Room service and to go food

[legion3]

I'm sure there are people on this thread who COULD cancel their cruise because of this RS/CarryOut policy because they are before the final payment date. Has anybody done so?

 

 

 

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Be honest I debated it, so far no other cruise that week is looking at all interesting. Would have jumped to the Carnival Breeze but they chartered it that week. :(

 

That said, I'm not worried about room service, what we use it for is still free.

 

But having a balcony and not being able to bring food to it...phooey!

 

Still I doubt this can be enforced effectively or at all.

 

They may be able to make the waiters not wrap stuff up to go but if I take it with me? What will they do?

 

No offense to this policy, but I imagine that I will ignore it. At least until they tase me I guess.

 

I see that NCL words it that they ASK people not to do this, well they can ask but I see that my compliance may not be forthcoming. Of course they could tase me to comply. ;)

 

What a stupid idea and I bet a shiny new nickel that it won't relieve plates and half eaten food issues at all.

[swedish weave]

Let me be clear about this point, Cavalier. It does not matter whether the dirty dishes are from room service or from carry out from the buffet, dirty dishes in the hallway are not nice to look at and create a barrier for people in wheelchairs and scooters. The discourtesy of doing so does not justify NCL disallowing CarryOut food. We all know why they did that.

 

 

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The stewards leave their carts in the hallways every day while they are working, and if some dishes prevent the WC from using the hallways, why are you not complaining about the stewards carts.

 

If they will move them for you, they could just as easily move the dishes, couldn't they ???

[42CruiseCrazy]

The stewards leave their carts in the hallways every day while they are working, and if some dishes prevent the WC from using the hallways, why are you not complaining about the stewards carts.

 

 

 

If they will move them for you, they could just as easily move the dishes, couldn't they ???

 

 

The carts are much BIGGER problem than the food trays (literally). However they have to do their jobs and they are usually very good about moving their carts out of the way because they're right there to do it. The trays & dishes remain in the hallway (often on both sides) for as long as it takes to get removed. Even if it's only 15 minutes before someone comes along to remove them, that's a long time to wait when you're sitting in your wheelchair wanting to get by.

[42CruiseCrazy]

As I've said before, your true issue is with NCL not telling their staff to clean the passageways of trays and dishes more frequently, or with the staff not giving clear instructions to guests to leave the trays in their cabins for pickup -- if that's what the official policy is. No one seems to have ever heard a clear policy directive on this. I sympathise, but I myself have been asked to do both during the same cruise. I did as asked both times. There's no rhyme or reason to it. Charging passengers for room service won't fix that; it will only annoy guests and cause resentment against NCL. And prohibiting take-away food is just a pitifully transparent ploy to drive up the use of room service... which still won't solve the problem of cluttered passageways. In fact, I predict it will make things even worse, as people will order much more food than they normally would if they know they have to pay $7.95 to have it delivered.

Kind of funny though... NCL claiming there is a serious problem with dirty, food-covered dishes in the passageways to justify driving more people to use room service, which in turn leads to an actual problem with dirty, food-covered dishes in the passageways. A real self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

 

You're right. If the people who normally get their food from the buffet and bring it to their rooms convert to room service then NCL will make lots more money$$$. Then we will have the same number of dirty dishes iand trays in the hallways. However most of these people will grumble about it but will eat their meals in the designated dining areas of the buffet and restaurants.

I predict a decline in room service usage because of the fee and a decrease in the amount of clutter in the hallways.

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

You're right. If the people who normally get their food from the buffet and bring it to their rooms convert to room service then NCL will make lots more money$$$. Then we will have the same number of dirty dishes iand trays in the hallways. However most of these people will grumble about it but will eat their meals in the designated dining areas of the buffet and restaurants.

I predict a decline in room service usage because of the fee and a decrease in the amount of clutter in the hallways.

 

 

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Maybe you can remember, when did NCL say anything about dirty, food-covered dishes in the hallways, with regard to any of their new policies? I don't think they ever did or I missed it, I think it was only some of us posters that mentioned it.

 

I think you are right, I don't think NCL is going to generate a lot of revenue off the room service fee, I think it will deter most from using it.

[swedish weave]

If food and labor costs are a big concern for NCL, can anyone explain why they are/or were giving away the UDP and DSC as booking perks ?

[Travelcat2]

I agree that a cruise is usually a good deal. It covers your "room and board", with the "board" being all you can eat. So the basic food is already covered in our cruise fare. When someone orders room service, they simply siphon off a portion of the food from the MDR kitchen which you have already paid for, and send it off an a tray. So the only extra cost to NCL, maybe, would be for the staff delivery. Presumably, NCL takes a portion of our cruise fares to cover the base wages, and we pay the incentive portions with our daily service charge. So, hasn't the staff person already been paid with our cruise fare and DSC? Does it cost NCL more to pay someone to walk the tray to my cabin than it does for someone to walk it to my table? It does not even require they be trained as a waiter. Presumably, someone who wanted to "moonlight" from his regular laundry job could pick up some extra $$ in tips by volunteering for this, as has been reported. Of course those tips will now be greatly decreased, because who will tip the waiter on top of the $7.95 fee? And, if it is the matter of a tip, does anyone believe this staff person sees any portion of that $7.95? So your theory that this is to recover the "cost" for food and staff just does not hold water. We have already paid that in our cruise fare, so why should someone who orders room service have to pay for food and service again, anymore than they should be charged $7.95 to eat in the MDR?

 

I have no problem paying for the "extras" above "room and board" that I want. Although it is my belief that the RS fee is just a convenient item to attach a fee to and is a "money grab" which is in no way tied to the cost of food or wages, I could have lived with it if they had just left it at that. I would just not order RS, just as I can pass on paying extra for the Spa or a Specialty restaurant. But, when they try to coerce me to pay the fee by trying to restrict me from taking the food ( I have already paid for ) from elsewhere to enjoy in my cabin, then I have a huge problem with that. And then compound it by telling us with straight faces that it is for health and safety. NCL has "jumped the shark". It is a deal breaker for me. I do not like being manipulated. I do not like that fact that I must be a "rule breaker" to carry a dessert out of Cagneys or the buffet.

 

If associated costs for food and wages have gone up, then I would expect to see that reflected in the base cruise fares and in increase in the daily services charges. It seems to me they have already increased both. If those steaks cost more at Cagneys, then increase the cover charges. They recently did that and now added an 18% gratuity. They have increased drink prices and drink gratuities and excursion prices. It seems to me NCL has pretty much covered their expenses.

 

Thank you for going into detail to describe your feelings about the room service fee and taking food back to your room,. IMO, these are separate issues so I'll respond to "take-out" food first.

 

When food leaves the restaurant, the remains of the food and plates have to be left somewhere. This is where the additional cost for NCL comes into play. From what I have read on these threads, the plates are not always left in the room but are also left elsewhere on the ship. How many crew members does it take to clean up after passengers that have removed food from restaurants and left the plates somewhere?

 

On the room service end of things. IMO, delivering food to a table and delivering it to various cabins around a large ship is very different. On this issue, I do see both sides while I don't on the previous one. How many service orders per day would you say a family of 6 makes (I'm not baiting you - I truly do not know the answer). Can a child/teenager request room service when a parent is not there? While I do not see everyone abusing room service, there are definitely some people that would. I feel that passengers with disabilities should have the fee waived. And, perhaps one delivery per day (in addition to the continental breakfast) should be "free" or have a lesser service charge (about half of what is being charged now). But, additional room service requests should definitely be charged (perhaps even more than $7.95 to discourage misuse of the system).

 

Someone suggested paper plates and plastic utensils. Well, assuming that people would dispose of the plates/utensils properly, the idea is not bad. You do have to add the cost of the plates and recycling (storage for garbage on ships is not unlimited - another issue to take into consideration). The plates would have to be sturdy or more food will fall on the floor. For ships the size of NCL, I would imagine that this would mean having a lot of paper plates (another cost) and then the trash has to be picked up by the crew (perhaps less cost than going into every room to see if there are leftover plates in there?)

 

I see the term "money grab" used a lot regarding the room service charge. You feel that NCL's food and wage increases should be passed on to customers through the cruise fare. This is done by many cruise lines. The reason I would rather see the room service charge over a fare increase is for the passengers that do not use room service.

 

Anyway, since the written word has no personality, no one can tell if you are angry when you post. Just want to say that I'm thinking about the subjects but am not angry at all -- just sharing thoughts. I really understand wanting to take a desert from Cagney's when you are too full to finish it but do not understand the need to carry food on plates into elevators and all over the ship. Some people reading these threads would think that NCL passengers are being starved and need to hoard food:)

Edited May 23, 2015 by Travelcat2

[Out to sea!]

An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Rationalizing rioting and violence. That's what we need, a more barbaric society. :rolleyes:

 

BTW, IMO, MLK simply spouted nothing but pure rubbish, he just did it eloquently.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Out to sea!

[razor7_us]

..I’m never cruising with NCL again

..NCL just lost a customer

..Canceling my cruise and re-booking with RCI

And the complaints go on and on. Plenty of the complainers on this board probably have never been on a cruise or they have embellished their “cruiser resume.” Get over it please. If you don’t like it, pay more elsewhere and just go. Why must you openly bitch, whine, moan, groan and/or complain on a public forum? How many of you go on a cruise to “eat in their room?” I go on cruises to unwind, relax and to have a great time. I used to be a smoker, but ever changing rules concerning smoking didn’t deter me, I just adjusted and continued to enjoy myself. You can ‘what if’ a policy to death , just like the airline baggage policies, but guess what, the same people that complain here complained there, and I bet each and every one of them still fly.

And to all those chest puffers that state they will continue to do as they please and dare an NCL employee to stop them…..I’m laughing out loud, literally.

Personally, I hope I never encounter the likes of some of you on my future cruises. I don’t want you to ruin my vacation buzz. Stay away and stay home please.

Can’t wait for the hostile responses and more “what if” comments from the naysayers.

417 previous cruises.....too numerous to state

11,798 days at sea

See what I mean?:rolleyes:

[harold369]

I can not BELIEVE that there are already so many comments. We are discussing this on CC but no one on NCL will read our comments. I would suggest writing directly but to WHOM does one write to. We have been on more than 12 cruises with NCL. My wife writes to NCL every cruise BUT most are never responded to; we do not even know if letter was received. My wife asked our CONCIERGE for an the email of the CEO or equivalent. My wife received the run around. The Hotel Director wanted the message from my wife, probably if there were any negative comments about the ship, the Hotel Director would not forward the letter. I believe NCL is running their ships as they see and you the customer must obey there rules; did any read the contracts between Cruise line and customer.

The ONLY CONTROL we have is with our money, which cruise line we choose. If NCL's new rules affect you---choose another cruise line........HAPPY SAILING on which ever CRUISE LINE you choose..

[bladeguy]

..I’m never cruising with NCL again

..NCL just lost a customer

..Canceling my cruise and re-booking with RCI

And the complaints go on and on. Plenty of the complainers on this board probably have never been on a cruise or they have embellished their “cruiser resume.” Get over it please. If you don’t like it, pay more elsewhere and just go. Why must you openly bitch, whine, moan, groan and/or complain on a public forum? How many of you go on a cruise to “eat in their room?” I go on cruises to unwind, relax and to have a great time. I used to be a smoker, but ever changing rules concerning smoking didn’t deter me, I just adjusted and continued to enjoy myself. You can ‘what if’ a policy to death , just like the airline baggage policies, but guess what, the same people that complain here complained there, and I bet each and every one of them still fly.

 

And to all those chest puffers that state they will continue to do as they please and dare an NCL employee to stop them…..I’m laughing out loud, literally.

Personally, I hope I never encounter the likes of some of you on my future cruises. I don’t want you to ruin my vacation buzz. Stay away and stay home please.

Can’t wait for the hostile responses and more “what if” comments from the naysayers.

417 previous cruises.....too numerous to state

11,798 days at sea

See what I mean?:rolleyes:

 

I totally agree.

 

Looking at how many times people have posted to this thread, we clearly have a small core group of unhappy folks with a too much time on their hands. In my opinion, if they do not like NCL, they should go away.

 

NCL has many very happy customers. They enjoy the environment NCL has created on all their ships, they enjoy the outstanding crews, they enjoy the reasonable prices and they have a great time while onboard. If NCL loses a group of people that endlessly complain, the cruises will be better for the rest of us.

[emcelh]

There are lots of comments but it seems the majority of comments are from the same few dozen people.

 

I'm hesitant to voice an opinion on this issue (although I do have one) because, regardless of what position you take, someone is going to find a reason to start the name calling and insults. One thing baffles me though. If this room service charge is a way to raise revenue, why on earth is it so high at $7.95. It seems to me that fewer people would use room service than would if they had a more reasonable fee. Since the original room service breakfast menu is still available at no charge, how much revenue is this really going to produce. It almost seems that they're trying to discourage people from using the service.

[emdia43]

I'm sure there are people on this thread who COULD cancel their cruise because of this RS/CarryOut policy because they are before the final payment date. Has anybody done so?

 

 

 

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No, I haven't canceled exactly, but we were trying to decide which ship to book- Getaway

or Breakaway, when Andy Stuart made his statement...... at that point we lost interest.

I go up to the buffet to eat breakfast, then bring food back to the others. If they are forbidding

that simple pleasure, then I don't want to book- I don't want to get into a confrontation with staff

on vacation either.

It's like they said "Oh, make some simple excuse about cluttered hallways- they

are too stupid to notice we're going to charge them $7.95 from now on!"

I am tempted t o email Mr Stuart and say "I will bring my own supply of Styrofoam to-go

boxes and disposable cutlery to alleviate the cluttered hall situation,so can I take out food

as usual?"

Edited May 23, 2015 by emdia43

[punkincc]

Thank you for going into detail to describe your feelings about the room service fee and taking food back to your room,. IMO, these are separate issues so I'll respond to "take-out" food first.

 

When food leaves the restaurant, the remains of the food and plates have to be left somewhere. This is where the additional cost for NCL comes into play. From what I have read on these threads, the plates are not always left in the room but are also left elsewhere on the ship. How many crew members does it take to clean up after passengers that have removed food from restaurants and left the plates somewhere? [Travelcat2].

 

 

The fact remains that if food is to be eaten, it will result in a plate that must be picked up by someone, either in a dining room, or on the pool deck, or in my cabin either from RS or by my own efforts to get it there. NCL says you may eat on the pool deck or outdoor dining areas as always. How many staff does it take to clean up after passengers that leave plates all over the ship? Pretty much zero, because this does not happen, yet you persist in trying to foist this myth off as truth and it is wearing a little thin. The public areas of NCL ships are pretty pristine, as you would know if you had taken an NCL cruise. People who leave the buffet with plates are going to pretty much two places, either the pool deck, which is an approved eating area, or their own cabin. I don't know who you think is going to eat a plate of food in an elevator or stairwell or library and leave a plate there. I have never sat down in a hallway and consumed food. I have never seen plates left all over the ship. If it happens, it is very rare. The truth is that most passengers eat most of their meals in a venue. Occassionally, some of us will either utilize our butlers, or room service for a few meals, OR will just bring a few meals/snacks back ourselves. No real increase in plates or work for any staff, so this dirty ship and poor overworked crew excuse to justify the ban just does not fly.

Edited May 23, 2015 by punkincc

[untailored bostonian]

I totally agree.

 

Looking at how many times people have posted to this thread, we clearly have a small core group of unhappy folks with a too much time on their hands. In my opinion, if they do not like NCL, they should go away.

 

NCL has many very happy customers. They enjoy the environment NCL has created on all their ships, they enjoy the outstanding crews, they enjoy the reasonable prices and they have a great time while onboard. If NCL loses a group of people that endlessly complain, the cruises will be better for the rest of us.

 

Hearing this today for the first time, I have to say that both of these food changes will affect my booking with NCL in the future. It is hard to read the RS charge as anything but a money grab for the line. Free RS was always one of the key, nice, perks of sailing.

 

We have one of the future cruise certificates you buy on board, but I will really think about eating that loss before I rebook with NCL. (pun intended?)

[untailored bostonian]

At 1200+ post I am not going to read this thread in its entirety.:rolleyes:

 

I am sure I am just repeating what has been posted. Like the smoking bans that went from cruise line to cruise line, I assume that all lines will be doing their versions of this in the near future.

[Out to sea!]

I can not BELIEVE that there are already so many comments. We are discussing this on CC but no one on NCL will read our comments. I would suggest writing directly but to WHOM does one write to. We have been on more than 12 cruises with NCL. My wife writes to NCL every cruise BUT most are never responded to; we do not even know if letter was received. My wife asked our CONCIERGE for an the email of the CEO or equivalent. My wife received the run around. The Hotel Director wanted the message from my wife, probably if there were any negative comments about the ship, the Hotel Director would not forward the letter. I believe NCL is running their ships as they see and you the customer must obey there rules; did any read the contracts between Cruise line and customer.

The ONLY CONTROL we have is with our money, which cruise line we choose. If NCL's new rules affect you---choose another cruise line........HAPPY SAILING on which ever CRUISE LINE you choose..Carnival

 

Yep......I used the "C" word! :D

[Out to sea!]

There are lots of comments but it seems the majority of comments are from the same few dozen people.

 

I'm hesitant to voice an opinion on this issue (although I do have one) because, regardless of what position you take, someone is going to find a reason to start the name calling and insults. One thing baffles me though. If this room service charge is a way to raise revenue, why on earth is it so high at $7.95. It seems to me that fewer people would use room service than would if they had a more reasonable fee. Since the original room service breakfast menu is still available at no charge, how much revenue is this really going to produce. It almost seems that they're trying to discourage people from using the service.

 

My guess is that when they did the test on the BA and GA at different pricing points, they must have found no appreciable drop when selling it at $7.95 vs $4.95. If that is the case,then obviously they want to go with $7.95 because they make more money with each sell.

[emcelh]

My guess is that when they did the test on the BA and GA at different pricing points, they must have found no appreciable drop when selling it at $7.95 vs $4.95. If that is the case,then obviously they want to go with $7.95 because they make more money with each sell.

 

I'm sure that's true. I wonder if as many people are ordering room service now though, outside of breakfast hours anyway.

[Stillfloatin']

I agree that a cruise is usually a good deal. It covers your "room and board", with the "board" being all you can eat. So the basic food is already covered in our cruise fare. When someone orders room service, they simply siphon off a portion of the food from the MDR kitchen which you have already paid for, and send it off an a tray. So the only extra cost to NCL, maybe, would be for the staff delivery. Presumably, NCL takes a portion of our cruise fares to cover the base wages, and we pay the incentive portions with our daily service charge. So, hasn't the staff person already been paid with our cruise fare and DSC? Does it cost NCL more to pay someone to walk the tray to my cabin than it does for someone to walk it to my table? It does not even require they be trained as a waiter. Presumably, someone who wanted to "moonlight" from his regular laundry job could pick up some extra $$ in tips by volunteering for this, as has been reported. Of course those tips will now be greatly decreased, because who will tip the waiter on top of the $7.95 fee? And, if it is the matter of a tip, does anyone believe this staff person sees any portion of that $7.95? So your theory that this is to recover the "cost" for food and staff just does not hold water. We have already paid that in our cruise fare, so why should someone who orders room service have to pay for food and service again, anymore than they should be charged $7.95 to eat in the MDR?

 

I have no problem paying for the "extras" above "room and board" that I want. Although it is my belief that the RS fee is just a convenient item to attach a fee to and is a "money grab" which is in no way tied to the cost of food or wages, I could have lived with it if they had just left it at that. I would just not order RS, just as I can pass on paying extra for the Spa or a Specialty restaurant. But, when they try to coerce me to pay the fee by trying to restrict me from taking the food ( I have already paid for ) from elsewhere to enjoy in my cabin, then I have a huge problem with that. And then compound it by telling us with straight faces that it is for health and safety. NCL has "jumped the shark". It is a deal breaker for me. I do not like being manipulated. I do not like that fact that I must be a "rule breaker" to carry a dessert out of Cagneys or the buffet.

 

If associated costs for food and wages have gone up, then I would expect to see that reflected in the base cruise fares and in increase in the daily services charges. It seems to me they have already increased both. If those steaks cost more at Cagneys, then increase the cover charges. They recently did that and now added an 18% gratuity. They have increased drink prices and drink gratuities and excursion prices. It seems to me NCL has pretty much covered their expenses.

 

Well stated. I suggest you write that in an email to corporate. After I sent an email, I was contacted by phone and told that all emails are going to be a part of the next executive meeting. Who knows, if they get enough, maybe they will reconsider the ill advised "no food taken to your room" policy.

[Rosencer]

Will be comical when people start showing up at the buffet at O'Sheehan's in pajamas (because they didn't want to pay for room service) to get food to take back to their cabins.

[CavalierX]

Will be comical when people start showing up at the buffet at O'Sheehan's in pajamas (because they didn't want to pay for room service) to get food to take back to their cabins.

 

They probably won't be amused when they're told about the new ban on takeaway food that goes along with the room service charge.

[mkdreams]

I'm sure there are people on this thread who COULD cancel their cruise because of this RS/CarryOut policy because they are before the final payment date. Has anybody done so?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes people are cancelling, I'm one of them. I have seen post on here from others that have also cancelled.

[legion3]

What exactly is on the FREE breakfast hanging flyer. The available without charge 6-10AM.

 

I know its coffee and pastry, continental breakfast, but does anyone actually know what's on it.

[negn]

DS was on Dawn & adults and his 1 y.o son at dinner. The baby started acting up so he left. Did get his meal though. Don't know if he brought it to the room or was sent up. He was in suite so don't know if that made a difference