Big changes coming to Carnival - Jan 1st
 

I just came back from a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Glory. The word from the crew was that alot of crew will be losing there jobs.
For example : room stewarts that now work two to a team will be cut to one.
Your room will only be serviced once a day. No more turn down service after dinner with a mint on your pillow. The Staffing in the buffet for cleaning tables was down to three people. Also some ships are allready testing this.
You must pay for a steak or a lobster tail in the "free" main dining room.
$14.00 is what I was told and last but not least there will be a cruise fare increase. Plus fuel is still on the rise. Cruise cheap for now. Ed

Wow! Those are big changes indeed.

TM

I hope the crew is wrong in this case. One of the items most passengers look forward to is the towel animal that is created during the evening turn down service. I would honestly miss coming in to my cabin at night and not having an elephant sitting on my bed wearing the wife's sunglasses.

Well, after the problem I had with the CD aboard "Miracle" last month, I'd decided to stop cruising Carnival for a while anyway, so it sounds like I made the right decision. I really feel sorry for the crew members who are left, as they work 18 hours a day now. When will they get to rest after this change takes place? I think this is a losing situation for everyone, including the crew, and the passengers. The Beards at Carnival have gone too far IMO, if this actually happens.

"SKY"

This "report" has been circulating for some time.

There is a pilot program for those in the MDR to try the food that is served in the Steakhouse--the other dining room that you pay for--as a sample of what you can experience there.

This is a response to the flak RCI got for charging for steaks in their MDR.

Go back and research Johns blog for the whole sordid affair.

With regard to the other issues..business is business. Cutbacks are all over in the economy. No one should be considered immune.

SKY, I do hope you reported the CD to all the appropriate folks ?

"Word from the crew" rumors are usually half baked in untruths, so I'd wait to see. But, they have been experimenting with the choice of a "extra cost" "better steak" in the dining rooms on ships that do not have the Steak Houses on them, and not surprised that will go fleet wide. RCI has been offering the for a fee "better steak" on their ships for awhile now, even on ships with alternate restaurants.

It's been quite some time since Carnival (or any cruise line) has had one steward doing their own section of cabins. They've been working as team.. sometimes two, sometimes even three, sharing a long stretch of cabins. Though each had a section designated they worked each other's together. Perhaps they are going back to the one steward doing their own cabins, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

RCI quit putting the chocolates on the pillow some time ago, and I could believe Carnival will discontinue that as well, but I'd be really surprised if they discontinue the nightly cleaning and turn down service.. along with the towel animals. The towel animals have been a Carnival signature for years. I honestly don't see them just cutting it out.

Exactly! Agreed.

I think I will take a "wait and see" attitude on this or wait til an official with Carnival makes this statement. The crew "rumors" are usually not too accurate.

If they stop nightly turn-down service it would make me irritated enough not to sail them. It is just one of those things you expect in cruising. I could care less about the chocolate.

Right now most stewards hire someone to help them with the cabins. I think that they will be going back to the one steward for a group of cabins instead of two or three doing a much larger group of cabins.

We'll see what the new year brings.

Take care,
Mike

I really cannot imagine them stopping nightly turndown - after all, how does that save Carnival any money? They still need to have room stewards for the morning.

If the idea is to work them harder during the day then some people would not get their cabin serviced until almost dinnertime - that is not acceptable.

These rumors get started all the time, and I don't know why, but I suspect it is just talk among crew members getting out of whack.

I don't believe for a minute any of the rumored changes. Carnival simply doesn't make radical changes. Perhaps just a disgruntled employee?

The price of oil is higher, but I think will trend back down.

Jan 1 will be here soon enough.

The fuel surcharges were also implemented when oil was going for $120-$140 a barrel and the economy was in the depths of the recession and cruise prices had to be cut to fill ships. It is different this time, even with oil sitting in the $90 range. Cruise fares have been creeping back up for a while.

It would amaze me if Carnival made such drastic changes to their product. People say many disparaging things about Carnival management, but one thing you never hear is that they are stupid and make bad business decisions. Not doing the evening freshening of the cabin and turning down the beds would be a bad decision. It's ridiculous really - would they want passengers dropping pullman beds down from the walls and ceiling? There's a scenario for a lawsuit!

We cruise the 26th and again on the 3rd so we will check it out.

Yes, Phil&Liz, I did indeed report my problems with the CD (Malcolm Burn) and his entire staff to the folks in Miami, and yes, I did get a letter of apology, and a promise that they would look into the situation. Perhaps it's because the lovely Mrs. Jones (Vita) and I are MileStone, and have sailed Carnival many, many times, but frankly if they do look into the situation, and if the CD and his staff are the same on each cruise, I don't expect any of them to be around for long. Maybe they were just having a bad week or something, but their attitudes and actions were completely uncalled for, and unacceptable.

"SKY"

Hey Dutch,
Looking forward to your report, as to if this is rumor or fact. I really can't see them doing this, but stranger things have happened, time will tell...

I agree with the others....but thanks for passing along the information.

I bet John Heald is sorry he made such a big deal about the 'pay' steaks in the RCCL dining rooms.

John Heald has talked about changes coming on his blog, but he said they were changes we would like. None of these rumored changes are anything we would want. We'll take a wait and see attitude.

Dave - sorry to contradict you, but I did an article on fuel surcharges so I remember the situation more specifically.

It's actually been longer than we remember since there were fuel supplement charges, the last time WAS when oil got well over $100 barrel, but it was actually before Sept. 2008 when our economy dropped in the toilet seemingly overnight with the Paulsen announcement that we needed 800 Billion or the banks would fold.

The economy was robust, stocks were up and cruise prices were a lot higher, and demand was higher, so they felt they could put the supplements on and not affect demand - and they did.

They have not put them back on since the economy tanked - because pricing is too sensitive to the economy now. I dont' think they believe they could get away with it (or else they might have done it a while back).

And Zydeco has a good point - oil prices have flirted with $90 a few times but they always fall back to $80 range each time, too.

But what could be a bigger deal is if the world tries to make them stop using bunker fuel - that would drive up fuel prices a lot.

I hope this is all B.S. I'm off to Bermuda in April and will see for myself.

Has anyone considered contacting the cruise line to see if the rumors are correct??

One more thing.

Now that would make me mad. They can always raise the cruise fare to offset that cost.

Lobster tail and steak extra cost- couldn't care! I know I am unusual but that would not be a deal breaker for me esp as I have no inclination to sail with Carnival :D

Oh and those animal towels - what a complete waste of the crew's time!

And you read this board why?

Honestly, some people really do themselves and Carnival a disservice by spreading false rumors.

The turn down service is not being eliminated.

Chocolates will still be there.

You will still get free lobster and prime rib on Elegant night just like always.

Yes, on ships that do NOT have a Steakhouse.... there is now an OPTION to get lobster every night if you want it. It is $18.00. For those that want to treat themselves or celebrate a special occasion. But it is still free on Elegant night.

This is simply an OPTION for those ships where there isn't room for a Steakhouse.

Next time, I suggest you ask someone who knows what they are talking....before making yourself look foolish.

Btw, John Heald just confirmed my FACTS above in his Blog.....

rofl rofl rofl rofl

I was thinking the same thing...go back to the other board, sheeezz

Agreed
 

Steaks and lobster extra doesn't bother me. No towel animals? Mutiny I say!

Dorothy
next cruise - Elation on 3/31/10!

Don't raise MY cruise fare so others can get those specialties. Why should a whole ship of people pay for it? There are so many food options that are already included in the dining room.

I heard on the news this morning, that there talking about gas going up to around 5.00 gal over the next 2 yrs. That will definatly have a effect on the cruise fare. I just hope im wrong..

There are many amenities on board they we all pay for and some of us do not make use of. You are still paying for the disco if you don't dance, you are paying for the jazz combo if you don't like jazz and you are paying for lobster and chocolate melting cake even if you eat a burger on the lido deck all week.

I find it amusing that people on the one hand say the crew are overworked and on the other complain about the possible absence of towel animals

Easy solution: discontinue towel animals.

QED

Annie