Room Service

[islandwoman]

In spite of having dozens of cruises to my name, I have never ordered room service.  Next cruise DH and I are planning to do so.  I have some questions and a request.  We are in Category FV (Family Veranda) on the Infinity for a Caribbean cruise, if that makes a difference.

1.  Are there extra price items on the room service menu?  If so, can you give me some examples with approximate prices?

2. Are room service waiters included in the daily gratuity charge?

3.  Is there an option to leave a tip for room service on the receipt and if so, does it go to that waiter or into the gratuity pool?

4.  Can someone please post a link to the non-suite, non-concierge, room service menus?

 

[WestLakeGirl]

Yes there are a few.  Sorry I don’t have a menu in front of me but others can probably chime in.  There is definitely a charge for late night delivery

 

No, room service waiters are not in the pool.  Many give some cash for deliveries.  Always appreciated but not required.

 

if you don’t order an upcharge item or a beverage such as beer, wine, or soda, there will be no receipt to sign.  For instance, if you order a hamburger, there will be no receipt.  If you order a hamburger and a coffee, there will be no receipt.    If you order a hamburger and a glass of wine, there will be a receipt for the wine.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Check the app for your sailing.  The lunch, dinner and snack room service menus are the same for all cabin classes. Breakfast does vary depending on what class you are in but others have had success writing in an item.

[Jim_Iain]

If I recall correctly there is a premium steak available, eggs Benedict with Caviar at least on the Suite Breakfast Menu.   If you go on the app to a current cruise... go to Dining and then to Room Service there you will find the menu

 

Gratuity is included in the tipping but most people tip extra either by cash or by putting on the receipt.   Tips are pooled.  

[the_dylaness]

On Reflection there was a selection of pretty standard items (think pizza, broiled salmon, grilled chicken, hamburgers) available for lunch or dinner, plus whatever was in the MDR.  We sometimes could not even get the tip to the delivery person because they were SO fast to drop it off and run!  So we started answering the door with tip in hand so we wouldn't miss them any more 🙂  I noticed a number of upcharge items (steaks and caviar come to mind) on the TV room service menu but we never ordered those.  My son got chicken breast and french fries and a fruit plate one night, I swear they must've fried them outside in the hallway the fries were SO fresh and crispy, I was really amazed and pleased.

 

[chemmo]

We have occasionally used room service and been really happy with the standard menu items. The chicken noodle soup is tasty as is the club sandwich. Agree with the above the French fries are lovely!

[NutsAboutGolf]

Maybe others can chime in on the following, I tried to book a FV with BCC/casino and they told me all FVs are being re-categorized into suites.  I'm sure you'll be grandfathered but if the room is converted to a suite before you sail then you'll have an expanded menu.

 

You can call room service and during dinner hours you order off the MDR menu which is in the app.

[bluecruisin]

We have always given room service staff a cash tip. 20 years ago it was $3, n

ow it is usually $5

[cruisestitch]

25 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Maybe others can chime in on the following, I tried to book a FV with BCC/casino and they told me all FVs are being re-categorized into suites.  I'm sure you'll be grandfathered but if the room is converted to a suite before you sail then you'll have an expanded menu.

 

You can call room service and during dinner hours you order off the MDR menu which is in the app.

If you have booked the room after the changeover you will have booked it as a suite. Before the changeover you’ll have booked it as a fV.  It’s not a case of being grandfathered once it’s reclassified.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

It always cracks me up when I read “tips are pooled”.  Tips handed directly to service personnel are not pooled.  The only time tips are pooled is through the Daily Service Charge.  Room service personnel are on the low rung of the pay ladder.  We always give them a $5.00 bill at time of delivery.

[cruisestitch]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

If I recall correctly there is a premium steak available, eggs Benedict with Caviar at least on the Suite Breakfast Menu.   If you go on the app to a current cruise... go to Dining and then to Room Service there you will find the menu

 

Gratuity is included in the tipping but most people tip extra either by cash or by putting on the receipt.   Tips are pooled.  

I don’t think that the room service tips are pooled.  The dining room staff’s tips are pooled but not the room service delivery servers’ gratuities.

[islandwoman]

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Maybe others can chime in on the following, I tried to book a FV with BCC/casino and they told me all FVs are being re-categorized into suites.  I'm sure you'll be grandfathered but if the room is converted to a suite before you sail then you'll have an expanded menu.

Can you tell me the sailing date of the cruise where you tried to book an FV?

[CGTNORMANDIE]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I don’t think that the room service tips are pooled.  The dining room staff’s tips are pooled but not the room service delivery servers’ gratuities.

“The dining room staff’s tips are pooled”…here we go again…lol.  The DSC is pooled but not the cash you hand a waiter, a Maitre D, or assistant waiter, bartender, etc etc.  Cash tips go directly into the pockets of those who receive it.  

[WestLakeGirl]

I’m not so certain that this is true if you have chosen to remove the auto tips

[NutsAboutGolf]

9 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Check the app for your sailing.  The lunch, dinner and snack room service menus are the same for all cabin classes. Breakfast does vary depending on what class you are in but others have had success writing in an item.

 

Wonder if you can do this for non-suite staterooms?

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, islandwoman said:

Can you tell me the sailing date of the cruise where you tried to book an FV?

 

Summer 2023, Summit to Greenland

[NutsAboutGolf]

6 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

If you have booked the room after the changeover you will have booked it as a suite. Before the changeover you’ll have booked it as a fV.  It’s not a case of being grandfathered once it’s reclassified.

 

So are you saying if you originally booked a FV, it reclassifies to a suite, for that FV booked sailing X changes the room service menu from the suite menu to a non-suite menu and removes the additional suite perks/benefits for that one odd sailing?  If "yes", then I have no problem saying I stand corrected.  I'll just add its still a win for whoever booked it as FV because if there's a FV to suite remodel or room features are added, it's a nice unexpected bonus

[mfs2k]

15 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

It always cracks me up when I read “tips are pooled”.  Tips handed directly to service personnel are not pooled.  The only time tips are pooled is through the Daily Service Charge.  Room service personnel are on the low rung of the pay ladder.  We always give them a $5.00 bill at time of delivery.

I suspect the specialty restaurant tips are pooled. 

[cruisestitch]

9 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

So are you saying if you originally booked a FV, it reclassifies to a suite, for that FV booked sailing X changes the room service menu from the suite menu to a non-suite menu and removes the additional suite perks/benefits for that one odd sailing?  If "yes", then I have no problem saying I stand corrected.  I'll just add its still a win for whoever booked it as FV because if there's a FV to suite remodel or room features are added, it's a nice unexpected bonus

They know ahead of time when the reclassification will take place.  If your sailing is before that date, you will be booking it as an FV.  
 

once they change it to a suite there’s no going back to the previous category.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

40 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

I suspect the specialty restaurant tips are pooled. 

This is very possible as the waiters work as teams in the Specialty Restaurants.

[emmas gran]

For those querying reclassification of rooms this is on the UK website if you look at deck plans for Infinity

Reclassification dates

23rd April 21 to 1st April 22

1st April22 to 11th April 23

From 12th April 23

[islandwoman]

50 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

They know ahead of time when the reclassification will take place.  If your sailing is before that date, you will be booking it as an FV. 

According to the Deck Plans on celebritycruises.com, my cabin 7204 on the Infinity is classified as  "Family Veranda Stateroom" from April 1, 2022 until April 11, 2023.  Beginning April 12, 2023,  it is classified as "Ultra Deluxe Veranda".  Is that a suite?

[cruisestitch]

No it isn’t a suite.

[DCPIV]

On 6/19/2022 at 2:29 PM, chemmo said:

The chicken noodle soup is tasty

 

Yes, it is!

[Mark_T]

On 6/20/2022 at 1:36 AM, WestLakeGirl said:

I’m not so certain that this is true if you have chosen to remove the auto tips

I believe you are correct, we have been told in the past that if auto-tips have been removed they are not supposed to keep any cash tips they are given as they belong in the pool to ensure all of those who should benefit do benefit, not just the visible individuals...