Have you seen this on any other cruise lines? Is it becoming "the normal"?

[SilverSax]

Hey cruisers, do you have any info to add to this?

I just returned from my 2nd Royal Caribbean cruise - 6th cruise overall. I was excited about getting back on Royal Caribbean - we really enjoyed our first cruise with them. 
Two of their policies really irked me though.

 

First, they were charging a $7.95 delivery fee for any room service after 9 a.m.  I've never seen this before. My wife and I enjoy late room service occasionally but this really put us off. 

Second, EVEN THOUGH WE PAID FOR THE DELUXE BEVERAGE PACKAGE, I was turned away with a firm NO! when I asked for a glass of liquor (I like to sip straight liquor). I was "allowed" only 1 Ounce at a time. So imagine that I'm sitting a long distance from the nearest bar - I could have 1 oz swallowed before I even got back to my seat! We all know that you can walk very long distances on cruise ships from table to bar if you're unwilling to wait for the server to take your order, then deliver it. 
 

I'm EXTREMELY disappointed with Royal Caribbean over these two disappointments. 
Is this becoming "industry normal" or is it just RC?

[jsn55]

Culture shock for sure.  Charges for RS are now the norm for us folks on 'mass-market' cruiselines, I think I'm paying $10 on NCL in October for breakfast no matter what time I order it.  The pricier accommodations may be fee-free for RS.  Makes business sense, the enormous amount of food wasted by pax needed to be curtailed.  And Royal wants to be able to allocate the crew members to other duties at 9am.  If there's a charge for RS after 9am, you can bet that the demand will almost disappear.  

 

The limit on drinks is quite amusing and in your case I can see that it would be annoying.  Unless you're actually sitting at the bar, it could be a long walk back and forth.  Somehow I'll bet that you'll figure out which places you like to be and how close the nearest bar is and it won't be as big a deal as it sounds.  If you're out at the pool, say, order your first drink, hand over a nice tip and tell the server to keep coming back around with another one.  It's been our experience that generous tips make for very good service no matter where you are on the ship.

[LindaD22]

The room service continental breakfast on Royal Caribbean is complimentary, I believe until 11:00 am. Perhaps you were ordering something other than that?

[CruiserBruce]

As far as I know, Holland America doesn't charge a fee for RS, although I think they charge for a selected few items.

[SilverSax]

1 hour ago, jsn55 said:

Culture shock for sure.  Charges for RS are now the norm for us folks on 'mass-market' cruiselines, I think I'm paying $10 on NCL in October for breakfast no matter what time I order it.  The pricier accommodations may be fee-free for RS.  Makes business sense, the enormous amount of food wasted by pax needed to be curtailed.  And Royal wants to be able to allocate the crew members to other duties at 9am.  If there's a charge for RS after 9am, you can bet that the demand will almost disappear.  

 

The limit on drinks is quite amusing and in your case I can see that it would be annoying.  Unless you're actually sitting at the bar, it could be a long walk back and forth.  Somehow I'll bet that you'll figure out which places you like to be and how close the nearest bar is and it won't be as big a deal as it sounds.  If you're out at the pool, say, order your first drink, hand over a nice tip and tell the server to keep coming back around with another one.  It's been our experience that generous tips make for very good service no matter where you are on the ship.

The problem is that when I paid for the Deluxe Beverage Package, a mandatory 18% tip was included. No need to tip again. What I want to know is whether this is now standard policy on Royal Caribbean and/or elsewhere? Why, if I have paid the astronomical price in advance, must liquor be meted out 1 oz at a time?

[SilverSax]

27 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

As far as I know, Holland America doesn't charge a fee for RS, although I think they charge for a selected few items.

Thanks. One thing's for certain - if this is now standard policy on Royal Caribbean, they'll never get another penny from me. 

[SilverSax]

1 hour ago, LindaD22 said:

The room service continental breakfast on Royal Caribbean is complimentary, I believe until 11:00 am. Perhaps you were ordering something other than that?

No, they clearly stated that their continental breakfast will be delivered to your cabin for no fee. After 9 a.m. every room service delivery comes with a 7.95 charge. 

[Mary229]

I think the cruise lines are trying to find a way to increase profits without raising fares by large measures.  Research likely has shown that people like a menu of costs instead of a bundled price, it is a way of customizing your experience. Some ideas will likely fail and be withdrawn.   HAL tried adding a fee for additional entrees and appetizers in their specialty restaurants but recently announced instead they will just raise the price of the overall meal. 

[CruiserBruce]

36 minutes ago, SilverSax said:

Thanks. One thing's for certain - if this is now standard policy on Royal Caribbean, they'll never get another penny from me. 

Have you discussed this over on the RCI board?

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/51-royal-caribbean-international/

[mom says]

As to the single shot at a time, I don't think that is unusual. Your premium package allows for premium quality drink selections, not unlimited quantity per serving.. Per their FAQs, only one drink at a time will be served. One drink would be one shot, if drinking it neat. Although, on occasion DH has requested a double single malt.

[SilverSax]

That's what I was thinking. 
Unless they have changed their policies, Holland America and Celebrity do allow their guests a full glass, as often as they request it, if the guests have purchased the Deluxe Beverage Package. 
Royal Caribbean, because of their parsimonious alcohol and room service policies, has lost my business and I encourage everyone to avoid them.

[BruceMuzz]

8 hours ago, SilverSax said:

Hey cruisers, do you have any info to add to this?

I just returned from my 2nd Royal Caribbean cruise - 6th cruise overall. I was excited about getting back on Royal Caribbean - we really enjoyed our first cruise with them. 
Two of their policies really irked me though.

 

First, they were charging a $7.95 delivery fee for any room service after 9 a.m.  I've never seen this before. My wife and I enjoy late room service occasionally but this really put us off. 

Second, EVEN THOUGH WE PAID FOR THE DELUXE BEVERAGE PACKAGE, I was turned away with a firm NO! when I asked for a glass of liquor (I like to sip straight liquor). I was "allowed" only 1 Ounce at a time. So imagine that I'm sitting a long distance from the nearest bar - I could have 1 oz swallowed before I even got back to my seat! We all know that you can walk very long distances on cruise ships from table to bar if you're unwilling to wait for the server to take your order, then deliver it. 
 

I'm EXTREMELY disappointed with Royal Caribbean over these two disappointments. 
Is this becoming "industry normal" or is it just RC?

Not the cruise industry normal - but the Mass Market cruise industry normal.

The Mass Market travel business model - basically copied from Walmart - is shooting for the lowest common denominator on prices, costs, service, and quality. This allows those who could never before afford to cruise, to go on one.

Unfortunately, this idea also enables those raised by wolves to cruise with you.

"Responsible Service of Alcohol" policies, mandated for all cruise lines by the US Court System, force policies like "one shot of booze at a time" to prevent mis-behaving passengers from damaging the shjp, themselves, and you.

The RCCL ship you just sailed on generates about 4 tons of food waste every single day. That food gets dumped into the sea. Why so much waste? Inconsiderate passengers order more food than they can eat - because it is "free". As soon as they have to pay for it, the orders get much smaller - and the food waste drops significantly.

If you want to avoid sailing on "Walmart of the Seas", with 5,000 Walmartians and the accompanying draconian rules needed to control their behaviour, you need only sail on a cruise line that caters to responsible adults.

[Honolulu Blue]

Slowly but surely these fees are becoming standard on the mainstream lines.  Royal, as you mentioned, charges $7.95 for each room service delivery.  I'm pretty sure there's 18% for gratuities on top of that.  Celebrity charges about $10+18%.  Carnival is a la carte.  Princess has recently switched and made their RS charges needlessly complex (IMHO) - it depends on what fare package is selected, how it's ordered, and what class of cabins is being stayed in.

[Hlitner]

What is becoming the norm is that cruise passengers will seldom to never get a lot for little.  At one time it was possible for some folks to book the lower price cabins, carefully control their onboard expenditures, and enjoy the best of cruising for relatively small expenditures.  Now, we are clearly moving into an

era where those seeking lower prices are going to get a lot less than those willing to spend more money.  
 

We think todays best value is often found on the luxury lines and “ship within a ship” programs of a few lines.  Paying $4-600 a passenger day can be a better deal than booking a decent cabin on a mass market line and later paying all the add-ons.

 

Hank

[Ferry_Watcher]

7 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Unfortunately, this idea also enables those raised by wolves to cruise with you.

What a great line.  

And sadly, so true.

[George C]

I have gotten doubles sometimes on rccl cruises, room service is free 24 hours with suites . 

[jsn55]

8 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Not the cruise industry normal - but the Mass Market cruise industry normal.

The Mass Market travel business model - basically copied from Walmart - is shooting for the lowest common denominator on prices, costs, service, and quality. This allows those who could never before afford to cruise, to go on one.

Unfortunately, this idea also enables those raised by wolves to cruise with you.

"Responsible Service of Alcohol" policies, mandated for all cruise lines by the US Court System, force policies like "one shot of booze at a time" to prevent mis-behaving passengers from damaging the shjp, themselves, and you.

The RCCL ship you just sailed on generates about 4 tons of food waste every single day. That food gets dumped into the sea. Why so much waste? Inconsiderate passengers order more food than they can eat - because it is "free". As soon as they have to pay for it, the orders get much smaller - and the food waste drops significantly.

If you want to avoid sailing on "Walmart of the Seas", with 5,000 Walmartians and the accompanying draconian rules needed to control their behaviour, you need only sail on a cruise line that caters to responsible adults.

So I'd guess that your answer to the OP is yes.  I'm so glad there are luxury cruislines that cater to people who don't want to rub elbows with Walmartians.  

[donaldsc]

17 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Culture shock for sure.  Charges for RS are now the norm for us folks on 'mass-market' cruiselines, I think I'm paying $10 on NCL in October for breakfast no matter what time I order it.  The pricier accommodations may be fee-free for RS.  Makes business sense, the enormous amount of food wasted by pax needed to be curtailed.  And Royal wants to be able to allocate the crew members to other duties at 9am.  If there's a charge for RS after 9am, you can bet that the demand will almost disappear.  

 

The limit on drinks is quite amusing and in your case I can see that it would be annoying.  Unless you're actually sitting at the bar, it could be a long walk back and forth.  Somehow I'll bet that you'll figure out which places you like to be and how close the nearest bar is and it won't be as big a deal as it sounds.  If you're out at the pool, say, order your first drink, hand over a nice tip and tell the server to keep coming back around with another one.  It's been our experience that generous tips make for very good service no matter where you are on the ship.

 

So what you are saying is that in order to get decent service on a ship you have to hand over a nice cash tip on top of the 18% tip that is built into the bill.  How much  do you consider a nice bribe (I meant tip) in order to get good service.

 

DON

[Hlitner]

Just now, donaldsc said:

 

So what you are saying is that in order to get decent service on a ship you have to hand over a nice cash tip on top of the 18% tip that is built into the bill.  How much  do you consider a nice bribe (I meant tip) in order to get good service.

 

DON

I think you have missed some of the point.  Consider that there are cruise lines with “no tipping” for those willing to pay the higher initial prices of those lines.  One might argue that if you insist on decent service you may have to book a decent cruise line 😋

[SilverSax]

I guess what it all boils down to is that before my next cruise, I'll definitely research "nickel–and–dime 'em to death" policies like these, and avoid the cruise lines that use them. 

In fact, if this really is becoming the norm, it's time to go back to all-inclusive vacations.

If $800+ for two peoples' Deluxe Beverage Package doesn't generate enough profit for Royal Caribbean to allow me to have a full glass of liquor (my wife and I probably drank a total of $100 worth of alcohol on this cruise), and if formerly-free room service is too much to ask, then my opinion is - there are other vacation options. 
Oh, I didn't even mention the fact that in spite of my pre-paid gratuities, I was confronted with an envelope for "extra tips" from our steward. 
Thank all of you for your responses. 

Edited August 15, 2023 by SilverSax

[jsn55]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 

So what you are saying is that in order to get decent service on a ship you have to hand over a nice cash tip on top of the 18% tip that is built into the bill.  How much  do you consider a nice bribe (I meant tip) in order to get good service.

 

DON

YUP, that's exactly what I'm saying.  I could fret about it, but I choose to consider prepaid gratuities and miscellaneous fees part of the cost of the cruise.  I tip as I always did for good service.  Usually $1 per drink, $2 per RS breakfast, $5-10 per MDR meal paid on the last night to whomever is serving us.  Cabin steward gets a total of $150-200 depending on the length of the cruise.  Please understand that bad service gets nothing. 

 

For me, it's a policy based on my personal feelings ... I want the crew members making my cruise so special to know how much I appreciate their efforts.  With airfare and pre/post hotels,  I'm spending tens of thousands of dollars.  The tips add up to a very small percentage, and I believe that they make a real difference in the lives of the crew.

[Toofarfromthesea]

19 hours ago, mom says said:

As to the single shot at a time, I don't think that is unusual. Your premium package allows for premium quality drink selections, not unlimited quantity per serving.. Per their FAQs, only one drink at a time will be served. One drink would be one shot, if drinking it neat. Although, on occasion DH has requested a double single malt.

 

I always thought the one drink at a time was intended to combat people "sharing" their drink package, which obviously doesn't apply here.  I don't see the point of limiting a neat drink to one ounce.  That's not even a shot, which by common usage is 1-1/2 oz.  Even if you're on a package that puts a daily limit on your number of drinks you should be able to order a double and count it as 2 drinks towards your daily limit.

Edited August 15, 2023 by Toofarfromthesea

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, SilverSax said:

That's what I was thinking. 
Unless they have changed their policies, Holland America and Celebrity do allow their guests a full glass, as often as they request it, if the guests have purchased the Deluxe Beverage Package. 
Royal Caribbean, because of their parsimonious alcohol and room service policies, has lost my business and I encourage everyone to avoid them.

 

In my only experience on Holland America I found them very accommodating on alcohol.  We were on a 14 day cruise on Zandaam in Alaska, pre-COVID, and we became regulars at the piano bar.  I really liked the guy who played and sang and from time to time I "bought" him a drink.  I told my regular waiter to charge it to my cruise card, but he never would, he treated it as a drink on my package.  I'm usually not one to do much end of cruise tipping but both the piano guy and my waiter got very nice envelopes the last night.

[Toofarfromthesea]

2 hours ago, SilverSax said:

I guess what it all boils down to is that before my next cruise, I'll definitely research "nickel–and–dime 'em to death" policies like these, and avoid the cruise lines that use them. 

In fact, if this really is becoming the norm, it's time to go back to all-inclusive vacations.

If $800+ for two peoples' Deluxe Beverage Package doesn't generate enough profit for Royal Caribbean to allow me to have a full glass of liquor (my wife and I probably drank a total of $100 worth of alcohol on this cruise), and if formerly-free room service is too much to ask, then my opinion is - there are other vacation options. 
Oh, I didn't even mention the fact that in spite of my pre-paid gratuities, I was confronted with an envelope for "extra tips" from our steward. 
Thank all of you for your responses. 

 

I wonder if someone who is not on a drink package and who is buying their drinks a la carte can order and get a double and simply pay for 2 drinks.  As I've gotten older I find I drink less and if I cruise again I doubt if  I'll get a package.  It makes no sense to me to pay $5-600 for a package and drink $1-200 worth of drinks.

[whogo]

23 hours ago, SilverSax said:

I was turned away with a firm NO! when I asked for a glass of liquor (I like to sip straight liquor). I was "allowed" only 1 Ounce at a time.

You asked for a glass of liquor? I never heard booze ordered that way. Were you hoping for a tumbler full?