Royal Caribbean Endless Last Minute Policy Changes and What You Can Do

[CanHardlyWait]

Royal Caribbean takes your money and then makes endless cut backs after that.

Well folks you can make a cut back of your own.

Automatic Gratuities can be removed for any reason or no reason at all. Just go to Guest Services when you board and request they be removed. You may also do this by calling Guest Services from your cabin. It's 100% allowed and possible.

With no Automatic Gratuities crew will start to jump ship and Royal Caribbean will have to Go Out of Business or Reverse the policies on there cut backs. 

[ScottD]

4 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Royal Caribbean takes your money and then makes endless cut backs after that.

Well folks you can make a cut back of your own.

Automatic Gratuities can be removed for any reason or no reason at all. Just go to Guest Services when you board and request they be removed. You may also do this by calling Guest Services from your cabin. It's 100% allowed and possible.

With no Automatic Gratuities crew will start to jump ship and Royal Caribbean will have to Go Out of Business or Reverse the policies on there cut backs. 

Or don't do that to the crew....more people than not are going to pay the gratuities, so you won't be doing any harm to the company- just the people who helped you during your cruise. I haven't noticed or been bothered enough by cut backs to cause me to want them out of business. If you don't like how they operate- there are plenty of other lines you can try (all doing the same thing, by the way) 

[Xaa]

You can cancel the auto gratuities if that's how you want to roll.

A few other ways, if your desire is to have Royal go out of business or reverse their cutbacks would be:

• Don't book any cruises with them at all
• Book only with Refundable Deposit and cancel if the changes don't suit you
• Wait and experience the impact of the perceived cutbacks on your actual sailing and utilize the post cruise survey to express your feelings about your sailing.

Nobody loves cutbacks.  If they ever get to a point of impacting me to a degree that I would pull back the gratuities because of it, I'll just opt for the first bullet above. 

[wordell1]

15 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Royal Caribbean takes your money and then makes endless cut backs after that.

Well folks you can make a cut back of your own.

Automatic Gratuities can be removed for any reason or no reason at all. Just go to Guest Services when you board and request they be removed. You may also do this by calling Guest Services from your cabin. It's 100% allowed and possible.

With no Automatic Gratuities crew will start to jump ship and Royal Caribbean will have to Go Out of Business or Reverse the policies on there cut backs. 

Sorry, but this is just a bad idea.  Right or wrong, this is how crew are compensated - they are not the ones who are making the cutbacks.

If you feel like service levels at Royal have dropped, your recourse would be to sail another line or take a different vacation.

I'm not necessarily happy with the recent cut backs, but I do see it as a way to attempt to keep the cost of cruises down in an environment where costs are skyrocketing.  Think about food costs alone in 2023 vs 2020 and imagine how that is affecting the profit line.  

[WesKinetic]

You don't like RC's policy changes, so you're going to take it out on the hardworking crew who have absolutely no say over those changes.  Wow. 

[twangster]

What policy changes are you concerned about?

Please tell me your not seeing a report from someone posting something on social media and reacting to that. 

[Ryan79]

So your way of getting even with RC is to take it out on their poorest employees, who often come from 3rd world countries, and do all of the work that makes your onboard experience wonderful and had nothing to do with any decision you may be groaning about? Sounds logical….said no one! 

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, twangster said:

Please tell me your not seeing a report from someone posting something on social media and reacting to that. 

People actually do that? No way!

[bobroo]

Dude seriously!

I'd like to think that the posters on the Blog regard all Royal Caribbean crew as our friends; I certainly do. Talking bad and unjustly punishing our friends is not cool.

When you divide the $16 a day gratuity by the number of crew onboard who receive a portion....I come up with Jack Squat. Jack Squat is in no way an appropriate or adequate tip amount for the services received during a cruise day.

It's 2023 not 1923.

 

 

 

[smokeybandit]

What last minute policy change?

[teddy]

I’d like some credit for doing the right thing by deleting my original response. 

[ZBrady]

9 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

What last minute policy change?

Presuming from the discussion in another thread - an unconfirmed rumor that some guests were limited to one entrée from Room Service.

[fireclan]

Just now, ZBrady said:

Presuming from the discussion in another thread - an unconfirmed rumor that some guests were limited to one entrée from Room Service.

And that room service appetizers are now considered entrees, so one per guest per room service order.

I can only suggest to go the the WJ, load your plate(s) with as much food as you want and walk back to your room and indulge.

[HeWhoWaits]

7 minutes ago, fireclan said:

And that room service appetizers are now considered entrees, so one per guest per room service order.

I can only suggest to go the the WJ, load your plate(s) with as much food as you want and walk back to your room and indulge.

And save the $7.95 plus whatever gratuity you give the crew member delivering your order.

[Ampurp85]

Wow lets punish employees because the bosses sometimes make bad decisions.......is not cool nor good human behavior. 

[Vancity Cruiser]

I love how people want that ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST fares possible but complain about service cutbacks. You want EVERYTHING? No problem but you have to pay for it. There are plenty of luxury cruise lines to choose from. Stop expecting LV at WM prices

[Montemy2419]

Are you still upset about this same discussion this morning ?  Everyone has their own opinion but the crew are some of the hardest workers, away from their family for months at a time AND can be extended as it did with one crew member I talked to recently.  He was scheduled to go home after 6 months and RC extended his contract by 2 more months.  Yes, they are paid, housing, medical and food but family time is so important.

Discussion this morning:

[Bowen]

This is like going to eat at a restaurant and not leaving a tip. Just gross.

[Neesa]

We left DCL even after attaining Platinum status over there. Now that was a money grab of epic proportions! It just became ridiculous. DCL has also made adjustments that felt wrong. More $$$ less experiences. We lived through the DCL staff becoming not so Disneylike. The change was real and every sailing it became worse. Cast members seemed miserable. Fast forward....

Royal was so much more prudent, I felt a better sense of money well spent on Royal. We have sailed Royal enough to attain D+ and love the Crown & Anchor society. 

We do have the new DCL ship (Wish) booked as it was always my plan to experience the newest ship (years ago, 2019 I think) and I did not book refundable at the time, so one more DCL. 3/4 night.

I prepaid gratuities as well as have TA OBC & Disney Dollars OBC. Going in we are going to put our best attitudes in place and leave our wallets in the safe, save the wrapped packet of singles we put aside for hard working cast members additional gratuity.... if warranted. 

Our enjoyment will be the sailing and what's included....no extras. Not one extra dime on alcohol, cabanas, spa services, nothing. This for me personally and honestly will be compared to my Royal sailings and hopefully won't fall too short.

We booked the smallest concierge stateroom to take advantage of the forward & adult sundeck as my kiddo has seriously out grown this experience (what was I thinking?) 

So I guess it's a personal thing, even with the cut backs at Royal since the shutdown, I can't stop thinking Royal will still be the clear winner. 

We shall see, DCL Wish 6/9 Royal Wonder 6/25. Nervous and excited at the same time!

[smokeybandit]

Until there's first hand confirmation that basic room service no longer allows more than one dish per person, then I'll just ignore it.

[D Alt]

easy answer...

[TimeRacer]

Punishing the lowest people on the totem pole isn't the great coup people like to believe it is. Having been a wage slave for a crappy corporation, all it led to was them not bothering to replace those that left. That corporation ultimately downsized a little, but is still very much in business.

[DoomSlayer]

Wow.  So let me get this right. You are encouraging us to book a trip and act like total jerks by punishing the staff because you are upset with Royal’s trying to adjust to the new economic landscape we live in today?  No thanks, I will continue supporting the wonderful service staff that makes each cruise I am on magical by paying my daily gratuities and further tipping for exceptional service above and beyond what’s expected.

[USCG Teacher]

7 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Automatic Gratuities can be removed for any reason or no reason at all. Just go to Guest Services when you board and request they be removed. You may also do this by calling Guest Services from your cabin. It's 100% allowed and possible.

 

[CruiseGus]

8 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Automatic Gratuities can be removed for any reason or no reason at all. Just go to Guest Services when you board and request they be removed. You may also do this by calling Guest Services from your cabin. It's 100% allowed and possible.

With no Automatic Gratuities crew will start to jump ship and Royal Caribbean will have to Go Out of Business or Reverse the policies on there cut backs. 

Never could understand why Royal does allow this

I put a statement on every survey I do "Gratuities" should have it's name changed to "Service Charge" and be made MANDATORY!!

How that for stirring the pot

[Hutcherl]

These type are best to ignore and not even respond.  They are on an island with their thinking.  Best to leave it there.  Oops, did I just not follow my advice and reply?? 

[Matt]

That strategy is short sighted and punishes the wrong people. 

If you feel that strongly about the direction of the line, that’s fine. You shouldn’t cruise until you see a change back in the direction you like. 

I used to go to Disney World all the time but their guest policy changes ruined the product for me, so I stopped going.   
 

The hard working crew members deserve better from you if you continue to sail. 

[Pattycruise]

18 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Until there's first hand confirmation that basic room service no longer allows more than one dish per person, then I'll just ignore it.

I can confirm that occurred in January on Grandeur.  The post is in the Dining section of the boards.  Also posted is a screenshot of convo from a current Oasis occurrence and another screenshot of convo about another ship in March.  

[OCSC Mike]

3 hours ago, Matt said:

I used to go to Disney World all the time but their guest policy changes ruined the product for me, so I stopped going.

Same here other than the occasional trip to Disney Springs for dinner.

[NotPayinExtra]

Circling back to what I believe prompted this post. 

What is the official deal with this Room Service situation?

Can you just pay the $7.95 fee a second time for more items or what? 

How does it now work?

Matt????

[Ampurp85]

3 hours ago, NotPayinExtra said:

Circling back to what I believe prompted this post. 

What is the official deal with this Room Service situation?

Can you just pay the $7.95 fee a second time for more items or what? 

How does it now work?

Matt????

I don't think this change will be at all permanent. I can't see it going over well. I think this is the case of overwhelming staff....maybe uneducated crew as well.

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I don't think this change will be at all permanent.

Unless I missed something, it hasn't even been verified as an actual policy.

[ScottD]

13 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Unless I missed something, it hasn't even been verified as an actual policy.

It seems pretty confirmed from all of the screen shots @Pattycruise posted in the other post. We will see if it lasts, or if its one of those depending on who you talk to things, but I was looking forward to order room service my next time on board since I didn't last time and I keep hearing about these wings! 

[CanHardlyWait]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:38 AM, Matt said:

That strategy is short sighted and punishes the wrong people. 

If you feel that strongly about the direction of the line, that’s fine. You shouldn’t cruise until you see a change back in the direction you like. 

I used to go to Disney World all the time but their guest policy changes ruined the product for me, so I stopped going.   
 

The hard working crew members deserve better from you if you continue to sail. 

Well Matt....You know what you can do with your opinion.

But yes NOBODY will be getting tips this week. 

I made it to Florida and DH and I have fought non stop for 2 days over this. He is determined to not let his money get wasted. If Royal Caribbean wants Very Unhappy Guests due to there cut backs, here they come.

As for myself I have decided not to go. Too much negativity. This is NOT the trip I purchased a year ago!!!!! Haven't been anywhere since 2011 and it will take years to be able to save for another trip, but I just am not in the mindset to make this work anymore. So ultimately no tips from me. No additional purchases. The gravy train stops here Royal. 

As for DH. I wouldn't count on anything but attitude and unhappiness. He is very very angry. He feels also feels Royal took our money then cut back everything. He thinks we should be grandfathered in to how things were at final payment. Any cut backs after that date should not be our problem. Like pre tipping old amount of $14 instead of $16 if paid by certain date etc. But after that how to handle the rest we no longer agree. I'm done trying to feel anything but disgusted at Royal Caribbean. Now I have to figure out how to get home as cheap as possible. I'm in no mood to make lemonade. I just give up. So folks NO TIPS ANYWAY!!!!

The End.

[OCSC Mike]

46 minutes ago, ScottD said:

It seems pretty confirmed from all of the screen shots @Pattycruise posted in the other post. We will see if it lasts, or if its one of those depending on who you talk to things, but I was looking forward to order room service my next time on board since I didn't last time and I keep hearing about these wings! 

Those screen shots are what I was missing. Thanks.

[twangster]

11 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

As for myself I have decided not to go. 

This is likely the best outcome since you are determined it will be a terrible experience.  With that outcome already decided in your mind that would most likely have been the experience you would have created for yourself on board.  

I hope you have a safe and uneventful journey home.  

[OCSC Mike]

16 minutes ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Like pre tipping old amount of $14 instead of $16 if paid by certain date

They did do this.

I am tempted to say a lot more but there's no point. I wish you increased happiness in the future.

[Xaa]

You still have time this morning to change your mind and embark @CanHardlyWait.  Don't throw away your entire cruise fare over what you feel to be a lesser value.  

If you embark and enjoy even 1 thing it's better than losing it all.

Embark and expect nothing.  You can only then either get nothing or get something more. 

 

[Ampurp85]

@CanHardlyWait I hope you realize that by not going today you are forfeiting your hard-earned money. You said it's been over a decade, and you scrimped to save for this vacation and for some odd reason your husband is going into this vacation angry........WHY???? My, this person, and that person experience is/will not necessarily be yours. You spent all that money and time to get there. If you feel service doesn't warrant the gratuity, yes by all means remove it. But to not even go is a waste.......that tells me you would be petty at the detriment of yourself, Royal has your money already. 

[FSUFAN]

Holding back gratuities is not the solution. Write a letter to the CEO or just stop sailing RCCL. 

We were never big cruisers even when we lived in Florida, but now that we are retired, we are going to go at least once or twice a year and probably more.

I think there is a very high chance that we will move away from RCCL.  We have one more sailing with RCCL scheduled.  To me it is a perfect line for families but not so much for older couples.  I'd rather have a hydro-therapy pool than a rock climbing wall. 

Jason Liberty, CEO, was quoted in a recent fourth quarter earnings call that "I am encouraged by the ability to increase our pricing even more".  Good for the shareholder, not so good for the customer. 

I'm not mad at RCCL. I just think that the value proposition is not there for me personally and I am probably not in their target market (family vs empty nester).  So we will move on to other lines and try to find one that fits our wants and needs.