Cruise Lines to start charging for room service, (not DCL, so far)

[Tonka's Skipper]

Interesting.


Carnival Cruise Lines to start charging for room service
Published April 07, 2015
FoxNews.com
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A dining room aboard the Carnival Triumph. (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Carnival has announced it will start testing a 24-hour room service menu on board several ships—but premium service comes with a fee.

The move comes just a few days after rival cruise line Norwegian announced it would be adding a service charge to room service orders.


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The new menu will feature a diverse range of items including sushi, chicken wings, fried shrimp, quesadillas and customizable pizzas, ranging in price from $4 to $7. Carnival is hoping to offer cruises better quality and more choices when it comes to ship dining. Free selections will still be available around the clock which include hot and cold sandwiches, salads, desserts and breakfast pastries, according to Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen.

While some cruisers seem happy with the addition of better quality menu items-- even if they come with additional costs-- other cruise fans are upset that lines are tacking on new fees that should be included with in the cost of a general cruise ticket.

“What a shame if they start charging for room service items. I would be okay with paying for hot items though! Most of the food we can get from lido when its open so it seems like we are being charged for something we already paid for in our cruise fair[sic],” wrote v3cruiser on Carnival’s message board.


The new menu will roll out on three Carnival ships-- the Imagination, Conquest and Pride-- on April 12. Customer feedback will guide the cruise line in determining whether or not the pay-per items will be rolled out to other ships in the future.

 

[angelinaxox]

I had read about the NCL change and how upset people have been on the NCL boards, but hadn't heard about Carnival starting this as well although many predicted that it was only time before the others followed suit. I wasn't happy when RCI started charging for room service after midnight awhile back, so not a fan of the charges for room service during the day, even though I rarely use it. I am just not a big fan of the cruiselines adding more and more fees for things that used to be included. That is why I find myself cruising Disney more than the other lines lately as they still include things that the other lines have cut back on. Hope NCL and Carnival aren't successful in testing this and discontinue the charges.

 

[Michellynn]

That is interesting. It almost sounds like Norwegian and Carnival had limited room service menus to begin with (compared to Disney anyway). Or that is my impression from the above info. I've never actually sailed on carnival or Norwegian.

 

[tup1830]

How is this different from DCL? DCL charges for some items, but other items are free. Carnival will start to charge for some items, but other items are free...as is the case with NCL.

I ordered a powerade to the room after i had a bout of vomiting and was charged.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

How is this different from DCL? DCL charges for some items, but other items are free. Carnival will start to charge for some items, but other items are free...as is the case with NCL.

I ordered a powerade to the room after i had a bout of vomiting and was charged.

As I remember the menu for DCL is free, Soda, IE PowerAde was a charge whether room service or at the dining spots about the ship. The new deal with NCL and Carnival is a 2 tier menu.

AKK

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As I remember the menu for DCL is free, Soda, IE PowerAde was a charge whether room service or at the dining spots about the ship.

AKK

Correct. The only things that have a cost on the room service menu are sodas (well, any canned/bottled drinks), alcoholic drinks, pre-packaged snacks (chips, popcorn, candy).

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

HI Shmoo,

That is the way I remember it. I really was not trying to start a fess, its just a article on 2 lines going to a paying system. Something new.

AKK

 

[Angie789]

Both Carnival and NCL have dining options that are available 24 hours, so it does make some sense that they would charge a "convenience" fee - you are paying someone to deliver to you what you could go out and get for yourself.

Since DCL doesn't have that kind of round-the-clock availability for eating options, I would hope that they would not follow suit with these charges, since there is a significant chunk of time where room service is your ONLY dining option. Because DCL offers far less in terms of hours/options for eating, I don't see them charging for room service.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I really was not trying to start a fess

Didn't think you were.

 

[Dug720]

I want to say HAL has a service fee "after hours" - midnight to 5am or something like that. I wasn't ordering anything then, but I think I remember seeing that last year.

 

[perditax]

It seems the mass market cruise industry is in a big "unbundling" phase right now, meaning breaking out things that used to be part of your cruise fare and tacking on fees and auto gratuities to them (including some situations where it seems like you are paying a double dip gratuity, or triple if you also hand over a cash tip). I hope DCL remains more or less where they are now (higher prices but relatively little unbundling). It seems strange to me, because it's clear cruisers like the all-inclusive pricing, AND the cruise industry is supposed to be having record sales. The trend has made me start pricing out some higher-end lines that actually ARE all inclusive.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

If it means more variety I'll pay for it.

But like another poster stated, it seems more fair to charge for something when you could've gotten it yourself. Don't get hungry on a Disney ship after midnight. Then again, our BLT pig-out in the wee hours was fun!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Oh. And before anyone freaks out at the prospect of Disney charging for room service, let's all keep in mind that they still aren't charging for soda. Although, I would happily pay for Freestyle machines.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

It seems the mass market cruise industry is in a big "unbundling" phase right now, meaning breaking out things that used to be part of your cruise fare and tacking on fees and auto gratuities to them (including some situations where it seems like you are paying a double dip gratuity, or triple if you also hand over a cash tip). I hope DCL remains more or less where they are now (higher prices but relatively little unbundling). It seems strange to me, because it's clear cruisers like the all-inclusive pricing, AND the cruise industry is supposed to be having record sales. The trend has made me start pricing out some higher-end lines that actually ARE all inclusive.

I agree. It seems the whole industry is trying to move away from free food!.

The specially dining units are growing in numbers on many lines.

AKK

 

[perditax]

I think it's less about "fair" and more that they are charging for more and more items that used to be included in your fare.

In many cases people are seeing things that were supposed to be included in the price they paid for a cruise a year ago being retroactively removed from them. People would lose their minds if that was happening, for example, to their prepaid Disney vacation packages.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think it's less about "fair" and more that they are charging for more and more items that used to be included in your fare.

In many cases people are seeing things that were supposed to be included in the price they paid for a cruise a year ago being retroactively removed from them. People would lose their minds if that was happening, for example, to their prepaid Disney vacation packages.

I agree. And I think the retroactive changes forced on people inside the penalty phase is straight up BS.

If something is available for me to go get myself for no charge but I opt to have someone go get it for me I'm okay with paying for that additional service. I realize it once was included but leaving that out of the equation, speaking in general, im okay with it. If I have things brought to me at a resort, if I order pizza at home, etc. there's a service or delivery fee. That concept I am okay with.

What I do wonder is if this is reflective of the percentage of room service guests that do not give the delivery crew member a tip of any kind. Could this have been brought on by that being a problem? Influenced by it in any way?

 

[Love2Cruz]

You can still order free items on Carnival, like continental breakfast and a few other items. New things like sushi, pizza and several other choices now carry a fee. NCL is charging up to 7.95 regardless of size of order, so 1 cup of coffee will still be 7.95 + gratuity. NCL boards are a mess right now. I had a cruise booked for next Spring Break that I cancelled as I don't like the whole nickel and diming pricing structure.

 

[perditax]

I agree. And I think the retroactive changes forced on people inside the penalty phase is straight up BS.

If something is available for me to go get myself for no charge but I opt to have someone go get it for me I'm okay with paying for that additional service. I realize it once was included but leaving that out of the equation, speaking in general, im okay with it. If I have things brought to me at a resort, if I order pizza at home, etc. there's a service or delivery fee. That concept I am okay with.

What I do wonder is if this is reflective of the percentage of room service guests that do not give the delivery crew member a tip of any kind. Could this have been brought on by that being a problem? Influenced by it in any way?

The thing is, I think (maybe misremembering) that these new fees on NCL and Carnival are not described as gratuities. I'm almost positive they're not on NCL at least, because some of the room service menu items carry an additional 18% auto-gratuity. I think in both cases they are listed as 'convenience fees' and there's no indication that money is going into a gratuity pool like the auto-gratuities.

So what will longtime cruisers on those lines likely do when they get the new room service charges? Not hand the delivery guy a tip, or give him less that they used to.

I understand the instinct to view each new charge in a vacuum ("I always pay for room service in hotels", etc), lots of people are doing that on other forums, I think one just has to be cognizant of it when pricing out cruises in the future. The "DCL costs twice as much money as (whomever)" thing is going to take more math to prove than it used to.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The thing is, I think (maybe misremembering) that these new fees on NCL and Carnival are not described as gratuities. I'm almost positive they're not on NCL at least, because some of the room service menu items carry an additional 18% auto-gratuity. I think in both cases they are listed as 'convenience fees' and there's no indication that money is going into a gratuity pool like the auto-gratuities.

So what will longtime cruisers on those lines likely do when they get the new room service charges? Not hand the delivery guy a tip, or give him less that they used to.

I understand the instinct to view each new charge in a vacuum ("I always pay for room service in hotels", etc), lots of people are doing that on other forums, I think one just has to be cognizant of it when pricing out cruises in the future. The "DCL costs twice as much money as (whomever)" thing is going to take more math to prove than it used to.

Totally agree.

Does make me think a bit harder about my future vacation choices overall. Some of these cruises are getting to be so much when you add it all up.

 

[lisamarie12]

It sounds to me like they are just adding a few premium items to their menu and charging for those. Which is nothing new really. They had pay items before (like soda, liquor, etc). The basic room service menu is fairly limited anyway, continental breakfast items and mostly cold sandwiches (except grilled cheese), so it sounds like they are just adding more choices. I am fine with that. Sushi was never on the menu so if they add it and add a fee, whatever. Now if they started charging for everything or added a service charge I would be upset, unless of course the service charge was the "tip" since I would be tipping regardless.