Room Service

[RedmondCruiser]

Carnival has announced a trial effort to charge for certain items on the room service menu. The charge will be from $4 to $7 PP. If successful the other brands will follow. Its a shame that people cannot experience the cruise quality of 20 years ago. Back then you didn't get nickeled and dimed.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/04/07/carnival-cruise-lines-to-start-charging-for-room-service/

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you Ron for the link.

Thankfully after a few bad experiences with room service, we no longer use it.

So, a new menu (maybe) and charging for the food/service won't affect us.

[crusinpsychRN]

Problems like this?

 

http://www.guy-sports.com/months/jokes_room_service_tenjewberrymuds.htm

[CruiserBruce]

From reading the article there is no solid info it will be rolled out on HAL. It simply says, if successful, it will be rolled out to "other ships".

[catl331]

Only ordered a cheese plate once from non-breakfast menu. Don't think I would have ordered any of those listed as I doubt they could compete with some of the bar food restaurants on terra firma!

 

Have had success with breakfast in our room.

[IRL_Joanie]

From reading the article there is no solid info it will be rolled out on HAL. It simply says, if successful, it will be rolled out to "other ships".

I agree. I read an article in Cruise Industry News about this yesterday and I came out with the impression that they will roll it out to the other Carnival Cruise Ships. I did not get an impression of across all cruise lines under the Carnival banner, ie., HAL, Costa and or any other line owned by the Parent company.

 

Joanie

[take us away]

Have had great room service, but would never pay for this. One HAL feature I truly like is being able to order from the MDR menu and have it delivered after a long day in port. If they start to charge - will have to run up to the Lido.

[mame42]

I adore my room service coffee early every morning. I pay for it in hotels, and I would pay for it on shorter cruises. It becomes problematic on longer cruises, where minimal expenses add up in a hurry, especially when added to my bar bill!

[cb at sea]

I detest eating a meal in the cabin....I'd MUCH rather go to a sit down venue and be served! However, getting a pot of coffee in the morning is very nice...you can sip while getting ready to go out in public!

 

My thought is that this will decrease the number of room service delivery people needed....so that's good for their bottom line.

 

Folks want "cheap" cruises....and you get what you pay for!

[PathfinderEss]

Pretty soon if they keep this up the only thing you will get for your cruise price is the cabin, everything else will cost you more money. Think that is where it is heading, as some have alluded to, nickel and dimming you.

[buckirj1]

The new Carnival room service menu is a marked upgrade from its predecessor, and many items remain at no charge. From reading the CC Carnival boards, folks seem to be embracing this change, and aren't fussing about paying for the "at-charge" items. Like many others, I've only used room service a handful of times, so it isn't likely to affect me one way or another. I think it's a nice option to have, much the same as I view a self-service laundry. I might never use it, but I sure like having it there if I need it.

[InTheWASide]

I agree. I read an article in Cruise Industry News about this yesterday and I came out with the impression that they will roll it out to the other Carnival Cruise Ships. I did not get an impression of across all cruise lines under the Carnival banner, ie., HAL, Costa and or any other line owned by the Parent company.

 

Joanie

 

Precisely. One thing that annoys me with Carnival is anytime they introduce something, even if wildly successful, they take well beyond a reasonable amount of time (in some cases we're talking more than 5 years) to roll something out fleetwide. Carnival was only referring to itself.

 

BUT

 

As NCL has recently stirred up the same issue and NCL passengers are furious to say the very least (lots of new fees on a huge variety of things since Kevin Sheehan left) it makes you wonder if this is the new trend... like automatic gratuities, electronic documents, smoking restrictions, fuel supplements, etc that will sweep through the whole industry

[serendipity1499]

Carnival has announced a trial effort to charge for certain items on the room service menu. The charge will be from $4 to $7 PP. If successful the other brands will follow. Its a shame that people cannot experience the cruise quality of 20 years ago. Back then you didn't get nickeled and dimed.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/04/07/carnival-cruise-lines-to-start-charging-for-room-service/

 

I detest eating a meal in the cabin....I'd MUCH rather go to a sit down venue and be served! However, getting a pot of coffee in the morning is very nice...you can sip while getting ready to go out in public!

 

My thought is that this will decrease the number of room service delivery people needed....so that's good for their bottom line.

 

Folks want "cheap" cruises....and you get what you pay for!

 

Agree the way to stop being nickel & dimed is to raise cabin prices, which are the same or less than they were in 1998.. "Something's gotta give"

 

We've only eaten in our cabin when we were confined to quarters by the Medical office, but it's nice to have a cup of coffee delivered by Room service..

[galensgrl]

Problems like this?

 

http://www.guy-sports.com/months/jokes_room_service_tenjewberrymuds.htm

 

Thanks for sharing, that's an interesting site to read, good for a laugh. :)

 

Lorie

[galensgrl]

Precisely. One thing that annoys me with Carnival is anytime they introduce something, even if wildly successful, they take well beyond a reasonable amount of time (in some cases we're talking more than 5 years) to roll something out fleetwide. Carnival was only referring to itself.

 

BUT

 

As NCL has recently stirred up the same issue and NCL passengers are furious to say the very least (lots of new fees on a huge variety of things since Kevin Sheehan left) it makes you wonder if this is the new trend... like automatic gratuities, electronic documents, smoking restrictions, fuel supplements, etc that will sweep through the whole industry

 

My husband and I have taken 4 NCL cruises so far. It's true they nickel and dime a lot, which for some is bad enough, but - we are people who don't put up a fuss to pay extra if what we want has an upcharge. The problem with our last two NCL cruises, mostly the last one was that what we got upcharged for was NOT worth it. The food we paid extra for in the specialty restaurants wasn't even as good as the best buffet food. Really. We had enjoyed NCL up until that last cruise, when the lack luster service and apathy of the management when adressing issues was truly pathetic. We were thinking it was just an "off" cruise week, a cruise when things just weren't at their best. Honestly we were quite bummed out that our relationship with NCL had taken a turn for the worst, as we had three really good cruises with them before that last disappointing trip. It gave us the idea to try a different cruise line.

 

We are trying HAL in May, and are not expecting miracles but we do hope to be acknowledged as guests, with courtesy and politeness. (This means if we have an issue and bring it to management, we won't be subjected to the eye rolling, the smirking and the sarcastic comments that are meant to intimidate us into accepting substandard fare and service.) I don't need them to kiss my keester, either. We are just looking for a nice mellow, low key cruise with lots of relaxation and hopefully nice weather. And perhaps there will be some staff who are able to smile and make us feel we are welcome on the ship. :D

 

Lorie

Edited April 7, 2015 by galensgrl

[ithaca gal]

My husband and I have taken 4 NCL cruises so far. It's true they nickel and dime a lot, which for some is bad enough, but - we are people who don't put up a fuss to pay extra if what we want has an upcharge. The problem with our last two NCL cruises, mostly the last one was that what we got upcharged for was NOT worth it. The food we paid extra for in the specialty restaurants wasn't even as good as the best buffet food. Really. We had enjoyed NCL up until that last cruise, when the lack luster service and apathy of the management when adressing issues was truly pathetic. We were thinking it was just an "off" cruise week, a cruise when things just weren't at their best. Honestly we were quite bummed out that our relationship with NCL had taken a turn for the worst, as we had three really good cruises with them before that last disappointing trip. It gave us the idea to try a different cruise line.

 

We are trying HAL in May, and are not expecting miracles but we do hope to be acknowledged as guests, with courtesy and politeness. (This means if we have an issue and bring it to management, we won't be subjected to the eye rolling, the smirking and the sarcastic comments that are meant to intimidate us into accepting substandard fare and service.) I don't need them to kiss my keester, either. We are just looking for a nice mellow, low key cruise with lots of relaxation and hopefully nice weather. And perhaps there will be some staff who are able to smile and make us feel we are welcome on the ship. :D

 

Lorie

 

I hope you are able to enjoy the same great, friendly and professional service we have come to expect from HAL. I am in AWE of the young ladies and gentlemen at the Front Desk. They all have the patience of Job and the kindness that makes you feel special every time you talk to them. Throughout the ship I find people smiling as they go about their daily tasks. Hope you have an AMAZING experience!

[POA1]

You do know that Carnival doesn't have anything beyond continental (cold) room service breakfast, right? To follow the logic that HAL will follow suit on room service breakfast charges, wouldn't they have to go to continental first?

[headhunterke]

In my experience, room service on HAL varies greatly. During my last B2B in Jan. some behind the scenes were VERY clear. During the first part of the cruise, hot dishes were kept warm by an additional metal tray under it, I was offered both mayo & ketchup and food was ALWAYS warm.

This all changed during the second part so if I was to pay for this, I would no longer use it, but I go to bed late at night and I like a cheeseburger when there's a game on TV, so calling roomservice to get one is a wonderful perk I truly hope remains free of charge.

[rkacruiser]

Room service is something that I fail to receive at home.

 

Being on a cruise, it is a luxury that I enjoy and I do expect.

 

If I have to start to pay for such a service, that "policy" is going to reduce the difference between a land based resort and a cruise.

 

From a business model viewpoint: is this the way they really want to go?

[take us away]

Pretty soon if they keep this up the only thing you will get for your cruise price is the cabin, everything else will cost you more money. Think that is where it is heading, as some have alluded to, nickel and dimming you.

 

Isn't that what some cruise lines are almost doing now - like Norwegian? where it seems there are more pay restaurants than free ones. My SIL claims the MDR menu was horrible so they always ate in a pay restaurant.

[Vict0riann]

Something like train travel. In the "old" days, you were fed, as you were a "captive audience", but now you have to pay. And even the airlines are charging extra for food.

[jimmy2x]

I hope you are able to enjoy the same great, friendly and professional service we have come to expect from HAL. I am in AWE of the young ladies and gentlemen at the Front Desk. They all have the patience of Job and the kindness that makes you feel special every time you talk to them. Throughout the ship I find people smiling as they go about their daily tasks. Hope you have an AMAZING experience!

 

Agree 100%! Have always found that approaching them with a smile and cheerful manner works wonders.

[galensgrl]

Isn't that what some cruise lines are almost doing now - like Norwegian? where it seems there are more pay restaurants than free ones. My SIL claims the MDR menu was horrible so they always ate in a pay restaurant.

 

I agree with your SIL. When cruising on NCL we found that the Lido and the MDR were good for lunch and breakfast, but neither venue seemed to offer appealing dinner choices. Rather the dinner choices in those venue seemed appealing until you actually tasted them. We too found ourselves frequenting the specialty restaurants for dinner. I've had people tell us that if we didn't frequent the specialty restaurants that the specialty restaurants would "go away" and they would serve better food in the MDR. But I think that the business model for cruising is changing, and that charging extra for things is the only way cruise lines can keep cruise fares so low. Supposedly cruise fares haven't risen appreciably in about 20 years, so the cruise lines are making up for that elsewhere - namely, the so-called nickle and diming. They are going to get their money somewhere.

 

Lorie

Edited April 8, 2015 by galensgrl
typo

[headhunterke]

Something like train travel. In the "old" days, you were fed, as you were a "captive audience", but now you have to pay. And even the airlines are charging extra for food.

 

I don't think that's a fair comparison, specially for the airline part.

Flights where you have to pay for food rarely pass the 5 hour (unless you have connecting flights or crazy layovers) mark while a cruise tends to be just a little longer than that. I don't find anything wrong with airlines charging for food on flights which only lasts a few hours.

[david,Mississauga]

Something like train travel. In the "old" days, you were fed, as you were a "captive audience", but now you have to pay. And even the airlines are charging extra for food.

 

The situation on Canadian trains has improved lately. VIA Rail Canada includes meals in the fare for sleeping car travel on most trains. In Business Class (formerly VIA 1 Class) in the Ontario-Quebec "corridor" meals and drinks are included. Meals were never provided "free" even in First Class until the mid-1960s, then that perk was dropped about 10 years later, then reinstated in the late 1990s. Of course this isn't free, but including it in the fare makes sense.

 

Even in the U.K., where First Class travel didn't get you even a cup of tea, meals and drinks are now provided on the long-haul main-line trains.