Passengers Pushing Back

[Aquahound]

Hi. I'm working on a story about instances when cruise lines changed policies or eliminated ship features and amenities and passenger push-back resulted in a change for the good.

 

The 2 most significant changes due to passenger push-back that I can remember were:

 

1. Several years ago, before RCI created Diamond Lounges, Diamond members were banned from the Concierge Lounge. Social media...especially Cruise Critic members...created an uproar which resulted in RCI reversing that decision until dedicated D lounges were built. (I may not be remembering that story exactly how it went down...but it was something very similar.)

 

2. NCL's attempt to disallow passengers from removing food from the buffet and other eating venues....forcing passengers who wanted to eat in their rooms to order $8 room service. The $8 fee remains, but the no-carry-out policy was reversed.

Edited February 1, 2017 by Aquahound

[SuiteTraveler]

I suspect most cruise lines smoking policies were changed after significant complaints by non-smokers. In order to sail at capacity the cruise lines had to stop allowing smoking in cabins so they could be sold to either non-smoking or smoking passengers. Also Carnival tried a non-smoking ship at one point (Paradise) but changed to allow it to have some smoking areas. I know it didn't work at the time but I'd like to see this tried again today - maybe now it would work since the smoking population is now less 17% the population of the US.

[paggs]

I suspect most cruise lines smoking policies were changed after significant complaints by non-smokers. In order to sail at capacity the cruise lines had to stop allowing smoking in cabins so they could be sold to either non-smoking or smoking passengers. Also Carnival tried a non-smoking ship at one point (Paradise) but changed to allow it to have some smoking areas. I know it didn't work at the time but I'd like to see this tried again today - maybe now it would work since the smoking population is now less 17% the population of the US.

 

We sailed on the Paradise twice and loved it. But here is what we were hearing while on board "Non smokers don't drink and party as much as smokers so late night bar revenue was way down."

 

Will we ever see a non-smoking ship again? I seriously doubt it even though I really liked the concept and the atmosphere.

[nomad098]

There was a governmental push back on behalf of passengers against all cruise lines after the Costa Concordia incident

 

Before the incident the cruise contract (American Headquatered cruise companies)stated that bookings in the EU or UK were to be dealt with in the US under US law.

 

After the incident European countries forced cruise lines to change the cruise contract so that they were dealt with in the region they were booked. For UK and EU bookings

Edited February 1, 2017 by nomad098

[Kartgv]

There's currently a thread/poll on the Celebrity board about Celebrity requiring all passenger to vacate their staterooms by 7:00AM on quite a few recent cruises. The poll turned out 82% against this - just too early. After a couple of pages of posts, the "Celebrity" CC representative posted that Celebrity management had been informed of the negative feedback and notified all ships to eliminate the 7:00am deadline.

[spookwife]

We sailed on the Paradise twice and loved it. But here is what we were hearing while on board "Non smokers don't drink and party as much as smokers so late night bar revenue was way down."

 

 

 

Will we ever see a non-smoking ship again? I seriously doubt it even though I really liked the concept and the atmosphere.

 

 

When states went indoor smoke free in restaurants and bars they said the same thing. Turns out revenue increased since non smokers had taste buds and purchased higher priced/quality items( the average per person spending increased) and overall traffic increased

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[rose6]

The decision to deny access to Michael's Club on Celebrity ships to non suite guests, after years of open access to all classes of passengers, is a change that is not appreciated. I wish there had been more immediate negative response to this change. If Celebrity wanted an exclusive area to serve it's suite guests, then they could have chosen another area that would not have taken an amenity away from loyal guests who were used to Michael's Club access. Celebrity please pay attention to this comment and do not repeat the "mistake" on the new Edge class.

[rose6]

Carolyn

I believe there was a time when pillow chocolates were removed on Celebrity, and now they seem to have restored the evening chocolates, but I am not certain if it was customer push back that caused them to return to the practice of offering pillow chocolates.

[leaveitallbehind]

When RCI first introduced the 2 bottles of 750ml wine per stateroom to be brought on board, they also charged a corkage fee of $25 in the MDR and didn't permit the bottles to be brought to certain public venues - glasses only.

 

After a while as a result of customer responses they lifted the corkage fee altogether along with the venue restrictions so that now you can bring your bottle to any dining venue and they will serve and store it for you at no charge.

Edited February 2, 2017 by leaveitallbehind

[MissKIA]

I remember a couple of years ago when Carnival removed the shrimp cocktail appetizer from the every day menu. Talk about an uproar! I never knew how important shrimp cocktail was to people (and I do love shrimp!). It didn't last very long and it was added back after a short period.

[Liz54]

I remember a couple of years ago when Carnival removed the shrimp cocktail appetizer from the every day menu. Talk about an uproar! I never knew how important shrimp cocktail was to people (and I do love shrimp!). It didn't last very long and it was added back after a short period.

 

One of my friends ordered it every night. She sais she liked the multi course meal, but not the full feeling or the calories. The shrimp cocktail was tasty but did not make her too full for subsequent courses.

[FloridaPalms]

Royal Caribbean was all set to quietly roll out a new policy effective September 1, 2016 which would have eliminated balcony discounts for their platinum and above Crown & Anchor loyalty tiers on any cruises booked within 6 months of sail date.

 

The only notice was a just a one line blurb buried in a Member Appreciation Week promo flyer to travel agents just 3 weeks ahead. Word immediately leaked out and it was hotly posted in the Cruise Critic forum.

 

There was such an outcry and backlash, the policy was almost immediately put on hold indefinitely and, hopefully, never to be reconsidered.

 

P.S. Can't comment on the new CC format since I haven't seen it yet (using safari on iPad Air 2) but I've read a lot of complaints. Miaybe CC should conduct a poll and give consideration to the feedback.

 

~ Judy

[OzKiwiJJ]

When Princess removed the regular always-available items from the menu and replaced them with Curtis Stone items there was a fair amount of flak. Slowly some of the original always-available items have reappeared (but not the beef tournedos) and on my last Princess cruise the Curtis Stone items had disappeared from that part of the menu, instead there was one Curtis Stone item featured on the bottom of the menu which rotated through the C.S. selections so a different one appeared each night.

[whogo]

I believe that Holland America was going to eliminate their medallion program until cruisers raised a fuss.

[flyingv4me]

Carolyn

I believe there was a time when pillow chocolates were removed on Celebrity, and now they seem to have restored the evening chocolates, but I am not certain if it was customer push back that caused them to return to the practice of offering pillow chocolates.

 

When Lisa Lutoff-Perlo took over the reigns she made a point of telling everyone that she was bringing back the chocolates.

[sloopsailor]

In 2014 RCI eliminated the traditional dining restaurant on it's newest ships, replacing it with something they called "Dynamic Dining" which split the main dining room into three or four smaller venues, each with it's own menu. The new format required making reservations every night, made either before the cruise or on board. It was extremely unpopular. In 2016 they removed it from ships it had been implemented on and abandoned the idea altogether. Now they have made two of the venues as traditional and the remaining venues as "My Time", pretty much back to where they were before that failed experiment.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2016/09/14/royal-caribbean-dynamic-dining/90367520/

[cruisinqt]

Due to such a strong outcry Carnival now offers 12 packs of purified water (16.9 ounces each) for only $4.50 to be delivered to your room. So even though you can't bring water on board, who wants to when you can get it that cheap without even having to lug it up to your room? The complaints brought about a much better option. :)

[Roce48]

If you do bring more than 1 bottle per adult person onto the ship, you will be charged the corkage fee for those extra bottles and a special tag will be placed on the bottle so that wherever you take the bottle on the ship will not be charge again.

 

I thought that if you brought more than one bottle per person that the extras would be placed in storage until the end of the cruise? Is this for some specific cruise line?

[Roce48]

Krazy Kruizers

 

If you do bring more than 1 bottle per adult person onto the ship, you will be charged the corkage fee for those extra bottles and a special tag will be placed on the bottle so that wherever you take the bottle on the ship will not be charge again.

 

I thought that if you brought more than one bottle per person that the extras would be placed in storage until the end of the cruise? Is this for some specific cruise line?

[editor@cruisecritic]

Fabulous, thank you!

 

Carolyn

 

 

Think we found the redo

S&S Card Design Redo

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2451527

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi. Heard somewhere that Princess' classic fettucine Alfredo was being taken off the list, anyone know about that?

 

And thanks, OzKiwiJJ!

 

Carolyn

 

When Princess removed the regular always-available items from the menu and replaced them with Curtis Stone items there was a fair amount of flak. Slowly some of the original always-available items have reappeared (but not the beef tournedos) and on my last Princess cruise the Curtis Stone items had disappeared from that part of the menu, instead there was one Curtis Stone item featured on the bottom of the menu which rotated through the C.S. selections so a different one appeared each night.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Interesting, bury me at sea. Any idea how Carnival is testing for these things (is there anything on the Carnival forum or is it John Heald's Facebook?).

 

Carolyn

 

Two changes that are apparently currently being "tested" on Carnival that are generating a lot of conversation:

 

Once a day cabin service

 

Flat 50.00 OBC for booking on-board and elimination of Friends and Family vouchers.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Fantastic success, thanks, Kartgv. That's barbaric re the 7 a.m. departure. Gives cruise travel a black eye IMHO.

 

Carolyn

 

There's currently a thread/poll on the Celebrity board about Celebrity requiring all passenger to vacate their staterooms by 7:00AM on quite a few recent cruises. The poll turned out 82% against this - just too early. After a couple of pages of posts, the "Celebrity" CC representative posted that Celebrity management had been informed of the negative feedback and notified all ships to eliminate the 7:00am deadline.

[slidergirl]

Two changes that are apparently currently being "tested" on Carnival that are generating a lot of conversation:

 

Once a day cabin service

 

Flat 50.00 OBC for booking on-board and elimination of Friends and Family vouchers.

 

The once-a-day cabin service could be a big plus IF they offered something for volunteering for this. Starwood Hotels has a successful "Make a Green Choice" program; for each day you want to forego daily service, you receive some Starpoints or a F&B voucher for $10. You can go for X number of days like this and then you do get one day of service. I take advantage of this every time I travel to a *wood hotel - I do not need daily room/cabin service, so if I get something in return, all the better.

[editor@cruisecritic]

This leads me to a last question for the story I'm writing (will post it here when it's launched), and thanks, pghsteelerfan for inspiring it. Beyond this particular example, is there anything offered by your favorite cruise line that would really upset you if they take it away? Anything goes, let me know. Thanks for the great conversation....

 

Carolyn

 

I know I'll be pushing back if Carnival takes away the 24-hour, self-serve ice cream or shuts the machines down in the evenings/night. On the social media page of Carnival's popular spokesman, requests (and demands) from passengers are posted and then the opinions of the followers are requested. There are also a lot of Q and A's posted to get a feel for what us passengers actually prefer. Lately, the self-serve ice cream stations have come up quite often. There have many recent requests that are posted, from parents, for Carnival to shut these 24 hour self-serve ice cream machines down over night. These parents don't want their little snowflakes to have access to them at night while they are wandering around the ship unsupervised. The Q & A's posted have had several recent questions regarding the self-serve ice cream: do we enjoy it; do we have ice cream at night and like that we can get ice cream 24 hours or do we think they should be shut down at night; have we had ice cream for breakfast...etc. To me, this comes across as Carnival is possibly thinking of shutting these down at night, but they also want to get a feel if this would be a popular decision with the majority of the passengers. I've always enjoyed the 24 hour self-serve ice cream and hope it's not removed or shut down at night.