Stateroom hosts

[FigmentSpark]

My husband usually puts out the 'do not disturb' sign when we stay in hotels and it doesn't come off our door until we check out. If he decides to do that on the cruise, will it be honored or will they come in anyway? We usually just ask when we need stuff in a hotel (not often - the occasional towel). Also, will we be missing out on something with the service, if we do that?

 

[jne7043]

I personally wouldn't do that on a cruise. You would miss turn down service at night which includes an animal towel and chocolates. Maybe not a big deal for you guys, but it is part of the fun. I'm sure it would be honored, but your stateroom host is a little different on a cruise than the daily maid service in a hotel. Also, if you are using the bunk/murphy bed/sofa bed they would be bring this out every night and putting it back up in the morning.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

As others say not a good idea. They will try to speak to you but the room will not be made up. I know, my son had a lay in and did it. Room wasn't made up.

 

[Quellman]

You can certainly communicate with your stateroom host that you do not require any services, though they still have to deep clean your room at the conclusion of the cruise.

Like you, for almost all hotel stays we do not use housekeeping staff. We are generally neat and clean people and don't need someone to make my bed or things like that. However, we take full advantage of the stateroom hosts ability to keep things clean, stocked, etc. They can refill ice buckets without your asking, replenish shampoos, perform turndown service. They set up beds and empty diaper genies. For us, it is part of the cruising experience. It also allows you to just get up and go to an activity. We use the door placard if we are actually in the room so our host knows if we are in there or not.

 

[Alicatt]

Speaking of shampoo, how often do they replenish? Can you ask for extra? We are a family of 4 with a lot of hair...

 

[olookasquirrel]

Speaking of shampoo, how often do they replenish? Can you ask for extra? We are a family of 4 with a lot of hair...

You will see your stateroom host all the time - just let him or her know.

Disney cruises aren't like hotels where housekeeping are in and out as fast as possible once a day. If you go back to your room during the day, they'll be in your corridor, they clean your room and then come back for turndown, and they know you. My husband still misses Bam from the Wonder!

 

[dcassetta]

You are not not required to use housekeeping services. However, if you do put the do not disturb sign on your door, in addition to letting your stateroom host know that you don't require services, please call the housekeeping manager to say the same. It will be important to let the housekeeping manager know that you're not unhappy with the service provided, but rather you just don't require the service. The stateroom host may worry that they have done something wrong.

 

[cedricandsophie]

If you do decide not to have cabin made up every day please don't forego the tip for the steward. And I wouldn't recommend it. What's not to like about clean towels twice a day, made up beds, replenished sundries and towel animals.

 

[ChipNDale86]

The stateroom host also puts the next day's Navigator in your room during the turn-down service. You can obviously just asked for one when you see him/her (they'll have a stack on their cart) but I enjoyed coming back from dinner/shows and having the Navigator there ready for me to look through.

 

[Bishoparc]

We're normally the same way at hotels but we definitely love the stateroom hosts! They're really part of the magic.

Take a read on my last trip report to see why I say that: http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-...makes-3-and-still-better-than-before.3507713/

 

[FigmentSpark]

Thanks, everyone. It's more about our own privacy - not wanting to put away money or worry about things, or sleep in or nap without worrying about being up at a certain time. But yeah, if they are people that we get to know, that is different than the housekeeping in a hotel.

That brings me another question. I have one son that has 'claimed' the top bunk. If they put it away every day and he wants to lie down for some game/relax time, can we pull it down or is it just better to let him use our bed?

 

[bumbershoot]

Also, will we be missing out on something with the service, if we do that?

Absolutely.

We rarely have housekeeping come in while at a hotel, but on a cruise we love the service. They make it up twice a day, put out required info and Navigators, etc etc.

I know, my son had a lay in and did it. Room wasn't made up.

I actually can't remember if it's so on Disney, but on Royal the attendants we've had absolutely positively will not be in a room if there's only a minor present. Our attendant on our last cruise was female but if DS came in (he tended to change from dinner to kid-club clothes at around 6pm) she would leave the room until he was gone.

However, if you do put the do not disturb sign on your door, in addition to letting your stateroom host know that you don't require services, please call the housekeeping manager to say the same.

YES.

Not just b/c they might think they are doing a poor job, but because the attendants lurk around, waiting for you to take the tag off so they can finish their job. If you don't tell them that you won't be taking it off, they don't know, and they will delay their other duties (or even just going to sleep) because of it.

Sorry, another RCCL anecdote, but DH got a nasty and fast-moving cold on our last cruise, and basically stayed in the room for 2.5-3 days. He put the DND sign up and told our attendant so she knew that he wouldn't be coming out. Every so often he'd pop out for fresh air and if he saw her in the hall he'd exchange towels, or let her know he'd be gone for half an hour so she could put our Compasses in the room or turn DS's bed...but she was never *waiting* for him because we always let her know specifically.

Our attendants on DCL have been just as attentive, and if DH got sick on Disney he would do the same thing for the same reasons.



You won't have money out on a cruise. The attendants work SO hard; they really don't have time to rifle through your possessions or care about them. Put jewelry in the safe, straighten up if you must, but I really do recommend letting them come in.

If you want the attendant to leave the top bunk out, just tell them. It can get in the way, so if you change your mind tell them that, too.

 

[Flossbolna]

I find that with the tiny bathroom, I really appreciate it being cleaned daily (and even wiped down for turn down as well).

We often put out the do not disturb sign, but when we leave the stateroom in the morning, we take it off so that the stateroom host can do his thing. And then again when we head out to dinner. Other times it is always on.

 

[dsdeleon]

We did this one day last cruise (just asked for towels) and boy did we regret it. The trash cans are so small and things were just piling up.

 

[Imahikergirl]

I really enjoyed talking to our room host, Mahesh. When we told him we were booked on another Dream cruise for October, he seemed hopeful that we'd be in his section again. We aren't going to be, but we are going to bring him a small gift bag, because out of all of our CMs, he made the cruise that much better for us.

As an aside, although I locked up our passports, my purse & hubby's wallet for the cruise, it didn't cross my mind to lock up our electronics. It all went well for us.

 

[Quellman]

The stateroom host also puts the next day's Navigator in your room during the turn-down service. You can obviously just asked for one when you see him/her (they'll have a stack on their cart) but I enjoyed coming back from dinner/shows and having the Navigator there ready for me to look through.

They will also leave navigators in your Fish-mail hook outside your door. Certainly not as magical as finding it on your bed with some chocolates!

Thanks, everyone. It's more about our own privacy - not wanting to put away money or worry about things, or sleep in or nap without worrying about being up at a certain time. But yeah, if they are people that we get to know, that is different than the housekeeping in a hotel.

That brings me another question. I have one son that has 'claimed' the top bunk. If they put it away every day and he wants to lie down for some game/relax time, can we pull it down or is it just better to let him use our bed?

I lock my wallet in the safe at the begining of the cruise and there it stays unless we have a port where I need it. To help give you more understanding, there is no set time you have to be up, not take a nap anything like that. Your stateroom host doesn't just pop out from behind the walls from the hours of 8-10 and then disappear until 5pm. They spend a lot of time in and out of rooms just about most of the day. I have never had a problem going back to my room for a nap, either for my 2 year old or myself and being bothered. They are very respectful of the sign. I have had a great time with nearly all of my stateroom hosts. One on the Magic spent time showing us how to make little duck animals from wash cloths, needless to say we had a whole flock of them one night. One of our hosts on the Dream really doted on my 2 year old. We would be back and forth enough to our room, we really got to know our room hosts so we would just let them know we would be napping for an hour or so, or that we were stopping in and then would be going to the theater for a movie. This way they know when our room would be free of us so they could set up their cleaning schedule best.

The only difficulty I ever had was on the Dream where it was difficult to run into our room host. He was very excellent, but in addition to my room, he also had the interior rooms down a hallway, so it was harder to run into him, than other trips. But he was still great and no complaints.

When you cruise, you have the same person day after day, so you have a familiarity. Whereas a hotel, you might have someone different each day.

You are unable to pull the top bunk down yourself. It is locked into the ceiling with a key the stateroom host has. It isn't a big deal for you to tell them to not put the bed back up in the ceiling if that is your choice, though it does cut out a lot of visual space in the room. If it is up in the ceiling they will be more than happy to lower it back down for your son.


I'm not trying to change your mind about the housekeeping services, you do whatever is best for you. I just thought I would add the above about my experiences across 5 cruises.

 

[princessmommyx3]

I would encourage you to at least give it a try. Most room hosts are very friendly and truly want to do whatever they can to make you feel pampered if you just let them know what you do/don't like. It is one of the things that makes cruising so appealing to me - who doesn't want someone cleaning up after you (and my kids) twice a day and leaving treats in your room? We are very neat people, but our room hosts still finds way to go the extra mile like folding my kids blankets (which are still tangled in their sheets every morning) neatly on the chair, or fishing my daughter's stuffed animal out of the crack between the couch and wall and putting it on the table wearing sunglasses to give my kids a laugh. Also, our room hosts have always paid very close attention to our habits and cleaned our room while we were away. They quickly notice (the good ones anyway) if you typically go eat breakfast around the same time every morning, or if you spend a lot of time in your room or not and adjust their schedule accordingly. It seems that most do the evening turn down service during your assigned dining time as to never disrupt you. If you find you don't like/need their services after a day or so, then you can let them (as well as the supervisor) know. All that said, their performance also depends on how good they are as a host/hostess. We have been fortunate to always have great ones, but I have read reports of the occasional dud.

 

[KimDis]

I often do the same for domestic hotel travel, so I understand. I generally like the attendants & it's a very different atmosphere than hotels. Much more like they're in your employ during your stay versus traditional hotel housekeeping. Folks have already mentioned the extras you might miss but a few thoughts:

While your attendant will respect your DND, I do think it's nice to call housekeeping if you decide to forego service altogether. Please note 2 HUGE considerations: trash & towels. We often used towels twice a day, the bathroom is small, and that trash can is very tiny. Maybe just ask for that assistance?

As for the tip comment ... I'm incredibly sensitive to them & how much my tip matters but... Always up to you. Please keep in mind that they still work to bring towels. They lug your bags at the start & end of the cruise. If you have issues, they're sometimes the first line of assistance. That stated I really don't think you posted any of this because you don't want to tip.

 

[amwhitaker]

I've always let the cabin stewards do their thing. It's nice to have someone else make the bed other than ME! lol And I like to get the H2O products replenished!

 

[FigmentSpark]

I wasn't thinking about the tip issue, nor would DH. I was thinking of the privacy. But I like all the comments here. I think I have some great ammo to use when DH just says to leave the sign on the door, so thanks, all.