ROOM SERVICE FEE

[terrydtx]

Just now, JFontaine said:

I don't really have a position on this, but if part of your gratuities are going to the MDR waiter, as an example, and you don't show up in the MDR but instead order room service, why are you paying tips to the MDR waiter?  Or are you really paying his/her salary?  I get this could be a 4th meal, but I kind of see the point. 

It goes to more than the MDR waiters, it is distributed to most who serve and work in the included dining venues on the ship.

[Guppy99]

1 minute ago, JFontaine said:

I don't really have a position on this, but if part of your gratuities are going to the MDR waiter, as an example, and you don't show up in the MDR but instead order room service, why are you paying tips to the MDR waiter?  Or are you really paying his/her salary?  I get this could be a 4th meal, but I kind of see the point. 

you are likely to eat some where (outside your room). Tips covers all the costs of providing you with the services to provide that meal. Irt's happeining whether you choose to go there or not. It is unreasonable to think a single individual packing a tray and walking down to your cabin should be included in that...imo.

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

 

 

Shame on you for failing to understand that if you do not buy a drink package (where your tips are included) than you should pay charge plus tip per drink. That's just common sense and simple math. And...before you throw numbers around and they then become "fact" because someone read it here.... 18% is the tip charge.  And when were you permitted to order room service from the MDR instead of the room service menu?

Why did you quote me? I was agreeing with your position on this thread.

[Guppy99]

3 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Why did you quote me? I was agreeing with your position on this thread.

that was a boo-boo, sorry

[terrydtx]

15 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

I don't really have a position on this, but if part of your gratuities are going to the MDR waiter, as an example, and you don't show up in the MDR but instead order room service, why are you paying tips to the MDR waiter?  Or are you really paying his/her salary?  I get this could be a 4th meal, but I kind of see the point. 

I remember back in the old days of cruising when all tips were distributed with cash in envelopes and many would eat in the buffets just to avoid paying tips to a MDR waiter and would stiff their room attendants. That prompted the automatic daily service fees on most cruise lines and on the last day of a cruise you would see a long line of cheapskates trying to get the auto charges removed from their accounts.

 

Most resorts like the one we are staying in Ft Lauderdale in June now charge resort fees of up to $50 per person per day. Next to impossible to avoid those fees.  A room service continental breakfast will run $40 per person plus a delivery charge.

Edited January 30, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, Guppy99 said:

that was a boo-boo, sorry

All is forgiven, 😁

[TiredofTheGame]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

It comes down to, if you do not want to pay for room service, book a suite or do not use it and go to the MDR, mast grill or OVC for lunch, snacks and breakfasts. If you need to eat in your cabin, bring a plate down from the OVC and avoid any RS fees.  I remember in the old days of cruising back in the early1990's most cruise lines had a charge for room service.

No cruise line that i cruises back then charged a RS fee? Do you need a list?

[TiredofTheGame]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

I remember back in the old days of cruising when all tips were distributed with cash in envelopes and many would eat in the buffets just to avoid paying tips to a MDR waiter and would stiff their room attendants. That prompted the automatic daily service fees on most cruise lines and on the last day of a cruise you would see a long line of cheapskates trying to get the auto charges removed from their accounts.

 

Most resorts like the one we are staying in Ft Lauderdale in June now charge resort fees of up to $50 per person per day. Next to impossible to avoid those fees.  A room service continental breakfast will run $40 per person plus a delivery charge.

Resort fees are just a scam to increase revenue such as in Las Vegas...

[NutsAboutGolf]

10 minutes ago, TiredofTheGame said:

Resort fees are just a scam to increase revenue such as in Las Vegas...

Debatable if resort fees are a scam; less debatable are the 3rd party travel booking sites who attempt to hide resort fees as much of possible

 

Regardless, resort fees exist for two reasons, hotels can advertise a lower per night rate and the resort gets to keep 100% of the resort fee; they don’t have pay commissions/kickbacks on them.  It’s a resort friendly loophole

Edited January 30, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[TiredofTheGame]

3 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Debatable if resort fee is a scam; less debatable are the 3rd party travel booking sites who attempt to hide resort fees as much of possible…Regardless, they exist for two reasons, hotels can advertise a lower per night rate and the resort gets to keep 100% of the resort fee; they don’t have pay commissions/kickbacks on them

True!!....I guess Scam is a little harsh....Just a little...😁

[Guppy99]

25 minutes ago, TiredofTheGame said:

Resort fees are just a scam to increase revenue such as in Las Vegas...

Then I hope you are very happy vacationing at home!

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

Then I hope you are very happy vacationing at home!

It's called a staycation

[TiredofTheGame]

35 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

Then I hope you are very happy vacationing at home!

Instead of Explaining a position or opinion Like Nuts about golf did, ....You provided a smartass remark...

Typical CC...

Edited January 30, 2023 by TiredofTheGame

[CU64]

On 1/26/2023 at 12:48 PM, DesertRat46 said:

I'm beginning to think I made a big mistake...I booked a TA for April, my first Celebrity cruise since early 2019, and was not aware of all the cutbacks. 

Did 3 cruises on HAL in 2022 and never had to pay for room service breakfasts. I'm past final payment, so i guess I'm stuck with a sub-par experience.

This is a ridiculous misrepresentation of the facts. You don’t need to order RS period. If that has been your MO in the past, mostly for free, then you may have to reevaluate the real need for RS, since there is now a modest fee of $12. If that is really an important part of your cruise, 1-3 daily RS, evaluate what you paid for cruise and decide accordingly. …all about priorities….sometimes, what is free, is overused, like “ just because”…

Reading posts on CC made me realize how much of these “free” services have been overused just because people have “ paid” for it.

[Shipswap]

3 hours ago, JFontaine said:

I don't really have a position on this, but if part of your gratuities are going to the MDR waiter, as an example, and you don't show up in the MDR but instead order room service, why are you paying tips to the MDR waiter?  Or are you really paying his/her salary?  I get this could be a 4th meal, but I kind of see the point. 

I’ve had the same thought in regard to the gratuity in the Specialty Restaurants. (I’m not begrudging staff their tips,)

[OysterD]

On 1/27/2023 at 9:00 PM, Duanerice1 said:

They issue I have is they sold me a different product than they are delivering and didn’t reduce the price or refund for lack of service.  When I booked there was free room service.  We actually use it a lot.  Every day for breakfast, and not just muffins but a hot breakfast then most sea days for lunch too.  So it is important to us. And no, we waste a lot less food than if we went to the buffet.  
 

I get it that they need to make changes but don’t sell me a product, and fully charge me for the product, then take away benefits.  
 

it would be very easy to link booking date to your account and remove room service charges based on when you booked.  Very simple IT solution. 

I thought room service was still free for breakfast though. So what's the issue?

[osborne66]

6 minutes ago, OysterD said:

I thought room service was still free for breakfast though. So what's the issue?

No - only the Continental Breakfast is free - charge on the Full Breakfast and any other Room Service since the 1st Jan 2023 

[OysterD]

4 minutes ago, osborne66 said:

No - only the Continental Breakfast is free - charge on the Full Breakfast and any other Room Service since the 1st Jan 2023 

Ahhh ok, thanks for clarifying. I'm not much of a breakfast person, a pastry/fruit and a cup of tea is normally fine for me but understand this could frustrate a number of people. Although in the overall scheme of things, after paying several thousand for the cruise a $12 room service fee isn't exactly deal breaking.

[TiredofTheGame]

1 hour ago, CU64 said:

This is a ridiculous misrepresentation of the facts. You don’t need to order RS period. If that has been your MO in the past, mostly for free, then you may have to reevaluate the real need for RS, since there is now a modest fee of $12. If that is really an important part of your cruise, 1-3 daily RS, evaluate what you paid for cruise and decide accordingly. …all about priorities….sometimes, what is free, is overused, like “ just because”…

Reading posts on CC made me realize how much of these “free” services have been overused just because people have “ paid” for it.

In all Fairness, That's your opinion...I use RS quite frequently at night

[TiredofTheGame]

16 minutes ago, osborne66 said:

No - only the Continental Breakfast is free - charge on the Full Breakfast and any other Room Service since the 1st Jan 2023 

Yeap...Jan 01 2023...the Date of the Great Reset...🙁

[MISTER 67]

10 hours ago, Guppy99 said:

 

 

Shame on you for failing to understand that if you do not buy a drink package (where your tips are included) than you should pay charge plus tip per drink. That's just common sense and simple math. And...before you throw numbers around and they then become "fact" because someone read it here.... 18% is the tip charge.  And when were you permitted to order room service from the MDR instead of the room service menu?

Explain to me why there is a gratuity charge on a second lobster tail, the waiter that brings you the lobster is already getting paid from our daily gratuity charge plus we always tip our waiter with cash at the end of the cruise. 

Edited January 30, 2023 by MISTER 67

[Guppy99]

8 hours ago, TiredofTheGame said:

Yeap...Jan 01 2023...the Date of the Great Reset...🙁

well, book on Oceania then. Room service, RS from the main dining room, for any meal...is free. Of course the overall cruise costs more. I suppose Celebrity could have just opted to raise the overall cruise price pp. But then... I assume you would be complaining about that instead.

[Guppy99]

3 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Explain to me why there is a gratuity charge on a second lobster tail, the waiter that brings you the lobster is already getting paid from our daily gratuity charge plus we always tip our waiter with cash at the end of the cruise. 

Isn't that obvious?  Lobster is expensive and people fill up on it in the dining room. Instead of eliminating the lobster, they're just charging for a second.

[terrydtx]

26 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

Isn't that obvious?  Lobster is expensive and people fill up on it in the dining room. Instead of eliminating the lobster, they're just charging for a second.

On HAL in the MDR, they charge for the first lobster $10, and if you want Surf and Turf it will cost a $30 upcharge. Hal charges for a shrimp cocktail, $8.50. Alaska Crab legs, when available will cost a hefty $55 for 1/2lb. At least last year RS was no charge, but I bet that changes after what Celebrity is doing. These were the extra charges last August on our Oosterdam cruise.

Edited January 30, 2023 by terrydtx

[Jobeth66]

12 hours ago, OysterD said:

Ahhh ok, thanks for clarifying. I'm not much of a breakfast person, a pastry/fruit and a cup of tea is normally fine for me but understand this could frustrate a number of people. Although in the overall scheme of things, after paying several thousand for the cruise a $12 room service fee isn't exactly deal breaking.

 

It's not that it's 'deal breaking', it's that it's a degradation of a product.  These changes were "announced" (and I used "announced in quotes because they HAVEN'T been 'announced', they've been discovered and disseminated by fellow passengers - I have yet to get anything from X about these changes) after I hit final payment for my April cruise.  I booked Concierge - and one of the reasons I did so was for the expanded RS menu, ,which was hyped as a perk.  Well, it's no longer a perk, so I'm not getting the product I paid for.  One of the main reasons I've booked X in the past IS the OVC, because their buffet cannot be beat, and we use it pretty frequently, including for dinner service.  That's also now a thing of the past, which is disappointing.

 

Is $12 gong to break me?  Nope.  But they whys and wherefores and how this was accomplished have left a bad impression on me, and that is what's going to affect my decision whether or not to continue to book Celebrity, and what cabin type I book if I do.  

 

Are you also among those that would have no problem if X starts charging a $20 cover for the entertainment, shows, piano bar, comedians, etc?  With the performers putting out tip jars at the various venues?  Charging $20 per child for the kids club?  How about $50/day for the pool?  If not, why not?  

 

I also wonder if this means tips are going to drop.  When we ordered room service in the past, the person delivering would generally get $5 from me, per day.  Now they'll get whatever Celebrity shares with them from the fee + gratuity.