Thoughts on Azura April 2023

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

Penny pinching and exploitation of staff by P&O. 

Not sure that's accurate, the evening turndown service has been dropped for stewards and they are now doing what the assistant waiters used to do. This was initially brought in because of the shortage of waiters, to free up the assistant waiters and maximise service standards.

I was one of the early  complainers about this, as we shower in the evening and like the bathroom cleaned and tidied before we turn in for the night. But we are not missing this service, and if it enables staff to be redeployed to the dining rooms, and for extra cleaning around the ship, then this seems a sensible way to optimise the use of the staff.

Edited April 18, 2023 by terrierjohn

[Denarius]

18 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Not sure that's accurate, the evening turndown service has been dropped for stewards and they are now doing what the assistant waiters used to do. This was initially brought in because of the shortage of waiters, to free up the assistant waiters and maximise service standards.

I was one of the early  complainers about this, as we shower in the evening and like the bathroom cleaned and tidied before we turn in for the night. But we are not missing this service, and if it enables staff to be redeployed to the dining rooms, and for extra cleaning around the ship, then this seems a sensible way to optimise the use of the staff.

When the turndown service was suspended during Covid many speculated that it would never return. That it was yet another cutback, justified as a temporary measure which would become permanent. So far this has proved to be the case. I am not convinced that this has resulted in extra benefit to passengers, merely that it has enabled P&O to reduce staffing in other areas.

[Megabear2]

In fairness the big players have all been tinkering with the turndown service for a while.  On Celebrity and Princess last year while it was available you had to opt in rather than opt out, this by way of the Medallion app on Princess and by card or the app on Celebrity.  

 

In December 2022 there was a change on Quantum of the Seas in a move many thought was the trial run on RC.

Guests recently sailing on Quantum of the Seas have noticed a “Housekeeping Services Update” listed in the daily cruise newsletter on embarkation day, however, that dramatically reduces that service. The notice reads:

“In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to 1 time per day.”

 

I now note NCL have become the latest to change the service.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/norwegian-cruise-line-decrease-turndown-service-7091895

 

Reading further into the NCL changes and update in Crew Centre indicated both crew and passengers were unhappy with the NCL approach but complainants were apparently told all cruise lines intend going to once a day servicing!

 

Unless sailing on a boutique line or high end cabin or suite it looks as turndown will be a thing of the past across the board.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Megabear2

[Wonky]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

When the turndown service was suspended during Covid many speculated that it would never return. That it was yet another cutback, justified as a temporary measure which would become permanent. So far this has proved to be the case. I am not convinced that this has resulted in extra benefit to passengers, merely that it has enabled P&O to reduce staffing in other areas.

The extra benefit is in the price you pay. How much extra would you pay in order to have evening turn down?

[happy v]

I did remark to my husband one evening that I was glad the steward wasn't coming. It meant I didn't have to tidy up. But that's just me, I'm lazy 🙂

[Interestedcruisefan]

Isn't the biggest reason an evening cabin steward visit would be needed is for people with kids in the room who want fold down beds setting up for them evenings when they come back?

 

 I seem to remember that would happen on cruises pre covid? 

 

Could be wrong?

[Gettingwarmer]

15 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Isn't the biggest reason an evening cabin steward visit would be needed is for people with kids in the room who want fold down beds setting up for them evenings when they come back?

 

 I seem to remember that would happen on cruises pre covid? 

 

Could be wrong?

Lots of people shower in the evening and is nice to get dry towels  etc.

They still come to fold down the beds.

[Denarius]

7 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

In fairness the big players have all been tinkering with the turndown service for a while.  On Celebrity and Princess last year while it was available you had to opt in rather than opt out, this by way of the Medallion app on Princess and by card or the app on Celebrity.  

 

In December 2022 there was a change on Quantum of the Seas in a move many thought was the trial run on RC.

Guests recently sailing on Quantum of the Seas have noticed a “Housekeeping Services Update” listed in the daily cruise newsletter on embarkation day, however, that dramatically reduces that service. The notice reads:

“In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to 1 time per day.”

 

I now note NCL have become the latest to change the service.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/norwegian-cruise-line-decrease-turndown-service-7091895

 

Reading further into the NCL changes and update in Crew Centre indicated both crew and passengers were unhappy with the NCL approach but complainants were apparently told all cruise lines intend going to once a day servicing!

 

Unless sailing on a boutique line or high end cabin or suite it looks as turndown will be a thing of the past across the board.

I have sailed with 4 cruise lines since lockdown; P&O, Saga, Star Clippers and Riviera (river cruise). All apart from P&O provided an evening turn down and service.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Denarius

[Megabear2]

20 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I have sailed with 4 cruise lines since lockdown; P&O, Saga, Star Clippers and Riviera (river cruise). All apart from P&O provided an evening turn down and service.

All of them apart from P&O are presumably classed as boutique or specialty cruise lines though and presumably with higher fares?  Researching the subject last year when my friend picked our Celebrity cruise it seemed very much that all the leading mass market cruise lines bar Cunard were moving away from turndown.  As I say Princess and Celebrity offered a choice but most now appear to have removed the option.

[terrierjohn]

29 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I have sailed with 4 cruise lines since lockdown; P&O, Saga, Star Clippers and Riviera (river cruise). All apart from P&O provided an evening turn down and service.

I don't think Saga, Star Clippers and Riviera  can be considered in the same category as P&O.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I don't think Saga, Star Clippers and Riviera  can be considered in the same category as P&O.

Agreed. Their competitors are the likes of Viking, Oceania and Azamara.

[emam]

On our cruise in October, our cabin steward cleared the sun lounger 's from the decks on an evening.

[tring]

9 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Lots of people shower in the evening and is nice to get dry towels  etc.

They still come to fold down the beds.

 

They still give replacement towels if you ask for them.  That happened on Aurora in November and Azura in October..  They leave a skeleton staff to deal with that, in fact on Aurora it was our cabin steward who also did the evenings, being available for things like replacing towels, though he was the only steward around, so was presumably seeing to a fair area of the corridor.

 

I agree with another poster that I actually preferred not to have the turn down service, once we realised the towels could be replaced if need be, though much of the time we did re use them, as we usually do.

 

[tring]

10 hours ago, tring said:

 

They still give replacement towels if you ask for them.  That happened on Aurora in November and Azura in October..  They leave a skeleton staff to deal with that, in fact on Aurora it was our cabin steward who also did the evenings, being available for things like replacing towels, though he was the only steward around, so was presumably seeing to a fair area of the corridor.

 

I agree with another poster that I actually preferred not to have the turn down service, once we realised the towels could be replaced if need be, though much of the time we did re use them, as we usually do.

 

 

Forgot to mention, I think you need to phone housekeeping to ask for the replacement towels and someone will come along, but not necessarily straight away - best to ask your steward about that when you embark as we have not been onboard since last November.

 

[Megabear2]

11 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Forgot to mention, I think you need to phone housekeeping to ask for the replacement towels and someone will come along, but not necessarily straight away - best to ask your steward about that when you embark as we have not been onboard since last November.

 

On Britannia our steward kindly made a note when he introduced himself to deliver extra towels every afternoon at 4.00pm as he changed shift. He delivered our ice at the same time, if we were out he'd drop the towels on the bed and put the ice in the fridge.  We were very happy with the arrangement and didn't miss turndown at all.