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New $9.95 + 18% grat for room service

Elros

By Elros,
in Celebrity Cruises

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Elros

Elros

Posted
Posted

In the app for some sailings it appears there is now a $9.95 + 18% gratuity for all room service aside from continental breakfast items. This new policy isn’t currently showing up for all sailings yet (this screenshot is from the current reflection sailing in the app). 
 

Sad if this is the policy going forward. Really enjoyed Celebrity for having “everything included” but it looks like they are trying to find more ways to nickel and dime their customers. 

0CD46D99-0C66-4C1A-A6C6-97467645093C.png

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BermudaBound2014 Great Review Rare

BermudaBound2014

Posted
Posted
39 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

I hope it doesn't stick or migrate to other cruise lines......

 

Room service fees arrived to other cruise lines years ago.  Royal Caribbean charges $7.95. NCL charges $9.95. MSC also adds a delivery fee to their lower category rooms. There maybe others, but those are the last three lines I've sailed. This is a one time delivery charge regardless how much food is ordered.

 

IMO, this will soon become the norm across the industry.

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miched

miched

Posted
Posted (edited)

On our recent cruise the service charge was for room service during the late night.   I think it was after midnight and before 5 or 6 am 

 

Happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited by miched
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Josie201

Josie201

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Posted

Wonder if that’s per order or per person .  We often travel as a group of six.  Would make more sense if we combined our order … but kind of tough for the server to bring four club sandwiches, three Caesar salads, two burgers etc etc for 9,95 vs for example one club sandwich for 9,95.  I’m not against the service charge per se but would like to see realistic implemention rules .  

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NorthStarStateCruiser

NorthStarStateCruiser

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Josie201 said:

Wonder if that’s per order or per person .  We often travel as a group of six.  Would make more sense if we combined our order … but kind of tough for the server to bring four club sandwiches, three Caesar salads, two burgers etc etc for 9,95 vs for example one club sandwich for 9,95.  I’m not against the service charge per se but would like to see realistic implemention rules .  

Charge is always per order, not per person or item. Order as many items as much as you want. You're not gaming the system by doing this.

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goofysmom99

goofysmom99

Posted
Posted

The charge is showing on the app on my upcoming February cruises. This one actually may be the straw that breaks this camel's back.  One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is having room service breakfast.  I don't have to get dressed to walk the dog first like I would at home.  And it's decadent to have someone bring me my breakfast.  Then there's the gluten-free thing.  GF dinner is easy but it's tough to really enjoy the hassle of gluten-free breakfast.  Trying to get someone to toast the GF bread in OV is always an adventure, just one of many.  Lunch can be worse.  In the MDR breakfast, they're very often clueless about GF choices and have made mistakes.  Over the years, I've discovered the safest way to stay "unglutened" is to order room service breakfast and about 50% of the time, lunch.  I'm going to spend a few hours researching other cruise lines (Azamara, O, etc., not the big ones) today.  I'll be darned if I'm going to give X nearly $12 per delivery for the privilege of having a GF breakfast/lunch.

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WrittenOnYourHeart Great Review Rare

WrittenOnYourHeart

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

The charge is showing on the app on my upcoming February cruises. This one actually may be the straw that breaks this camel's back.  One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is having room service breakfast.  I don't have to get dressed to walk the dog first like I would at home.  And it's decadent to have someone bring me my breakfast.  Then there's the gluten-free thing.  GF dinner is easy but it's tough to really enjoy the hassle of gluten-free breakfast.  Trying to get someone to toast the GF bread in OV is always an adventure, just one of many.  Lunch can be worse.  In the MDR breakfast, they're very often clueless about GF choices and have made mistakes.  Over the years, I've discovered the safest way to stay "unglutened" is to order room service breakfast and about 50% of the time, lunch.  I'm going to spend a few hours researching other cruise lines (Azamara, O, etc., not the big ones) today.  I'll be darned if I'm going to give X nearly $12 per delivery for the privilege of having a GF breakfast/lunch.

 

Interesting. This is the first I've heard of room service being safe for food allergies (I'm allergic to wheat, ergo I'm gluten-free). I've always been cautioned against using room service for anything not naturally safe.

 

I've never had issues in the buffet - granted, I don't have to have toast (never liked it), but it's been simple. And I had no issues on the Edge for MDR breakfast - unless you count my server not understanding "if they cannot do gluten-free pancakes, then an egg white omelette" and bringing both as an issue. My server perfectly understood what I needed and was asking - just not the either/or part of my request.

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omeinv

omeinv

Posted
Posted

I'm wondering if they're adding it to itineraries over holidays, or times when they've had perhaps a lot of demand they may deem frivolous (I'm thinking spring breaks and so forth).  I imagine when there are a lot of kids aboard they might get a lot of orders that tax the capacity of the food service staff.

 

I just updated the app and checked all these cruises: Millennium Feb 23, Solstice April 23, Edge November and December 23, and Millennium April 24.  All still show only the late night charge. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

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Lastdance

Lastdance

Posted
Posted (edited)
45 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

I can understand this being concerning for some people.  Have only ever used room service during quarantine so not a fun experience.

Us too!  However, I will say that our food was very good, especially in the morning and evening, but do not want to experience this again!

Edited by Lastdance
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mnocket

mnocket

Posted
Posted (edited)
59 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

The charge is showing on the app on my upcoming February cruises. This one actually may be the straw that breaks this camel's back.  One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is having room service breakfast.  I don't have to get dressed to walk the dog first like I would at home.  And it's decadent to have someone bring me my breakfast.  Then there's the gluten-free thing.  GF dinner is easy but it's tough to really enjoy the hassle of gluten-free breakfast.  Trying to get someone to toast the GF bread in OV is always an adventure, just one of many.  Lunch can be worse.  In the MDR breakfast, they're very often clueless about GF choices and have made mistakes.  Over the years, I've discovered the safest way to stay "unglutened" is to order room service breakfast and about 50% of the time, lunch.  I'm going to spend a few hours researching other cruise lines (Azamara, O, etc., not the big ones) today.  I'll be darned if I'm going to give X nearly $12 per delivery for the privilege of having a GF breakfast/lunch.

I've come accept that the mainstream cruise lines are in the midst of resetting their customer experience.  I'm guessing their calculus is that is it worth pissing off and losing some older (i.e. loyal) customers in order to establish a new service expectation for newer/younger customers.  I'm afraid it's becoming an irresistible force - accept it or look elsewhere.  Personally, I've decided to move upscale and take fewer cruises, but on luxury lines.  I've also started to mix in more land-based vacations as well.  I'm saddened, but not really angry, that mainstream cruise lines have decided on this direction.  They have to do what they think is best for them.......  and so do I.

 

Edit:  lol just noticed the next thread on the Celebrity board...

 

 

Like I said - it's becoming an irresistible force in the industry.

Edited by mnocket
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