Most seasoned cruisers know that the “all-inclusive” pricing offered by most cruise lines is a bit of a misnomer, with alternative restaurants, soft drinks and fancy coffees, all often being an extra charge. These are in addition to the old standards of extra charges for alcoholic beverages and some activities on board.
Now Royal Caribbean, infamous in 2008 for their “steak” fee, is at it again with a “late night service charge” being added to their room service menu. The charge will apply to any order placed between midnight and 5 a.m.
To be fair, the charge is not substantial, only $3.95, and it is per order, not per item. The cruise line says that $1.50 of this amount will be a staff gratuity. But passengers who might have normally tipped an attendant in cash, may now feel less inclined to do so, which may actually cut tips.
Royal Caribbean’s 24-hour food-court, with a limited menu, will remain free. In addition, for now room service will stay freeduring “regular hours,” i.e. between 5 a.m. and midnight. After all is said and done, however, it’s hard to imagine that if this change slides through without too many complaints, it won’t be expanded. The next step might be a hot food surcharge, a peak time surcharge or who knows?
Clearly Royal Caribbean thinks the revenue from this new fee will offset any loss of passenger goodwill. (Although curiously enough, for a company that loves to send out press releases, this change was quietly slipped into their website with no fanfare.)
One of the biggest appeals of cruising has always been the ability to relax, not think about money for a few days and get away from the real world. As the nickel and diming grows into bigger and bigger bucks, how long until passengers mutiny and flee in droves to land-based vacations?
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
