When you think about cruising, images of sparkling blue oceans, gourmet meals, and endless relaxation come to mind. However, one unexpected sight that might greet you on your journey down the hallway is a trail of dirty dishes and half-eaten food placed outside stateroom doors. This practice, while standard on some cruise lines, is a topic of debate among cruisers. The issue isn’t just one of aesthetics; there are sanitary and safety concerns involved as well. Let’s dive deeper into why this happens, what cruise lines say about it, and the mixed reactions from passengers.
The Cruise Line Divide: Leave Them or Call?
The handling of dirty dishes from room service or leftovers from the buffet varies significantly from one cruise line to another. On lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, it’s common to see trays, plates, and glasses lined up along the corridors. Passengers are instructed to leave their used dishes outside their cabin doors for collection. On Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page, he clarified that this is not just a suggestion but an actual request from the cruise line.
“We do actually ask guests to put their items outside of your cabin door as soon as you have finished with them. We have a special team working 24/7 who collect them and return them to room service pantries to be washed and cleaned and then put back into service. What we do ask is for people to place the napkin over the plates if they can.”
– John Heald
On the other hand, some cruise lines, such as Disney Cruise Line and upscale lines like Regent Seven Seas and Crystal Cruises, prefer guests to keep dirty dishes in their staterooms. Passengers are provided with a number to call when they are done with their meals, and room attendants promptly come to collect the dishes. This approach aims to maintain a cleaner and more pleasant atmosphere in the hallways, which, for many, is an extension of the luxury experience.
The Unsightly and Unsanitary Reality
For those of us who prefer the more scenic aspect of a cruise experience, seeing trays filled with half-eaten food and dirty dishes lining the corridors can feel like a rude awakening. Imagine stepping out of your room to head for an evening show or dinner, only to dodge a tray of cold french fries and ketchup-covered napkins. It detracts from the otherwise immaculate ambiance of the ship. More than just being an eyesore, there are concerns about hygiene. Open food left in hallways can attract pests, although cruise lines work hard to maintain a clean environment.
A more pressing issue is the potential for contamination and spread of germs. If someone were to trip or bump into a tray with leftover food, there’s a chance of a mess ending up on the floor, or worse, on someone’s clothing. This is particularly concerning when the dishes are left out for extended periods before being collected by the crew. Even though cruise lines like Carnival have teams dedicated to collecting these items around the clock, it’s not instantaneous. There can be times when the hallways are cluttered with leftovers.
Safety Concerns: Tripping Hazards and Accessibility Issues
Besides being unsightly and unsanitary, placing dirty dishes in hallways can pose safety risks. Hallways on cruise ships are narrow, and a stray tray or plate can easily become a tripping hazard. For those using mobility aids like scooters, wheelchairs, or walkers, navigating around these obstacles adds unnecessary difficulty and stress. It can be frustrating to have to steer around piles of dishes and leftover food, especially when the hallway is already busy with other guests moving to and from their rooms.
Furthermore, in an emergency situation where passengers need to quickly evacuate their rooms, the last thing anyone should have to worry about is tripping over someone else’s dinner remains. Cruise ships are designed with safety in mind, and cluttered hallways simply do not fit into that safety-first mindset.
What Can Be Done to Improve This Practice?
One potential solution is for cruise lines that currently encourage placing dirty dishes in hallways to rethink their policy. Would it be too much to ask passengers to call housekeeping or room service to have the dishes picked up? Cruise lines could consider installing discreet service cupboards on each deck, specifically for guests to leave their used trays and dishes. This would remove the unsightly clutter from the hallways and make it easier for cleaning staff to collect items from one central location.
Alternatively, cruise lines could enhance communication about the proper way to dispose of dirty dishes. Some passengers might not be aware of the options available or the reasons why leaving dishes in the hallways could be problematic for others. Clearer instructions in the stateroom or during embarkation day announcements could go a long way in managing expectations.
Cruise Line Perspective: Managing a Balancing Act
From the cruise lines’ perspective, there’s likely a balancing act at play between maintaining cleanliness and providing convenient service to guests. For some lines, allowing passengers to leave their trays outside their doors might be seen as the simplest, most guest-friendly solution. After all, not everyone wants to be bothered with calling room service to pick up a plate. But for others, maintaining a polished and luxurious atmosphere may take precedence, and keeping hallways clear of food waste becomes a priority.
One thing is clear: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different cruise lines cater to different types of guests, and their policies reflect their brand image and guest expectations. For example, on mass-market lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, where there is a higher volume of passengers, encouraging guests to place dishes outside may help speed up the cleaning process. Conversely, luxury lines that emphasize personalized service might see value in keeping hallways pristine and free of any clutter, reinforcing their brand as an upscale and elegant experience.
Whether you find the sight of dirty dishes outside stateroom doors a minor inconvenience or a major eyesore, the practice remains a topic of debate among cruise enthusiasts. Some passengers are happy to adhere to the rules laid out by the cruise lines, while others like myself feel there must be a better way to handle the situation.