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

[JF - retired RRT]

[quote name='4cats4me']Yes, my sentiments exactly. There is no way I'll order room service again if we have to pay a $3 service charge pp plus the tip. That would be like $10 each morning for coffee and a roll. [/quote]

[B]The obvious solutions is don't give a tip.[/B] Extra tipping is not mandatory.

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='wilfros']This is exactly the response they are counting on. Sounds like you have made your decision to accept whatever the cruise industry throws at you.

I am confident Princess Corporation thanks you for your financial support to them in the name of the poor employee.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm no. I make my own mind up thank you. $3 or $10 is not enough to get my knickers in a twist. Small balconies and bad itineraries does. Hence my Caribbean cruise is booked on Celebrity.

[oskidunker]

1. Don't pay when offered upgrades for $199 from say a outside room to a Balcony.As good a deal as this may seem, this is a way to deny Princess more revenue from you. Let them give away the upgrade if they want to resell the cheaper cabins and fill the unbooked Balconies.On my British Isles cruise there were 100 unbooked Balconies with all insides and outsides sold out.You can help pay for the room service charges this way. That is what I will do because I want room service.

2. They won't care how many of you decide not to use Room Service because if anyone uses it it they will be collecting more than they used to, which was $.00)

[KruzPrincess]

[quote name='Cruise Junky']Hmmm no. I make my own mind up thank you. $3 or $10 is not enough to get my knickers in a twist. Small balconies and bad itineraries does. Hence my Caribbean cruise is booked on Celebrity.[/QUOTE]

This kind of sums it up... It's just one more thing. And, $3 doesn't sound like much, but $3 a day on a 14 day cruise is $42 just for morning coffee. Just saying.

And lunch for a family of 4 at Alfredo's is $40. Not to mention children don't drink wine. I don't drink wine. Edited May 24, 2014 by KruzPrincess

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='KruzPrincess']This kind of sums it up... It's just one more thing. And, $3 doesn't sound like much, but $3 a day on a 14 day cruise is $42 just for morning coffee. Just saying.

And lunch for a family of 4 at Alfredo's is $40. Not to mention children don't drink wine. I don't drink wine.[/QUOTE]

But really, it's happening everywhere. What's the alternatives? Make OBC non combinable like RCL and X? Cut some of the Elite perks? $3 for room service is a pretty small amount to pay. It could have been a lot worse.

[bhopal21]

[quote name='ggprincess2004']I just posted to Princess facebook asking for some clarification concerning the $3 room service charge (since they plan to take it fleet wide) - as in will it be imposed to swap out the mini-bar? How about on formal nights for elite goodies, on suites for the every night goodies? For the second mini-bar when an elite is in a suite?

I am totally steamed by this - I wouldn't be happy they had done it, if it had been announced with an implementation date, but totally steamed that they did it without notice. They engaged in deceptive marketing and false advertising and as a shareholder that really peeves me.[/quote]

Exactly, and facebook is the public place to let them know about it as well.

Mike

[pusywillow]

[quote name='KruzPrincess']
Regular room service is a cornerstone luxury of cruising. I don't order it often and I always tip the delivery person extra, but I never thought they'd start charging for all deliveries. I'm very disappointed. Also, cabins with 2, 3, 4 people will likely still be charged $3. I travel solo and will be charged $3 for my single juice and cereal.

So.....here will be my solution. I will order 5 or 6 juices, several bowls of cereal and milk. I'll put the juice and the milk in the fridge. I'll put the cereal in a cabinet. I'll stock up on silverware in the Horizon Court and put it in the drawer. I'll bring Ziploc bags and fill them up with cookies at the IC or HC. I'll bring a bunch fruit from the HC to my cabin. You get the drift. LOL. ;) Sounds silly, but why not? I'm sure I can come up with other ideas.

Seriously, it's good to make fun of it, but I'm disappointed.[/QUOTE]

I thought the $3 was per person. Does anyone know for sure?

[tjcletsgo]

$20.00 for two people to have pizza without the toppings you like (pepperoni, sausage etc.) is crazy! At all the other pay-venues the price is a deal, not Alfredo's, which is why I don't mind the $25.00 for the Crown Grill. I'll either eat at Prego's or I'll have pizza in town. As for room service, we only have coffee in the morning due to very limited menu. I was planning on getting a Black and Decker travel coffee maker for my next cruise in November. Now I will [I]for sure[/I]!;)

[oskidunker]

Just plain stupid selection they have .

[PescadoAmarillo]

[quote name='Mom33']I am not happy with the new charges, but I am being realistic and know that I don't want the cost of cruising to be raised for all. We now have options. If this doesn't work, we may be crying over mandatory price increases on all cruises.[/QUOTE]
There are two ways for Princess to compete against its biggest rivals (Carnival, HAL, RC, Celebrity and NCL): one is to be the least first cost option and the other is to be the highest value option. They have obviously chosen to stick with the easier, less risky least first cost option. How much better would it be if (and I sound like a broken record about this, I know), Princess decided to be the mass market cruise line offering the most all inclusive experience? They're already doing something close to it with the unlimited beverage package. But I've said many times there is room in the marketplace for a cruise line to be priced $50 per day per person more than what Princess, et. al. currently is, but still well below Azamara, Oceania, etc. and include all beverages, all dining options (except, perhaps for something like the Chefs Table), a full room service menu, etc.

I would be thrilled to have that option, and I think there are many others like me out there. Let the other cruise lines go after those passengers who are looking only to the least cost per day to get on the ship, and then make a sport of see how little additional money they can spend.

[chamima]

[quote name='PescadoAmarillo']There are two ways for Princess to compete against its biggest rivals (Carnival, HAL, RC, Celebrity and NCL): one is to be the least first cost option and the other is to be the highest value option. They have obviously chosen to stick with the easier, less risky least first cost option. How much better would it be if (and I sound like a broken record about this, I know), Princess decided to be the mass market cruise line offering the most all inclusive experience? They're already doing something close to it with the unlimited beverage package. But I've said many times there is room in the marketplace for a cruise line to be priced $50 per day per person more than what Princess, et. al. currently is, but still well below Azamara, Oceania, etc. and include all beverages, all dining options (except, perhaps for something like the Chefs Table), a full room service menu, etc.

I would be thrilled to have that option, and I think there are many others like me out there. Let the other cruise lines go after those passengers who are looking only to the least cost per day to get on the ship, and then make a sport of see how little additional money they can spend.[/QUOTE]



:D
Good post!
I was just thinking that if cruise fares went up a little we'd never notice and wouldn't have a problem with it but that stupid $3 for room service is SO tacky and makes Princess look like a bargain-basement line. :(

Oh well, not so upset anymore that they cancelled our Feb. cruise on the Regal.

[bhopal21]

[quote name='chamima']:D
Good post!
I was just thinking that if cruise fares went up a little we'd never notice and wouldn't have a problem with it but that stupid $3 for room service is SO tacky and makes Princess look like a bargain-basement line. :(

Oh well, not so upset anymore that they cancelled our Feb. cruise on the Regal.[/quote]

I agree, a modest price increase would be nothing but they had rather be the Wal-Mart cruise line.

I wish the hell they would cancel my October cruise, I may do it anyway.

Mike:)

[KruzPrincess]

[quote name='Cruise Junky']But really, it's happening everywhere. What's the alternatives? Make OBC non combinable like RCL and X? Cut some of the Elite perks? $3 for room service is a pretty small amount to pay. It could have been a lot worse.[/QUOTE]

It could be worse and it probably will get worse, but I still don't like it. It's not the amount of money, but the whole idea of extra fees for every little thing. I am glad they haven't made OBC non-combinable, but that likely is coming. I'd rather see them add $3 a day to the cruise fare than go this route. Cruises on Princess are already a lot higher this year. Someone else said it seems tacky and I guess I agree with it. Princess has been a good cruise line for me and I'm most often their cheerleader, but I just don't like the room service fee. I, also, don't like the rollout or non-rollout is a better term. Not nice to fool people. Edited May 24, 2014 by KruzPrincess

[RDC1]

[quote name='PescadoAmarillo']There are two ways for Princess to compete against its biggest rivals (Carnival, HAL, RC, Celebrity and NCL): one is to be the least first cost option and the other is to be the highest value option. They have obviously chosen to stick with the easier, less risky least first cost option. How much better would it be if (and I sound like a broken record about this, I know), Princess decided to be the mass market cruise line offering the most all inclusive experience? They're already doing something close to it with the unlimited beverage package. But I've said many times there is room in the marketplace for a cruise line to be priced $50 per day per person more than what Princess, et. al. currently is, but still well below Azamara, Oceania, etc. and include all beverages, all dining options (except, perhaps for something like the Chefs Table), a full room service menu, etc.

I would be thrilled to have that option, and I think there are many others like me out there. Let the other cruise lines go after those passengers who are looking only to the least cost per day to get on the ship, and then make a sport of see how little additional money they can spend.[/QUOTE]


If there was clearly room for a line in that price range, with ships the size Princess uses, then I would expect someone would be there. Since no one has moved into that range then I expect that all of the cruise lines have a different view and their research does not support it. On the other hand NCL, Carnival, RCI all seem to be growing quite nicely with their current business models.

[bhopal21]

Yes, it's not the fee so much as just springing it on folks with no advance warning. When they removed free internet from suite perks it was announced when it would go into effect and previous bookings were grandfathered in.

I have left my message on facebook and encourage others to do the same.

Princess has a million and a half followers on FB and they need to know the impact decisions like this have on their customer base.

Mike:)

[Loonbeam]

Not my point. It costs them x$ to provide any given service. They need to recover x+x%$ on that or some other service to make a profit.

My point was that if they roll the hotel charge in, the fare will go up. If people want free dining venues, that will be included in the fare.

Or to put it another way, there is no such thing as 'free' anything on a cruise ship. Every single item is either included in the fare, or charged separately.

The question for the line is do they raise the fare to cover a cost or do they add a per use charge or similar. There are no other options for them other than to cut costs (which have a natural bottom out of their control.)

There are two ways to look at it. A La Carte charges allow guests more control, but with the appearance of nickel and diming. Higher fares reduce overall appeal and may not be sustainable. Either way, someone is paying for the services. Period.

Costs for the lines are going to rise. Beef is up like 12% this summer in some areas for example. This means prices are going to rise in one form or another. Now, there are arguments that can be made over what justifies reasonable percentage over cost, but CCL and their sub companies have never struck me as particularly egregious based on their annual statements.

Now, did Princess handle this horribly? Yes. Sadly that's par for the course for them. Can the new fee structure if maintained be improved? I'm sure of it (suggestion offhand - change the room service fee to a slightly higher amount for any orders exceeding one per cabin per day, and exempt any included amenities - fruit, minibar changes, etc.)

As far as Alfredo's go, I personally hate the idea of the current cover charge, not because of the charge, but because it penalizes non-drinkers in a food based venue. But as to the overall charge, Princess is not dumb. They have seen the success of similar specialty casual venues on other lines and decided to dip their toes in the water. This means their bean counters have figured the potential revenue outweighs the lack of differentiation with other lines. We'll see if it does.

And as to your last comment, do you REALLY think Princess gives a dang about what people on CC have to say about this - they care about one thing, did it work. There is only one factor that will determine if these changes continue, and that is how the changes affect the usage of the service. If Alfredo's usage is at the level they expect with the charge, it stays. If not, they revisit. As far as room service, personally, I think they'd be happy not to offer it at all, they could repurpose that kitchen space and reduce staff. If capacity utilization drops or average yield drops, they will look at this as a factor.

I may not like the solutions they arrive at because they don't meet my preferences, but I recognize the environment in which the lines operate.


[quote name='wilfros']
I, IN Absolutely No Way, am suggesting such resolve exists within these boards. Your response is just one example of someone willing to waiver (ever so slightly). To say anything, or to do anything other than respond in an absolute negative manner only feeds the beast, so to speak.[/quote]

[insidecabin]

[quote name='KruzPrincess']Cruises on Princess are already a lot higher this year. [/quote]

It's not just princess, from my observations you could suspect there was a cartel in operation.

[avalon1025]

Sad to see Princess continue it's decline. Just off Westerdam this morning, no room service charge for a hot quite nice room service menus.

[Sunviking]

[quote name='bhopal21']Yes, it's not the fee so much as just springing it on folks with no advance warning. When they removed free internet from suite perks it was announced when it would go into effect and previous bookings were grandfathered in.

I have left my message on facebook and encourage others to do the same.

Princess has a million and a half followers on FB and they need to know the impact decisions like this have on their customer base.

Mike:)[/QUOTE]

[B][I][SIZE="2"]I also find the way that Princess makes the changes with no advance warning especially egregious. I can understand charging for some of these things, but to have people board under the assumption that certain things are included with no extra charge only to find that they must pay for them seems wrong to me.

As for the suite internet perk and its removal, Princess didn't initially grandfather prior bookings in. We had made final payment on 2 cruises in 2012 when the new policy was announced. It was only after several of us sent very irate letters and e-mails that the decision was made to give the perk to already booked suite passengers. In addition, if the suite passenger didn't say anything about it, they didn't necessarily get grandfathered. On one of our cruises that summer we met the people who were in the other owner's suite. They were first time cruisers (so no free internet minutes at all) and over drinks they said something about the cost of internet packages. I had brought with me the e-mail I received from Customer Relations re: grandfathering and gave it to them to take to Passenger Services. Had they not done that, they would have had to pay for a package.

Changing the rules when people are committed to a game doesn't seem like really fair play to me.[/SIZE][/I][/B]

[Loonbeam]

Except it doesn't work that way.

Princess cannot just raise their cruise prices and expect people to pay.

It's the same issue the airlines had, and why the cruiselines are adopting the airline model.

Princess can market itself all it wants, but when it comes down to it, the vast majority of cruisers will cruise based on price. So if Princess is $400 more for a Carribean cruise for a week for 2 and RCCL has a similar itinerary, it doesn't matter if Princess includes Room service and RCCL doesn't or whatever, the vast majority of people will sail the cheaper line. That's established behavior.

Cruise pricing is elastic and perishable, which means the lines themselves have very little control over it in reality, because if people choose not to price at $x, the line has to reduce the price or risk getting $0 for the berth. It becomes a race to the bottom, as I noted just as it did for the airlines. Everyone complains about Spirit air and RyanAir's policies, but oddly enough they still fly full and make a profit, where the airlines taking the high road are either merged into another or moving to that model.

[quote name='bhopal21']I agree, a modest price increase would be nothing but they had rather be the Wal-Mart cruise line.

I wish the hell they would cancel my October cruise, I may do it anyway.

Mike:)[/quote]

[IECalCruiser]

We are still sailing on the Regal this September but we won't be ordering anything from Room Service or visiting Alfredo's. Besides posting on Facebook and sending an e-mail , that is all we can do. Now, if Room Service charges us $3 to change out our minibar or to have them deliver our chocolate covered strawberries on formal nights, that will be a major problem!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

Edited May 24, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[wilfros]

Hmmm no. I make my own mind up thank you. $3 or $10 is not enough to get my knickers in a twist. Small balconies and bad itineraries does. Hence my Caribbean cruise is booked on Celebrity.

 

First I never suggested you didn't make up your own mind, I just suggested you response indicated a decision had already been made. Your following posts appear to support my statement.

 

Now before I continue I know all the percentage arguments you and others are going to rush to, but allow me to present what your 3 dollar (per person per day) could represent.

 

$3 X 3200 passengers = $9600 X 7 day cruise = $67200

 

Now I don't pretend to know what and what does not get your knickers in a twist but this is a significant (under the carpet) maneuver (ploy) (tactless act) that Princess expects, and will quite frankly get past their consumers. They will succeed because of the lack of twist in our collective knickers.

 

Allow me to be clear. I have no problem with, and completely understand price increases in this day and age. We all like what we like and I, for one, am quite willing to pay if I am getting what I feel to be good value for my money. What I detest, and am insulted by, is the approach taken by a company that I had felt was a class act.

 

To Princess Cruises: Prices go up, we all understand that. Don't try and "sc***" us under the table like you are pulling the wool over our eyes. Deliver the bad news, raise the price and allow us to make our own choices. To do otherwise tries to make us look like fools and it most certainly makes you look like a third class act.

 

AGAIN JMHO

Edited May 24, 2014 by wilfros

[Loonbeam]

I would be exceptionally surprised if every passenger on a ship ordered room service once per day, every day. I think on our 11 day partial we did it, once, maybe twice.

 

More realistically - 3200 pax at $3 on average 2x per cruise - $19,200 - but I think I am being very aggressive in that since there will be a charge, I think that number will drop sharply- maybe to as little as 2000 deliveries per cruise, or less.

 

I'll see if I can find out a typical number of deliveries on a given cruise, not sure if they have that data, since pre-charge I am not sure room service was always entered into the accounting system.

 

First I never suggested you didn't make up your own mind, I just suggested you response indicated a decision had already been made. Your following posts appear to support my statement.

 

Now before I continue I know all the percentage arguments you and others are going to rush to, but allow me to present what your 3 dollar (per person per day) could represent.

 

$3 X 3200 passengers = $9600 X 7 day cruise = $67200

 

Now I don't pretend to know what and what does not get your knickers in a twist but this is a significant (under the carpet) maneuver (ploy) (tactless act) that Princess expects, and will quite frankly get past their consumers. They will succeed because of the lack of twist in our collective knickers.

 

Allow me to be clear. I have no problem with, and completely understand price increases in this day and age. We all like what we like and I, for one, am quite willing to pay if I am getting what I feel to be good value for my money. What I detest, and am insulted by, is the approach taken by a company that I had felt was a class act.

 

To Princess Cruises: Prices go up, we all understand that. Don't try and "sc***" us under the table like you are pulling the wool over our eyes. Deliver the bad news, raise the price and allow us to make our own choices. To do otherwise tries to make us look like fools and it most certainly makes you look like a third class act.

 

AGAIN JMHO

[bhopal21]

I'll see if I can find out a typical number of deliveries on a given cruise, not sure if they have that data, since pre-charge I am not sure room service was always entered into the accounting system.

 

Oh they've got that data but I have my doubts that you will have access to it.

 

Mike;)

[Christine Frances]

On Celebrity and HAL all cabins can order a full hot breakfast and in the evenings you can order off the MDR menu (even on Formal Nights) at no charge. If Princess expanded their Room Service Menu I don't think people would mind paying the $3 charge.