Britannia - a cut back too far

[nomadgirluk]

Just returned from the round Britain cruise. Lots of good and not so good aspects, but the one thing which stood out for us was the fact that hand soap is no longer provided in cabins. We queried this with out cabin steward and were told that soap is now an “on request item” only.  When we requested soap, we were provided with a small bar.  Rather defeats the object of P & O telling us at every turn to wash our hands! 

[molecrochip]

There should be liquid hand soap on the wall in a bottle by the sink.

[grapau27]

46 minutes ago, nomadgirluk said:

Just returned from the round Britain cruise. Lots of good and not so good aspects, but the one thing which stood out for us was the fact that hand soap is no longer provided in cabins. We queried this with out cabin steward and were told that soap is now an “on request item” only.  When we requested soap, we were provided with a small bar.  Rather defeats the object of P & O telling us at every turn to wash our hands! 

Fortunately we bring all of our own toiletries including soap which I leave in the shower as we use exfoliating wash on our faces.

We had no proper P&O bars of  soap next to the wash basin on Britannia June 2-9  so I mentioned this to our steward who got us some soap.

There was some liquid soap/shower gel  in a container on the wall  in the shower and another container of shampoo.

Edited June 23, 2023 by grapau27

[molecrochip]

It’s not a cutback but a move to refillable liquid soap instead.

 

Once the bars are gone.…..

[Harry Peterson]

Provided that liquid soap and shampoo are provided for the bathroom, I’m not remotely bothered about anything else in that line.

[Selbourne]

Bars of soap get messy, so I would actually see the provision of a liquid soap dispenser as an enhancement rather than a cut back 🤔

[molecrochip]

It’s still White&Co.

[kalos]

15 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

It’s still White&Co.

It doesn't matter how nice the soap smells..

Never let anyone see you walk out of the bathroom sniffing your fingers.

[Jazzytelly]

Wasn’t there liquid hand soap in a dispensable container by the sink.

 

if not it probably go back to those posts on that well know social media page where people were saying they took the whole big bottle of hand lotion they were given home with them and a few even said they took the liquid soap dispenser off the wall and home with them because they said ‘they are going to throw them away after we use them anyway’ 

[Winifred 22]

On QM2 There was a polite notice specifically  telling you not to take the big bottles away, that they would be sanitized and refilled. Controversial I know but I don’t understand why people don’t bring their own toiletries. I prefer bar soap so  always bring my own. 

[emam]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

It’s not a cutback but a move to refillable liquid soap instead.

 

Once the bars are gone.…..

 

As you will know it's part of their move to sustainability that was announced way back in 2018. Way before things went pear shape in the world. Scroll down to their 2018 update.

 

https://www.pocruises.com/sustainability

 

Any move to improve the world we live in has got to be applauded.

[gsmt47471015]

We had a bottle of liquid soap at the side of the washbasin and one of each in the shower on Azura so no complaints from us on that score, No way would we even think about taking any of it home with us😇 

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

On QM2 There was a polite notice specifically  telling you not to take the big bottles away, that they would be sanitized and refilled. Controversial I know but I don’t understand why people don’t bring their own toiletries. I prefer bar soap so  always bring my own. 

I prefer a bar of soap too and bring two - one for the shower and one on the sink for hand washing, never on the face. 

[Cloudyrain]

They provide liquid soap…. 
 

 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Bars of soap get messy, so I would actually see the provision of a liquid soap dispenser as an enhancement rather than a cut back 🤔

Liquid dispensers are very difficult for people who can only use one hand, especially when it's their left one and the soap dispenser is fixed on the right hand side of the wash basin, as they are usually.

[zap99]

13 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

I prefer a bar of soap too and bring two - one for the shower and one on the sink for hand washing, never on the face. 

We shall start to pinch the little bars from hotels again.

[Son of Anarchy]

I have a collection of small hotel size bars of soap.  Take my own and keep the cheaper ones provided for house guests.  Seriously.

 

[AndyMichelle]

I will have to dig out the Imperial Leather 'soap on a rope' that I got for Christmas in 1975...😂

Andy 

[TigerB]

9 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I will have to dig out the Imperial Leather 'soap on a rope' that I got for Christmas in 1975...😂

Andy 

 

Now, that's a soap!😉

 

[SeaJane]

2 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

On QM2 There was a polite notice specifically  telling you not to take the big bottles away, that they would be sanitized and refilled. Controversial I know but I don’t understand why people don’t bring their own toiletries. I prefer bar soap so  always bring my own. 

We had a similar note about the bottles of toiletries on Ventura last month.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

I have a collection of small hotel size bars of soap.  Take my own and keep the cheaper ones provided for house guests.  Seriously.

 

Our next booked cruuse is on Britannia in December. We have a few hotel stays before then so can build up quite a stock.

 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, TigerB said:

 

Now, that's a soap!😉

 

When I was a boy and we had a tin bath, in the cellar in summer and in front of the fire in winter, I used to wait till the soap was down to label level, and then slide the label off and stick it onto the side of bath above water level.

Strange how memories pop into your head, and can be so vivid its as if it was only yesterday.

[nomadgirluk]

My point was that NO soap of any description was provided, whether it be liquid or otherwise and we were told that if anyone wanted soap, they had to request it. The pump soap dispensers had been removed.  When we got to our cabin we naturally wanted to use the WC, but had to use some of the shower gel to wash our hands.  Even if we had brought our own soap with us, we wouldn’t have been able to access it until our luggage arrived.  There was shower gel and shampoo in dispensers in the shower cubicle but no hand soap by the sink.  Having spoken to other passengers, it appeared that this was the norm.  

[Son of Anarchy]

5 minutes ago, nomadgirluk said:

My point was that NO soap of any description was provided, whether it be liquid or otherwise and we were told that if anyone wanted soap, they had to request it. The pump soap dispensers had been removed.  When we got to our cabin we naturally wanted to use the WC, but had to use some of the shower gel to wash our hands.  Even if we had brought our own soap with us, we wouldn’t have been able to access it until our luggage arrived.  There was shower gel and shampoo in dispensers in the shower cubicle but no hand soap by the sink.  Having spoken to other passengers, it appeared that this was the norm.  

Right to be concerned about this.  If this sort of thing is being eroded, what next?

[AndyMichelle]

OK, adding a few extras to my packing list because of all the extra cutbacks as reported by returning passengers. 

Soap

Flannel

Water

Biscuits

Trays

Coasters

Chocolates

Deck chair (for the queue) 

She wee (for Michelle in the queue) 

Raspberry creme brulee 

Photographer

Beef Wellington 

Hotplate

Hoover

Lobster

Claire Sweeney 😂

I know some of these have reappeared, but better to be safe than sorry... 

Please let me know if I have missed anything? 

Oh, and a few more crew... These can be found from other ships in Poundland in Southampton on embarkation day, buying their toiletries... I will be there waiting for my embarkation time and buying most of the above... 

I will stick a few 'manners' in for the rude passengers that seem to be making an increased appearance.. 

Andy