Want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich delivered to your cabin on Carnival Cruise Line? It will cost you five dollars.
Itinerary routes have introduced a New room service menuposted on Facebook by corporate ambassador John Heald, effective October 1. Previously, continental breakfast and selection of salads, sandwiches and desserts were free with orders from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Now, only continental breakfast is free.
Salads are now $4 to $5 (with extra protein charge), sandwiches $5 to $7 (including the aforementioned PB&J) and desserts $3 to $5 . Previously charged snacks, such as chicken and pan pizza, are now $6 to $8 ($1 to $2 more than they used to be).
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That means if you come back late from an excursion and want to order lunch back to your room, you’ll have to pay around $15 for a Caesar salad, a grilled Reuben with fries, and a rich marzipan.
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Why change? “One of the reasons we’re doing these nominal charges is because of food waste,” Heald posted on his Facebook account on September 28. “I know whatever I say it will. there are some who will say ‘shut up this Heald is all about profit.’
“Let me guarantee that many cruisers will order lots of bread and treats and end up leaving 70% or more leftovers. We’ve all seen those plates outside the cabin doors.”
Carnival Cruise Line’s official statement matches what Heald has said. “Updating our room service menu to expand a la carte options, while maintaining our complimentary breakfast each morning, is in line with industry-wide trends and gives us the opportunity to continue to work towards achieving our various sustainability goals – including food waste, water and energy reduction – while still providing our guests with the option of 24/7 room service if they want,” a spokesperson told TPG in an email.
Heald went on to remind cruisers that Carnival’s free Deli venue, located on the cruise ship’s pool deck, is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. if holidaymakers are willing to leave their rooms to eat a little. Other free and casual Carnival locations include Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina for Mexico, Pizza Pirate and the buffet; Hours vary by location.
The problem with cruisers is that sometimes the food you want isn’t available at the time you want it. You can’t buy Greek salad at the deli, nor at PB&J. As a mom, I can tell you that not all ships put peanut butter and jelly on their after-breakfast buffet. The free room service is also a huge help for parents with young children; Sometimes, your baby is sleeping or your baby is fussy, and it’s much easier to deliver food than to try to send someone out to bring everyone a plate of food.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Culinary and Dining on a Cruise Ship
Unfortunately for budget travelers, room service fees are increasingly common. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have long charged delivery fees for room service orders. For example, Royal Caribbean charges $7.95 plus an 18% gratuity on room service orders, but you can order as much food as you want for that price. Norway fee $9.95 plus 20% bonus.
With Carnival moving to an a la carte model instead of charging for delivery, room service prices for multiple people are now higher than those of competitors.
It’s no surprise that Carnival fans aren’t happy. Although Heald touts “the bread has definitely been upgraded,” one Facebook reader replied that “these look like the bread and dessert we use.” [sic] to get them for free, and they’re mediocre. “
Related: What not to eat on the cruise?
Another reader mentioned some unintended consequences of this move: “Just got off the train and the line for pizza and bread is too long.”
And while in most cases cruisers can afford the fee or can forage at one of the many on-board eateries, long-time cruise lines find this change distracting. all the things they love about vacationing on a cruise ship.
“This breaks my heart,” one person commented on Heald’s Facebook page. “One by one, Carnival is taking away the little things that made travel so special…. We’ll order some sandwiches and a piece of cake and check out the PRINT and decide what to do the next day. God.” , I remember excursions like that. “
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