Every time a cruise line changes its dining options, it risks angering its passengers.
That happened recently as both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line decided to change their "lobster night" policies. Both cruise lines went from offering unlimited lobsters to offering one and then charging for any additional servings.
They did this largely because lobster prices have spiked in recent years. But passengers did not care -- they simply saw something that was once included being taken away.
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Royal Caribbean and Carnival (CCL) -) also got negative feedback from customers when they recently changed the menus in their main dining rooms. In Royal Caribbean's case, the cruise line actually slimmed down its offerings while Carnival both dropped and added items.
Basically, any change to what passengers expect upsets at least some of them. That's a challenge for the cruise lines because a large percentage of cruisers are repeat sailors who expect things to be as they were.
Still and all, the cruise lines make changes because at the end of the day people probably won't cancel their trips because the "lobster night" rules have changed.
Now, Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) has asked its passengers about a potential dining change that would shock and anger its customers.
Image source: Nora Tam/South China Morning Post via Getty
Royal Caribbean asks about charging for pizza
Every Royal Caribbean cruise ship offers a mix of free and added-fee dining options. On most ships the cruise line offers a free cafe for snacks, Cafe Promenade, complimentary pizza in Sorrento's, and its included main dining room for three meals a day.
Even on the largest ships, which have even more free options, Sorrento's usually has a long line on embarkation day and later at night. People differ about whether the free pizza is good, but no matter their opinions, it's a very popular dining, snack, and late-night option.
Now, Royal Caribbean, in a survey that was sent to select past customers, has asked two unthinkable questions:
- If Sorrento's Pizza was offered for a fee, would you still dine there?
- How would Sorrento's Pizza being offered for a fee impact your likelihood to choose Royal Caribbean in the future?
Currently, pizza from Sorrento's and snacks at Cafe Promenade are the only free late-night options on Royal Caribbean ships.
Passengers can order room service for a $7.95 charge (no matter how much you order), and ships with the Playmakers sports bar offer bar-style food (wings, nachos, burgers) available until 11 p.m. for an added fee.
Royal Caribbean would not be the first to charge for pizza
Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival have made free nearly 24/7 pizza a feature that customers expect. You can even get free pizza on Royal Caribbean's higher-end sister brand, Celebrity, as the pizza section of its buffet stays open until late at night.
Many, but not all, cruise lines offer free pizza: MSC, a growing rival to Royal Caribbean and Carnival, charges for late-night pizza. MSC does offer free pizza on its buffet, including a breakfast pizza option, but many of its ships have dedicated pizza restaurants that sell pizza late into the night.
In addition, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and MSC all offer pizza through room-service deliveries, which come with a cover charge no matter when you order it.
If Royal Caribbean opts to charge for pizza at Sorrento's it would be a major change for the cruise line that could push passengers to give one of its rivals a chance.
On some Royal Caribbean ships the cruise line does charge for higher-end pizza at its a la carte Giovanni's Wine Bar concept, which is adjacent to the Giovanni's Kitchen full-service restaurant.
