Pool/Beach Towels - Do they really charge?

One thing that really irked me on prior cruises was the way some cruise
lines treat you like a thief in regards to controlling beach/pool towels.
With huge signs and warnings on how you must account for towels or be
charged.

At the same time, I'm not sure these are anything other than fake scare
tactics as we've occasionally just left our used beach towels in the floor
outside our cabin for the steward.

Has anyone ever really been charged for towels? Note that I'm not
encouraging theft of any sort, as I think one has to stoop pretty low to
consider theft of towels. But at the same time I don't want to cruise with
a "fear" I'll be falsely charged for towels unless I take time out to make
sure all of mine are accounted for.

On our Celebrity cruise the beach/pool towels were always stacked high and
unguarded by the pool. It was very refreshing to be able to grab a fresh
towel, or even two, whenever I needed one while throwing our used ones in a
nearby hamper. This also negated the need to carry towels from room to pool
and used ones back, and to carry these around the ship when you're not
making a direct path to/from the pool.

We had two go missing, our kids misplaced them somewhere near the pool and
we really didn't have time to walk around asking everyone who had towels if
they happened to have extra as we needed to get ready for our early dinner
seating. So we just dropped off the two we had, apologized, and they just
smiled and waved it off no problem.

L.H.
www.MyTripReport.com
Share your trip. Plan your trip. Dream of trips.


"Larry Simon" wrote in message
.. .
One thing that really irked me on prior cruises was the way some cruise
lines treat you like a thief in regards to controlling beach/pool towels.
With huge signs and warnings on how you must account for towels or be
charged.

At the same time, I'm not sure these are anything other than fake scare
tactics as we've occasionally just left our used beach towels in the floor
outside our cabin for the steward.

Has anyone ever really been charged for towels? Note that I'm not
encouraging theft of any sort, as I think one has to stoop pretty low to
consider theft of towels. But at the same time I don't want to cruise
with
a "fear" I'll be falsely charged for towels unless I take time out to make
sure all of mine are accounted for.

On our Celebrity cruise the beach/pool towels were always stacked high and
unguarded by the pool. It was very refreshing to be able to grab a fresh
towel, or even two, whenever I needed one while throwing our used ones in
a
nearby hamper. This also negated the need to carry towels from room to
pool
and used ones back, and to carry these around the ship when you're not
making a direct path to/from the pool.

On the explorer when we realized we were short a towel, our room steward told
us not to worry, as he and the other stewards had a meeting and they were not
going to charge for missing towels. They thought the policy was ridiculous.

There have been times when I want to get a lounge on deck and they're
all filled with peoples towels. I wish there was some way to indicate
if you're not going to be near your lounge chair for 15 minutes, you
don't get to reserve it indefinately (or until the crew cleans up
after the crowds go away.)

On Wed, 05 May 2004 11:08:35 GMT, "Larry Simon"
wrote:

One thing that really irked me on prior cruises was the way some cruise
lines treat you like a thief in regards to controlling beach/pool towels.
With huge signs and warnings on how you must account for towels or be
charged.

At the same time, I'm not sure these are anything other than fake scare
tactics as we've occasionally just left our used beach towels in the floor
outside our cabin for the steward.

Has anyone ever really been charged for towels? Note that I'm not
encouraging theft of any sort, as I think one has to stoop pretty low to
consider theft of towels. But at the same time I don't want to cruise with
a "fear" I'll be falsely charged for towels unless I take time out to make
sure all of mine are accounted for.

On our Celebrity cruise the beach/pool towels were always stacked high and
unguarded by the pool. It was very refreshing to be able to grab a fresh
towel, or even two, whenever I needed one while throwing our used ones in a
nearby hamper. This also negated the need to carry towels from room to pool
and used ones back, and to carry these around the ship when you're not
making a direct path to/from the pool.

Crescent

There have been times when I want to get a lounge on deck and they're
all filled with peoples towels. I wish there was some way to indicate
if you're not going to be near your lounge chair for 15 minutes, you
don't get to reserve it indefinately (or until the crew cleans up
after the crowds go away.)

You were intimidated by towels on chairs? While I don't like seeing what some
selfish people do, it doesn't mean I let them get away with it. You shouldn't,
either.

If the chair is vacant, and there is no leg on it (as in one of a couple saving
the other's while the missing person is in the restroom or grabbing a soda to
bring back right away), it's YOURS.

(joyce1155) wrote in message ...
On the explorer when we realized we were short a towel, our room steward told
us not to worry, as he and the other stewards had a meeting and they were not
going to charge for missing towels. They thought the policy was ridiculous.

Ridiculous and tacky. I've only had to deal with this policy on
Carnival. My two most recent cruises have been on Celebrity and HAL,
and both had an open policy regarding towels - take what you need,
when you need them.

I'll be on Royal Caribbean in August - haven't sailed w/RCI since
1998. What's their current policy?

Lee

Similar to the "no personal booze on board" policy that most ignore, I
would guess that admonitions with respect to towels are more to
discourage rather than to enforce. Anyway, you can get all the towels
you want in the spa/pool area and no one would know the difference.
Personally, as a near-senior cruiser, my towel-stealing days are over,
but I'll be damned if they'll get my booze. JOHN

It depends on the cruise line. Last Carnival cruise we did we had quite a
time getting the charge for 2 towels removed from our on board account.
We got 4 towels on deck and returned them -- but 2 at a time. The person
doing the paperwork showed that we only turned in 2. It took about 45
minutes of arguing to get the charge removed. They wanted me to contact
customer service after I got home. No way was I leaving the ship that last
morning with the charge still on my bill! We've never had problems on the
other lines.

Bobbye

"Larry Simon" wrote in message
.. .
One thing that really irked me on prior cruises was the way some cruise
lines treat you like a thief in regards to controlling beach/pool towels.
With huge signs and warnings on how you must account for towels or be
charged.

At the same time, I'm not sure these are anything other than fake scare
tactics as we've occasionally just left our used beach towels in the floor
outside our cabin for the steward.

Has anyone ever really been charged for towels? Note that I'm not
encouraging theft of any sort, as I think one has to stoop pretty low to
consider theft of towels. But at the same time I don't want to cruise
with
a "fear" I'll be falsely charged for towels unless I take time out to make
sure all of mine are accounted for.

On our Celebrity cruise the beach/pool towels were always stacked high and
unguarded by the pool. It was very refreshing to be able to grab a fresh
towel, or even two, whenever I needed one while throwing our used ones in
a
nearby hamper. This also negated the need to carry towels from room to
pool
and used ones back, and to carry these around the ship when you're not
making a direct path to/from the pool.

RTCReferee wrote:

Crescent


There have been times when I want to get a lounge on deck and they're
all filled with peoples towels. I wish there was some way to indicate
if you're not going to be near your lounge chair for 15 minutes, you
don't get to reserve it indefinately (or until the crew cleans up
after the crowds go away.)


You were intimidated by towels on chairs? While I don't like seeing what some
selfish people do, it doesn't mean I let them get away with it. You shouldn't,
either.

If the chair is vacant, and there is no leg on it (as in one of a couple saving
the other's while the missing person is in the restroom or grabbing a soda to
bring back right away), it's YOURS.

Yep. Often I just sit down and state "when he returns, the chair is all
his." Wanna know how many times "he or she" never returns?

Howie

"Howie" wrote in message
...


RTCReferee wrote:

Crescent


There have been times when I want to get a lounge on deck and they're
all filled with peoples towels. I wish there was some way to indicate
if you're not going to be near your lounge chair for 15 minutes, you
don't get to reserve it indefinately (or until the crew cleans up
after the crowds go away.)


You were intimidated by towels on chairs? While I don't like seeing
what some
selfish people do, it doesn't mean I let them get away with it. You
shouldn't,
either.

If the chair is vacant, and there is no leg on it (as in one of a couple
saving
the other's while the missing person is in the restroom or grabbing a
soda to
bring back right away), it's YOURS.

Yep. Often I just sit down and state "when he returns, the chair is all
his." Wanna know how many times "he or she" never returns?

Howie

If I have to leave for a few minutes and really want to keep my chair (I
need one in the full shade), I'll leave a personal item or 2 on the chair,
like a book and a hat.

I've never had anyone move a book and hat, but on the other hand.. I come
back very quickly to not lose the book and hat.

--Tom