Don't eat those snacks! They ain't free!

I guess we all have those things that are an issue for us, this is not one for me. I don't eat the items in the mini bar or left on the counter (unless I'm at the W Hotel, with their awesome snacks), just because I think the prices are over the top. I guess I would just find a nook or crannie that is out of the way myself...like under the bed or in a empty suitcase (and let the room steward know where I stashed them), so it would be a non-issue for me, especially when I'm on vacation. I understand that hotels and Celebrity probably make some revenue off these items and if it keeps my fares down a little, I'm all for them trying it. But I guess some things bother some people, while it really isn't an issue to others and that is what makes the world go around.

 

Yep -- so true! Everyone has something that really gets a burr under their saddle, and I guess was what did it for me! (And no, I certainly don't think you are calling anyone a complainer, NLH.:)) Bottom line -- as long as my room stewards can fix the problem for me, I'll be a happy camper. Although, it does seem to make more work for them. :(

 

I wish I could say that all of this "upsell" and "for fee" stuff is actually keeping the prices down. I just booked a fall cruise on Infinity and the prices were insane! :eek:

The general comment on the ship today when they appeared was that they are trying to present themselves as Business Class but this is more like Coach

On Eclipse now, where packages of snacks (mixed nuts, m & ms, others) appears in the room today with a note that. $6 will be charged if you eat them. Warn the kiddies, they aren't free! Shades of those horrible snacks sold on airplanes for outrageous prices. Not a good move for our "modern luxury " line, IMO.

 

Does this mean that free M&M's are no longer available from the free ice cream station?

Can you ask the steward to remove them so they aren't in your way?

(That's what we do with the stuff in the frig)

 

When we saw these snacks had arrived in our stateroom in September we asked the steward to removed them. At first he put them in the mini bar but we removed them and again asked him to remove them and he did.

I'm just off of the Reflection, and we just told our steward that we were going to put them in one of the cabinets over the bed until the last night, when we'd be sure to put them back where we found them.

I disembarked Eclipse in Europe on 10/30. There weren't any snacks in my concierge cabin. I requested an ice bucket as soon as I met my steward and it was supplied and filled twice daily.

Has no one been to a luxury hotel? You'll find these profit increasing snacks everywhere.

 

To the complainers: the more people that buy the snacks (and everything else), the cheaper your cabin will be.

 

Don't want the snacks, move them. NBD.

Most of us have been to "luxury" hotels - and when even the very NOT luxury Best Western is hawking generic bottles of water for $2.50 each; even those who may not frequent "luxury" hotels can relate.

 

Many of us hope that a company that we would prefer would simply respect us for patronize them, is instead inconveniencing us with yet one more unimaginative, sleazy marketing ploy.

 

If the cruise lines' or hotels' shameless merchandising really was reducing everyone's prices it would be one thing, but these are simply plots to increase their individual profits. While these businesses choose to refer to us as "guests" they view us purely as opportunities to maximize profits -- they are less concerned with providing a superior product and more concerned with squeezing every possible penny out of us.

 

Consumers are reacting to this trend, by speaking out and by "voting with our feet" -- our last three cruises have been on lines other than Celebrity/RCCI lines that charge a bit more "up front" but do not nickle-and-dime us. I want to relax and enjoy myself, not brace myself and my loved ones for "clever" ways for Celebrity to bilk me of a few more $$.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Onessa

Hi We had a fabulous cruise on Silhouette in October, the only bad service we had was on the last night in the Quasar disco, where the waitress brought us the wrong drink a cocktail when we had ordered a Sprite zero, she tried to press us into keeping and paying for the cocktail, this was the only non alcoholic drink in a round of six drinks, when I insisted she eventually brought me what I ordered, fine we paid $45 for the round, then after we had left to go to bed after midnight we went to our room and found our bill which we decided to pay in cash, we did our online flight check in first and then went down to pay our bill, there was a few charges that had been loaded that day which were incorrect so we got these taken off and then when the cashier printed our statement again the round of drinks with the cocktail included was charged again half an hour after we had left the bar, this left a very sour taste as I felt that this may have been deliberate on the part of the waitress. The last thing I want to do at 1 am in the morning of the day we leave the ship is to be down at guest relations sorting out their errors.

 

The main point of my post is that all of the charges that were incorrect due to the items that we had asked to be removed from the room at the start of the cruise and Cafe Bacio coffee's that we are luckily entitled to as part of our loyalty perks, having left the ship with everything I thought sorted and paid for I have now received a credit card statement with more charges, even though we have not signed for anything that we have not paid for, I have emailed Celebrity but have not yet heard back from them.

 

I don't believe (apart from the waitress in Quasar)that any of these overcharges were deliberate, but I do think there is gaps in the staff knowledge that has lead to these errors which should not happen.

 

Jean

I just returned last night from 27 days on board Equinox. The "snacks" were not there for the first 13 day cruise and did not appear until about a week into the second cruise. They were a topic of discussion from almost everyone and were not well received.

 

At first glance, most of the people thought they were a gift from the cruise line and when they got closer and read the card that was not very visibly apparent they were not pleased. A cruise cabin is not a hotel room and has always been a fairly all inclusive proposition when it comes to food. The word that came to mind for everyone that commented was "tacky", and I agree. Most of us spend quite a bit on extras on our cruises including drink packages and multiple visits to specialty restaurants and are far from complainers but just find this unnecessary and cheesy.

I personally found it odd (and somewhat tacky) to have $5 M & M's for sale right next to the 2 included bottles of booze and mixers in the Royal Suite aboard Summit last month.

I found this "interesting" enough to snap a photo. Sorry it didn't come out clearer.

Jane

I just returned last night from 27 days on board Equinox. The "snacks" were not there for the first 13 day cruise and did not appear until about a week into the second cruise. They were a topic of discussion from almost everyone and were not well received.

 

At first glance, most of the people thought they were a gift from the cruise line and when they got closer and read the card that was not very visibly apparent they were not pleased. A cruise cabin is not a hotel room and has always been a fairly all inclusive proposition when it comes to food. The word that came to mind for everyone that commented was "tacky", and I agree. Most of us spend quite a bit on extras on our cruises including drink packages and multiple visits to specialty restaurants and are far from complainers but just find this unnecessary and cheesy.

 

Thanks for the "on the scene" report, Ma Bell. I agree -- "tacky" just about sums it up!

Personally I will take the ice bucket and flowers over a display of snacks for sale. If one is staying in AQ or lower, there is 't much counter space. So I do not see it like a hotel where one sometimes checks in late or skips meals for meetings or may have to drive to dinner. I also wonder how saleable the products will be after customers put them in drawers over and over again.

 

As far as the M and M's I will say I have yet to be on a celebrity cruise where free m and m's are offered everyday and each hour of the cruise. Because...when they are offered there is a run on them. And then they are pulled back and guests are told they are not available.

 

Because I have not been on every cruise ship each week I do not doubt others may have a different experience. If I had a Serious m and m habit I would bring a costco bag with me!:eek: On my first celebrity cruise I observed guests taking them by the bowl full to their cabins and then they were pulled day three. Since that cruise, I have not seen them offered in a way guests can serve themselves. No wonder celebrity thinks they can make money from them, especially without chocolate on pillows anymore for serious chocoholics.;)

Personally I will take the ice bucket and flowers over a display of snacks for sale. If one is staying in AQ or lower, there is 't much counter space. So I do not see it like a hotel where one sometimes checks in late or skips meals for meetings or may have to drive to dinner. I also wonder how saleable the products will be after customers put them in drawers over and over again.

 

As far as the M and M's I will say I have yet to be on a celebrity cruise where free m and m's are offered everyday and each hour of the cruise. Because...when they are offered there is a run on them. And then they are pulled back and guests are told they are not available.

 

Because I have not been on every cruise ship each week I do not doubt others may have a different experience. If I had a Serious m and m habit I would bring a costco bag with me!:eek: On my first celebrity cruise I observed guests taking them by the bowl full to their cabins and then they were pulled day three. Since that cruise, I have not seen them offered in a way guests can serve themselves. No wonder celebrity thinks they can make money from them, especially without chocolate on pillows anymore for serious chocoholics.;)

 

On the Silhouette this past October, M&M's, Reeses Pieces and two other kinds of candy were available in bowls by the ice cream service area in the buffet. They were there all through the cruise.

 

We also had the packaged snacks in the cabin. I asked my cabin steward to please remove them and he said, no, he would put them on top of the mirror (sort of balanced up there). I said, politely, "I would prefer if you could actually take them out of the cabin". He said "they will be fine up there", and there they stayed. I didn't really want to see them up there, I didn't even want to have them in the cabin, anywhere within reach.

 

True, it's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I do think it should be my choice as to whether I have chocolate in my cabin or not.

Bottom line, if there wasn't a fair amount of people partaking of the for fee snacks in the cabin, they'd stop placing them in the cabins.

 

They wouldn't waster the resources to stock, check the stock, and handle misbillings at guest services and post cruise. They wouldn't wast cabin stewards' time by removing and replacing them each cruise if there were so many people who were against the program.

 

We have another case of the vocal minority here.

 

There are plenty of people on a cruise ship who drink a lot, in the the late hours, who just want a quick and easy bedtime snack when they get back to the cabin, without having to roam about the ship looking for something to eat once most venues are closed. The shops close early, if they are even open while in certain ports, the buffet closes at 1 am generally. So now there' a choice for that 3 am craving.

Bottom line, if there wasn't a fair amount of people partaking of the for fee snacks in the cabin, they'd stop placing them in the cabins.

 

They wouldn't waster the resources to stock, check the stock, and handle misbillings at guest services and post cruise. They wouldn't wast cabin stewards' time by removing and replacing them each cruise if there were so many people who were against the program.

 

We have another case of the vocal minority here.

 

There are plenty of people on a cruise ship who drink a lot, in the the late hours, who just want a quick and easy bedtime snack when they get back to the cabin, without having to roam about the ship looking for something to eat once most venues are closed. The shops close early, if they are even open while in certain ports, the buffet closes at 1 am generally. So now there' a choice for that 3 am craving.

Agreed!

 

Bottom line is, some will have an issue with them, while others won't. In January on the Summit, I'll simply put them in an empty suitcase (letting the room steward know, so I won't be charged for them) and then put them back the last day. After all, I'm on vacation and won't let little things bother me, no matter how tempting these snacks will be.

 

Some feel that it is in bad taste or tacky, well I guess I've stayed in some of the tackiest five star hotels and resorts, because they also have baskets of goodies for a fee on the counters. Some have visible signs saying the costs of the times, while others don't.

 

I would guess that if Celebrity doesn't get the sales off these items that they have budgeted or get an overwhelming amount of complaints from passengers on the ships, they will probably discontinue them. So, when those that have an issue with them are on a ship, go down to Guest Services and complain about them.

Agreed!

 

Bottom line is, some will have an issue with them, while others won't. In January on the Summit, I'll simply put them in an empty suitcase (letting the room steward know, so I won't be charged for them) and then put them back the last day. After all, I'm on vacation and won't let little things bother me, no matter how tempting these snacks will be.

 

Some feel that it is in bad taste or tacky, well I guess I've stayed in some of the tackiest five star hotels and resorts, because they also have baskets of goodies for a fee on the counters. Some have visible signs saying the costs of the times, while others don't.

 

I would guess that if Celebrity doesn't get the sales off these items that they have budgeted or get an overwhelming amount of complaints from passengers on the ships, they will probably discontinue them. So, when those that have an issue with them are on a ship, go down to Guest Services and complain about them.

 

I'd be willing to place a bet they'll be gone soon. It's also interesting to note that the nightly chocolate on the pillow returned during our cruise along with a special box of chocolate for the suites.

 

Since I can't think of any 5 star hotels, with the exception of all-inclusive resorts, that provide food at all times of the day I don't quite get your comparison.

 

It seems that there is no reason for these boards any more because EVERYTHING seems to be just a matter of opinion and heaven forbid that anyone should ever express one.

I've seen those on my recent Royal cruise. I don't remember if they were on my last Summit cruise. I have no problem with them being in the room - can only remember one cruise where we actually used something from the mini bar (couple of gin and tonics).

 

If the cruise line wants to supplement their revenue in other ways that still keeps rates in a price range I am willing to pay, I am all for it.

I just returned last night from 27 days on board Equinox. The "snacks" were not there for the first 13 day cruise and did not appear until about a week into the second cruise. They were a topic of discussion from almost everyone and were not well received.

 

At first glance, most of the people thought they were a gift from the cruise line and when they got closer and read the card that was not very visibly apparent they were not pleased. A cruise cabin is not a hotel room and has always been a fairly all inclusive proposition when it comes to food. The word that came to mind for everyone that commented was "tacky", and I agree. Most of us spend quite a bit on extras on our cruises including drink packages and multiple visits to specialty restaurants and are far from complainers but just find this unnecessary and cheesy.

 

I'd be willing to place a bet they'll be gone soon. It's also interesting to note that the nightly chocolate on the pillow returned during our cruise along with a special box of chocolate for the suites.

 

 

On our recent B2B on Reflection the "snacks" did not arrive until the second cruise. I agree, it seemed very "tacky". We immediately called the Butler and asked him to take them away. I think that X is testing this new revenue scheme and I agree, I don't think it will last very long.

Maybe it's just me, but I am unlikely to purchase products to eat, if I suspect someone stashed them in an empty suitcase during the cruise before.

 

I am not convinced an accounting has been taken on the profitability of snacks purchased in the room, but time will certainly tell. Mostly because, I have sailed on celebrity enough to see not all decisions are black and red.

 

There was a return of the pillow chocolates? Ma Bell that is interesting.

 

I would think it would be easy to be highly forgiving if one sailed on cruise lines at highly discounted rates. This isn't us however, I feel an obligation to our budget to make sure our vacation splurges are spent on the best line for us. If the options of others are usually highly forgiving of all changes in benefits and policy it doesn't assist in my process. But also, I would appreciate the room to reach my conclusions or report findings, without being called a complainer.

Maybe it's just me, but I am unlikely to purchase products to eat, if I suspect someone stashed them in an empty suitcase during the cruise before.

 

I am not convinced an accounting has been taken on the profitability of snacks purchased in the room, but time will certainly tell. Mostly because, I have sailed on celebrity enough to see not all decisions are black and red.

 

There was a return of the pillow chocolates? Ma Bell that is interesting.

 

I would think it would be easy to be highly forgiving if one sailed on cruise lines at highly discounted rates. This isn't us however, I feel an obligation to our budget to make sure our vacation splurges are spent on the best line for us. If the options of others are usually highly forgiving of all changes in benefits and policy it doesn't assist in my process. But also, I would appreciate the room to reach my conclusions or report findings, without being called a complainer.

I for one sail on what you call cruise lines at highly discounted rates, just as I sail on Celebrity and Crystal. I have more cruises on Crystal, then I have on Celebrity and then the least amount on NCL, since I just recently started cruising with them over the last few years because of the great rates from Caesar's Entertainment. Now if I would not been forgiving of the differences of the lines or thought that only those on Crystal know what a good cruise line is, I would have never taken a Celebrity cruise, because Celebrity is a premium line (not even close to the luxury on Crystal). For my budget, I would rather have a luxury line, a premium line and a mass market line all in the mix, so I can take more cruises, but doesn't this show that we all have differing opinions as to how we will spend our vacation dollars. Edited November 13, 2014 by NLH Arizona

Maybe it's just me, but I am unlikely to purchase products to eat, if I suspect someone stashed them in an empty suitcase during the cruise before.

 

I'm so sorry for that suggestion, I just assumed that they were all packaged, my bad.