Chervil

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Great post. We always try to treat staff as well as possible. For example, we always request our cabin to be served only once a day. It’s not the cabin steward’s fault that Carnival increased the number of cabins they are responsible for these days. Of course there are still lots of entitled people who still insist on having their cabin serviced twice a day, because that’s the way it was done in the past. 

As you said, we always try to treat the staff as nicely as well.
They are human beings and are simply working hard doing a job to provide for themselves (and possibly their families, if they aren't single). We always treat them with the same respect and dignity that we expect to be treated with.
This includes always addressing them with their name, when possible, smiling and saying hello as we see them in the hallways or other areas of the ship and asking how they are doing that do (or how their day has been).
We also make sure to thank them for the great job they are doing.
 

That being said, we like to have our cabin serviced twice a day for personal reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with being entitled. For you to make that blanket statement is very condescending in itself.

I agree that it isn't the steward's fault that Carnival chose to decrease staff and increase the amount of cabins they are responsible for.
However that doesn't mean that I am being "entitled" if I decide to utilize the twice a day servicing that is offered.
Our tips tend to also reflect the fact that we appreciate the steward giving our cabin that extra attention as well.
We also make sure to keep our room as neat as possible so that the steward doesn't have a lot of extra work to do.

While we are on a cruise, it is not "entitled" to avail ourselves of the little luxuries and pampering that this type of vacation offers. 
Having your bed made in the morning and then turned down in the evening is a nice treat for some of us that work very hard for the money we spend on our cruise vacation.

We have also voiced our opinions on how understaffed and overworked both the room stewards and the MDR staff are. Taking the opportunity to fill out the comment cards, the reviews, address it on the forums and even to JH himself on his FB page.

Does that mean that since the MDR staff are also reduced and being forced to cover more tables that eating in the MDR is "entitled because that's the way it was done in the past" and we should just eat in the buffet instead?

Certainly not.

If they are going to make cuts, I would recommend eliminating some of the destination photos where the photo crew are dressed up at the pier. I like the Elegant evening and boarding photos well enough, but haven't once considered buying one of the other photos. (although we have bought a few candid shots from the Lido deck).

Another cut they could make would be limiting people to 1 lobster on Elegant Evenings or at least asking if they want more than one instead of assuming. On our last cruise our waiter actually bought out 2 for each person, assuming they would want them. Unfortunately, there were a few left over since we had some light eaters at our table. Shame to see that waste when they could have asked.

• We like being pampered and waited on.
• It is one of the few vacations where I don't have to drive.
• We can be as adventurous and active, or as lazy and relaxed as we want.
• The Ocean relaxes us more than anything else.
• I love being able to look out over the open ocean and not see any land. Being completely isolated
• All the reasons above

1 hour ago, Purvis1231 said:

It depends on the bartender some will not refill a customers glass but I never had them refuse to fill my Carnival cup.  Generally juice is served in an 8oz glass- soda a 12 to 16 oz glass. 

I get BB and always carry a 20oz lidded tumbler on our cruises and have never had a bartender refuse to fill it.

Also, I generally request they go light on the ice. 
Sometimes they fill it all the way up (which means using a second can) sometimes they only use one.
But I also tip a buck or two the first few times I visit a station, and after that they never have any problems.

Be friendly and visit the same station and same bartender if possible, give them an extra tip a couple of times and establish a rapport and you shouldn't have any issues.

Lots of good responses here.

I generally shop around, to get the best value for our vacation dollar.

Like Organized Chaos said, you aren't really going to save money on the room itself.
So I will check the Cruise Line website, as well as several third party cruise websites, and see which offers the best perks and benefits.
We would prefer to book straight through the cruise line, so we get a better response if anything needs addressed.
I usually make a call to our pvp and let them know what I have found on other sites.
Twice, they were able to find a special promotion going on that I had missed that made booking with them the best choice.
One time they were straight up a better deal. The other time they were close enough that it made sense to go with them (I think they were only about $10 difference in the total price and perks).

However the cruise we are taking in a few weeks, we booked ourselves because the third party site we used was offering paid gratuites, $25 Drink Credit per passenger, $50 OBC per passenger, $25 Excursion credit per passenger and they paid our deposit so we didn't have to pay anything except booking fee for about 5 months.
The room itself was $5 more than through Carnival, but overall the OBC and free gratuities made up for that.

So basically do your research and find the best way for you!

19 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

Carnival entices people to care about the VIFP program by projecting the idea of entitlement. Otherwise, folks would wise up to the fact that they are paying $15k or more to reap less than $50 of benefits.

Let's not blame Carnival for the attitude of some of their passengers.

Of course they want you to feel that you are special!
They are in the vacation industry and EVERY company in that business knows the best way to get repeat customers is to make them feel special and important.
I very much doubt anyone is paying cash just for the benefits. You have to actually spend all those nights on a cruise, so it isn't like they are just buying a membership. It is simply an added perk to something they are already doing. The cost vs the perks doesn't enter into it.
Now, it does entice them to spend their cruise dollars with Carnival instead of a competitor, however it's simply a thank you for the number of days you have spent cruising with them instead of someone else. ALL of the cruise lines have repeat customer benefits similar to Carnival's.


As Nic6318 already mentioned, It isn't the program that causes people to act like this.
They have that same sense of entitlement regardless.
We heard a fellow passenger flashing her GOLD card at a staff member on our last cruise, complaining about something. I'm (not) sorry to say we weren't able to stifle our laughter about it.
She glared out us a little, but I think she realized the scene she was making because she soon left.
(For the record, we will reach GOLD in a few weeks, so this is NOT looking down on GOLD members!)
We have even heard passengers complaining based on the fact that they paid for the cruise.
"Do you know how much I spent to sail with this itinerary??"
The kind of people who will use status as a reason to complain or boss people around will find an excuse or reason to do it without the status. They are small minded, classist bigots who let any perceived authority or superiority go to their head.
And they will often jump through incredible mental hoops to find whatever can make them feel superior.

Negril60 - Glad to hear you enjoyed it! We have sailed both Princess and Carnival and love Carnival's ships.
Princess is nicer in some respects. I agree with the food and the afternoon tea on Princess is nicer. It is also a more relaxing, laid back ship.
However they no longer sail out of Galveston or New Orleans, which are our "local" ports.

We haven't had a bad experience yet on Carnival!
Also looking to do an Alaskan cruise in the future, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out for y'all!
 

We have had The Flying Scotsman, Schwartz and Matt Mitcham. So far The Flying Scotsman is our favorite, although the other two are very good.

Our next cruise we have Kyndall Fire.
She was the assistant CD (I believe) on our cruise back in January when Matt Mitcham was the CD and was really good. Stood out even working with Matt. 
Looking forward to seeing how she does on her own!

I guess we have been fortunate so far with our Carnival CDs, since they have all been pretty good!
 

By sheer coincidence, our last 4 cruises have all included Cozumel.

Our itinerary for our next cruise is the same one we have sailed the last 3 cruises: Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

While we generally just do a ship day for Jamaica, we love Grand Cayman and Cozumel and usually spend our days there snorkeling on our own and exploring the towns.
We made some friends our first time in Cozumel (this will be our fifth time) and have spent a little time with them each trip.
Since they are locals they have pointed us to some of the best local spots (although a few we are keeping to ourselves!).

Cozumel is very relaxed and laid back and also very easy to navigate. Beautiful water and very friendly people.

It may not be as "glamorous" as some islands, but we love it!

2 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

FYI, Whatever you do, don't book a spa reservation before you do your check in.  There is another post on here where someone booked a spa reservation for 12:00.  Then at ninety days out when she did her check in, the earliest time slot was 12:30-1:00.  

Also, they usually have specials running for discounts off the spa treatments. When you first board there are usually a couple of tables set up with discounts only available that first day (or so they say)

Yay!!

We sail in October and this looks like a great lineup!!

Can't wait to get my popcorn and lay out under the stars!!

8 hours ago, OnePsychLynne said:

 

Did you get 50% off all 3 bottles? 

Yes.

He told us we could buy as many as we wanted and get the 50% off.

Not sure if that's standard or not but it worked out great for us!

2 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Santa Helena (their 'house' brand)

We had the merlot and it was actually pretty good!

4 hours ago, five. said:

I was under the impression that it wasn't an either/or situation, but a both situation. You can get the free bottle and also get 50% off.

4 hours ago, j1d1 said:

This is copied from the end of the email I received confirming a steakhouse reservation on the Valor in November:

P.S. We are having a promotion in the Steakhouse on Embarkation and the first Cruise Elegant nights of the cruise! Guests booking a reservation on either night will receive a complimentary bottle of house wine or 50% off any bottle from our wine list!

We received the same email, stating that it was an "or" situation when we sailed Vista back in January.

However our server told us we could definitely do both.
We had the free bottle of house merlot (Santa Helena) and then ordered 3 other bottles (can't remember which ones right now).

Hopefully we are still able to do this, as we have reservations for our cruise in Oct at the steakhouse and plan on doing the same thing again! (we don't buy Cheers so it makes it a great value for us, when we include the two bottles we bring on)

17 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

 

Yes, that's called profit maximization, and its microeconomics 101.  Selling more photos at a lower price point will not increase profit.  I absolutely guarantee you that if Carnival would make more profit by lowering prices they would do just that.  They've already done the math, I assure you.  A corporation with over $18 billion in revenue surely knows its profit maximization price.  I guarantee you they have studied this six ways to Sunday.

You want to explain to me how selling more photos at a lower price point won't increase profit, when I just gave you real life examples showing it does?

Why do you think that 20oz sodas priced at $1.89 are always on sale 2/$2.50 or 2/$3.00?
They make less per bottle but know you will buy more because of the perceived value.

Carnival may have studied it six ways to Sunday but I guarantee they don't stop there. They continue to study it as the market and their customer mindset changes, which is why changes are constantly being made.
Under the old printed photo model, it may not have made sense since you could only lower the price so much because of the materials involved.
However now that the production cost has been significantly reduced by getting rid of the paper, ink, printers, etc. I guarantee they are studying it again or will be soon.

To say that just because they haven't made the change yet doesn't mean it isn't viable, shows that you don't understand the behind the scenes workings of a large corporation at all.
Even when you make the decision to make a change or a cut, you have to time it correctly in order to ensure a smooth roll out.
Very few changes are made literally overnight in a big corporation. Usually months or years of planning are involved.
Only in the case of a reactionary response to a problem or emergency are changes made quickly, since they can have negative unforeseen consequences and it is better to thoroughly research and account for as many issues as you can before they arise.

Once the paper photos are completely phased out, and the facial recognition is standard across the entire fleet, then adjusting the cost to account for digital-only could make more sense.
Otherwise you are having to work different pricing structures for different vessels and then try to roll them out individually as they lose paper and go to digital.
Much smoother to make the change all at once.
So it is possible they may have even already made the decision to implement a change, but are waiting for the right time.

By your reckoning, Carnival doesn't have any changes to make since they are already running at peak profit.
If they weren't then they wouldn't be set up this way. At least according to what you said.

21 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

 

We agree.  They will constantly adjust to maximize profit.  NOT to maximize sales or revenue.  Joe817 might have a fantastic plan to maximize sales or revenue, but that's not what it's about.

 

Having managed for others and owned our own retail stores (both brick & mortar and online) for years, I can tell you that there is a magic point in pricing where even though you are making less profit per item, you can motivate the customers to purchase more of that item than normal, thus raising overall profit.
I used to manage the family owned home decor store in a tourist town in the central coast of California.
For years it had been considered a higher end shop (tiffany style lamps, $500 wall art, statues, etc.)
We would have a lot of tourists coming through, and while you had some people buying, a lot just liked looking at the selection and then walked without purchasing anything (because of the price points). Kind of like walking through a Smarter Image where its still fun to look even if you can't afford anything.
It wasn't a big deal since while our sales volume was low we were still extremely profitable.

When the economy dropped about 6 years ago, people stopped buying the higher end decor, and sales dropped.

We decided to change the direction of the store to make it more profitable. 
We wanted to start filling the hands of the the people walking out empty handed and made the decision to mix in lots of good quality but lower cost items. We also lowered our prices to entice buying. If I could get even $5 out of everyone coming through the door, we could do good.

For example:

One of the items we sold was a wall decor in the shape of a sun with a smiling face.
Our cost was $15.
For years we sold them for about $75 each (they were great looking items and very well made).
We sold maybe one or two a week.
So the price was dropped to $30 each. (we decided to do a test run with this and several other items)

Instead of 1-2, where the profit was $60-$120*, I was selling 15 a week for a profit of $225*
In the end, we decided to revamp the entire pricing structure like that and became a much more profitable store, even surpassing the numbers when it was a "high end" location.

You have to change with the market.

Since Carnival is targeting the lower price vacationer, they need to start pricing more of their things accordingly and they will sell more.
They already do this with the gift shop sales on tote bags, tshirts and towels.

Now is the perfect time to start increasing the volume of photo sales by pricing more enticingly!

People might balk at a $15 digital photo, carefully choosing a few. But if I know personally if I can get them for $5 each or under, I will end up justifying it as "only $5" and end up spending much more than I normally would.
 

*I know my example is gross not net since I didn't deduct wages, insurance, lights, etc and all the other costs of doing business)


 

On 9/9/2019 at 9:51 AM, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I don’t think you are in the minority. It always appears to me that most guests in the MDR are participating (waiving napkins, clapping, dancing, etc.) when the staff is singing and dancing. 

My wife is generally somewhat shy and does NOT like to be the center of attention.

One of her favorite parts of the cruise is waving her napkin and then getting up and dancing with the waiters because, as she says "No one here knows me". 
It is her time to cut loose a bit and I love watching her do that.

That being said, since they cut wait staff down, it does interrupt service a bit more. However unless it is your first cruise, you know it is part of eating in the MDR.
If you don't like it you can hit the buffet or one of the specialty restaurants.

As far as cuts, I heartily agree that not delivering a paper copy of the Fun Times to each room would go a long way.
With the app, I can see not only what is happening today and tomorrow, but for the entire cruise.
That includes the menus for the MDR, so we can plan things out easily.
Keep some paper copies available at the service desk, like they do now, for those who don't have access to an electronic device.

Also agree with cutting out the paper photos. We were so pleased with being able to view the photos in our app and purchase them digitally when we sailed the Vista.
Although if they were to  cut the price a little, or offer better packages, they would sell more photos.
We usually only purchase a few photos each trip because they are so expensive.
However if they were less expensive, we would definitely buy more.

The cost really doesn't make sense now that they can't justify it with the waste of the prints that they used to just pulp after every cruise.
Sell them to me for $2-5 bucks each for the candid and destination tourist photos and maybe the current price for Elegant Evening photos, and I would buy a lot more.
Better yet, sell an "all you can smile" package that includes any photos taken of you or your group for one flat rate.

3 hours ago, HillBilly Bob said:

I do take my own Bigelow Constant Comment since they do not offer that brand anywhere on the ships.  

Which is a shame!

My wife makes a great iced tea using a couple bags of constant comment mixed in with orange pekoe. Very refreshing!

We also take a few bags of sleepytime and either plantation mint or mint medley for the room.

14 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

If the OP literally meant what I would cut, I would cut a large section off above the atrium on Vista class ships and add glass elevators. 

Now THIS is a cut I could support 110%.

16 hours ago, Haveuseen1 said:

I make these types of decisions every day and it is much easier than you might expect.  The answer to the question is simple. Cut absolutely anything that you can to increase your profits, while maintaining and improving the quality of the experience for the majority.  People complain most about the "exceptions to the rule" .  If the issue is not an issue that most people have a problem with, then guess what.  It is not an issue.  You have 2500 people on a ship.  If 50 complain about the butter who cares.  If 1251 complain about the butter, then there is a problem.  If 200 people complain because they dont like the new menu, but 2300 people dont complain there is not a problem.  The truth is you cant make some people happy any of the time.  I always like to ask how much of a pay cut are you willing to take at your job so that the product that your company produces can provide a better experience for the end user?

Out of curiosity, how much of a pay cut have you taken?

You are correct that taking a cold, clinical view of these decisions can lead to making some very difficult choices.

Your assertion that if most people don't have an issue then it isn't an issue is somewhat of a fallacious argument.
Anyone who works around customer service knows that even a minority of your dissatisfied customers will not voice their complaints to the company.
Generally only about 4%.
The problem is that you cannot ignore the impact that even 2% of your customer base has on your business.
This isn't a factory which can be streamlined in efficiency until there is no waste. Where you can just let the disgruntled workers go because you can always hire someone else.

This is a recreational industry where people come for entertainment and comfort.
If I want to simply visit a destination, then I can take an airplane. 
They have continued to cut back on frills and seat sizes and leg space, but really it is the most cost effective way to travel and they have you "trapped" so to speak.
They can continue to push the boundaries and stop when people start to "squeal".

However people don't just cruise to visit a destination. The ship itself is part of the destination. The vacation.
They expect a certain level of comfort and pampering. A certain level of personal attention.

In this digital age, most will turn to venting their frustrations online.
They feel most corporations don't care about their thoughts and don't take the comment cards or complaints seriously, so the only way to get heard is to broadcast your dissatisfaction.

I already laid out in a previous response why it is folly to ignore those customers.
But whatever industry it is you work in that lets you make such cold, calculated decisions, I would bet it isn't the cruise industry.
And as anyone who has worked at optimizing efficiency can tell you, you simply cannot apply the same streamlining tactics from one industry to another and expect long term, positive results.
Every one is unique and must be dealt with as such.
 

13 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

I don't think it's as easy and as simple as you claim. I'll address a few things you've said that lead me to say that.

 

 

It's hard to improve the quality of the experience by making cuts. There might be a magic formula out there where spending cuts improve customer experience once in a while, but that's certainly not the norm.

 

 

A large company can probably look passed the complaints of, say, 50 people, to use your example, but it's not going to go over well if they thumb their nose at 200 people, regardless of the total number on a single cruise. Granted, 200 people complaining about something might not reverse a change, but it shouldn't be ignored in the customer service industry. And I don't agree that it has to be one more than half the people to cause the company to react. A few years ago, Carnival decided to make their aft pools on Conquest class ships family friendly. They had been adults-only up until then. It didn't go over well and they reversed their decision not long after the initial change. I don't know how many millions of people have cruised on Conquest class ships, but it surely didn't take one more than half of them to spark the reversal.

 

As for your last sentence, I don't know if you meant to say what you said. I think you're wrong to say you can't make some people happy "any of the time." If a cruise can't make them happy any of the time, they wouldn't be on a cruise. It's more accurate to say, you can't make all of the people happy all of the time.

 

 

I feel like this is a straw-man. Employees don't have to take a pay cut in order for a company to boost their customer experience. If a company decides that the only way they can make their customer's experience better is by cutting the pay of their workers, they're a terrible company and probably shouldn't be in business.

agree with almost everything you said here.

Also want to add that anyone who has worked in an industry with customer service knows that only a small fraction of your customers will bother to "complain" about something. Generally that's considered to be around 4%.
The rest will either just complain to friends and family or just leave.
Or jump on CC and let everyone know what they are unhappy about.

If you have 50 people out of 2500, that's 2% of your customers that actually voiced an unhappy opinion.

If you have 200 out of 2500, that's now 8%.
You might be able to "ignore" 1% and possibly 2% depending on the issue. But even that 2% represents a significant portion of people who cruise.

And since the cruise industry is built on repeat customers, you have to also take into account who the ones complaining are.
Is it a first time cruiser, who may decide to just sail with someone else in the future?
Is it someone who cruises maybe once every three or four years and won't really be impacted by the changes?
Is it a Platinum or Diamond member who cruises at least once a year or possibly even two or three times a year? Someone that would definitely have an impact on your bottom line.

Either way, if that many people are complaining about something then it is an issue you better look at seriously.
Because they are definitely complaining to their friends and family.
And considering the number of posts from people on CC and r/cruise and other sites that say the will "never cruise X Line again", they have much more of a voice than ever before.
In the past they were limited to influencing just close friends and family.
Now their complaints can reach ears around the world.

Sure a cut might save a few dollars, but you can only trim so much fat before your offering starts looking unattractive.
This isn't a factory, where you can optimize everything to the nth degree of efficiency and expect everything to be successful.
It also isn't an airline, where you can keep cutting back on the amenities until they are paying extra for everything, because what else are they going to do?
People expect a certain quality of service and comfort for their money. It's what a cruise means to people. Being pampered and taken care of.
Sure you visit different ports, but a big part of the cruise is also the leisure and relaxation aboard the ship.
Cut back too much and suddenly it becomes just another way to travel to a destination. And there are much cheaper ways to get to those destinations.
If I'm being nickle and dimed for everything, I may as well fly there and get a hotel.

While I am also in the camp of not leaving the country without a passport, you need to do what is going to be best for your situation.

Our first cruise, both of our passports had expired already so we just took our Birth Certificates and DLs. We had zero issues.
Of course, it was a little uncomfortable for me to travel with our BCs, so it was always in the back of my mind in case they were stolen or got lost.
However, before our next cruise we got our passports renewed (also got the passport cards) and have sailed with those ever since.

The renewal fee can be a lot of money, depending on your circumstances. Especially before a vacation.
If you can easily take the other documents, then don't worry about it.
If you have the means and wherewithal, then get your passport.

Whatever you decide, have fun! Cozumel is a great port!

We went to the steakhouse the first night. They always offer a great spectral on individual booties and packages.

We got a couple bottles there and then bought a three bottle package (7 night on Vista)

Our server told us we could buy another package later as well if we wanted, but not at the same discount as the first night at the steakhouse.

1 hour ago, sanmarcosman said:

If you know tea service it is not High Tea. It's Afternoon Tea and is listed in the Hungry For More section of the Fun Times on sea days only. Sometimes there is live music like string musicians. We wouldn't miss the cucumber sammies and scones with clotted cream.

You're right about it being just afternoon and not High tea.

There was a string trio on the Dream and Breeze, but nothing on the Vista in January. We sail her again in October, so we'll see if that's standard or a fluke.

Love the cucumber sammies and the salmon as well!

We always bring some preserves from breakfast to top the scones and clotted cream, since they never seem to have any.

Last time, they also had a gathering for veterans in the same area, which got a little loud and rowdy. Broke the atmosphere a little, but no biggie.

3pm on our last cruise.

We always enjoy it and even take our own teacups!

We like dressing up a little and it's like a mini date! Always special!

We found a shuttle to be cost effective.

You can do a Google search for them or if you are staying at a hotel in Galveston the night before, call the concierge and ask for a recommendation.

1 hour ago, carol louise said:

Thanks, all, for the good news and wishes, and congrats, Chervil! One more thing: my new husband (married last year) is cruising with me, and has no current status with Carnival. He will enjoy the same perks too as my cabin-mate, right?

Thank you!
 

According to the Carnival Website:
If a guest is sharing a cabin with another guest in a different level (e.g. a Platinum and a Gold), how will benefits apply to the stateroom?
Benefits are meant to recognize individual members and are therefore not transferable to travel companions.
https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2938/kw/VIFP

However most people we have talked to, they were given the same recognition as far as boarding, etc.

Our adult daughter shared a suite with us last cruise, and it was her first cruise (so she had a blue card)
She got the "perks" of being a Red level (free bottle of water) so I am sure he will get to share at least some of the benefits.

Congratulations!

We go Gold on our cruise next month, similar situation.
Currently have 21 days, so this will push us into Gold halfway through!

Cupcake is looking forward to the pin (it really is the little things, you know!)

Have fun and enjoy your perks!