Problems with Cabin Steward

[Sandytoes]

The OP was asking for advise. Is this not what this site is all about. :( We all have exciting moments on our cruises or we wouldn`t keep going back.

 

Don't you think it's a little bit too late? :rolleyes:

What is done is done.

Now the OP knows to lock the cabin door on her\his next cruise. :)

(ps-I did give my advise) ;)

[catmand]

No, not too late when the original question was

"Should I write the cruise line about this or just let it go because it's normal? "

[mcclure2]

Sad how some people get irritated over the little things instead of writing about the most exciting moments of their cruise.

 

You know what is even more sad Sandytoes? how some people can take things a completely different direction-I was simply asking what I should do, and if you noticed in my second post I took responsibility for my lack of actions-I also said that I wouldn't hold this isolated incident against the cruise line.

 

Pam in CA-Nowhere did I ask for your sympathy-just pointing that out.

 

Sultan SFO-when you quoted me you probably should have explained that it came from a post about people getting in fights on cruise ships-it directly related to passengers getting into an all out brawl on a Cunard vessel over and iron in the laundry room.

 

I don't believe I said anywhere that I got "irate" or even upset. I just wanted to know if this was normal-if you remember I asked if this is something I should write about or just let it go.

 

I got many responses of criticism and some people were nice enough to just simply say, if you didn't say anything the ship it's better just to drop it now-great, in which I responded with I would know better what to do next time.

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser, it was my first one-it was just a simple question. I didn't know that I was going to get hung out to dry over it. If this is what "experienced cruisers" start to act like, keep it, I'll stick to my land vacations.

 

I am finding more and more on these boards that some of the experienced cruisers are just plain rude, and you tolerate little when it comes to someone who simply wants information. No where in my post was I complaining-if your going to respond to my original post please stick to the facts, instead of going off on your own personal tangent.

 

If you must know, I had a great time on my cruise-I met 6 wonderful people that I plan on keeping in touch with-the ship was beautiful, the food was fantastic, the shows, comedy and activities were fun.

 

And thank you to those who stood up for me-I appreciate it greatly, it was very kind and I'm glad that you were able to stick to the main point and identify them when others got off track.

[cruiserjanet]

We had an issue where the cabin steward would knock, barely give me a chance to say "I'm coming" much less even start to make it to the door, before he was opening the door with his pass key. After a few times of that, we started putting the privacy sign on the door even if we are going out of our room for a few minutes. When it comes time to make up our room, we turn it over to the service sign. We haven't had an issue since. If it had happened after that, we would have talked with our cabin steward's supervisor and started up the chain of command that way.

[G'ma]

We sailed on the Nov. 1 sailing of the Sapphire to the Mexican Riv. Our cabin steward was constantly walking in our cabin throughout our cruise without knocking on the door. It not only happened to us but to another couple that was across the hall. Also does anyone know if it is a policy that they have to bring ice or room service all the way into your room? Our steward insisted he had to bring the ice into our room he also insisted this with the other couple even after one of them protested explaining that his wife was in the shower-the steward once again insisted that he had to and continued to walk in.

 

Should I write the cruise line about this or just let it go because it's normal?

 

If you put the "do not disturb" sign outside your door, you will prevent this from happening. They have no way of knowing you are in the cabin otherwise. They enter the cabin to perform their services, as required. If you don't post the sign, how will they know you are in there and don't want to be disturbed.

[skf]

No-one should enter a cabin w/out permission. The Supervisor of your section (Petty Officer in white uniform) should have been told about this, & I am sure the Steward would have been set straight.

Steve

[pungo3]

I have never had a room steward enter my cabin while I was in it. I've had them knock and when I opened the door, they apologized and said they didn't know I was in. They immediately left saying they would come back later. You should have spoken to someone about your steward. This is not common practice. I'm sorry you had this trouble.

[Umbarger]

We sailed on the Nov. 1 sailing of the Sapphire to the Mexican Riv. Our cabin steward was constantly walking in our cabin throughout our cruise without knocking on the door. It not only happened to us but to another couple that was across the hall. Also does anyone know if it is a policy that they have to bring ice or room service all the way into your room? Our steward insisted he had to bring the ice into our room he also insisted this with the other couple even after one of them protested explaining that his wife was in the shower-the steward once again insisted that he had to and continued to walk in.

 

Should I write the cruise line about this or just let it go because it's normal?

 

I chose not to start a new thread and just restart this one.

 

I just got home from the Emerald Princess yesterday. We had the same sort of problem with our cabin steward.

 

He would tap very lightly on the door and immediately open the door to our cabin. He just wanted to introduce himself he said. I was using the bathroom with the bathroom door open. :eek: Thankfully my husband got up to close the bathroom door for me. So we decided to put the "Privacy Please" or Do not disturb card in the door thinking this would stop this. Nope. He again tapped lightly and opened the door to put our luggage in. We were trying to take a nap. Good thing we weren't just out of the shower, changing clothes or worse. This happened once more at the end of the cruise. The privacy card was out but he knocked, opened the door to put clean sheets in the closet for the next pax. Luckily we were just watching TV. Perhaps his idea of 'privacy please' is different than ours? Other than this problem he was an excellent cabin steward.

 

We were not happy with this behavior. I don't want this room steward to lose his job if I say something to Princess. What does everyone think about this?

 

Thanks!

[RickEk]

I chose not to start a new thread and just restart this one.

 

I just got home from the Emerald Princess yesterday. We had the same sort of problem with our cabin steward.

 

He would tap very lightly on the door and immediately open the door to our cabin. He just wanted to introduce himself he said. I was using the bathroom with the bathroom door open. :eek: Thankfully my husband got up to close the bathroom door for me. So we decided to put the "Privacy Please" or Do not disturb card in the door thinking this would stop this. Nope. He again tapped lightly and opened the door to put our luggage in. We were trying to take a nap. Good thing we weren't just out of the shower, changing clothes or worse. This happened once more at the end of the cruise. The privacy card was out but he knocked, opened the door to put clean sheets in the closet for the next pax. Luckily we were just watching TV. Perhaps his idea of 'privacy please' is different than ours? Other than this problem he was an excellent cabin steward.

 

We were not happy with this behavior. I don't want this room steward to lose his job if I say something to Princess. What does everyone think about this?

 

Thanks!

 

A question for you. Was the door double bolted? From what I understand, they'd need a supervisor key to open the door if it was double bolted. Granted, the "Privacy Please" key insert should have kept him out just because you wanted your privacy and he should have respected that... At the very least, he should have knocked and if there was no answer, then he should have just left and not opened the door.

 

Also, did you tell him you didn't like him walking in? If so, then I'd let Princess know if you weren't satisfied with his behavior. He won't lose his job more than likely, but hopefully he'll be better instructed on what he should do in that situation.

[rdsqrl]

I chose not to start a new thread and just restart this one.

 

I just got home from the Emerald Princess yesterday. We had the same sort of problem with our cabin steward.

 

He would tap very lightly on the door and immediately open the door to our cabin. He just wanted to introduce himself he said. I was using the bathroom with the bathroom door open. :eek: Thankfully my husband got up to close the bathroom door for me. So we decided to put the "Privacy Please" or Do not disturb card in the door thinking this would stop this. Nope. He again tapped lightly and opened the door to put our luggage in. We were trying to take a nap. Good thing we weren't just out of the shower, changing clothes or worse. This happened once more at the end of the cruise. The privacy card was out but he knocked, opened the door to put clean sheets in the closet for the next pax. Luckily we were just watching TV. Perhaps his idea of 'privacy please' is different than ours? Other than this problem he was an excellent cabin steward.

 

We were not happy with this behavior. I don't want this room steward to lose his job if I say something to Princess. What does everyone think about this?

 

Thanks!

I'd agree with you that the "Privacy Please" sign should have been pretty clear to him; I'd be annoyed (especially about the bathroom thing!), too. For what it's worth, I doubt he'd lose his job over this, but it seems to me that writing a letter to Princess now about it is not worth it at this point. It might have been better addressed in one of those on-board comment cards: that way, his supervisor would have gotten immediate notice and the steward probably have gotten immediate correction. A letter to Princess headquarters takes (as we all know!) weeks to filter through to anyone and by then, he could be done with his contract or off on another ship or something.

[Umbarger]

A question for you. Was the door double bolted? From what I understand, they'd need a supervisor key to open the door if it was double bolted. Granted, the "Privacy Please" key insert should have kept him out just because you wanted your privacy and he should have respected that... At the very least, he should have knocked and if there was no answer, then he should have just left and not opened the door.

 

Also, did you tell him you didn't like him walking in? If so, then I'd let Princess know if you weren't satisfied with his behavior. He won't lose his job more than likely, but hopefully he'll be better instructed on what he should do in that situation.

 

No we did not double bolt the door we only did this at night. We thought the privacy card would suffice. No I did not tell him. I suppose I am long suffering and I also hate confrontation. The last time was on the last evening of the cruise. It was then that I finally got mad. If the cruise had not been over I would have said something but since it was over I thought there would have been no use at that point.

[RickEk]

No we did not double bolt the door we only did this at night. We thought the privacy card would suffice. No I did not tell him. I suppose I am long suffering and I also hate confrontation. The last time was on the last evening of the cruise. It was then that I finally got mad. If the cruise had not been over I would have said something but since it was over I thought there would have been no use at that point.

 

Well, we ALWAYS double bolt the door. Just seems to be a good habit to get into doing all the time. I'd rather have some time to put on a robe and then answer the door than be diving behind a bed when the door opens unexpectedly. :D

[jetwet1]

Well, we ALWAYS double bolt the door. Just seems to be a good habit to get into doing all the time. I'd rather have some time to put on a robe and then answer the door than be diving behind a bed when the door opens unexpectedly. :D

 

Exactly, this is what we do when we do not want to be walked in on, as some have said some stewards do knock kind of lightly and may not be heard, why run the risk of being caught when you don't want to.

[G'ma]

We sailed on the Nov. 1 sailing of the Sapphire to the Mexican Riv. Our cabin steward was constantly walking in our cabin throughout our cruise without knocking on the door. It not only happened to us but to another couple that was across the hall. Also does anyone know if it is a policy that they have to bring ice or room service all the way into your room? Our steward insisted he had to bring the ice into our room he also insisted this with the other couple even after one of them protested explaining that his wife was in the shower-the steward once again insisted that he had to and continued to walk in.

 

Should I write the cruise line about this or just let it go because it's normal?

 

Yes, they are required to deliver into your cabin......

 

If you use the privacy card on the doorknob of your cabin, they will knock before entering....they will wait until you answer.

 

They have no way of knowing you are there unless you use the provided card.

 

They are not remotely interested in your wife's shower.....

 

No need to write and complain.....it's standard practice.....on every cruise ship I've ever been on.

[BalconyBumz]

When we are in our cabin, we always do the extra lock thing so we never have to worry about someone walking in.

[riteonglor]

I suspect they are always on a dead run trying to get things done. They knock and don't realize they really aren't giving a person enough time to get to the door before they open it. Our cabin attendent on one cruise reminded us to always put the privacy sigh out when we were in the cabin. I was famous for forgetting to do so.

We asked him how many cabins he had to clean and it was unbelieveable, they have to be on a dead run all day long.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

While on board the Emerald we would often put the card in the slot , then find a note under the door saying we tried to delivered X, but did not want to distrube you, please call...

 

 

yours Shogun

[G'ma]

No-one should enter a cabin w/out permission. The Supervisor of your section (Petty Officer in white uniform) should have been told about this, & I am sure the Steward would have been set straight.

Steve

 

The Supervisor would have suggested using the Privacy card on the doorknob............

[the_dylaness]

Which in Umbarger's case didn't work...

[lynn247]

I suspect they are always on a dead run trying to get things done. They knock and don't realize they really aren't giving a person enough time to get to the door before they open it. Our cabin attendent on one cruise reminded us to always put the privacy sigh out when we were in the cabin. I was famous for forgetting to do so.

We asked him how many cabins he had to clean and it was unbelieveable, they have to be on a dead run all day long.

 

 

Unless there are kids on the ship that turn the privacy signs around and your steward comes in to clean your room while your DH is in the shower. :eek: And YES, we did have the door locked and he was still able to come in. He couldn't apologize enough.

 

Our cabin steward told us that some kids were going around making early breakfast orders for some cabins!

[pablo222]

Well, we ALWAYS double bolt the door.

 

Finally...someone with common sense.

 

In the unlikely event that this doesn't work, speak with

the housekeeping supervisor.

 

What good does it do to be annoyed throughout your cruise,

and then send princess a complaint later?

 

And, if you do want to just complain about it, isn't the time

to do so on the end-of-cruise survey?

[kooljamming]

Well, we ALWAYS double bolt the door. Just seems to be a good habit to get into doing all the time. I'd rather have some time to put on a robe and then answer the door than be diving behind a bed when the door opens unexpectedly. :D

 

This is second nature when you share a cabin with kids. Otherwise poor kids could be in therapy for life:D

[Colo Cruiser]

Stewart can still over ride the extra lock.

It unlocks for him from the outside just like it unlocks with the door handle for you from the inside. :cool:

[bhopal21]

Stewart can still over ride the extra lock.

It unlocks for him from the outside just like it unlocks with the door handle for you from the inside. :cool:

 

True. If not, they couldn't enter in case of an emergency, or worse.:eek:

 

Mike:)

[KULPN]

I'd agree with you that the "Privacy Please" sign should have been pretty clear to him; I'd be annoyed (especially about the bathroom thing!), too. For what it's worth, I doubt he'd lose his job over this, but it seems to me that writing a letter to Princess now about it is not worth it at this point. It might have been better addressed in one of those on-board comment cards: that way, his supervisor would have gotten immediate notice and the steward probably have gotten immediate correction. A letter to Princess headquarters takes (as we all know!) weeks to filter through to anyone and by then, he could be done with his contract or off on another ship or something.

This happened to us. I didn't feel well. Hubby went to casino & I was in the bathroom & came out to find the steward doing fold down of the sheets! I had the privacy sign on too. Next time I will push a stool up to the door.