Another cut being tested: Once per day cabin service

[prmssk]

I really don't need full service in the evening but it really is nice to have the steward check in on whether I need new towels, take away any glasses or dishes, and make sure I don't need anything else.  I really missed not having service twice a day on our last Carnival cruise (and it didn't help that our steward didn't remember our preference for morning vs evening so we never knew when he would come).

[HicksRA]

Chip chip chipping away a little at a time.
Royal thinks you won’t notice or get upset. 
Royal Caribbean’s new motto…
We may only be the second cheapest discount cruise line, but we try harder. 

[Liljo22]

7 hours ago, jrapps said:

My biggest concern here is the pull out bed. As a family of 4 that usually sails in a single cabin, the room is not usable during the daytime unless that pullout bed is put back away. How do they intend to handle that, regardless of if I select morning or evening service, they will have to leave the pull-out set up all the time.

So I was on one of the first cruises when Carnival switched to once a day in 2019.  You had to pick if you wanted morning or evening service.  If you selected morning, the steward would still come back in the evening for turn down service but would not clean.

[prmssk]

1 minute ago, Liljo22 said:

So I was on one of the first cruises when Carnival switched to once a day in 2019.  You had to pick if you wanted morning or evening service.  If you selected morning, the steward would still come back in the evening for turn down service but would not clean.

Interesting.  That was not our experience in May of 2019 or September of this year.  We only got service once a day (and we requested morning service for both those cruises).  And going back even further to 2017, I remember the room steward trying to convince us to only have once a day service (it wasn't official policy then I don't believe).

[Longford]

16 minutes ago, HicksRA said:

Chip chip chipping away a little at a time.
Royal thinks you won’t notice or get upset. 
Royal Caribbean’s new motto…
We may only be the second cheapest discount cruise line, but we try harder. 

 

I understand what seems to be your upset.  Good news, though:  there are other cruise lines to patronize.

[HicksRA]

3 minutes ago, Longford said:

 

I understand what seems to be your upset.  Good news, though:  there are other cruise lines to patronize.

Not upset at all. Just amused. 

Edited December 8, 2022 by HicksRA

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, Longford said:

 

I understand what seems to be your upset.  Good news, though:  there are other cruise lines to patronize.

Like the one jacking up their daily gratuities to insane levels?

[neverbeenhere]

March 1, 2013 RCCL standard room gratuity $ 12

 

 

[bretts173]

16 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

March 1, 2013 RCCL standard room gratuity $ 12

 

 

AVG income in the USA in 2013 63k now 87k. Things go up.

[Longford]

Observations: 

 

1.  A whole bunch of Carnival passengers posting to a Royal thread expressing their dislike for Carnival.  I hope they've posted similarly to the Carnival forum(s).  ❤️

 

2.  Recently, I was a first-time cruiser.  Serenade of the Seas.  Small ship, not 100% occupied.  So, I have no valid comparisons of ships of RCL or other lines.  However, earlier in my career I was a hotel general manager.  Far fewer rooms and restaurants than on Serenade ... but, generally, some similarities when it comes to service comparisons.  👍

 

3.  Regarding housekeeping staff and twice-daily outside view room visits on Serenade:  4 star, IMO.  As a solo traveler I paid more per person than many couples do for similar accommodations, etc.  I am a neat freak when I travel (not so much at home) and respectful of housekeeping and other staff, and when I pay a premium to travel as I did recently on my first cruise (11?05/2022) I want to be pampered a bit - whether or not my room or I need it.   Why else travel?  And though I'm tidy, I appreciated the attention to detail shown by my Room Steward.  ❤️

 

4.  If I cruise again and do not think housekeeping services are up to my expectations, I will correspondingly reduce the cash gratuity I give the room steward.  💥

 

Question:  My cruise was 7 nights.  Western Caribbean.  I was uncertain of the appropriate cash gratuity I should leave the room steward.  I was pleased with the service and interaction.  So, I left $50 cash ... the morning before arriving back in Tampa.  After leaving the gratuity I encountered the room steward twice.  Not once did he thank me.  Is lack of expressions of thanks typical, or required by RCL?  I know that when my hotel housekeeping staff was rewarded they typically left a note of thanks.  Since I'm a newbie to cruising, I just don't know.  😁

 

 

[ReneeFLL]

10 hours ago, heatherb1958 said:

...we prefer it as we are the type of people who tidy the cabin up before the room steward comes in, now we only have to tidy up once 😆 🤣 

Same here. 😁 We normally have them come in once a day anyway so it won't bother us. 

[Tenderpaw]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

So what was the point of making this thread? To complain or take a dig at those that weren’t that concerned? 

My purpose was to show yet another cut.  You are entitled to your opinion, but I find it amazing that folks are so willing to go along with these cuts just because it doesn't impact them.  Every thread about a cut has dozens of responses saying "I don't care it doesn't impact me because I XYZ".

 

I am against anything the decreases value for my $$ paid for a cruise and I resent the continuous cutting of benefits that has taken place over the past 20 years.  This is regardless of whether the cut actually impacts me.

 

Only one stateroom service per day is a major cut, even if it doesn't impact you personally because you don't need it.  Its still a cut.  Sure, go along and don't complain, but eventually they will cut something you actually care about. I don't want to give these cruise lines an inch in cutting value, thus I complain.

Edited December 8, 2022 by Tenderpaw

[Oceansaway17]

2 hours ago, brillohead said:

I'm in a lowly inside and I had flowers on my bedside table on night two or three.  

Nice guess new tread for All

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, Tlbecker1 said:

We are not in Aqua Class.  Maybe it is an elite benefit?

Ok recent trip on Equinox was first time on X since 2016

[CruisingHogFan]

I don’t see what the big deal is. Are people really that messy??  Sounds like the OP needs to find another type of vacation since this obviously will ruin their vacation.

[GetToLivin]

11 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

As long as they leave more than one set of towels per person, I have no issue with this.

Same, just leave extra towels and I'm set. Quite frankly, I hate thinking someone is waiting for me to leave to do service twice. I can't take the pressure 🫠

[ldubs]

57 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

My purpose was to show yet another cut.  You are entitled to your opinion, but I find it amazing that folks are so willing to go along with these cuts just because it doesn't impact them.  Every thread about a cut has dozens of responses saying "I don't care it doesn't impact me because I XYZ".

 

I am against anything the decreases value for my $$ paid for a cruise and I resent the continuous cutting of benefits that has taken place over the past 20 years.  This is regardless of whether the cut actually impacts me.

 

Only one stateroom service per day is a major cut, even if it doesn't impact you personally because you don't need it.  Its still a cut.  Sure, go along and don't complain, but eventually they will cut something you actually care about. I don't want to give these cruise lines an inch in cutting value, thus I complain.

 

If one is not impacted why would they complain?   

 

If one is not impacted, why would they feel resentment?  

 

I think it likely that without all the changes over the years there would be much higher fares.  Some folk say they would prefer paying more for things the way they used to be.   That option is available for those who prefer it.   

[Tenderpaw]

29 minutes ago, CruisingHogFan said:

I don’t see what the big deal is. Are people really that messy??  Sounds like the OP needs to find another type of vacation since this obviously will ruin their vacation.

LOL!  Another standard response to almost every thread about cruise line cuts!   "Find another vacation type!"  

 

No!  I don't want to.  So I'll complain.  That's how you stop the BS cuts, by complaining.  But so many of you just want to go along.

 

They could cut the dining room completely and make it extra charge and there would be people saying "no problem, i only eat at the Windjammer".  Or, "find another vacation if you don't like it".

 

 

[ldubs]

25 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

Anyone who is constantly and endlessly OK with cut backs is going to be sorry when it hits the thing they care about. Cut backs are NOT OK. It will never end if people stay passive. My auto gratuities are gone because of this. Royal isn't the only one who will be saving money. Give me less service, get less $$$ from me. Trips are paid for and non refundable for 23 and 24. My tip muscle is all I have left to flex and I will. Do little to nothing for me and get nothing from me. Staff will hate this system long run and Royal will have some thinking to do, if they ever want to retain staff. Not to mention customers.

 

I don't do things I won't enjoy.  If you feel you are getting little to nothing, you might want to reevaluate travel options.   If you are willing to pay for the service you desire, then why not book cabin categories or cruise lines that provide what you want?  

 

For a base fare cruise,  I'm paying al lot less in equivalent dollars to what I paid 20 years ago.  I have options to upgrade the experience by paying more.    

Edited December 8, 2022 by ldubs

[ldubs]

27 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

LOL!  Another standard response to almost every thread about cruise line cuts!   "Find another vacation type!"  

 

No!  I don't want to.  So I'll complain.  That's how you stop the BS cuts, by complaining.  But so many of you just want to go along.

 

They could cut the dining room completely and make it extra charge and there would be people saying "no problem, i only eat at the Windjammer".  Or, "find another vacation if you don't like it".

 

 

 

Fact is there are a lot of folks who don't care, and might even prefer, cabin make-ups once per day.  But, if you truly don't like it, why not consider a change?  You might enjoy and taking one's business elsewhere will send a clear message.  If not, I assume you have shared your feedback with the cruise line.   For me, if once/day cabin service keeps the fare down, I vote yes because it is not an important item for me.   

Edited December 8, 2022 by ldubs

[bretts173]

57 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

Anyone who is constantly and endlessly OK with cut backs is going to be sorry when it hits the thing they care about. Cut backs are NOT OK. It will never end if people stay passive. My auto gratuities are gone because of this. Royal isn't the only one who will be saving money. Give me less service, get less $$$ from me. Trips are paid for and non refundable for 23 and 24. My tip muscle is all I have left to flex and I will. Do little to nothing for me and get nothing from me. Staff will hate this system long run and Royal will have some thinking to do, if they ever want to retain staff. Not to mention customers.

Do you think they make changes like this without doing the analytics on it first. They couldn't care less if you went somewhere else. When 50% of cruisers are first timers they will come back next time only expecting 1 service. of the other 50% most couldn't care less about the change. the small majority are the ones making all the loud posts about it. Some of these will still cruise because of their status and others who may leave might end up at their subsidiary anyways. A very tiny drop in the ocean.

[Allograft]

2 hours ago, bretts173 said:

AVG income in the USA in 2013 63k now 87k. Things go up.

 

I doubt any stewards are US citizens and require US average salary requirements. Remember, cruises rely on cheap imported labor. Separate from the modern day colonialism and global exploitation of resources argument, the fact is cruises always have at least one International stop to get away with stay that is nearly entirely a foreign labor force.

[Allograft]

5 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

🤪

I was talking about "Cops the Cruise edition or Live PD :Carnival Live"🤪

 

I think that most every celebrity is pretty miserable inside. Always begging and trying to get peoples' attention must mean that the existential hole inside the psyche is deep, enduring, and unable to be quenched.

[Allograft]

11 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

Do you think they make changes like this without doing the analytics on it first. They couldn't care less if you went somewhere else. When 50% of cruisers are first timers they will come back next time only expecting 1 service. of the other 50% most couldn't care less about the change. the small majority are the ones making all the loud posts about it. Some of these will still cruise because of their status and others who may leave might end up at their subsidiary anyways. A very tiny drop in the ocean.

 

Sadly, this point for the win.

[CanHardlyWait4NextYear]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

I don't do things I won't enjoy.  If you feel you are getting little to nothing, you might want to reevaluate travel options.   If you are willing to pay for the service you desire, then why not book cabin categories or cruise lines that provide what you want?  

 

For a base fare cruise,  I'm paying al lot less in equivalent dollars to what I paid 20 years ago.  I have options to upgrade the experience by paying more.    

If I could Reevaluate I would. My plans for 2023 and 2024 are non refundable and paid for. Then just after that the endless cuts began. The one good thing is all the money I will save in tips. Nobody is getting jack but attitude over the cuts from me. Feel like I'm no longer getting what I paid for and don't care who knows it. Anyone who doesn't complain and fight against what the feel is wrong or have been wronged by is a fool. I didn't pay for all these cut backs and now I'm stuck with them. I'm not happy about it and I'm not alone.

Edited December 8, 2022 by CanHardlyWait4NextYear
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