Room Service Changes Suspended!!

[Indytraveler83]

From John Heald,

 

”I had previously told you about changes to our room service offerings that would go into effect in January.  
 
I wanted to let you know that we are in the process of making some adjustments to that plan to balance the interests of our guests with our efforts to reduce food waste costs. 

 For the time being then, there will be no changes until we finalise a plan that will I will communicate to you all.”

 

When asked to specify, John stated that the changes have been cancelled and room service will revert to being free until 10 PM

[PhillyFan33579]

Just another example that reinforces my belief that Carnival’s leadership doesn’t know what they are doing and has lost touch with their customer base. 

[Purvis1231]

Surprise but it appears they are listening to their customers. 

[scomar]

Good news, thanks for posting.

[bury me at sea]

Thanks for posting.  Good news for the moment on this Twelfth Day of Christmas.

 

Happy sailing.

[ray98]

That is good news....more than the other lines.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the update.

[sanmarcosman]

Also, someone asked John if food would no longer be allowed to be taken from lido to the cabins:

John Heald Please disregard anything you may have read about not being able to take food from Lido back to the cabin. This is absolutely not true in anyway. We do hope the guests will eat the food where it is served but if they wish to do so they may take it to the cabin. Thanks mate

Edited January 6, 2019 by sanmarcosman

[berniez]

I wonder if this became a legal issue. You have paid for your cruise already based on current rules, and they change the rules after you paid. I am not a lawyer but I wonder if this is breach of contract. Wonder if complaints and asking for refunds changed this.

[Super27]

I'll be curious to see what their "final plan" is going to be. In my opinion they've kind of backed themselves into a corner on this one. The easy alternative for them would be to tack on a "per visit" room service charge, similar to what some other lines do. BUT, that would completely go against the whole reducing waste thing they've been harping on, so I'm not really sure what they do at this point.

[Micahs Grandad]

I really doubt that they decided to charge for room service due to waste. The real reason I believe was to reduce the amount of room service being delivered so as to reduce crew count and save a few bucks.

 

Guess enough people complained that they are having second thoughts

[serene56]

13 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

I really doubt that they decided to charge for room service due to waste. The real reason I believe was to reduce the amount of room service being delivered so as to reduce crew count and save a few bucks.

 

Guess enough people complained that they are having second thoughts

Do you not see the amount of food on plates left in the halls late at night.  Or on port days?     But food wastes at the buffet happen too.   Ever see the amount of food people leave on the tables 

[Joebucks]

19 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

I really doubt that they decided to charge for room service due to waste. The real reason I believe was to reduce the amount of room service being delivered so as to reduce crew count and save a few bucks.

 

Guess enough people complained that they are having second thoughts

 

Most decisions made are not one-dimensional. Multiple benefits increase the effectiveness of a decision. Food waste is a huge expense. I'd be curious to see how many people order room service and don't even touch it at all.

 

Either way, this appears to be a decision they are walking back due to backlash. The cost cut will still come. Whether they are in this form, or another. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Joebucks

[splash_in_the_water]

2 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

Surprise but it appears they are listening to their customers. 

Imagine the convo in the baord room:

 

boss person: "So, have any of you thought  put  in any thought this weekend about ways to make more money?"

 

underling: "yes. So you know how we have that free room service, well, til 10 anyway?"

 

bp: "yes, the customers love it, one of the many reasons they keep coming back....you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?"

 

u: *grins* "precisely"

 

bp: "well now, we can't just go  charging for everything now can we, what about the people?"

 

u: "well, we could...hasn't stopped us yet"

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by splash_in_the_water

[bingomamma19]

28 minutes ago, serene56 said:

Do you not see the amount of food on plates left in the halls late at night.  Or on port days?     But food wastes at the buffet happen too.   Ever see the amount of food people leave on the tables 

Food waste will always be an issue as most food on board is free and unlimited.   

 

I don't think the room services charges had anything to do with food waste, but more of a revenue generator and staff cuts in that area.

 

I think a good compromise for all would be the per delivery fee that RCI has gone to...I think it is 7.95 per order (I think 5 bucks or so is more reasonable)   That way people wont just order willy nilly and yet carnival can recoup some costs of room service delivery.

[summersigh]

1 hour ago, Super27 said:

I'll be curious to see what their "final plan" is going to be.

Yesterday I commented to John that there was nothing on the new menu that would aid someone feeling poorly with seasickness or a virus.  He replied that the passenger who's ill should call 7777 and guest services would arrange to bring food.   😵

Can you imagine what sort of nightmare that would be in rough seas with lots of people feeling queezy??

Maybe they will add some items to address that issue?

 

[MeganGC1983]

The thought of having to bring on more help at the pizza places made the beards “abandon ship” on charging. 😂😉

[sanmarcosman]

6 minutes ago, summersigh said:

Can you imagine what sort of nightmare that would be in rough seas with lots of people feeling queezy??

Maybe they will add some items to address that issue?

 

Or people can take personal responsibility and plan for their sea cruise and such eventualities. 

[bury me at sea]

13 minutes ago, bingomamma19 said:

Food waste will always be an issue as most food on board is free and unlimited.   

 

I don't think the room services charges had anything to do with food waste, but more of a revenue generator and staff cuts in that area.

 

I think a good compromise for all would be the per delivery fee that RCI has gone to...I think it is 7.95 per order (I think 5 bucks or so is more reasonable)   That way people wont just order willy nilly and yet carnival can recoup some costs of room service delivery.

 

I disagree.  My daily order is coffee for two early in the morning, for which I have always tipped.

 

$5.00 for coffee on top of a tip?  I think not.

[summersigh]

3 minutes ago, sanmarcosman said:

Or people can take personal responsibility and plan for their sea cruise and such eventualities. 

That seems kind of harsh.  Seasickness remedies don't always work and it's a bit much to assume folks will pack a suitcase of food ... just in case they catch noro or the cruise chest crud.

[Micahs Grandad]

49 minutes ago, serene56 said:

Do you not see the amount of food on plates left in the halls late at night.  Or on port days?     But food wastes at the buffet happen too.   Ever see the amount of food people leave on the tables 

Unfortunately lots of food is wasted but the biggest waste IMHO is what people put on their plates at the buffet and do not eat.

 

If some people waste food from room service everyone has to pay the price for it? Hardly seems fair to me.

[Cushing985]

I couldn't read the new room service menu that was available online but someone mentioned the continental breakfast was still free yet they charged for coffee and I believe orange juice.  That really made zero sense to me and perhaps someone from Corporate woke up and agreed.  So, I looked at my horoscope and predict they will still charge for everything except for the traditional continental breakfast (including coffee and juices).

[ober134]

I'm not a cruiser that uses room service very often... Maybe only a few times in 12 trips. I'm sure this has to do with Carnival 's bottom line. That said, I do see TREMENDOUS amount of wasted food. All those trays lining the hallways with maybe only a few bites eaten. Mountains of food thrown away from buffet. Yes, you may feel you have a right since you paid for it.... But it's a huge waste that will result in higher future fares, and more nickel and diming us.

 

[footballbabe3]

Well I’m happy. 

[Shaded Lady]

It will be interesting to see where Carnival lands on this one... any 'beard' who thinks we'll buy the 'avoiding waste' excuse for charging should immediately be fired and replaced by someone a little less dense!

 

Revenue and staffing are most likely the biggest reason for them to make this decision...

 

But has anyone else noticed that with all the flap about room service, few folks have complained about the Bottomless Bubbles increase? Way to slip one change in so as not to cause more flap- put it in with something they KNOW people are going to hate. But I'm willing to bet (sorry- no empirical evidence to back it up) that more people use BB than room service!