New Cruiseline Presidents?

[sail7seas]

I read in another thread that RCI has a new President, HAL has a new one and I believe NCL also has a new President of the Corporation.

 

What's going on so many cruise lines changing senior officers at about the same time?

 

Am I wrong and what I wrote is not accurate?

[fishywood]

Absolutely accurate. Here is an article about this year's Cruise Shipping Miami conference which featured all three lines with corporate HQ there (Carnival Corp, RCCL and NCL) introducing new members of senior management attending their first industry wide event:

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/biz-monday/article14073770.html

 

 

What's going on is the cruise lines filling their boardrooms with marketing experts rather than veterans of the hospitality or travel industry. In NCL's case there is now a new financial model putting gains for the stockholders ahead of amenities for the passengers.

Edited November 2, 2015 by fishywood

[sail7seas]

Ahha,,,,, Now I get it. :)

 

Thank you.

[leaveitallbehind]

With RCI, the long time cruise line experienced president of RCCI was promoted to parent company RCI president while that president was promoted to parent company CEO. To fill that spot the also long time cruise line experienced president of Celebrity was promoted to the larger brand RCCL president. Not a marketing expert move at all but a succession planning move with successful industry veterans.

[njhorseman]

At Norwegian the changes resulted from the the merger of Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings and Prestige Cruise Holdings, followed by the sudden and unexpected resignation of NCLH CEO Kevin Sheehan. The new NCLH CEO, Frank Del Rio, was previously PCH CEO and new NCL president Andy Stuart has been with NCL for many years.

 

The bottom line is that the changes at NCLH were the result of a merger, resignation, and promotions of executives who were already working in the corporation...normal business, not something mysterious. Nor did it have anything to do with "filling the board room with marketing experts rather than veterans of the hospitality or travel industry" as claimed by another poster. The top executives at NCLH were already working for the company and are long-time cruise industry employees.

[leaveitallbehind]

What's going on is the cruise lines filling their boardrooms with marketing experts rather than veterans of the hospitality or travel industry. In NCL's case there is now a new financial model putting gains for the stockholders ahead of amenities for the passengers.

 

So based on the responses regarding the changes at RCI and NCL, at least two of the three moves have nothing whatsoever to do with "marketing experts" at all and are moves based in fact on long term industry veterans.

 

And most cruise lines protect their bottom lines as any successful publicly traded company responsibly would. Not sure where you are getting your "financial model" and other information from, but research usually is better than speculation.

Edited November 2, 2015 by leaveitallbehind

[rvsullivan]

So based on the responses regarding the changes at RCI and NCL, at least two of the three moves have nothing whatsoever to do with "marketing experts" at all and are moves based in fact on long term industry veterans.

 

And most cruise lines protect their bottom lines as any successful publicly traded company responsibly would. Not sure where you are getting your "financial model" and other information from, but research usually is better than speculation.

 

Nice response! There are some on this board that just sling that smelly stuff all over the place and hope it sticks. Not cruising on the line for a couple of years and making derogatory remarks is pretty typical of some. Good job on setting the record straight. Thanks.;)

[sail7seas]

At Norwegian the changes resulted from the the merger of Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings and Prestige Cruise Holdings, followed by the sudden and unexpected resignation of NCLH CEO Kevin Sheehan. The new NCLH CEO, Frank Del Rio, was previously PCH CEO and new NCL president Andy Stuart has been with NCL for many years.

 

The bottom line is that the changes at NCLH were the result of a merger, resignation, and promotions of executives who were already working in the corporation...normal business, not something mysterious. Nor did it have anything to do with "filling the board room with marketing experts rather than veterans of the hospitality or travel industry" as claimed by another poster. The top executives at NCLH were already working for the company and are long-time cruise industry employees.

 

Nice response! There are some on this board that just sling that smelly stuff all over the place and hope it sticks. Not cruising on the line for a couple of years and making derogatory remarks is pretty typical of some. Good job on setting the record straight. Thanks.;)

 

I never had any interest in NCL nor read their CC page until this summer. For a number of reasons, I chose to sail them in August. My first cruise on NCL and I started reading the CC forum and discovered lots of grumbling about the new President. It seems to be continuing. I have sailed the company, I did observe current experience aboard and have read the comments by some very loyal, multi-repeat cruisers. They seem to feel lots of changes on the ships are All about Marketing. Maybe they are all mistaken?

 

I can't decide what the new President of HAL is all about. But I'm interested to learn.

 

[AdGuyMG]

I can't decide what the new President of HAL is all about. But I'm interested to learn.

 

Before becoming president of Holland America last December, Orlando Ashford had never taken a cruise.

 

His background was in HR and communications for companies like Marsh & McLennan, Coca Cola and Motorola.

[leaveitallbehind]

I never had any interest in NCL nor read their CC page until this summer. For a number of reasons, I chose to sail them in August. My first cruise on NCL and I started reading the CC forum and discovered lots of grumbling about the new President. It seems to be continuing. I have sailed the company, I did observe current experience aboard and have read the comments by some very loyal, multi-repeat cruisers. They seem to feel lots of changes on the ships are All about Marketing. Maybe they are all mistaken?

 

I can't decide what the new President of HAL is all about. But I'm interested to learn.

 

 

Don't get me wrong - there have been changes with RCI that have altered the passenger offerings over the years that have not all been well received. I say that as well from the point of view of a long term RCI loyalist. I also think part of the motivation is cost control to prevent too much in the way of cost increases, which have remained very consistent in general over the years.

 

The main point I was trying to make was that the change in leadership - at least with RCI - was not to the OP's "marketing experts" or people outside the industry with some contrived agenda, but with long term industry experienced people (20 years +) who were promoted from within.

[njhorseman]

I never had any interest in NCL nor read their CC page until this summer. For a number of reasons, I chose to sail them in August. My first cruise on NCL and I started reading the CC forum and discovered lots of grumbling about the new President. It seems to be continuing. I have sailed the company, I did observe current experience aboard and have read the comments by some very loyal, multi-repeat cruisers. They seem to feel lots of changes on the ships are All about Marketing. Maybe they are all mistaken?

 

I can't decide what the new President of HAL is all about. But I'm interested to learn.

 

 

I don't what you're reading, but the last thing the posters on the NCL board are saying is that "the changes are all about marketing". The complaints are largely that the changes are all about squeezing every last dollar out of NCL cruisers...from raising daily service charges twice in a few months, to adding an 18% service charge to specialty restaurant bills, to introducing a $7.95 charge for room service, to making the specialty restaurant pricing a la carte rather than the former flat dollar cover charge.

 

It's been all about bottom line profits under the new regime, not all about marketing.

[sail7seas]

I don't what you're reading, but the last thing the posters on the NCL board are saying is that "the changes are all about marketing". The complaints are largely that the changes are all about squeezing every last dollar out of NCL cruisers...from raising daily service charges twice in a few months, to adding an 18% service charge to specialty restaurant bills, to introducing a $7.95 charge for room service, to making the specialty restaurant pricing a la carte rather than the former flat dollar cover charge.

 

It's been all about bottom line profits under the new regime, not all about marketing.

 

"squeezing every last dollar out of NCL cruisers"

 

 

Isn't that marketing?

 

[njhorseman]

"squeezing every last dollar out of NCL cruisers"

 

 

Isn't that marketing?

 

 

No. Thee are lots of ways to define "marketing", but that's not one of them. A simple definition would be something like "the promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising".

[iheartbda]

No. Thee are lots of ways to define "marketing", but that's not one of them. A simple definition would be something like "the promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising".

Yes, I did marketing for a ski resort and it was all about enticing people to come to the resort by extolling all its virtues and why they should choose that place over another. "Squeezing every last dollar" out of them was a job for the ski shop, the food and beverage venues, etc., once the people got there.:D

[sail7seas]

Yes, I did marketing for a ski resort and it was all about enticing people to come to the resort by extolling all its virtues and why they should choose that place over another. "Squeezing every last dollar" out of them was a job for the ski shop, the food and beverage venues, etc., once the people got there.:D

 

..... and getting them to spend their money.

 

When NCL provides and encourages people to dine in alternative restaurants that are extra charge, they are marketing.

 

When they provide lots of bars and lounges and bar staff to bring those enticing umbrella drinks, they are encouraging their guests to spend money.

 

[legaljen1969]

In NCL's case there is now a new financial model putting gains for the stockholders ahead of amenities for the passengers.

 

I don't necessarily think you have your facts straight on the changes in management, but I would agree that the financial model for MOST corporations is to have gains for the stockholders, even if it changes things for loyal consumers. There are plenty of folks who are stockholders who look at the numbers only. If they hold enough stock, they have some say. If they don't like their returns, they dump the stock and go elsewhere.

 

Business is about making money and keeping the stockholders happy, generally speaking. Very few large corporations are focused primarily on customer "happiness." They realize there will be some who don't like the product and will go elsewhere. They realize there are hundreds, if not thousands, more who like the product or are waiting to take up the space of those who don't. Almost anyone is going to look for the most value for the least money. When my preferred company stops offering a product I like, I stop using the product.

[iheartbda]

..... and getting them to spend their money.

That was inferred in my post.

*When NCL provides and encourages people to dine in alternative restaurants that are extra charge, they are marketing.

 

When they provide lots of bars and lounges and bar staff to bring those enticing umbrella drinks, they are encouraging their guests to spend money.

 

Sorry, don't agree but since this is getting off topic, I will let it go.