Beginning in January 2023, Norwegian Cruise Line is cutting back on housekeeping services for most cabin categories.
While this is clearly a money saving measure, Norwegian Cruise Line is stating the reduction in housekeeping “positively impacts our commitment to environmental sustainability and keeps our company in alignment with current standard practices in the cruise and hotel industries by promoting conservation of water and energy resources and by reducing the use of chemicals onboard our ships.”
The bottom line is some cabin categories will now receive cleaning service once a day instead of twice a day. This will also help the cruise line to consolidate jobs of crew members. The “Stateroom Steward” and “Junior Stateroom Steward” positions are being consolidated into a position called “Stateroom Attendant.”
Norwegian Cruise Line said, “The elimination of these positions will phase out over time, allowing Stateroom Stewards to complete their current contract. The Jr. Stateroom Stewards onboard will be promoted to Stateroom Attendants on dates according to the implementation dates of the new structure.”
Passengers staying in Studio, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, and Club Balcony Suite will begin receiving once-a-day housekeeping services fleetwide. Norwegian Epic is the first ship to implement these changes followed by Norwegian Sky on January 13, Norwegian Jewel on January 14, and Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Breakaway on January 15. The changes will continue until finally rolled out fleetwide by March 2023.
The changes first happen on the Norwegian Epic on Jan. 8, followed by the Sky starting Jan. 13, and then the Jewel on Jan. 14, and Sun and Breakaway on Jan. 15
This announcement comes on the heels of recent news of a 9 percent reduction of shoreside staff and a significant increase in gratuity charges.