New $9.95 + 18% grat for room service

[kathynorth]

23 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

I have no problem with the $9.95 delivery charge and especially the 18% gratuity charge , except

for suite customers.

Because there was no charge, some people abused the service- ( order more than they would eat, order too often), makes for extra work for kitchen Staff and cabin Attendants. 

Very smart to add the 18% gratuity --too many people " stiff " the delivery person using a " lame-duck" excuse that all gratuities were prepaid (AI).

( There was a thread on CC awhile ago where Gratuities for room service was discussed and many people expressed that).

LOL-- I just thought of an extra charge for suite customers--- $50 ( US ) for " Drawing the bath " ( filling up the tub)---- So, when the Butler fills the tub-- is the person standing there waiting to jump in before the water gats too cold ? Then what ?? 

 

 

 

According to my app, Suite Guests don't pay the $9.95 service fee. They are only charged an 18% gratuity if they order an additional charge item that's not included in the standard suite package. 

[WonderMan3]

Interesting. I thought this change was already made a few years back around the time Edge launched. I recall us having a discussion about it here. Or maybe it showed up in the app for Edge as a charge and then they removed it before the first departure? This whole conversation just feels very familiar to me.

[kathynorth]

6 minutes ago, kathynorth said:

 

Thank you for posting this. I was about to post that the app shows our Feb Infinity cruise without a change to room service, but now I realize there is a service charge. The room service description says, "Room service is available for all non-premium food and beverages only, by dialing 56 from your stateroom phone. For premium items, please chack the hours of availability in your Room Service menu. A 20% gratuity is charged on all premium beverages. A late-hour delivery fee of $4.95 applies from 11pm to 5am, except for Top Tier and Suite Guests." At the bottom it says, "An 18% gratuity will be automatically added to the room service check." This means it would cost us $11.94 each time we have room service bacon and scrambled eggs on the balcony.

 

Oops, that should read $11.74 for room service charge ($9.95 service charge + $1.79 gratuity).

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

But 18% of what? $9.95?

Yes

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Interesting. I thought this change was already made a few years back around the time Edge launched. I recall us having a discussion about it here. Or maybe it showed up in the app for Edge as a charge and then they removed it before the first departure? This whole conversation just feels very familiar to me.

Maybe you’re thinking of when they started charging for late night room service. 

[chamima]

3 hours ago, chamima said:

And I just checked the app for our Feb Equinox sailing and found these. 

We're in aqua so I checked that first.

Then i thought maybe it's only still free for Aqua so I checked  for  other categories.

Still the same.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, chamima said:

 

 

So I usually tip $2 - $5 for room Service.'

Now that a "service charge" is added to your bill what do you do about cash tips/

And who do you think gets that 18%?

 

 

So what  to do now about the tip?

Who  gets the $9..95 and who gets the  18% (which is less than my previous minimum)

[xamsx]

4 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

No room service charge shown right now on app for November 2023 Apex TA cruise except after 11pm.
 

Same for my February Equinox sailing via the app.

[snowballs mom]

12 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

 

 

So what  to do now about the tip?

Who  gets the $9..95 and who gets the  18% (which is less than my previous minimum)

Good question. I would normally tip a lot more than $1.97 for room service.

[mahdnc]

4 hours ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Honestly, if it keeps the price we pay for the cruise lower, I'm cool with this change. We only do room service for breakfast. We'd do room service for lunch or dinner if we had a dining room table which only exist in suites. The menu for room service is also not very alluring.

 

In principle, I agree with you.  However in reality, I believe cruise fares are going higher and evidently we will be getting less service.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, xxpinksaltxx said:

Someone posted a copy of the new breakfast room service menu that they received on the Reflection (I will try and find it), and it is only continental breakfast included now.

 

The eggs, bacon, pancakes etc are all now on the premium menu and included a $9.95 service fee plus tips :(. I think alot of people could make do having to pay after breakfast, but I know alot of people enjoy breakfast on their balcony (or even not having to change from their pjs), and don't want to drag plates of food through the elevators to their room. 

 

Photo taken by guest (not me) on Reflection.

 

I was willing to indulge Celebrity charging for room service if they excluded breakfast (as originally stated). This takes it a step further if it is accurate. Has anyone else gotten this revised menu?  If Celebrity is going to consider such a limited offering as "Continental Breakfast" (most "Continental" Hotels include more options, including cold cuts and cheese), they had better add more staff in the MDR for breakfast and open it and the buffet earlier on days where the ship is in port early if they want people to be able to take their early shore excursions.

[BermudaBound2014]

9 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I was willing to indulge Celebrity charging for room service if they excluded breakfast (as originally stated). This takes it a step further if it is accurate. 

 

Unfortunately, the new Celebrity room service breakfast menu which differentiates between a continental and American breakfast is not surprising. Both RCL and NCL have similar menus where the light continental breakfast is include in the cruise fare but anything more has the delivery charge added. I think I read where NCL was going to start charging $4.95 for the continental breakfast and $9.95 for the hot breakfast.

Edited January 1, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[stellarose]

so now room service is extra? guess I am just eating at the buffet and bringing cookies back 

[thebutlerdidit]

Well it just figures. After talking up Celebrity (and the fact that they could enjoy room service fee-free) , my brother and his wife’s family booked 4 cabins on the Reflection. He is going to be really upset by this. I may not even tell him. 

[miched]

Next will be a added   charged  for those tables in the dining rooms by the windows that many think are so great and a chair  fee at the Martini Bar.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🌅🇺🇸 

[chamima]

If there’s enough of a backlash they’ll rescind it. 
I seem to remember something from about 5 years ago that they tried to implement but people went nuts and they backed down. 

[goofysmom99]

Maybe they could add room service to Elite Plus benefits.  😉

[cruisemom42]

14 minutes ago, miched said:

Next will be a added   charged  for those tables in the dining rooms by the windows that many think are so great and a chair  fee at the Martini Bar.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🌅🇺🇸 

 

Don't give them any ideas....

[BermudaBound2014]

17 minutes ago, chamima said:

If there’s enough of a backlash they’ll rescind it. 

 

Not a chance. I'll bet the farm on it.

Edited January 2, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[mahdnc]

To give you an idea of how many passengers are affected by this coming change, here is one single data point.  Below is a photo of a sheet that was in Constellation's galley during our Transatlantic cruise. It indicates which cabins ordered room service breakfast on that day--presumably by filling out the room service card (and not by calling it in on the morning of).

 

I am guessing that the shaded cabin numbers were for hot breakfast orders (26 cabins) where the unshaded cabins were for continental breakfast (40 cabins).  There are no suites on the list.

 

Oct 31 was a sea day--our 5th sea day in fact--and the 15 night cruise was a little more than half over. 

 

I laughed when I saw that 3 cabins forgot to mark down what time they wanted their breakfast delivered.

 

 

[sasset]

We have used room service rarely over the years. Our November cruise on Constellation we ordered breakfast twice. We were in a corner FV. They didn't call to say that they were on the way. When they arrived they knocked on the outer door and we didn't hear the knock. We got a call telling us that no one answered. By the time they sent the food again everything was cold. Second time, to be safe, we only ordered pastries, cereal and coffee. The server didn't bring any coffee cups, which we didn't notice until after he had left. After we called it took about twenty minutes for them to be delivered. 

[mahdnc]

9 minutes ago, sasset said:

We have used room service rarely over the years. Our November cruise on Constellation we ordered breakfast twice. We were in a corner FV. They didn't call to say that they were on the way. When they arrived they knocked on the outer door and we didn't hear the knock. We got a call telling us that no one answered. By the time they sent the food again everything was cold. Second time, to be safe, we only ordered pastries, cereal and coffee. The server didn't bring any coffee cups, which we didn't notice until after he had left. After we called it took about twenty minutes for them to be delivered. 

 

While on Constellation last month, I noticed our FV lacked a door bell.  The FVs on her sister ships have them.  So the room service attendant used the hallway phone right across from our FV door to announce that our food was ready to be brought in.

Edited January 2, 2023 by mahdnc

[sasset]

I'd forgotten about doorbells on the other M's. I think our guy went back to the kitchen or made other deliveries based on the delay.

[dgparent]

I checked the app for our upcoming Mar Reflection Cruise,  the American Menu shows the charge of 9.95 but the Suite Menu does not. Glad we are in a suite, we love Room Service breakfast at least once on our cruise.

 

In my little mind I think "Hey I just saved $25"

[natshala]

I’m on Apex February 11, 2023 cruise. My app says “room service is available 24 hours…Continental breakfast is complimentary. All other orders have a $9.95 service charge plus 18% gratuity.”

 

It goes on to say there’s a 20% gratuity for alcoholic beverages.

 

I almost never use RS, but I’m sure there are many folks with mobility, health issues who rely on it. I think X should have made this policy clear not sprung it on people who are already booked. I see this as a significant change. Not for the better.

 

 

 

 

 

[dlh015]

14 minutes ago, natshala said:

I’m on Apex February 11, 2023 cruise. My app says “room service is available 24 hours…Continental breakfast is complimentary. All other orders have a $9.95 service charge plus 18% gratuity.”

 

It goes on to say there’s a 20% gratuity for alcoholic beverages.

 

I almost never use RS, but I’m sure there are many folks with mobility, health issues who rely on it. I think X should have made this policy clear not sprung it on people who are already booked. I see this as a significant change. Not for the better.

 

 

 

 

 

OT: Your post reminded me of something I was wondering about. I've seen 18% and 20% tossed around  on various places on the Celebrity app/website. And now I see what you mentioned...18% on food and 20% on drink...why is that? Shouldn't it be the same?? 

 

I am sure I'm missing something. Please be kind to me in any responses...lol...