New $9.95 + 18% grat for room service

[natshala]

1 minute ago, dlh015 said:

OT: Your post reminded me of something I was wondering about. I've seen 18% and 20% tossed around  on various places on the Celebrity app/website. And now I see what you mentioned...18% on food and 20% on drink...why is that? Shouldn't it be the same?? 

 

I am sure I'm missing something. Please be kind to me in any responses...lol... 

Not only surprise fees but they seem to go out of their way to make it as complicated as possible.

[mtnlvr53]

I just checked our 1/8 Reflection cruise and the charge shows up.  I'm disappointed because we were planning on using Room Service at least some to avoid the crowded dining rooms given the uptake in Covid cases.  I do think they could have started adding it on with some notice instead of a week before (or slightly more) before sailing.  We may still pay it but it is annoying. 

[stellarose]

on website

 

When you’re on vacation, a long morning slumber with an indulgent breakfast in bed is always in the cards. Or perhaps you like the idea of a romantic dinner for two on your private veranda? Room service is complimentary on a cruise with Celebrity between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. or for 24 hours a day for suite passengers.

Tuck into eggs, pancakes, and fresh fruit, or enjoy a cozy movie night with a burger and fries from the comfort of your cabin. There’s a mix of hot and cold all-day items, plus plenty of kids’ options to choose from.

Read: The Essential Guide to Cruising With Kids

[mtnlvr53]

1 minute ago, stellarose said:

on website

 

When you’re on vacation, a long morning slumber with an indulgent breakfast in bed is always in the cards. Or perhaps you like the idea of a romantic dinner for two on your private veranda? Room service is complimentary on a cruise with Celebrity between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. or for 24 hours a day for suite passengers.

Tuck into eggs, pancakes, and fresh fruit, or enjoy a cozy movie night with a burger and fries from the comfort of your cabin. There’s a mix of hot and cold all-day items, plus plenty of kids’ options to choose from.

Read: The Essential Guide to Cruising With Kids

I think they just added it: it is showing up on the app for our sailing.

[dlh015]

I checked on my 1/12 Equinox cruise and the charge doesn't show up for non-suite, Aqua, or suite.

(The late night charge of 4.95 is there for all three...)

 

But another weirdness is on the non-suite RS it has "A 20% gratuity will be added to beverages."

 

That line item does not appear for Aqua or suite RS.

 

Is this because of the included drinks package? And/or the included grats?? Would pax who prepay grats or have a drinks package not be charged the %20?

 

Perhaps I partied too hardy last night  🤔 and am missing the reasoning on this...

[Silkroad]

Our 31 July and 9 August cruises (on Apex) show no additional charge for room service other than the $4.95 late night charge. 

[kathynorth]

It appears that most cruises that are coming up soon have the extra RS charge. It's likely those cruises that are further out that don't show the charge likely haven't had the app updated to reflect the new charge.

Edited January 2, 2023 by kathynorth

[simon stingray]

2 hours ago, chamima said:

If there’s enough of a backlash they’ll rescind it. 
I seem to remember something from about 5 years ago that they tried to implement but people went nuts and they backed down. 

Would that be when they started to charge for burgers at the Mast Grill out on the pool deck? 

[MLP12]

I sail on Apex on Jan. 7 and the room service charge on the app is listed as it's always been; only late night.

[markeb]

I read this much earlier today, and didn't catch all of it. My original thought was that they'd learned from the mandatory AI and were only charging people who wanted room service a room service fee.

 

But the more the day has gone on, I've read comments, and I've thought a bit, I view this as a symptom of a company that can't make up it's mind. Nickle and diming is a symptom. We can argue that Celebrity is really NOT a premium cruise line, but it's tried to position itself there. In business terms, its strategy was to differentiate itself from others on quality and service, and have a value proposition really aimed at customer service/customer intimacy. Provide everything, do it well, charge accordingly. Do AI and proudly charge for it. Be Nordstrom. 

 

With this, we're back to concentrating on costs. I'm stuck thinking that Celebrity has got itself stuck in no man's land. Premium products can charge premium prices and basically to heck with those who don't want to play; their niche is those who will pay. But trying to have it both ways is historically impossible. $11.74 * 6 (no room service last day, presumably) is $70.45/cabin. If you go half as many people doing room service lunch or dinner in a non-suite (which I suspect is high), that's $105.67 for six days! Just raise the cruise fare $110/person/cruise and bury the cost. Or honestly go up more to fund the product that matches the price. For close end cruises, I'm pretty sure the cost of fuel allows them to trigger the surcharge, which they've avoided. But that's what this is. Trying to be Walmart and Nordstrom at the same time never works. 

 

I don't independently own RCG stock outside of mutual funds (if there). X isn't an independent corporate entity, but if it was, and I owned their stock, this and similar recent actions would have me questioning why (I'm talking beyond shareholder benefits for cruising). Do what you do well. Those who want it will pay for it. You just need to have the analysis that enough customers will pay for it to come out ahead...

Edited January 2, 2023 by markeb
Fixed some math!

[mtnlvr53]

^^Right! If you are going to call it "everything included" don't decide to add on once you are booked and ready to cruise

[bEwAbG]

I suspect it's an effort to dissuade people from doing full room service so they can not have to staff for it.  Isn't that what the $4.95 fee was about?  To have fewer people ordering late at night?  It probably worked and this is the evolution of that. 

[Cruising89143]

Just more of Celebrity moving to the mass market segment. They have been mass market for a while but this move places them in competition with the other mass market cruise lines. I think X has an identity issue. They have no idea where they fit. They tried the “modern luxury “ tag. Didn’t work. They tried the “All Included” concept. Did not work. Right now we’re seeing an overpriced product. Based on our last cruise, X felt just average. LLP is no longer running this company. The bean counters are. 

[mahdnc]

11 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

LLP is no longer running this company. The bean counters are. 

 

No one on Cruise Critic seemed happy when LLP was running the company anyway. 

[Shadow9612]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Just raise the cruise fare $110/person/cruise and bury the cost.

Agreed.  We use room service for breakfast on days we have early morning excursions (to save time).

 

I'll be unhappy with the $10 surcharge but wouldn't have known if cruise fare was $30 higher (eg 3 excursions).

 

A benefit for booking excursions should be room service fees are waived on excursion days!

 

It seems Celebrity is cost cutting but cruise rates are also still going up.  

 

I'd rather just pay more up front for the cruise than feel nickel & dimed.

[ALANG]

If you disapprove, flood all social media venues along with the corporate executives with emails.

[DaKahuna]

 In typical fashion for Celebrity's IT, I just checked Room Service for our Sky Suite on Millie this coming April.  It shows room service hours as "all Day 6:00 AM -9:30 AM" for Breakfast, 11:00 1m - 5:00 AM All Day".  In the text under description it says "Celebrity offers 24-hour in-stateroom dining. "

 

No idea which is correct but we seldom eat anything other than lunch during port days in our stateroom. 

 

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, cruisingator2 said:

Just more of Celebrity moving to the mass market segment. They have been mass market for a while but this move places them in competition with the other mass market cruise lines. I think X has an identity issue. They have no idea where they fit. They tried the “modern luxury “ tag. Didn’t work. They tried the “All Included” concept. Did not work. Right now we’re seeing an overpriced product. Based on our last cruise, X felt just average. LLP is no longer running this company. The bean counters are. 

I totally agree with the identity issue.  As you note, they've been all over the map on what, when, where and how to charge for X Y & Z.  They would do well to remember Sears, KMart, Circuit City, GolfSmith etc.  They too couldn't figure out what they wanted to be, who they wanted to cater to and by the time they were anywhere close, they were way to far behind.  Southwest may not be far behind, pay attention Celebrity.

[WonderMan3]

I would expect more fees to come in the future and more cutbacks. Things we might see in the next few years:

 

-Baggage fees. Someone else already mentioned this but I could totally see them modeling on what the airlines do and limiting the number of bags you are allowed to bring onboard then charging fees if you exceed the number or exceed a weight limit. Suites and likely Zenith would get extra bag and weight allowances without fees just like the airlines give more allowances to business/first class and higher level perks program members.

 

-Cafe Al Bacio charging a la carte pricing for their pastries and dessert items. Maybe keeping some very basic items like a plain croissant as complimentary.

 

-Mast Grill charging for items. I could see them reverting back to a modified version of this previous failed strategy where they do offer some free items, a very basic hamburger or hot dog, but then charge for a variety of deluxe burgers or dogs or deluxe fries with toppings, etc.

 

-Charging a la carte pricing for the Spa Cafe. Possibly keeping it a free included feature for Aqua Class.

 

-Adding fee areas at the buffet like maybe for higher grade cuts of meat at the carving station or grill, or for some deluxe sundaes at the ice cream bar, or some frou frou pizzas with fancy toppings.

 

-Removing robes from categories below Aqua Class; saves on laundry.

 

-Offering reserved lounge chairs at the pool for a fee. (Many people might actually like this idea)

 

-Removing items from the main menus at the specialty restaurants and adding them to the up charge category or possibly shifting the specialties totally over to an a la carte pricing model.

 

-Charging fees to use the Internet lounge

 

-Eliminating the welcome glass of sparkling wine

 

-Charging passengers fees for items bought in port that have to be held by cruise line until end of cruise (alcohol)

 

-Creating fee driven private lounging areas on the outdoor decks with nicer lounge chairs, maybe included waters, fruit, misters, etc. basically things that cost them basically nothing but they can charge a fee for to use the space

 

-Charging a fee for priority embarkation/disembarkation, priority luggage delivery to cabin and pick-up at terminal

 

And that might be just the beginning…

 

[WonderMan3]

8 hours ago, RichYak said:

Maybe you’re thinking of when they started charging for late night room service. 

Yeah, I think that was it. I think something in the app wasn’t showing correctly and stated it was for room service period and then they fixed it and it was for the late night.

[natshala]

4 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

I would expect more fees to come in the future and more cutbacks. Things we might see in the next few years:

 

-Baggage fees. Someone else already mentioned this but I could totally see them modeling on what the airlines do and limiting the number of bags you are allowed to bring onboard then charging fees if you exceed the number or exceed a weight limit. Suites and likely Zenith would get extra bag and weight allowances without fees just like the airlines give more allowances to business/first class and higher level perks program members.

 

-Cafe Al Bacio charging a la carte pricing for their pastries and dessert items. Maybe keeping some very basic items like a plain croissant as complimentary.

 

-Mast Grill charging for items. I could see them reverting back to a modified version of this previous failed strategy where they do offer some free items, a very basic hamburger or hot dog, but then charge for a variety of deluxe burgers or dogs or deluxe fries with toppings, etc.

 

-Charging a la carte pricing for the Spa Cafe. Possibly keeping it a free included feature for Aqua Class.

 

-Adding fee areas at the buffet like maybe for higher grade cuts of meat at the carving station or grill, or for some deluxe sundaes at the ice cream bar, or some frou frou pizzas with fancy toppings.

 

-Removing robes from categories below Aqua Class; saves on laundry.

 

-Offering reserved lounge chairs at the pool for a fee. (Many people might actually like this idea)

 

-Removing items from the main menus at the specialty restaurants and adding them to the up charge category or possibly shifting the specialties totally over to an a la carte pricing model.

 

-Charging fees to use the Internet lounge

 

-Eliminating the welcome glass of sparkling wine

 

-Charging passengers fees for items bought in port that have to be held by cruise line until end of cruise (alcohol)

 

-Creating fee driven private lounging areas on the outdoor decks with nicer lounge chairs, maybe included waters, fruit, misters, etc. basically things that cost them basically nothing but they can charge a fee for to use the space

 

-Charging a fee for priority embarkation/disembarkation, priority luggage delivery to cabin and pick-up at terminal

 

And that might be just the beginning…

 

Is there an internet lounge on the Eclass ships? I sure didn’t see it.

also, on my December cruises, there was no welcome glass of sparkling wine.

Maybe I missed both?!

 

[chamima]

13 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

Interesting. I thought this change was already made a few years back around the time Edge launched. I recall us having a discussion about it here. Or maybe it showed up in the app for Edge as a charge and then they removed it before the first departure? This whole conversation just feels very familiar to me.

 

12 hours ago, RichYak said:

Maybe you’re thinking of when they started charging for late night room service. 

 

11 hours ago, chamima said:

If there’s enough of a backlash they’ll rescind it. 
I seem to remember something from about 5 years ago that they tried to implement but people went nuts and they backed down. 

 

 

I think they were charging for something at the Mast Grill. People were extremely upset and verbal about it and they rescinded the charge.

I don't know why but I find this charge very upsetting. It puts Celebrity into a different class of cruising than where i thought it was. We have nothing booked beyond our 2023 cruises and I was planning on booking on board but I think it's time to move up.

[john1970]

I am on Eclipse in Aqua Class in February. On my app I have two room service listings. The normal one doesn't mention any charge at all. The Room Service Aqua Class does list the 9.95 fee. Totally confusing. I have to say this really cheapens their product. It will just make me go back to Azamara or Oceania. It wouldn't be a problem if Celebrity were a lot less expensive but they are not. I have no idea what their strategy is.

 

[stellarose]

so basically I have the AI classic package . so each drink will cost me the 20% gratuity. 2dollars, buck 50 etc. ok. I guess I can live with that. I am ok with after hours charging for RS but not mid day.

[mac_tlc]

For my 1/29/23 Beyond sailing, the app does not show any room service charge between 5am and 11pm. For Aqua and Suites, it says 24 hr complimentary. 
 

mac_tlc