It seems that amidst the current cloud of announcements Royal Caribbean is secretly making some changes to the onboard service they are providing, or better the fees they are charging for the service.
So far the delivery of room service onboard Royal Caribbean has always been free of charge during the day (late night service carried a charge of $3.95) but, from what we read on social media, that practice is about to come to an end.
For sailings that start after 27 March 2017 Royal Caribbean is introducing a $7.95 service charge for room service. The charge will apply to the All Day Menu and the American Section of the breakfast menu.
So far the continental breakfast options will remain complimentary, allowing guests to take advantage of room service without additional fees in the morning. 
Following guests’ feedback on the new service charge Royal Caribbean has released a statement on the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society facebook page. In the statement the company explains they have “introduced a new premium room service menu in order to enhance the dining experience and to provide more options for guests.” The statement continues: “In addition, new breakfast selections also have been introduced to the menu to provide an upgraded in-room breakfast experience for guests. Continental breakfast items, which remain free of charge, will still be available to all guests.” Finally, according to the statement from Royal Caribbean, the new convenience fee “was introduced to better manage the high demand for this convenient and upgraded service.”
Comparing both old and new Room Service Menus we noticed that while on the old (breakfast) menu specialty items have a charge next to them, on the new menu there is no mention of any item charge. Because of this guests who want to enjoy a full American Breakfast are now better off then before (if they were to order two or more specialty breakfast items). A conclusion which was confirmed by Royal Caribbean.
So all in all we could say that while at first glance the updated Room Service Menu was a step back for Royal Caribbean guests, in some cases it could prove to be, as the company says, an “upgraded service”.
Nevertheless while guests will still be able to enjoy a free continental breakfast in the cabin or in the calm and privacy of their balcony, it wouldn’t surprise us if in the future Royal Caribbean would follow other cruise lines and start charging for (the delivery of) continental breakfast.
This post was updated on 17 March 2017