One of my friends posted an article on FB from CC UK about a few really shocking stories from cruise line executives. I thought I'd share.

"There’s the couple that on one ship planned to steal the bedding by claiming their cabin steward forgot to make up the beds (they’d hidden away the sheets and duvet he’d already used)."

And the best one posted was about "the elderly woman on a two week cruise who ordered in-cabin cheese trays every day of the cruise. Right in the midst of debarkation, she passed away in the cruise terminal and her suitcases were sent to the cruise line headquarters for temporary storage. After a few days the corporate offices really started to stink and the smell was finally traced to her bags: yep, it was the cheese; she’d carefully packed in all 14 days worth to take home."

LOL how funny! The cheese story reminds me of my good friend who will remain nameless who has a Splenda addiction ;)

Splenda??? Is that me????? My aunts in the "home" stole soaps, Equal, wash clothes, can go on and on - TO give to me when I visited not TOO embarassing - nursing home had to raid them once a month!!!!!

Andi can you give us a link to the article? I would love to read it

I hope it works...it says that hotels are now microchipping towels and things...better put that ashtray, glass, washcloth back folks!!!

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/blog/?p=2752

How tacky can you get....huh! and a Regent cruiser to boot :ohmy: ;)

Splenda is kids stuff! :D On our Mariner cruise last December from Cape Town to Ft. Lauderdale, friends told us about sharing a table in Prime 7 with another couple. After dinner, the woman put her purse in her lap and proceeded to slip some silverware into her purse. She bragged about having a complete set of Regent silverware at home.

The next evening we dined in La Veranda and indicated that we would like to share a table. We were seated at a table with, you guessed it, the silverware pilfering couple. During dinner, the woman put her purse in her lap. However, when I mentioned during conversation that I was a retired prosecutor for the California Attorney General, her purse was put back on the floor. When dinner was over, the other couple remained at the table after we left. Maybe they wanted to stare into each others eyes or maybe . . . . :D

OMG, what a story Dave!

I'm sure this requires no explanation...

Dave that is quite a story! Someone with the means to sail with Regent surely has nice things at home so why even do it? Just to feel like you are getting something over on them I suppose. No excuse for some people.

Suzanne, whoever's suitcase that is (???) had nothing on Dave's dinner companions! I do sometimes take the little toiletries, as I figure that is included / calculated in Regent's cost (At least that is what Ann Landers {or Dear Abby} said years ago in one of her columns), but the flatware... I don't think so!

Arlene,

Mark took that after pulling my bag out from under the bed on the Silver Shadow last Friday. I couldn't resist taking a "little" Bvlgari and Ferragamo home with me as I agree they are built into the price and are nice reminders of the trip when we return home!

I agree Suzanne! (And much different than stealing the flatware!!!)

OMG, Suzanne & Arlene –

Isn’t bringing home a collection of Bulgari stuff just the “thin edge of the wedge” into serious larceny?

One might well ask whether such activity is merely the “entry-level drug” which may lead to such dreadful actions as stashing a bathrobe or umbrella (only the nice grey nylon & wood ones, not the cheap clear plastic ones, of course) into one’s suitcases on that sad “packing night”??

And, then, my dear ladies, what is next??!! Perhaps the highball glasses from your in-cabin bar or a set of oil & vinegar bottles from La Veranda? Maybe Capt. McNeil’s kilt? (Now that might be interesting, no??)

In our experience on Radisson/Regent, the only things we ever considered purloining were those beautiful slab-glass chargers in Latitudes, which the ship offered to sell to us at quite ghastly tariffs.

One thing is fairly certain – no one filched the Regent brand toiletries in those odd plastic containers.

Must confess (before John & Kimmi snitch on me)....I collected toiletries from many very fine hotels around the world, even the Burj Al Arab, Las Vegas, NYC, wherever probably from Radisson/Regent too. I never got around to using any of them so when I was cleaning out a big drawer full, had about 100 of these... I decided to sell them on ebay.

I packaged samplings, a bottle of this, a bottle of that...about 8 little bottles per, with the heading "Impress Your Friends" and sold them for $15. each. I must have sold at least 12 of these packages. Funny now that I think about it. Better than throwing them all out.

GULITY.
When my kids were little, they looked forward to me bringing home soaps & shower caps from the hotels when I'd go on biz trips. They liked that even more than when I'd buy them little gifts.
That, of course, was when they were very young. I doubt they'd be thrilled over a little bar of soap now that they're in their 30's!

And, then, my dear ladies, what is next??!! Maybe Capt. McNeil’s kilt? (Now that might be interesting, no??)
I'll gladly volunteer for this one...after all, all my ancestors came over from Scotland and my father always said that the MacLeans were kicked out for stealing sheep.

Seriously though,my sorority used to collect all small containers and made "ditty" ? bags and gave them to Interum Place. This is a private place for battered women to escape to, many with only the clothes on their back.

I collect Great Soaps,for me.
I like Marcie's idea the best now.(Did I mention I'm Scottish?) <img border="0" alt="[naughty]" title="" src="graemlins/naughty.gif" />

It won't be the flatware!!!! :D

Or stinky cheese!!! But what do folks do with the extra bottles of liquor, wine, champagne that go undrunk (if that happens)?

You mean you've actually seen that happen??????? ;) :D

:pass: to be honest, with the all inclusive, we used to open the in room stuff and only use a little. So, we'd bring the bottle home. Then, we noticed we had all these bottles of stuff that were partly opened. We now leave them in the room. It seems a waste. I'd rather they'd lower the price!

Ha! We STILL have the two bars of Bvulgari soap from our first cruise on the Silver Wind in 2004. They have been pleasantly preserved and on display in every bathroom we've lived in across the country! (as you may be aware, we've moved a lot)

I confess--I take the soaps and toiletries if I loke them. I like the little lotion bottles to put in my purse. I put the shampoos and little soaps in our guest bath for visitors to use. Also, when my son was deployed in Iraq and then Afghanistan, I would send him the little soaps and shampoos to use. He really liked that when he was at a FOB that didn't have a PX.

I take them (the toiletries and shower caps, not the silverware!)too and donate them to a local women's shelter when I have acquired a bunch. Freddie, I think its not a sin if you dont keep them :D
------------------
Helen

Well since we are all making a confession I better be next in line; yes, I have taken the many bottles of shampoo, lotion and so forth that I may like when staying at a nice hotel or from a cruise ship but it ends there...no flatware or glasses!

I love the body wash and shampoo you get when staying at a Disney Vacation Club and one hotel in Las Vegas had the most lovely bath salts.

I have a basket in one guest bathroom and let my guests use these when they come to visit.

Marcie; I love your idea! :)

I think the "takers" are in the majority and no shame here ;) ;) BUT just lotions etc -

Well, if Regent has switched from those bottles that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome after the first squirt, I just might be tempted! (Did someone say L'Occitane?) I don't travel enough to collect many, but do bring home soaps and shampoos and lotions. Put them, and the airline biz amenity items (toothbrushes, razors, eye shades) in little baskets in my bedrooms for out of town guests (including my 4 adult kids, who say I have a B&B now because I have them!) ;)

The very best of them were from the South Africa Safari camps! Bigger bottles, and a "Woolite" thing in there! Of course they know you are going to take them! What better way to keep "brand recognition" in front of you after your visit? But no, never flatware (or barware, Fred!).

If part of a cabin bottle left over, and I have a post cruise hotel, may put some into a water bottle and put in my small duffle, as well, for a cocktail rather than pay $15 for a miniature! Hey, we're told they throw it out anyway on the ships. No foul, no harm. Once on Silversea, I very carefully wrapped the complimentary Dom Perignon Champagne in my cabin and took it back home in checked bag. About 2 months later, I left for a weekend and my 20-something (at the time) son was house-sitting, and poof, no more Dom!

OHHH GEEEZZZ those lousy Regent shampoos/conditioners - you are in the shower with wet hair and the damn things do not work :b: :b: :b: :b: HATE THEM!!!!

I SO hope those days are over. Those were the worst procucts ever on a cruise ship, only because of the packaging/bottles!

well the products were alive, miserable and hard to dispense past Feb/March

I always take the toiletries too. I give them to the homeless that come in to the county hospital I work at. They are so grateful.