ROYAL NOW CHARGES for ROOM SERVICE - Extra Expense for Disabled Traveler

ROOM SERVICE was truly free in the GOOD OLD DAYS when we began cruising RCCL, back in the early 2000's. Anyone, in any cabin, could order anything from the dining room menu and have it delivered to the cabin. We once had lamb shanks and carrot cake in the room. Soon, only suites had a full menu, and our balconies had a limited 'free' menu.

AFTER MIDNIGHT charges of 4.95 to 5.95 were in place by our 2015 cruise. We didn't mind that, since the people in our party who NEEDED room service were asleep by 10 p.m.

NOW, MANDATORY CHARGES for ALL ROOM SERVICE are in place. As of March 2017, RCCL has begun charging 7.95 for each Room Service order. This charge will become fleet wide by the end of May 2017. A continental, cold breakfast, of pastries and the like, is still free. A hot breakfast of any kind, such as eggs, meats, etc., will require payment.

NEW "UPSCALE" ROOM SERVICE MENUS are the catalyst for this charge, according to the RCCL website. We compared the new menu to menus we saved from our 2015 and 2016 cruises, and this new menu is not much different that the last one. In fact, some favorites, such as the honey-stung chicken, are gone. It is still mostly a 'snacking' menu, with only one or two true entrees.

DISABLED TRAVELERS, such as the two in our party, limited by mobility and stamina, usually eat 2 of the 3 meals in the room. With tips, we estimate this will add an additional 250.00 to the price of cruising on RCCL for a week. That may not sound like much, but one of the attractions of cruising is that food is included. Family members can 'fetch' sandwiches and pizza on days we are not off the ship at a port, but when they are on the boat alone, their only option will be room service.

NO GOOD ALTERNATIVES to this latest policy seem clear at this time. And I guess I am not really asking a question, just sharing information so that you won't be surprised and can prepare for the extra cost if you plan to use Room Service. :(

Someone has to pay for all those new Oasis class of ships.

2 meals a day at 16.00$ X 7 days ='s 112.00$

Tips are included

Eat the free light breakfast and then it's only 8 a day for 56$

I don't remember room service being so great in the '90s or early 2000s. Soggy nachos, tasteless burgers, and 90 minute waits during which I could have been having fun in the pool. I guess you could get the main dining room menu, but everything came up cold and inedible and an hour late, so forget going out to a show that night.

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Thanks for the heads up! Had no clue about this new policy. I am so sorry for your frustration. Seams things are always changing.

I would hope that mobility challenged passengers will be exempted from the new room service charge, but we'll see. Also, I normally tipped $2 - $4 per order anyway, and the new $7.95 fee only adds a few dollars on top.

And, if I don't order room service, I don't pay the fee... problem solved.

My biggest problem is the class divide RCCL is building onboard the ships. Grand Suites and above won't pay the fee. Diamond Plus don't pay for drinks, they also have preferred seating in the theaters and the specialty restaurants. And unfortunately, these differences are clearly visible to all cruisers, sometimes causing hard feelings.

Take me back to the old days of cruising, when everyone got treated the same ands ships weren't medium-sized cities!

The question I would ask anyone that questions the nickel and diming, as well as, the constant upselling that takes place onboard, would they prefer that all of this be included in the cruise fare? If I look at average cabin fares since I started cruising in 2000, it appears to me that fares have not increased as fast as the rate of inflation. However, costs have definitely increased for the cruise line. This would lead one to believe that cruising is a better value now than it was in years past. The upside of the lower cruise fare is that you can decide which upsells you wish to purchase. So what it most important to all of you? Cheap fares or all inclusive?

And to the OP, the food is still free. You simply now have to pay a service charge for room service. No different than paying for delivery when ordering a pizza. Albeit, a most expensive fee.

The question I would ask anyone that questions the nickel and diming, as well as, the constant upselling that takes place onboard, would they prefer that all of this be included in the cruise fare? If I look at average cabin fares since I started cruising in 2000, it appears to me that fares have not increased as fast as the rate of inflation. However, costs have definitely increased for the cruise line. This would lead one to believe that cruising is a better value now than it was in years past. The upside of the lower cruise fare is that you can decide which upsells you wish to purchase. So what it most important to all of you? Cheap fares or all inclusive?

 

And to the OP, the food is still free. You simply now have to pay a service charge for room service. No different than paying for delivery when ordering a pizza. Albeit, a most expensive fee.

Fully agreed. I do not like paying for things I don't use, even if that fee is an implicit fee from a higher cabin fare. Cheaper fares have also made cruising more accessible for my friends and family, and there is no substitute a cruise ship can provide for being able to enjoy cruising with them.

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$250.00 What am I missing? At $7.95 you would have to take every meal on a 7N in your stateroom and tip $4.55 every meal to get to that number. Unlikely!

$250.00 What am I missing? At $7.95 you would have to take every meal on a 7N in your stateroom and tip $4.55 every meal to get to that number. Unlikely!

What you are assuming is that the 2 mobility challenged guests are in the same cabin, which hasn't been specified. If they are in different cabins, it is $15.90 a day for each cabin. Over the 7 nights that's $222.60.

Just another way of looking at it... [emoji4]

What you are assuming is that the 2 mobility challenged guests are in the same cabin, which hasn't been specified. If they are in different cabins, it is $15.90 a day for each cabin. Over the 7 nights that's $222.60.

 

Just another way of looking at it... [emoji4]

Are you assuming the non-handicapped are also ordering?

ROOM SERVICE was truly free in the GOOD OLD DAYS when we began cruising RCCL, back in the early 2000's. Anyone, in any cabin, could order anything from the dining room menu and have it delivered to the cabin. We once had lamb shanks and carrot cake in the room. Soon, only suites had a full menu, and our balconies had a limited 'free' menu.

AFTER MIDNIGHT charges of 4.95 to 5.95 were in place by our 2015 cruise. We didn't mind that, since the people in our party who NEEDED room service were asleep by 10 p.m.

 

NOW, MANDATORY CHARGES for ALL ROOM SERVICE are in place. As of March 2017, RCCL has begun charging 7.95 for each Room Service order. This charge will become fleet wide by the end of May 2017. A continental, cold breakfast, of pastries and the like, is still free. A hot breakfast of any kind, such as eggs, meats, etc., will require payment.

NEW "UPSCALE" ROOM SERVICE MENUS are the catalyst for this charge, according to the RCCL website. We compared the new menu to menus we saved from our 2015 and 2016 cruises, and this new menu is not much different that the last one. In fact, some favorites, such as the honey-stung chicken, are gone. It is still mostly a 'snacking' menu, with only one or two true entrees.

DISABLED TRAVELERS, such as the two in our party, limited by mobility and stamina, usually eat 2 of the 3 meals in the room. With tips, we estimate this will add an additional 250.00 to the price of cruising on RCCL for a week. That may not sound like much, but one of the attractions of cruising is that food is included. Family members can 'fetch' sandwiches and pizza on days we are not off the ship at a port, but when they are on the boat alone, their only option will be room service.

NO GOOD ALTERNATIVES to this latest policy seem clear at this time. And I guess I am not really asking a question, just sharing information so that you won't be surprised and can prepare for the extra cost if you plan to use Room Service. :(

When did this change- i was just on a cruise in January and used room service and was not charged anything

Are you assuming the non-handicapped are also ordering?

Sorry, I do not understand what your question is asking me, I don't see what non-handicapped has to do with it.

I made no assumptions and simply offered a scenario that would match OP's calculations, which 2 people at that point couldn't understand.

Sorry, I do not understand what your question is asking me, I don't see what non-handicapped has to do with it.

 

I made no assumptions and simply offered a scenario that would match OP's calculations, which 2 people at that point couldn't understand.

OP stated that they would only require room service on port days which changes your math.

My biggest problem is the class divide RCCL is building onboard the ships. Grand Suites and above won't pay the fee. Diamond Plus don't pay for drinks, they also have preferred seating in the theaters and the specialty restaurants. And unfortunately, these differences are clearly visible to all cruisers, sometimes causing hard feelings.

 

Why don't you think GS guests pay for it? The cost of the room is significantly higher than every other room, and all you really get is a little more space and a little different decorations. Seems to me that the cost of room service is baked into the cost of the cabin.

D+ guests DO pay for drinks. They only don't pay for a selection of drinks in a specific time in the evening. Outside of that, you pay for it. If I want a Bullet Bourbon at any time, I have to pay for it; if I want a Jack Daniels at 9pm, I have to pay for it.

As for the preferred seating- you can have my seat. They tend to be very far back, or in the balcony. We never sit there.

I get the idea of hard feelings, but it's not nearly as clear cut as you suggest.

I would hope that mobility challenged passengers will be exempted from the new room service charge, but we'll see. Also, I normally tipped $2 - $4 per order anyway, and the new $7.95 fee only adds a few dollars on top.

And, if I don't order room service, I don't pay the fee... problem solved.

 

My biggest problem is the class divide RCCL is building onboard the ships. Grand Suites and above won't pay the fee. Diamond Plus don't pay for drinks, they also have preferred seating in the theaters and the specialty restaurants. And unfortunately, these differences are clearly visible to all cruisers, sometimes causing hard feelings.

 

Take me back to the old days of cruising, when everyone got treated the same ands ships weren't medium-sized cities!

Has anyone emailed the Special Needs department to ask if any exceptions to this charge will be made for disabled passengers?

When did this change- i was just on a cruise in January and used room service and was not charged anything

It has not actually changed yet, it was just announced. The change takes effect later this month.

Has anyone emailed the Special Needs department to ask if any exceptions to this charge will be made for disabled passengers?

Please do: special_needs@rccl.com.

Has anyone emailed the Special Needs department to ask if any exceptions to this charge will be made for disabled passengers?

That is what I was thinking too or at least speak to their head waiter in the MDR, I bet they could arrange for a meal to go. A family member might need to pick it up, but I doubt that it would be an issue.

Has anyone emailed the Special Needs department to ask if any exceptions to this charge will be made for disabled passengers?

Good question, do hotels make this exception for their pay for room service?

All these convoluted formulas and details are making my head ache.

IMHO its the principle of the thing. Makes me want to put out the DO NOT DISTURB/MAKE UP ROOM tag and clean my cabin all myself and then nix the grats just to make a protest about this....and we don't even use room service most cruises. I have even told the steward not to make up the room just to be considerate to him/her and still tipped, but am rethinking this. Even though it would hurt staff not the corporation, if enough people made the protest, RCCL may back off like they did on the diamond cocktail hour.

Its just one more entity trying to shove me around and rip me off, and I'm mad about it...:mad: Seems the only thing you are paying for with this policy is delivery and we already pay for that with tip. Whether you get it brought to you or go get it, the food should be free as advertised! They will never get a copper from us for any room service, we'll just get it ourselves.:evilsmile:

ROOM SERVICE was truly free in the GOOD OLD DAYS when we began cruising RCCL, back in the early 2000's. Anyone, in any cabin, could order anything from the dining room menu and have it delivered to the cabin. We once had lamb shanks and carrot cake in the room. Soon, only suites had a full menu, and our balconies had a limited 'free' menu.

AFTER MIDNIGHT charges of 4.95 to 5.95 were in place by our 2015 cruise. We didn't mind that, since the people in our party who NEEDED room service were asleep by 10 p.m.

 

NOW, MANDATORY CHARGES for ALL ROOM SERVICE are in place. As of March 2017, RCCL has begun charging 7.95 for each Room Service order. This charge will become fleet wide by the end of May 2017. A continental, cold breakfast, of pastries and the like, is still free. A hot breakfast of any kind, such as eggs, meats, etc., will require payment.

NEW "UPSCALE" ROOM SERVICE MENUS are the catalyst for this charge, according to the RCCL website. We compared the new menu to menus we saved from our 2015 and 2016 cruises, and this new menu is not much different that the last one. In fact, some favorites, such as the honey-stung chicken, are gone. It is still mostly a 'snacking' menu, with only one or two true entrees.

DISABLED TRAVELERS, such as the two in our party, limited by mobility and stamina, usually eat 2 of the 3 meals in the room. With tips, we estimate this will add an additional 250.00 to the price of cruising on RCCL for a week. That may not sound like much, but one of the attractions of cruising is that food is included. Family members can 'fetch' sandwiches and pizza on days we are not off the ship at a port, but when they are on the boat alone, their only option will be room service.

NO GOOD ALTERNATIVES to this latest policy seem clear at this time. And I guess I am not really asking a question, just sharing information so that you won't be surprised and can prepare for the extra cost if you plan to use Room Service. :(

I wonder if it would help to contact the access department. I would like to think if you went to the main dining room on day one, explained the mobility issues, if they wouldn't prepare a meal for you to take back to the cabin. They come out of the dining room with tops on them so I would think you could take something back. I wonder if that can be an option.

Breakfast on the balcony was one of our favorite parts of cruising. Seriously don't think I will be willing to pay additional charge for the breakfast of my choice in the future. I guess this means get up, get dressed and treck to the dining room each day. Don't do Windjammer for any meals but would go to Diamond Lounge if they are offering breakfast. Breakfast on Oasis was wonderful in DL.

Another reason to think about returning to Celebrity or are they charging too. Have been pricing their new The Edge in recent days. She looks awesome.

As a passenger who often travels with a companion with a disability, I think it would be a good move if RCL exempted passengers with disabilities from this charge. However, would many then claim to have a disability given that the access/special needs department does not require passengers to submit evidence.

On a related note, I've noticed that cruise fares for accessible cabins are now generally higher than the non-accessible cabins in the same category. I'm not a lawyer but wonder if there are legal consequences.