Turn Down Service is going away - will daily room service be next?

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, lyndarra said:

I've never really understood why we need a "turn down" service. Is it really that hard to get into a bed?

Daily fresh towels? Don't do it at home so why on a cruise? I'lI hang my towel up after use or leave it on the floor if, as suggested, I want it replaced.

 

You don’t need to understand others, just yourself.  Yes, I only use my towels once at home.  I don’t have a plethora of towel bars to let me towels dry out out.  I don’t want to reuse a towel that may have gone sour because it’s wet.  I have my shower right before dinner when on a cruise also sometimes I hand wash items so I don’t want wet towels on my floor until the next day, maybe 18 hours.  I’m totally good with you getting as little or as much service as you like.  I think you should have the same consideration.  
 

To the op, they were only doing once a day cleaning on the koningsdam in November 2021.  I’m speaking of my room only.  I wasn’t staying in an other rooms, nor was I in a suite. I was ok with it if it would help.  Then someone on this board mentioned when does it stop and I thought that’s right.  I’m not getting a free or discounted cabin and I shouldn’t have to settle for budget service.  Hal doesn’t need to make their problem my problem.

[Florida_gal_50]

51 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

I don't need turn down service, but it's nice to have them come into the room when they drop off the daily program to empty the trash and see if we need new towels, etc.  I can do without the towel animals, but the chocolates !!!  As I said on another thread, I'm planning on bringing my own and putting a chocolate on my and DH's pillows before we head out for dinner.  When we return, I'm going to act surprised at the fact that we've got chocolates.   LOL   

I love ❤️ that.  I was just going to say you best be bringing your own because the chocolates are handed out like gold (speaking for my cabin only, not suites or other cabins).

[RuthC]

Just now, Florida_gal_50 said:

I love ❤️ that.  I was just going to say you best be bringing your own because the chocolates are handed out like gold (speaking for my cabin only, not suites or other cabins).

It must vary from ship to ship, and steward to steward, then. 
On my recent cruise there was a form left on my desk asking about special requests. I noted that I wanted 2 milk chocolates left every night, which is precisely what I received! 

[ger_77]

1 minute ago, RuthC said:

It must vary from ship to ship, and steward to steward, then. 
On my recent cruise there was a form left on my desk asking about special requests. I noted that I wanted 2 milk chocolates left every night, which is precisely what I received! 

I'll look for the form . . . and it'll be dark chocolate for me; I'll leave the milk chocolate for you!

[RuthC]

1 minute ago, ger_77 said:

I'll look for the form . . . and it'll be dark chocolate for me; I'll leave the milk chocolate for you!

Bring 'em home and mail them to me, eh? 😉

[Don Kehote]

I get what OP is saying, but I have to think that correlation does not imply causation.  In this regard, letting the cabin steward slide on turn down service does not equal that HAL thinks people are perfectly fine without it.

 

If cruisers demand turn down service, they need to be vocal about it with HAL.  Not with the cabin stewards.  At the same time, we must be cognizant that unless it has effect on the Bottom Line (read: money), they probably still won't care.  

 

Sadly, it seems that the only way to really affect the change is to first give strenuous feedback on post-cruise surveys (which, again, may or may not be considered), and then to demonstrate with dollars - cruise elsewhere.  Large businesses exist solely to make money; there's no altruistic intent within the cruise industry.  They want as much of your money as they can get, while giving back the least amount of service possible.  Again, not the fault of the individual employee, but the corporate management.  

 

As usual, the people who make the most money are the ones who decide how much, or how little, service you're going to get in return for your hard-earned cash.  Me, I'ma let my steward slide, and tell HAL where the grass grows greenest.

[Mary229]

Actually now that I think about it I was offered once a day service back in 2019. All we requested for the evening was chocolates, yes that is very important.   

[daisy-mae]

18 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

 I’m not getting a free or discounted cabin and I shouldn’t have to settle for budget service.  Hal doesn’t need to make their problem my problem.

As someone who was fortunate to have a free cabin on our recent Alaska cruise, I would say that our service was far from budget. Both of our stewards were delightful and eager to please. Maybe it depends on one's attitude?...

Edited October 11, 2022 by daisy-mae

[RICHARD@SEA]

Any cutbacks..err i mean changes are most likely to be profit driven.

 

I would like to see the bonuses for HAL & CCL Corporate Executives this year.

 

I laugh when a store asks me to contribute to a  cause(whether I believe in that cause or not) when in reality I already purchased goods at the store which earned said store a profit...let the store make a donation out of their profits.

 

Business plans today have no consideration for  their customers...at any cost.  Think the now defunct CRYSTAL CRUISE LINE...

 

I have sailed on HAL since the late 1970's when they were a first class operation,,,now sadly its just turning into a floating HOLIDAY INN.

[FlaMariner]

So we've been on two HAL cruises since the unpleasantness and the room stewards were ready and willing to clean our room twice a day but we requested only one cleaning a day....with new towels.

 

I see no value in the evening "turn down" service.  Our room is not dirty, the ice has not melted and I'm capable of pulling back the bed cover myself....and we never eat the chocolate mint anyway.  

 

We do like the next "daily program" so that's left at the door.

 

 

[0106]

16 minutes ago, Don Kehote said:

Sadly, it seems that the only way to really affect the change is to first give strenuous feedback on post-cruise surveys (which, again, may or may not be considered), and then to demonstrate with dollars - cruise elsewhere.

I give daily feedback using the Navigator app. 

 

Most of it was good.  Try to write a brief note when I receive extraordinary service from any employee.  For example, I asked the employee who was hosing off my verandah if there was some way he could clean the glass on the balcony "railing" so I could see better when I  was seated.  He cleaned it inside and out.  I immediately complimented him on the app and got I call from the mgmt. thanking me for my comments.  I wrote some nice things about my MDR server and he was recognized in a staff meeting the following day and thanked me profusely that night.  

 

But when I find something to be lacking, like the slow beverage serve in the MDR, I write about that too.  I complained about lack of bar soap and it magically appeared in my room.

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

32 minutes ago, RuthC said:

It must vary from ship to ship, and steward to steward, then. 
On my recent cruise there was a form left on my desk asking about special requests. I noted that I wanted 2 milk chocolates left every night, which is precisely what I received! 

I’m sure it does.  There was no such form.  I even asked for chocolates face to face and was told no, only on gala nights.  That said it’s been since March of this year that I was on a ship.  

[Florida_gal_50]

32 minutes ago, Don Kehote said:

I get what OP is saying, but I have to think that correlation does not imply causation.  In this regard, letting the cabin steward slide on turn down service does not equal that HAL thinks people are perfectly fine without it.

 

If cruisers demand turn down service, they need to be vocal about it with HAL.  Not with the cabin stewards.  At the same time, we must be cognizant that unless it has effect on the Bottom Line (read: money), they probably still won't care.  

 

Sadly, it seems that the only way to really affect the change is to first give strenuous feedback on post-cruise surveys (which, again, may or may not be considered), and then to demonstrate with dollars - cruise elsewhere.  Large businesses exist solely to make money; there's no altruistic intent within the cruise industry.  They want as much of your money as they can get, while giving back the least amount of service possible.  Again, not the fault of the individual employee, but the corporate management.  

 

As usual, the people who make the most money are the ones who decide how much, or how little, service you're going to get in return for your hard-earned cash.  Me, I'ma let my steward slide, and tell HAL where the grass grows greenest.

I absolutely mentioned it on my cruise survey.  I can’t see any way in which I will cruise with hal in the first half of 2023 unless things take a big change for me and I don’t see that happening. I will likely be with another line which I have done in the past.

[Florida_gal_50]

32 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

As someone who was fortunate to have a free cabin on our recent Alaska cruise, I would say that our service was far from budget. Both of our stewards were delightful and eager to please. Maybe it depends on one's attitude?...

Right, that must be it.  It’s just hilarious how people grasp on to this excuse when it hits a nerve 😛. Same old, same old.  Next try.

[Florida_gal_50]

26 minutes ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

Any cutbacks..err i mean changes are most likely to be profit driven.

 

I would like to see the bonuses for HAL & CCL Corporate Executives this year.

 

I laugh when a store asks me to contribute to a  cause(whether I believe in that cause or not) when in reality I already purchased goods at the store which earned said store a profit...let the store make a donation out of their profits.

 

Business plans today have no consideration for  their customers...at any cost.  Think the now defunct CRYSTAL CRUISE LINE...

 

I have sailed on HAL since the late 1970's when they were a first class operation,,,now sadly its just turning into a floating HOLIDAY INN.

Good point.

[Florida_gal_50]

16 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

So we've been on two HAL cruises since the unpleasantness and the room stewards were ready and willing to clean our room twice a day but we requested only one cleaning a day....with new towels.

 

I see no value in the evening "turn down" service.  Our room is not dirty, the ice has not melted and I'm capable of pulling back the bed cover myself....and we never eat the chocolate mint anyway.  

 

We do like the next "daily program" so that's left at the door.

 

 

Perfect, maybe opt out of all cleaning then.

[FlaMariner]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Perfect, maybe opt out of all cleaning then.

 

No way.  

 

We need the place cleaned in the morning....and we need fresh towels.  LOL....

 

Once a day is fine/preferred for us. 

[Florida_gal_50]

16 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I give daily feedback using the Navigator app. 

 

Most of it was good.  Try to write a brief note when I receive extraordinary service from any employee.  For example, I asked the employee who was hosing off my verandah if there was some way he could clean the glass on the balcony "railing" so I could see better when I  was seated.  He cleaned it inside and out.  I immediately complimented him on the app and got I call from the mgmt. thanking me for my comments.  I wrote some nice things about my MDR server and he was recognized in a staff meeting the following day and thanked me profusely that night.  

 

But when I find something to be lacking, like the slow beverage serve in the MDR, I write about that too.  I complained about lack of bar soap and it magically appeared in my room.

 

 

I think, many, many people do this.  It seems to work like a charm on the positive feedback, not so much n the negative.  I’m speaking for MYSELF only,  not Bob, Susie or Jack.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

It must vary from ship to ship, and steward to steward, then. 
On my recent cruise there was a form left on my desk asking about special requests. I noted that I wanted 2 milk chocolates left every night, which is precisely what I received! 

Did they form have a box you checked or did you write that in?  I think I remember that form but I don't think I wrote own anything.

[dprice70]

On New Statendam this summer our steward told us of the change to once-a-day service due to Covid.  Said this was a new standard of service.  We expressed our displeasure with this and received morning and evening cleaning.  No, we don't need turn down but do want the towels and ice replaced in the evening.

 

Many passengers on the cruise just accepted what the steward said and went with the single service.  We also made a point to discuss this with the Housekeeping Manager and Customer Service Management.

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 minutes ago, dprice70 said:

On New Statendam this summer our steward told us of the change to once-a-day service due to Covid.  Said this was a new standard of service.  We expressed our displeasure with this and received morning and evening cleaning.  No, we don't need turn down but do want the towels and ice replaced in the evening.

 

Many passengers on the cruise just accepted what the steward said and went with the single service.  We also made a point to discuss this with the Housekeeping Manager and Customer Service Management.

 

I have often asked the same question about "what is the standard service protocol" at 3 levels of management and worker.   The answers are often inconsistent, which is part of the problem.    I think the official policy is:  Once a day - automatic - evening - on request.    Chocolates and towel animals on dressy night unless requested more frequently.    

[RuthC]

22 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Did they form have a box you checked or did you write that in?  I think I remember that form but I don't think I wrote own anything.

Oh, I know I wrote it in. It was specific as to what I wanted, so free-form was the only way to say what I wanted. There is always room to write something in. Sometimes you just have to work at finding it. 

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, oakridger said:

If daily cleaning is not offered at that price of hotel, I’ll be booking elsewhere!  Most places there are still options!   😉 ~Nancy 

Not easy if that is the new standard level of service.  Been in several different resort hotels that are part of the big chains.  Services every 3 days not unusual though you can call for additional towels.  Daily service more common at resorts outside the US.  Inside the US daily service is still not the norm.  Especially dealing with resorts operated under the various Hilton, Marriott and IHG brands.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, Don Kehote said:

I get what OP is saying, but I have to think that correlation does not imply causation.  In this regard, letting the cabin steward slide on turn down service does not equal that HAL thinks people are perfectly fine without it.

 

If cruisers demand turn down service, they need to be vocal about it with HAL.  Not with the cabin stewards.  At the same time, we must be cognizant that unless it has effect on the Bottom Line (read: money), they probably still won't care.  

 

Sadly, it seems that the only way to really affect the change is to first give strenuous feedback on post-cruise surveys (which, again, may or may not be considered), and then to demonstrate with dollars - cruise elsewhere.  Large businesses exist solely to make money; there's no altruistic intent within the cruise industry.  They want as much of your money as they can get, while giving back the least amount of service possible.  Again, not the fault of the individual employee, but the corporate management.  

 

As usual, the people who make the most money are the ones who decide how much, or how little, service you're going to get in return for your hard-earned cash.  Me, I'ma let my steward slide, and tell HAL where the grass grows greenest.

My concern would be - and I guess if you need to word your feedback correctly it should be OK - that Seattle would improperly categorize your displeasure with a lack of turndown service with dissatisfaction with the room steward vice the policy he was asked to implement.  

 

I suspect that Seattle takes feedback from the Hotel GM's - If they report that 60% of the guests are OK with no turndown, and then look at the surveys - if only 10% complain - then its goodbye turndown.   If 50% complain then it will probably stay around.     Another unknown to me is how far and you push the room stewards - there is a point they will not come back either.

 

One statistic I recall but can't find a good source is what percentage of cruisers are first time cruisers.   I heard it may be as high as 50%.    If they can keep those first timers happy - with usually higher on board spend - then that's another factor.    

[Mom39]

I think that the cruise lines will continue to clean daily.  There are safety issues on cruise ships and it is an excuse to check out the cabins.