Latest news with #roomservice
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
I've been on a lot of cruises. I swear by spending at least one port day on the ship.
One of the best ways to enjoy a cruise is to stay on the ship while it's docked at least once. Ships are often pretty empty on port days, so spas offer deals, and lounge chairs are easy to snag. On port days, I love enjoying the ship's amenities at a slow, laid-back pace without crowds. One of the most exciting parts of a cruise is when the ship docks at its next destination. As passengers rush off the boat to explore the stop, though, I sometimes prefer to stay put. This may sound odd, but many experienced cruisers like myself know one of the best ways to make the most of this type of vacation is to stay back on the ship during at least one port day. Skipping a stop may not be for everyone, but it's an especially great option if you're visiting a place you've already seen or one you're not very eager to explore. In most cases, the shops and casinos will be closed while in port, but there are several benefits to staying on the ship while it's docked. Itineraries with several ports often require travelers to wake up early if they want to make a timed excursion or have enough hours to enjoy the port before the ship leaves. However, when I skip the port, I don't need to set an alarm or rush to the buffet to grab an early breakfast. Instead, I like to enjoy a slow morning with my husband, ordering room service to our cabin or visiting a sit-down breakfast venue instead of the buffet. Snagging reservations to sit-down spots is much easier, and even if we stop at the buffet, we rarely have to wait in line since most cruisers are already on land by then. In addition to having a slow start to the day, I've also found that port days are the best time to relax by the pool in peace. On our last cruise, did my husband and I take turns running to the pool deck at 7 a.m. to reserve lounge chairs (even though you're not supposed to)? Did we often plan to relax in an onboard hot tub only to change our minds when we realized it was too crowded? And have I attempted to read my book poolside only to be bothered by crowds of loud children? Yes, yes, and yes. These things don't happen on port days. Now, we know that staying on the ship while thousands of people disembark can be the surefire way to reach these sundeck goals, on our own schedule. If you're not getting off the ship, head to the spa. It can be tricky to snag appointments on sea days because everyone has the same idea to book a massage or a facial while the ship is sailing and there's nowhere to go. On port days, you have a better shot at getting your desire time slot and, even better, you might get a discount. Many cruise lines offer port-day spa specials. I've had great experiences enjoying discounted massages, pedicures, and facials on port days at a discount on both Celebrity and Norwegian ships Be sure to check your ship's daily program or call the spa directly — the staff is usually happy to answer questions. My husband and I use port days as a chance to enjoy the ship's amenities and the upgrades we paid for even more. For example, many ships have great gyms that can be very popular on sea days. They're often less crowded on port days, which are the perfect time to exercise on your own schedule and not have to wait to use your preferred equipment. On a recent sailing, I paid extra to access the Norwegian Cruise Line Vibe Beach Club — a private pool deck with hot tubs, a dedicated bar, upgraded loungers, and comfy sunbeds. I went almost every day of my cruise, but it was especially exclusive-feeling on a port day because there were fewer people. I took a nap, read my book, and sipped frozen cocktails in total peace. After all, there's nothing like avoiding crowds. Read the original article on Business Insider
Wall Street Journal
02-07-2025
- Wall Street Journal
Four Friends, Five States, One RV. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I like to think of myself as low-maintenance. I've spent much more time in Greyhounds than limousines and once crisscrossed South India by train. I could write a book on European hostels. But lately I've wondered if I've gone a bit soft. A few trips with friends who would sooner give up their gallbladders than their airline status has given me a taste for the finer things in life, like room service and heated pools. So when a different friend called me up and proposed a two-week tour of the South in a rented RV, it seemed an ideal way to see just how low-maintenance I really was.
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Forbes
Next-Level Room Service: 7 Hotels With Extraordinary In-Room Dining
Room service has long been a hallmark of hotel luxury, but in today's ultra-competitive hospitality landscape, some hotels are going off-menu and thinking outside the box. Room service isn't what it used to be getty Perched high above Central Park South, Preferred Hotels & Resorts' member Park Lane New York is a reimagined icon in the heart of Manhattan, offering cinematic views of the skyline and a bold new take on modern luxury. It's also home to one of the city's most extravagant in-room experiences: the Caviar Hotline. Guests simply dial '5' from their room phone, and a decadent spread of Bemka Royal Ossetra Caviar arrives at their door, alongside all the traditional trimmings like crème fraîche, blinis, and even chicken nuggets. Set in a grand townhouse near the Spanish Steps, Portrait Roma is a quietly opulent boutique hotel known for impeccable service and postcard-worthy views of the Trinità dei Monti. It also has a genius take on in-room dining: instead of one hotel restaurant, guests can sample dishes from over 15 of Rome's best eateries (including Michelin-starred Il Pagliaccio; Enoteca La Torre Aroma; and Zia) all without leaving their suite. Nobu Hotels have always blurred the line between luxury lifestyle and culinary prestige, thanks to their legendary founder chef Nobu Matsuhisa. At every Nobu Hotel worldwide, guests can enjoy the restaurant's most iconic dishes—miso black cod, rock shrimp tempura, and yellowtail sashimi—all served right in their room. At Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, things go even further with the 'Nobu All Night' menu, available from 10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Tucked away on Phuket's lush northwestern coast, Trisara is known for its privacy, palm-fringed villas and serene sea views, but it's also quietly revolutionizing the idea of in-villa dining. Their newest concept is a bespoke Cultural Street Market brought directly to you. Guests are treated to live food stations replicating the sights, sounds, and scents of a traditional Thai street market with stalls dishing out made-to-order Phad Thai, green papaya salad, satay skewers, tropical fruit platters, and coconut ice cream. With its hilltop setting, lush gardens and rare art collection, Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, feels every bit the Roman emperor's playground, and for those who want to feast like Caligula, the hotel offers an in-room Imperial Breakfast that's more like a tasting menu than a morning meal. This lavish 15-course spread includes Sicilian citrus lobster, black truffle scrambled eggs, tuna tartare on pineapple carpaccio, and canapés with everything from fried yolks to bottarga. Whether enjoyed in bed or on a private balcony, it's the ultimate way to start your day in the Eternal City. Located along Vietnam's Cam Ranh coast, Alma Resort is rethinking guests' morning coffee order with its immersive in-room Vietnamese coffee service. Here, a barista pedals up to your pavilion by bicycle, ready to handcraft your perfect brew in front of you. Choose from iced black or white coffee; bạc xỉu (Vietnamese style coffee, with more milk than coffee); or savory-sweet salted coffee. The experience is a nod to Vietnam's rich coffee heritage, as the country is the world's second-largest coffee exporter after Brazil. Nestled in the heart of the Swiss Alps, The Brecon is a new chalet-style retreat known for its Wes Anderson design and all-inclusive service (a rarity in the Swiss Alps). Each night, post-ski and pre-dinner, the hotel's bartender makes the rounds with an old-fashioned bar cart, knocking on guests' doors to offer freshly made cocktails or a coupe of champagne. Both unexpected and endearing, this après room service trolley tradition has become so beloved that many guests make a point to be in their rooms at cocktail hour just to catch the moment.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Two Brits are arrested after 'fleeing cruise ship on Ibiza without settling £2,700 room service bill'
Police have arrested two British holidaymakers in Ibiza accused of fleeing from their cruise liner after trying to dodge a four-figure room service bill. The pair, both in their twenties, were held on suspicion of fraud at Ibiza Airport on Wednesday after leaving the ship 'in a hurry' when it docked on the holiday island. A spokesman for the National Police in Ibiza revealed yesterday they had been accused of attempting to wriggle out of paying a bill totalling £2,685 The force said: 'On Wednesday Spanish National Police officers arrested a man aged 23 and a woman aged 18 who are both British as the suspected authors of a crime of fraud for refusing to pay several consumptions during their stay on board a cruiser liner. 'The couple tried to leave the cruise liner in a hurry with their luggage, declining to pay the cost of expenditure linked to their holiday, around 3pm on May 21. 'The bill for various items, linked to their room, came to [£ 2,685). 'Police called to the scene interviewed crew members who told them the alleged offenders had tried to push their way off the ship in their attempts to abandon the vessel. 'The couple were tracked down in the island airport after detectives launched an operation to find them. 'They were held at 6pm on May 21 as they tried to leave Ibiza.' It was not immediately clear this afternoon if they have already appeared in court. The cruise company they were travelling with has not been named by police. The arrest of the two Brits on Ibiza comes after a local last week pleaded for her island to stop letting in 'wild animals' as she endured a raucous flight from Luton to the Spanish isle. Erika Barrachina posted footage of rowdy tourists, insisting they should not have been allowed on the plane in the first place. 'My flight from London to Ibiza was absolutely horrible,' she captioned her post, showing tourists banging and chanting on board the two and a half hour flight. 'I was scared. A plane full of real English animals.' 'Everyone standing, screaming, guys hitting each other, drinking bottles of alcohol one after the other and stopping the flight attendants from doing their job. Real hell.' Passengers could be seen on board banging on luggage compartments above them and yelling: 'Come on Ibiza.' She alleged that she had seen passengers drinking before the flight took off, insisting 'this shouldn't be allowed'. 'They shouldn't let rabble like this get on a plane or sell alcohol on board. We don't want this type of tourism in Ibiza, they should stay at home,' she told Diario de Ibiza. Erika, who posts online as Kiribarrachi, told local media she had complained to the flight attendants. She claimed the two male air stewards and an air stewardess on board had asked some passengers for their documentation but were met with shouts of 'F*** off.' 'I had a very bad time and the flight attendants unable to do anything because how do you control these wild animals inside a plane. There has to be a solution.' 'I'm not afraid of flying because I've flown around the world but I had a panic attack because it was like being in a pub, in a nightclub, but in the air,' she added. 'This video is the just the end because I couldn't film what happened during the journey,' she said. She said they were let off the plane after reaching Ibiza airport and identifying themselves. easyJet told MailOnline the flight 'was met by police on arrival due to a group of passengers behaving in a disruptive manner'. Erika posted the footage last Saturday, a day before thousands of people marched in Canary Islands capitals as part of a new anti-mass tourism protest. Locals in the Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza, are due to stage their protest on June 15. Demonstrations across Spain continue to gather pace as locals decry what they call 'overtourism' - the catering of local industry to foreign visitors, affecting jobs and house prices, and the arrival of noisy, drunken tourists. While the Spanish government has introduced a rent cap mechanism, only few regional governments - like that in Barcelona, where it led to slightly reduced rents - have applied it. Government measures have not proven enough to stop protests over the past two years and experts say the situation likely won't improve soon, with more demonstrations expected in the coming months.
