New Fees For Quantum of the Seas

[CapeGal]

Read on Cruise Fever: 

 

Royal said that in order to improve guest experience and to minimize wait times, there will be a fee for the North Star and Ripcord by iFly on Quantum of the Seas starting with the November 16, 2019 sailing.

The new fees will be as follows:

• Ripcord by iFly: $29 pp USD
• North Star: $12 adults pp USD / $8 child pp USD (up to 11 years)
• Bumper Cars: Complimentary (with option to upgrade to Express Lane for $5 pp USD)

Note: Express Lane option is to be paid onboard at the Seaplex/Bumper Car area.

   

Guests will be able to purchase tickets for these activities on Cruise Planner.

These new fees apply to Quantum of the Seas on roundtrip sailings out of Singapore starting on November 16, 2019.  Cruises that are nine nights or more in length and repositioning sailings are excluded from these new fees.

[Clarea]

Didn't Quantum already have fees for cruises based out of China?

[twangster]

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

Didn't Quantum already have fees for cruises based out of China?

 

Yes but now they will be charged in Singapore as well.

 

[HBE4]

 

What's the chances that these "enhancements" make their way West so that North American/European cruisers can enjoy the same "improved" guest experience?

[Clarea]

Just now, HBE4 said:

 

What's the chances that these "enhancements" make their way West so that North American/European cruisers can enjoy the same "improved" guest experience?

 

I would be very disappointed if I could not have the same level of enhanced cruise experience on all of our cruises.🙄

[mugtech]

There was a thread about this that disappeared yesterday, not sure why.  I got a 9 nighter Hong Kong to Singapore scheduled so it does not apply to me.  Folks on the other thread were concerned that this is an experiment which could go fleet wide

[mugtech]

$5 for express lane bumper cars?  Must be more popular than I realized, on Anthem went at 9 AM on a sea day and got two rides in a row as there were that few people that showed up.

Edited July 17, 2019 by mugtech

[hapster85]

$5 for express lane bumper cars?  Must be more popular than I realized, an Anthem went at 9 AM on a sea day and got two rides in a row as there were that few people that showed up.

That's not really surprising at 9 am

[mugtech]

4 minutes ago, hapster85 said:

6 minutes ago, mugtech said:

$5 for express lane bumper cars?  Must be more popular than I realized, an Anthem went at 9 AM on a sea day and got two rides in a row as there were that few people that showed up.

That's not really surprising at 9 am

I suppose, but when I walked past later there were about 100 people in line all the way around the rink.

[HBE4]

8 minutes ago, mugtech said:

$5 for express lane bumper cars?  Must be more popular than I realized, on Anthem went at 9 AM on a sea day and got two rides in a row as there were that few people that showed up.

 

I went mid-day and there was a 45 minute line. I stood behind Matt Yee (frequent Schooner Bar entertainer) so it passed the time quickly. For anyone that has seen his act, it was weird to see him speak in a normal, quiet, calm tone. Very pleasant fellow.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

21 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I would be very disappointed if I could not have the same level of enhanced cruise experience on all of our cruises.🙄

Movie by the pool is going to be $5,95 + 18%!😱

Standing in line to purchase the tickets.....priceless!😜😇

[HBE4]

3 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Movie by the pool is going to be $5,95 + 18%!😱

 

$5.95 for walk-up customers.

$12.95 if you want to reserve your lounge chair in advance. (Complimentary for Suite guest, Pinnacles and KEY members)

[Clarea]

10 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Movie by the pool is going to be $5,95 + 18%!😱

Standing in line to purchase the tickets.....priceless!😜😇

 

I am so looking forward to all the enhancements.

[twangster]

It all goes back to the concept of inclusive or not.  They could make alcohol inclusive on all cruises but fares would go up.  They could make Voom included on all cruises but fares would go up.   What if someone doesn't need or want Voom?  What if someone doesn't drink?  Too bad, you are paying for it.

   

If they can continue to offer cheap cruise fares I say bring it West.

 

Ships have to offer outlandish activities to differentiate themselves from the hundreds of other ships.  These activities cost money to build and money to maintain and operate.  It's conceivable that at some point they may need to charge for some activities so that they can continue to offer inexpensive cruise fares. 

 

Certain activities do carry a charge.  Escape rooms for example.  Why make everyone pay for all activities when not all guests can or want to use them?  A flowrider costs money to build, maintain and operate.   Why should a person who can't or doesn't want to use a flowrider pay for it?

 

Ten or twenty years from now when I can't use zip lines, ice skating, bumper cars, rock walls and so on I could make an argument for why I shouldn't have to pay for them just so some others can use them without a fee.    Give us cheaper cruise fares and let those that want these things pay for it.  

Edited July 17, 2019 by twangster

[icsys]

3 hours ago, mugtech said:

There was a thread about this that disappeared yesterday, not sure why.

Yes, there was, but its no longer accessible??

 

I fail to see how making guests pay, for what was a complimentary activity, improves the guest experience.

 

I am aware that the Chinese cruise market is fundamentally different to other markets but not all guests sailing on the Quantum will be Asian. Now the charges are extended to Singapore.

 

If they feel the need to charge for some activities then offer one complimentary visit per person then charge a fee for subsequent visits.

Edited July 17, 2019 by icsys

[gatour]

The fees are being applied to Quantum class ships.  There is only one in the United Stated that have similar amenities, so saying it will "go fleetwide" is a bit of a misnomer.

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I went mid-day and there was a 45 minute line. I stood behind Matt Yee (frequent Schooner Bar entertainer) so it passed the time quickly. For anyone that has seen his act, it was weird to see him speak in a normal, quiet, calm tone. Very pleasant fellow.

 

I would love to do bumper cars with Matt.  hee hee hee

[Merion_Mom]

15 minutes ago, gatour said:

The fees are being applied to Quantum class ships.  There is only one in the United Stated that have similar amenities, so saying it will "go fleetwide" is a bit of a misnomer.

 

The fees are being applied to THE QUANTUM.

 

There are two others currently in the United States.  The Anthem is sailing out of Cape Liberty and the Ovation is sailing out of Seattle.

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, twangster said:

It all goes back to the concept of inclusive or not.  They could make alcohol inclusive on all cruises but fares would go up.  They could make Voom included on all cruises but fares would go up.   What if someone doesn't need or want Voom?  What if someone doesn't drink?  Too bad, you are paying for it.

   

If they can continue to offer cheap cruise fares I say bring it West.

 

Ships have to offer outlandish activities to differentiate themselves from the hundreds of other ships.  These activities cost money to build and money to maintain and operate.  It's conceivable that at some point they may need to charge for some activities so that they can continue to offer inexpensive cruise fares. 

 

Certain activities do carry a charge.  Escape rooms for example.  Why make everyone pay for all activities when not all guests can or want to use them?  A flowrider costs money to build, maintain and operate.   Why should a person who can't or doesn't want to use a flowrider pay for it?

 

Ten or twenty years from now when I can't use zip lines, ice skating, bumper cars, rock walls and so on I could make an argument for why I shouldn't have to pay for them just so some others can use them without a fee.    Give us cheaper cruise fares and let those that want these things pay for it.  

I don't use any of those amenities either but if you think they will drop the cruise fare because of an up charge for the rides you are only kidding yourself. We are already willing to pay the fare and not participate in those activities. The up charge will just be gravy  and I bet the lines will be even longer because if they charge a fee people will want it more, especially if they apply a fake sale. "Book now you can always cancel if the price drops"  The Key is the perfect example of this. People are willing to pay for an expedited embarkation and 9 times out of 10 if you arrive a few minutes later the lines are gone. They are also paying for faster access to the activities.

Edited July 18, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[Thorben-Hendrik]

27 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

but if you think they will drop the cruise fare because of an up charge for the rides you are only kidding yourself.

👍

[The_Big_M]

These "new" fees were actually introduced at the end of 2015.

 

Its only that they are being extended to sailings in another region. And given they're still only doing it

for shorter cruises, it seems to be the same rationale that applies, so not much change really.

 

There’s a fair chance that if the same short itineraries were regularly carried to other regions e.g. Australia, US, the same would apply. But the markets are different and short cruises are not so standard or likely to be there.

Edited July 18, 2019 by The_Big_M

[tomatosauce]

The other thing to remember is that the RCI cruises out of Singapore are largely 4 nights with some 3 and 5 night ones thrown in and the odd relocation cruise. With 4,900 passengers getting everyone who wants to try it through Northstar or iFly in so short a period is logistically impossible so it makes perfect sense to do something on the demand side of things.

[icsys]

5 hours ago, tomatosauce said:

With 4,900 passengers getting everyone who wants to try it through Northstar or iFly in so short a period is logistically impossible so it makes perfect sense to do something on the demand side of things.

And make some additional money in the process... result

[kernow]

We are on Quantum from Singapore next year and when I read the article the other day I was pleased as we are on a 9 night cruise so won't have to pay. We had been expecting to pay because that is how Quantum has been operating. There are lots of differences to the other ships eg the Solarium Bistro is chargeable and it doesn't look like this will change as it's available in our planner for £26pp. We are in a JS and no one can tell us if we will be able to use Coastal Kitchen for dinner, on the current cruises JS are not allowed. Currently  the Solarium is only open to Suite guests and higher level C&A, anyone else has to pay a daily fee, again no info if this will continue on Singapore cruises. 

 

I can't see them introducing any of these things on cruises outside Asia.

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, kernow said:

I can't see them introducing any of these things on cruises outside Asia.

Why not? If Odyssey does shorties from Florida, you can bet RCI will be very tempted to do just that.