Another cut being tested: Once per day cabin service

[Tenderpaw]

https://www.cruisehive.com/service-change-spotted-on-royal-caribbean-ship/89773

 

Ugh!  Note, no reduction in gratuities, no reduction in fares.  Just less service.

 

But in before all the cheerleaders:

1.  it doesn't matter to me because of xyz

2.  at least we can still cruise and we don't want Royal to go out of business

3.  its still better than at home so it doesn't matter

4.  i reuse my towels to save the environment and you should too you terrible person

5.  Carnival already does this and its fine.

[BND]

I don't see the big deal.  Hotels and resorts used to be once per day.  A lot of hotels aren't doing it at all anymore unless you stay at least a week.

[loman]

I dont see it being an issue for me personally . 

They should reduce the gratuity amount though.

Its a cost cutting measure as i see it.

[heatherb1958]

Having cruised several times since start up with different lines   nearly all of them were only doing cabin service once a day to reduce the amount of time your room steward spent in your cabin . You learn to work around it and ask for extra towels if required etc etc. It isn't the end of the world and we prefer it as we are the type of people who tidy the cabin up before the room steward comes in, now we only have to tidy up once 😆 🤣 

[reallyitsmema]

As long as they leave more than one set of towels per person, I have no issue with this.

[crzndeb]

Personally, as a solo traveler, I prefer once a day. On the recent Wonder TA, I was end of the morning cabins to be cleaned, even with sign on door that I was out and about. I would leave between 7-8 am and come back to cabin 11-12 and still not done. I was first in rotation in evening.

[mil76]

Maybe they'll make the room attendants work in the MDR in the evening.  Might speed up the service everyone is complaining about.

[Djsmrs]

I really don't see the issue, with the exception of sofa beds and pullmans needing to be made up in the evening.   After they make up our room it's not like we're really in there doing anything that would  require additional cleaning - 

 

I know staffing is an issue so they're increasing the # of rooms that each attendant has to clean while reducing the number of cleans - I guess they're doing what they can to address retention.

[Husky1987]

25 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

But in before all the cheerleaders

 

Too late to be in before the whiners.

[ballarinamom]

we just took a Carnival cruise this summer and they were once a day. We actually preferred it and had a choice of morning or evening. We chose morning so we never had to worry about coming in after an evening activity and them being in there. We had everything we needed. Our steward had more rooms to attend to. Something to keep in mind, as these ships get bigger and bigger, less staff means more room for customer cabins and amenities around the ship. It also helps with immigration delay issues the lines are experiencing

[Starry Eyes]

5 minutes ago, Djsmrs said:

I really don't see the issue, with the exception of sofa beds and pullmans needing to be made up in the evening.   After they make up our room it's not like we're really in there doing anything that would  require additional cleaning - 

 

I know staffing is an issue so they're increasing the # of rooms that each attendant has to clean while reducing the number of cleans - I guess they're doing what they can to address retention.

Yeah, I would think the triple/quad cabins would need service twice a day so the extra beds could be set up/taken down.  Still one visit could be quicker than current service, I suppose.

 

DH and I would adjust well, I suspect.

 

 

[ldubs]

24 minutes ago, Djsmrs said:

I really don't see the issue, with the exception of sofa beds and pullmans needing to be made up in the evening.   After they make up our room it's not like we're really in there doing anything that would  require additional cleaning - 

 

I know staffing is an issue so they're increasing the # of rooms that each attendant has to clean while reducing the number of cleans - I guess they're doing what they can to address retention.

 

Good point about sofa beds & pullmans.  

 

I also don't see it as an issue.  But (there is always a but), if reduced staffing cannot get to our room until later in the day, that I would consider a reduction in service.  

 

If a daily service is done in the morning when guests depart, which I think would be preferred, don't they still need the same number of cabin staff to accomplish that?  I guess a portion of the cabin staff could be re-tasked to other afternoon duties.    I know I'm missing something.   

Edited December 7, 2022 by ldubs

[Tenderpaw]

28 minutes ago, mil76 said:

Maybe they'll make the room attendants work in the MDR in the evening.  Might speed up the service everyone is complaining about.

LOL!  That isn't likely to happen.  But maybe they can set up a kiosk at the table where we order the food electronically and and a robot brings it to us.  But still charge us the same or more for gratuities and tell us how its better for us and for the environment too.

 

And the robot will keep strict control and track of any extra appetizers or main courses you order so you can be charged extra for your convenience.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Tenderpaw

[ONECRUISER]

51 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

https://www.cruisehive.com/service-change-spotted-on-royal-caribbean-ship/89773

 

Ugh!  Note, no reduction in gratuities, no reduction in fares.  Just less service.

 

But in before all the cheerleaders:

1.  it doesn't matter to me because of xyz

2.  at least we can still cruise and we don't want Royal to go out of business

3.  its still better than at home so it doesn't matter

4.  i reuse my towels to save the environment and you should too you terrible person

5.  Carnival already does this and its fine.

I only have them come once now. In old Days when they had make couches into Beds at nite and new Sheets Daily they'd come every time you left Cabin. I remember 8-10times on some days, though only had to do 8 Cabins each back then

Edited December 7, 2022 by ONECRUISER

[Mapleleafforever]

36 minutes ago, loman said:

I dont see it being an issue for me personally . 

They should reduce the gratuity amount though.

Its a cost cutting measure as i see it.

Agreed on all counts. 

[not-enough-cruising]

41 minutes ago, loman said:

I dont see it being an issue for me personally . 

They should reduce the gratuity amount though.

Its a cost cutting measure as i see it.

Not a problem for those of us that do not participate in auto gratuity 

[George C]

Not a issue with suites , no change .

[smokeybandit]

Serious question, but who does this benefit?

 

It's not like the room stewards are just going to go to the crew bar and put their feet up the rest of the day. They're going to be kept busy somewhere on the ship.

Or does this mean they'll hire less stewards but give them more rooms to clean?

[LB_NJ]

FYI, some hotels still do twice a day service (bed turndown service).

 

This also means no more cute towel animals on the bed.

 

We usually tip the steward a few extra dollars at the end of the cruise.  I guess that will also go away.

 

Personally, I will only cruise Royal these days if the price is incredibly cheap or free.  The line has gone significantly downhill since COVID.  

 

Personally, at this point I don't care if they go away.

[LB_NJ]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Or does this mean they'll hire less stewards but give them more rooms to clean?

 

Yes!!  And just try to get a steward when you need something.

[Ozark_Kid]

Looks like if we can't live without 2 services a day, we will get a Jr Suite or higher.

One benefit, might cut down on towel animals invading the room.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Ozark_Kid

[Tenderpaw]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Serious question, but who does this benefit?

 

It's not like the room stewards are just going to go to the crew bar and put their feet up the rest of the day. They're going to be kept busy somewhere on the ship.

Or does this mean they'll hire less stewards but give them more rooms to clean?

It totally benefits Royal as a cost cutting effort:  fewer room stewards, less towels to wash, less laundry attendents, less water to produce on board, less cleaning chemicals for the rooms, less soap in the laundry.  All under the guise of "sustainability".  

[ONECRUISER]

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Serious question, but who does this benefit?

 

It's not like the room stewards are just going to go to the crew bar and put their feet up the rest of the day. They're going to be kept busy somewhere on the ship.

Or does this mean they'll hire less stewards but give them more rooms to clean?

More Cabins for them to do. In past they'd have 8 Cabins, now already double

[ONECRUISER]

5 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Looks like if we can't live without 2 services a day, we will get a Jr Suite or higher.

One benefit, might cut down on towel animals invading the room.

True, though I don't mind either way. Had 5 Towel Animals in my Cabin by end of my Cruise last month. One time on B4B ended up with 8 on them by time I got off last nite

[pcur]

5 minutes ago, Tenderpaw said:

It totally benefits Royal as a cost cutting effort:  fewer room stewards, less towels to wash, less laundry attendents, less water to produce on board, less cleaning chemicals for the rooms, less soap in the laundry.  All under the guise of "sustainability".  

Even though my cabin may only be cleaned once a day, I will still use the same amount of towels, sheets.  I would think that will remain a constant. The frequency of room cleaning has nothing to do with it.

 

I figure the cabin steward gets about $7.50 per day of the daily gratuity charged.  I think it's perfectly OK to pay that with one room cleaning. I imagine the attention to detail and personal requests will improve, too.