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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
...so you leave the bar early, buy a few less drinks, to put out your breakfast order before midnight!

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It should actually read ordered "delivered" between the hours of midnight and 5am I believe. You can put out your breakfast door card anytime.

Personally I think this charge it petty and does more harm than good.

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Originally posted by eroller:
It should actually read ordered "delivered" between the hours of midnight and 5am I believe. You can put out your breakfast door card anytime.

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Best,

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Originally posted by The Big C:
Thats CRAZY I guress its just another way to take peoples money.

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Although I think the charge is petty, I don't think it's about Royal Caribbean making money. The charge is not high enough and a very small percentage of passengers order room service between these times. I'm not really sure what is really behind it. Certainly it's not like a cruise line pays overtime, so it's not about reducing a salary, but it might be about reducing head count. Perhaps they can have a few less crew members on each ship if the late night orders are greatly reduced? I really don't know.

What I don't understand is why the charge is only between those hours. If this were really about making money then the charge would apply 24/7.

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Originally posted by eroller:

ow.

What I don't understand is why the charge is only between those hours. If this were really about making money then the charge would apply 24/7.

Ernie

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It is clearly about discouraging using the service in the deepest night :

or there is abuse of the service : many who order not for the food, but for example for not being lonely, or something

or it is so little used, that it is too costly, and this is a way of making it profitable

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Originally posted by Johan:

It is clearly about discouraging using the service in the deepest night :

or there is abuse of the service : many who order not for the food, but for example for not being lonely, or something

or it is so little used, that it is too costly, and this is a way of making it profitable

J

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If the charge is meant as a deterrent, it certainly won't work. Room service breakfast during those hours is the cruise ship equivalent of heading to a 24-hour diner or tacqueria after closing time on a night out. A $3.95 charge for a breakfast nightcap is nothing compared to what a heavy drinker would have blown on onboard drinks that night, and if it prevents a hangover the next morning, it's still considered money well spent.

$1 goes as a tip and the rest to RCI coffers.

I wonder if they will have the gall to charge suite pax the same - can you imagine taking the top suite on Oasis of the Seas and having to pay for room service ?

The charge is so small and being charged to the onboard account that it is unlikely going to change any pattern of behaviour during those hours. The typical guest who would order during those hours will be likely not be thinking about a petty charge going to his account (maybe regret it at the END of the cruise when the total of the charges is realized). The quantity of food will still be the same - it still amounts to an "all you can eat" charge.

Perhaps it will mean the staff at least do get a tip - which I can see - but even then we're talking peanuts.

I don't see the merit in this charge, but given the behaviour of behaviour is unlikely to change, perhaps RCI realize they have enough passengers ordering late night room service that they can "spin" this new charge so that it seems logical- so why not (take care of the cents and the dollars take care of themselves).

Of course, many hotels do have room service charges (apart from the food)- so this isn't a stretch for the cruise line.

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Originally posted by Lubber:
If the charge is meant as a deterrent, it certainly won't work.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):
If you think you will want some late night eats in the cabin, maybe if you are having a pyjama party, why not take something to the cabin from one of the self service areas early in the evening !

This seems to be another cruising company rip off to me !

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

I suspect it's purely to make more money.

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I have never had anything delivered during the night and apart from breakfast [maybe once or twice during a week long cruise] have only ever had a hot chocolate for the children. I prefer to go and get food if I want it, or do without. One doesn't get free room service in an hotel if staying on a half-board basis, one has to go to the dining room at a set time.

My friend provision master a/b Prinsendam, told me that guest sometimes so much food and not eat it or opened the cabin door so the food have to return. He was obviously irritated by this behavior.

Funny the matter Room service keeps people talk over a century.
In a book over the 6 Rotterdam vessels. There is a report of HAL founder Reuchlin a/b the Rotterdam 3 in 1899. He mentioned the room service and found it ridiculous that passengers ordered food and not eating it, so it was thrown overboard. He wanted to minimize room service only to sick or sea sick passengers.

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Originally posted by Ernst:
I guess there it is a cultural issue. Room service seems to be more 'common' or more frequently used in the U.S. or by U.S. hotel guests or passengers. I guess that's why it is a bit unusual that a 'U.S.' cruise line asks for a service fee for something that is considered to be 'standard'.

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But room service in hotels is certainly not complimentary, or "included" in the price of the room; in fact a perusal of room service menus in even modest hotels shows some quite high prices.

[ 01-09-2009: Message edited by: koch ]

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Originally posted by Maasdam:
What is the problem most hotels charge fore room service. Why not cruise lines?

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[ 01-09-2009: Message edited by: Ernst ]

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Originally posted by eandjracquet:
Given my limited experience with NCL (only on the Blue Lady may she RIP), the were the most nickel and diming of the bunch (Carnival, RCI, HAL, Regal, Commodore, etc.) And, they had the worst food in the dining room (the not extra charge dining room) that I ever experienced.

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