Expand room service?

[livsea2]

One of the things we prefer on Royal Caribbean over Princess is that RCCL provides anything available in the kitchen through room service. What ever is on the evenings dinner menu can be delivered to your room. Same at breakfast or lunch. Why do you suppose, Princess maintains such a limited room service menu? It couldn't be that difficult nor expensive to deliver a dinner plate that's already made up in the galley instead of a sandwich could it? And why can't Princess do it if Royal Caribbean can? Your thoughts?

[custompcsys]

With all due respect, I really don't understand the point of this post, other than to let people know that RCCL does, in your opinion, a better job at room service than Princess. Anything we come up with here would be pure speculation and have little or no basis in fact. If you really want to know the answer, contact the Princess corporate offices and ask to speak with the Executive Chef for the line. He/she or their staff would be the only ones who could provide a real answer. Anything any of us would say here, unless we worked for the cruiseline at some point, would just be a guess.

 

Different cruise lines appeal to different people because they choose to emphasize different things. You should sail with whom you feel gives you the best experience.

[bhopal21]

With all due respect, I really don't understand the point of this post, other than to let people know that RCCL does, in your opinion, a better job at room service than Princess. Anything we come up with here would be pure speculation and have little or no basis in fact. If you really want to know the answer, contact the Princess corporate offices and ask to speak with the Executive Chef for the line. He/she or their staff would be the only ones who could provide a real answer. Anything any of us would say here, unless we worked for the cruiseline at some point, would just be a guess.

 

Different cruise lines appeal to different people because they choose to emphasize different things. You should sail with whom you feel gives you the best experience.

 

Great response!:D

 

We can beat it to death here on the forum; but it won't change a thing other than agitate a few people.

 

Mike:)

[livsea2]

With all due respect, I really don't understand the point of this post, other than to let people know that RCCL does, in your opinion, a better job at room service than Princess. Anything we come up with here would be pure speculation and have little or no basis in fact. If you really want to know the answer, contact the Princess corporate offices and ask to speak with the Executive Chef for the line. He/she or their staff would be the only ones who could provide a real answer. Anything any of us would say here, unless we worked for the cruiseline at some point, would just be a guess.

 

Different cruise lines appeal to different people because they choose to emphasize different things. You should sail with whom you feel gives you the best experience.

 

The point is that yes different cruise lines choose to emphasize different things. We are platinum cruisers on both RCCL and Princess for that reason, there are different things we like on both lines neither are perfect. Last time I checked the name of this board is cruise CRITIC. This is where we are supposed to present ideas to improve our cruise experience on our favorite cruise line, among other things such as help new cruisers and further the cause of cruise vacations. I happen to feel that if Princess expanded their room service experience then they not RCCL would give ME the better cruise experience. If many others feel the same and express it on these boards I guarantee it will go much further in getting Princess to upgrade their room service policies than one person calling them. They do read these boards and they will listen to their best customers.....US.

What I was looking for is the opinion of other seasoned cruisers as what might be the reason for Princess opting to handle room service as they do and to get people discussing it so if they happen to think as I do that the room service policy needs to be addressed they can say so on their opinion card following their next cruise. With all due respect.....

[Toto2Kansas]

Princess stopped the extended room service options when they added it to their 'suite amenities' list, and also when they began their 'Ultimate Balcony Dining' option. They added quite a few goodies for their full suites and full room service was one of the items.

It wasn't that long ago that Princess had very few extras when booking a full suite.

 

I still miss the days when we were able to order dinner in our mini suite from the diningroom menu, especially on formal nights which we no longer attend onboard. And ordering a full breakfast on port days to avoid the crowds.

[livsea2]

So they do offer a full dinner menu to the full suites? I didn't realize that, we usually do a mini suite. I thought it was only breakfast that had a full menu.

[Toto2Kansas]

So they do offer a full dinner menu to the full suites? I didn't realize that, we usually do a mini suite. I thought it was only breakfast that had a full menu.

 

Yes, full suites will give you all meals offered on the diningroom menu. Each day the room steward will place a new set of menus, Lunch and Dinner in your suite book. And there will be an expanded breakfast menu for you to hang on your door for the next morning on your pillow each night.

[custompcsys]

The point is that yes different cruise lines choose to emphasize different things. We are platinum cruisers on both RCCL and Princess for that reason, there are different things we like on both lines neither are perfect. Last time I checked the name of this board is cruise CRITIC. This is where we are supposed to present ideas to improve our cruise experience on our favorite cruise line, among other things such as help new cruisers and further the cause of cruise vacations. I happen to feel that if Princess expanded their room service experience then they not RCCL would give ME the better cruise experience. If many others feel the same and express it on these boards I guarantee it will go much further in getting Princess to upgrade their room service policies than one person calling them. They do read these boards and they will listen to their best customers.....US.

What I was looking for is the opinion of other seasoned cruisers as what might be the reason for Princess opting to handle room service as they do and to get people discussing it so if they happen to think as I do that the room service policy needs to be addressed they can say so on their opinion card following their next cruise. With all due respect.....

 

I honestly was not trying to be disrespectful or flame, I just didn't understand where you wanted this to go. I guess I am not as optimistic as you are when you say that Princess listens to what is said here enough to affect a major policy change, and I was looking at it from that point of view. I view this board more as an exchange of information among cruisers rather than a collective voice to try and affect changes in cruise line policy. Given your explanation and the reasoning behind it, however, I can now better understand what you are trying to do.

 

In that spirit, yes, I agree it would be nice to be able to order anything on the dining room menu from room service. Based on what Toto has said it would appear, however, that Princess has reserved this as a perk for suite passengers. Also, since I rarely use room service on board ship, the current policy is not a "make or break" for me.

 

I hope that clears up where I was coming from :)

[Bucky3]

Nice to see how this has turned into a really good and sane discussion! We rarely use room service, but on the last morning of a HA cruise we did and were amazed at the fast, efficient, and nicely presented hot breakfast we received. We're still Princess cheerleaders, but have to agree that full meal service would be great sometimes. Princess has very nice Captain Circle "perks!" This would be a wonderful addition to that program especially on formal nights.

[Toto2Kansas]

Just to elaborate just a bit more. At one time, full suites on Princess were not frequently booked. There were no added perks except for the larger stateroom, but there was a huge added price. You heard and read more of passengers being upgraded to these full suites rather than actually paying the price for them on Princess.

 

Many years ago, when Princess developed ships with hundreds of mini suites (began with the Grand Princess in 1998 and with all the new builds since)They advertised their mini suites with a special suite service. Butlers, bar set up, lots of extras. Well, that didn't last long as Princess decided to cancel all butlers and cut down the perks in the minis to absolutely nothing. :(

 

At that time the full suites also offered no added benefits, again, then they had previously.

 

Flash forward to a few years ago. Princess decided to upgrade the perks for full suites and also begin their Ultimate Balcony dining concept. Almost immediately that stopped the full room service for anyone except those booking a full suite.

 

From what I can see, it (along with the rest of the full suite benefits) has helped Princess to sell those full suites now compared to before, as you rarely find one available for booking last minute, or even several months before a sailing. Huge difference now from before when there were no added benefits to a full suite, except the higher price of coarse.

 

The one thing that bothers me about this, and I am sure it has hit many new princess passengers hard, is that most online agents will list mini suites as 'suites', so those booking a mini just take it for granted they will receive the 'suite perks' with their mini and find when they board the ship that this is just not the case. I do wish they would divide up these categories as it is very misleading to someone who has never sailed on Princess before or has no access to the full information about the difference between a mini suite and a full suite on this cruise line.

 

I totally agree with the OP on this one though. Of all the things I miss the most on Princess ships, it is the full stateroom dining option that no longer exists unless you are sailing in a full suite.

With the crowds that you find on port mornings, all trying to hit the buffet at the same time, I would think that at least bringing back the expanded room service breakfast would take care of this one problem that so many complain about, and keep the crowds to a minimum at the buffet.

I know, there are options such as paying for the ultimate balcony breakfast or Dinner. But I feel there should be a larger choice for room service included in the cruise fare. This in turn would add to the passengers enjoyment of the dining experience and also help the cruise line by cutting those buffet lines down to a more manageable number.

 

OK, off my soap box now.....................:) :)

 

Edited: Bucky3-Yes, that would be a great addition to the Elite Perks offered on Princess. Even if it were just the expanded breakfast menu which would be easy to do by having the room stewards leave the expanded cards in the captain's circle staterooms only.

[livsea2]

That's a great idea adding it as a Captain's Circle perk! Platinum of course! I don't mind one formal night to get pictures, but on the 10 day and longer cruises they have two. That's one too many and of course they have the best menu items on formal night so it's either dress up again or have a lesser meal.

Also, if you think the opinion of a larger number of their customers on this board wont affect change at Princess you are sadly mistaken. As expressed by many Princess employees both on this board and their blogs, Princess, and many cruise lines, monitor Cruise Critic and discuss their best customers opinions. This is their best source of marketing surveys and it's free!

[tekdiva]

I bet if you ask room service nicely, you can get whatever you can get whatever you order off of any menu...;)

[Toto2Kansas]

I bet if you ask room service nicely, you can get whatever you can get whatever you order off of any menu...;)

 

No, it doesn't work that way, sorry. This deals with room service and your stateroom steward really doesn't have much at all to do with it. :(

[Casshew]

She said ask 'room service' nicely, not the room steward. ;)

 

I've had bagels and cream cheese delivered for breakfast just by writing it in on the card, I also asked for a side of bacon for my DD and it came as well. :)

[Toto2Kansas]

She said ask 'room service' nicely, not the room steward. ;)

 

I've had bagels and cream cheese delivered for breakfast just by writing it in on the card, I also asked for a side of bacon for my DD and it came as well. :)

 

Opps! My apology, time to clean my glasses. :o

 

But even asking room service nicely will not get you a full breakfast delivered, even with the promise of a great tip. ;)

[tekdiva]

Opps! My apology, time to clean my glasses. :o

 

But even asking room service nicely will not get you a full breakfast delivered, even with the promise of a great tip. ;)

 

 

I was confused cause I had no idea what you were talking about! But it didn't help that I duplicated a few words in there....lol

[Toto2Kansas]

Jackie, Yep, I think that might have helped me misunderstand, I remember having to try to read what you meant several times before I answered. I was concentrating so much on the double words, I forgot what the beginning said. ROFL Happens to me posting sometimes also.................just wanted to apologize for answering with a totally wrong response. ;)

[dyanalee]

Opps! My apology, time to clean my glasses. :o

 

But even asking room service nicely will not get you a full breakfast delivered, even with the promise of a great tip. ;)

 

 

On early excursion days my husband just ran down to the Horizon Buffet and brought up two plates of food, no big deal, he is up at 4am anyway. With me being a diabetic I needed something to hold me over until we got back. One of our excursions was at 7:30am, the others I picked the noon one for just that reason. I hate to eat and run, lol

[erdnap1]

I always ammend the breakfast door tag to include chocolate milk - something that is not a choice already. I've done this on two cruises, both on the Crown. The first cruise, i received my chocolate milk on the first morning, but I didn't have a tip readily available and I was half asleep to think to write it on the ticket. After that 1st day, my chocolate milk request was DENIED every day thereafter.

 

My secont Crown cruise, I did the same thing, but this time I tipped a couple of buck the first time. Believe it or now, I got my chocolate milk every day as requested without fail.

 

I found it quite amusing. I had to have my chocolate milk fix!!:) ;)

[Lorey2007]

We'll be in a a mini suite on the Crown. Does anyone have a link to view the room service menus? Thanks

[Toto2Kansas]

We'll be in a a mini suite on the Crown. Does anyone have a link to view the room service menus? Thanks

 

Any room service menu from any Princess ship will do. They do not change from ship to ship unless you have a full suite booked (minis aren't included and receive the same as every other category).

[Lorey2007]

Any room service menu from any Princess ship will do. They do not change from ship to ship unless you have a full suite booked (minis aren't included and receive the same as every other category).

Can you post a site I can view those menus.

[Toto2Kansas]

Looking!

[Toto2Kansas]

Room Service Menu

[livsea2]

I always ammend the breakfast door tag to include chocolate milk - something that is not a choice already. I've done this on two cruises, both on the Crown. The first cruise, i received my chocolate milk on the first morning, but I didn't have a tip readily available and I was half asleep to think to write it on the ticket. After that 1st day, my chocolate milk request was DENIED every day thereafter.

 

My secont Crown cruise, I did the same thing, but this time I tipped a couple of buck the first time. Believe it or now, I got my chocolate milk every day as requested without fail.

 

I found it quite amusing. I had to have my chocolate milk fix!!:) ;)

 

This is not the first time I have heard that if you don't tip, subsequent requests "off menu" are not honored but when you tip they are...hmmmm. Altough I have read that "off menu" requests are denied up front. I guess they need to establish a consistant policy. Preferably one of the customer is always right! Give them what they want....within reason of course.