Housekeeping moving to once a day?

[zanydoc]

I’m not sure how I feel about this, as we are a family of three and always have need of the pull out couch for a bed. On one hand, I am liking the once a day evening service while we are at dinner as we usually do our showering directly before dinner, not in the am. Also, it does seem like inevitably, when we come back to our room after exercising and walking, ready to throw on our pool attire, the steward is in our room cleaning. But…I really don’t want the couch to be a bed all day, either. I’ve never even thought about trying to put it back together myself and really don’t want to. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask the steward to come in and at least do that in AM and then have the full service in PM…while handing him/her a $20 😁

[goldfish65]

1 hour ago, floridagal83 said:

It would be so much easier if passengers who want/need ice could access an ice machine on each deck. I'd gladly fill my own bucket. 

 

It would be convenient, but with the habits of the general public, I think it would be messy and I would question how sanitary it would be.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, resetjet said:

Hotels mean absolutely nothing in the conversation, nor cabins, campsites, bed and breakfast or any other type of lodging.  They are all different animals.....zebra to a horse.  

What is different about being in a hotel room vs a cruise ship room?  Seriously.  Is that you are "used to" twice a day cleaning and chocolates on the pillow?  Both of them have someone come clean the room and straighten the bed.   Aside from the ship room generally being smaller than what I have in a hotel, the services available/provided are pretty identical IMO.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, floridagal83 said:

It would be so much easier if passengers who want/need ice could access an ice machine on each deck. I'd gladly fill my own bucket. 

 

Might be a health issue. Ships follow different rules than hotels

[floridagal83]

21 minutes ago, goldfish65 said:

 

It would be convenient, but with the habits of the general public, I think it would be messy and I would question how sanitary it would be.

 

8 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Might be a health issue. Ships follow different rules than hotels

Both very valid points.

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

 I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon RCI.  Then cruises will get cheaper and hopefully less crowded. 

Or maybe it will backfire on you and you will have to pay more to be on that less crowded ship. They have to get money from someone.🙂

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, floridagal83 said:

It would be so much easier if passengers who want/need ice could access an ice machine on each deck. I'd gladly fill my own bucket. 

 

33 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Might be a health issue. Ships follow different rules than hotels

Absolutely correct,  USPH regulations require use of gloves when getting ice from the bin, and requires that the scoop is hung up,  not left in the ice.

[John&LaLa]

28 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

 

Absolutely correct,  USPH regulations require use of gloves when getting ice from the bin, and requires that the scoop is hung up,  not left in the ice.

 

The HD on Serenade told us. He has/had a hotel in Arkansas. He was shocked how lax the rules are on land.

 

They are looking at adding laundry areas for the world cruise. One choice was in the existing pantries where the ice machines are. But he thought it wouls be an issue if passengers had access to ice machines

[cruisegirl1]

2 hours ago, floridagal83 said:

It would be so much easier if passengers who want/need ice could access an ice machine on each deck. I'd gladly fill my own bucket. 

Me too but only if it was a machine where the ice was dispensed.  Not a machine with an ice bin. 

M

[cruisegirl1]

6 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Since it had never really been the "job" of MDR staff to be filling ice buckets should the trail of people arriving with them plan on tipping per refill?

 

Heck, from some posts that I've been reading they are having enough trouble just getting out in a timely manner. I can just picture tables in the MDR with ice buckets all over them waiting to be filled.😆

If I don't get any evening service ( I prefer morning service),  I'll have to ask someone on board for ice.  Any bar, windjammer or wherever there is a ice/water machine. 

 

M. 

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[cruisegirl1]

6 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Not sure it was the job of room steward to provide ice multiple times per day. 

I've  ALWAYS  had ice placed in the cabin by the cabin attendant   when the room is serviced ( twice a day).  

 

M

[John&LaLa]

10 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

If I don't get any evening service ( I prefer morning service),  I'll have to ask someone on board for ice.  Any bar, windjammer or wherever there is a ice/water machine. 

 

M. 

 

 

A lot of bars don't have machines, that's why you see them toting ice in 5 gallon buckets

[floridagal83]

6 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I've  ALWAYS  had ice placed in the cabin by the cabin attendant   when the room is serviced ( twice a day).  

 

M

Me too. They have even put the bucket in the refrigerator so it lasts longer!

[kirtihk]

9 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

It is interesting how what used to be part of routine service evolves into being considered extra. But then I guess this entire threat is about paying more for less and paying even more to get back some of what is being removed.

 

It won't be long before people are writing that if you want two sets of towels a day then you should be tipping more for that evening set.

Or pay for EVERYTHING on the ship, because the cruise fair you paid on booking is just a grant (privilege) to entry/access/embrocate the ship.

[Morecruisesplz]

8 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

You can get ice at various locations all day. (Dining room, any bar, WJ, ). We hope to have morning service but if ice is melted in the evening will just bring the ice bucket to dinner  and ask for a refill.

m

Yes, that would be soooo convenient. 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 2/21/2023 at 7:53 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

It’s amazing to me how many people want others to know what they do with regard to tipping. Not sure if it’s tipping inferiority or tipping arrogance. 

I've always thought people were trying to gauge whether they were doing "enough" or "too much", especially new people.  How are they to know if they don't ask?  

On 2/21/2023 at 8:35 AM, Ocean Boy said:

Agree. Except that an unhappy crew will soon become a very big problem for the cruise line.

It seems to me that the workplace as a whole has become a whole lot less friendly and less fun over the last decade.  

On 2/21/2023 at 9:04 AM, resetjet said:

Everyone is a big tipper from the keyboard. 

Nah, some people brag about pulling their auto-tips and dividing them as they see fit -- even saying they don't care if this means stiffing some staff who've worked hard for them behind the scenes.  

9 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

... paying more for less and paying even more to get back some of what is being removed .... 

This is where I'm hung up:  They JUST raised gratuities, now they're removing service.  One or the other would be acceptable, but not both.

3 hours ago, floridagal83 said:

It would be so much easier if passengers who want/need ice could access an ice machine on each deck. I'd gladly fill my own bucket. 

I wouldn't mind filling my own bucket, but if I'm doing this task, I'd expect tips to decrease to reflect the service I'm no longer getting. 

[kirtihk]

4 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

As has been mentioned, if you haven't experienced it, you won't miss the twice a day services.  

 

As far as the "wait until you try it", I have... every time I've stayed in a hotel.  Now hotels are going to every 4-5 days before you get a service.  Even when we had daily service, we never had a hotel employee set up/tear down the sofa bed.  Or deliver ice (seems to be a big deal to some).

 

If you don't get the service you want, feel free to find another cruise line that does offer it.  You're not beholden to RCI.  In fact, I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon RCI.  Then cruises will get cheaper and hopefully less crowded. 

Let's remove the following entities: casino, spa, sauna/steam room, pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, bar, lounge, specialty restaurant, because each of them doesn't attract every cruiser.  In fact, I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon any cruise line.  Then... cruises will get cheaper, definitely less crowded, and so roomy! - just bunch of cabins, 1 main restaurant, and the rest of a ship is all yours to wonder around in (like a private ship).

[S.A.M.J.R.]

38 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Let's remove the following entities: casino, spa, sauna/steam room, pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, bar, lounge, specialty restaurant, because each of them doesn't attract every cruiser.  In fact, I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon any cruise line.  Then... cruises will get cheaper, definitely less crowded, and so roomy! - just bunch of cabins, 1 main restaurant, and the rest of a ship is all yours to wonder around in (like a private ship).

Well, there are people who like cruising like that.  Aren't river cruises just basically cabins?  

 

And I don't get your point honestly.  I fully believe that each customer is responsible for choosing what's "worth it to them".  I agree, if they took away the pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, or bars, I would no longer cruise.  If they did away with the casino, spa, sauna/steam room, or specialty restaurant, I would.  Why do cruise lines HAVE to cater to EVERYONE?  If you don't like what a cruise line is offering, don't sail with them.  Is this really that difficult?

 

I get (sort of) being upset.  But you'd think going to 1x day service is the end of the world the way people are complaining.

[time4u2go]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

What is different about being in a hotel room vs a cruise ship room? 

I can't speak for others, but I visit my cruise ship room MUCH more often than my hotel room. I go to change clothes, to take a nap, to sit on the balcony with a drink, to drop off or pick up something, to take a shower, etc.  I do some of these things too with a hotel room, but much less frequently.  When I leave my hotel room for the day, I might return before dinner to change clothes, or I might only return at the end of the evening.  Bottom line, I spend WAY more time in my cruise ship room and go there way more frequently than my hotel room.

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by time4u2go

[S.A.M.J.R.]

7 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

I can't speak for others, but I visit my cruise ship room MUCH more often than my hotel room. I go to change clothes, to take a nap, to sit on the balcony with a drink, to drop off or pick up something, to take a shower, etc.  I do some of these things too with a hotel room, but much less frequently.  When I leave my hotel room for the day, I might return before dinner to change clothes, or I might only return at the end of the evening.  Bottom line, I spend WAY more time in my cruise ship room and go there way more frequently than my hotel room.

 

I can respect that.  I try not to spend too much time in the room (I want to get my money's worth damnit!  lol), but do return a couple times through the day.

[resetjet]

3 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

What is different about being in a hotel room vs a cruise ship room?  Seriously.  Is that you are "used to" twice a day cleaning and chocolates on the pillow?  Both of them have someone come clean the room and straighten the bed.   Aside from the ship room generally being smaller than what I have in a hotel, the services available/provided are pretty identical IMO.

What is the difference between a hotel room and a cabin in the woods?  
 

 

[zanydoc]

Thanks @kirtihkfor allowing me to learn a new word today…embrocate! I think I’ll start using it in my everyday language 😊

[sgmn]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

 

Absolutely correct,  USPH regulations require use of gloves when getting ice from the bin, and requires that the scoop is hung up,  not left in the ice.

Can't it just be a machine such as in hotels. You just push a button and ice falls into your ice bucket . No hands or scoops necessary 

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

Let's remove the following entities: casino, spa, sauna/steam room, pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, bar, lounge, specialty restaurant, because each of them doesn't attract every cruiser.  In fact, I hope a LOT of people feel that way and abandon any cruise line.  Then... cruises will get cheaper, definitely less crowded, and so roomy! - just bunch of cabins, 1 main restaurant, and the rest of a ship is all yours to wonder around in (like a private ship).

Great idea! The strategy is a little off though. Dropping the price doesn’t seem like the right way to pay off the billions of dollars in debt, hence default on the loans, file bankruptcy, and shutdown.

There’s the Staten Island Ferry as plan b.

 

[Morecruisesplz]

1 hour ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Well, there are people who like cruising like that.  Aren't river cruises just basically cabins?  

 

And I don't get your point honestly.  I fully believe that each customer is responsible for choosing what's "worth it to them".  I agree, if they took away the pool, buffet, hot tub, theater, or bars, I would no longer cruise.  If they did away with the casino, spa, sauna/steam room, or specialty restaurant, I would.  Why do cruise lines HAVE to cater to EVERYONE?  If you don't like what a cruise line is offering, don't sail with them.  Is this really that difficult?

 

I get (sort of) being upset.  But you'd think going to 1x day service is the end of the world the way people are complaining.

Its not just 1 x day cabin attention... it's a complilations of cut backs while raising tips and cruise rates.