Room service charge coming???????

[bcnvcanada]

How soon will HAL follow Princess's led and charge for room service?

We cruise often of HAL and Princess and was just on the Princess board.

Found out the Princess has a 3.00usd service charge on anything from room service, extra ice, glasses, fruit and food.

Since Princess started the wine policy first, just thinking, how soon

will HAL follow?

[Typhoon1]

MSC also has a charge on items ordered after 11:00 PM. Hope HAL never stoops to that level. MSC is a pretty poor excuse for a cruise line.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even on Ice??

That is terrible considering how small the ice buckets are and they ice melts quickly.

[SilvertoGold]

As far as ice goes, when I need extra I go up to the Lido and get some. Never had any problem: the guys are always helpful up there.

A lot faster that tracking down a cabin steward or ordering from Room Service.

[sail7seas]

It seems to be something of a pattern.....

 

If one wishes to know what is coming soon to an HAL ship you love, look and see what Princess is doing.

 

Most of these 'for the comfort and convenience of our guests' changes seem to originate on Princess.

 

[pris993]

Similar thread discussion on Princess board this am.

 

I just finished a HAL TA on the Nieuw Amsterdam... it is interesting that the more cruise lines charge for various things the less we spend. On our HAL cruise we simply drank less wine, given the new wine policy. Wine prices on board are over priced, so easy decision. No big deal. We had such good service and found the menu in the MDR so good we never went to a speciality restaurant on board. The money we saved we doubled our tips on board to staff. Would rather give money to staff than the ship.

 

It is very easy to pick up fruit, snacks, ice etc ... whatever you need for the cabin ... we do that now.

 

We also buy want we want in port and bring it back to the ship.

 

We are smart shoppers at home and when traveling.

 

Cruise lines are not looking for the experienced traveler or cruiser... they are hoping to make a killing on new passengers they are trying to attrack. The old saying buyer beware... everyone pays for what the value. Happy cruising.

[cruz chic]

I don't frequent the princess board much since i don't presently have a cruise booked with them. The way i understood was the charge is only on the regal NOT on all the ships. Does the OP have different info?

[cbr663]

With the recently created Holland America Group, which includes Holland, Princess, Seabourn, and HAL-Princess Alaska land operations, they can certainly use Princess as the springboard for new charges and features. We certainly enjoy room service now and even a minimal charge wouldn't deter us from sailing from HAL or from using room service.

[Susie51]

Room service fee for ice? Wow. Just give me a plastic bucket and I'll get my own ice like in a hotel.

[kqcallahan]

Room service fee for ice? Wow. Just give me a plastic bucket and I'll get my own ice like in a hotel.

 

I totally agree! I hope this doesn't happen. We have been working on Dad to do an Alaskan cruise. Finally got him to say yes. One of the things he was impressed with was how we had free room service everyday we went on an excursion. Even if it's only 3 bucks dad will consider it a big deal considering the cost of the cruise haha. :)

[luckysadie]

This $3 room service charge is only on the new Regal Princess... for now.

[CruiserBruce]

It seems to be something of a pattern.....

 

If one wishes to know what is coming soon to an HAL ship you love, look and see what Princess is doing.

 

Most of these 'for the comfort and convenience of our guests' changes seem to originate on Princess.

 

 

True...

 

I see every time Carnival does something, we get the "Carnival does this, will HAL be next" mantra also.

[luckysadie]

Hi, Bruce!

[IRL_Joanie]

Since we always tip the Room Service Steward, there is no reason for us to complain if and when HAL institutes a charge for delivery.

 

This charge would make it easier for us as a matter of fact, because then we'd not have to buy a stack of $1.00's in order to hand a couple $'s to the Room Service Steward.

 

Now, I hope that if/when they institute this charge, they also institute a Hotel Service Charge that is a set part of the fare and is not removable.

 

I realize there will be flames:( But just stating that I think this would be an excellent charge for HAL to do automatically!! OK, Flame retardant suit is donned:)

 

Joanie

[kazu]

hopefully not. HAL's hours for food are not as flexible as other cruise lines as had been noted on another thread. This has not been an issue with us because of the room service availability. If a charge is added to it then that will affect their competitiveness in that area IMO.

 

It's one of the big pluses of HAL. JMO though

[sunsetbeachgal]

Since we always tip the Room Service Steward, there is no reason for us to complain if and when HAL institutes a charge for delivery.

 

This charge would make it easier for us as a matter of fact, because then we'd not have to buy a stack of $1.00's in order to hand a couple $'s to the Room Service Steward.

 

Now, I hope that if/when they institute this charge, they also institute a Hotel Service Charge that is a set part of the fare and is not removable.

 

I realize there will be flames:( But just stating that I think this would be an excellent charge for HAL to do automatically!! OK, Flame retardant suit is donned:)

 

Joanie

 

I don't think the $3 goes to the room service steward...I think it is explained as a charge...a lot of very unhappy passengers and Princess cruisers on the CC threads and flooding Princess Facebook page

Edited May 24, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[RuthC]

I don't think the $3 goes to the room service steward...I think it is explained as a charge...

I agree. It would be a HAL charge that would go on your bill, just as all other purchases do. It has nothing to do with whether or not you tip the room service steward.

[mame42]

hopefully not. HAL's hours for food are not as flexible as other cruise lines as had been noted on another thread. This has not been an issue with us because of the room service availability. If a charge is added to it then that will affect their competitiveness in that area IMO.

 

It's one of the big pluses of HAL. JMO though

 

Absolutely! One of my biggest pleasures is sunrise HAL room service breakfasts, drinking coffee and watching the world light up.

[Lizzie68]

Since we always tip the Room Service Steward, there is no reason for us to complain if and when HAL institutes a charge for delivery.

 

This charge would make it easier for us as a matter of fact, because then we'd not have to buy a stack of $1.00's in order to hand a couple $'s to the Room Service Steward.

 

Now, I hope that if/when they institute this charge, they also institute a Hotel Service Charge that is a set part of the fare and is not removable.

 

I realize there will be flames:( But just stating that I think this would be an excellent charge for HAL to do automatically!! OK, Flame retardant suit is donned:)

 

Joanie

 

No you would have to tip separately, this would be an additional charge to your onboard account. RCI does this for room service ordered from midnight to 6 am (I think it is) and we only did this once, but still tipped the room service steward.

[sapper1]

Since we always tip the Room Service Steward, there is no reason for us to complain if and when HAL institutes a charge for delivery.

 

This charge would make it easier for us as a matter of fact, because then we'd not have to buy a stack of $1.00's in order to hand a couple $'s to the Room Service Steward.

 

Now, I hope that if/when they institute this charge, they also institute a Hotel Service Charge that is a set part of the fare and is not removable.

 

I realize there will be flames:( But just stating that I think this would be an excellent charge for HAL to do automatically!! OK, Flame retardant suit is donned:)

 

Joanie

No flame---just think you have the possibility of a room service charge confused with the tip you give the room service waiter. They are two different items. However if people stop tipping if a charge is instituted then the room service waiters will be the one to suffer.

 

Edited to say I replied before reading the rest of the thread. I see the issue has already been addressed.

Edited May 24, 2014 by sapper1

[OBX-Cruisers]

Our friends in Quebec city are on a cruise on the Noordam from Rome to Venice and got an upgrade to a Signature suite and have posed a question I can't answer.......we have not been in a HAL suite.....yet.

 

The question is what does "No-host mini-bar for easy entertaining" mean?

Do they get any other amenities with their suite upgrade?

 

Thank you for reply

Edited May 24, 2014 by OBX-Cruisers

[sapper1]

Our friends in Quebec city are on a cruise on the Noordam from Rome to Venice and got an upgrade to a Signature suite and have posed a question I can't answer.......we have not been in a HAL suite.....yet.

 

The question is what does "No-host mini-bar for easy entertaining" mean?

Do they get any other amenities with their suite upgrade?

 

Thank you for reply

 

It means the bar fridge is stocked but you will be charged for anything you use.

[SeaBands]

Yes they changed the rules on wine but didn't lower the bottle price when you buy it onboard. They haven't offered the military/vet OBCs that P, Cunard and Carnival offer. They haven't staffed the ship with eastern European dining and cabin attendants who act like they are doing you a favor by doing their job.

[cruz chic]

This $3 room service charge is only on the new Regal Princess... for now.

 

I don't frequent the princess board much since i don't presently have a cruise booked with them. The way i understood was the charge is only on the regal NOT on all the ships. Does the OP have different info?

 

Once again, this needs to be repeated. This is only on ONE ship of Princess and not fleet wide.

[LMaxwell]

Once again, this needs to be repeated. This is only on ONE ship of Princess and not fleet wide.

Cat is out of the bag. Princess already stated Regal is only the FIRST ship to get these new charges.