Yet another Room Service Fee Question

[Imalismom]

I am almost certain this question has been asked and answered, but I have just spent a half hour trying to find it and got flustered, so decided to just re-ask.

 

I am on the POA in July. There are four adults in a 2 Bedroom Aft Suite

(cat SI).

 

(1) If I order room service, since I am in a suite category, does the $7.95 room service fee still apply?

 

(2) Assuming the answer to question number 1 is yes, if I order breakfast (ex: scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and a glass of apple juice) for 4 adults, will I then be charged $7.95 X 4 ($31.80) or just one $7.95 charge?

 

Thanks in advance!

[hpecorari]

I am almost certain this question has been asked and answered, but I have just spent a half hour trying to find it and got flustered, so decided to just re-ask.

 

I am on the POA in July. There are four adults in a 2 Bedroom Aft Suite

(cat SI).

 

(1) If I order room service, since I am in a suite category, does the $7.95 room service fee still apply?

 

(2) Assuming the answer to question number 1 is yes, if I order breakfast (ex: scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and a glass of apple juice) for 4 adults, will I then be charged $7.95 X 4 ($31.80) or just one $7.95 charge?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Those in suites/Haven do not use room service as they use their Butler....therefore, there is no charge.

 

Harriet

[NLH Arizona]

I am almost certain this question has been asked and answered, but I have just spent a half hour trying to find it and got flustered, so decided to just re-ask.

 

I am on the POA in July. There are four adults in a 2 Bedroom Aft Suite

(cat SI).

 

(1) If I order room service, since I am in a suite category, does the $7.95 room service fee still apply?

 

(2) Assuming the answer to question number 1 is yes, if I order breakfast (ex: scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and a glass of apple juice) for 4 adults, will I then be charged $7.95 X 4 ($31.80) or just one $7.95 charge?

 

Thanks in advance!

Suites are exempt from the room service charge.

[SissasMomE]

Suites are exempt; however, anyone who orders room service and includes a paid item (soda, beverage, whatever) is also exempt from the fee.

[hpecorari]

anyone who orders room service and includes a paid item (soda, beverage, whatever) is also exempt from the fee.

 

That's how I read the 'fine print'. However, has anyone actually tested this out? We all know how NCL's communication is off and I hope they didn't mess up the wording here.

 

Harriet

[LoveyHowell]

Suites are exempt; however, anyone who orders room service and includes a paid item (soda, beverage, whatever) is also exempt from the fee.

 

I read that the other day but it didn't seem right to me. I have to call NCL today for something else so I will ask about it and post back.

[SissasMomE]

That's how I read the 'fine print'. However, has anyone actually tested this out? We all know how NCL's communication is off and I hope they didn't mess up the wording here.

 

Harriet

 

Nothing to test .. it's pretty clear what incurs the fee and what doesn't! Watch them change it now lol

Edited May 15, 2015 by SissasMomE

[SissasMomE]

I read that the other day but it didn't seem right to me. I have to call NCL today for something else so I will ask about it and post back.

 

I really do not mean this in a nasty way at all, but what they say is irrelevant. It's written on the menu.

[LoveyHowell]

I really do not mean this in a nasty way at all, but what they say is irrelevant. It's written on the menu.

 

I'm not offended at all. I think everyone here just wants some truthful, honest answers and a policy they can point at and say this is this, and that is that.

 

So I called and asked if I purchased a drink what happens with the food. I was told they are billed separately. I pointed out where the menu makes it sound like buying a drink gets rid of the food charge. They put me on with a supervisor. The supervisor said that the drinks are charged for a la carte, the food is a flat fee. I said what happens if I order a glass of wine and food? They said I will be billed for the wine and billed a convenience fee for the food delivery. I asked if UBP covers the drinks: NO. I pressed the supervisor about the wording of the menu and they kept repeating the drinks are billed a la carte and the food is billed for the convenience fee.

 

If you could order a drink and get out of the food fee, everyone would add a beer or wine, or even a soda or bottle of water to their orders and all of these threads would have disappeared. I SEE what the wording say, but NCL sees it different. Just reporting back on the discussion I had. Take it for what it is worth.

[SissasMomE]

I'm not offended at all. I think everyone here just wants some truthful, honest answers and a policy they can point at and say this is this, and that is that.

 

So I called and asked if I purchased a drink what happens with the food. I was told they are billed separately. I pointed out where the menu makes it sound like buying a drink gets rid of the food charge. They put me on with a supervisor. The supervisor said that the drinks are charged for a la carte, the food is a flat fee. I said what happens if I order a glass of wine and food? They said I will be billed for the wine and billed a convenience fee for the food delivery. I asked if UBP covers the drinks: NO. I pressed the supervisor about the wording of the menu and they kept repeating the drinks are billed a la carte and the food is billed for the convenience fee.

 

If you could order a drink and get out of the food fee, everyone would add a beer or wine, or even a soda or bottle of water to their orders and all of these threads would have disappeared. I SEE what the wording say, but NCL sees it different. Just reporting back on the discussion I had. Take it for what it is worth.

 

I hope the wording is the same when I board. If so, I guarantee I won't be paying a dime! :D

[LoveyHowell]

I hope the wording is the same when I board. If so, I guarantee I won't be paying a dime! :D

More power to you; let us know how you make out.

[jcallcut]

Just off of the epic and was charged the $7.95 plus gratuity and VAT for any room service order. It was also charged if I ordered soda. For just food the bill came to approximately $10.50 and if the meal included soda it came to about $15.50. For me, ordering something that had a cost associated with it did not remove the room service charge.

[hpecorari]

Just off of the epic and was charged the $7.95 plus gratuity and VAT for any room service order. It was also charged if I ordered soda. For just food the bill came to approximately $10.50 and if the meal included soda it came to about $15.50. For me, ordering something that had a cost associated with it did not remove the room service charge.

 

::sigh::

 

Another piece of paper I'm going to have to print out and take with me as 'proof' of what they say when I cruise.

 

Harriet

[jenseib]

The way I understand it is there is no rooms service fee for suites period (unless you order drinks, etc). From what I have gathered it doesn't matter if you order through the butler or room service itself....Is that correct?

[NLH Arizona]

The way I understand it is there is no rooms service fee for suites period (unless you order drinks, etc). From what I have gathered it doesn't matter if you order through the butler or room service itself....Is that correct?

You would not be charged the $7.95 convenience fee no matter what you order. If you order a drink, you would only pay the cost of the drink and the gratuity. At least this is the way I understand it. It shouldn't matter who you order it from.

[mjkacmom]

You would not be charged the $7.95 convenience fee no matter what you order. If you order a drink, you would only pay the cost of the drink and the gratuity. At least this is the way I understand it. It shouldn't matter who you order it from.

 

NCL seems to have a habit of wording things incorrectly, but I assume that, even if you order a beverage, you will still pay the fee. Why would someone order a turkey sandwich, and pay the fee, instead of ordering a sandwich and a soda, and pay less?

[NLH Arizona]

NCL seems to have a habit of wording things incorrectly, but I assume that, even if you order a beverage, you will still pay the fee. Why would someone order a turkey sandwich, and pay the fee, instead of ordering a sandwich and a soda, and pay less?

this response was to someone who was in a suite, who wouldn't have to pay the service charge no matter what they ordered, but I do agree with you, someone in a non-suite would have to pay the service charge if they ordered a drink with their sandwich. Edited May 16, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[SissasMomE]

Just off of the epic and was charged the $7.95 plus gratuity and VAT for any room service order. It was also charged if I ordered soda. For just food the bill came to approximately $10.50 and if the meal included soda it came to about $15.50. For me, ordering something that had a cost associated with it did not remove the room service charge.

 

Too bad you didn't read the fine print at the bottom on the menu. You were overcharged, and did not have to pay that.

[zqvol]

I am almost certain this question has been asked and answered, but I have just spent a half hour trying to find it and got flustered, so decided to just re-ask.

 

I am on the POA in July. There are four adults in a 2 Bedroom Aft Suite

(cat SI).

 

(1) If I order room service, since I am in a suite category, does the $7.95 room service fee still apply?

 

(2) Assuming the answer to question number 1 is yes, if I order breakfast (ex: scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and a glass of apple juice) for 4 adults, will I then be charged $7.95 X 4 ($31.80) or just one $7.95 charge?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Answer to number 1 is that if you are in a suite the fee does not apply, and so there is no need to answer number 2, but the answer to number 2 would be that it is one $7.95 charge for the cabin, not per person.

[fshagan]

I've always thought it would be both the gratuity on drinks and the service charge for qualifying food. I tried this before but kept including food that doesn't attract the service fee, so here goes again:

 

1. You order food that attracts a service fee due to the type of food or the hours of the day and a drink that attracts a gratuity: you pay the service fee on the food order and the price + gratuity on the drink.

 

2. You order JUST a drink that is a charge item and has a gratuity: you pay JUST for the drink and the gratuity, but not the $7.95 delivery fee on top of that.

 

So if your deal is a drink on the balcony at sunset you pay for the drinks, but not a service fee. Throw in some complementary food to be delivered and you pay the $7.95 fee as well.

 

I have always thought this is the way the system worked from the first time I read the text at the bottom of the room service menu someone posted. It doesn't make sense that buying a $4 Pepsi along with your full room service meal would cancel out the delivery fee.

 

For the OP: Suites escape the delivery fee on room service food (not the mis-named mini-suites, but everything above that category). My understanding is that if you were in a regular balcony room and ordered meals for each of your cabin mates, an additional 1 - 3 entrees, for instance, the delivery fee would still be the single $7.95 fee. Plus, the cost of any drinks + the gratuity on the drinks.

Edited May 16, 2015 by fshagan
Added last para "For the OP:"

[LMaxwell]

Just as I read it from the other thread. Drinks and food both charged for non suites. Ordering drink doesn't remove food delivery fee

[jcallcut]

Exactly LMaxwell. I did ask about the fine print and was told by at least three guest services employees that ordering a Pepsi through room service did not negate the convenience fee. I then had the choice to order and pay the fee or make other food arrangements. For me, it was worth the fee to not have to leave the room for food. For others that may not be the case. If you do now want to pay the fee then don't order from room service. I did not try just ordering pepsis to see if I would get charged the convenience fee. All of my orders included food. If, as another poster stated, I got overcharged, then so be it. I am just relating my experience. One other thing, there was not a time that I ordered that I was not informed about the fee so there should be no surprises when the bill comes.

[old sole]

The terms & conditions printed at the bottom of the room service menu could not be more clear.

 

"Complimentary continental breakfast and orders that include special occasion and/or non-complimentary beverage items are exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge."

 

It is beyond me how anyone could interpret that to mean that an order that includes a non-complimentary beverage item is not exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge.

 

It is just infuriating that not only can't you trust them anymore to deliver what they promise at the time you book, but you can't even expect them to honor terms & conditions for an individual purchase stated plainly at the actual time and point of purchase.

 

How are we to know what anything costs on the ship? Seriously, how can we know?

[SissasMomE]

The terms & conditions printed at the bottom of the room service menu could not be more clear.

 

"Complimentary continental breakfast and orders that include special occasion and/or non-complimentary beverage items are exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge."

 

It is beyond me how anyone could interpret that to mean that an order that includes a non-complimentary beverage item is not exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge.

 

It is just infuriating that not only can't you trust them anymore to deliver what they promise at the time you book, but you can't even expect them to honor terms & conditions for an individual purchase stated plainly at the actual time and point of purchase.

 

How are we to know what anything costs on the ship? Seriously, how can we know?

 

Agreed. I find is sad that the couple of posters here think it's ok to be charged for something when clearly it states you shouldn't be. To each their own I guess :rolleyes: I know I won't pay it if the wording does not change. You don't need a law degree to comprehend what is written!

Edited May 17, 2015 by SissasMomE

[Travelcat2]

The terms & conditions printed at the bottom of the room service menu could not be more clear.

 

"Complimentary continental breakfast and orders that include special occasion and/or non-complimentary beverage items are exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge."

 

It is beyond me how anyone could interpret that to mean that an order that includes a non-complimentary beverage item is not exempt from the $7.95 convenience charge.

 

It is just infuriating that not only can't you trust them anymore to deliver what they promise at the time you book, but you can't even expect them to honor terms & conditions for an individual purchase stated plainly at the actual time and point of purchase.

 

How are we to know what anything costs on the ship? Seriously, how can we know?

 

You made some interesting points - even though I don't agree with all of them. It is clear to me that when you order a non-complimentary beverage, you do not have to pay $7.95. To me, this is a big thing. Many posters want to have food and drinks on their balcony -- very understandable. So, if they order food with a cocktail or soda, would this not mean that there will not be a charge for this delivery?

 

I do agree that there should have been notice of these changes. However, if you book a year in advance (we actually book more than a year in advance), while you could "grandfather" some things (service charge for room service for instance), how do you grandfather not taking food to your room (although, if you were grandfathered, you would not have to take food to your room since you can order it at no charge). Some of the changes lend itself to "grandfathering" more than others.

 

Our experience with the current management on Regent is that some things do change from the time we book until the time we sail. Excursions is the first thing that comes to mind.

 

I am wondering if most posters book directly with NCL or through a travel agent. Rather than depending upon Regent or Oceania to let us know what is going on, our TA keeps us advised. So, for those of you that use TA's (that regularly book cruises), what has your experience been in terms of these changes?

Edited May 17, 2015 by Travelcat2