Clothes Donation AKA Leaving Clothes on the Ship

[shburks]

We're going on the Magic to Norway this summer. One tip I read from others what to take clothes (boots, jackets, etc) that you could leave on the ship and not have to pack to bring home. We have sweaters, jeans, pajamas, etc that are getting to the end of their life that I was planning to bring, wear in the ports and then leave on the ship when we depart.

My question is if this is a huge pain for stateroom hosts/hostesses. Should I leave a note that says "Donate"? Toss them in the trash?

I don't want to create more work for them!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We're going on the Magic to Norway this summer. One tip I read from others what to take clothes (boots, jackets, etc) that you could leave on the ship and not have to pack to bring home. We have sweaters, jeans, pajamas, etc that are getting to the end of their life that I was planning to bring, wear in the ports and then leave on the ship when we depart.

My question is if this is a huge pain for stateroom hosts/hostesses. Should I leave a note that says "Donate"? Toss them in the trash?

I don't want to create more work for them!

It's my understanding that things left in the room will be sent to lost and found. I don't know that putting a note saying "donate" on them will make a difference.

I've also read that clothes that get put in the trash cans often reappear on the guests bed/shelves. I guess the room host wants to make sure they meant to throw them away.

If you don't want to take stuff home, I'd suggest throwing it away off the ship yourself. Or, possibly, looking for a place you can take them to in port personally to donate.

 

[bumbershoot]

I feel like the hint to leave clothes is more to leave them at ports, not on the ship, and in ports where there is poverty and people might appreciate the donated clothing.

I would feel uncomfortable doing that even in impoverished ports of call; I would feel ridiculous doing it in countries that are doing well.

Either way, it's not something you leave on the ship. Not that I've ever heard, at least.

 

[cheapster316]

I left the clothes . I did not want to bring home in the trash in the laundry room because I did not want it back.it was mostly stuff from pirate night and a large Sun hat that . I had no room in the luggage for.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

If you really don't want to see it again, leave it in the trash the last day -when you are leaving. The idea to leave it in the trash can in the laundry room is also a good idea. I have used this tactic before with a few items that were at the end of their life and could not fit in the suitcase at the end of the trip due to other things purchased. Like you, I had brought them with the thought that I could leave them behind if I had to.

 

[squirk]

I've never seen anything onboard or at a port about dropping off unwanted clothes for donation. I suppose abandoned clothing *might* make its way into the hands of a crew member or DCL *might* donate "Lost & Found" clothing to charity once a big-enough batch had accumulated.

I suspect that if your goal is getting the clothes laundered and into the hands of people who could use them, your best bet is to bring them home with you and drop them off at Goodwill, a local church or one of those donation drop-boxes.

Part of me wonders if this "tip" is just a made-up thing to make folks feel better about throwing away perfectly good clothing for the sake of travel convenience.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Remember, if your clothes are at the end of their life, probably no one else wants them anyway. It's only the 'gently used' things that can be sold or reworn that charities want. That said, there are a few donation programs out there (not enough) that will take used up clothing to recycle the fibres. We have one in our area that takes jeans to make into insulation. I don't know the details, but you have to admit the things they can make out of recycled goods these days are amazing!

 

[squirk]

Four words: disposable recyclable paper clothing.

 

[Expatriat]

Remember, if your clothes are at the end of their life, probably no one else wants them anyway. It's only the 'gently used' things that can be sold or reworn that charities want. That said, there are a few donation programs out there (not enough) that will take used up clothing to recycle the fibres. We have one in our area that takes jeans to make into insulation. I don't know the details, but you have to admit the things they can make out of recycled goods these days are amazing!

Exactly! Unless you are in a severely poverty stricken area where people literally have nothing (and I don't think DCL visits such areas), they are not going to want clothing that's nearing the end of its life. There is a difference between "donating" to help others and "discarding worn out items" to make it easier on one's self. But if it's at a center that recycles materials, that's different. I think Norway is generally a very well-off country.

 

[sambycat]

I usually have a pair of worn out running shoes I usually save back for when j go on vacation so I can bring them and toss them and have more room in the luggage coming back. I indeed had a hard time trying to throw them away onboard. They kept reappearing from the trash! Ha. Same with an old pair of uggs I wore in Alaska and tried to leave behind. Going forward if I had something like that I would carry it off and toss it in port or something.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Four words: disposable recyclable paper clothing.

Google "disposable underwear". For some reason, I came across this category of clothing when planning a European trip - maybe it was mentioned in an article. Let's just say my DH and I had fun reading the reviews on some sites. I, of course, offered to buy him a few packs but he declined....

 

[JMHDisney]

If you don't want to take stuff home, I'd suggest throwing it away off the ship yourself.

I just read this as "If you don't want to take stuff home, I'd suggest throwing it off the ship yourself."

Quite the visual!!

I think it's fine to leave stuff. No one wants it. Just put it in the trash on the last day. If it's a lot, make sure to increase the tip for your stateroom host, but I'm assuming we are talking about a couple sweaters here, not entire wardrobes. I doubt anything that is in a trash can under other trash is going to the lost and found.

 

[ArmyWife7]

I have no idea what Disney's policies are for lost & found, but I do work for a large resort and I know it is not an easy task when something is left behind in a guest room. The supervisor (and sometimes Security) has to be called, a form completed, the item bagged, logged into a computer program, stored for 30-90 days (depends on perceived value of the item), etc. I wouldn't create more work for a team of employees for something you wish to be thrown away.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have no idea what Disney's policies are for lost & found, but I do work for a large resort and I know it is not an easy task when something is left behind in a guest room. The supervisor (and sometimes Security) has to be called, a form completed, the item bagged, logged into a computer program, stored for 30-90 days (depends on perceived value of the item), etc. I wouldn't create more work for a team of employees for something you wish to be thrown away.

Was all that required if the item was in the trash can?

 

[ArmyWife7]

I didn't know the answer to your question so I asked our Housekeeping Manager today. She said that it depends. If it is obvious that the article of clothing is trash, they will throw it out. However, if it is a pair of shoes that still have life to them, they will bag them for lost & found. You just never know with some guests. They could have been drunk the night before (I work for a casino resort) and placed their shoes in the trash, thinking they were placing them in the suitcase.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I don't know about Disney, but other cruise lines do not keep clothes or put them in a lost and found. I believe they actually get incinerated.

I'm always leaving something behind by mistake.

 

[valee]

When traveling through Europe and anticipating that I would want to leave some items behind, I've researched the location of hostels, and left items there, or near by. People I've met who have stayed in hostels, said that they usually traveling with little money and a limited wardrobe, so they can use clean used items.
One morning I left a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers on the front steps of a hostel while on my way to pick up some breakfast at a corner bakery, and they had disappeared on my return five minutes later. Two days later I saw a suspiciously similar t-shirt being worn, so at least some of the items were put to use.