Room service fees

[Pennsylvania Cruiser]

I’m very upset about the new charges for room service.  It was such a luxury to have a room service breakfast on the days we had excursions where we could enjoy it on our balcony instead of fighting the masses at the buffet. As we are both seniors, the crowds at the buffet are a real chore.  We have a cruise scheduled in 2025 and I’m really going to miss our leisurely breakfasts.😢

[3Sisters]

@Pennsylvania Cruiser Did you recently experience this on a past itinerary? It's certainly a bummer. I have noticed a few cruise lines have also changed their room service options. From what I understand, the cost per stateroom order is about nine dollars and change. Was that the room service breakfast price you noticed on your recent Celebrity Cruises sailing? I saw that the cruise line may also still be doing the complimentary stateroom breakfast but only charging for certain hours of the day. I too enjoy the occasional breakfast in bed, particularly when I book a balcony stateroom! 

[Pennsylvania Cruiser]

According to what I read, the charge is $9.95 plus an 18% gratuity for room service any time of day.  This is the highest charge of any of the cruise lines.

 

[FJB]

We’ve been on 25+ cruise and can probably count on one hand how many times we’ve ordered room service - just not a thing for us. It’s too easy to walk up to the buffet to get what we want.  But we also never have pizza/food delivery at home - not available when you live in a rural area. 

[Seaawgs]

As of a week ago, breakfast is still free. Delivered food is mediocre at best so close your balcony door, quit heating up the ship and join the rest.

[3Sisters]

@Seaawgs That's what I thought as well! I'm so glad you were able to confirm this. This is good news for @Pennsylvania Cruiser. Hopefully, it stays this way into 2025. Cruise lines are constantly changing their rules and regulations. I recommend that @Pennsylvania Cruiser checks back closer to the embarkation date to make sure things haven't changed. As of now, breakfast delivery is still free for Celebrity Cruises! 

[FJB]

I was more upset over not receiving a glass of champagne upon boarding my Celebrity ship last month - what the actual hey!!

[PaulB]

I personally think it's disgraceful that you are charged room service anyhow. You pay enough to go on the cruise in the first place, but it's the same in any break away.

[3Sisters]

@FJB Why didn't you recvied your glass off champagne? That's definitely something to look forward to! Celebrity Cruises needs to stay consistent with its loyalty perks. 

I think charging for room service is fair after hours. Foodservice, especially directly to the stateroom doesn't give the housekeeping/kitchen staff any sort of break. I also think to reduce waste, charging a bit for the service ensures that the guests ordering are going to eat the food, not order in vain and waste it. As much as I think charging can be a nuisance, I do understand that logistically it's not particularly necessary or lucrative enough to be provided without a small upcharge.  

[PaulB]

I agree to a degree. Being in the catering industry myself, it's hated by everyone in the sector that food waste is really high. The greed from customers can be unreal sometimes. They order everything and then some things like sides are not even touched. I understand you're paying for it, but what a waste.

[3Sisters]

All the cruise lines are beginning to invest in reducing food waste. Carnival Cruise Line invested over half a million in this mission, purchasing serval food digesters and parts. Believe it or not, all the food wasted onboard from things like guest leftovers used to, and may continue to, be discarded into the ocean! This causes big environmental concerns. Reducing the amount of waste by limiting guests in some way or another is much better than sending more scraps into the ocean unnecessarily. Let's think bigger picture. If you aren't satisfied with the offering in the MDR, go to the limitless buffet. Consider what you put on your plate and how you order, it's not necessary to waste. As intelligent human beings, we can be more strategic than that.

[PaulB]

@3Sisters I agree, a strategy needs to be put in place to stop any of this waste. Buffets are easier to manage because you can always keep going up if you want and then stop when you have had enough. But it doesn't always work like that, as people still mound their plates with a buffet, and leave many food to waste.

[Seaawgs]

Expecting restraint from certain groups of people is folly. Aside from associating a charge with everything we enjoy on a cruise, waste is here to stay. Drink packages also promote a large amount of waste and excess garbage.  Charge less for the packages and a small charge for each drink. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Seaawgs Unfortunately, I agree that drink packages can produce a good amount of waste. The packages are one of the biggest money-making items onboard so I think they are here to stay. With the steep prices of individual drinks onboard, it's much more attractive to guests to purchase the drink package, even though most people don't actually get their money's worth. The policy of everyone in a stateroom having to purchase the drink package is another very lucrative strategy for cruise lines. What do you think would be the best way to limit the amount of overall waste onboard? I appreciate it when there are no straws onboard. Although it can ignite a straw-lover, it is truly a wonderful way to be eco-friendly and reduce waste onboard.

[FJB]

Don’t take away my plastic straws!  Or my unlimited alcohol 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB Have you noticed that many cruise lines are doing away with plastic straws? If the cruise line does have them onboard, it's typically not immediately placed in the drink. Usually, guests have to ask for it and then it will be administered, otherwise, it's not common practice anymore. This is like the paper menu thing. Unless you ask for a physical menu, the cruise lines are opting for guests to just use the QR code to choose menu selections. 

NCL eliminated plastic straws on its ships and private beaches, alongside RCL a few years back. If you enjoy straws, you are better off just bringing your own reusable straw than having to use the paper ones that disintegrate on you.

[PaulB]

I guess paper straws will be coming in now will it as it's easier to recycle. It's such a shame that nowadays a lot of people's attitude towards food and drink is to really overorder and then produces so much waste. It happens most places I've worked or go to in any hospitality trade. No need for a lot of it. 

[3Sisters]

I don't enjoy the use of paper straws but it's definitely nice to offer, at least for the kids or anyone who might need it. Although I prefer a straw while drinking cold drinks, it's not the end of the world if I don't have one. I think the perk of more paper straws is that they are biodegradable versus forever-lasting plastic. Thankfully if I ever overorder, I know my husband will finish it off. My husband will always clear off my plate, and it definitely can work in my favor. I agree though; there is no need for food waste, especially when there are still parts of our work battling access to food and water daily. How privileged we are to have access to cruising! 

[Seaawgs]

If you don't factor human nature into the equation, the problem will perpetuate.  On Celebrity, people order a Dogfish Head 90 Minute beer because it's the most expensive on the Premium package. They take one drink, their face curls up and they leave the rest. Waste is relative to cost.

[PaulB]

@3Sistersvery well said. Maybe it's time to take note for all companies to change the way food and drink is distributed to prevent waste. It's certainly a eyes bigger than belly syndrome a lot of the time.

[3Sisters]

@Seaawgs That's so true! Waste can be relative to cost, to some degree. I guess it all depends on the circumstance truly. I'm not quite sure if you usually purchase the Premium beverage package onboard, but I do agree that most purchasers are looking for quality over quantity. I would make the casual assumption that the basic beverage package purchasers are more likely to purchase quantity over quality. Would you agree?

I think that cruise lines are making the tough decision to either increase the cost of certain dining options or reduce the options in the MDR to both turn over a larger profit margin and reduce food waste. 

[Seaawgs]

@3SistersWe always upgrade to premium. While on-board we look for a real "go getter" and have them upgrade us. That usually pays off down the road. Quality vs. Quantity is an interesting take on the different packages. It's tough to over indulge on high content beer. The MDR on Celebrity should never be accused of over feeding you and has good alternatives if you don't care for the day's menu. I personally have a rule to never leave "animal" on my plate, if I order it, I eat it.

[3Sisters]

@Seaawgs Are you able to pre-purchase the beverage package and the update once onboard and just pay the difference? That doesn't sound half bad and it's certainly rewarding for the crew constantly selling the package all day. Does purchasing this upgrade onboard offer you some sort of onboard spending perk, like earning additional loyalty points? Is that why you typically wait to upgrade your package onboard? That's a good strategy, I haven't heard of it before, never leave "animal" on my plate. My husband wouldn't let any of my family members do that. He's all about protein! 

[Seaawgs]

@3Sisters Many promotional Celebrity cruise fares include the "classic" package. If you upgrade before the cruise you'll save 5%, which is $1 per day. The "at-a-boy" the crew member gets is worth more to us and since we tip each round, our overall experience is enhanced. 

[3Sisters]

@Seaawgs That's good to know. I guess you prefer to benefit from booking with this Celebrity Cruise package because it automatically includes the basic options. Then, you pay a slight upcharge for the premium beverage package. I guess there is a small incentive to upgrade prior to embarkation. It's so nice to hear that you are willing to essentially pay more by purchasing onboard with a hard-working crew member. I love this mentality. It means to me that you are able and interested to connect with the crew onboard. To me, connecting with the crew members is a huge bonus to cruising. I enjoy tipping extra for the members that work hard to take care of me during my vacation. 

Edited June 8, 2023 by 3Sisters