Housekeeping moving to once a day?

[Donsyb]

I’ve seen a number of reports that once a day housekeeping is now rolling out across the fleet - anyone know if this is true? I know it was being trialled in Australia.

[cruisegirl1]

Yes, it is true.  That is the current practice on several ship and more implementing that practice soon.  I understand Wonder will start once a day service tomorrow ( Feb 19).

[CruiseMomTX]

We are just off the Adventure and when talking to our stateroom attendant from a previous cruise they showed us their new cart that is smaller than the old one and is to be brought into each cabin with them.  They will also not only be going to once a day cabin service but are each having to clean more cabins so I guess that is why they are going to once a day.  Doesn't sound like a good move to me and hopefully there is enough complains to make them rethink the decision.  Everyone is different but part of what we enjoy on a cruise is twice a day cabin service, no its not a deal breaker but nice to come back to a tidy clean cabin.  

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, CruiseMomTX said:

We are just off the Adventure and when talking to our stateroom attendant from a previous cruise they showed us their new cart that is smaller than the old one and is to be brought into each cabin with them.  They will also not only be going to once a day cabin service but are each having to clean more cabins so I guess that is why they are going to once a day.  Doesn't sound like a good move to me and hopefully there is enough complains to make them rethink the decision.  Everyone is different but part of what we enjoy on a cruise is twice a day cabin service, no its not a deal breaker but nice to come back to a tidy clean cabin.  

Agree. We like our bed made and fresh towels and ice twice a day. Other than that the cabin attendant doesn't have anything else to do in our cabin. 

[topnole]

11 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Yes, it is true.  That is the current practice on several ship and more implementing that practice soon.  I understand Wonder will start once a day service tomorrow ( Feb 19).

Wonder if this applies to suites as well?   Most attendants have both regular cabins and suites.  So if they keep as is for suites the attendants would still have some twice a day cabins.  It would seem odd to drop this from suites given the prices.  

[HicksRA]

I have to wonder if Royal is in such dire straits that it has to raise gratuities, cheapen meals, reduce staff and services and raise fare prices, why does it keep spending multi millions spitting out new mega ships?  
Sounds like an irresponsible teen with a new credit card to me. 

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, HicksRA said:

I have to wonder if Royal is in such dire straits that it has to raise gratuities, cheapen meals, reduce staff and services and raise fare prices, why does it keep spending multi millions spitting out new mega ships?  
Sounds like an irresponsible teen with a new credit card to me. 

Sounds like a business trying to run a business.

[SG65CB]

As with the dining policy changes, if you are not happy with the housekeeping changes let it be known when you fill out your post-cruise survey.

 

For anyone who has experienced this change, do they not visit at all in the evening? How do they handle couches that turn into beds for the evening, etc.? 

[Cruise5life]

Who really needs service 2x a day?  
I know you’re on vacation but really.   Are you that messy?

I make my own bed when I get up. I’m up early and hate a messy bed and don’t like looking at it p, takes 2 minutes.  
only thing I use services for is ice every other day.  
Put your ice bucket in the cooler so it stays cold and lasts longer.  
who gets new towels every day at home?    

why waste there time with new towels every day.

And backing up the laundry.   I ask for new towels mid cruise 

but that’s me.   But man I see some messy cabins. That’s for sure.  

[Fla Mike]

Just off Liberty yesterday, they were still offering 2X service but we told our room person 1X in the evening was fine.

 

Like someone else stated, we are very tidy and make up the bed in the morning, some ice, new towels and turn down is fine.

 

In addition to her regular grat, I gave her $25 up front and another $25 at the end.

She hugged me so tight I thought she cracked a rib.

 

Once a day is fine...

[smokeybandit]

I think sometimes people are more upset at the concept of change than what the change actually entails.

[resetjet]

Just off carnival.  They already did this.  Instead of 17rooms per steward,  now 35.  Its insane but they cannot find workers. They clean once a day,  in theory half in the am,  half in the pm so if thing work perfectly you will get am/pm/am/pm.  Because of guests different behaviors this rarely happens and we had days skipped.  We are also very tidy,  but the dishes pile up,  the towels can be exhausted.  The theory is once a day is half the work,  but it is not. Every cabin is much dirtier this way so with double the cabins it is 1.5 times the work that they had.  We are self reliant and tidy,  so we had him not clean our room a couple days to give them a break.   I find it hard to believe they are keeping the tips from 35 rooms either.  They are being worked to death.  Bad policy but hopefully temporary.  I dont think the more snooty passengers will accept this nor the stewards long term.  35 cabins is just way too much.

[little britain]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Agree. We like our bed made and fresh towels and ice twice a day. Other than that the cabin attendant doesn't have anything else to do in our cabin. 

Seriously, you have clean towels twice a day at home? If not, then there is no need for it on holiday. 

[mek]

38 minutes ago, little britain said:

Seriously, you have clean towels twice a day at home? If not, then there is no need for it on holiday. 

I don't care about anything except dry towels and they definitely do not dry quickly in the bathroom, so yes, I want a way to get damp towels replaced - just like I would do at home,

[cruiselvr04]

 

We have NEVER reduced our tips.  Even on those cruises when we have never eaten in the MDR or WJ with the UDP.  It won’t stop us from cruising but we may start giving out tips the old way, based on service.  
 

I’ll be asking to store extra towels in my room.  Breakfast dishes will have to go to the hall as we will be night service people and I won’t leave them sitting in the room all day.  They are in the way for one thing.  ( BTW I hate seeing dishes in the hall.  Maybe they will need someone to constantly roam to pick them up if they decrease service? Last cruise they sat in the hall until the stewards came to clean, sometimes all day. We left ours in the room.)
 

Do I need fresh towels twice a day?  No.  But I’m not at home and desire a bit more upgraded experience for my money while on vacation.  We are very tidy so there’s no picking up to do but I know some people make a lot of work for their stewards.  

 

If the problem is really not enough staff I understand.  But know it will never come back to twice a day as people will accept it as the way it is and it will save the cruise line money.

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

But know it will never come back to twice a day as people will accept it as the way it is and it will save the cruise line money

Room stewards have among the lowest salaries on a ship. The money savings will be minimal. But it will make staffing easier.

[Cigar King]

2 hours ago, topnole said:

Wonder if this applies to suites as well?

My assumption is it does not, but, I'll know for sure when we board on Wednesday.

[mrbrandonterry]

I don't see any problem with once a day housekeeping. If you need something ask your cabin attendant but I see no point in them coming in twice a day when most people don't need it. It does suck that with this change they increase the number of rooms they have to clean.

[Cruise5life]

1 hour ago, mek said:

I don't care about anything except dry towels and they definitely do not dry quickly in the bathroom, so yes, I want a way to get damp towels replaced - just like I would do at home,

Lol.  29 days at sea last month.  And never had a wet towel.   
rotating towels and not hanging them in the closed up bathroom helps a lot. 
 

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, Fla Mike said:

Just off Liberty yesterday, they were still offering 2X service but we told our room person 1X in the evening was fine.

 

Like someone else stated, we are very tidy and make up the bed in the morning, some ice, new towels and turn down is fine.

 

In addition to her regular grat, I gave her $25 up front and another $25 at the end.

She hugged me so tight I thought she cracked a rib.

 

Once a day is fine...

Make my own bed.  Are you kidding me, I'm on vacation.  I guess I'll have to ask for more bath towels and guess get my ice from the WJ or DL.  

 

What nerve to increase grats and follow with reduced service and menus.  Only in America😆.

Edited February 18, 2023 by nelblu

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Fla Mike said:

Just off Liberty yesterday, they were still offering 2X service but we told our room person 1X in the evening was fine.

 

Like someone else stated, we are very tidy and make up the bed in the morning, some ice, new towels and turn down is fine.

 

In addition to her regular grat, I gave her $25 up front and another $25 at the end.

She hugged me so tight I thought she cracked a rib.

 

Once a day is fine...

Evenings is when the stewards are trying to do a quick service to get off duty. Having to do a full service at night just slows them down. 

 

We normally tip our room steward $5-$10/per person/per day of cruise 

[fsjosh]

4 hours ago, SG65CB said:

As with the dining policy changes, if you are not happy with the housekeeping changes let it be known when you fill out your post-cruise survey.

 

For anyone who has experienced this change, do they not visit at all in the evening? How do they handle couches that turn into beds for the evening, etc.? 

 

This is my question. I don't really care about having the bed made and fresh towels daily. But we are going to have 3 in the room. Are we going to have to put up/or pull out the couch bed daily ourselves, or do we just expect to have less floor space and no couch all week? 


I'll be curious to see how all the "i'm not a messy person" and "I don't get a new towel every day at home" people deal with that. 

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Room stewards have among the lowest salaries on a ship. The money savings will be minimal. But it will make staffing easier.

The money they get from the cruise line is peanuts compared to what they get from tips.

The money savings comes from room and board, healthcare, and paying to get them to and from the ship in regards to the country they’re from.

[Wineaux007]

36 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Evenings is when the stewards are trying to do a quick service to get off duty. Having to do a full service at night just slows them down. 

 

We normally tip our room steward $5-$10/per person/per day of cruise 

Evening service is minimal.  We just want the bathroom tidied up and clean towels, especially after coming back from an excursion.   In most cases the bed is already made.  It doesn't take that long to do that and refresh the ice and remove dirty dishes.  

 

Those who want once-a-day service, pat yourself on the back.  If I don't get twice-a-day service, I'll be down to guest services every day.  

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, little britain said:

Seriously, you have clean towels twice a day at home? If not, then there is no need for it on holiday. 

Speak for yourself. Unless you are paying for our cruises your advise is nothing but hot air. What we  like on our cruises has absolutely nothing to do with what we do at home. We have an ice maker at home so we don't need a bucket of ice.