RCCL to charge for room service

[WebmasterKathy]

Well, I don't like this news!!

Royal Caribbean has made a policy change in its room service offerings, where it will charge guests a fee of $7.95 per order of room service from the All Day Menu and the American Section of the breakfast menu.

http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/15/royal-caribbean-start-charging-room-service

 

[Psychodisney]

Well, I don't like this news!!



http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/15/royal-caribbean-start-charging-room-service

That stinks! Hopefully other cruise lines will not follow suit. We have only used room service occasionally for a breakfast on our balcony. The order is frequently not correct. Looks like we won't be using room service in May!

 

[starvenger]

For whatever it's worth the continental breakfast is still free.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I'm glad the continental breakfast is still free.... on our 4 Disney cruises we have only ordered coffee and cereal, fruit or pastries in the morning. Going on our first Royal Caribbean cruise and that's what we hope to do again.

 

[Happy100]

So for my first Royal cruise in April I will have to pay a fee for room service. Gotta say I am getting tired of seeing all this nickel and diming on RC.

Is everything free on the room service menu and if so is it actual entrees/lunches and nice cheese and fruit plates?

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We don't normally order room service other than coffee/cont. breakfast in the morning so I'm not super upset about this (we have our first Royal cruise coming up too) but even if we were to order room service every day of our cruise, the total cruise price would still come well under what we would pay on Disney. Other than soda, I haven't noticed what else Royal might be charging for that Disney isn't... but I haven't sailed with Royal yet.
I know we will have to pay for specialty coffees on Royal, but it's the same on Disney.
Actually, if we don't do the all-inclusive drink package, might buy the coffee card Royal has - $31 for 15 specialty coffees I believe. I think that's pretty good.
If we add 3 soda packages to our cruise the total cost is $120 for 5 nights. We wouldn't add 3 anyway, but if we wanted to it's not too bad.
I hope to come back and do a review and a comparison after we sail. Very excited and can't wait!

 

[starvenger]

Is everything free on the room service menu and if so is it actual entrees/lunches and nice cheese and fruit plates?

As I understand it, everything non-alcoholic and non-Continental menu is technically free outside of the delivery charge. So you could, in theory, order the entire menu and it would cost the $8 only.

 

[angelinaxox]

Well, I don't like this news!!



http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/15/royal-caribbean-start-charging-room-service

Count me as another who doesn't like it. Every week there seems to be another added cost or annoyance with RCCL. I still have five months until my next RCCL cruise and I am wondering what is next. This is the fifth thing that is driving me crazy and I haven't stepped on the boat. Reminds me why I switched from the other cruise lines to Disney.

Different prices for the same drink package on different ships and different sailings on the same ship; even people on the same ship are paying different prices. Reminds me of airline flights in that everyone is paying something different.

Reading the horror stories of others who canceled one drink package and switched it to another ended up canceling their entire cruises.

Raising the price of some drinks or alcohol brands to just outside the package limits so some are being charged extra per drink. Of course this is inconsistent as well depending on the bartender, ship, etc.

Having to sign out pool towels and checking the bill to make sure there are no charges for them even though I returned them.

Having to check credit card bill for the Mystery $12.95 charge that shows up on it after the cruise for the bottled water in the room that was never touched. People are having to call to have the charges removed. Keep this in mind that this is after people received their final bill on the ship.

It just seems to be endless. I don't generally use room service but that is not the point. Just because someone doesn't use something, doesn't mean they shouldn't care, because it is only a matter of time before they charge for something that you do care about it. So when I read on the other site for Royal that people don't care because it doesn't effect them, it really bothers me.

As a long time cruiser, I definitely notice the difference. New cruisers won't know and will accept room service as a cost of the cruise. Then Royal will move on to figuring out what is the next thing that used to be included that they can start charging for.

Just one more reason why I am more excited for my three day Wonder cruise than my 9 day Anthem cruise.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

NCL charges for room service. Now RCI does. Seriously would not be surprised if Disney followed suit. Bring ziplock bags & plastic takeout boxes to package some snacks from Windjammer. I don't really order room-service. Unless I'm on Disney because Mickey Premium bars in bed while watching movies is a thing.

 

[HopperFan]

 

[Laz]

I have not been on a cruise in about three years. Does RCCL still allow food to be brought back to your stateroom? I will go to the Windjammer for breakfast and get a couple of plates to bring back to our stateroom to enjoy on the balcony.

 

[John VN]

Nickel and dime the small stuff but keep the cruise prices down and I will not have a problem. Even though we don't partake of the items that are being N&D'd, I am sympathetic to those who use the services.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

What is frustrating is you book based on price think yeah I saved x compared to DCL then they keep sneaking in changes and charges.

 

[bumbershoot]

Different prices for the same drink package on different ships and different sailings on the same ship; even people on the same ship are paying different prices. Reminds me of airline flights in that everyone is paying something different.

Everyone paid different amounts for their rooms, too. And with the drink packages, if a lower price comes up you can switch it out.

Reading the horror stories of others who canceled one drink package and switched it to another ended up canceling their entire cruises.

There are, like, 5 people that this has happened to, and I think I'm double-counting one or two of them. This is a glitch, not the norm.

I wouldn't let things that *might* happen cause you stress. I've never had the random charges (and we have literally emptied all the minibar things from our fridge and put our purchased water package waters into it), I've never been charged for a towel, etc. Not everyone has these things happen to them. No need to borrow trouble or worry.

Seriously would not be surprised if Disney followed suit.

Same.

Does RCCL still allow food to be brought back to your stateroom?

Yes.


All room service items we've ever gotten from DCL or Royal have been atrocious. Even, ESPECIALLY, the DCL cheese thing that everyone raves about. FWIW.

 

[John VN]

......................All room service items we've ever gotten from DCL or Royal have been atrocious. Even, ESPECIALLY, the DCL cheese thing that everyone raves about. FWIW.

While we have never done room service for breakfast, I must admit that on our last Dream cruise where DW surprised me by booking concierge, we ordered room service for dinner every night. It was faaaa-bulous, and we will be doing it again this November which most likely will be our last DCL cruise. Since we never used our main dining room opportunities, we cancelled the gratuities meant for dining and compensated our server with those fund$ plu$ additional, all in ca$h.

 

[Vijoge]

We have a 9 night cruise to Aruba booked on RCCL. I paid $689 pp. A 10 night cruise with DCL going to Aruba is currently listed at $6,290 per person-YES SIX Thousand! I can pay for room service and still go on a heck of a lot of RCCL cruises for that!

 

[Mrsjvb]

FTR: NCL implemented this long before RCI did.

the new menu is WAY better than the old 'free' one. WAY better. we are taking nachos and quesadillas and many more entree options. non suites can now get a hot breakfast ( if they want to pay for it) and unless they did not upgrade the old fruit and cheese plates, I am not begrudging the fee at all. furthermore full suites( grand and ups ) are exempt from the surcharge.

I can still sail in a Grand or Owners suite on Royal for half the price of a verandah on Disney. I like the food better, I get better on board amenities( the Suite/Concierge Lounge alone is worth the price to us) and I get a much larger cabin.

 

[disneyholic family]

if i know i'm being charged $8 to order, i'll make sure i get my money's worth and then some...
and throw away whatever we don't eat...
i might even order a ton extra just on principle...

 

[ronandannette]

if i know i'm being charged $8 to order, i'll make sure i get my money's worth and then some...
and throw away whatever we don't eat...
i might even order a ton extra just on principle...

What principle would that be? I'm no happier about the charge than you are but your idea is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

We actually do use room service from time to time and will probably not anymore as long as other options are available. It was always a last resort anyway - took a long time and the food certainly was no great shakes. Our upcoming cruise on the Freedom will have the Promenade Cafe open 24 hours and we'll rely on that, as I'm sure tons of others will also. I actually think the fee implementation is more to reduce the use of the service than it is about generating revenue.

FTR: NCL implemented this long before RCI did.

the new menu is WAY better than the old 'free' one. WAY better. we are taking nachos and quesadillas and many more entree options. non suites can now get a hot breakfast ( if they want to pay for it) and unless they did not upgrade the old fruit and cheese plates, I am not begrudging the fee at all. furthermore full suites( grand and ups ) are exempt from the surcharge.

I can still sail in a Grand or Owners suite on Royal for half the price of a verandah on Disney. I like the food better, I get better on board amenities( the Suite/Concierge Lounge alone is worth the price to us) and I get a much larger cabin.

No added value - this was always available on RCCL (not on NCL though and that might be what you're referring to).