editor@cruisecritic Posted January 31, 2017 #1 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Hi. I'm working on a story about instances when cruise lines changed policies or eliminated ship features and amenities and passenger push-back resulted in a change for the good. I would love your help in aiding my memory! Off the top of my head, two recent ones I've heard about include: *Holland America retroactively adding a library onto Konigsdam *Seabourn putting launderettes onto Encore after its launch *The time when Celebrity tried to charge passengers to use the thallossotherapy pool (way back when) *And also way back when, Carnival Cruise Lines fee for bringing bottled water onboard (it was rescinded but I believe it's been added back). Any others that you remember? And, in keeping with the spirit of the piece, are there current features onboard, or policies that you think need to be changed that haven't been? Weigh in here and we'll see what happens. Thanks, as always, for your help! Carolyn Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor in Chief Cruise Critic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteTraveler Posted January 31, 2017 #2 Share Posted January 31, 2017 The time NCL said no bringing food back to your cabin which was later rescinded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted January 31, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Great one Suite Traveler! CSB The time NCL said no bringing food back to your cabin which was later rescinded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted January 31, 2017 #4 Share Posted January 31, 2017 A couple of years ago HAL was going to completely stop allowing passengers to bring wine aboard (after having a pretty liberal policy for a long time). After passenger push-back, they changed their minds and decided to allow 1 bottle per person with a corkage fee on embarkation. Much of the push-back related to HAL's overall poor wine list relative to some other lines.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic6318 Posted January 31, 2017 #5 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Hi. I'm working on a story about instances when cruise lines changed policies or eliminated ship features and amenities and passenger push-back resulted in a change for the good. I would love your help in aiding my memory! Off the top of my head, two recent ones I've heard about include: *And also way back when, Carnival Cruise Lines fee for bringing bottled water onboard (it was rescinded but I believe it's been added back). Any others that you remember? And, in keeping with the spirit of the piece, are there current features onboard, or policies that you think need to be changed that haven't been? Weigh in here and we'll see what happens. Thanks, as always, for your help! Carolyn Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor in Chief Cruise Critic hi there Carnival doesn't permit any bottled drinks to be brought on board, except the one bottle per person of wine allowed on embarkation day. hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen haywood Posted January 31, 2017 #6 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Celebrity stopped offering the Luggage Valet program...lots of complaints. I understand its back again. On Celebrity as well it seemed some ships were trying a "be out of your cabin at 7 on morning of debarkation." That also was ill received and has been changed back to an 8 o'clock time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 31, 2017 #7 Share Posted January 31, 2017 A couple of years ago HAL was going to completely stop allowing passengers to bring wine aboard (after having a pretty liberal policy for a long time). After passenger push-back, they changed their minds and decided to allow 1 bottle per person with a corkage fee on embarkation. Much of the push-back related to HAL's overall poor wine list relative to some other lines.... Actually each adult in a cabin can bring onto the ship a 750 ml bottle of wine WITHOUT paying a corkage fee at embarkation in cabin consumption. If you do decide to take your wine to the dining room and/or bar/lounge, then you are charged the $18 corkage fee. If you do bring more than 1 bottle per adult person onto the ship, you will be charged the corkage fee for those extra bottles and a special tag will be placed on the bottle so that wherever you take the bottle on the ship will not be charge again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz54 Posted January 31, 2017 #8 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Didn't Princess have to add a staircase after the new ship was launched without a central staircase? I think maybe the Royal? I certainly remember the outcry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 31, 2017 #9 Share Posted January 31, 2017 HAL -- over a year ago HAL decided to stop the "made to order" sandwiches and just put out pre-made sandwiches. Many people complained -- HAL has partially listened. Some ships have the pre-made sandwiches along with the made-to-order sandwiches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooch47 Posted January 31, 2017 #10 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Didn't Princess have to add a staircase after the new ship was launched without a central staircase? I think maybe the Royal? I certainly remember the outcry! Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted January 31, 2017 #11 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Actually each adult in a cabin can bring onto the ship a 750 ml bottle of wine WITHOUT paying a corkage fee at embarkation in cabin consumption. If you do decide to take your wine to the dining room and/or bar/lounge, then you are charged the $18 corkage fee. If you do bring more than 1 bottle per adult person onto the ship, you will be charged the corkage fee for those extra bottles and a special tag will be placed on the bottle so that wherever you take the bottle on the ship will not be charge again. You're absolutely correct, as usual. My memory of the details was fuzzy. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 31, 2017 #12 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Hi. I'm working on a story about instances when cruise lines changed policies or eliminated ship features and amenities and passenger push-back resulted in a change for the good. I would love your help in aiding my memory! Off the top of my head, two recent ones I've heard about include: *Holland America retroactively adding a library onto Konigsdam *Seabourn putting launderettes onto Encore after its launch *The time when Celebrity tried to charge passengers to use the thallossotherapy pool (way back when *And also way back when, Carnival Cruise Lines fee for bringing bottled water onboard (it was rescinded but I believe it's been added back). Any others that you remember? And, in keeping with the spirit of the piece, are there current features onboard, or policies that you think need to be changed that haven't been? Weigh in here and we'll see what happens. Thanks, as always, for your help! Carolyn Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor in Chief Cruise Critic Great subject, Carolyn. Thanks for starting this thread. Edited January 31, 2017 by sail7seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted January 31, 2017 #13 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Hi. I'm working on a story about instances when cruise lines changed policies or eliminated ship features and amenities and passenger push-back resulted in a change for the good. I would love your help in aiding my memory! Off the top of my head, two recent ones I've heard about include: *Holland America retroactively adding a library onto Konigsdam *Seabourn putting launderettes onto Encore after its launch *The time when Celebrity tried to charge passengers to use the thallossotherapy pool (way back when) *And also way back when, Carnival Cruise Lines fee for bringing bottled water onboard (it was rescinded but I believe it's been added back). Any others that you remember? And, in keeping with the spirit of the piece, are there current features onboard, or policies that you think need to be changed that haven't been? Weigh in here and we'll see what happens. Thanks, as always, for your help! Carolyn Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor in Chief Cruise Critic There was a time when DCL would allow any beverages to be brought onboard (alcoholic or otherwise). In any amount. They made a big change to this - I can't recall the exact specifics, but it was massively more restrictive. There was a huge uproar and lots of emails, phone calls to DCL. The change only lasted about 3 days. But, they did change their policy again in 2015 to a more restrictive one, but "better" than the first change. And then there was the "All Hands on Deck" cheese patter from room service. That was removed and a smaller cheese & cracker offering (for a cost) was added to the in room gifts. DCL later said it was as "printing error" that removed the cheese platter from the (free) room service menu and made new menus with it included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Junky Posted January 31, 2017 #14 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I think when Royal Princess was launched Princess tried charging for Alfredo's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishywood Posted January 31, 2017 #15 Share Posted January 31, 2017 When Regal Princess debuted in 2014 there was a "test" of charging for room service and a cover charge for Alfredo's Pizzeria (a fast casual eatery free on the other Princess ships that have it). Predictably a huge failure that disappeared after a few cruises. The justifiable outrage was not so much over the fees but the way they were added with no warning and with Princess' web site and brochures still listing those options as included. And as for current features: Princess continues to waffle about whether to remain one of the few lines allowing pre-reservation of shore excursions without pre-payment. They "tested" (that word again) the requirement on one ship in Alaska last summer, began to roll it out to other ships but appears to have pulled it back--though there is now a disclaimer on the excursion section of the Cruise Personalizer that OBC cannot be used for pre-reserved excursions, only ones booked on the ship. But again, actual enforcement unknown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted January 31, 2017 #16 Share Posted January 31, 2017 About 7 years ago Carnival redesigned their ship card. It was so horrid that people here on CC redesigned it. Carnival incorporated most of the suggested CC design into its new card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted January 31, 2017 #17 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Apparently last year P&O tried increasing the minimum bet on their roulette tables. Everyone stopped playing, casino takings fell so they went back to the old minimums. :) Edited January 31, 2017 by davecttr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sequim88 Posted January 31, 2017 #18 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I think there may be one in the making (I hope) on HAL with the elimination of traditional piano bar and replacing with the dueling pianos concept. I've seen a bunch of comments lamenting the change but not sure how much "push back" there will be. The change from participation to passive entertainment seems to be a larger trend in cruising that might be involving many different areas that could trigger push back - or not. Some things are going to change whether we (experienced cruisers) like it or not as new generations of cruisers enter the market. The one most likely to cause push back first will be money related - any perceived lowering of cruising value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted February 1, 2017 Author #19 Share Posted February 1, 2017 That's a fabulous win, SadieN -- do you or does anyone else -- have a screenshot of the CC design/new card? Carolyn About 7 years ago Carnival redesigned their ship card. It was so horrid that people here on CC redesigned it. Carnival incorporated most of the suggested CC design into its new card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted February 1, 2017 Author #20 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Totally agree that the ones most likely to cause resistance are the extra-fee options, particularly when they were included-in-fares previously. Thanks, Sequim88. Carolyn I think there may be one in the making (I hope) on HAL with the elimination of traditional piano bar and replacing with the dueling pianos concept. I've seen a bunch of comments lamenting the change but not sure how much "push back" there will be. The change from participation to passive entertainment seems to be a larger trend in cruising that might be involving many different areas that could trigger push back - or not. Some things are going to change whether we (experienced cruisers) like it or not as new generations of cruisers enter the market. The one most likely to cause push back first will be money related - any perceived lowering of cruising value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor@cruisecritic Posted February 1, 2017 Author #21 Share Posted February 1, 2017 These are all fantastic comments, thanks so much for weighing in. Feels good as a consumer/traveler/passenger to hear stories about cruise lines responding to what we think. Don't you think? Anyway, big thanks, and keep 'em coming. Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted February 1, 2017 #22 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) That's a fabulous win, SadieN -- do you or does anyone else -- have a screenshot of the CC design/new card? Carolyn Asking on the carnival board... We'll see what happens. The pictures from the threads probably got wiped out in one of the purges. Edited February 1, 2017 by SadieN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted February 1, 2017 #23 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Think we found the redo S&S Card Design Redo http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2451527 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghsteelerfan Posted February 1, 2017 #24 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) I know I'll be pushing back if Carnival takes away the 24-hour, self-serve ice cream or shuts the machines down in the evenings/night. On the social media page of Carnival's popular spokesman, requests (and demands) from passengers are posted and then the opinions of the followers are requested. There are also a lot of Q and A's posted to get a feel for what us passengers actually prefer. Lately, the self-serve ice cream stations have come up quite often. There have many recent requests that are posted, from parents, for Carnival to shut these 24 hour self-serve ice cream machines down over night. These parents don't want their little snowflakes to have access to them at night while they are wandering around the ship unsupervised. The Q & A's posted have had several recent questions regarding the self-serve ice cream: do we enjoy it; do we have ice cream at night and like that we can get ice cream 24 hours or do we think they should be shut down at night; have we had ice cream for breakfast...etc. To me, this comes across as Carnival is possibly thinking of shutting these down at night, but they also want to get a feel if this would be a popular decision with the majority of the passengers. I've always enjoyed the 24 hour self-serve ice cream and hope it's not removed or shut down at night. Edited February 1, 2017 by pghsteelerfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bury me at sea Posted February 1, 2017 #25 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Two changes that are apparently currently being "tested" on Carnival that are generating a lot of conversation: Once a day cabin service Flat 50.00 OBC for booking on-board and elimination of Friends and Family vouchers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now