What ended up happening with the "one service a day" issue?

[jimbo5544]

When we were on the Splendor in May, our cabin steward asked us whether we wanted evening or morning service (or both). He also asked us if we had any special requests. He was very nice! We chose morning only. It was really interesting to come back from our morning activities and find towel animals on our bed. In other words, we got the entire turndown service - in the morning. Our cabin steward was very visible and always asked us if we needed anything. He also gave us his business card so we could call him as well. We really didn't need very much. He made us feel that if we had needed something, it would have been no problem. He was absolutely awesome!! By the way, if you want morning service and ice only in the evening - your cabin steward will do that. They just need to know what you prefer.

 

 

Sounds much better.

 

 

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[kicia]

We just got off of the Triumph today. We checked both boxes for morning and evening service as well as ice, extra pillows and a robe. Everything went fine.

[LMaxwell]

Jimbo - you said you were having dinner with some Carnival management and would ask about this; what was the result? Were you able to get more information on this?

 

Since yesterday I have read on Facebook on both the Victory specific group, and a general Carnival fan page that once a day is the policy on Victory and Splendor now. I doubt people are just making this up.

 

So is it an actual policy issue now, or still some wayward room attendants trying to "get away" with doing less?

[jimbo5544]

Jimbo - you said you were having dinner with some Carnival management and would ask about this; what was the result? Were you able to get more information on this?

 

 

 

Since yesterday I have read on Facebook on both the Victory specific group, and a general Carnival fan page that once a day is the policy on Victory and Splendor now. I doubt people are just making this up.

 

 

 

So is it an actual policy issue now, or still some wayward room attendants trying to "get away" with doing less?

 

 

I did and did ask. The response was a little canned, telling me it was still a test and that they were probably going to add a couple of ships. I also gave them some specific feedback from here about room stewards possibly taking more control than might have been designed. I also said that while it may make total sense for some (and they might actually prefer it) to have one service, giving an option that might appear as forced (as some of these rogue cases suggest) and really could impact a base feeling of their clientele in regards to what they perceive the Carnival experience as.

 

I will have another opportunity, with some at a higher level a little later this year and will express these thoughts again.

 

 

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Edited September 4, 2016 by jimbo5544

[LMaxwell]

giving an option that might appear as forced (as some of these rogue cases suggest) and really could impact a base feeling of their clientele in regards to what they perceive the Carnival experience as.

 

 

Very much agreed.

 

And let them know there are some guests who won't run around all cruise trying to micromanage the situation if service is subpar; they'll give a chance to correct it and then hit 'em in the wallet.

[jimbo5544]

Very much agreed.

 

 

 

And let them know there are some guests who won't run around all cruise trying to micromanage the situation if service is subpar; they'll give a chance to correct it and then hit 'em in the wallet.

 

 

During the discussion, it was mentioned that they could always go down or call GS. I said that while true, it ran across the grain of what is perceived as something that cruisers should be able to keep. I also said that one option that some talked about here was pulling tips, and that emphasized room stewards being put in the cross hairs potentially unnecessarily. My guess is that unless they hear loud and strong (surveys I guess), that the trial will continue and potentially expand.

[LMaxwell]

Jimbo, the response you got was exactly what I feared. Carnival really is pointing toward the budget line label. I'm ready to abandon the line entirely, but my husband keeps talking about getting his diamond status. He can try all he wants, but I'll keep booking cruises on lines that emphasise service, even if it's at a higher cost.

 

As someone raising a family, paying mortgage, saving for retirement, etc., I select lines based on budget and where they are going. Sometimes that means Princess, Royal, MSC, Carnival, or NCL. I'm kind of brand agnostic. Achieving a loyalty level does not mean much to me. But I do look for a good overall deal.

 

That doesn't mean I want the dirt cheapest vacation I can find. For my hard earned money I do want / expect good service. Not for someone to wait on me personally hand and foot, but I'm not going to keep calling GS, standing in lines, pulling up a JH Facebook post to shove in the face of a steward, etc. That's all very off-putting to me. Would everyone like to save money? Sure. But am I willing to spend $50 more in overall vacation costs to have good service that I don't have to chase down? Yes. If vacation costs me $50 less but service is poor I'll remember the bad service over the meager savings. and I am talking about total costs here, not about pulling tips.

[jimbo5544]

As someone raising a family, paying mortgage, saving for retirement, etc., I select lines based on budget and where they are going. Sometimes that means Princess, Royal, MSC, Carnival, or NCL. I'm kind of brand agnostic. Achieving a loyalty level does not mean much to me. But I do look for a good overall deal.

 

 

 

That doesn't mean I want the dirt cheapest vacation I can find. For my hard earned money I do want / expect good service. Not for someone to wait on me personally hand and foot, but I'm not going to keep calling GS, standing in lines, pulling up a JH Facebook post to shove in the face of a steward, etc. That's all very off-putting to me. Would everyone like to save money? Sure. But am I willing to spend $50 more in overall vacation costs to have good service that I don't have to chase down? Yes. If vacation costs me $50 less but service is poor I'll remember the bad service over the meager savings. and I am talking about total costs here, not about pulling tips.

 

 

I get it. I really don't have issues with options, and I think they have seen enough positive in people being ok and in some instances actually preferring one a day. Beyond that I am more on your side than you might think. I will push more later this year.

 

 

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[golfb4cruzing]

I think we are forced to bend over and our choice is feather duster or snow shovel. The more apathy, the more will be taken away.

[BoDidly]

I think our options are slim and dim when it comes to what we as customers actually want. Carnival will do what that want regardless of how many surveys we fill out or not. The bigger the ship the lesser the labor, as there will be more people to contend with. Our opinions here will not mount up to a hill of beans with Carnival ,but at least we can vent ;).

 

As far as who we think we know ,higher up the chain of command is pointless. We're nothing more than a dollar sign until we debark the ship.

[RjayB]

... I can book cruises on lines that do offer the better service with the little touches that I appreciate. At this time in our lives, mass market lines (Princess, Royal, Carnival, NCL, HAL, Celebrity) will be on my radar since their prices are within our budget. ...

I used to tell friends they really should give Carnival a try. With all the changes, I'll be pointing them away from the line.

 

This is also the situation for me. We started with Carnival in 2002 and were platinum in 2009. We have gone from Windows to Balconies and now to Suites, but if the service declines any more we will not stick around. :o

[shipbound2]

Since I'm a guy I really don't care about about my bed being made twice a day once is enough for me and I could use the same bath towel the whole week. The way I look at guests that are from the U.S have it made and the people that service our rooms are from countries have a lower standard of living. So if the service is not great I really don't care. I will still pay the gratuities.

 

Gary.

Edited September 4, 2016 by shipbound2

[telebax51]

since i'm a guy i really don't care about about my bed being made twice a day once is enough for me and i could use the same bath towel the whole week. The way i look at guests that are from the u.s have it made and the people that service our rooms are from countries have a lower standard of living. So if the service is not great i really don't care. I will still pay the gratuities.

 

Gary.

 

enough already

[jimbo5544]

I think our options are slim and dim when it comes to what we as customers actually want. Carnival will do what that want regardless of how many surveys we fill out or not. The bigger the ship the lesser the labor, as there will be more people to contend with. Our opinions here will not mount up to a hill of beans with Carnival ,but at least we can vent ;).

 

 

 

As far as who we think we know ,higher up the chain of command is pointless. We're nothing more than a dollar sign until we debark the ship.

 

 

We will see, I am still betting on them listening if it is pervasive.

 

 

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[Luvtoeat]

We will be on the Valor for 8 days at the end of this month and will see what the actual choices we are presentred with are.

[elliair]

Truth be told , it would only cause the steward to resent the person. And your're only going to irritate the situation .

Trust me , You don't want to tick off the person who makes your bed or cleans the drinking glasses in your room :eek:

 

And be sure to hide your tooth brush lest they use it to clean the toilet.

[john91498]

Was on the Miracle a week ago and our cabin steward went to all of his cabins and asked personally if we wanted morning, evening or both. He had the same leaflet that was posted earlier in this thread.

I also asked for some robes, as this is the first time there were no robes in the cabin.

[disneylover89]

We were just on the Sensation 2 weeks ago and we had twice a day service. Were were never asked what we wanted and 2 of the days we told the room steward not to bother with the early service because my kids were going to sleep in and he still went into the room after the Snoozing sign came off and made the beds and gave us clean towels. He was great! He went above and beyond.

[vcrjoe]

Off the miracle yesterday. We were told service once per day, morning or evening. But, the intention of the company is more face to face interaction, so our steward serviced our cabin in the morning, but came by every evening around 5:30 to change out towels and ask if we needed anything, and to hand our next day's schedule to us personally.

 

 

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[linbobky]

Need some input from some recent cruises to see how it's going now.:)

 

got off the Valor this morning!:) saw the room steward when we first went to the cabin and the only thing he asked was, do we want ice and I told him yes.

he serviced the cabin twice a day.:) he was also the best steward we have had on all of our cruises with carnival!:)

[buttrfly78]

Just off the Victory and on the first day my room steward stopped me and asked if I wanted morning or afternoon room cleaning. He explained the they increased the number of stateroom he was responsible for from 20 - something to 30-something. Unfortunately I was caught off guard since I hadn't seen this thread and choose evening service. He was very accomodating, but I don't feel I should have paid full gratuities.

[StolidCruiser]

Was on the Miracle a week ago and our cabin steward went to all of his cabins and asked personally if we wanted morning, evening or both. He had the same leaflet that was posted earlier in this thread.

I also asked for some robes, as this is the first time there were no robes in the cabin.

 

Off the miracle yesterday. We were told service once per day, morning or evening. But, the intention of the company is more face to face interaction, so our steward serviced our cabin in the morning, but came by every evening around 5:30 to change out towels and ask if we needed anything, and to hand our next day's schedule to us personally.

 

 

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Fascinating how things can change so drastically in one week.

[Rh2458]

Fascinating how things can change so drastically in one week.

 

I love the room stewards but seriously they need a good talking to. It's obvious the one that was explaining how their load increased was trying to make his job easier (per say) and was hoping he'd run across someone that didn't know they could ask for twice-a-day service.

[KatieCharlotte]

Fascinating how things can change so drastically in one week.

 

Or, from one steward to another.

 

I believe that the official policy is to provide one or two services as the guest prefers. I also believe that individual stewards are being allowed without repercussion to accommodate their increased workload by insisting or implying that guests choose once-a-day service. Other stewards may be more efficient, more honest, or more interested in trying for extra tips. Stewards are obviously human beings and therefore have a wide range of personalities. The problem is that Carnival must know from complaints to guest services and from reading the internet that certain stewards are doing this, but they don't seem motivated to stop it.

[scooterpopsnana]

We had AM cabin service. No choice. AM or PM. No night time turn down. The worst part was no fresh towels for showers on disembarkation morning. We saw the cabin steward once in 4 day cruise.

 

Now, that is unacceptable.