Room Service No Longer Free - NCL Starts $7.95 Charge Per Order

[Phyllis Flipflop]

My husband and I are booked on the Getaway on the 2nd of May.

It's our first cruise and I've spent the last few months since booking banging on to my husband about how great it will be to have RS breakfast on our larger balcony (B6) and to enjoy the Illusionarium on our first night as part of our UDP. Finances aren't so tight that we couldn't afford to pay for the show or the RS but I'm just so disappointed that what we booked and paid for isn't what we're getting, it's taken a bit of the shine off our first cruise and first NCL experience. We've also booked the Epic for a 10 day trip at the end of November, I wonder what changes we'll have by then. Edited March 31, 2015 by Phyllis Flipflop

[House_Atreides]

[quote name='doggfan7']I am on Breakaway today. Starting this sailing, all room service charges regardless of time receive a $7.95 charge!:mad: Will upload a picture of the new menu when I get back.

I am very upset about this. We love breakfast on the balcony some days before tours and late night snacks. I can't wait for the NCL apologists to defend this one. We received no notice of this increase prior to the cruise and I believe (although may be mistaken) that room service was always listed in the complimnetary dining section on the website.[/QUOTE]

I don't blame you a bit for being upset!!!! Apparently, they are lying over at customer service.....

Here is the skinny from NCL this morning when I called:

This is a trial that only affects GETAWAY & BREAKAWAY sailings booked 3.30.2015 or AFTER.

I (personally) doubt this is a "trial!" In my mind this will go fleet wide soon, and I will be cruising with HAL instead. The service charges were raised, the balcony smoking was eliminated (dumb, people can throw butts over the railings anywhere on board, thus negating the "fire hazard" card), the prices have skyrocketed for cruising and they raised drink and soda prices, all in a small span of time.

I don't see good things for NCL. This is sad, NCL has always been my favorite line.

I hope you can enjoy your cruise and not let this snag wreck your whole trip!

[PokerDave]

Officially the last straw for me... I'm stuck for my September sailing as I have too many non-refundable things planned. But that will be this Platinum CAS customer's last NCL booking...

[House_Atreides]

I agree with you Dave. DH and I plan at least a year in advance for our cruises (unless they are a "working" cruise, we photograph some of the bands on charter cruises). We are on the HAL website as I write this, looking at 2016!

[Feelin' Nauti']

[quote name='Anet01']Interesting, not changed on their website yet.

[URL]http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes[/URL][/quote]
They posted it on Twitter
[url]http://www.ncl.com/faq#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service[/url]

[hpecorari]

[quote name='Anet01']Interesting, not changed on their website yet.

[url]http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes[/url][/QUOTE]

Yes it is. Look at the very last line on the page...under Pizza
[B]
"Convenience Charge for Room Service on non-Haven Suites"[/B]

However, their website for gratuities still has not been changed!

Harriet

[bangzoom6877]

I feel like NCL really went overboard with this one...no pun intended. Raising drink prices is something I would expect, even raising bar gratuity to 18% was ok with me. But the whole specialty restaurant gratuity added now and NCL now trying to convince us that they don't get part of the DSC was fishy in itself, and now this room service charge. Complimentary room service was something special and different about cruising, just like going to the MDR and having a multi course dinner without getting a check at the end of the meal (unless ordering alcohol or soda of course). These complimentary items have always made cruising feel so special and wonderful.

As I had said, we seldom use room service, but occasionally we get a light RS breakfast and that was a nice novelty to be able to do. I'm wondering what's in store next...I am losing my trust in NCL that I once had. I feel that next will be a convenience charge for the MDR and the 24-hour venue, like the only truly complimentary option eventually will be the buffet.

And convenience charge simply means the convenience of the guest having the food delivered to their cabin rather than having to leave the cabin it get food. That is the only convenience...an astronomical $7.95 charge is very INconvenient. Poor workers will no longer be tipped in cash for RS because of this either, for two reasons...one people won't want to pay more than the convenience charge and two, there will be fewer RS orders I'm sure. The workers are the ones who suffer. We have a choice whether or not to order RS, but this is beyond workers' control. Perhaps NCL and Wal-Mart should merge with the way both treat their employees.

[dinosaurdem]

This sounds very much like, "This is not a new tax. It's a service fee."

[CruisingOnBy810]

I received this email from NCL this morning. [attachment=275721:name]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pikaia]

[URL]http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes[/URL]
In the list of things not included:
[quote]Convenience Charge for Room Service on non-Haven Suites[/quote]

I contacted [email]socialmedia@ncl.com[/email] for clarification, as I'll be on the Dawn in a suite in June.

I asked whether or not the website means I'll be charged a convenience charge if the butler brings food to my room. I got no response to my question. Instead, I was told, "As of right now, the room service charge has not rolled out to the rest of the fleet."

[bangzoom6877]

[quote name='CruisingOnBy810']I received this email from NCL this morning. [ATTACH]344946[/ATTACH]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

And it will remain at the bottom of a pile of complaints about recent increases. They won't change anything. What's done is done and I'm sure it's a matter of time until it's across the entire fleet.

[emcelh]

[quote name='motleyfan']Not true I had a friend whose cabin was booked before the no smoking policy changed and he was a mere few weeks away from his cruise and could not cancel[/QUOTE]

A mere few weeks? The new smoking policy went into effect on November 1, 2014 and was being discussed on Cruise Critic in July. Your friend didn't do his homework.

[ECCruise]

I think this will be a good test of NCL's responsiveness to customer feedback.

In the only other boneheaded cruiseline tricks that I equate with this one, the line listened and changed the ill-advised policy:

1) RCCL's elimination of Diamond level cruisers from the Diamond Lounge. This was later modified and now there are Diamond Lounges on virtually every RCCL ship.

2) Azamara's slashing of benefits for their Le Club Voyage (frequent cruiser) program. The furor on that one was pretty similar to this and the change was largely reversed in a matter of weeks.

Only time will tell. With 41 days booked on NCL, the response will be closely watched from this quarter. Not because we use room service (the menu is far too restrictive for us compared to other lines) but to gauge their ability to recognize a big mistake and act on it, as well as their attitude toward future cuts and/or price increases.

[hpecorari]

[quote name='CruisingOnBy810']I received this email from NCL this morning. [ATTACH]344946[/ATTACH]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

Yes, I got the same e-mail reply. Another 'auto reply' from them.

Harriet

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='hpecorari']Gosh, it's hard enough now as it is to get a table in the buffet. Imagine if those who use room service all come to eat there.

Harriet[/QUOTE]

The tables are free, but chairs are now $2.99 per person per 1/2 hour.

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='abbyar']I doubt they'll discontinue it. But everyone complains how slow it is - If the fee reduces demand, service will be faster, [COLOR="Red"]and NCL will devout less crew time to it.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Which will slow it down again.

[robflys]

[quote name='motleyfan']Hello mister Internet lawyer[/QUOTE]

No, that's mr. Real attorney to you. Now go back to insulting people under the guise of being a "southerner".

Uniall, I was not referring to you, which Is why my post quoted Motleyfan directly. Done responding to him. Have a nice day. Edited March 31, 2015 by robflys

[Wildcatllamas]

[quote name='Pikaia'][URL]http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes[/URL]
In the list of things not included:


I contacted [email]socialmedia@ncl.com[/email] for clarification, as I'll be on the Dawn in a suite in June.

I asked whether or not the website means I'll be charged a convenience charge if the butler brings food to my room. I got no response to my question. Instead, I was told, "As of right now, the room service charge has not rolled out to the rest of the fleet."[/QUOTE]

My sister asked me to go with her on the Dawn in April 2016 for her birthday and we are in a suite. If we have to pay a convenience fee for the butler bringing us food we will sure be looking at making changes. When I have been in a suite previously I have always tipped the butler at least the very minimum recommended by NCL even if the only thing they did was deliver the daily snack.

Right now the main thing was wanting a cruise that went out of New Orleans. Carnival is right there and although they don't have the suite perks like Norwegian we can spend more celebrating her birthday in NOLA and cruise Carnival. Edited March 31, 2015 by Wildcatllamas

[nfglory1]

While I completely disagree with the way NCL went about this "test" and the amount that is being charged as a convenience, the only rationale that I could come up with would be the allocation of resources (workers). I've never been one to order room service, just not that into eating in my cabin but understand why others enjoy it. But it seems that a lot of cruisers, from what I understand, often order small items such as one coffee or a juice or a pastry. I wonder if this is NCL's attempt to help eliminate the small, time consuming RS orders so they can better use resources elsewhere and be more efficient. I would think this would limit offers to meals or bigger orders. It's the same way you may have to have a minimum order on a food delivery to your home. Not sure if this is right or wrong, but just a thought. What does everyone else think?

[LMaxwell]

[quote name='robflys']No, that's mr. Real attorney to you. Now go back to insulting people under the guise of being a "southerner".
.[/quote]

I see you live in Coconut Creek. Just a few minutes down the road from me. South Florida is not "Southern" and when people talk like Motley they are just putting people down and trying to play it off with the "I was only joking" line of garbage. We just know better.

[LMaxwell]

[quote name='nfglory1'] I wonder if this is NCL's attempt to help eliminate the small, time consuming RS orders so they can better use resources elsewhere and be more efficient.

What does everyone else think?[/quote]

Where else are they going to use these resources and be more efficient? NCL doesn't pay workers additional for room service delivery as it stands. So not sure how this saves NCL money or streamlines anything in any other area of the ship or service.

It's a charge because [B]some[/B] people will pay it. So if you had 100 RS orders at no charge, and now you only get 15 orders but you get $8 an order, who wins? Not the worker. Not the guest (increased demands in other areas). The company is the only one to benefit.

[nfglory1]

[quote name='LMaxwell']Where else are they going to use these resources and be more efficient? NCL doesn't pay workers additional for room service delivery as it stands. So not sure how this saves NCL money or streamlines anything in any other area of the ship or service.

It's a charge because [B]some[/B] people will pay it. So if you had 100 RS orders at no charge, and now you only get 15 orders but you get $8 an order, who wins? Not the worker. Not the guest (increased demands in other areas). The company is the only one to benefit.[/QUOTE]

Who knows where they would use the additional workers, could be more hands in the MDR due to the 85 less RS orders. Could be more people in guest services for removal of the DSC :) I'm not saying it's right, just trying to rationalize the stupidity of NCL.

[LMaxwell]

[quote name='nfglory1']Who knows where they would use the additional workers, could be more hands in the MDR due to the 85 less RS orders. Could be more people in guest services for removal of the DSC :) I'm not saying it's right, just trying to rationalize the stupidity of NCL.[/quote]

I just don't see how this charge results in benefits to guests, increased services for guests, or represents convenience to guests. I see it as a cash grab for the company.

[SissasMomE]

Just got the form letter response from NCL via email. They understand my frustration and are passing along my concerns. Whatever.

[softsands]

[quote name='Uniall']Say what?
I have won every contest of charges I ever made, all but one, while still aboard the ship by submiting written notice of no authorization to charge.[/quote]

Well, if you've lost at least once, you've established precedence.