What would you recommend a cruise company do in the future?

[Mav1960]

Hi Everyone

 

I am visiting a major cruise company's offices in the UK soon. If you could recommend any one thing that an individual cruise company could do that would work for its customers and its shareholders what would it be?

 

How would you advise them on how to succeed? You're the experts on cruises after all.

 

All thoughts gratefully received.

 

Thanks

 

Mav

[cruiseryyc]

Go back to smaller ships with no bells and whistles (i.e. skating rinks, climbing walls, MUTS, speciality dining, water slides, etc. etc.). Give me a ship with 1500 passengers and nothing to do but watch the ocean go by - that is what cruising should be about.

[CaroleSS]

!! Make the gratuities/service charge 'mandatory' by including it into the cost of the cruise. !!

 

And, while I agree with cruiseryyc that we prefer the smaller ships, there is a demand for the bigger ships with all the bells and whistles. BUT there is also a demand for the smaller ships. The cruise lines seem to be missing that second part. All the new ships have been big. How about a new smaller, more intimate ship?

 

I like the fact that cruising provides us options. If I want big, I can get big/If I want small, I can have small. Nicer dinners, better cabins, all-inclusive drinks.....can all be had for an additional price, but are not necessary for a pleasant cruise. Some view it as nickel and diming, but it certainly affords everyone the choice as to what they want/can afford in a vacation.

Edited November 21, 2013 by CaroleSS

[Bookish Angel]

Make the gratuities/service charge 'mandatory' by including it into the cost of the cruise.

 

Also, make some ships 100% non-smoking and schedule a few cruises a year as adults-only and non-smoking.

 

If older ships will still be operating, please update the decors!

Edited November 21, 2013 by Bookish Angel

[sail7seas]

Add as many embarkation/debark ports as possible.

The more cruisers who can board closer to their homes, the more often they will cruise if they can avoid airports/airplanes/travel to ports.

 

[ducklite]

On the luxury ships, add binoculars and an umbrella for each cabin, and a nice soft throw for the sofa.

[RSLeesburg]

Add as many embarkation/debark ports as possible.

The more cruisers who can board closer to their homes, the more often they will cruise if they can avoid airports/airplanes/travel to ports.

 

 

Agree, and rotate the ships and itineraries bit more often too. Some of the mainstream ships do the same one or two itineraries all year long.

 

I will second or third the need for some smaller ships. These could also be used to test out new home ports for viability and demand. Just look at Grandeur in Baltimore - she is small, much loved, and almost always sails full.

 

We traveling with a child, but I am not against cruise lines offering adult only ships and/or cruises. The smaller ships could also be used to support this - especially if you could offer a holiday, adult-only option. Before our son came along, my wife and I would have loved to take a Thanksgiving or Christmas cruise, but would not think of it because they are overrun with families or kids. I bet if an adult-only option was offered, they would sell out as fast the family ones.

Edited November 21, 2013 by RSLeesburg

[beachbum53]

Also, make some ships 100% non-smoking and schedule a few cruises a year as adults-only and non-smoking.

 

If older ships will still be operating, please update the decors!

 

That's already been tried, and failed. Carnival tried it with the "Paradise". I believe there are some chartered cruises that are "Adults only".

 

 

 

Here's an idea, though. How about installing a swimming pool large enough that you can actually swim in it, instead of standing in one that's maybe four feet deep, not much bigger than two cabins put together, and so packed that all you can do is just kind of float in one spot?

[Shorex]

There is very little intersection between what pleases shareholders and what pleases customers. As a shareholder I look for P/E ratio, dividend yield, a variety of risk factors, potential in growing my equity, etc. If the company cuts costs and improves stock performance I'm all for it.

 

As a customer (many lines prefer the term "guest"), I look for value in the overall experience, attention to detail, a consistent high standard of the product, and seamless performance of management and staff on board. I also pay close attention to how a line handles situations when "stuff happens." Examples of "stuff" would be mechanical problems (pods come to mind), unusually high/low waters on the rivers of Europe, power outages, etc.

 

The intersection happens when a company performs strongly in the market and at the same time builds a loyal customer base while attracting new customers. Since I have no cruise related investments, I don't which lines have achieved those goals which are in some what of a conflict.

[CaroleSS]

While I can empathize with some of the suggestions put forward, most are not practical or economically feasible.

 

The best a cruise line can do is to do their best to accommodate the vast majority of people, but unfortunately when you try to accommodate everyone, you many times make the others annoyed.

 

While varying itineraries may sound like a good idea, doing so would probably prove costly to the cruise line (scheduling conflicts, port issues, fees, and the like).

 

Other suggestions like the deeper pool may have liability issues attached as the cruise line does not provide lifeguards.

 

We cruise when our vacation plans correspond with a cruising solution. We go to an AI when that type of vacation is what we are looking for. I doubt that one vacation type will EVER fill everyone's needs....thus the variety of choices.

 

To the OP - I might suggest to your corporate that they understand that they will please some folk and not others with any decision they make. They should try to please those in the middle as trying to please everyone always ends out pleasing no one. There are other cruise lines/vacation types for those on both fringe ends.

 

YMMV

[Scrapnana]

That's already been tried, and failed.

 

P&O have a couple of "adults only" ships that seem to be doing ok.

 

 

 

To OP.

 

I think that including gratuities in the price would be one that makes many people happy. I doubt many people would choose not to sail on a line simply because they charged a little more ( but had no added gratuities) so stockholders would not have issues. Some lines already do this and it appears to work well.

[kcwingwalker]

Unfortunately no smoking, no kids, smaller ships, more debarkation ports, etc. equals less profit.

[ducklite]

Unfortunately no smoking, no kids, smaller ships, more debarkation ports, etc. equals less profit.

 

No, they equal higher fares, something which I can live with.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[jocap]

Mav- many of these points don't apply to the UK, as we already have many small ships, some with the minor companies, plus plenty of adult only- P&O have 3, and Saga line's ships only accept adults. Thomson have tips included; the others have small tips and none on drinks.

RCI UK, and her company Celebrity have removed tips on drinks, and have persuaded Brits on board by providing a kettle in each cabin, plus all adults of 18yrs can drink alcohol. I'd say there's a pretty good choice out there, from tiny ships which manage a World Cruise, to the Queen's favourite, the 50 passenger ship Hebridean Princess which mainly explores the coast of Scotland.

If it's a line to be used in Europe, then it will have to be gratuities, which in the main are not understood, nor accepted graciously.

[SPacificbound]

Hi Everyone

 

I am visiting a major cruise company's offices in the UK soon. If you could recommend any one thing that an individual cruise company could do that would work for its customers and its shareholders what would it be?

 

How would you advise them on how to succeed? You're the experts on cruises after all.

 

All thoughts gratefully received.

 

Thanks

 

Mav

 

Here is one that goes with the previous request of "sail7seas":

 

I live in Houston where there is a new cruise port, and Galveston is about 90 miles with another cruise port. Sounds great right?

Nope, I do not want to go to the Caribbean, I have been to the Caribbean on many, many air/land vacations already. Sail out of Houston going somewhere else on a 15+ night cruise. How about a TA? That is what I, as a customer, would love. :)

[OCruisers]

Hi Mav! Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

 

Shareholders always appreciate dividend increases.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Langley Cruisers]

Go back to smaller ships with no bells and whistles (i.e. skating rinks, climbing walls, MUTS, speciality dining, water slides, etc. etc.). Give me a ship with 1500 passengers and nothing to do but watch the ocean go by - that is what cruising should be about.

 

 

Really? What you've described as wanting does exist and customers are free to choose the line and ship of their choice. Some people like the mega ships, some do not. Your ship is out there.

[baronessk]

Why can't ships be like airplanes? If a ship leaves on a 7 day trip from NYC and goes to Bermuda, Port Canaveral, Key West, Bahamas and back, why can't I board in Port Canaveral and disembark there a week later? Sure there are things to overcome like drills, etc., but if they're looking to fill and turn over cabins, I've often wondered why it doesn't work this way??? Just a thought!

[Antonintassie]

Yes ban smoking would be mine wishlist item

[sail7seas]

Why can't ships be like airplanes? If a ship leaves on a 7 day trip from NYC and goes to Bermuda, Port Canaveral, Key West, Bahamas and back, why can't I board in Port Canaveral and disembark there a week later? Sure there are things to overcome like drills, etc., but if they're looking to fill and turn over cabins, I've often wondered why it doesn't work this way??? Just a thought!

 

 

Marketing could be very difficult.

 

AND compliance with PVSA could be even harder.

 

[Fredr]

Emphasize training and maintenance. As someone who enjoys traveling by cruise ship, I have noticed that most cruise lines do not spend nearly enough on these two vital components. It is understandable though, because both are relatively expensive and the lawyers/accontants who are the CEOs of cruise lines do not want to spend money on what they view as an unnecessary expense.

 

The above is based on my 35 cruises the first of which was in 1976. And a word of caution to HAL. You need to quickly improve your maintenance schedule programs or you will begin to see a significant decrease in passengers.

[Scrapnana]

Why can't ships be like airplanes? If a ship leaves on a 7 day trip from NYC and goes to Bermuda, Port Canaveral, Key West, Bahamas and back, why can't I board in Port Canaveral and disembark there a week later? Sure there are things to overcome like drills, etc., but if they're looking to fill and turn over cabins, I've often wondered why it doesn't work this way??? Just a thought!

 

Some of the European lines do this (I believe Concordia was doing one of those cruises where you could get on at a number of different ports in January 2012). Thanks to the pesky PVSA most US cruises would not qualify to do this.

[dorisis]

Go back to smaller ships with no bells and whistles (i.e. skating rinks, climbing walls, MUTS, speciality dining, water slides, etc. etc.). Give me a ship with 1500 passengers and nothing to do but watch the ocean go by - that is what cruising should be about.

 

Like

[dorisis]

Add as many embarkation/debark ports as possible.

The more cruisers who can board closer to their homes, the more often they will cruise if they can avoid airports/airplanes/travel to ports.

 

 

Ditto. None of my favorite lines cruise out of Tampa, the port nearest to us.

[cruzeluver]

While I like a lot of the ideas posted here. most either already exist (smaller ships, gratuities included, no "bells and whistles", adults only etc.), or, would not satisfy the second of the OP's criteria.