As a former crane oiler, grease is good for cables. The only cables we didn't grease were the ones used for rigging loads. Those were considered expendable. The load lines and gantry cables were kept well lubed.
The way i see it, the grease attracts dirt and grit.
And working near it and its a stain on your clothes. And impossible to clean them.
Every other hoist i ever used had clean cables.