Turn Down Service is going away - will daily room service be next?

[Tampa Girl]

On 10/13/2022 at 1:12 AM, Hlitner said:

Good question.  We have only cruised MSC on Caribbean cruises from Miami.  On all of our cruises we would estimate about half the passengers were from North American and the remainder from various countries primarily in Europe.  Many of the Europeans speak some English or are fluent.  But a fair number of passengers are not comfortable or speak any English.  The crew has really varied.  We always are in the Yacht Club where they have some of the best crew/service anywhere.  Most of the staff is either fluent or speaks a lot of English.  Outside the Yacht Club it is a mixed bag with a majority having a working knowledge of English and some who really struggle with anything but their native language.  For us, in the YC, we have never had a major language problem.

 

MSC is truly an International cruise line.  There entertainment is designed to deal with this fact so is mostly based around music, dancing, and acrobatics.  On our current cruise the cruise director is an American (Ohio) female who only speaks English when she is on stage.  Most announcements are done in multiple languages (English, French, Italian and German).

 

I have always drawn a big line between their Yacht Club (amazing) and anything outside the YC (varies).  We still consider the Yacht Club the best value in all of cruising.   Outside the YC you might draw a comparison to Carnival.

 

Hank

 

 

 

Interesting.  How do the MSC Yacht Club and HAL's Neptune Suites prices compare?  

[Hlitner]

5 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

Interesting.  How do the MSC Yacht Club and HAL's Neptune Suites prices compare?  

Tough comparison because a regular Yacht Club Suite is much smaller than a Neptune.  But those YC Suites generally go for about $400 per person day which includes a premium drink package and lots of amenities that those with Neptunes can only dream about.  Within the YC there are some much larger suites (such as the Royal Suite) which are expensive.   But consider that the lowest price/smallest Yacht Club cabins (some ships even have some smaller inside cabins) all get the same amenities as the those paying for the much larger suite.  DW and I spend very little waking time in our cabin so have no need for a large Neptune-like cabin.  We love the fact that for about $400 a day we get a nice cabin and all the amenities of the most expensive suites.   The YC meets the needs of those who want an upscale ship within a ship experience for a very reasonable price.  But it also accommodates those who are willing to pay for a very large suite.  

 

On our current suite the YC's Lounge (think of the Neptune Lounge) is a large bar/lounge that extends across the entire bow (with a prefect view).  All the drinks, snacks, etc are included (and unlimited) about 19 hours a day.  The Lounge has a 2nd story (like a balcony over the lounge) with its dedicated restaurant (serving 3 meals a day).  What is nice is that the Lounge has decent evening entertainment so one can be upstairs enjoying dinner with the soft tunes from below and that amazing bow view.   Go up 2 more decks and you have the huge private sun deck (with pool and several hot tubs as well as a buffet).  All this is exclusive to the YC and not accessible to the masses.  Everyone in the YC is treated like royalty.  Want to get off at a port?  Your Butler will escort you (via a priority elevator) down to the gangplank.  When we disembark, our butler will walk us off the ship (right past any lines of the masses).  Want to get on a tender?  The Butlers will escort you directly to a tender bypassing any lines, tender tickets, etc.  On the Private Island (Ocean Cay) the Yacht Club has its own beach, private restaurant, usual butlers, etc

 

Hank

 

 

[Mizzoupoodle123]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:54 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

You are correct - you don't "need" it.   I clean my own bathroom once a week at home.   I don't "need" daily cleaning service on ships.   But I enjoy the contribution this makes to my vacation experience. 

 

I bus my own tables at home - I don't "need" that either.   We could start bussing our own tables  in the lido.

 

I didn't "need" wine stewards, but I miss their service.  I know some who are no longer with HAL as a result or had their pay cut and are now "beverage runners" 

 

Everyone has their own preference as to what they "need"  Which is why there are so many choices in cruise lines.    I sailed with Viking earlier - and I will be back on Viking if HAL no longer delivers an acceptable value to me.    But for now - I am very happy with HAL and I want to see all the crewmembers keep their jobs.

 

There are some people who enjoy "freighter cruises"  (they are not as cheap as you might think) 

 

Where's the Yum Yum man?  He's in the unemployment line....why?   No one really "needed" a Yum Yum man.  

 

If someone doesn't want the service or enjoy the service - fine.   But then more people will eventually get laid off - and I would rather not see that happen.  

 

 

Hi I believe it is the service that makes cruises so relaxing.  I fell like I have tons of fun and no exhaustion as the Mom at the end of the day. 

Edited October 15, 2022 by Mizzoupoodle123
I hit the button too soon!

[CruisingGrandmaW]

@The-Inside-Cabin  Hi Pete - Thank you for starting this discussion.

Thank GOD we're getting cooler weather here in San Diego!

 

Very interesting to see everyone's comments & input.

I am a passenger who wants 2x a day service ---- but I see that is not important to many on this thread.

I've cruised over 100 Cruises in my lifetime.  From Windstar, Crystal, RCL, Celebrity, HAL, Princess & once NCL & Carnival (when taking our teenage sons)  They all offered a different cruising experience.

 

I've been following other people currently sailing on other Cruise Lines from March of this year to current.

While not on all cruise lines - there are alot of cruisers complaining about the same thing as all of us here on this Thread.  So not happening just on HAL from what I'm seeing.

 

Now that I'm in my 70's 🤐 OMG did I disclose my age!!!!

HAL suits, overall, the cruising experience I want. At this time.

With the number of cruises we like to take per year - HAL still offers a good base price for us & we enjoy their itineraries.

 

I too was very upset about the having to ask for 2x a day service; and still am very concerned if it completely goes away.

(But then I was also greatly disappointed when for safety reasons - Baked Alaska was no longer served with the Grand Flair into the MDR - on flame - balanced on the waiters' heads as they Conga Danced thru the MDR while we all twirled our napkins over our heads) 🤣

Would I want that today?  Heck NO!  😂

Is it important anymore? Heck NO! 🤣

 

I can see why HAL is testing the waters with the cut back of 2x turndown service.

There are many who could care less - once a day fine.

 

I want 2x service because on sea days - we'll often come into our room for an afternoon nap & I don't want to have to straighten my bed so it will be nice & crisp at night. 😁 (Yes I'm that picky)

I'm one of those who want fresh towels - I don't want to have to use the soiled towels from my morning shower, shower after a sweltering day on shore, then another shower before dinner after a swim on ship. 

It's not the turn down of bed that I want - it's fresh towels, more ice as I've normally used it all up by end of day, and crisp sheets.

But realistic - how often does this happen everyday? 😗

 

My bottom-line wish would be this for a solution:

As long as HAL offers a second "turndown" at a cost per day it is used & I'm still paying less than a Seabourn or Viking Cruise - I would accept that even if I wished it was different.

(I get it - there are many fellow passengers on board who don't need 2x)

Provided of course that all the other reasons I love HAL is still there.

Of course - the 2x service for Free still being offered by request would be wonderful.

 

Ok - not judgement of other's opinions.  They are all valid.

Just my own personal thought process.

Pete - will I always comment about wanting the 2x on a HAL survey - YES.

 

Happy Cruising All

 

[CruisingGrandmaW]

One more comment.

There was a time when your sheets were changed EVERY day.

Now it's normally every 3 days, unless you've spilled your morning coffee on bedsheets & ask cabin steward for a change of sheets.😂

 

Oh did I have a tizzy fit when the Cruise Line Industry cut back on my daily sheet changing.

(Yes I'm the one with a fetish of wanting Crisp Fresh Sheets....& if there is a pea or crumb in my bed this Princess can feel it and hates it 🤣)

Change & cutbacks throughout the long years of cruising has always been a disappointment, much expression of my disappointment - but I'm still cruising & enjoying it.

[MikeD4134]

I have been on 2 HAL cruises since October 2022, both cruises had the stewards clean my cabin twice a day.

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, MikeD4134 said:

I have been on 2 HAL cruises since October 2022, both cruises had the stewards clean my cabin twice a day.

 

+1

 

We've been on 2 cruises since the unpleasantness and in both cruises, the room stewards were ready, willing and able to clean our room 2x a day.....We asked them to only clean in the am and we said around 10am if that worked for their schedules.  

 

I'm glad we have choices. 

 

 

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

We spent four weeks on Koningsdam last fall and four weeks on her last spring.  We received the am room cleaning and the turn down service at night on all eight cruises..  Last fall, we asked for two a day service, but did not ask for it last spring.

[Crew News]

I have enjoyed four cruises since last November and was asked on each of them if I wanted evening turn down service.  As an early diner, I have no desire to return to my stateroom at 7:00 PM with curtains closed and a darkened stateroom. Since I bring my collapsible ice container that is filled every two days, I opted for only picking up laundry each evening in lieu of turn down service. 

[LMaxwell]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:31 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

More and more people are reporting that daily turn down service is only offered "on request" or not offered at all.  

 

Many people, with the best of intentions, cheerfully forgo this service to "help" out their overworked room stewards.  

 

Marriot recently announced a permanent change to their daily room service - more HERE

 

Here is the new Marriott standard - the temporary COVID protocols are now permanent.  

 

What's New?

• Premium Hotels, excluding Resorts, will offer Daily Service
• Select and Extended-Stay Hotels will offer Every-Other-Day Service
• Luxury Hotels/Resorts and Premium Resorts will offer Daily Full Clean Service

 

Daily Full Clean Service is now only in Luxury brands -

 

Will this be coming soon to HAL - only Suites will get daily "full clean service"  (maybe Club Orange)   - No way you say?   Hmmmm Don't count on it.   

 

Back to Holland America - If I thought that forgoing turn down service was temporary due to staffing shortages - I might be more sympathetic.   However,  if people accept the lower standard of service, it will become the permanent standard of service.   Daily service will become every other day.   Room stewards who now have 32 rooms will have 64 rooms, but every other day.   HAL will reduce costs and our fares will stay the same.  

 

While forgoing turndown service may "help" a cabin steward on this cruise - in the long run - there will be fewer cabin stewards and some cabin stewards will lose their jobs - or never get offered a job.   How many Marriott maids are out of work now?  

 

What happened to wine stewards?   HAL experimented by pulling them away - not enough people complained - and they are gone forever.  

 

If you are happy with once a day service - fine.  How about every other day?   How about once a week?  

 

I want to see as many of the hard working crew keep their jobs - that's why I always request turn down service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you saying this is happening now on HAL, or are you saying you anticipate management TRYING this on HAL?  HAL is a premium brand; I'm paying more to sail on them so that I don't get a Carnival experience. Maybe it's one and done and back to Celebrity? 

[CruisingGrandmaW]

1 hour ago, LMaxwell said:

 

Are you saying this is happening now on HAL, or are you saying you anticipate management TRYING this on HAL?  HAL is a premium brand; I'm paying more to sail on them so that I don't get a Carnival experience. Maybe it's one and done and back to Celebrity? 

I am following 4 of HAL cruises via Live CC and passenger's Blogs.  Konningsdam doing the Hawaii Loop.  Zuiderdam (I believe) doing the Tales of the Pacific, Westerdam (?) that started out of Australia heading to Hawaii via So Pacific loop, & the passengers currently Zandamm (?) on the Grand African Voyage.

 

Some Passengers on all of these ships reporting that 1 x service is standard - BUT Cabin stewart asks if they want the 2x service.  If yes automatic 2x service.

I believe Towel Animals & pillow chocolates only on Gala nights being reported......a few are asking for pillow chocolates every night & they are receiving them via their request.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

If people don't want 2x service. - fine.   No explanation necessary.  If people desire 2x service - also fine - no explanation necessary.  

 

If people who would prefer 2x service agree to opt out of 2x service because they want to "help" lighten the room stewards workload then I argue they are being counterproductive.
 

Management will adjust the number of rooms to match the workload.   No one will get more time off or get paid more if you opt out of 2x room service (in the long run) 

 

 

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

If people don't want 2x service. - fine.   No explanation necessary.  If people desire 2x service - also fine - no explanation necessary.  

 

If people who would prefer 2x service agree to opt out of 2x service because they want to "help" lighten the room stewards workload then I argue they are being counterproductive.
 

Management will adjust the number of rooms to match the workload.   No one will get more time off or get paid more if you opt out of 2x room service (in the long run) 

 

 

 

Why are we bringing up an issue that does not exist? It seems this entire thread is click bait. 

 

It is clear that HAL offers 2x a day room cleaning but if people wish to opt out because they do not want/need 2x a day room cleaning and are fine with 1x a day.....

 

Not sure I understand what we are trying to accomplish?

[Florida_gal_50]

11 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Why are we bringing up an issue that does not exist? It seems this entire thread is click bait. 

 

It is clear that HAL offers 2x a day room cleaning but if people wish to opt out because they do not want/need 2x a day room cleaning and are fine with 1x a day.....

 

Not sure I understand what we are trying to accomplish?

Wow, weren’t you complaining on another thread that people were being “mean”?  This seems pretty mean spirited.  Answer it or don’t.  What’s the issue?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Why are we bringing up an issue that does not exist? It seems this entire thread is click bait. 

 

It is clear that HAL offers 2x a day room cleaning but if people wish to opt out because they do not want/need 2x a day room cleaning and are fine with 1x a day.....

 

Not sure I understand what we are trying to accomplish?

Re read my original post.   I stated what I was trying to accomplish there.   
 

Beware of the slippery slope. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I just checked out from a Marriott Residence Inn today.  
 

Their room service policy has shifted from every other day to weekly, at least in Cleveland.  
 

 If you accept less service temporarily it will soon become permanent.   

[Arizona Wildcat]

Turn down service in the evening?  Nice but not necessary.  Chocolates on my pillow - required for me.

Happy to make thing easy for our attendant.   Just drop off Chocolates and clean towels in the evening.

[Jim9310]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:31 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

More and more people are reporting that daily turn down service is only offered "on request" or not offered at all.  

 

I want to see as many of the hard working crew keep their jobs - that's why I always request turn down service.

 

If HAL reduces the staff but doesn't reduce the daily tipping charges and the wine service charges, does this mean each staff member will be getting more money?  I hope so.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Jim9310

[BetsyS.]

25 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I just checked out from a Marriott Residence Inn today.  
 

Their room service policy has shifted from every other day to weekly, at least in Cleveland.  
 

 If you accept less service temporarily it will soon become permanent.   

I agree with you. As you said, it's a slippery slope.

[FlaMariner]

58 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Re read my original post.   I stated what I was trying to accomplish there.   
 

Beware of the slippery slope. 

 

Gotcha......

 

So the concern is that if HAL gives people what they want (1x or 2x a day housekeeping service) then eventually it will become 1x or every other day or do it yourself in the future?

 

I see it differently.  Instead of slippery slope it seems that HAL is trying to figure out what the people want......And HAL has learned that they were providing a service (2x a day) that was not valued by many of their guests...(examples on this post, me included)..So good for them for adjusting to meet the guests needs (1x or 2x a day choice) and become more efficient. 

 

Same situation for the wine stewards.....HAL thought folks wanted a wine expert and a that they needed another body to pour the wine.  I was in panic mode when I heard this thinking the service would be slow and I'd never see my wine before the first course arrived.  It actually worked out fine for us.  The waiter (at least on the last two cruises) was very efficient and all was well.  And with the expansion of HIA (which many passengers embrace, but not us), many are simply being served a glass of house wine.  So another good move by HAL to become more efficient and give the folks what they want. 

 

There are many examples like this....and Marriott is learning too...

 

All good and glad we have choices with hotels, cruises and on and on........

[sunviking90]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I just checked out from a Marriott Residence Inn today.  
 

Their room service policy has shifted from every other day to weekly, at least in Cleveland.  
 

 If you accept less service temporarily it will soon become permanent.   

That doesn’t surprise me as Residence Inns are sort of “extended stay” properties in Marriotts chain. I’m sure they were eager to reduce the cleaning cost of a room/suite usually with a kitchen while also generally at the low end on the room rate scale. 
I resent it more at the traditionally “full service” Marriotts. They used to offer you points each night if you declined room servicing. Now they decline it for you and give nothing. We loyally achieved platinum with Marriott for quite a few years, but I’m not even trying this year.
Once these services are gone, they never come back. Covid was a great excuse for these companies.  
Having said that though, I recently retired early from a management position and the constant difficulty of hiring people was one of the reasons I’d had enough. I know in doing that I actually contributed to the problem, lol.

I don’t believe anyone is losing jobs with the cutbacks at this point, but rather the cutbacks are a convenient solution to qualified worker shortages. We still shouldn’t accept it or it will become the norm and one day there when there is (hopefully) a larger pool of people looking for work they wont be needed,

[kirtihk]

On 10/11/2022 at 5:10 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Make sure you check before you book - I only learned about Marriott's policy when I went to check in - they cheerfully offered me NO service or every other day -

 

What about daily service I asked?   

 

Sorry  - But please select from our excuse menu: COVID - Supply Chain - Staffing - Federal Reserve, Inflation, Clean Energy, Doing our part for climate change.

 

It was so predictable in March 2020.  I have no idea why one would imagine or expect anything else otherwise regardless of all "cheerful" nonsense we might hear.

 

Voyage, Voyage!!

[Florida_gal_50]

16 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I just checked out from a Marriott Residence Inn today.  
 

Their room service policy has shifted from every other day to weekly, at least in Cleveland.  
 

 If you accept less service temporarily it will soon become permanent.   

That is terrible!  Thanks for the information.

[Michel D99]

On 10/17/2022 at 6:53 PM, CruisingGrandmaW said:

One more comment.

There was a time when your sheets were changed EVERY day.

Now it's normally every 3 days, unless you've spilled your morning coffee on bedsheets & ask cabin steward for a change of sheets.😂

 

Oh did I have a tizzy fit when the Cruise Line Industry cut back on my daily sheet changing.

(Yes I'm the one with a fetish of wanting Crisp Fresh Sheets....& if there is a pea or crumb in my bed this Princess can feel it and hates it 🤣)

Change & cutbacks throughout the long years of cruising has always been a disappointment, much expression of my disappointment - but I'm still cruising & enjoying it.

Was on the Rotterdam twice in the past months. Both in Neptune and Verandah. Clean sheets only once per week. In Neptune clean pillowcases every 2 days which gives you the impression of a clean bed. In Verandah same sheets and pillowcases for 7 days. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We are on the Rotterdam (in side cabin) for the last 80 days and every time we put our (please service) sign out on our door. It gets done.