More cruise cuts: Royal Caribbean hops on board the cull of cabin services

Philipsburg, St Maarten, - February 01, 2013: Royal Caribbean cruise ship Freedom of the Seas leaving port in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean at sunset.

Not long after similar announcements came from Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean is the latest to announce cutbacks in service to cabins on ships.

The service to cabins has long been a key trademark that separated cruising from land-based holidaying and resorting. The cuts from three of the biggest brands in cruises is what some have deemed a sunset to the gloriously over-the-top extravagance of cruising that even the mass-market vessels could once afford to boast.

As reported by Gene Sloan on TPG, Royal Caribbean has now instructed room attendants to cut back from twice-daily cleans, the traditional cruising gold standard for even the most frugal of fleets, to once daily for most of its cabins.

Royal Caribbean told TPG: “Royal Caribbean International is implementing a once-a-day cleaning service for staterooms across the fleet.

“Vacationers will still regularly see the familiar faces of their stateroom attendants, who will continue to do thorough cleaning, provide new towels, refresh amenities, and be available to guests for questions and stateroom requests throughout the cruise.”

Many cruise liners are still reeling from the effects of the COVID pandemic, and still deeply entrenched in record debt.

Service fees were already been hiked up on the Royal Caribbean by up to 10 per cent last August. It doesn’t bode too well for the future of the industry with further measures in service cuts now being enforced.

As the world’s largest cruise line, the industry views Royal Caribbean’s moves as a harbinger of the times. Only time will tell if other mass-market cruise lines still offering the twice-daily services, such as Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises, will take heed as such.

In a recent conference call with Wall Street, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and CEO Frank Del Rio said:

“We’re trying to balance what customers pay, what they actually pay for, and what they receive. So, for example, we did not cut the turndown service across all brands or across all cabin categories…

“Look, it’s management’s responsibility to optimise revenue and minimise costs. That’s economics 101, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Latest News

  • Cruise

P&O rescues Rotary volunteers after collapse of Air Vanuatu

P&O Cruises Australia has answered a plea for help from a group of young Australian Rotary volunteers, stranded in Vanuatu following the collapse of Air Vanuatu. The students, many of them teenagers from Albury, NSW, were volunteering for a youth project run by the Hive Rotary Club Australia when the airline abruptly cancelled all flights, […]

  • Destinations

Intrepid continues expansions with launch of first DMC in Jordan

Intrepid has increased its presence in the Middle East with the opening of its first destination management company in Jordan. Based in Amman, the local team will operate Intrepid’s range of nine experiential small group tours in Jordan from this summer, with a view to expanding the range for 2025 and beyond. Zina Bencheikh, managing […]

  • Appointments

Minor hotels appoints Puneet Dhawan to key Asia role

Global hotel owner and operator Minor Hotels has appointed Puneet Dhawan as head of Asia as the group plots its growth in Asia and India. From July, Dhawan will be responsible for the performance of all Minor Hotels properties in Asia, working in close collaboration with the Minor Hotels senior leadership team and will report […]

  • Appointments

Abercrombie & Kent and Crystal appoint Evon Ler to director of sales, Asia

Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group have announced that Evon Ler will join them in the new role of director of sales, Asia. She will work closely with Tony Archbold (VP, Sales, APAC, Crystal) and Susan Haberle (VP, Sales & Partnerships, APAC, A&K) with trade support across the region. Ler comes to the A&K family with more […]