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$7.95 Room Service Charge

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nelblu

nelblu

Posted
Posted
I sent an e-mail more than a week ago, and have yet to receive a response (except for "thank you for your......")

 

My over-riding feeling about this charge is sadness in the way it was implemented, because it highlighted exactly how little this company thinks of its customers. The fact that I am still waiting to hear back from anybody has compounded how I feel.

 

Why would I continue to be loyal to a company who can and do change things on a whim. Why should I continue to book with such a company who holds its customers in such low regard? $8 here, $20 there.

 

Put up your prices as much as you want by all means - but don't do it AFTER people have paid. It's disrespectful. BTW I am from the UK, therefore we are not supposed to be subject to price amendment or changes in T&C's. At least that's what we are told when prices drop, and are unable to take advantage?

 

I am but one customer obviously. So, I do not expect Royal would care less. However, I am one customer who is just back from THE BEST VACATION EVER on NCL. I am one customer who will be looking to book a further 3 cruises over the next year or so. I am not Loyal to Royal any more. Not because of $8, but because I do not like to be made to feel like an inconsequential crumb.

 

I know there are a lot of people who feel the same as me.

 

 

I guess you did not mind paying the $8 for the same on NCL. They did not make you feel like an inconsequential crumb. Your spiel makes me laugh.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
I guess you did not mind paying the $8 for the same on NCL. They did not make you feel like an inconsequential crumb. Your spiel makes me laugh.
My late mother used to like repeating a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." I think there is some value in that wisdom. At the very least, after engaging with literally thousands of service providers. retailers, government agencies, employers, etc., over the last fifty years, I would hope that I have developed enough wisdom to know to not afford the ability to make me "feel like an inconsequential crumb" in anyone's hands but my spouse's.
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0utpost

0utpost

Posted
Posted
Do I have the "freedom" to not pay my taxes? I have no problem with my tax money being used to buy food for a family that needs it to feed their kids. I do have an issue with my tax money being used to buy someone else their cigarettes. And then I get the added benefit of having to listen to someone else on this thread talk about the increased cost of medical care.:rolleyes:

Actually smokers and obese people cost the health care and retirement systems much less because they die at much younger ages.

 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Forums mobile app

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0utpost

0utpost

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I guess you did not mind paying the $8 for the same on NCL. They did not make you feel like an inconsequential crumb. Your spiel makes me laugh.

It was the change in contract after final payment, not the 8 dollars that bothered the customer you're mocking.Your lack of reading comprehension makes me laugh; you inconsequential little crumb.

 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Forums mobile app

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nelblu

nelblu

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Actually smokers and obese people cost the health care and retirement systems much less because they die at much younger ages.

 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Forums mobile app

 

 

Don't forget the skinny ones die just as young. By the way, which smokers are you referring to, cigarettes or weed smokers. The weed smokers are in vogue these days.

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Suzieanna

Suzieanna

Posted
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I never said I felt inferior? I said I felt they were treating their customers as inconsequential... Which means unimportant, insignificant etc. If they don't want loyalty, what on earth is all those points, pins and past guest crap about!

 

Also, yes I was happy to pay for room service with NCL. The same way that I always accept to pay any upcharges that are applicable at the time of booking with every supplier I deal with. I am sorry if you can't see my point. I guess your flag is in the way of your screen.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
I never said I felt inferior? I said I felt they were treating their customers as inconsequential... Which means unimportant, insignificant etc.
Two questions: Do you consider yourself a customer? Do you think being inconsequential, unimportant and insignificant is superior or inferior to being consequential, important and significant?

 

Regardless, Mrs. Roosevelt passed many years ago so it is a bit too late to question the specific wording she used, and what's worse, focusing the specific word used obstructs your ability to truly understand the substantive point she was making, that we are each 100% in control and responsible for our own reactions, responses and feelings about those things that happen in our lives.

 

If they don't want loyalty, what on earth is all those points, pins and past guest crap about!
They do want loyalty. In business, loyalty is the willingness to purchase something at a premium, so in this context, paying the $7.95 because you value the service that they're offering. Demanding that room service remains without a charge is the opposite of loyalty. And let's be clear: The cruise line is explicitly recognizing that introducing the fee in this manner warranted some compensation to passengers past the point where they can cancel with a full refund, and they are offering affected guests compensation for that. So all that's left is the matter of whether there should be a charge, and folks who answer 'no' are labeling themselves as folks who weren't really loyal. And there is nothing wrong with not being loyal to a cruise line. I'm surely not. It is important to be honest with ourselves though about that.
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rimmit Great Review Rare

rimmit

Posted
Posted
That would be an interesting discussion. I think there are some things so obvious that they're no-brainers, namely increasing the fees they've already got, expanding the scope of those fees, and expanding what circumstances to which those fees apply. Beyond that, at least one cruise line is already charging extra for checking in, embarking early, disembarking as you wish. That can be extended (if it hasn't been already) to priority disembarkation and priority embarkation at ports.

 

At least one cruise line is effectively charging cash for elite benefits for non-elite passengers - that's a scenario that keeps on giving in this regard, as you could unbundle all the elite benefits of every elite level on every mainstream cruise line and put a cash price to each item, if there isn't already a way to secure that benefit with cash.

 

At least one cruise line is setting up tables on the public decks to sell trinkets and souvenirs all cruise long. They can set up the kind of retail gauntlets we encountered at every major site we visited in Egypt, filling every inch from the gangway to the end of the pier, if the local authorities would allow it. At least one cruise line is hawking tsotchkes as part of every show hosted by the CD or assistant. That could be expanded to intermission retail opportunities. (Has anyone lost their lunch yet?)

 

At least one cruise line is surcharging for certain items in the MDR (like lobster). Of course, the MDR itself could become a surcharge item, making the buffet the "included" dining option. However, that might require careful introduction: It needs to be such that people will pay for the MDR is sufficient numbers that the utilization of the MDR vs the buffet remains the same. (Read into that and you'll probably see, "Make the food in the MDR a bit better than it is now, while making the food in the buffet noticeable lower in quality, sufficient to get folks to pay extra." If introduced gradually, say $1 surcharge for MDR per night, the transition is quite do-able.)

 

Charging for popcorn at movies where previously it was provided gratis. Good tea versus free tea. Good coffee versus free coffee, more so than is already the case. Even the oh-so-controversial "charge for milk, even though there are children involved" could be considered.

 

And the list goes on and on. The point being that if y'all think that this is nickel and diming then just wait. We've got it good right now. If the typical American consumer doesn't start thinking about what's included and what's surcharged (and there is absolutely no sign whatsoever that the typical American consumer has stopped its current trend toward even more and more fixation on bargain hunting base prices and abject ignorance about what the ramifications of that is in terms of surcharges) then these items are just the tip of the iceberg. But make no mistake: The power is 100% in the hands of consumers. Service providers couldn't care less how they take in revenue - this way or that, money is money. They can go either way. It's up to us to collectively, in vast majorities, practice consumer behaviors that prompt service providers to operate the way we wish them to.

 

We are definitely a long way from the breaking point, but at some point we will get there in regards to the main stream population. I am already at the breaking point with RCI and I have cruised with them since 1992 and have seen many changes in the last 25 years. After this recent change left a bad taste in my mouth, I started investigating all inclusive options. For 1,000 less I can book an all inclusive vacation for the same dates in either jamaica or cancun at a 4 star resort in which airfare(nonstop) , transfers, food, beverages, gratuities, and childcare (including care for my 2 year old which has a surcharge on RCI and Disney at 8 or 9 an hour) than my upcoming Anthem cruise in an inside virtual balcony cabin. If we were not past final payment I would cancel as I have not yet paid for any gratuities or child care which will add about 700. So it is a net 1700 more to go on the Anthem for identical dates and I am not even flying but driving to the port. I will still come out ahead by 700 if I take my 1,000 dollar penalty for canceling at this point, which I must say is tempting, but then RCiIgets to keep my money for nothing which is even worse.

 

As RCI and other cruise lines nickel and dime more and more, the population will eventually look elsewhere. Everyone has their own eventual breaking point, and eventually they will find a point where the population does not tolerate it and there will be a diminishing return on how much per person spending is taking place on a ship that counteracts lower base prices. Also as people feel nickel and dimed more and more on a cruise it begins to have the same feeling as a land vacation which causes a cruise to lose what makes cruising special. If you can get the same experience on land for the same price or less, why cruise? This is something more and more people will ask themselves in the upcoming years.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
Everyone has their own eventual breaking point, and eventually they will find a point where the population does not tolerate it and there will be a diminishing return on how much per person spending is taking place on a ship that counteracts lower base prices.

And at that point they'd stop, eh? Regardless, the all-inclusives will detect an uptick in demand and will start bumping up their prices and then back and forth the ping pong ball will go. Remember: this is all value-based pricing. Market research determines what the customers' perceived value of your product is and that drives your​ pricing, easy-peasy.

 

I think there are some in this forum who would consider your comments about "Why cruise?" to be blasphemous! :)

 

They do know how I feel.
Then let's see what they say when they finally give you a response to your expression of dissatisfaction.

 

And if you think you've got their bottom line response already then perhaps you can post what you sent to them so that we can take a look at what might have prompted what you consider to be their inadequate response.

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

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bamelin

bamelin

Posted
Posted
We are definitely a long way from the breaking point, but at some point we will get there in regards to the main stream population. I am already at the breaking point with RCI and I have cruised with them since 1992 and have seen many changes in the last 25 years. After this recent change left a bad taste in my mouth, I started investigating all inclusive options. For 1,000 less I can book an all inclusive vacation for the same dates in either jamaica or cancun at a 4 star resort in which airfare(nonstop) , transfers, food, beverages, gratuities, and childcare (including care for my 2 year old which has a surcharge on RCI and Disney at 8 or 9 an hour) than my upcoming Anthem cruise in an inside virtual balcony cabin. If we were not past final payment I would cancel as I have not yet paid for any gratuities or child care which will add about 700. So it is a net 1700 more to go on the Anthem for identical dates and I am not even flying but driving to the port. I will still come out ahead by 700 if I take my 1,000 dollar penalty for canceling at this point, which I must say is tempting, but then RCiIgets to keep my money for nothing which is even worse.

 

As RCI and other cruise lines nickel and dime more and more, the population will eventually look elsewhere. Everyone has their own eventual breaking point, and eventually they will find a point where the population does not tolerate it and there will be a diminishing return on how much per person spending is taking place on a ship that counteracts lower base prices. Also as people feel nickel and dimed more and more on a cruise it begins to have the same feeling as a land vacation which causes a cruise to lose what makes cruising special. If you can get the same experience on land for the same price or less, why cruise? This is something more and more people will ask themselves in the upcoming years.

 

The Contemporary lines have already lost me.

 

I stick with the Premium lines and if the upcharges get too bad on those I'll either move to the Premium-Plus/Deluxe category or head back to premium upscale land based all inclusive resorts like Secrets, Sandals or Couples.

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nelblu

nelblu

Posted
Posted
People can still enjoy an assortment of items on their balcony or in their room at no extra charge. If someone has to have eggs or pancakes or bacon or anything else head to WJ and bring it back.

 

 

on my upcoming 12 nite Medit., one of the beauty is having breakfast on my balcony while sailing into port. I'll make sure if I see a tray in the corridor, I'll abscond with it to my cabin and use to transport any hot entrees from the WJ.

 

The only problem, the tours are early and we usually would order for delivery by 6am and the WJ opens at 7am, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe because of the surcharge in place, RCL should open the WJ by 6am.

Wonder, if anyone taken an out order from the MDR

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Sailor_Sally

Sailor_Sally

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Posted

Sorry but except for breakfast which usually came on time RCL room service was awful . We called last year on the Brilliance and it was an hour and half wait .We were recently on a carnival ship and room service came so quick I could not believe it . So I have a hard time thinking that even with the charge RCL will get it together were room service is quicker .

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rimmit Great Review Rare

rimmit

Posted
Posted
And at that point they'd stop, eh? Regardless, the all-inclusives will detect an uptick in demand and will start bumping up their prices and then back and forth the ping pong ball will go. Remember: this is all value-based pricing. Market research determines what the customers' perceived value of your product is and that drives your​ pricing, easy-peasy.

 

The ping pong game started long ago. It's called capitalism. :)

 

Everyone just has a different threshold for when they start playing.

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cruze daddy

cruze daddy

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Posted

I sent the email below to Special Needs. We are currently booked for 2 upcoming cruises, one is in a Accessible Balcony, the other an accessible was not available so we booked a Junior Suite in order to get a wider door in order to accommodate a mobility scooter.

 

 

As per the email below, they are waiving the RS fee for me on both cruises.

 

 

Below is the email I sent to Special Needs, followed by their response.

 

 

Hi

 

 

 

Being disabled - I have some concerns about the new $7.95 room service charge. Although I plan to have a scooter for these 2 cruises, There are days and or evenings when I am simply not able to even get on the scooter and go out for a bite to eat. I can understand the charge for able bodied persons who are able to leave their rooms and get something to eat, however, I do not see it as being fair to those of us who because of our disability are not able to go out whenever we please.

 

 

Please consider waiving the fee for those in an accessible cabin, or those who have been flagged in your systems as being disabled.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank-you for your consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for contacting the Access Department with your inquiry.

 

 

 

I am pleased to advise you advise you that you will not be charged the fee for room service and I have coded your reservations and the ship staff will be advised as well.

 

 

 

Once you arrive at the pier, we recommend speaking with one of our agents and they will be able to arrange boarding assistance. During peak times, there may be a wait for assistance.

 

 

 

We also recommend speaking with the Guest Services/Relations Desk who will assist you with accommodations for the departure at the end of your cruise.

 

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

Tracy Cabrera

 

Senior Access Advocate

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