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

[Happy100]

Adding more fees on to services/food options that should be or at least use to be part of the cruise fare becomes an issue fast when you have kids. I as a parent have to decide more often than I care to (while on vacation) if they can purchase that. IMHO...All inclusive is kid friendly, nickel and diming is not! It would be interesting to see the mix or groups of people that end up canceling cruises due to this unbundling of the cruise fare.

 

[kiford]

Carnival is hoping to offer cruises better quality and more choices when it comes to ship dining.

This is the key for me. It basically admits that lower quality items are what's included in your cruise fees. That's how they reduce their cruise fees. I'd rather pay a higher standard cruise fee than have to constantly watch out for what is included but is of poor quality and then be nickel and dimed to upgrade to somewhat better quality or have to cruise where everything is pretty much a la carte. Where that price point is will obviously be different for everyone but, certainly for now, I'm sticking with DCL.

 

[MC0810]

So does RCCL also now have fees for room service?

 

[perditax]

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.

When I was lurking on the Carnival forums after this news, it sounded like the number of free items had been reduced by half, including some longtime favorites.

 

[cashe]

I wouldn't mind just paying for what I eat/order like any hotel. Maybe then it would reduce excess waste from people ordering everything on the menu just because it's included and they can.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

This is the key for me. It basically admits that lower quality items are what's included in your cruise fees. That's how they reduce their cruise fees. I'd rather pay a higher standard cruise fee than have to constantly watch out for what is included but is of poor quality and then be nickel and dimed to upgrade to somewhat better quality or have to cruise where everything is pretty much a la carte. Where that price point is will obviously be different for everyone but, certainly for now, I'm sticking with DCL.

WORKS FOR ME! I will not sail with Carnival

AKK

 

[CampbellzSoup]

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.

You pay for your soda it's built in the price.

 

[FJS961]

I agree its a trend of moving more and more away from an "all inclusive" concept and unbundling as mentioned earlier. No one likes to get nickeled and dimed. When I have an auto gratuity or service charge already tacked on, I do feel less inclined to add any gratuity, depends on the actual circumstance. Let's be real though, if a cruise is costing twice as much than a competitor, its gonna take a ridiculous amount of nickels and dimes to make up the difference. It is not a reasonable factor to sway you.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

You pay for your soda it's built in the price.

Right. But it's not an added charge the way other lines do it. The point is that Disney doesn't necesssrily follow the other guys in the industry.

 

[purfectlyweird]

I agree its a trend of moving more and more away from an "all inclusive" concept and unbundling as mentioned earlier. No one likes to get nickeled and dimed. When I have an auto gratuity or service charge already tacked on, I do feel less inclined to add any gratuity, depends on the actual circumstance. Let's be real though, if a cruise is costing twice as much than a competitor, its gonna take a ridiculous amount of nickels and dimes to make up the difference. It is not a reasonable factor to sway you.

I'm all here for the unbundling. I for one don't like paying for things that I don't want nor need. I don't drink soda so I can take it or leave it. I order room service on Disney b/c they shut down too early for me whereas everyone else has free 24/7 food service stations. When it comes to Disney you're mostly paying for a name brand. Disney IMHO is the real nickel & dime. They know that if they expand to even 1 more ship they would have to lower the price a bit to get more ships filled.

 

[undertheradar]

Looking at how many posters "have to" order room service, whether eaten or not, there has to be a way to deter excess ordering. There were obviously people who had to have milk 'n cookies every night, an All Hands on Deck cheese platter before dinner each night. The amount of wasted food has to be staggering. So which is the lesser evil? Do away with "free" room service, or add premium items that require additional cost, ultimately eliminating the "free" room service. I'm sure that there are many staterooms who didn't/wouldn't tip the CM who brought the room service.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Here's the thing...

My Disney 3 day cruise to the Bahamas is costing me 1100 - and that's a GOOD price too mind you.

My Carnival cruise for 4 days in the Bahamas is costing us 600 dollars.

Room service items are still free unless you want a other items they don't typicaly offer your getting a service upgrade. I don't see how this is nickle and dining you still...I certainly won't use it but I have the option to its not already built into my cost.

When Disney gives me something outside of free soda!? Which I can buy. A liquer package on the other ships and STILL come under the DISNEY cruise line price I dont want to hear that term - it's a pass by phrase that one person used and now it's all the rage.

I'm not defending carnival or other cruise lines - however being a seasoned cruiser on other ships I certaibly never felt nickle and dimed.

When Disney gives included Spa Services, Palo diners, free liquer or anything any other cruise line doesn't charge you for I'll entertain that.

That being said I can't wait to sail on Disney and more important sail on my Bahamas cruise to carnival and NOT use room service

 

[Dug720]

Looking at how many posters "have to" order room service, whether eaten or not, there has to be a way to deter excess ordering. There were obviously people who had to have milk 'n cookies every night, an All Hands on Deck cheese platter before dinner each night. The amount of wasted food has to be staggering. So which is the lesser evil? Do away with "free" room service, or add premium items that require additional cost, ultimately eliminating the "free" room service. I'm sure that there are many staterooms who didn't/wouldn't tip the CM who brought the room service.

If wasted food bothers you, avoid the Pirate Night buffet. The number of those nasty turkey legs left abandoned with merely a few bites taken out of them was disgusting - even just in the time it took me to escape the feeding frenzy I saw at least 10 just sitting abandoned with no one around them.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I hate wasted food as well, hate.

 

[moosecrouse]

Let's be real though, if a cruise is costing twice as much than a competitor, its gonna take a ridiculous amount of nickels and dimes to make up the difference. It is not a reasonable factor to sway you.

Completely agree. All I heard is how NCL nickel & dimes you you to death but all 4 of my NCL cruises have cost me less(this includes buying their UBP) then Disney cruises I've done on same itinerary. Just an example I paid just under 1900 pp on the Fantasy Eastern and shared a cabin with my mom which meant I slept on a pull out couch. I did the NCL Epic 6 months prior with same itinerary and paid 1350 with drink package and ended up being upgraded from solo cabins to a balcony.
Other then free soda DCL charges for speciality restaurants, snacks at theaters and their excursions at priced at a premium to same on NCL.

I'm almost platinum on NCL because they award based on days sailed and will be gold after my Dream cruise in July so I'm not biased to either line just staying my opinions

 

[momof2n2]

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

I don't really "like", but I concur.

 

[Love2Cruz]

This is the key for me. It basically admits that lower quality items are what's included in your cruise fees. That's how they reduce their cruise fees. I'd rather pay a higher standard cruise fee than have to constantly watch out for what is included but is of poor quality and then be nickel and dimed to upgrade to somewhat better quality or have to cruise where everything is pretty much a la carte. Where that price point is will obviously be different for everyone but, certainly for now, I'm sticking with DCL.

Actually, I don't agree with this at all...and I sail Carnival often. Carnival's food surpasses Disney's in my opinion. You still get lobster tail on Carnival in the MDR...and you can order as many as you please, along with chateaubriand, filet mignon, rack of lamb...etc...items that are not included in Disney's fare unless you go to the upcharge restaurant. They now have Guy's burgers that are delicious and WAY better than Disney's. Service wise, Carnival is equal to Disney's. I encourage anyone to give them a try.

 

[lisamarie12]

When I was lurking on the Carnival forums after this news, it sounded like the number of free items had been reduced by half, including some longtime favorites.

There are a few things that used to be included that are gone, but its not like most of them are for a fee now. The menu is very limited now, but it always was. Truthfully it does not bother me much because there was nothing on the room service menu that I absolutely loved. There were things that were okay and fine if we wanted a snack or I just felt like sitting on my balcony and reading all day, or if we missed regular lunch time, but nothing that I would say I looked forward to in advance of the cruise. Carnival never had much on their room service menu so its not really news. I do think its weird that they charge for fries which I would imagine are cheap and the cheese and cracker plate. I am guessing that is because all the balcony cruisers ordering it and wasting.

Actually, I don't agree with this at all...and I sail Carnival often. Carnival's food surpasses Disney's in my opinion. You still get lobster tail on Carnival in the MDR...and you can order as many as you please, along with chateaubriand, filet mignon, rack of lamb...etc...items that are not included in Disney's fare unless you go to the upcharge restaurant. They now have Guy's burgers that are delicious and WAY better than Disney's. Service wise, Carnival is equal to Disney's. I encourage anyone to give them a try.

I agree, Carnival has good food. I have not been on Disney yet, so I can't compare the food, but it was as good as or better than on Celebrity. And you do get lobster on any length of cruise and they seem to be in the minority on this issue. Guys Burgers are very good, I wish all ships had them.

Carnival has done some cost cutting things in the past few years that I think are bonehead moves and turn me off. I hated it when they demoted my husband and daughter from gold to red when they restructured their loyalty program. I hated when they got rid of the free drinks at Captain's gala and gave a $1 off coupon. Then they replaced it with a farewell party, with free drinks, which was nice. But then they discontinued that, which I hated. They started giving every past guest a drink coupon since the people who were demoted from gold no longer got to go the past guest party. But they limited where you could use it. Recently they discontinued that and gave you a bottle of water. I hated it when they raised the gratuities and added this mysterious $2 charge for "other services" that no one understood. As you can see there are a lot of things Carnival has done that have annoyed me and devalued the experience, but this is not one of them. All that said, my last cruise on Carnival was a 5 day cruise in October (which I am aware is the tail end of hurricane season with lower prices) in an inside room. We paid less than $1000.00 for the 3 of us. This cruise is in a balcony in May on Disney and it is 4 times the price. I get that the balcony and time of year are going to factor into it, but not that much. You really do get what you pay for. And sometimes I just want a bed and food at the lowest price possible. Other times I want it all. That is the beauty of having choices.

 

[chimo2u]

So I'm confused....
is room service free/ included if i want to order something??
Hubby doesn't like crowds, so for the sail away party, I was thinking of ordering 2 hands on deck platters and sitting on our verandah to enjoy it
so i could order that and the cost is not extra??
I tried seeing the costs on the menu, but there are none! do i just give a few dollars to the person who delivers it for a tip?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

So I'm confused....
is room service free/ included if i want to order something??
Hubby doesn't like crowds, so for the sail away party, I was thinking of ordering 2 hands on deck platters and sitting on our verandah to enjoy it
so i could order that and the cost is not extra??
I tried seeing the costs on the menu, but there are none! do i just give a few dollars to the person who delivers it for a tip?

Room service is typically included in cruise fare bar a tip. Most items are included in the cruise fate, the items you mention are free bar a tip. Items like cans of soda or prepacked candy have a fee.