Changes to Room Service and Dr. Seuss Breakfast Returning

[Lee Cruiser]

Not really detailed, but changes are coming to room service beginning October 1.

 

Dear Carnival Guest, We have been carefully watching guest patterns since our restart in July 2021, including food and dining preferences. As a result, we are updating our room service menu to add more options on an à la carte basis, while maintaining a complimentary breakfast offering each morning. These changes are consistent with trends across the industry, and also provide us opportunities to continue to work toward meeting our various sustainability goals, including food, water and energy reduction, while still giving our guests the option of 24/7 room service if they so choose. Effective with all cruises departing on or after October 1, 2022, we will be rolling out the expanded room service menu across our fleet. In addition to the complimentary breakfast selections, we will be adding choices which reflect what we believe will meet more guest preferences. Guests will continue to enjoy the convenience of all day in-room dining as shown below: Breakfast from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM – complimentary continental choices with à la carte selections Rest of day/evening from 10:00 AM to 6:00 AM – à la carte selections Room service is a phone call away; simply access the menu via the QR code in your stateroom. Additionally, we are happy to share that beginning October 1, we are resuming our popular Dr. Seuss Green Eggs & Ham Breakfast, a family favorite event where you can enjoy a fantastical feast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends™. We are looking forward to welcoming you aboard and sharing with you our new offerings. See you soon! Sincerely,

Neil Palomba Chief Operations Officer

 

https://view.carnivalcruiselineemail.com/?qs=ed949f44311b0bd0d95b78e637f2d025905248c24ff164dce86a9fd9b8195b296abccd2d5ab2a2ac218224fd1b333d41218b560f9f151ba4b8555f85be05ec280bc4e2f7008de7a9b217f2c7a41cc194

[Schoifmom]

It seems to imply that there will no longer be any "complimentary" items available at any time other then breakfast.

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Schoifmom

[wemjam]

Dang you beat me to it by one minute.

 

Yep, seems pretty detailed to me.  No more free room service except continental breakfast.  All other items will have a fee associated with them.

[Lee Cruiser]

Just now, Schoifmom said:

It seems to imply that there will no longer be any "complementary" items available at any time other then breakfast.

 

That certainly appears to be the case.

[Lee Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, wemjam said:

Dang you beat me to it by one minute.

 

Yep, seems pretty detailed to me.  No more free room service except continental breakfast.  All other items will have a fee associated with them.

I guess we had to see that eventually coming when they started the charges for room service after 10 p.m.   Probably would have happened sooner if not for Covid.

[LaRue1975]

I’m very happy to hear the Dr Seuss breakfast is coming back, we are taking our grandson on his first cruise October 8th.  

[Lee Cruiser]

1 minute ago, LaRue1975 said:

I’m very happy to hear the Dr Seuss breakfast is coming back, we are taking our grandson on his first cruise October 8th.  

Yes, that's the only positive from the email.  Of course, that's something they can charge for, thus an extra money maker as well.

[Island Dog]

Yet another cutback.

[LaRue1975]

4 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

Yes, that's the only positive from the email.  Of course, that's something they can charge for, thus an extra money maker as well.

Yes, and that’s to be expected, they have to raise revenue coming out of the pandemic and the rising prices for everything, especially fuel. It’s better than raising  the cruise rates even higher, you don’t have to order room service, there is plenty of free food available. I do hope the food quality is better, we ordered room service breakfast from the pay menu a couple of times on Vista and it was not good, worse than the buffet, lol! I think they were swamped though as it was on port days when a lot of people order breakfast. I am curious to see the new menu. 

[Luckysll]

There was also this note at the bottom of the letter:

 

Although we continue to do our best to minimize the impact of rising costs, we will be implementing nominal changes to our onboard WiFi packages. WiFi purchases made before the price change will be at the current rates. Reserve pre-cruise before October 1.

[Lee Cruiser]

Just now, LaRue1975 said:

I do hope the food quality is better, we ordered room service breakfast from the pay menu a couple of times on Vista and it was not good, worse than the buffet, lol! I think they were swamped though as it was on port days when a lot of people order breakfast. I am curious to see the new menu. 

Same.  We ordered the breakfast sandwiches one time.  It was the last time.  They were not good at all.

[Lee Cruiser]

1 minute ago, Luckysll said:

There was also this note at the bottom of the letter:

 

Although we continue to do our best to minimize the impact of rising costs, we will be implementing nominal changes to our onboard WiFi packages. WiFi purchases made before the price change will be at the current rates. Reserve pre-cruise before October 1.

Yes, I noticed that as well.  That will be the second increase this year. Looks like pre-booking internet will be the way to go to save.

[Lee Cruiser]

Any bets on how long before the "complimentary" breakfast is removed as well?

[mz-s]

I wonder when they'll cut the last thread of free room service and get rid of the free breakfast delivery. Can't be long now.

[mz-s]

Just now, Lee Cruiser said:

Any bets on how long before the "complimentary" breakfast is removed as well?

 

12 months or less. "Due to waste and lack of guest interest" or some baloney.

[mz-s]

But at the same time the free continental breakfast is really cheap and nasty - it's all dry and cold so it doesn't cost them much to provide. But every time I see a tray of it sitting in the hallway, 90% of it is still on the tray because it's disgusting food.

[UpstateCruizer]

I came here to see if anyone had the same thoughts as I did about losing complimentary items after 10am. Looks like others have interpreted the email the same way I did. This doesn’t really effect me as I rarely order room service. I can see where it benefits the cruise line as people will be less apt to order if they have to pay. Less orders means less staff needed, lower costs and it encourages passengers to be out and about which may mean more impulse spending. We shall see. 
 

I missed the internet disclaimer at the bottom of the email so I’m thinking others will as well. Didn’t they just increase the wifi prices with the most recent increases? At what point does the cost make it easier to decline? We use the social package to check in with my son at home or the house/dog sitter if he’s cruising with us. We have friends that also purchase the package for similar reasons. We may end up sharing the cost of the package and only getting one. 

[starstruck05]

TBH, I may be in the minority here, but I have zero issues with not having the free options besides breakfast for room service. We have all seen the piles and piles of wasted food in the hallways. People are less likely to waste it if they paid outright for it. Also the cost of room service is hardly anything compared to the prices you pay for it at land-based hotels and resorts. I'm looked forward to what they add to the menu as well.

[megbowlstrike]

I came here to see if others interpreted the email the same as me...doing away with free room service except for continental breakfast.  It's a shame because that is something that I loved ever since my first cruise in 2005.  The continual cutbacks are making other cruiselines more appealing.  Others may charge a single delivery fee per order instead of per item, but it seems like less nickel and diming.  

[mz-s]

I for one am glad I am getting less for my money. I am on a CRUISE, a bad day on a ship is better than a good day in the office!

Edited September 9, 2022 by mz-s

[DallasGuy75219]

I

15 minutes ago, mz-s said:

I wonder when they'll cut the last thread of free room service and get rid of the free breakfast delivery. Can't be long now.

I love it how they start the email how they've been watching guest patterns since the restart, as if people suddenly stopped ordering complimentary room service since then.

 

Then they obfuscate the point that complimentary room service is going away other than at breakfast and give every excuse except the real reason that they're trying to cut every cost they can. 

 

More of the continued death by a thousand cuts to Carnival's product pushing me to book on other cruiselines. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by DallasGuy75219

[Lee Cruiser]

We don't order a lot from room service.  Our favorite thing to order is the chocolate cake.  We order it at least once on each cruise.  It's hard to find on the buffet or anywhere except paying for it at Java Blue. 

[DallasGuy75219]

10 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

12 months or less. "Due to waste and lack of guest interest" or some baloney.

People will stop ordering when they have to call in their breakfast order (not order on the door hanger) and get tired of waiting 30 minutes for someone to answer, then Carnival will say it was due to lack of guest interest.

 

Just like they got rid of the formal night Captain's cocktail party and said they were replacing it with the Fun Farewell party, then they intentionally didn't promote that so they could later cut it due to, you guessed it, "lack of guest interest."

[Colorado Beach Bum]

Can anyone name a business that isn’t constantly looking to save money and increase profits?  Not defending the cuts, just pointing out that all businesses do this. It’s consumer choice to continue with the product or move on.  Executive board rooms across all industries are making decisions like this every day. 

[LaRue1975]

22 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

Same.  We ordered the breakfast sandwiches one time.  It was the last time.  They were not good at all.

They were so horribly bad it was funny although hubby ate his, he’s like Mikey, he’ll eat anything! :))