Pay As We Go?? And...... Another Angle on It?

[sail7seas]

I understand that Costa on their European itineraries currently charge some for room service - primarily to cut down on the aforementioned food-waste issues as much was ordered to just have in the stateroom but would go untouched (its a cultural/hospitality issue - not a revenue-generating issue)__________________

Brian

 

Brian posted this in the the other "Pay as You Go" Thread and I think it's another topic for interesting views/conversation.

 

What would your reaction be if Room Service became an additional charge such as in land based hotels?

For US......a highlight and important part of our enjoyment is Room Service Breakfast on our Verandah. PLEASE HAL......DON"T MESS WITH THAT!!!!

 

Take away some things, okay......But don't take away my "INCLUDED" Room Service Breakfast. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

[Atomica]

It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure how well it would work. In a hotel, you're generally not surrounded by free food. No matter if you eat in your room, or in the hotel's restaraunt, you will have to pay for it.

 

Now, on a ship if room service was fee based, and the dining room/lido were free, I think you'd have a lot of people bringing Lido food back to their cabins. If anything, having fee-based room service might create an additional crunch on the lido. I personally wouldn't pay for it if I was surrounded with other free dining venues.

[sail7seas]

Like I suggested.......an interesting conversation.

 

I never thought of that view, Aaron, but now that you mention it.....Yes, you are surely correct. We'd see a parade of trays being carried by either the doting DH or the DW or whoever being carted back to cabins.

 

 

[karen2cruz]

Agree about breakfast. I look forward to that breakfast on the verandah more than I do any thing else. I guess I could walk up to the buffet and bring it back to the room- but I won't be a pretty sight in my pj's and robe:eek:

[HeatherInFlorida]

I agree, Sail. Keep it as is. Truthfully we rarely use Room Service, but I do love to know it's there. Not including the service in our price wouldn't lower the fare that much anyway.

[K&RCurt]

They would just have to have one cruise with me in the morning shuffling through the halls, up the elevator and through the lido looking for my first cup of coffee before they would cave in and return free roomservice...at least for breakfast. I am NOT a happy camper before my first (& second) cup of coffee in the morning!

[sail7seas]

If they figure it costs them $1.00 per person per cruise to provide free unlimited Room Service on average.......

 

Let's see: For an "S" Class ship, approximately 1,250 guests = $1,250 per week x 52 weeks = $65,000 x 4 "S" class ships = $260,000.00.

 

Vista Class ships: 1,850 (approx) guests at $1.00 per guest = $1,850 x 52 weeks = $96,200 x 4 Vista Class ships = $384,000.

 

Compute Zaandam, Volendam, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Prinsendam .........

 

That's a lot of money.

[southern_yarddog]

I sailed on the Costa Magica this past April and room service was an additional cost. You could get a bagel and coffee in the moringing for free but not a real breakfast like on HAL. I didn't like that at all. I wanted to have a real breakfast on my balcony but I didn't get to because I wasn't going to pay the extra money

[Oceanwench]

What if they kept room service breakfast for free, then charged for room service after, say, 11 a.m.?

 

DH always has his breakfast in the room, b/c it takes him so long to get up and going in the morning. [He is handicapped.]

 

I am an early riser and like to get up, dressed and out the door for a few laps around the promenade deck, then breakfast in the Lido.

After I am done, I head back to my room to help DH with his breakfast, buttering toast, etc.

It works out well for us.

 

In all our cruises, I can remember only once ordering something from room service other than breakfast.

 

But if they did charge for room service, I doubt we would see a change in the cost to cruise.

[sail7seas]

I sailed on the Costa Magica this past April and room service was an additional cost. You could get a bagel and coffee in the moringing for free but not a real breakfast like on HAL. I didn't like that at all. I wanted to have a real breakfast on my balcony but I didn't get to because I wasn't going to pay the extra money

 

I was hoping for a post like yours! Thank you.

 

Do you recall if the charge for breakfast was a flat fee for anything you ordered or was it by item.

 

A certain amount for an omelet, then extra for a bagel, coffee etc?

[Starbright]

Atomica is correct. The first cruise we were on was to Norway with a "downmarket" type of cruise line. Everything on room service was charged for. We never used it once. We used to go up to the Lido and get something to bring back to the cabin with us.

 

I'd hate HAL to go that way. One of the things I love is waking early in the morning and being able to ring for coffee straight away, and having breakfast in the cabin when you have an early excursion is perfect.

[bepsf]

I sailed on the Costa Magica this past April and room service was an additional cost. You could get a bagel and coffee in the moringing for free but not a real breakfast like on HAL. I didn't like that at all. I wanted to have a real breakfast on my balcony but I didn't get to because I wasn't going to pay the extra money

 

Xactly.

From my understanding (past discussion on the boards a year or so ago) lots of Southern European guests would order food (sandwiches, etc) for the stateroom so that they would have food on hand to offer in case someone happenned to drop by. (just as they would have food ready on the stove or in the fridge at home in case someone stopped by)

Therefore, Costa instituted charges for certain room service items on many of their itineraries to eliminate the waste of food - as great amounts of this room service food would go straight into the garbage untouched...

[HeatherInFlorida]

Well, if they figure $1/pp per cruise, I'm more than happy for them to simply add that $2 to my cost. That won't be a problem for us at all:) .

[kryos]

I agree with many others on this board ... keep the room service free as it is now.

 

There is a big difference between a land-based hotel and a cruise. In a land-based hotel, food is generally not a part of your package. No matter where you eat on the hotel property, you're gonna have to pay for it. So, in that case, giving free room service would cause hotels to lose a lot of money because obviously many guests would opt to eat in their rooms for free.

 

On a cruise ship, it's a whole different story. For the most part, food is an included cost ... and therefore food ordered from room service should be free as well.

 

Now, if there's an issue of waste ... people ordering too much and then leaving it ... fine, institute a limit on how many items can be ordered with a meal. For example, you have two people in the stateroom ordering breakfast ... they can each order one complete breakfast ... no extras.

 

As for people taking food from the Lido ... and probably from the Neptune Lounge too (for those folks eligible to use it), I think you're always gonna have that ... whether or not room service becomes a chargeable item. Some people just prefer to eat in their rooms and if they are eating light will often just run up to the Lido to grab a few muffins or whatever.

 

Personally, I've only used room service a couple of times ... and never on HAL. I ordered sodas for the room a couple of times on Princess ... and those were chargeable items anyway.

 

Of course, since my next HAL cruise will be in a balcony stateroom, I guess I may use room service a bit more than usual. I can imagine eating out on that balcony must be nice.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[ger_77]

Step away from MY room service! ! ! ! ! When we cruise, we love to have the coffee and cut-up fruits brought to the cabin so that we can start the day in a more relaxed fashion, rather than hurrying to dress and get to the Lido or dining room just to get our first cup of coffee! When we return from a shore excursion and don't feel like hitting the Lido, there's nothing nicer than sitting down with a Club House and tea before venturing out for more activity around the ship. If it means an extra $1 or $2 on our tickets, then we're all for it!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[sail7seas]

Well, if they figure $1/pp per cruise, I'm more than happy for them to simply add that $2 to my cost. That won't be a problem for us at all:) .

 

 

I have no idea what the actual cost is.......I was only speculating and used $1 as an easy number to use for my arithmetic. :cool:

 

But, I totally agree. Even if it's $5 or $10 per person per week, add it to the price of my ticket!!!

 

It"s a big part of our comfort and enjoyment.......Room Service Breakfast!!!

 

[SDHALFAN]

They would just have to have one cruise with me in the morning shuffling through the halls, up the elevator and through the lido looking for my first cup of coffee before they would cave in and return free roomservice...at least for breakfast. I am NOT a happy camper before my first (& second) cup of coffee in the morning!

 

I'm with you on this one Keith (and Gina). Me, in the morning without my first cup of coffee is not a pretty sight, and don't even think about talking to me unless you want to get bawled out because you simply got in my way. Okay, I'm addicted to that first cuppa Joe;) .

 

Also, since I am now reduced to solo cruising, I will often order room service dinner (from the restaurant menu) if I am unable to get an early seating, and watch a DVD movie while I eat.

 

I would not be averse to paying for this luxury but would prefer not to have to. After all for me it's part of my enjoyment of my cruise experience. If worse comes to worst and HAL starts charging for this luxury then I will just head up to the Lido and grab a tray full of food and bring it back down to the cabin to enjoy.

 

Valerie:)

[localady]

IMHO room service is a medical necessity on today's cruise ships.

Last cruise DH got a pretty nasty head cold. Rather than spreading it to all the other cruisers, we dined in for a few days until he was feeling better. With Norvo, they WANT us to use room service if we are ill. Less folks would use it if there was a charge, including the ill ones.:rolleyes:

I'd be interested to see how Costa handles ill pax.

[localady]

Opps, sorry cyber-gods playing with my mind!;)

[iceman93]

Devil's advocate question:

 

The prevailing attitude here seems to be that cruises should continue to offer complimentary room service, as it is a significant part of the enjoyment of the overall experience.

 

People here also say they would not be willing to pay extra while on board for room service. They would prefer to browse the Lido buffet and bring trays back to their stateroom rather than pay for room service.

 

So what if HAL instituted a nominal charge, say $1 or $5, as a "room service delivery fee"? You could still order as much as you want, anytime you want, but with an almost insignificant cost just to discourage the truly frivolous orders. Would this still be a large dissatisfier? If so, why?

[sail7seas]

Devil's advocate question:

 

The prevailing attitude here seems to be that cruises should continue to offer complimentary room service, as it is a significant part of the enjoyment of the overall experience.

 

People here also say they would not be willing to pay extra while on board for room service. They would prefer to browse the Lido buffet and bring trays back to their stateroom rather than pay for room service.

 

So what if HAL instituted a nominal charge, say $1 or $5, as a "room service delivery fee"? You could still order as much as you want, anytime you want, but with an almost insignificant cost just to discourage the truly frivolous orders. Would this still be a large dissatisfier? If so, why?

 

 

I'd be fine with that and might even think it a good idea.

[Pudgesmom]

Has anyone here been to an all-inclusive resort? I haven't, but maybe that would be an interesting comparison. Is room service offered at these resorts, and if so, is there a charge or is it included?

 

By the way, my family of cruisers would get well beyond our money's worth if the charge was $ 1 a day!!:D

 

Beth

[boomerSexyK]

As with most of our fellow CC'rs, we also absolutely, positively, undeniably .... LOVE our balcony breakfasts!! Karen is usually awake by 5-6am each morning, by the time my eyes roll open at 7-8am, there's a fresh pot of coffee and muffins or croissants waiting in the room for me. AND I usually have that 1st cup right there in bed!!! Isn't she the best??? :D Once we're up and around a nice leisurely breakfast on the balcony followed by more coffee is in order ..... Now this is Cruising!! Also, because of health problems, my DW sometimes has a very hard time of things in the evening, so dinner in our room is a nice alternative to her having to negotiate a dining room. Yes, we love our room service. Even now, if we slip away for a few nights in a hotel, room service is typically the way we go, even paying for this premium service as we do. As well I can "sneak" a cigarette in between courses ( yes yes I know ... bad boomer!)

 

As far as paying a surcharge for room service onboard, we already do this in the form of "on the spot" cash gratuity. It is a service we appreciate and don't mind tipping extra for it.

[AZGal]

I am with all of you, we LOVE having room service, at the very least for breakfast. We'd much rather eat on our balcony than get dressed and trudge up to the Lido. We also sometimes like having a late afternoon snack in the room if we need something to tide us over until dinner.

 

We vacationed at an all-inclusive resort in March and 24-hour room service was included. We didn't really take advantage of this as much as we do on a cruise but when we did it was wonderful. Of course, we did tip as we always do on the ship.

[Tricia724]

Room service is one of the things I like best about cruising....especially for breakfast. I kind of use it as a weight-control device....when I go to the Lido, I always take more food than I need. When I use room service, I order much more sensibly.:)

 

We rarely use room service except for breakfast, but there are some times when it really comes in handy. On one cruise we were both onshore on different excursions....neither of which included any type of food or had access to food. We had late seating dinner and found ourselves really hungry at 6:00 pm with not many options for food on deck. So, I called room service and ordered a club sandwich and some side dish, and we split it. Just enough to get us through without ruining our meal.

 

I'm appalled at the way people waste food, too, and can understand that the cruiselines want to try to eliminate waste to the extent they can. I hope it doesn't come to eliminating, reducing, or charging for room service, though, because I consider that one of the major attractions of the cruise.....even when I don't use it.