Is Princess charging room service fees fleet wide or only on the Regal?

[chamima]

[quote name='kellanrevere']We were on Royal in Feb and were charged the $10 pp in Alfredo's. Personally I enjoyed it $10 worth.[/QUOTE]

We also cruised on the Royal in (late) February and ate many times in Alfredos with NO fee!
For some reason I'm ok with the charge to eat in there (especially if it includes a glass of wine) but the room service charge seems really tacky and low class.
It devalues how I view Princess as a cruise line. It's the same amount I've always tipped so it isn't the money - it's something else. :confused: ... :( ... :(

[flamomo]

[quote name='mcgratru']I just did a fake booking on Regal. On the screen where it lists all of the room options you can click on "What's included in my cruise fare?". It clearly shows that 24 hour room service is included so I don't see how they can legally charge this fee?

If I was on the Regal I would definitely fight paying that fee!![/quote]


[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Perhaps they feel they can get away with it because there is no charge for the food you order ..... only the fee for the service of bringing it to your cabin??[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Whatever the excuse, it stinks![/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[Colo Cruiser]

[quote name='mcgratru']"What's included in my cruise fare?". It clearly shows that 24 hour room service is included so I don't see how they can legally charge this fee?[/quote]


Therefore putting the cart before the horse. :mad:

[Colo Cruiser]

[quote name='FritzG']This is disappointing on so many levels. I enjoy room service breakfast, but I won't be using it anymore [COLOR=red]unless that $3 goes directly to the servers [/COLOR]delivering the tray as that's what I usually tipped. However, I doubt that is the reason for the charge.

This a big PR mistake.[/quote]


Which you and I know ain't happenin. :rolleyes:

[Coral]

[quote name='flamomo'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Perhaps they feel they can get away with it because there is no charge for the food you order ..... only the fee for the service of bringing it to your cabin??[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Whatever the excuse, it stinks![/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

I am sure the cruise contract says that things can change at any moment.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Wish someone on another Princess ship now could comment about the charge for room service...I have already posted in Facebook about my displeasure and will Email them as well

[BigTimeCruiser]

[COLOR="Blue"][B][SIZE="3"]This gives me even more reason to look more seriously at All Inclusive lines. We have many friends who have already made the move and have not regretted their decision. Far too many cutbacks and revenue charges on Princess. This is strange when you look at all the money they spent on the Sapphire prior to moving it to Asia. And I just read where they opened 24-hour buffet on the Sapphire for that market.[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR]:(:(

[Ethel5]

[quote name='kellanrevere']We were on Royal in Feb and were charged the $10 pp in Alfredo's. Personally I enjoyed it $10 worth.[/QUOTE]

This is the first time we are hearing that the Royal had a fee for Alfredo's.

[aquilegia]

[quote name='CruisingJs']Princess just confirmed these new fees on their Facebook page where people are busy stating their outrage. They said it's only on the Regal.[/quote]

Yes, but then they added 'No fleetwide changes have been announced at this time.' The 'at this time' doesn't sound very reassuring.

[zoncom]

Trial run, designed to reduce room service orders and cut down on those who stiff the servers. Maybe a buck of the 3 will go to servers. Same principle as the auto tip put in place to make sure staff is tipped appropriately. Edited May 24, 2014 by zoncom

[nurse@sea]

I was very surprised to hear of these new, non published, price increases. On the Royal last January, Alfredo's did not charge. I wasn't crazy about the food there, and along with many people who posted here, I too dont drink wine or soda that often. So for me, Alfredos will not be an option anymore if the fee remains. As for the $3 room service fee...thats terrible. My family and I love room service breakfast, especially on shore excursion days. I sound cheap squawking over $3, but it does add up. Lots of overtime and extra shifts goes into our vacations to make them the everything we could hope for. I really dont want to have to work another shift just to pad Princesses pockets. Im hoping with enough people reacting negatively to these charges that Princess will remove them. They listened, somewhat, when they improved the Regal, hopefully they'll listen to these complaints. Vickie

[Chuck1j]

[CENTER][SIZE="6"]Looks like [COLOR="DarkOrange"]Princess Cruise Lines [/COLOR]wants to be the [COLOR="Red"][SIZE="6"]RyanAir[/SIZE][/COLOR] of the Cruise Lines.[/SIZE][/CENTER]

[south fl cruiser]

when was the last time that you were at a hotel and asked for "room service" and signed for the bill and got shell shocked . $3.00 is a nominal price to pay for this service. we are going to be on the Regal on the TA in October and if they are charging $10.00 for Alfredos it will be up to me if I want to eat there or not. Please do not raise the prices of the cruise as we are getting a bargain as charged. I have never walked around starving on any of my cruises (about 50 at this time)

[Shogun]

Hi There

I do not want a head line price of $9.99 and a $1000 on board account

I would prefer an honest up front cost for my cruise and then the freedom to do as l please without wondering what the cost is going to be

Yours Shogun

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[san diego sue]

[B]On port intense cruises (Europe) we start our tours so early in the morning that we always order room service. We tip the guy who delivers too. It is such a very limited menu but worth not having to get up extra early to get our coffee and cereal at the buffet or restaurant.
On some other cruise lines we get a full breakfast delivered and no fee.
First thing my husband said when I mentioned $3.00 delivery he said, I guess that will be their tip from us.Not my centiments because I don't feel the staff should be dinged but will rethink room service.Will bring our large coffee mugs, run down to IC get coffee and breakfast sandwiches and bring back to cabin. As far as Alfredos, service is slow and not worth any fee for those cardboard pizzas.
I hope Princess is reading these boards.
[/B] Edited May 24, 2014 by san diego sue

[PescadoAmarillo]

[quote name='Kenswing']Don't give'm any ideas..[/QUOTE]
Seriously? They seem to have no trouble with that all on their own.

It truly will be a diminishment of Elite benefits if, after our drink preferences in our Cruse Personalizers are ignored, we still have to pay to change out mini bar items. It will also negate any benefit of being able to bring on two bottles of wine for free if we're then charged for the glasses to drink it (this is almost comical). And I can see the ice machines in the Horizon Court Buffet being empty around sail away time if people choose to get their own fresh ice for drinks on the balcony.

[hllwdcruiser]

[quote name='Shogun']Hi There

I do not want a head line price of $9.99 and a $1000 on board account

I would prefer an honest up front cost for my cruise and then the freedom to do as l please without wondering what the cost is going to be

Yours Shogun

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app[/QUOTE]

Shogun - I couldn't agree with you more. The freedom to do as we please without worrying about the cost is one of the great benefits of cruising. I don't want sticker shock every time I look at the folio!

[CruisingJs]

I think it's important we let Princess know how we feel about this. If you have a Facebook account join me and many many others in posting your opinion on Princess Cruises Facebook page.

[ggprincess2004]

After over a decade of loyalty to Princess we will have to seriously consider another cruise line should this trend of surcharges on room service and other things which were included in the cruise fare continue, and even worse, be taken fleet wide.

We will certainly not be sailing the Regal, no matter how appealing the itinerary may be.

We have a large family group going to Alaska next May/June. Since it's our treat, it would change the economics of that trip - and it just might be our very last on Princess.

Regrettable, but this seems pretty outrageous to me.

[kruisey]

I wrote to Customer Relations last night and have just written on their facebook page.
I told them that I hope they will compensate passengers when elderly folks,Like I, ,and there are many that travel with Princess,come wobbling down from Horizon Court with hot coffee and tea to their cabins scolding folks on the way;)

[skynight]

[quote name='flamomo'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Perhaps they feel they can get away with it because there is no charge for the food you order ..... only the fee for the service of bringing it to your cabin??[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Whatever the excuse, it stinks![/SIZE][/FONT]
[/quote]

The service fee is already charged to your account as "The Hotel Charge" $11.50 or $12 pp/day. If you tip extra to the room service waiter that's your choice. I suspect some of the tipping will go away, thus having a negative effect on the wait staff, who rely on these extra tips. This charge is just a cheap attempt to collect extra on board revenue. We need to call it what it is. "It stinks" is one good phrase.

[Coral]

[quote name='zoncom']Trial run, designed to reduce room service orders and cut down on those who stiff the servers. Maybe a buck of the 3 will go to servers. Same principle as the auto tip put in place to make sure staff is tipped appropriately.[/QUOTE]

Auto tip was put into place when they introduced Anytime dining with the concept that people would have different servers every day.

I am not convinced that the $3 fee will go to the staff delivering the food. Besides, Princess claimed room service staff was included in auto-tip.

Back in the day, on my first cruise on Carnival, when we went to breakfast in the dining room, we ate at our same table as we ate dinner at with the same servers.

[BigTimeCruiser]

[quote name='Coral']Auto tip was put into place when they introduced Anytime dining with the concept that people would have different servers every day.

I am not convinced that the $3 fee will go to the staff delivering the food. Besides, Princess claimed room service staff was included in auto-tip.

Back in the day, on my first cruise on Carnival, when we went to breakfast in the dining room, we ate at our same table as we ate dinner at with the same servers.[/QUOTE]
[B][COLOR="Blue"][SIZE="3"]I believe you are correct, especially since the gratuities are paid from a fleet-wide pool versus a ship pool. I too do not believe the new fees will go to the Room Service staff.:([/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]

[tbmrt]

[quote name='mcgratru']I will be very disappointed if they make this cruise wide.....especially a per person charge.....that would be $12 for a family to order from room service!

A nice pot of tea or room service breakfast before an early port is one of my favourite things and one of the few little luxuries left that was free![/QUOTE]

Just got off Caribbean Princess and was very impressed with food and service. I didn't care for what I felt was alot of trying to sell tastings, packages, etc.

Would really be unhappy to read that room service was now charged for on any future Princess cruise that I decided to book.

All this being said though, I've booked a cruise a few months ago on the Celebrity Equinox with an all inclusive perk package called the Classic Beverage Package. This consisted of drinks and coffees included daily for two people which usually cost up to $8 each on the menu. We saw the menu before booking and most common liquors, i.e., Absolut and a decent wine selection were included. If you wanted to upgrade to premium liquors, it would cost $11.50 per day (including service charge) per person with no need to upgrade to two people. Drinks showing on the menu as costing up to $12 would then be included.

Then a few weeks ago Celebrity changed the deal, deleting certain liquors from the promotional Classic Package and putting them into the Premium Package. I haven't checked closely but read that there are very few, under $8 drinks left to choose from. So essentially, if one booked a cruise to get the "free" Classic Beverage package, they now would have to upgrade to the Premium package. This really seems unfair to me as well. If one was offered something to book the cruise, it should stay that way.

[Loonbeam]

This actually makes more sense than the other two changes. In some areas, alcohol is taxed differently than mixers, so this allows them to break out the taxes they pay accordingly. It's annoying but not really a big deal as long as the net price is in the same range.

As to the others, I actually have no problem with a small PER ORDER room service charge - not per person. My issue is with the way they are going about it. It's a very labor and resource intensive activity and does not scale well. But you can't just drop it on people and not update your marketing materials, etc, even if the cruise contract allows it.

More torn on Alfredos. I could deal with the concept of a small cover charge if it came down to it (I wouldn't be happy but I could deal as long as I knew), but I HATE the idea of a drink based charge as it penalizes those who do not drink, as we are effectively paying the same for less service than others. I still think its a mistake for this particular venue, but if its turning out that they are spending a lot more on it then they thought, I could also live with a $2 per person per visit charge or similar.

And of course, you have the same communication issues here (communication issues at Princess? What a shock!)


[quote name='flamomo']I read on FB that on the Regal, when one orders a mixed drink, they are being charged an additional separate charge of $.75 for the mixer beverage used to make the drink!!

If true, that's really pushing the nickel-ing and dime-ing to a whole new level.[/quote]