One Cabin Steward & No Turndown-Changes Coming!

[albi]

More than a turned down bed is going away. I am guessing the bathroom won't be freshened as well!

 

 

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[rolfecms]

I can easily imagine the scenario whereby turndown service is eliminated for awhile, then reintroduced as an upgrade for a fee or available 'free' for Elite members or in Concierge Class or higher.

[Nashna]

Just off the Summit August 7th sailing. We did have fresh towels every evening, chocolates on the pillow, ice in the bucket and the bed spiffed up for the evening. We did only have one room steward for the entire week. He did exactly what we requested...extra towels every day and our ice bucket filled...that was it.

[Baron Barracuda]

Sad to hear this.

 

Carnival launched a new program last year or so where you are given a choice of "morning or afternoon" cabin service and actually given a form. I've stopped sailing Carnival but have seen on their FB/CC pages that you can supposedly ask for "both" but it doesn't make the stewards happy because they've pretty much doubled their number of cabins to service under the new program.

 

Have only sailed Royal and X recently so curious if any other lines besides Carnival have eliminated twice daily cabin service. And is Carnival really the model that "modern luxury" should be emulating?

 

Also curious what cabin stewards will do with all their new found free time. If it takes them 20 minutes per cabin in the morning, then cleaning 14 cabins shouldn't take more than 5 hours.

[lovemylab]

Thank you Host Andy for looking into this disappointing decision.

 

Like everyone else, at home I can make my bed, I can cook and wash my towels.

 

However, travelling, for me, means being able to forget about these normal daily chores. For me, parts of the cruising experience, versus let's say a land trip, include all these special little attentions that makes us feel a bit special for a small period of time.

 

Progressively and continuously removing these small attentions will translate in rendering the cruise experience to become more and more "just an ordinary way" to go from point A to point B. It reminds me a bit what happened in the airline industry, where 30-40 years ago, when flying was an experience to look forward to, while now, it is only a flying bus where you can't wait to disembark.

 

Sad news, indeed. I really hope though, that the cruise industry, will keep,some of that special edge that will keep us coming back!

 

I no longer find the cruising experience to be special in comparison to other vacation options.

 

With cruising, we've seen price increases combined with cutbacks and a decrease in quality.

[BBsails]

Love the evening turn down...curtains pulled, lights lowered, clean towels, spiffy bathroom. Very relaxing. So hoping the service continues.

 

Betsy

[dkjretired]

Since gratuities now include two people, will they be adjusting that amount?

 

Bah humbug!

 

Probably not, many years ago there was only one cabin person and when they went to having an assistant, they didn't change the gratuities.

[dkjretired]

Just off the Summit August 7th sailing. We did have fresh towels every evening, chocolates on the pillow, ice in the bucket and the bed spiffed up for the evening. We did only have one room steward for the entire week. He did exactly what we requested...extra towels every day and our ice bucket filled...that was it.

 

There are at this time always a steward and an assistant, you just didn't see the other one.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

Just off the Silhouette this past weekend (August 20) and we were told by our cabin steward and his assistant (and verified by our waiter later in the cruise) that there were going to be changes on the Silhouette the next cruise, fleetwide by the end of the year.

 

1-There will only be one Steward assigned per cabin, not a Steward and assistant. They will now be assigned to 14 cabins each as opposed to the current 24 so it doesn't look like anyone will lose their job.

 

2-There will no longer be turndown service. Their new duty in the evening is to only provide two chocolates on the pillows...that is it.

 

3-They are removing those coverlets that go across the foot of the beds and are going back to providing the plastic covering on the bed at embarkation for luggage.

 

This is a reduction in the total number of stewards AND an increase in the work load for each steward. Currently two stewards for 24 cabins. Working as singles that would be 12 cabins per steward, not the actual change to 14 cabins per steward.

 

At the very least at turndown they need to take the wet towels and bring fresh towels. At home my bathroom is about ten times as big, is used for one shower a day, with sufficient towel racks to spread both towels out to dry, plus has a large window and a very efficient in-ceiling fan. My towels are dry and ready for use again when I need them.

 

In a small bathroom with none of those features, used by two women who both wash their hair daily, and on hot weather days total four showers between us, yes we do need fresh towels twice a day.

 

Don't really care about the covering at the foot of the bed but I think it's very short sighted of Celebrity. Plastic might be a bigger piece that covers more area but do they think the only time a suitcase sits on the bed is the day the ship sails?

Edited August 23, 2016 by Cruising Is Bliss

[cynbar]

Add me to the list of those who will be very disappointed if turndown service is eliminated. I also straighten my own bed at home and pick up my own towels, but I appreciate the luxury of someone else doing it on a ship or in a high end hotel. Fresh ice is important, too -- the ice buckets aren't insulated and ice certainly won't last 24 hours. We'll be in a suite on Silhouette in January and the price seems to go up and up --- if there is no automatic turndown I'll be calling to request it, hopefully they will at least do it on request as most hotels will.

[boscobeans]

More than a turned down bed is going away. I am guessing the bathroom won't be freshened as well!

 

 

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What bathrooms?? We may soon see nothing but a wash basin in everything below a suite with a shower and a WC located every 10 or so staterooms. Modern Luxury? Oh Don't forget to bring your own bathroom slippers for that walk down the hall.

 

bosco

[JFontaine]

It's a big difference hanging wet towels in large well ventilated home bathrooms and having them dry for the next use, it's another in a cabin's tight bathroom where nothing dries.

 

Also, I can't believe a family of 4 using the same hand towel repeatedly wouldn't add to the unwanted spread of germs.

[Dunk]

I completely agree about the towel situation. I take two showers a day, and in a cruise ship bathroom, not only is there not a good place to hang them, there's not enough ventilation to dry them.

 

It is nice to come back to your cabin, drapes closed, light low, and a chocolate on your carefully turned down bed. I don't need them to do any "cleaning"--but turndown and towel freshening is the very least I expect in a four-star hotel, and from a cruise line that has "luxury" in its name.

[webecruzin2]

Have only sailed Royal and X recently so curious if any other lines besides Carnival have eliminated twice daily cabin service. And is Carnival really the model that "modern luxury" should be emulating?

 

 

 

Also curious what cabin stewards will do with all their new found free time. If it takes them 20 minutes per cabin in the morning, then cleaning 14 cabins shouldn't take more than 5 hours.

 

 

 

We were quite impressed with our first Carnival cruise.

Frankly the food in almost every venue put both X and RCCL to shame. I can't remember if our bed was turned down but the cabin was spotless and roomy, we had ice in our bucket and fresh fluffy towels every day and evening. The ship was quite gaudy but the service was all around top notch and it really was a fun ship.

Maybe today's Carnival is the "model" X should be going for.

 

 

 

 

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[theriac]

We were quite impressed with our first Carnival cruise.

Frankly the food in almost every venue put both X and RCCL to shame. I can't remember if our bed was turned down but the cabin was spotless and roomy, we had ice in our bucket and fresh fluffy towels every day and evening. The ship was quite gaudy but the service was all around top notch and it really was a fun ship.

Maybe today's Carnival is the "model" X should be going for.

 

 

 

 

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I agree Carnival has an overall better product than people give credit for. I'm about to go on my first X cruise and am looking forward to it. I have sailed RCI and agree CCL puts their food to shame. I have sailed CCL since there current change and it wasn't that bad. I selected daytime service and just asked the steward to bring fresh towels and ice when they brought by the fun times at night time. It worked out well and wasn't really that much different.

[jasm8449]

Turndown service is a biggie for me. I just love coming back to the cabin to find the room and bathroom freshened up, lights on low and the bed turned down, ice bucket filled. Can't explain it......I just look so forward to it.

[Bo1953]

We don't change them every day at home either but we don't shower twice a day and the towels are not hanging is a hot humid stagnate bathroom. Also change sheets every 4 days or so. And, I don't spend >$8K or so a week at home either. If I did I'd expect the staff to change them every day. :D

 

I share that passion and expectation(s)...

 

bon voyage

[milesfromu]

Turndown service is a biggie for me. I just love coming back to the cabin to find the room and bathroom freshened up, lights on low and the bed turned down, ice bucket filled. Can't explain it......I just look so forward to it.

 

 

*like*

[smtcan]

I won't miss turn down service. I found it quite disturbing when our cabin steward arranged my night wear on the bed, so now I always put it away in the drawer. We tidy up after ourselves and have never requested ice service. I would really miss fresh towels though - I would rather have fresh towels than pillow chocolates any day!

 

Sheila

[Duanerice1]

Love the evening turn down...curtains pulled, lights lowered, clean towels, spiffy bathroom. Very relaxing. So hoping the service continues.

 

Betsy

 

Agree. It's just that little something extra. So nice when you get back tot he cabin late at night, tired.... It's just soothing, makes us feel a little bit pampered.

[Tomato53]

What bathrooms?? We may soon see nothing but a wash basin in everything below a suite with a shower and a WC located every 10 or so staterooms. Modern Luxury? Oh Don't forget to bring your own bathroom slippers for that walk down the hall.

 

bosco

 

Yeah, that will happen

[Champagne Cruiser]

I am still very unhappy that they stopped giving daily water in Aqua Class. When we booked our repo on the Solstice Sydney to Honolulu daily water was included and now it's not. On a repo with no "free" beverage package the daily water was one of the reasons we decided to book Aqua Class.

[jagoffee]

I can understanding having one Cabin Steward per cabin, but I do not believe the other assumptions being made. IMO there is not way Celebrity will not offer a service in the evening. (Towels, chocolates, curtains, etc.).

 

Could this be a misunderstanding or someone upset with some of the changes being made with the Steward staff?

[davekathy]

I love having the cabin spiffed up at night and fresh towels put in the cabin. If they don't do that, that's just gross IMO. :( And this is "Modern Luxury"?!!! :mad:

 

Edited to add: I just posted on their FB page. Hope I get an answer.

 

Turndown service is a biggie for me. I just love coming back to the cabin to find the room and bathroom freshened up, lights on low and the bed turned down, ice bucket filled. Can't explain it......I just look so forward to it.

 

We agree. What a bummer. Hope it's nothing but a rumor.

Edited August 24, 2016 by davekathy

[davekathy]

Since gratuities now include two people, will they be adjusting that amount?

 

Bah humbug!

 

If Celebrity doesn't I will.