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$7.95 Room Service Charge

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Ellipooh

Ellipooh

Posted
Posted
Thanks very much for posting this. I am booked next month on my first RCI cruise. There will not be another. I am very disillusioned with the pay-as-you-go business model. Plainly, RCI is not for me.

Here is my email to the guy:

Dear Sir -

I have purchased and paid in full for a RCI cruise in April. A factor in my choice of RCI was the continuing (even today) offer of free room service during the day, as the Oasis is enormous and we anticipate crowds. My husband has mobility problems, and we planned to eat most of our meals in our JS.

It seems quite unfair for RCI to bait and switch with a new upcharge of $8 for every meal, when we are well past the payment in full date. Please confirm that the new charge will not apply to those of us who relied upon your company's own offers when making this not-inexpensive purchase.

Thank you.

To follow up:

 

Today i received a voice mail message from Janice in the RCI Executive Office. It took some doing to call her back, but i was eventually transferred to her directly. I did get a standard format explanation of how the service was being enhanced and how RCI was confident that guests would enjoy the changes. But then she told me that, in light of DH's mobility issues, RCI would take that into consideration and mark our booking so that the room service charges would be waived. I confirmed with her that the charges would not be incurred from inception. She transferred me to the Access Dept, and although i had to repeat the story I was assured by Michelle that the booking would be marked and we would not be charged for room service delivery.

 

I consider this to be a successful resolution. I presume that the major factors with this successful outcome were (1) mobility issues, and (2) payment in full date prior to announced fees. Others in a similar situation may want to investigate further.

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N2DFIRE

N2DFIRE

Posted
Posted
Scooters are becoming far too commonplace to consider them as certification of disability. Many folks rent scooters for vacations specifically because they anticipate a marked increase in physical activity subjected to a body that hadn't seen much in months. Beyond that, the possession of a scooter mitigates some of the arguments for not going to the buffet.

 

 

And some use them to cut lines at amusement parks and etc.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
And some use them to cut lines at amusement parks and etc.
Are there really still theme parks that haven't dealt with this yet? Disney has made a point of mainstreaming all the queues for all their attractions, making the passages wide enough for scooters to pass through and turn corners. There is no longer any specific advantage to having a scooter at Disney World except for the fact that you get to sit on the scooter during the long wait.

 

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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Posted
Are there really still theme parks that haven't dealt with this yet? Disney has made a point of mainstreaming all the queues for all their attractions, making the passages wide enough for scooters to pass through and turn corners. There is no longer any specific advantage to having a scooter at Disney World except for the fact that you get to sit on the scooter during the long wait.

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

 

The same could be said for the elevator wait on a cruise ship. ;)

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
Laura has internet today but I forgot to ask. She's at dinner now, I'll try and catch up later tonight

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

I got a short note just now. She has not heard any complaints or grumbling about the charges.

 

No sit ins at Guest Services, no protest marches, no civil disobedience at all.

 

Sorry, maybe it's a non issue [emoji33]

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

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mkdreams

mkdreams

Posted
Posted
Just curious. What happens when they start charging for breakfast in the main dining room? And, then dinner in the main dining room? And, each time they do all of this AFTER folks have paid for the product that was to include these options for free? The time is coming... Eat at Windjammer or pay a fee. If folks just take these things like RC sheep, RC will keep taking away included for free items and reducing the quality.

 

BINGO! The cheerleaders will never learn.

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vijoge

vijoge

Posted
Posted
I don't know, maybe people who booked a disabled room or who use a scooter? It seems like if a person needs a scooter, then they are more likely to have mobility issues than a person who does not.

 

LOL but if they use a scooter it's actually easier for them to get to the dining room than it is for someone who's walking (and I say this as someone who uses a wheelchair)

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payitforward

payitforward

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Posted
LOL but if they use a scooter it's actually easier for them to get to the dining room than it is for someone who's walking (and I say this as someone who uses a wheelchair)

 

Many of us have invisible illnesses that are complicated and unpredictable. Some days, I can walk and appear to be fine. Other days, just getting dressed and driving the scooter might be more than I can manage. You can't just one's ability by outward appearances or assume that things are "easier" just because we have a scooter. If I need to use my scooter, you can bet EVERYTHING is a challenge.

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emdia43

emdia43

Posted
Posted
I got a short note just now. She has not heard any complaints or grumbling about the charges.

 

No sit ins at Guest Services, no protest marches, no civil disobedience at all.

 

Sorry, maybe it's a non issue [emoji33]

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

But maybe they just aren't aware yet. .... wait until they get the bill. Have RC done anything to make people aware there is a charge now? Changed the Cruise compass ? Put a note on the room service binder?

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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Posted
But maybe they just aren't aware yet. .... wait until they get the bill. Have RC done anything to make people aware there is a charge now? Changed the Cruise compass ? Put a note on the room service binder?

Not sure, but then Anne is not as passionate about these topics as I am. Currently under radio silence for a few more days.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
BINGO! The cheerleaders will never learn.
Actually, it is the curmudgeons who will never learn: The way to get the cruise line to stop going in a specific direction isn't to complain and then pay the cruise line for a cruise begrudgingly, anyway, but rather to stop giving them money going forward. That'll register with them, and they will work to figure out why they aren't making money anymore.
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FLSteve11

FLSteve11

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Posted
But maybe they just aren't aware yet. .... wait until they get the bill. Have RC done anything to make people aware there is a charge now? Changed the Cruise compass ? Put a note on the room service binder?

 

My guess is the vast majority of people are first time cruisers, or rarely cruise, and have no idea what changes have occurred. To them it's just the charge. I'm sure it is written on the room service what the charge is so they just order knowing it.

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bigque

bigque

Posted
Posted
My guess is the vast majority of people are first time cruisers, or rarely cruise, and have no idea what changes have occurred. To them it's just the charge. I'm sure it is written on the room service what the charge is so they just order knowing it.

 

DING DING DING! And they are going to still fill up the ships and still get people to order room service no matter how many people on Cruise Critic leave to another cruise line or don't order room service!

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nelblu

nelblu

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Posted
DING DING DING! And they are going to still fill up the ships and still get people to order room service no matter how many people on Cruise Critic leave to another cruise line or don't order room service!

 

 

Did you ever think that it's not that big of a deal. When I cruise I don't see a tremendous amount of trays in the hallways. The only time I engage rooms service is when I'm faced with early tours and even then we order continental breakfast.

 

I'm not sure if there stats out there, but is the average % of the total specific ship population using room service. Maybe RCL, is after those that basically use the service--just like the internet. Hey, there are posters on this board that recommend that the price of internet be included in the cruise fare.

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