Cabin Service Decrease

[Harrier1961]

Okie dokie! That's one person reporting that they were given the choice of both. I have read at least five other accounts reporting that they were specifically told they did not have a choice so I would still be interested to hear from more than just one or two of my fellow passengers at this site reporting your experience! Regardless of what a few others believe, I will continue to "whine" about this subject to keep the new cruisers aware that they do have a right if they desire it to twice daily cabin service, robes in their room, ice delivered twice daily, extra towels, blankets , pillows , or hangers if they need them! I won't be guilted into a crappy vacation! Indeed as a stockholder, I am an owner of Carnival, and as an owner I feel I do have a say in how they conduct the business! I am all for Carnival staying competitive but I believe these type of cutbacks instead will in the long run destroy their competitiveness!

 

I really, really hate to burst your bubble, but you are assuming that most carnival cruisers:

A) Read Cruise Critic

B) Read YOUR post.

 

Sorry Charlie, neither are true.

[sanmarcosman]

I used to be in the printed collateral industry. In very rare instances have I ever seen a client fulfill to deplete on an older version of a stock item. And never, ever on a pilot program have I seen it done. The client would typically have any old stock destroyed and new stock with updated information / version control printed. So I don't really buy the whole "Maybe they are just using the old cards until they run out."

This is good info on the printing angle. I'm not buying that line either about waiting until they run out to order more. That's too much like third world country thinking.

Edited January 19, 2016 by sanmarcosman

[funinthesun1964]

I don't have to have both but I do expect the morning service and maybe if I ask for extra towels and a bucket of ice they won't have to service my room twice. I'm all about making it easy on them as well, they have a lot to do. Yes I'm aware that is their job but if my being a bit flexible will make it easier for them to deal with someone who may not be as flexible then hey cool. I'd make it clear to my steward and if they were unable to do as I asked then I'd have to check the box for both morning and evening service.;)

 

Do not think of it as "making it easier on them". Think of it as job security for them, because I am certain that it is their intention to cut some of the stewards' jobs when people start selecting only once a day service.

 

It has happened in the last decade with the dining room waiters, some of the musicians, entertainers, and more recently I have a noticed a cut in bar staff. I realize that most of their staff relies on tips rather than base pay; but there are other perks that go along with the job that can save money if more jobs are eliminated.

[golfb4cruzing]

Here is my Vision of the Future Carnival. Pick up your bedding at embarkation. Ice machines in the hallways. Vending machines instead of eateries and coffee shop. Sign at pools, "Swim at own Risk, No Lifeguard" and 24/7 Karaoke. Pack light cause you carry your own luggage off the ship.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Do not think of it as "making it easier on them". Think of it as job security for them, because I am certain that it is their intention to cut some of the stewards' jobs when people start selecting only once a day service.

 

It has happened in the last decade with the dining room waiters, some of the musicians, entertainers, and more recently I have a noticed a cut in bar staff. I realize that most of their staff relies on tips rather than base pay; but there are other perks that go along with the job that can save money if more jobs are eliminated.

 

I can't speak to entertainment or bar staff but logically I see the same amount of waiters but they are now being used in other venues. Where once all waiters were in the dining room, now they are spread between the coffee bar, the lido deck (for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), patio grilling, the steak house, the Italian restaurant, the deli, and other specialty buffet areas.

 

A ship has only room for X number of crew members. As the ships provide more eating options the staff is spread thinner and thinner.

 

As far as the stewards....take the Sunshine as an example. When it was upgraded there were more cabins added for passengers without more cabins for staff. So, more work for each steward.

 

Besides, Carnival's success at filling their ships (especially with families which means more staff in Camp Carnival, too) in recent years mean that their staff has to service more people. It would be great if there were room on "full" voyages to allow for more staff but the confines of a ship doesn't seem to make that possible.

 

When I traveled at Spring Break every room (or lifeboat seat) was full to capacity. If we want more staff we need to give up passenger space to make that feasible and I have read lots of rumblings about not enough space for cruisers as it is.

 

Sure Carnival can build bigger ships with more crew space but what will that mean to the bottom line for the consumer. Prices will go up as the ratio of crew to cruisers rises. Are we all willing to pay for that? Carnival is the "budget" cruiseline...isn't it?

Edited January 19, 2016 by Sweet Dutch Girl

[Micahs Grandad]

Do not think of it as "making it easier on them". Think of it as job security for them, because I am certain that it is their intention to cut some of the stewards' jobs when people start selecting only once a day service.

 

It has happened in the last decade with the dining room waiters, some of the musicians, entertainers, and more recently I have a noticed a cut in bar staff. I realize that most of their staff relies on tips rather than base pay; but there are other perks that go along with the job that can save money if more jobs are eliminated.

 

Agreed. Carnival's real goal here is to decrease head count and expenses not make it easier for the stewards.

[Jana60]

I really, really hate to burst your bubble, but you are assuming that most carnival cruisers:

A) Read Cruise Critic

B) Read YOUR post.

 

Sorry Charlie, neither are true.

 

And you are assuming this is the only location where I stated these views!

[JMAE]

We were on the Pride in Oct 2015, our steward can and introduced himself. shortly after that he said Carnival started a new program and showed us the card that indicated in short morning or afternoon service. I told him we wanted both, he mildly said to pick morning or afternoon. I restated both and he said okay. As of October the card only has two possible selections, morning or afternoon. If they truly want both as the third they should print that on the card.

 

The other possibility is that since they appear to be marketing to first time Carnival cruisers the option will become the standard SOP for CCL and won't be an option.

 

The same hold true with the robes and the changing of the sheets mid cruise. :)

 

With all this said we never had a problem with our room steward providing us great service.

[Micahs Grandad]

We were on the Pride in Oct 2015, our steward can and introduced himself. shortly after that he said Carnival started a new program and showed us the card that indicated in short morning or afternoon service. I told him we wanted both, he mildly said to pick morning or afternoon. I restated both and he said okay. As of October the card only has two possible selections, morning or afternoon. If they truly want both as the third they should print that on the card.

 

The other possibility is that since they appear to be marketing to first time Carnival cruisers the option will become the standard SOP for CCL and won't be an option.

 

The same hold true with the robes and the changing of the sheets mid cruise. :)

 

With all this said we never had a problem with our room steward providing us great service.

 

As you said, newbie cruises will think it is either or and not know any better. Carnival will than tell us that the vast majority of cruisers are not interesting in twice daily service so we will all get one time service.

[soccersharon]

If I'm presented the card shown earlier in the thread, and I am given the opportunity to pick, I'll pick both. I think this has been blown way out of proportion.

Edited January 20, 2016 by soccersharon

[jenng1976]

On our cruise on the Victory in Dec - we were given the card by the steward the first day and I said 'both' and checked off both AM and PM, as well as handwrote 'ice' and had great service all week long.

 

My parents however, who were several doors down and had a different steward - he just verbally asked them morning or afternoon, not really giving a choice of 'both', so they ended up choosing morning. They had much worse service than us overall. They didn't know they could choose both since they don't read CC.

 

I agree with others that putting 'both' as an option on the card would be the best way to go!

[JMAE]

If I'm presented the card shown earlier in the thread, and I am given the opportunity to pick, I'll pick both. I think this has been blown way out of proportion.

 

This is not a big thing, but if it is CCL stance that morning, afternoon or both are the service options, then that is how they should print the options on the card. Just treat it like the way they would administer the fine print in your ticket contract if you had a dispute. They should just added the option to the card, it should be a big thing if that is their policy.

 

Don't get me wrong, we love cruising on Carnival.

Edited January 20, 2016 by JMAE

[sanmarcosman]

Seems like they don't really want to do two-a-days anymore. If they really wanted to implement it, seems easy enough to add the option on the front end of booking the same way you select your dining options or whether you want the beds together or apart. It's not rocket science. Personally, I don't have to have my room serviced twice a day. As long as I can call for extra towels and ice I'm good.

This, exactly. Carnival should list the cabin service items and service times available in the Cruise Manager and ask guests to tick off the boxes online. Carnival for the most part seems to get the bed configuration information indicated online to the ship housekeeping department why not add how many times a day you want the cabin serviced, ice needs, robes etc. as well?

 

This could work during the pilot program by updating the Cruise Manager section only for those guests with reservations on the affected ships.

Edited January 20, 2016 by sanmarcosman

[knight2096]

It doesn't matter whether the survey says you have a choice of both services, what matters is whether you're offered third check box on the actual cruise! And by the way there are many things that you have a right to on a cruise or in any other location that are not specifically mentioned in your beloved cruise contract. I'm not referring to rights that would require carnival to pay you your money back if they are not supplied. I'm referring to rights that would cause you to never cruise carnival again if those rights are taken away. I believe in transparency. If the passengers know that Carnival is taking away those amenities while other cruise lines continue these they will factor that into their decision of whether to cruise with them. Even though I am a stockholder and want Carnival to be successful I am also a passenger who would like to continue to enjoy a level of service with Carnival that is in the end their primary asset. When I am faced with people touting other cruise lines, I have always said that while carnival may not have flowriders, rock climbing walls, ice skating, and Broadway shows, they have the friendliest crew and the best service afloat! I want that statement to continue to be true!

 

 

Very well said Jana60.

[soccersharon]

This is not a big thing, but if it is CCL stance that morning, afternoon or both are the service options, then that is how they should print the options on the card. Just treat it like the way they would administer the fine print in your ticket contract if you had a dispute. They should just added the option to the card, it should be a big thing if that is their policy.

 

Don't get me wrong, we love cruising on Carnival.

 

 

I guess I look at this like I do the room service menu; I can choose all the options I want. To me, the cabin service card is laid out the same way - here are your options, pick what you want :)

[Pesh]

You must've accidentally overlooked my reply asking what site can I go to to see these survey results myself. I'd love to see them.

 

 

The post I'm talking about is on a social networking site with the initials FB. I know we're not allowed to mention its name on these forums, but it's John's own page there

[Micahs Grandad]

This, exactly. Carnival should list the cabin service items and service times available in the Cruise Manager and ask guests to tick off the boxes online. Carnival for the most part seems to get the bed configuration information indicated online to the ship housekeeping department why not add how many times a day you want the cabin serviced, ice needs, robes etc. as well?

 

This could work during the pilot program by updating the Cruise Manager section only for those guests with reservations on the affected ships.

 

If Carnival wanted to do it that way they would have had the third choice. They are saying something in the way this is presented.

[JMAE]

I guess I look at this like I do the room service menu; I can choose all the options I want. To me, the cabin service card is laid out the same way - here are your options, pick what you want :)

 

I agree, but the difference I see is the stewards are asking people to pick one of the two choices listed on the card. I cannot locate any listing in CCL's FAQ regarding the services provided by the stewards. They should include this information when you complete your online check-in, after all they ask your sleeping arrangements at that time.

[sanmarcosman]

If Carnival wanted to do it that way they would have had the third choice. They are saying something in the way this is presented.

 

I'm suggesting that the three choices be offered before we even step on the ship. Whether Carnival is sincere in this pilot program to offer us more choices can be more easily handled if they allow us to choose online. I'll believe in more choices when they are delivered, and preferably pre-ordered and not asked on the ship. But I too suspect this is more about labor costs than giving guests more options. Eventually the only option will be to sail another line for some.

Edited January 20, 2016 by sanmarcosman

[laprof]

I haven't read every post on this thread, however, I quickly wanted to say that I sailed on Victory over New Year's and our room steward explained that we could choose morning service, evening service, or both. She gave me a card, where I noted that I wanted both morning and evening. It was no issue, even with 4 grandchildren who rotated spending a night each with us. We're on the Breeze in a few weeks; don't know if we'll experience the same thing or not.

[RHilla619]

Personally I'd be okay with just AM service, if that portion of the gratuities was then cut in half. I'm really not in the room at all besides sleeping and showering, so having the bed made in the morning, garbage emptied, and fresh towels is all I need. Sure the nightly turn down service of untucking the bed and a new animal is nice, but not totally necessary for me.

[royalcruz]

I was on the Victory this week. The stateroom attendant showed up the first day and told us we had a choice of AM or PM and told us his hours so that we could choose the best time. We told him to come after 10 in the morning. I brought white wine and soda cans, so I requested ice service daily, as there was no fridge. The daily schedule was placed under our doors each evening. There were 2 issues...

1)by the time evening came, the ice was all melted, and the wine in the icebucket was not cold enough to drink. At least if he came while we were at dinner we could have put a few ice cubes in the wine and had a glass before bed.

2)our pool towels were wet at the end of the day and we wanted them changed at night so that we would have dry towels in the AM. We hung them to dry but they were still very damp in the morning. I didn't see a towel exchange by the pool.

Otherwise it was no biggie.

[Jana60]

I was on the Victory this week. The stateroom attendant showed up the first day and told us we had a choice of AM or PM and told us his hours so that we could choose the best time. We told him to come after 10 in the morning. I brought white wine and soda cans, so I requested ice service daily, as there was no fridge. The daily schedule was placed under our doors each evening. There were 2 issues...

1)by the time evening came, the ice was all melted, and the wine in the icebucket was not cold enough to drink. At least if he came while we were at dinner we could have put a few ice cubes in the wine and had a glass before bed.

2)our pool towels were wet at the end of the day and we wanted them changed at night so that we would have dry towels in the AM. We hung them to dry but they were still very damp in the morning. I didn't see a towel exchange by the pool.

Otherwise it was no biggie.

 

And the biggest problem is that you were not given the choice to have service twice daily. If Carnival is not going to let people know that they do have that choice then we need to do everything we can as experienced cruisers to let people know!

[Podna's]

And the biggest problem is that you were not given the choice to have service twice daily. If Carnival is not going to let people know that they do have that choice then we need to do everything we can as experienced cruisers to let people know!

 

 

Lol. Gotta give it to you Jana, you're very persistent. Between my job and vacations I've stayed at hundreds of hotels and resorts over the past 20 years where my room was only cleaned up once a day. And since I've been cruising Carnival since the 90's I'd consider myself an experienced cruiser and this like the smoking changes and that American table change, I just go with the flow because Carnival makes up for that stuff with the overall vacation experience in my eyes. With that said I did see your surveys and it is important to lots of people so I'm going to go ahead and wish you luck. I can't argue with you on the fact Carnival is trying to be sneaky on this one. [emoji4]

[kids at home cruisers]

I'd like to point out I'm grateful of this thread which has highlighted this issue but more importantly has made me aware I can request AM and PM service.

 

We will be travelling with Carnival for the first time in August on the Vista.

We have done many other cruise with 3 other lines and never experienced less than 2 room services per day.

 

As 4 of us share a balcony cabin, it would be a deal breaker for us to only have the 1 service per day ....as this would mean the children's beds including the pull-down one would be out all day making the room totally impractical for day use.

 

Thank you to those who have given me the heads up about this potential issue.

Forewarned is forearmed !! [emoji106]