New Room Service Menu Coming April 12th - w/some pay items

[eponym]

Things in the cruise industry are changing dramatically, but it's comforting to see that nothing ever changes around here. 😋

 

And that now = 20,001 posts for Halos.

[samoan_bulldozer]

What exactly is class based cruising? Do any current lines still do that? I have only sailed CCL and RCCL.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

I think what the person in question is saying that is his company is not leveraged with the bills for cruise ships that cost six to eight hundred million each and he is basing their business model against a company that has to borrow billions in order to make money.

 

No, the person in question, based on his earlier posts, is trying to say that Carnival should lower its margins and increase its volume like his company does. He made no mention of assets. That is why I raised the issues about those statements. It is obvious that his company is not asset intensive. My guess is it may be some kind of a consulting organization. My contention is that this would not work in Carnival's environment because it is a high cost asset based environment.

[iconoclast]

What exactly is class based cruising? Do any current lines still do that? I have only sailed CCL and RCCL.

 

What we are heading for if the current scolds get their way.

 

There used to be first and second class on ocean liners. Some had a third class, or steerage, for the riffraff. The service you were accorded was based upon what you'd paid.

 

Those who oppose an a la carte menu are asking for us all to be divided by class lines.

[MrMileStoner]

Having multiple classes on a cruise ship is a very small niche because even if they can afford it, very few are willing to pay first class prices.

[eponym]

What we are heading for if the current scolds get their way.

 

There used to be first and second class on ocean liners. Some had a third class, or steerage, for the riffraff. The service you were accorded was based upon what you'd paid.

 

Those who oppose an a la carte menu are asking for us all to be divided by class lines.

 

There are many ways to go about offering choices and making money in the travel business. I'm no expert.

 

When you are the 800 pound gorilla it could be done by ship and itinerary rather than trenching divides with each ship's ecosystem.

 

They seem to already have a few 3.5 star ships sailing booze cruise itineraries, and numerous 4 star vessels on like journeys. When they roll out the new megaships, they should set the very bar high (and the rates) with no luxury compromises.

 

Therefore it's not a function of not being able to take a cruise - either affordable one or true luxury one, and the ship itself is either an upper echelon experience entirely or an affordable one.

 

People like simplicity.

 

Just thoughts.

Edited April 7, 2015 by eponym

[A2Mich]

So the larger volume you company produces means that you are doing more work for less income?

 

And are you saying that CCL is not in a competitive market; that they are in a captive market? Are you saying that they are not priced fairly? Are you saying that if Carnival did a larger volume of business they could charge less? What would it cost them to get the capacity to do a larger volume? Would that cost be possible without keeping their current prices in place to pay off the expense of expanding so they could ultimately lower their margin? And in reality, could they really lower their margins because of all the additional assets that they have put on the books to increase their volume. Your company must be in a very low asset environment to pull off what you claim they are doing. It is my opinion that every single business, including your company, charge what they believe they can get from the market as it exists. If they didn't, they would not be in business. Lower margins with increased volume means someone has to work harder and longer at the same salary as if they were working regular hours. Otherwise, the bills will not get paid and the business will fail. That is Economics 201.

 

 

Wow....just so you know I am a service tech at a very reputable, yet local HVAC contractor. We charge what we feel are fair prices whether it be for repairs or for equipment replacement. We are not the cheapest player in town, nor are we the most expensive. Our owners have morals and ethics and would rather provide what we do at prices that are fair to our customers, while still provide a respectable margin. We have been in business for 15 years and are growing every year. We charge about $120 per hour for time and material based services and $100 an hour calculated for flat rate service. Sure we could charge a lot more than we do--however end up with very unhappy first time customers who will not become repeat customers. As for new equipment, we do a large amount of new construction projects (approximately 700 new homes per year. In addition to retrofit services). Our prices, again, are competitive in about the middle range of all local contractors. Our company prides itself of excellent service standards, and find that the money follows.

 

I didn't explain myself in regards to "captive market," so I do apologize as I was not clear. I was referring to their passengers being in a captive market once onboard their ships. Once onboard, you have no options of you want a piña colada--you're buying it from them at the prices they command--there is no outside competition on board, and they also control this by temporarily confiscating any alcohol you happen to bring on their ships. While I understand that it is their ship, and their rules, this is an instance where I was suggesting that they could increase profits by higher volume, versus higher margins. Not increasing passenger counts via the same method, so I'm sorry if I created confusion by not being clear.

 

Carnival tends to, in many cases have some of the lowest passenger fares in the business, but are making up for it on the back end once the pax are on board with multiple surcharges and add-Ons. In reality, are these Carnival cruises still the cheapest on the high seas? Maybe not once all of the additional expenses are figured in. Their plans may work for now, but if they get to the point where consumers feel that they are being taken advantage of, they may have to change their business model.

 

As for lower margins with increased volume, that's really a judgement call by the powers that be. Not every business owner feels they have to extract every single penny from consumers. Some are more content accepting a lower profit margin and still be able to sleep at night knowing they did a good job at a fair price that was equitable to the company AND the consumer. That's my .02.

[Linerguy]

Carnival tends to, in many cases have some of the lowest passenger fares in the business, but are making up for it on the back end once the pax are on board with multiple surcharges and add-Ons. In reality, are these Carnival cruises still the cheapest on the high seas? Maybe not once all of the additional expenses are figured in.

 

In this Carnival is not alone. NCL is notorious for sucking every penny out of people's pockets that they can muster. I actually looked into sailing on the N. GETAWAY, and, while the price was dirt cheap ($1554 for four), when I added the ultimate dining package, entrance to the ice bar, entrance to the aft deck, the Cirque dinner show, etc., the price nearly doubled. Instead, I picked CARNIVAL PRIDE out of Baltimore. I paid under $1000 for two for a category 8K extended balcony. Even if I go hog-wild with the room service menu, hit the sushi restaurant, and go to the steakhouse, it still won't come close to what I'd spend on NCL.

 

Grant it, it's not only the initial price and what I'll spend on board that influences my decision to pick a particular ship or line. I'm a ship nut, and I'm not into surfing machines, rock climbing, boxing rings, etc. – I like to feel as though I'm on a ship and not in the middle of Coney Island at sea. Carnival's ship's give me that, and for a good price...even with the new room service charges (which are voluntary).

[Warm Breezes]

Wow....just so you know I am a service tech at a very reputable, yet local HVAC contractor. We charge what we feel are fair prices whether it be for repairs or for equipment replacement. We are not the cheapest player in town, nor are we the most expensive. Our owners have morals and ethics and would rather provide what we do at prices that are fair to our customers, while still provide a respectable margin. We have been in business for 15 years and are growing every year. We charge about $120 per hour for time and material based services and $100 an hour calculated for flat rate service. Sure we could charge a lot more than we do--however end up with very unhappy first time customers who will not become repeat customers. As for new equipment, we do a large amount of new construction projects (approximately 700 new homes per year. In addition to retrofit services). Our prices, again, are competitive in about the middle range of all local contractors. Our company prides itself of excellent service standards, and find that the money follows.

 

I didn't explain myself in regards to "captive market," so I do apologize as I was not clear. I was referring to their passengers being in a captive market once onboard their ships. Once onboard, you have no options of you want a piña colada--you're buying it from them at the prices they command--there is no outside competition on board, and they also control this by temporarily confiscating any alcohol you happen to bring on their ships. While I understand that it is their ship, and their rules, this is an instance where I was suggesting that they could increase profits by higher volume, versus higher margins. Not increasing passenger counts via the same method, so I'm sorry if I created confusion by not being clear.

 

Carnival tends to, in many cases have some of the lowest passenger fares in the business, but are making up for it on the back end once the pax are on board with multiple surcharges and add-Ons. In reality, are these Carnival cruises still the cheapest on the high seas? Maybe not once all of the additional expenses are figured in. Their plans may work for now, but if they get to the point where consumers feel that they are being taken advantage of, they may have to change their business model.

 

As for lower margins with increased volume, that's really a judgement call by the powers that be. Not every business owner feels they have to extract every single penny from consumers. Some are more content accepting a lower profit margin and still be able to sleep at night knowing they did a good job at a fair price that was equitable to the company AND the consumer. That's my .02.

 

Every cruise line I have been on does this. It is how they make profits. Rooms are a loss leader for them to get you on the ship. The "extras" generate their profits. The "extras" I have paid for on NCL, CCL, Disney, and Princess were basically the same. A few drinks, a couple pictures, a Specialty Restaurant, and some gambling. Sometimes I spend more, sometimes I spend less. But I choose if want to spend the "extra" and quite honestly I have not seen an increase in my spending over the years I have been cruising. I am actually finding that the more we cruise, the less we actually spend on the "extras". I very rarely by any pictures anymore.

 

I am spending the same if not less on the cruise itself. My first Carnival Cruise was on CCL Inspiration 5 Night Inside Room for 4 people for $1500. My last Carnival Cruise was on CCL Freedom 6 night Balcony for 2 in 2013. We spent $1250 for that room. My cruise next week is on CCL Splendor 7 night. I spent $1313 for a Balcony Room for 2. Very few of the changes made by Carnival affect the value I receive on my cruise. They are things that have very little significance to me. My reality has not been what you are trying portray. Cruising is still as economical, if not more economical, for us now as it was 10 years ago on our first Carnival Cruise.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Warm Breezes

[Cuizer2]

Great observation. You are not entitled to pay for it, but I can see where cruise lines are eating away at the "inclusive" fare.

 

Are you sure the word is red is the word you intended? :confused:

Edited April 8, 2015 by Cuizer2

[A2Mich]

Every cruise line I have been on does this. It is how they make profits. Rooms are a loss leader for them to get you on the ship. The "extras" generate their profits. The "extras" I have paid for on NCL, CCL, Disney, and Princess were basically the same. A few drinks, a couple pictures, a Specialty Restaurant, and some gambling. Sometimes I spend more, sometimes I spend less. But I choose if want to spend the "extra" and quite honestly I have not seen an increase in my spending over the years I have been cruising. I am actually finding that the more we cruise, the less we actually spend on the "extras". I very rarely by any pictures anymore.

 

 

 

I am spending the same if not less on the cruise itself. My first Carnival Cruise was on CCL Inspiration 5 Night Inside Room for 4 people for $1500. My last Carnival Cruise was on CCL Freedom 6 night Balcony for 2 in 2013. We spent $1250 for that room. My cruise next week is on CCL Splendor 7 night. I spent $1313 for a Balcony Room for 2. Very few of the changes made by Carnival affect the value I receive on my cruise. They are things that have very little significance to me. My reality has not been what you are trying portray. Cruising is still as economical, if not more economical, for us now as it was 10 years ago on our first Carnival Cruise.

 

 

I agree that they all do it and it is their business model. Nobody needs to defend their decision to spend or not spend on the extras. I simply think that the extras are getting to be out of control by cutting other preciously included items or services. And that I feel that many of those add on costs are much higher than what they should be. That's all. Will it keep me from spending money on board? Probably not, but it may make me think twice on how much to spend when I don't feel that the value of said product is worth the extra cost.

[Cuizer2]

Your logic escapes me.

 

The eight Fantasy class ships plus Victory and Triumph = ten ships without a steakhouse.

[Cuizer2]

With price being the most important factor in choosing a cruise, it should be no surprise that the consumer is responsible for most change. They want inexpensive cruises and then complain when there is an upcharge for some things. Shocking. :p

 

I disagree. Many people do not choose a cruise based on which is the least expensive. If that were true, the premium lines, Disney and the luxury lines would be out of business.

[Cuizer2]

That coming from someone that has 30,000 posts?~~~!!!

 

It's a fun discussion. Up charged RS, up charged a la carte MDR dining, cruise economics, food quality, corporate and consumer strategies, etc..

 

:)

 

This is only my tenth post on this thread. You've got the most with 33 (and counting).

[Warm Breezes]

I agree that they all do it and it is their business model. Nobody needs to defend their decision to spend or not spend on the extras. I simply think that the extras are getting to be out of control by cutting other preciously included items or services. And that I feel that many of those add on costs are much higher than what they should be. That's all. Will it keep me from spending money on board? Probably not, but it may make me think twice on how much to spend when I don't feel that the value of said product is worth the extra cost.

 

I would guess that is subjective just like everything else in life. Like I said before, I don't see us spending anymore on extras, in fact we are probably spending less on extras now than we did when we first started cruising.

 

We rarely ordered room service before and when we did it was none of the items they are removing and I can't see us ordering the stuff they are adding as a charge either. We never drink the extra coffees...but we didn't when they were free either. We never get a soda card since we don't drink that much soda in the first place. We always have bought just a couple bottles with us, just like the 2 bottles of wine we have always brought along. Nothing has changed there. We have never gone to the steak house, but that was because I am not a big meat eater so for me it wasn't worth the extra. DH loves the fact that he has the option now to upgrade his steak without paying for me to go to the steakhouse. Having said that he has always liked the steaks that they serve in the MDR anyway so he may not even upgrade. When we first cruised we were buying between $100-$200 in pictures. We haven't bought a single picture on our last 2 cruises and was cutting back before that. Our alcoholic drinks are always numbered a handful or less and always have been. I don't see that changing. Our Bingo and Casino spending really hasn't changed either since we started cruising. Another thing we don't spend as much on anymore is excursions, ship sponsored and private. Especially at ports we have been to multiple times before. We find ourselves enjoying a quite ship or just doing a little sight seeing around the port that we missed before with the excursions.

 

Our reality is that most of the items removed were not items we used anyways and if we used them we didn't really miss them when they were gone. Our reality is that most of the "extra's" being added that are being charged for are not items we would purchase anyways, except maybe a steak for DH :D....but then again we've cut way back on the pictures we buy so we are still ahead. I also don't see the prices being charged as being unreasonable considering the economy we are in and considering what I am paying for a cruise today. It is all a matter of perspective and mine is definitely different than yours. I can guarantee that my total spent at the end of a cruise has not gone up....if anything it has gone down for us. But that is just our reality....yours may differ.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Warm Breezes

[A2Mich]

I would guess that is subjective just like everything else in life. Like I said before, I don't see us spending anymore on extras, in fact we are probably spending less on extras now than we did when we first started cruising.

 

 

 

We rarely ordered room service before and when we did it was none of the items they are removing and I can't see us ordering the stuff they are adding as a charge either. We never drink the extra coffees...but we didn't when they were free either. We never get a soda card since we don't drink that much soda in the first place. We always have bought just a couple bottles with us, just like the 2 bottles of wine we have always brought along. Nothing has changed there. We have never gone to the steak house, but that was because I am not a big meat eater so for me it wasn't worth the extra. DH loves the fact that he has the option now to upgrade his steak without paying for me to go to the steakhouse. Having said that he has always liked the steaks that they serve in the MDR anyway so he may not even upgrade. When we first cruised we were buying between $100-$200 in pictures. We haven't bought a single picture on our last 2 cruises and was cutting back before that. Our alcoholic drinks are always numbered a handful or less and always have been. I don't see that changing. Our Bingo and Casino spending really hasn't changed either since we started cruising. Another thing we don't spend as much on anymore is excursions, ship sponsored and private. Especially at ports we have been to multiple times before. We find ourselves enjoying a quite ship or just doing a little sight seeing around the port that we missed before with the excursions.

 

 

 

Our reality is that most of the items removed were not items we used anyways and if we used them we didn't really miss them when they were gone. Our reality is that most of the "extra's" being added that are being charged for are not items we would purchase anyways, except maybe a steak for DH :D....but then again we've cut way back on the pictures we buy so we are still ahead. I also don't see the prices being charged as being unreasonable considering the economy we are in and considering what I am paying for a cruise today. It is all a matter of perspective and mine is definitely different than yours. I can guarantee that my total spent at the end of a cruise has not gone up....if anything it has gone down for us. But that is just our reality....yours may differ.

 

 

Fair enough. If the changes they've made don't affect you, then that's great. While we may disagree on our perspective of some of the additional costs, that's fine too

[Aeriedk]

I'm quite disgusted with the change. I feel like it is a gateway to addition fees. For now it is a fee only for "premium" items, but how long does it take before there is a flat fee of $4.95 or greater for every room service order.

 

In addition I'm afraid that items previously offered for free will be part of their "premium" selections. I'm sure that once this is implemented they will try everything in their power to funnel you towards that fee. I would even go to say that previous 24 hour venues would start closing at 12. For example a lot of Carnival ships have a 24 hour pizza bar. I wouldn't be shocked if it started closing at 12 and suddenly you have to pay a premium fee for pizza on their room service menu.

 

Perhaps I'm just paranoid. I simply feel this is the frog in boiling water scenario. First you put the frog in boiling water and he jumps out. Put the frog in cold water and bring it slowly to a boil and he just sits there and boils to death. Personally I feel like right now we're sitting in the pot and the water is starting to get warm.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Anyone else out there who'd like to see Guy's Burger Joint reopen about 10 pm until, oh let's say, 1 am ??

 

:D

 

Tom

[step222]

I'm with you on that........or at least keep the drive thru open till 1am !!!!;););)

[Cuizer2]

I'm quite disgusted with the change. I feel like it is a gateway to addition fees. For now it is a fee only for "premium" items, but how long does it take before there is a flat fee of $4.95 or greater for every room service order.

 

In addition I'm afraid that items previously offered for free will be part of their "premium" selections. I'm sure that once this is implemented they will try everything in their power to funnel you towards that fee. I would even go to say that previous 24 hour venues would start closing at 12. For example a lot of Carnival ships have a 24 hour pizza bar. I wouldn't be shocked if it started closing at 12 and suddenly you have to pay a premium fee for pizza on their room service menu.

 

Perhaps I'm just paranoid. I simply feel this is the frog in boiling water scenario. First you put the frog in boiling water and he jumps out. Put the frog in cold water and bring it slowly to a boil and he just sits there and boils to death. Personally I feel like right now we're sitting in the pot and the water is starting to get warm.

 

I don't see this as the end of the world. If worse comes to worse, just go to the buffet.

[happy cruzin]

Anyone else out there who'd like to see Guy's Burger Joint reopen about 10 pm until, oh let's say, 1 am ??

 

:D

 

Tom

 

ABSOLUTELY....that would be great!!

[eponym]

This is only my tenth post on this thread. You've got the most with 33 (and counting).

 

Without me bothering to look back, I know now that 2 of your 10 are a total waste.

[Cuizer2]

Without me bothering to look back, I know now that 2 of your 10 are a total waste.

 

Well, I feel the same about your string of plant envy posts (and there are more than two of them).

[Constipated Cruiser]

Anyone else out there who'd like to see Guy's Burger Joint reopen about 10 pm until, oh let's say, 1 am ??

 

:D

 

Tom

 

Nah. Just add it to the room service menu and charge $15 per burger and $5 for fries. :-)

Edited April 9, 2015 by Constipated Cruiser

[stevenr597]

Nah. Just add it to the room service menu and charge $15 per burger and $5 for fries. :-)

 

The cruise industry will split into two types. The more economical group will start charging for virtually everything such as eating in the MDR, sitting near the pool, seeing the Broadway Class Shows, Room Service etc.

 

There most likely will be a second group of cruise ships, more expensive which will still be "inclusive".

 

Cruisers will have a choice.

 

In regards to room service, I do not feel that there should be a charge for standard items. However, it may make sense to have a surcharge if you would want a steak, or even a deluxe burger.