Changes to Room Service and Dr. Seuss Breakfast Returning

[DallasGuy75219]

14 minutes ago, starstruck05 said:

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.

Have you seen the amount of wasted food at the buffet? People are going to waste complimentary food whether they order it to their room or get it at the buffet. 

 

There may actually be more wasted now that most people will go to the Lido vs. paying for room service because there's much a bigger variety of food to pile on your plate leave then uneaten.

[Jasonsterling]

This is something I think everyone was waiting for for a long time. Carnival knows that even with this and all the other numerous cuts they still present an attractive and cost effective model for vacation compared to other options... or at least they hope they do, lol. I've almost never used room service save coffee and cereal delivery maybe once a cruise because it's troublesome to eat in the room without a true table so I, and many others, just won't miss it. In addition their new upmarket Excel suites on the newest ships use free room service as a perk. If it's all pay, except for a basic breakfast, then the perk is more attractive and valuable to the people booking those suites. I'm sure there's other considerations there as well but in the end after all the grumbling the ships will still be full because there's no one else offering a better deal.  

[Island Dog]

7 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

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. 

Very true. The difference is Carnival (and Princess by my experience) keeps cutting things and keeping prices level yet other lines, like NCL, are keeping the experience consistent and raising prices.

 

Ultimately I'll opt for the latter.

[tm_aw_love]

10 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

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. 

Let alone with the amount of debt that they were forced to take on during the shutdown... that all has a due date. 

[kelkel2]

20 minutes ago, starstruck05 said:

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.

I agree. I don’t really utilize room service anyways unless for a late night snack and nothing else is open. So I don’t really mind the charge. 

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, Island Dog said:

Very true. The difference is Carnival (and Princess by my experience) keeps cutting things and keeping prices level yet other lines, like NCL, are keeping the experience consistent and raising prices.

 

Ultimately I'll opt for the latter.

 

Agreed, I'm to the point in my life where I'd rather pay more and get an overall better experience than pay what I used to pay and get a materially worse experience.

[jimbo5544]

40 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

Yet another cutback.

Those tens of billions of dollars they lost do take a while to recoup.  

[asalligo]

We knew this was coming. Carnival has been trying to scale back room service for a long time now. Eventually there will be no free room service. I really miss the free bagels and lox and cooked eggs I was able to order every morning to my room once upon a time. I guess Carnival hopes I miss it enough that it will become a new revenue stream. 

[cmichael1221]

9 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

I agree. I don’t really utilize room service anyways unless for a late night snack and nothing else is open. So I don’t really mind the charge. 

Agreed!  The free items were very limited anyways, not very appealing and often found sitting uneaten in the hallway.  I don't mind paying $5 or $6 for each item like they have on the menu now, so I'm looking forward to more options, even if I have to pay.  Still significantly cheaper than getting food delivered anywhere on land!

[mz-s]

6 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Those tens of billions of dollars they lost do take a while to recoup.  

 

I don't think guests wasting a few turkey BLTs is going to move the needle on tens of billions.

[lazydayz]

28 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

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. 

 

Probably cheaper at Java Blue on October 1 or later. 

[asalligo]

2 minutes ago, cmichael1221 said:

Agreed!  The free items were very limited anyways, not very appealing and often found sitting uneaten in the hallway.  

But this was not always the case. There was a time when Carnival delivered a full fresh breakfast at room service. Anyone try MSC? I heard they deliver dinner to your room. 

[asalligo]

1 minute ago, mz-s said:

 

I don't hate Carnival, I love their product. I just hate being gaslit. It's not because of waste or consumer preferences or whatever they're saying. It's because they're trying to save money while charging guests more. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining, Carnival.

 

I certainly will never celebrate Carnival for cutbacks as some are doing here. That's just something I can't comprehend. Why would I celebrate getting less for my money. Boggles the mind.

Exactly, some people here cheerlead Carnival for anything they do. I mean anything!

[UpstateCruizer]

44 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

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."

I’ve read several comments since the switch from door hangers to the new system. Most of them say they called in their breakfast order the first day and were able to set it up for automatic delivery every morning there after. As long as you get the same thing every morning that sounds easier. You can also call your order in the night before for morning delivery. Based on reading those comments frequently it sounds like the new system with no door hangers is actually better. 

 
I remember those changes to the Captain’s cocktail party. When one of the cruise directors commented not many people showed up I asked why they didn’t advertise the party in the fun times…..he said “ Do you think we are crazy?” Well of course not since most people had no clue what a farewell party was and the complimentary drinks. That fell in line with having the $1 off to celebrate captains meet and greets. That didn’t last long either. 
 

 

[UpstateCruizer]

23 minutes ago, asalligo said:

But this was not always the case. There was a time when Carnival delivered a full fresh breakfast at room service. Anyone try MSC? I heard they deliver dinner to your room. 

That must’ve been years ago. We’ve been sailing since 2006 and a full hot breakfast has never been offered. It’s was one of the biggest breakfast room service complaints for many years. 

[ShakyBeef]

This may be one of the few contentious Carnival CC threads in which I for the most part agree with both camps.  Yes, this is a cutback.  Yes, Carnival is trying to cut costs and save money / make more money by turning included items into pay-for items.  Yes, Carnival desperately needs to save and make more money to put a dent in that debt and get closer to being in the black.  And every dollar counts.  And yes, there has indeed been a lot of waste of that "free" room service food by so many over so many years.  And yes, Carnival is putting a PR spin on the announcement. 

 

Y'all who know me from these boards know that I have bemoaned cutbacks many a time over the years.  But I'm not bothered by this one.  However, unlike some others' reason for not being bothered by it, I have indeed used Room Service frequently on every cruise.  So, for me, it's not a case of "I don't use it, so I won't miss it".  This logical move on Carnival's part will cost me more money.  But that is in line with what I have been wishing them to do to maintain their profit margin all along - instead of a cutback (shrinkflation) of the product I expect and enjoy from them, just raise the price as necessary and give me the same quality of product.  So it would make me quite the hypocrite if I were to bemoan this.  I would much prefer them to raise the cruisefares across the board than to shift to more of an a la carte model for onboard experiences, but I understand this way gets more inexperienced (and possibly, initially ignorant of the onboard charges) cruisers onto the ships.  But, whether I pay as part of my cruisefare or as part of my Sail & Sign account makes no real difference to me. 

 

I am pleased the option of Room Service will still be available to me.  This is not a cutback for which I could DIY a workaround if it were taken away.  I don't mind paying more for it, since I am not ignorant to the fact that everything costs more these days.  And I hope that food quality on the Room Service menu might go up a tiny bit with the added charges.  But I don't expect it will.

 

So, maybe incomprehensibly to some here, although definitely affected by it, I have absolutely no problem with this cutback and in a way, I appreciate it.

[Lee Cruiser]

42 minutes ago, asalligo said:

We knew this was coming. Carnival has been trying to scale back room service for a long time now. Eventually there will be no free room service.

Very true.  Carnival had already scaled back room service long before Covid.  They had essentially said this same thing before, but when there was such a backlash they changed it to room service from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. instead.  Now, Covid has given them an excuse to go forward with that original plan from years ago.

[mz-s]

15 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

Very true.  Carnival had already scaled back room service long before Covid.  They had essentially said this same thing before, but when there was such a backlash they changed it to room service from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. instead.  Now, Covid has given them an excuse to go forward with that original plan from years ago.

 

I remember when they tried to charge for room service a few years ago. Wow it didn't take them long to about-face on that. I doubt they will back down this time though.

 

I wonder how severe the blowback will be when they get rid of the free continental breakfast deliveries in a few months.

[kdr69]

1 hour ago, Island Dog said:

Very true. The difference is Carnival (and Princess by my experience) keeps cutting things and keeping prices level yet other lines, like NCL, are keeping the experience consistent and raising prices.

 

Ultimately I'll opt for the latter.

I just priced out an Alaska 7 day cruise for GF on Royal and Princess w/Balcony Cabin drinks WiFi and tips included Price was 9,000 on Royal with 3,000 in "discounts" vs 3600 on Princess. For sure raising prices.  Having sailed on both lines im not sure what kind of consistant experience is worth the 6 grand difference but i do know saving 6 grand will allow you to buy alot of extras.

[kdr69]

Ive never used room service before as nothing has appealed to me on the menu but i may have to check out the expanded offerings to see what the menu looks like now.  Usually the only thing im concerned about in the morning is Coffee.  

[Coffeeluvr05]

I've never been on Carnival...have an upcoming cruise in February on the Panorama.  Kind of disappointing to see cuts being made.  It's interesting that people mention wasted food.  I think people would waste less food if the food served (room service, buffet, etc.) were better quality.  You can't deliver terrible food to me and expect me to eat it.  If they took wasted food as lack of interest maybe they should be asking what people think of the food.  I can't tell you how many times I have put something on my plate only to take a taste and realize it is not even edible.  It is one of the reason I actually hate buffets though.  I just do not experience that at land based restaurants in general.  Just make good food that people will eat!  It's really not that hard.  I know food is subjective, but have you ever been out on a Friday or Saturday night?  All those restaurants that have hours long waits have to be doing something right!  Food just does not have to be that complicated.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Coffeeluvr05

[fuddrules]

1 hour ago, Island Dog said:

Very true. The difference is Carnival (and Princess by my experience) keeps cutting things and keeping prices level yet other lines, like NCL, are keeping the experience consistent and raising prices.

 

Ultimately I'll opt for the latter.

 

Ultimately?  Do it now.

[Drew B 58]

I’m cruising next week and this will make me order free room service (for probably the last time) when otherwise, I wouldn’t have.

 

Hello, Caesar salad and PB&J!  😂

[Drew B 58]

1 hour ago, Island Dog said:

Very true. The difference is Carnival (and Princess by my experience) keeps cutting things and keeping prices level yet other lines, like NCL, are keeping the experience consistent and raising prices.

 

Ultimately I'll opt for the latter.

I haven’t sailed NCL, but by reputation, my impression is that they have always had less included and offered more for an up charge.  If that is the case, then the product they are keeping “consistent” is more in line with what Carnival and Princess are moving towards.  At that point, it comes down to price and preference…

[pe4all]

We never order breakfast for room service, so np there for us.  We do sometimes order the chicken fingers, sweet potato fries and chicken wings which all come with a nominal charge.  We have never been disappointed in the quality of the food - always brought hot and fresh to our cabin.  For the 15 or so dollars we are charged we find it well worth it.  Whether other people will find it worth it or not,  who knows.  Cost on everything have been going up - doesn't surprise me that CCL is raising prices on room service or wifi. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by pe4all