Carnival cabin service

Has Carnival changed cabin service on all ships? It had been three years since our last Carnival cruise, but on the Miracle last week we were surprised to hear our steward ask if we wanted morning or evening cabin service. She said they had reduced staff by assigning more cabins per steward and eliminating one service per day. On recent Princess and Norwegian cruises the old system was still in use. Maybe it's just the new normal and everyone will start doing it. For the record, the pre-paid gratuities fee was not reduced.

There are many current threads like this on the first page of this forum to help answer your question:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2500514

Has Carnival changed cabin service on all ships? It had been three years since our last Carnival cruise, but on the Miracle last week we were surprised to hear our steward ask if we wanted morning or evening cabin service. She said they had reduced staff by assigning more cabins per steward and eliminating one service per day. On recent Princess and Norwegian cruises the old system was still in use. Maybe it's just the new normal and everyone will start doing it. For the record, the pre-paid gratuities fee was not reduced.

Same ? above.

There has been lots of talk on this subject. They are supposed to offer a "menu" to fill out for morning, evening or both as well as other options like ice, robes, extra towels and pillows. It seems some stewards want to lessen their work load (for obvious reasons) by not mentioning the "both" option or handing out the menus. This bamboozle works for those that don't know better like those who haven't cruised before or in a long while.

 

I have been on four cruises since this has been implemented. The first one I didn't know better and selected morning. We didn't get robes or extra towels and barely saw the steward. They LIGHTLY cleaned in the AM and then left the fun times under the door at night.

 

The second cruise was done the old way with twice a day service. The steward introduced himself and always addressed us by name. They cleaned twice a day and left great towel animals, refilled ice buckets (without asking) and made sure we had everything we desired. I loved feeling special.

 

The third cruise they offered the menu and I filled it out to my liking and got great service with a smile. I didn't see the steward much but everything was always immaculate and we had everything we wanted.

 

The last one he tried to say "morning or night only" and I asked to have the menu to fill out. The steward just kind of "errr" "ummm" and said he was all out. I nicely asked for morning cleaning and evening turn down with fresh towels, a robe and extra pillow. I received all these things eventually but never actually saw the steward again. He must've come in each morning to clean but in the evening he literally just came in and turned down the bed. Even if it had been mussed up...he would leave it messy and just turn down the sheets and drop the fun times. No towel animal:loudcry:.

 

 

I know! I know! These things don't make or break a cruise but it's those special touches that make the difference between a fun cruise and a MAGICAL cruise.

There has been lots of talk on this subject. They are supposed to offer a "menu" to fill out for morning, evening or both as well as other options like ice, robes, extra towels and pillows. It seems some stewards want to lessen their work load (for obvious reasons) by not mentioning the "both" option or handing out the menus. This bamboozle works for those that don't know better like those who haven't cruised before or in a long while.

 

I have been on four cruises since this has been implemented. The first one I didn't know better and selected morning. We didn't get robes or extra towels and barely saw the steward. They LIGHTLY cleaned in the AM and then left the fun times under the door at night.

 

The second cruise was done the old way with twice a day service. The steward introduced himself and always addressed us by name. They cleaned twice a day and left great towel animals, refilled ice buckets (without asking) and made sure we had everything we desired. I loved feeling special.

 

The third cruise they offered the menu and I filled it out to my liking and got great service with a smile. I didn't see the steward much but everything was always immaculate and we had everything we wanted.

 

The last one he tried to say "morning or night only" and I asked to have the menu to fill out. The steward just kind of "errr" "ummm" and said he was all out. I nicely asked for morning cleaning and evening turn down with fresh towels, a robe and extra pillow. I received all these things eventually but never actually saw the steward again. He must've come in each morning to clean but in the evening he literally just came in and turned down the bed. Even if it had been mussed up...he would leave it messy and just turn down the sheets and drop the fun times. No towel animal:loudcry:.

 

 

I know! I know! These things don't make or break a cruise but it's those special touches that make the difference between a fun cruise and a MAGICAL cruise.

I don't blame you. We went on our first cruise last year and experiencing an amazing steward helped make the whole first-time experience that much better. He only needed to get our names once when he first introduced himself and, from that moment on, addressed us by names every time he saw us. I was so impressed by that alone because I can't remember what I had for breakfast sometimes. If he was in the hallway working on another cabin, he never hesitated to stop what he was doing to say hi and ask how we were doing. He kept our room spotless twice daily, used a pair of sunglasses I had left laying around on one of the towel critters (which I thought was a nice, personal touch), and didn't mind it when I would strike up a short conversation with him about his life on board, his family back home, etc. Marlo was the man! We've booked our second cruise (unfortunately it isn't for another year) and we're taking some members of my wife's family for their first time. We want them to be as amazed by the cabin service as we were. I hope this new system doesn't have too much of a negative impact on that. If we want poor service in a room, we can get that from just about every budget hotel out there. I'm reading the comments about stewards who are taking a few shortcuts to lighten their load (going against policy at times) and I hope we don't see that because the level of attentiveness & kindness we got from the steward made it an outstanding experience.

$20 bucks does wonders.

On recent Princess and Norwegian cruises the old system was still in use. Maybe it's just the new normal and everyone will start doing it.

 

 

Hope others don't follow.

 

 

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$20 bucks does wonders.

 

 

Not always!!

 

On my first sailing on the Magic we had an awesome steward. He came twice a day, kept room spotless, brought ice made us all feel special. I had tipped him $20 in the beginning and gave even more at the end. (And of course paid the auto gratuities)

 

On my next cruise on the Liberty I had the same expectations and gave the steward $20 the first day, asked for ice and that was the last I ever saw of him. Only got ice sporadically but mostly it was just melted water in my little cooler. Room was barely serviced. Like bare minimum.

 

I really don't like having to ask for ice. I wish it was like a hotel and I could just get my own. Anyway in this case my extra $ did absolutely nothing to improve service.

 

Perhaps on my next cruise coming up I will withhold extra tipping till the end.

 

 

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That sucks...I'd have left sadistic towel animals for him.

Last cruise we asked for extra towels in the morning. Got them every morning, no problem. Even got a different towel animal, some I'd never seen before. A puny elephant and a bat hanging from the light valance.

He did a light service if he had to deliver something to the cabin in the evening.

 

 

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$20 bucks does wonders.

 

 

Why tip extra? Service Charges were raised to give these stewards more money per cabin. It was twice a day service when this happened.

 

Now the stewards are complaining to anyone and everyone how "over worked" they are. I personally do not want to hear it. More rooms more money.

 

If they are going to downgrade my service then I have a right to down grade the service charge.

 

 

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I haven't cruised since this new way of doing things has started. I don't necessarily need 2 full cleaning or turn down service. My biggest thing will be getting fresh towels. We will be 3 in a cabin and 5 ports in 7 days. We will want fresh towels both after the morning showers, and after we shower coming back from ports. I will also want to be sure the Beach towels are replaced in the evening so we have them for the next port.

 

I'd assume I can just tell the Steward to keep on top of the towels but anything else can be once per day?

If you are going to do half the work, prepare to get half the gratuities. :mad:

 

Just like in a shoreside restaurant, there is an expectation of a minimum level of service.

I've cruised 4 or 5 times since the change but have never been asked about my preference and have always received twice a day service. I don't really care about turn down service or towel animals.

 

We keep our cabin very neat and even partially straighten the bed covers before leaving for the day, so there isn't really much for them to do.

Just off THE MAGIC....our steward did as listed above....checked with us on the first day...had us fill out the form with how we d like room service to go, extra needs etc. But 2 families travelling with us ( each on different decks ) were asked when they d like their service : MORNING or EVENING ( no sheet to fill in ). Seems strange that it was different right on the same ship, same sailing. So I m thinking it may be the individual stewards as how they do it

Has Carnival changed cabin service on all ships? It had been three years since our last Carnival cruise, but on the Miracle last week we were surprised to hear our steward ask if we wanted morning or evening cabin service. She said they had reduced staff by assigning more cabins per steward and eliminating one service per day. On recent Princess and Norwegian cruises the old system was still in use. Maybe it's just the new normal and everyone will start doing it. For the record, the pre-paid gratuities fee was not reduced.

 

We came off of the Carnival Pride April 2. Cabin Steward was very nice; never asked when or how many times we wanted cabin serviced. It was serviced twice a day. We also requested robes, and they appeared in our cabin the first night and we requested ice for the ice bucket everyday. All requests were taken care of. It was great service all around.

Has Carnival changed cabin service on all ships? It had been three years since our last Carnival cruise, but on the Miracle last week we were surprised to hear our steward ask if we wanted morning or evening cabin service. She said they had reduced staff by assigning more cabins per steward and eliminating one service per day. On recent Princess and Norwegian cruises the old system was still in use. Maybe it's just the new normal and everyone will start doing it. For the record, the pre-paid gratuities fee was not reduced.

We have never given any cabin steward the option of once a day service. We leave a very polite note stating that we would like twice a day service, bathrobes, ice bucket, duvet taken off the bed and put under the fitted sheet to soften the mattress, and the made made up with a blanket. We've always received what we requested.

There seem to be some rogue stewards on some of the ships. We only need cleaning in the morning and then fresh towels and empty the trash cans at night. I don't want to hear about their workload (they need to take that up with Carnival). On the Dream our steward tried that little trick (35 cabins to clean). Carnival's policy is twice a day if requested.

Just off Sunshine, our cabin steward gave us the menu and didn't try to steer us. We chose 2, he didn't seem put off by that, brought us extra items we requested.

 

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$20 bucks does wonders.

Just my personal opinion, but I don't see why I should have to throw 'em $20 up front to get them to do what they're supposed to do anyway. Especially if I've prepaid gratuities. They're supposed to hand out the selection sheet and offer once a day, twice a day, or both. Plus ice, robes, etc. If that's Carnival's new policy, if that's their job, then I shouldn't have to throw them an extra tip up front just to get them to do it. The extra tip can come at the end if they go above & beyond.

 

I haven't cruised since this new way of doing things has started. I don't necessarily need 2 full cleaning or turn down service. My biggest thing will be getting fresh towels. We will be 3 in a cabin and 5 ports in 7 days. We will want fresh towels both after the morning showers, and after we shower coming back from ports. I will also want to be sure the Beach towels are replaced in the evening so we have them for the next port.

 

I'd assume I can just tell the Steward to keep on top of the towels but anything else can be once per day?

It's not two full cleanings and turn down service. It's a morning cleaning and an evening turn down. They are supposed to give you a selection sheet on day one. You pick if you want morning, evening, or both. Plus robes, ice, and whatever else. We just left the ones we wanted replaced piled on the floor, including beach towels. But that was before this new policy took affect. I'm sure you can talk to them about it.

Without getting flamed, the room steward's utility room is not locked. There is a huge ice machine in it and I have gotten my own ice at off hours. Not quite like a hotel but it is there and open.

You could always book a different line. It's not like you have a ton of loyalty points with Carnival or anything.

We've looked on occasion. It all comes down to affordability. So far, at least the times we've checked a couple of other lines, Carnival has the right price.

 

Without getting flamed, the room steward's utility room is not locked. There is a huge ice machine in it and I have gotten my own ice at off hours. Not quite like a hotel but it is there and open.

I would have no problem at all fetching my own ice if they made it readily available and known to passengers. As a matter of fact, I think I'd prefer it that way because we wouldn't always need it and there's no sense in having it sit there unused.

When I need ice I take a plastic beer bucket to a bar or buffet and fill it.