What should be included in basic fare

[RDC1]

But the cruise line could easily not include those amenities in the base fare and charge extra for those who actually use the flow rider etc. And those who watch the 'entertainment' too.:D

 

As for being 'built in'. Bars are also built in. They recoup their cost by charging a lot for the booze. Spas are built in and they recoup their cost by charging a lot for their services. Flow riders are built in......., Rock climbing walls are built in....... Balcony's are built in........ and I pay for that amenity.

 

You built in logic would follow if you are just talking about the bar, without drinks. Then you would have a room like many others on the ship that are also free. I find that I can go into the bars and sit there for hours and as long as I don't order a drink doesn't cost me a dime. The cost is for items that are not built in, it is for the drinks. Sure the spa rooms are built in but the service providers are not. You are paying for the service, not the room.

 

Most of the items you listed as built in are primarily capital fixed costs, not variable operational/consumable costs.

 

Now they might decide at some point to charge for things like the flow rider, but they probably don't because they consider its appeal to be a major draw for the demographics they desire and a competitive edge for other lines with those demographics.

Edited May 18, 2015 by RDC1

[RDC1]

Things that are widely used and relatively low cost per use tend to be included in the base fare. This fits things like pools, lounges, towels, even shows.

 

Things that have very limited capacity and can be presented as a premium service can be charged and sometimes is, even if cost is low, this fits things like cabana, spa thermal suites, etc. If you include them in general fare capacity gets overwhelmed and people frustrated about not be able to access.

 

Things that are widely used, but would have a material impact upon fare prices tend to be charged separately. This fits things like drink packages, specialty dining, etc. The decision to include them or not depends on if the cruise line determines that doing so, with the corresponding increase in fare would make them non-competitive in the market they are after.

[Ocean Boy]

You built in logic would follow if you are just talking about the bar, without drinks. Then you would have a room like many others on the ship that are also free. I find that I can go into the bars and sit there for hours and as long as I don't order a drink doesn't cost me a dime. The cost is for items that are not built in, it is for the drinks. Sure the spa rooms are built in but the service providers are not. You are paying for the service, not the room.

 

Most of the items you listed as built in are primarily capital fixed costs, not variable operational/consumable costs.

 

Now they might decide at some point to charge for things like the flow rider, but they probably don't because they consider its appeal to be a major draw for the demographics they desire and a competitive edge for other lines with those demographics.

 

When Voyager was first put into service, the first RCI ship with a rock wall, there was a charge. It lasted only a short time as I remember it. I think RCI figured out that it was not a good idea to charge for "major attractions" like the wall, flow rider, the now defunct in-line skating, etc. The sports deck is included in the cruise price. Just as you said, it is the democraphics that they want to attract. I don't think parents would be very happy if their kids had to pay for those activities. I've seen some kids who seem to spend their whole week on the flow rider.

[legaljen1969]

Good idea, it will keep the little darlings out of the whirlpool. ;)

Whirlpools are still one of those "amenities" that baffles me. I don't know why anyone wants to get in a hot pool of germs surrounded by folks they don't know, when some may have questionable hygiene practices. Eww! LOL

 

That's just me though. You won't ever have to worry about me taking up your spot in the whirlpool.

[legaljen1969]

God forbid anyone has to pay one penny more so that someone's else might enjoy something. It's all a wash after awhile. I probably pay a little something for someone to enjoy the lobster on formal night while someone else may pay a little something for them to pay for the late night comedian. It's all business. What the heck. LOL I mean, if our current US legislators and POTUS get their way, we will all pay for everything for everyone anyhow.

[Suzieanna]

I have never heard of POTUS before... Every day is a school day!

[John&LaLa]

Whirlpools are still one of those "amenities" that baffles me. I don't know why anyone wants to get in a hot pool of germs surrounded by folks they don't know, when some may have questionable hygiene practices. Eww! LOL

 

That's just me though. You won't ever have to worry about me taking up your spot in the whirlpool.

 

I don't go in whirlpool as a general rule. Just thinking of others

[orville99]

God forbid anyone has to pay one penny more so that someone's else might enjoy something. It's all a wash after awhile. I probably pay a little something for someone to enjoy the lobster on formal night while someone else may pay a little something for them to pay for the late night comedian. It's all business. What the heck. LOL I mean, if our current US legislators and POTUS get their way, we will all pay for everything for everyone anyhow.

 

 

And that is equitable because?????

[GUT2407]

I actually think they've got the mix pretty much right as it is.

 

Sure there are some things I would rather not be included as I don't use them and a few things I'd like to see free, because I do use them, but at the end of the day I think it is in general a pretty fair mix.

 

You can have a Room, Meals, and basic drinks, together with entertainment without spending a cent.

[depplep]

I think it's a good mix also. If I wanted all the booze and food I could handle, I'd go to an all inclusive. The drink package covers that for us. I'd like to have the specialty restaurants included as well as gratuities, but then again, there are cruise lines that include that as well. I just don't have around $8kpp. to afford that luxury.

[depplep]

I have never heard of POTUS before... Every day is a school day!

 

President of the United States

[Paulette3028]

The current set-up is just fine with me. (As long as you let me continue to complain about the price increases :D)

 

Only been to one specialty restaurant. D+ get free drinks for three hours which is more than enough for me.

 

The current two-tier tipping seems to be working just fine. I prefer to tip, or not, for service. If tips were to be absorbed into the fare, 5 years, and lots new cruisers later, tipping would be expected all over again.

 

Shuttles in cruise ports are controlled by the ports. Where you pay for a shuttle, that is a local market monopoly that is unlikely to be cracked by RCI. If you take an RCI excursion, 99.9% of the time you board your bus on the pier, or are able to walk to the gathering point. Why should I pay for your shuttle to a private excursion?

 

Activities, specialty coffees, and soda beverages we rarely use. I think the charges are a way RCI controls usage/capacity. Can you imagine the line at caffe latitudes if the coffee was free?

 

I don't think many people realize how RIGHT you are with your statement that "The current two-tier tipping seems to be working just fine. I prefer to tip, or not, for service. If tips were to be absorbed into the fare, 5 years, and lots new cruisers later, tipping would be expected all over again."

 

This I expect would be very very true.

 

Specialty coffees should be for an extra charge and that is fine. But even in the Café Promenades they have a serve yourself section for regular coffee and hot water service so people can make hot tea or hot chocolate as well. I do wish they found space to do that at the Café-Lattitudes (on the smaller ships). What I have heard rumored (from other cruisers who are not always reliable) is that lemonade and iced tea will no longer be available 'free' and there will be a charge just as there is for soda, by the glass or buy the drink package for unlimited drinks.

[John&LaLa]

I don't think many people realize how RIGHT you are with your statement that "The current two-tier tipping seems to be working just fine. I prefer to tip, or not, for service. If tips were to be absorbed into the fare, 5 years, and lots new cruisers later, tipping would be expected all over again."

 

This I expect would be very very true.

 

Specialty coffees should be for an extra charge and that is fine. But even in the Café Promenades they have a serve yourself section for regular coffee and hot water service so people can make hot tea or hot chocolate as well. I do wish they found space to do that at the Café-Lattitudes (on the smaller ships). What I have heard rumored (from other cruisers who are not always reliable) is that lemonade and iced tea will no longer be available 'free' and there will be a charge just as there is for soda, by the glass or buy the drink package for unlimited drinks.

 

FWIW, the current iced tea and lemonade is hardly worth drinking, much less paying for. There were some nice flavored waters on Oasis this past April

[love2cruise56]

You can't please everybody. If you don't like something just don't do it.

Life is to short to worry about the small things.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

If some of you are so bothered by the tipping policy, just pre-pay and get over it.

 

Many people do just that (myself included), but from a pricing standpoint as a consumer it would be nice for something that's pretty much mandatory to just be included in the upfront advertised price.

[calypso73]

Basic tea including herbals, coffee and juices are already included . Specialty coffees , cordials(?) etc should be an upcharge. I have seen a free cooking demo on almost every cruise I have been on.

 

I was of the understanding that fresh juices are not included. (at least not on Oasis?) Its one of the reasons I opted for Ultimate over Premium as I dont usually like the "juice" made with water (which is effectively cordial) which has little resemblance to real juice

[conte]

Many people do just that (myself included), but from a pricing standpoint as a consumer it would be nice for something that's pretty much mandatory to just be included in the upfront advertised price.

 

 

Agree. Then a tip, when and if given, would be just that.

[sky0000547]

I quite like some of the suggestions already mentioned like inclusive gratuities, soda in MDR only, any shuttles from ship to dock entrance/town centre. If not already mentioned, steamroom and sauna where you have to pay extra on some ships (Oasis class?).

Edited May 19, 2015 by sky0000547

[Paulette3028]

I quite like some of the suggestions already mentioned like inclusive gratuities, soda in MDR only, any shuttles from ship to dock entrance/town centre. If not already mentioned, steamroom and sauna where you have to pay extra on some ships (Oasis class?).

 

On other classes (Freedom, Voyager, Radiance, Vision, Sovereign) you do not have to pay for the steamroom and sauna. I don't know about Quantum class....but feel it should be free on ALL the ships. Royal said it needed to control the amount of people in it, considering the # of passengers and the different experience it provided....tsk, tsk -- just another way to build a revenue stream.

 

I believe their should be a free internet offer. 60 minutes free, for MANY would be sufficient on vacation....and those that have a need for 'staying connected' can buy more after they use that up. Then they can give upper C&A 90 or 120 minutes....believe me there will still be plenty of people who feel they have to be connected 24/7 even on vacation....but the other cruisers would not feel like they were being 'raked over the coals'.

[DirtyDawg]

You built in logic would follow if you are just talking about the bar, without drinks. Then you would have a room like many others on the ship that are also free. I find that I can go into the bars and sit there for hours and as long as I don't order a drink doesn't cost me a dime. The cost is for items that are not built in, it is for the drinks. Sure the spa rooms are built in but the service providers are not. You are paying for the service, not the room.

 

Of course you are paying for the room in the prices for those amenities. While, in the end the prices charged are determined by the market, the cruise line will try to recoup not only the marginal costs of providing a drink (the booze, bartenders etc.) but the very large fixed costs of building that space i.e. the ships real estate, the bar fixtures etc.

Most of the items you listed as built in are primarily capital fixed costs, not variable operational/consumable costs.

 

And those capital fixed costs need to be paid for from revenue generation.

 

Now they might decide at some point to charge for things like the flow rider, but they probably don't because they consider its appeal to be a major draw for the demographics they desire and a competitive edge for other lines with those demographics.

 

In the end the cruise lines management will determine the right mix of included amenities and a la carte services which will maximize the profits for their shareholders. That's what they should be doing. As consumers we will choose to buy that combination or not.

 

Personally I want them to get rid of, or charge extra for, all the included stuff I don't use. The shows, the flow riders, the zip lines, the trivia games, the libraries, the ferries wheels (I hear they're coming;)).............................. and keep in the base fare all the stuff I do use.:D But that combination might not maximize the cruise lines profits;) so I'm not holding my breath.

Edited May 19, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[Paul65]

Personally I want them to get rid of, or charge extra for, all the included stuff I don't use. The shows, the flow riders, the zip lines, the trivia games, the libraries, the ferries wheels (I hear they're coming;)).............................. and keep in the base fare all the stuff I do use.:D But that combination might not maximize the cruise lines profits;) so I'm not holding my breath.

 

Be careful what you wish for. If they start charging for the shows, flow riders, zip lines, trivia games, libraries, etc., then some of the people who would have been doing those things will back out and crowd your "free" spaces that you use. :eek:

[Ocean Boy]

God forbid anyone has to pay one penny more so that someone's else might enjoy something. It's all a wash after awhile. I probably pay a little something for someone to enjoy the lobster on formal night while someone else may pay a little something for them to pay for the late night comedian. It's all business. What the heck. LOL I mean, if our current US legislators and POTUS get their way, we will all pay for everything for everyone anyhow.

 

Wrong... some of us will pay all for those who pay nothing.... big difference.

[Ocean Boy]

Whirlpools are still one of those "amenities" that baffles me. I don't know why anyone wants to get in a hot pool of germs surrounded by folks they don't know, when some may have questionable hygiene practices. Eww! LOL

 

That's just me though. You won't ever have to worry about me taking up your spot in the whirlpool.

 

I'll be there with you out of the water.

[Ocean Boy]

FWIW, the current iced tea and lemonade is hardly worth drinking, much less paying for. There were some nice flavored waters on Oasis this past April

 

I really like the iced tea. It is about the only thing to drink, besides water, that isn't sickening sweet.

[Ocean Boy]

Be careful what you wish for. If they start charging for the shows, flow riders, zip lines, trivia games, libraries, etc., then some of the people who would have been doing those things will back out and crowd your "free" spaces that you use. :eek:

 

RCI should be paying us to watch some of those shows on the ships.;)