the way CCL handles this. They leave the towels in your cabin, and you leave them there for the stewards to collect. Seems pretty simple.

 

That is how Royal Caribbean used to do it too. Something caused them to change their policy.

[Ocean Boy]

It's actually a policy reversal. I recall a couple of cruises where you didn't have to check out the towels. Then it went back to check out. I guess RC proved to themselves that it really was necessary.

 

When I said stupid I was talking about people having to turn in the towels the night before the last day at sea.

[BillOh]

That is how Royal Caribbean used to do it too. Something caused them to change their policy.

 

 

I might have some idea. My first cruise where you didn't have to check out towels was Jewel in 2014 out of San Juan. (or was it Jewel out of Tampa in 2012?:confused:) Anyway, on embarkation day I went was sitting by the pool and went to get one towel for myself and one for my wife. A guy walked up to the unmanned towel station at the same time as me, he grabbed all 12 towels. I gave him my best, "do you want to live look" and he sheepishly gave me two. Everyone else for the next few hours did without until laundry brought a cart full of clean, but unfolded ones and left it next to the station. The swam looked like what happens when you throw a french fry onto the sand at a beach.

 

I have no problem with the towel check out policy if they would keep the station manned. If they can keep one person standing by the pool at 3am, they can keep someone at the pool station till midnight on the last night.

[voyager70]

I might have some idea. My first cruise where you didn't have to check out towels was Jewel in 2014 out of San Juan. (or was it Jewel out of Tampa in 2012?:confused:) Anyway, on embarkation day I went was sitting by the pool and went to get one towel for myself and one for my wife. A guy walked up to the unmanned towel station at the same time as me, he grabbed all 12 towels. I gave him my best, "do you want to live look" and he sheepishly gave me two. Everyone else for the next few hours did without until laundry brought a cart full of clean, but unfolded ones and left it next to the station. The swam looked like what happens when you throw a french fry onto the sand at a beach.

 

I have no problem with the towel check out policy if they would keep the station manned. If they can keep one person standing by the pool at 3am, they can keep someone at the pool station till midnight on the last night.

 

You may be right. A few selfish, inconsiderate people ruin it for everyone.

[luvscruising2007]

We bring cheap beach towels with us. They don't take up too much room in our luggage. My daughter and her SO lost a towel at the private beach on a Carnival cruise. They explained to guest services what happened and they did remove the charge. We actually thought someone took the towel.

There are some people that are ethically challenged and make things difficult for the rest of us.

[packersbrewers21]

That is how Royal Caribbean used to do it too. Something caused them to change their policy.

The larger NCL ships do this. Each person in the room gets a beach towel, you leave it in there dirty when you go to dinner and the room steward gives you a new one. If you had 4 and only left him 3 dirty ones you got charged, but otherwise it was great. You always had a clean towel for the day. Will definitely need to keep an eye on my son's towels on our upcoming sailing on RCCL!

[BillOh]

We bring cheap beach towels with us..

 

 

Years ago I might have poo-pood that idea, but since started cutting back on what we pack, we now have room for two towels. (reminder to self, don't bring the ones I stole from Allure) We usually fly southwest with two bags total, and in one bag we pack a Southwest duffle that serves to carry dirty clothes back. I can just throw the towels in there on the way home.

[gaylemh]

I always get 2 towels at the beginning of the cruise. Each day I exchange them for new ones and keep them in my cabin for the next day.

[Snit13]

I think the better idea would be to give you a pool towel for each person in your room at the start of the cruise. Can still trade them for dry ones and so on, but leave them in the room at the end. I think would give most people the hint that they need to have them back at the end of the cruise.

 

I don't know if they still have this policy but we always had 2 beach towels in our cabin when we sailed Celebrity.

[Ellie_daisy]

I remember when I sailed with Celebrity last year, security guardson the deck were watching people who were placing their towels on lounges and leave them for hours. Security guards were removing the towels and making lounges available for other guests. Does it happen to RC? Does it mean people get charged for the towels if security tosses them in the bin? I don't hoard the lounges but curious to know what happens on RC.

[grapau27]

I remember when I sailed with Celebrity last year, security guardson the deck were watching people who were placing their towels on lounges and leave them for hours. Security guards were removing the towels and making lounges available for other guests. Does it happen to RC? Does it mean people get charged for the towels if security tosses them in the bin? I don't hoard the lounges but curious to know what happens on RC.

Never seen any security removing towels on RC.

[gaylemh]

Never seen any security removing towels on RC.

 

I've seen it on Anthem.

[reallyitsmema]

I remember when I sailed with Celebrity last year, security guardson the deck were watching people who were placing their towels on lounges and leave them for hours. Security guards were removing the towels and making lounges available for other guests. Does it happen to RC? Does it mean people get charged for the towels if security tosses them in the bin? I don't hoard the lounges but curious to know what happens on RC.

 

Yes, the pool patrol will remove towels that have been there unattended for too long. They say if they are unattended for 30 minutes, but they typically give you a lot longer than that.

[grapau27]

I've seen it on Anthem.

Never been on Anthem.

[BamaGuy44]

It's strange RCL is the only cruise line with this problem:confused:

 

They're not. Other lines choose to eat the cost of the lost towels (for now)

[FLACRUISER99]

They're not. Other lines choose to eat the cost of the lost towels (for now)

 

 

 

I would be interested in seeing the proof of this,

 

 

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[katiel53]

It's strange RCL is the only cruise line with this problem:confused:

 

Royal Caribbean isn't the only one with this problem. It happens on other lines as well. On the site we can't mention on here, there is a thread where someone asked about how many towels they have taken and there were many replies including one who states he takes towels off unoccupied chairs (those belonging to chair hogs) and takes a few home every cruise.

 

There are some people who will steal anything that isn't nailed down and some of these think it's because they paid a lot for the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

Royal Caribbean isn't the only one with this problem. It happens on other lines as well. On the site we can't mention on here, there is a thread where someone asked about how many towels they have taken and there were many replies including one who states he takes towels off unoccupied chairs (those belonging to chair hogs) and takes a few home every cruise.

 

There are some people who will steal anything that isn't nailed down and some of these think it's because they paid a lot for the cruise.

Someone else's used towel is just what I want to pack in with the rest on my used stuff.

[mr walker]

We bring cheap beach towels with us. .

 

How do you launder these? Having wet and possibly sandy towels in our room doesn't seem an attractive idea.

[kyriecat]

I checked my account today and wasn't charged for towels. It was cool, windy, and rainy today so not many people by the outdoor pool and Solarium was packed. I didn't bother getting a towel today.

 

The couple times I went by guest services today, the line was long but didn't seem longer than usual for last day of cruise. Some people were carrying towels. I didn't ask, but I assume they didn't turn in their towels last night and were charged for them. I guess most people saw the notice and complied.

 

I'm interested if this is only on Brilliance or other ships too. Anyone recently back from another ship who can comment?

[cdbran]

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[davekathy]

Sounds like the gym/spa locker rooms are going to be running short on towels the last couple of days of the cruises. ;)

[QueenofKrakatoa]

.........I just bring my own towel. Problem solved. lol