How is the new process of only once a day cabin cleaning going?

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

I assume they're just not 

I'm really confused about ice. Why is it necessary? My room attendant has always ensured ice is in the bucket. I feel bad so sometimes drop a few cubes into my iced tea, but generally the bucket just sits there until the attendant fills it again. 

 

Do people really use the ice that melts in a hot second to dilute their drinks?

[tony s]

Let me add my two cents on the topic . From my paying consumer point we are paying more and getting less. Let me start by saying there is no reason ever to berate or yell at Stewards as I often see. That being said if I am paying more inDSC and getting issues such as unclean bathrooms ect I am not going to suck it up. I will complain to their supervisor guest relations,ect. I will also cut that DSC. At the end of the day it is getting what we are paying for.

[AK Dreaming]

I agree that it is ridiculous that they increase daily rate the same time they reduce services.  On my last cruise in September I had the worst cabin steward I've ever had.  They were still coming 2x a day but he was unpleasant most times and I was solo in a balcony cabin, which I feel I keep very neat.  I still had to call 2x on that cruise for extra towels so I could shower.  My point is, the cabin steward you get assigned will make the difference not so much the policy.  My only concern is since we have 3 in our cabin this time how and when will they take care of bedding.  Seems l like every experience is different.

[OrangeCatRamblers]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm really confused about ice. Why is it necessary? My room attendant has always ensured ice is in the bucket. I feel bad so sometimes drop a few cubes into my iced tea, but generally the bucket just sits there until the attendant fills it again. 

 

Do people really use the ice that melts in a hot second to dilute their drinks?

 

I drink a couple yeti tumblers of icy cold water every night. I'm used to our steward bringing ice in when they come to do the sleeper sofa at night, but if they aren't doing ice, I'll just fill an extra yeti myself with ice from the buffet machine. It's no big deal, I just want to know ahead of time. 

[LloydJr]

15 hours ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

I assume they're just not 

Ice dispenser in the buffet?

[clojacks]

2 hours ago, AK Dreaming said:

I agree that it is ridiculous that they increase daily rate the same time they reduce services.  On my last cruise in September I had the worst cabin steward I've ever had.  They were still coming 2x a day but he was unpleasant most times and I was solo in a balcony cabin, which I feel I keep very neat.  I still had to call 2x on that cruise for extra towels so I could shower.  My point is, the cabin steward you get assigned will make the difference not so much the policy.  My only concern is since we have 3 in our cabin this time how and when will they take care of bedding.  Seems l like every experience is different.

I have a reasonable, I believe question. 

 

In this scenario, you feel you are justified in reducing or withdrawing the DSC? By how much? Am I mistaken that the DSC's are shared among multiple crew departments? So if your beverage service has been phenomenal, and steward has been noticeably below that "standard", but you withdraw the DSC, does that not affect the other departments that you may have been extremely satisfied with? Am just curious if you can withhold, JUST the portion that may be shared with your steward, or if there is a way to even find out what that amount is? I freely admit I don't know the answer, so I am seriously posing a question, not presenting a hypothetical argument.

[vacation44]

1 hour ago, LloydJr said:

Ice dispenser in the buffet?

Yes, where the juice dispensers are located.

[hawkeyetlse]

35 minutes ago, clojacks said:

Am just curious if you can withhold, JUST the portion that may be shared with your steward, or if there is a way to even find out what that amount is?

Nobody knows exactly how NCL distributes the DSC (although you mentioned beverage service, and that department does not get a share, because there is a separate service charge on drinks). It's primarily for housekeeping and complimentary dining (and unspecified behind-the-scenes crew). So if you remove your DSC, I guess we can assume it somehow, eventually takes money away from those departments.

 

If you are unsatisfied with your cabin attendant, reduce the DSC by whatever amount you feel is appropriate but be sure to tell guest services why you're doing it. It doesn't necessarily mean that they will definitely withhold exactly that amount from your steward's pay for that cruise, but I'm pretty sure they will suffer some negative consequences from your complaint (hopefully after making sure it is justified).

[lakelivin2]

I for one have been disappointed with the service provided with the cleaning cutbacks.  I won't reduce the gratuities because I can see that the steward is doing his best to keep up with the increased demands put on him.  It isn't for my convenience that my room isn't done at 4:30 pm when I get back after a busy port day and I'd like to shower, relax, and then get ready for dinner.  Instead, I now have to locate the steward, ask him to replace my towels (or I just use the beach towels), tell him that I don't need him to do up the room and leave it for another day (did this a few times during my cruise).  

I can't blame him for the situation he's been placed under and I can't imagine asking him to make towel animals for us.  I certainly made a point of this on my survey.

Hasn't happened to you?  Perhaps you were at the front of the cleaning line, lucky you!

Did I still enjoy my cruise? Absolutely.

 

 

[AK Dreaming]

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

I have a reasonable, I believe question. 

 

In this scenario, you feel you are justified in reducing or withdrawing the DSC? By how much? Am I mistaken that the DSC's are shared among multiple crew departments? So if your beverage service has been phenomenal, and steward has been noticeably below that "standard", but you withdraw the DSC, does that not affect the other departments that you may have been extremely satisfied with? Am just curious if you can withhold, JUST the portion that may be shared with your steward, or if there is a way to even find out what that amount is? I freely admit I don't know the answer, so I am seriously posing a question, not presenting a hypothetical argument.

First and most important, you confused my comment with another person's comments.  I had an unpleasant room steward.  I did not remove my DSC and if fact left him an extra $20 tip.  Which is much less than I would have left if he had been nice or even brought me towels.  I have never removed my DSCs and cannot understand why somone would except in extreme instances but none come to mind.  In my mind the DSC is just part of the cruise cost and I tip cash for service I receive.  Everyone is different and I am not judging anyone else, but I just wanted to be clear that I would not and have not removed DSC.

[clojacks]

1 hour ago, AK Dreaming said:

First and most important, you confused my comment with another person's comments.  I had an unpleasant room steward.  I did not remove my DSC and if fact left him an extra $20 tip.  Which is much less than I would have left if he had been nice or even brought me towels.  I have never removed my DSCs and cannot understand why somone would except in extreme instances but none come to mind.  In my mind the DSC is just part of the cruise cost and I tip cash for service I receive.  Everyone is different and I am not judging anyone else, but I just wanted to be clear that I would not and have not removed DSC.

You're 100% correct AK...I should have been clearer that I was using your experience as the basis for my hypothetical, not that you actually withheld any DSC. Kudo's for you for clarifying that. I should have mentioned I was more curious how someone who felt it was warranted would determine how much to withhold. 

 

We sailed the Joy through the Panama Canal the first week the changes were implemented and I think it had more of an impact on our steward than it did on us. We are extremely low maintenance and one of the reasons we don't bid on a Suite upgrade is because we wouldn't know what the hell to do with a Butler! Our Steward must have thought about these changes for a while to try to make it the least impactful, because he developed a reverse room order rotation for every other day. That way, no room was the last room done every day. 1 day he started at 1 end of his 22 rooms, and the next day he started at the opposite end. At the end of the day, when the daily's were available for distribution, rather than just stick them in the mail slot, he knocked on the doors to hand them to each room and see if anything was needed. I saw absolutely NOTHING that we couldn't manage by not having a second service. 

[hawkeyetlse]

It sounds like lots of people are asking to get early cabin service, so if you don't say anything, your cabin will probably get pushed to 3-6pm. And if too many people ask for morning service, the attendant has to guess which ones will cause him/her the most grief and actually do their cabins early, and hope for the best with everyone else.

 

I wouldn't like to be in their position, but I guess increased communication and flexibility (on both the steward's and the guests' part) can go a long way towards making this all work. I'd rather have my cabin done before 3pm every day, but if I'm told it needs to be later, I can plan around it without too much inconvenience.

 

[bedfordmom]

On 3/6/2023 at 1:06 PM, OrangeCatRamblers said:

In every hotel I've stayed in lately, there's been a cart of "help yourself" towels in the hall, and one even had a large trash bin in the hall to empty your own trash. 

 

Wouldn't it make sense to have these on board now with the service cuts, as well as a help-yourself ice machine on every deck? 

 

How are people getting ice at night with these changes? 

Ice what is that. No one got ice even once a day

[bedfordmom]

On 3/7/2023 at 4:08 PM, hawkeyetlse said:

It sounds like lots of people are asking to get early cabin service, so if you don't say anything, your cabin will probably get pushed to 3-6pm. And if too many people ask for morning service, the attendant has to guess which ones will cause him/her the most grief and actually do their cabins early, and hope for the best with everyone else.

 

I wouldn't like to be in their position, but I guess increased communication and flexibility (on both the steward's and the guests' part) can go a long way towards making this all work. I'd rather have my cabin done before 3pm every day, but if I'm told it needs to be later, I can plan around it without too much inconvenience.

 

We asked but said too many people wanted early. So we got stuck with late . One day we had to wait while he prepared the bunk for the incoming cruise. Not fair. And forget about towel animas. We are platinum so it’s not our first rodeo.

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

26 minutes ago, bedfordmom said:

We asked but said too many people wanted early. So we got stuck with late . One day we had to wait while he prepared the bunk for the incoming cruise. Not fair. And forget about towel animas. We are platinum so it’s not our first rodeo.

I'm always as courteous and respectful as possible with the room stewards, but I'd have told them to get the heck out of my room and deal with the bunk for the next when my cruise was over. That's absurd. 

[bedfordmom]

10 minutes ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

I'm always as courteous and respectful as possible with the room stewards, but I'd have told them to get the heck out of my room and deal with the bunk for the next when my cruise was over. That's absurd. 

Agree but we were so shocked we did not know what to say. 

[tony s]

57 minutes ago, bedfordmom said:

We asked but said too many people wanted early. So we got stuck with late . One day we had to wait while he prepared the bunk for the incoming cruise. Not fair. And forget about towel animas. We are platinum so it’s not our first rodeo.

Wrong you went along. I can see being late in rotation but everyday and they do not try to accommodate you nope! That is why DSC is discretionary. The moment you go to cut they will accommodate. Worked for us 

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

2 hours ago, bedfordmom said:

Agree but we were so shocked we did not know what to say. 

I'd have gone with "Please leave my cabin immediately." 

[psuboater]

Got off the Joy on the 24th. It didn't affect our cruise in any negative way. To me, it's more of hotel housekeeping now. We met our room attendant on day 2 or 3 because he was so busy. The 1x a day worked for us especially that we spent more time in our room than usual with the cold weather, so we didn't have to worry about a 2nd service later in the day. I think the only negative was the lack of towels. We were given 2, and if one was overly wet, there wasn't a replacement  until the next day. I think if they just gave us 4 to begin with, it wouldn't have been an issue. I plan on asking for extra towel on our next cruise- problem solved. 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

32 minutes ago, psuboater said:

Got off the Joy on the 24th. It didn't affect our cruise in any negative way. To me, it's more of hotel housekeeping now. We met our room attendant on day 2 or 3 because he was so busy. The 1x a day worked for us especially that we spent more time in our room than usual with the cold weather, so we didn't have to worry about a 2nd service later in the day. I think the only negative was the lack of towels. We were given 2, and if one was overly wet, there wasn't a replacement  until the next day. I think if they just gave us 4 to begin with, it wouldn't have been an issue. I plan on asking for extra towel on our next cruise- problem solved. 

 

A help-yourself towel cart in the corridor would help so much. 

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

4 minutes ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

A help-yourself towel cart in the corridor would help so much. 

Sadly the phenomenon that makes humans turn into hoarding lying cretins once they're on a cruise ship would mean they'd be stolen immediately, unless they provided a manned station like they do wit pool towels with a check-out process. 

[more2sea]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered but wondering does this change on embark day.

Are all cabins cleaned in morning?   In past we could get into cabin after lunch.  Can't imagine waiting 3-6 to get into cabin on embark day.  

[psuboater]

1 hour ago, more2sea said:

Sorry if this has been asked and answered but wondering does this change on embark day.

Are all cabins cleaned in morning?   In past we could get into cabin after lunch.  Can't imagine waiting 3-6 to get into cabin on embark day.  

We weren't able to get into our cabins until 3:30pm, and the luggage came at 6 -- definiely the latest we've experienced.

[LoungerOnBalcony55]

Folks just remember this is all done for your convenience. 

[BirdTravels]

On 3/7/2023 at 8:49 AM, tony s said:

Let me add my two cents on the topic . From my paying consumer point we are paying more and getting less. 

Now, isn't that true about just about everything... paying more and getting less. Shrinkflation? 

 

Why would you ever expect a business to hold their prices in today's economy???? 

 

A year ago, I could get a dozen eggs for $0.79 on sale. Today, the "sale" price is $4.75. Yeah, blame the flu, but everything else is in the same boat. Do you think that the ship can prepare that omelet in the buffet for the same price this year that they did last year?

 

That bag of Lays potato chips is 2 oz lighter and 30% more $$$.And you buy it every week,,, but you expect the cruise line or any business for that matter to off you the same service for the same cost as 2 year ago. That is simply not realistic.