$7.95 Room Service Charge

[bUU]

They want you to enter problems in the comments section.

I think the perfection culture we've adopted in the workplace in the United States exists for a more subtle reason. The implication is that customer-facing staff should be talented enough to rectify any dissatisfaction the customer is experiencing, but without any means or methods afforded the customer-facing staff other than their own personality.

 

Years ago, the Disney Company made a name for itself by way of its superlative customer satisfaction. They were at the very top of the ratings the last time JD Powers surveyed cruise line passengers, so they're still doing a great job. However, there have been rather substantial changes. Instead of being so much better than the rest, I suspect they're now just moderately better, and no where near as good as they once were. The same thing is true on land, at their parks in California and Florida. What's up? Well, they learned that there is decreasing return on investment in customer satisfaction. If you are already significantly better, than making yourself yet even better than that has less and less positive impact on the top line (revenue). What's worse, it gets exponentially more expensive to bump up customer satisfaction from an already very high level to an even higher level. Together, the impact on the bottom line (profit) from "yet even more" customer satisfaction effort is sometimes counter to what is expected.

 

Customer satisfaction has gone from a sought-after holy grail to just another variable of the business to manage prudently. In recognition of this, Disney has reigned in the means and methods that their customer-facing employees ("cast members") have available to them. No longer may the hotel front desk clerk comp you a full-service dinner because a neighboring guest's noisy departure woke you up early (just as a for instance).

 

And you can expect that every other service provider is doing the same, and at a level even less than Disney.

 

Therefore, the staff is not being assessed on their ability to do the mechanical aspects of the job (vacuuming, carrying food, etc.) but rather on the ability to make the customer feel good about the service being provided, or at least the ability to make the customer act like they feel good about the service. Cultivating a staff that gets better and better at that personality-based slight of hand is a relatively low cost approach to improving the impact of customer perceptions on the bottom line.

 

As such, treating a 9/10 as a failure make a sick sort of sense.

Edited June 6, 2017 by bUU

[sky0000547]

Good luck with that comrade

 

 

Don't worry couple of more cruises and I will be out of there.

[knittinggirl]

The issue will be moot when they institute a per item cost for room service.

They already do that for some items in Chops.

[Milwaukee Eight]

I'm glad I got the thread back on track. Lol. It was getting boring there for a bit. Had to wake it up.

 

 

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[nelblu]

Sheesh, this thread is still going and the many so called Royal loyal's are going to jump ship. Please don't do it while on board, as it will inconvenience others. Every one has a choice. Make the selection whether a land or other cruise lines vacation which makes you happy.

[John&LaLa]

Sheesh, this thread is still going and the many so called Royal loyal's are going to jump ship. Please don't do it while on board, as it will inconvenience others. Every one has a choice. Make the selection whether a land or other cruise lines vacation which makes you happy.

I think very few upper tier passengers are going to jump ship. Very few

 

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[Biker19]

I think very few upper tier passengers are going to jump ship.

And even fewer will change cruise lines.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

[bUU]

I think very few upper tier passengers are going to jump ship. Very few

As such, the cruise line is buying real customer loyalty (defined in business as the customer's willingness to purchase what is offered at a premium) with these upper tier benefits.

 

So all is right with the world from the cruise line's perspective: Upper tier passengers are already being lavishly rewarded for sticking with the cruise line as it shifts to a more modern fare+fees pricing model that serves them better given the changes in the nature of the mass market segment, overall. And lower tier and new passengers aren't going to find an alternative that isn't either using the same modern pricing model or is a luxury brand that utilizes a higher base price and more all-inclusive service offering model.

[ddled]

I did not read all of the 95 previous pages but I did go on Royals web page and search room service and it is 7.95 all day except for continnental breakfast. In addition to the renewed corkage fee and the pay restaurants taking up all the space and personnel it is not the line it was-we are diamond level. Someone said that this will lose them customers but more will come and that is how they operate. :(:mad:

[richstowe]

I did not read all of the 95 previous pages

Go back and read them all - TWICE ! :D

[TrojanUSC]

Small anecdote - on Oasis now and discovered that the chef literally does not know what buffalo sauce is. The wings option on the new menu offers BBQ or Buffalo. We requested buffalo on night one, they brought BBQ - saying they'd run out of buffalo. Night two, they told us they had "buffalo" but when we got a very spicy BBQ version we called to ask what happened and were informed this was their "buffalo" sauce - literally BBQ sauce with some red pepper flakes mixed in. :o

[the mistral wind]

Sad to say not really. If you dont book a cruise that just means it open for the next person in line. The only way we may get their attention is 8f 5he entire passenger lists went on stike and canceled the day before the cruise. Even then they would not care because the would have enough everyonespace money. That is all they really care about. On my first cruise back in the 70s some of the staff did a walkout in Miami. Delayed departure till new crews got there. I asked a staff member what was going on here told me " the ship line would agree to everything in Miami, then at the next port the stickers would be fired and replaced "

I think your wrong my friend. I do think they care. Sometimes they test the waters to see what they can cut and how it affects their prospective customers. But to say they don't care about the needs and wants of their clients is not right. At least not my opinion.

[LSUfan4444]

Not a huge fan of eating in the cabin...but that's an extreme price for the little bit you get....

 

Im with you there. I think it's a bit extreme but I have zero interest in eating in my cabin.

[DPrincess81]

Just for funsies... going back to the (angry, self-righteous) responses regarding the Grand Suite guest ordering food for her daughter... How would this be any different than me inviting my friends into my normal stateroom and ordering dinner for all four of us but only paying the $7.95 once?

 

Happy to stir the pot once again, but unless someone has seen a rule about ordering food only for the people in your stateroom and then Royal enforcing it by sitting there and watching you eat it, I think we can all just Elsa that and "let it go." Let the poor sweet mom enjoy spoiling her daughter. Whatevs! :-)

 

As for corporations striving for a perfect 10 and anything else is a failure - YUP! I have been saying this for years. We've become a pass-or-fail society and it's actually really hurting morale unless you know how to make it better. Flogging your employees to death until they get "perfect scores" won't get you happy employees... encouragement, positive reinforcement, and leading by example, are all a start...

[marci22]

Small anecdote - on Oasis now and discovered that the chef literally does not know what buffalo sauce is. The wings option on the new menu offers BBQ or Buffalo. We requested buffalo on night one, they brought BBQ - saying they'd run out of buffalo. Night two, they told us they had "buffalo" but when we got a very spicy BBQ version we called to ask what happened and were informed this was their "buffalo" sauce - literally BBQ sauce with some red pepper flakes mixed in. :o

 

 

 

They serve BBQ sauce with everything, even egg rolls. It's disgusting.

[marci22]

Besides, CC has been a bit boring lately.

 

 

Seriously. We need a dead starfish or misplaced condiments or for Royal to take away the free laundry bag. Or WJ goes to cold cuts only. That would be awesome.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Just for funsies... going back to the (angry, self-righteous) responses regarding the Grand Suite guest ordering food for her daughter... How would this be any different than me inviting my friends into my normal stateroom and ordering dinner for all four of us but only paying the $7.95 once?

 

 

 

Happy to stir the pot once again, but unless someone has seen a rule about ordering food only for the people in your stateroom and then Royal enforcing it by sitting there and watching you eat it, I think we can all just Elsa that and "let it go." Let the poor sweet mom enjoy spoiling her daughter. Whatevs! :-)

 

 

 

As for corporations striving for a perfect 10 and anything else is a failure - YUP! I have been saying this for years. We've become a pass-or-fail society and it's actually really hurting morale unless you know how to make it better. Flogging your employees to death until they get "perfect scores" won't get you happy employees... encouragement, positive reinforcement, and leading by example, are all a start...

 

 

 

It is about INTENT. If one is staying in a GS+

and orders multiple items to share for the INTENT to avoid the service charge for other cabins is just like sharing a drink package or smuggling Alcohol onboard to avoid paying for booze.

 

If someone in a GS+ would like to entertain friends or family in their Suite by ordering room service, this is different than trying to avoid the service charge.

 

Not angry or self-righteous as you called us. So what is the difference than sharing a drink package?

 

I believe, that as soon as a new change/rule comes out and enforced, many are looking for work around to avoid the fees associated with.

 

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[bUU]

It is about INTENT.

Yes, that's very true. Integrity matters.

 

Not angry or self-righteous as you called us.

And the switch from discussing the matter to attacking the poster is a clear indicator of the lack of merit in the argument. There are really two main reasons. First is a respect for the agreements we enter into and the guests' obligation to honor their host. Second is the inescapable fact that in the service industry gaming of the system regularly leads to changes to offerings that adversely affect everyone involved as the means employed to address abuse generally have to cast a wider net that catches more than just the abuse.

[Philly Steve]

During our cruise from a few weeks ago on Grandeur, I noticed considerably less post room service clutter in the corridors. Perhaps more people are leaving their dirty dishes in their cabins but I think it has to do with reduced room service demand.

 

We usually enjoy room service breakfast about two times during a cruise but since a "real" breakfast carried the fee, we opted against it this time around.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Yes, that's very true. Integrity matters.

 

And the switch from discussing the matter to attacking the poster is a clear indicator of the lack of merit in the argument. There are really two main reasons. First is a respect for the agreements we enter into and the guests' obligation to honor their host. Second is the inescapable fact that in the service industry gaming of the system regularly leads to changes to offerings that adversely affect everyone involved as the means employed to address abuse generally have to cast a wider net that catches more than just the abuse.

 

 

 

It was not my INTENT to attack anyone. If some feel that my posts were attacks, I apologize. Rules, polices, suggestions, fees are accepted until they affect the individual.

 

 

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[bUU]

It was not my INTENT to attack anyone.

I didn't see you attack anyone. :shrug: I'm sure it was some other poster.

 

Rules, polices, suggestions, fees are accepted until they affect the individual.

This is an interesting statement. It does seem that many feel that rules are okay when those rules protect them, but not okay when those rules limit them. Edited June 9, 2017 by bUU

[metchie55]

Have you heard the latest fee from Royal?

Royal Caribbean International this month began charging guests a $15 corkage fee for every wine or champagne bottle brought aboard.

Why all the added fees all of a sudden!

 

 

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[BEENSAILING]

Have you heard the latest fee from Royal?

Royal Caribbean International this month began charging guests a $15 corkage fee for every wine or champagne bottle brought aboard.

Why all the added fees all of a sudden!

 

 

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You can open the wine/champagne in your stateroom and drink there with no charge. And you can bring glasses of same bottle (you opened in your stateroom) with you everywhere.

[sea legs 2017]

I really hope this isn't fleet-wide. RCI already has very limited options after 9 PM or so for food. Room service was one of the only ways to get something good, but I'm not paying $8 for that.

 

I agree, with you!:D On the smaller ships on RC, after 9 pm there were limited choices: a few sandwiches and pizza that were not up to par.:') Smaller ships do not have late night dining options like the oasis class ships. I would hope that instead of other RC travelers making remarks about what other company standards are…support the fact that some RC cruisers like to eat after 9 pm and do not want to pay an additional fee. The fact the RC used to offer this service and now it is being taken away is a concern for some of your fellow travelers. No need for some of you to take the RC stance and be so personal about it. Also, I've seen people make comments on their wheight and food choices, CC is about supporting fellow cruisers and offering tips and advice. People should be able to give their opinion and share their experience…be it good or bad.:) I enjoy late night meals and want the option of free room service back! I do beleive that some people waste food so a minimal $2-3; charge/tip for meals from 2am-4am would be ok with me.