Room service and to go food

[Wendy&Grumpy]

It took far too long for a logical and well-thought out response from NCL.

 

Which is exactly what leads anyone with half an ounce of common sense to not believe said response.

 

If the reasons given were the real reasons, why not make them known *before* the change was implemented and avoid all the bad press?

[LrgPizza]

They're not exaggerating...it's not just a "minor" policy to some.

 

Bringing snacks to the cabin is not what is bothering many. They want to carry a meal back to the cabin - for whatever reason. Not to be treated like a freshman college dining hall that can't take food out unless they sneak it in their backpacks.

Yes, some are exaggerating. There are people who are saying they can't eat on the pool deck. That is false. There was even one poster who said, "So I can walk around with a beer but not with a coffee??!!" Again, that is false. Those are exaggerations of the policy. It makes it seem much larger and worse than it is. That is the point I was making.

 

I'm far from being an NCL cheerleader, I just don't like people making things seem 10 times worse when they are bad enough. There is no need, and it ends up making bigger divisions between the supporters and opponents. It makes those of us who oppose the change lose credibility due to the ridiculousness of some of the those who are exaggerating.

Edited May 12, 2015 by LrgPizza

[Wendy&Grumpy]

It was posted on their website along with other useful information that most people scroll to the bottom and click accept on... I believe it was at least a month, that's when I saw it, maybe longer when it was posted.

 

What was posted?

 

I think you've lost me. Are you talking about the ban on to go food or something else?

[SissasMomE]

Which is exactly what leads anyone with half an ounce of common sense to not believe said response.

 

If the reasons given were the real reasons, why not make them known *before* the change was implemented and avoid all the bad press?

 

It is ALL about the $7.95 charge and nothing more. You'd have to be a complete idiot to think otherwise, but at least this load of BS is better than people finding out either once on board, or on CC!

 

They should have made an announcement beforehand. I can't fathom this many pages of posts being here if they did.

[abe3]

They are a business for profit and if you were running it it would be bankrupt in a week, because you would want everything free.

[BeachMartini]

Are you just getting back from an extended vacation or something?

 

:)

[SAILPRO]

It is ALL about the $7.95 charge and nothing more. You'd have to be a complete idiot to think otherwise, but at least this load of BS is better than people finding out either once on board, or on CC!

 

They should have made an announcement beforehand. I can't fathom this many pages of posts being here if they did.

 

Agreed 100%!

Like they said, 'It is about the money stupid.' :D

[SissasMomE]

What was posted?

 

I think you've lost me. Are you talking about the ban on to go food or something else?

 

The OP can't answer you right now. He is too busy cutting and pasting my posts to pass off as his own.

Edited May 12, 2015 by SissasMomE

[mickeysgal]

You arent staying in a hotel. You also do not have to book NCL if you do not like the rules. Being a "prisoner" or "captive" is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of. If not being able to take food out of a dining room is that big of a deal to you please feel free to go to another cruise line. You are probably one of those people that most of us see giving the poor wait staff a lashing over something they have no control of, making it uncomfortable for the rest of us being in the same room.

 

Also, this new rule was given out with warning. This isnt a last minute bait and switch.

 

The rule was given out with warning? SINCE WHEN?

 

But some of us are "captive" as we are well within final payment and can't back out/cancel at this time without huge financial loss.

 

And it's not just about taking food out of the dining room, but also the buffet - which I think (just my observation) has the most backlash here on these threads.

 

And the bolded? Uncalled for and attacking the poster personally. Thought that wasn't allowed here.

[jaja]

I would assume if it doesn't need a plate (thus doesn't need to be remove from outside your cabin and dishwash) and fits in your hand - its a snack.

 

....now I have to practice (leaving in June !) to see how many cookies I can carry in my hand without making a mess :rolleyes: :D

Edited May 12, 2015 by jaja

[maywell]

....now I have to practice (leaving in June !) to see how many cookies I can carry in my hand without making a mess :rolleyes: :D

 

Oh, I'm sure you can carry 10 in one hand alone - unless your slacking on your grip. :D

[Winston Wolf]

A very nice response a posted on facebook. I see nothing at all wrong with what was said; However, it should have been said from the beginning. NCL had no business letting their customers find out while on a ship, and then from subsequent postings all over the internet. That is NOT good business etiquette. It took far too long for a logical and well-thought out response from NCL.

 

Here is the post:

 

I wrote Andy Stuart (President of NCL) a note concerning the room service charges and the new food rule. Here is his response:

Hi, thanks for your note. We do not charge for coffee and continental breakfast to be delivered by room service. In addition I feel strongly that the change asking guests not to bring food back to their rooms from restaurants is a good one. As we walk around the ship and see spills from food that guests are carrying and multiple plates and food waste littering the corridors, it is not a clean and pristine environment. The difference with room service is that it is our team delivering it - if they spill something they clear it up immediately. They also know where food has been delivered and they go back to get empty trays as part of their routine. At the same time as we have made this change we have changed the Asian restaurant from having a cover charge to being included across the fleet. I understand not everyone is going to love every change, but our focus is on quality and raising the quality of the experience across our fleet. You will see a huge investment coming from us in both the hardware and the software. Please have faith that everything we are doing is to increase our guest satisfaction and repeat rate. Apologies for the long response - but I am very passionate about this. regards. Andy

 

Seems like a reasonable response. I agree with him that the dishes are pretty unsightly, and a problem considering the narrow hallways on some of the ships. If it cuts down on that, then I'm all for it.

[jaja]

Oh, I'm sure you can carry 10 in one hand alone - unless your slacking on your grip. :D

 

GOOD...I will need the other hand for a container of milk ;).

 

(Oh..I better not...maybe the two together will make it a meal !!!!!!!!!!!!:D)

[SissasMomE]

Seems like a reasonable response. I agree with him that the dishes are pretty unsightly, and a problem considering the narrow hallways on some of the ships. If it cuts down on that, then I'm all for it.

 

I wonder how them coming back to pick up the dishes will work. I know when we stay in a hotel and order room service, we just call when we are finished, and they come. I suppose it would work the same... but I still think people who order room service late at night are going to stick their dishes in the hallway when they are finished. I never understood that ... you wouldn't do it at home ... but to each his own I guess.

Edited May 12, 2015 by SissasMomE

[asubaru]

I wonder how them coming back to pick up the dishes will work. I know when we stay in a hotel and order room service, we just call when we are finished, and they come. I suppose it would work the same... but I still think people who order room service late at night are going to stick their dishes in the hallway when they are finished. I never understood that ... you wouldn't do it at home ... but to each his own I guess.

 

I find it strange, that in 8 cruises, I have never seen dishes in the cabin hallways. I never thought about why until now. I'm guessing because we know we have a room steward that will come a minimum of 2x a day and people stack them in their room. It's obvious that even one plate could be dangerous in the narrow halls.

 

I don't think many used the late night/early AM service (12PM-6AM), but now they don't have an alternative. Not sure at 2AM I would want to wait for "pick up" service!

 

I don't think for a second it has anything to do with cleanliness; all about the fees!

[mking8288]

Sailing mostly NCL since 2001 and it was NOT a problem then. Of course - the hallways were wider on "older" ships and the crew-to-passenger ratios were superior, and with the service carts in the hallway corridors, we never had to turn & slide sideway or duck into the cutouts between cabins so that fellow pax going the opposite directions don't have to yield - and, those in wheelchairs, walkers or scooters don't need to ...

Perhaps, if there're more crew members available previously for tray collections ... now, what kind of benchmarks are we looking at for service "enhancements" or milestones ??

All of a sudden, this IS a problem per the COO who finally broke his cyber-silence as a new discovery - wait, Andy Stuart has been running passenger services for the line - oh, please, gimme a break. Yulp, times have changed. Dissatisfaction is definitely up. Not to mentioned that the *AWAY class ships have some of the smallest staterooms in the cruise industry (regular balconies :D excluded for "debate" purposes) down those long & narrow corridors.

Go ahead & spin it ...

[cadien]

There were always plates in the hall last month, but I didn't really think anything of it because you see the same in hotels. The suites usually put their empty snack plates out too. I'd walk past three in a row on the way to dinner.

[janpo]

What's a snack? What's a full meal? Appetizer s don't seem addressed.

 

Sooooo, what's the difference between a snack dish in the hallway and a meal dish?????

[CavalierX]

Sooooo, what's the difference between a snack dish in the hallway and a meal dish?????

 

Apparently, a dish that you paid $7.95 to have delivered has the NCL "Feestyle" Stamp of Approval, while one you carried yourself is just plain dirty. :)

[CavalierX]

Being a "prisoner" or "captive" is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of.

 

Tell that to Del Rio. "Captive audience" were HIS words.

[janpo]

Apparently, a dish that you paid $7.95 to have delivered has the NCL "Feestyle" Stamp of Approval, while one you carried yourself is just plain dirty. :)

 

 

Winner winner chicken dinner!!

 

 

Well winner of a chicken dinner only if you eat the entire thing in an approved restaurant onboard an NCL ship. No carryouts allowed, no doggie bags and of course no taking food back to cabin to eat.:)

 

*Rules subject to change without consideration or relaying said change of rules to passengers onboard or already past cancellation date of future cruise. To them we say...tough luck and neener neener.

Edited May 12, 2015 by janpo

[3XX1XY]

Seems like a reasonable response. I agree with him that the dishes are pretty unsightly, and a problem considering the narrow hallways on some of the ships. If it cuts down on that, then I'm all for it.

 

It sounds reasonable to me as well. I really think the policy is also something for staff to fall back on when they really think there is an abuse going on such as someone bringing food to really inappropriate parts of the ship, tons of food back to a stateroom, or even someone bringing food from a specialty restaurant to someone else who didn't pay to go there... previously staff really didn't have any power to do anything. Want to bring food into the pool (saw this) staff didn't have a leg to stand on. Bringing a whole dinner into the theater? Again, they couldn't do a thing. At least now they have something they can point to and say- "No, you cannot eat your entire meal in the jacuzzi/elevator/library/fitness center/etc etc...!"

[hpecorari]

"No, you cannot eat your entire meal in the jacuzzi/elevator/library/fitness center/etc etc...!"

 

In all my cruises I've never seen anyone eating a meal in the Jacuzzi/elevator/library/fitness center/ etc. etc...!

 

Just saying..............

 

Harriet

[jpcdds6]

Will be on the Star Jan. 3 out of Tampa. I need some people to help me bring the pasta station from the buffet to my cabin.:)

[picodrive]

It sounds reasonable to me as well. I really think the policy is also something for staff to fall back on when they really think there is an abuse going on such as someone bringing food to really inappropriate parts of the ship, tons of food back to a stateroom, or even someone bringing food from a specialty restaurant to someone else who didn't pay to go there... previously staff really didn't have any power to do anything. Want to bring food into the pool (saw this) staff didn't have a leg to stand on. Bringing a whole dinner into the theater? Again, they couldn't do a thing. At least now they have something they can point to and say- "No, you cannot eat your entire meal in the jacuzzi/elevator/library/fitness center/etc etc...!"

 

I agree and Harriet, I personally saw a man having his lunch in the library. It took me a couple of cruises to realize that it is not the room steward's job to clean up the dirty dishes in the room. You are suppose to call room service to pick them up if you ordered RS. Dirty dishes should never be placed in the hallway.