Uh-Oh...Hoping this Room Service Breakfast Menu change is not going fleet wide?

[3rdGenCunarder]

Those example were taken from the thread "How to ruin a cruise line."

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=51253279#post51253279

 

See post #143 & 148.

 

Yes, I know. I read it there, but it didn't hit me that those examples were things that generated no revenue until I read them in the context of your post.

 

If HAL can't cover costs of those things in the cruise fare, then those things become extra charge items or at least some of them have to go. I fear HAL has joined the price wars for too long to be able to escape. If they raise prices, people will go elsewhere. And it's hard to advertise higher prices and explain them by saying "we don't nickle and dime you" or brag about "free" room service or that they have clergy on board. How do you work that into an ad campaign?

[RocketMan275]

Yes, I know. I read it there, but it didn't hit me that those examples were things that generated no revenue until I read them in the context of your post.

 

If HAL can't cover costs of those things in the cruise fare, then those things become extra charge items or at least some of them have to go. I fear HAL has joined the price wars for too long to be able to escape. If they raise prices, people will go elsewhere. And it's hard to advertise higher prices and explain them by saying "we don't nickle and dime you" or brag about "free" room service or that they have clergy on board. How do you work that into an ad campaign?

 

They have no choice but to join the price wars because that's where the passengers are. It's either that or go out of business.

[cruisemom42]

They have no choice but to join the price wars because that's where the passengers are. It's either that or go out of business.

 

This only holds true so long as one assumes that price is the only thing that matters to customers.

 

Sad to say, that seems to be borne out for the most part.

[cbr663]

I am more than willing to pay for my bagel; I just want the option of ordering it!

 

Same for me. My concern isn't about paying more - it is about having less choice. With this change, HAL is not offering, for instance, eggs over easy via room service and it is uncertain whether if you write them in if you will actually receive them.

 

You can't buy if they ain't selling.

[iancal]

Price might not be so much of an issue if HAL only had a few smaller ships and competed in a different market space.

 

But this is not the case. HAL is a mass market cruise line in the truest sense of the word. Many ships and thousands of berths to fill each month.

 

No doubt HAL has some unique market niches however in many markets they compete with the rest of the gang. HAL's offering is not much different, apart from specific ship size and some itineraries, in terms of product and service. At least that is how we view HAL and I suspect how many others do as well. So price positioning does become important to them.

[sapper1]

I just looked at this new room service menu and find it horrible. For breakfast I want yogurt, a banana and one hard boiled egg. Pretty simple but unless they accept write ins there is nothing for us.

My husband likes oatmeal and toast.

And who the heck wants booze at 6:00 AM anyway?:eek:

[Boytjie]

We only do room service when we have an early morning tour, so a mimosa is of no interest to us complimentary or not.

 

But for others, having a mimosa delivered with breakfast may be a treat. ;) Different strokes for different folks.

 

Funny enough, we never order room service breakfast when we have early excursions but we do enjoy it mostly on leisurely sea days.

[Cruising-along]

Same for me. My concern isn't about paying more - it is about having less choice. With this change, HAL is not offering, for instance, eggs over easy via room service and it is uncertain whether if you write them in if you will actually receive them.

 

You can't buy if they ain't selling.

 

Right. Apparently it's scrambled eggs or nothing. The scrambled eggs are inedible IMO. At least with over easy you know you're getting real eggs.

[Roz]

Agree...the scrambled eggs are the worst. :eek:

 

Roz

[sapper1]

Agree...the scrambled eggs are the worst. :eek:

 

Roz

 

Maybe they want to do away with room service breakfast and are making the offerings so unpalatable that people will stop using the service. Then they can discontinue it due to "lack of interest".

[Roz]

HAL seems to be moving in that direction.

 

Roz

[Cruising-along]

Maybe they want to do away with room service breakfast and are making the offerings so unpalatable that people will stop using the service. Then they can discontinue it due to "lack of interest".

 

That was my thought too, Sapper.

[Carnevale]

Maybe they want to do away with room service breakfast and are making the offerings so unpalatable that people will stop using the service. Then they can discontinue it due to "lack of interest".

 

Interesting idea. It sadly Seems to be the case on K'dam where they no longer provide a coffee table that elevates. What is in the veranda rooms is a small cube that is ok as a coffe/side table but we couldn't make it work for room service at any time of day. So, between the changes to the AM menu and the table, we tried room service breakfast once and gave up.

[RocketMan275]

Maybe they want to do away with room service breakfast and are making the offerings so unpalatable that people will stop using the service. Then they can discontinue it due to "lack of interest".

 

If making room service unpalatable were their objective, they wouldn't have removed oatmeal.

[cbr663]

Maybe they want to do away with room service breakfast and are making the offerings so unpalatable that people will stop using the service. Then they can discontinue it due to "lack of interest".

 

Interesting idea. It sadly Seems to be the case on K'dam where they no longer provide a coffee table that elevates. What is in the veranda rooms is a small cube that is ok as a coffe/side table but we couldn't make it work for room service at any time of day. So, between the changes to the AM menu and the table, we tried room service breakfast once and gave up.

 

It certainly does seem to be direction that HAL is taking. The difficulty of enjoying in cabin dining on the K was one of the primary reasons we cancelled our booking for December. We will be keeping our eye out for changes on the remaining fleet as they go through dry dock.

[sapper1]

If making room service unpalatable were their objective, they wouldn't have removed oatmeal.

 

Now that made me laugh and I agree with you. It's my husband who likes the foul evil stuff. :D

[RocketMan275]

Now that made me laugh and I agree with you. It's my husband who likes the foul evil stuff. :D

 

Bless his heart.

[Lizzie68]

Now that made me laugh and I agree with you. It's my husband who likes the foul evil stuff. :D

 

Hey! Every night I write onto the order form "1 small hot oatmeal" - that's for me. Every morning we get exactly what we ordered. I guess perhaps not any more.:mad:

[RocketMan275]

Hey! Every night I write onto the order form "1 small hot oatmeal" - that's for me. Every morning we get exactly what we ordered. I guess perhaps not any more.:mad:

 

Bless your heart too.

[kazu]

Hey! Every night I write onto the order form "1 small hot oatmeal" - that's for me. Every morning we get exactly what we ordered. I guess perhaps not any more.:mad:

 

Lizzie, there have been reports that you can write in. One succeeded and the other on the K did not.

 

I think we need to see what different people report as time goes on. Hopefully the "write in" will work ;)

[Love the beach]

Lizzie, there have been reports that you can write in. One succeeded and the other on the K did not.

 

I think we need to see what different people report as time goes on. Hopefully the "write in" will work ;)

 

The one who did not was on an earlier cruise (I believe it was in April) where the one who did (me, and also my friends who were in another cabin) were on in August. Maybe they got complaints and decided to allow it....we will have to "keep watch"!

 

Also had no trouble on the Sept. Oosterdam cruise , but we still had the old menu.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Love the beach

[bluegiraffe]

Your examples of cutbacks are interesting. I'm not sure about the tai chi, but religious services, the library, the dance hosts do not generate revenue. Seems HAL is paraphrasing the old news mantra of "if it bleeds, it leads."

 

If it pays it stays.

 

And it isn't just HAL. It seems the industry is diverging. Some lines are cutting "free" items or charging for things that used to be included. Other high-price lines are all-inclusive or more inclusive than HAL/RC/Celeb, etc. For a long time, I've been aware of the difference in price between Cunard and HAL. I've also noticed differences in the experience onboard. Cunard wins on amount of space each passenger gets (deck space, lounges, even the space between tables in the dining room), the quality of the enrichment program, the dance hosts, the library. Those costs have to be covered somehow, and the higher price is how they do it.

 

As for the suite mimosas, with what they charge for NS and PS, I think those passengers have pre-paid for them.

 

I would hate to see cruise lines going the way of the airlines, with poor service and nickel and diming on everything.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I would hate to see cruise lines going the way of the airlines, with poor service and nickel and diming on everything.

 

Me too, but I do worry that's the way it's going.

[kazu]

The one who did not was on an earlier cruise (I believe it was in April) where the one who did (me, and also my friends who were in another cabin) were on in August. Maybe they got complaints and decided to allow it....we will have to "keep watch"!

 

Also had no trouble on the Sept. Oosterdam cruise , but we still had the old menu.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I forgot you were both on the K :o;)

 

The complaints may explain things too ;)

 

We had no trouble on the Westerdam either - but it was the old menu as well.

[3rdGenCunarder]

But for others, having a mimosa delivered with breakfast may be a treat. ;) Different strokes for different folks.

 

Funny enough, we never order room service breakfast when we have early excursions but we do enjoy it mostly on leisurely sea days.

 

(bold is mine) I hate to sound like a lush, but we do like the mimosa at breakfast. I look at it this way, OJ is healthy. And there is NO wrong time of day to drink champagne, even the low-end stuff they put in the mimosa. (I'm pretty sure it isn't Dom ;) )

 

We had mimosas almost every morning in the Pinnacle. We had a beverage card, so why not! I did feel bad that someone had to schlep to a bar to fetch them, so we left a tip for the staff on the last morning.

 

And anyone who wants oatmeal can have my share! (I'll trade for your mimosa :D )