Cruise Lines Woo the Never-Cruisers

[bUU]

Cruising as transportation died in the 1950s with the ascendancy of the airplane. Cruise lines are nothing more than floating and moving destination resorts.

[OlsSalt]

Cruising as transportation died in the 1950s with the ascendancy of the airplane. Cruise lines are nothing more than floating and moving destination resorts.

 

Hardly.

[cbr663]

And consumers now enjoy the lowest prices for landline service, the lowest prices per minute of cellular talk-time, the lowest prices per GB of cellular data - and the industry is superlatively profitable.

 

Exactly, as fierce competition has entered the market. This has also produced a market with very little differentiation between the players. And while we have embraced this in the telecommunications industry, the question remains would we embrace it in the cruise industry? As you can be sure, where Carnival Corp and its brands are concerned, the smaller brands like HAL would have the most to lose in a move toward sameness.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Re Mariner program: on my forthcoming April NCL cruise, as a solo passenger I will receive four free specialty dinners, two free bottles of wine (one sparkling), a cocktail party, free laundry, priority embarkation, 30 free Internet minutes. It doesn't cost the company much, but it makes me feel special.; On my forthcoming December HAL cruise, I will get lunch in the MDR on embarkation and a brunch. On comparison, there is a huge disparity. And yes I'm Platinum on NCL and ** on HAL, but I don't see that I will get much more when I advance to ***.

 

Re Ocean Medallion: Your cruise line is already tracking every thing you do aboard via your key card. Every time you leave your cabin, enter your cabin, dine in a restaurant, purchase a beverage, check into the spa is recorded and analyzed. The advancement of the medallion is the ability to push suggestions to passengers who want to receive them and nothing more.

 

I have completed 35 nights on HAL; I have 15 more booked. There is a lot I like about the brand, and I will increasingly look to their itineraries first and NCL's second, but that is because the brand is evolving to better address the interests of 49 year old guys like me who sail a lot. There's so much competition within Carnival Corp. (did I mention I'm booked 37 nights combined on P&O UK and Princess in the next 18 months) and without that HAL cannot afford to remain static.

[kazu]

Cruising as transportation died in the 1950s with the ascendancy of the airplane. Cruise lines are nothing more than floating and moving destination resorts.

 

You seem to have missed a number of itineraries on not only HAL but Cunard and several others.

 

I'll happily use a cruise ship to get from one lovely port to another versus flying. A much more civil way to travel IMO.

 

flights don't even go where some of our itinerary takes us this year and next ;)

 

And I would far rather cross the ocean on a ship than on a plane ;))

[bUU]

Exactly, as fierce competition has entered the market. This has also produced a market with very little differentiation between the players. Ft while we have embraced this in the telecommunications industry, the question remains would we embrace it in the cruise industry?

We also have embraced this in the hotel industry, restaurants industry, etc. We buy clothing and books and electronics from cookie cutter online retailers, instead of from a local tailor or apparel store, the corner bookstore, or even face to face with a blue shirt at Best Buy. There are two paths: Apple or Dell; Disney or Six Flags. Overpriced premium offerings, where you gladly pay extra to have the prestige of being their customer; or mass market offerings, serving up good stuff at a good price.

 

And I assure you, I didn't choose Holland America because of the prestige.

 

You seem to have missed a number of itineraries on not only HAL but Cunard and several others.

Not at all. If you aren't suffering from aviophobia and you're using Cunard for transportation, then you're doing it wrong.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We also have embraced this in the hotel industry, restaurants industry, etc. We buy clothing and books and electronics from cookie cutter online retailers, instead of from a local tailor or apparel store, the corner bookstore, or even face to face with a blue shirt at Best Buy. There are two paths: Apple or Dell; Disney or Six Flags. Overpriced premium offerings, where you gladly pay extra to have the prestige of being their customer; or mass market offerings, serving up good stuff at a good price.

 

And I assure you, I didn't choose Holland America because of the prestige.

 

Not at all. If you aren't suffering from aviophobia and you're using Cunard for transportation, then you're doing it wrong.

 

 

Don't knock it until you've tried it. Transatlantics are offered by many lines and they're very popular.

[OlsSalt]

..... but that is because the brand is evolving to better address the interests of 49 year old guys like me who sail a lot.......

 

 

 

In 5 years you will be 54. So they had better not evolve too much; just treading water can work too. That let's you and the rest of us to age in place. At least on one CLL option.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

In 5 years you will be 54. So they had better not evolve too much; just treading water can work too. That let's you and the rest of us to age in place. At least on one CLL option.

Most excellent point. One of the reasons I'm starting to sail less with NCL is that their pool decks especially are becoming a little too high energy for me and I find myself paying to hide away in the thermal suite, specially restaurants, etc. And evening dance parties just aren't my thing. By contrast, I have reserved a poolside cabana on my upcoming Eurodam cruise and I'm super excited about having my own piece of real estate in the heart of the "action."

 

But BB King, Billboard Onboard, and Lincoln Center Stage are pretty low key additions as compared with ropes courses, drop slides, and surf simulators. I think I will enjoy them for the next 20-30 years.

[OlsSalt]

Most excellent point. One of the reasons I'm starting to sail less with NCL is that their pool decks especially are becoming a little too high energy for me and I find myself paying to hide away in the thermal suite, specially restaurants, etc. And evening dance parties just aren't my thing. By contrast, I have reserved a poolside cabana on my upcoming Eurodam cruise and I'm super excited about having my own piece of real estate in the heart of the "action."

 

But BB King, Billboard Onboard, and Lincoln Center Stage are pretty low key additions as compared with ropes courses, drop slides, and surf simulators. I think I will enjoy them for the next 20-30 years.

 

Like I say, if it ain't broke HAL, don't fix it. There is a niche for those aging in place. I think you will love your cabana. And you hit on one of the key strengths of HAL which is getting rapidly lost - the amount of quiet public space.

 

Which apparently the current PTB now want to monetize every square inch - bye bye libraries, wide promenade decks .....etc

[Lovely other]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Not sure why HAL is "broken". Nothing wrong with being a cruise line for "older" passengers because there will always be an endless supply of the same. It is simply a matter of calendar tyranny.

 

 

But your assuming the next generation of 'older passengers' will like whatever the current one does which won't be the case ...

[kazu]

 

And I assure you, I didn't choose Holland America because of the prestige.

 

Not at all. If you aren't suffering from aviophobia and you're using Cunard for transportation, then you're doing it wrong.

 

You're right - you chose HAL for the price as you posted previously.

 

You really should look at some of HAL's itineraries. Once you move from Alaska, Caribbean, etc., that is what HAL is about and that is why many sail her, including us. We fly back but we get to explore a lot of lovely ports before we do.

[bUU]

Don't knock it until you've tried it. Transatlantics are offered by many lines and they're very popular.

By every objective measure of transportation, and only Transportation, there are Superior ways for a person to Traverse the ocean. In order for a transatlantic cruise to be deemed advantageous some other criteria, other than Transportation, must be brought to bear.

[3rdGenCunarder]

By every objective measure of transportation, and only Transportation, there are Superior ways for a person to Traverse the ocean. In order for a transatlantic cruise to be deemed advantageous some other criteria, other than Transportation, must be brought to bear.

 

 

There is so much more to life than getting from A to B as quickly and cheaply as possible.

[cruisemom42]

But your assuming the next generation of 'older passengers' will like whatever the current one does which won't be the case ...

 

 

Agreed.

 

To assume that's the case would be certain death, a la vacationing in the Catskills.

[OlsSalt]

But your assuming the next generation of 'older passengers' will like whatever the current one does which won't be the case ...

 

 

I am assuming nothing other than those passengers will also become old.

 

And it might be best to appeal to them still as eventually older passengers, rather than appeal to a passenger group that is presently much younger and in the process lose the current older and becoming older passengers.

[RocketMan275]

Don't knock it until you've tried it. Transatlantics are offered by many lines and they're very popular.

 

 

I wish more cruise lines offered transatlanics, not just repositioning cruises.

And, no, I'm not interested in Cunard. I realize their marketing niche is the recreation of the golden days of Atlantic steamship travel. Just not for me. I wish there was a cruse line that offered Transatlantics where one did not have to pack a coat and tie.

There are many itineraries we would love in Europe. We hate flying more than we hate ties.

[OlsSalt]

.........We hate flying more than we hate ties.

 

Agree, it is the flying now that becomes our biggest cruise choice barrier.

 

Too expensive for us to go first class or business to get more comfortably to the departure port, and takes far to long and too many lines and hassles now to just get on the plane itself. It takes a few days to unwind once onboard and more than a few days to unwind from the torture of getting home on the return flight from who knows where.

 

Just about ruins the benefits of relaxing on a cruise. Hence our own "aging in place" response is to take more cruises from closer home ports - for us that only means San Diego for HAL cruises. And there are not that many choices out of San Diego. So that does underscore HAL's need to reach out to younger cruisers who can withstand the ordeals of simply getting to the ship somewhere around the world.

 

However, as much as age is a factor here I place a lot of blame on the airlines and security demands that have made flying an almost insurmountable travel barrier these days.

[RocketMan275]

Agree, it is the flying now that becomes our biggest cruise choice barrier.

 

Too expensive for us to go first class or business to get more comfortably to the departure port, and takes far to long and too many lines and hassles now to just get on the plane itself. It takes a few days to unwind once onboard and more than a few days to unwind from the torture of getting home on the return flight from who knows where.

 

Just about ruins the benefits of relaxing on a cruise. Hence our own "aging in place" response is to take more cruises from closer home ports - for us that only means San Diego for HAL cruises. And there are not that many choices out of San Diego. So that does underscore HAL's need to reach out to younger cruisers who can withstand the ordeals of simply getting to the ship somewhere around the world.

 

However, as much as age is a factor here I place a lot of blame on the airlines and security demands that have made flying an almost insurmountable travel barrier these days.

 

 

The funniest thing is I can remember back in the seventies when I looked forward to a flight. And, I took a lot for work. Now, the idea is repulsive.

 

Wife and I will be cruising out of Florida. We honestly don't care where the ship is headed as we rarely leave the ship.

 

Right now, we're limited because we do not wish to leave our dog in the kennel for long periods of time. However, Doc is pushing 14.

 

I suspect we will have to fly some but it will be selective. For example, we're considering doing and end of season Alaskan cruise combing that with a repositioning cruise back to Florida. Only one flight involved.

 

I suspect we might do something similar for Europe.

 

One advantage is that our age, the expense of flying business class is getting less important. After all, we won't be taking that many flights.

[bUU]

There is so much more to life than getting from A to B as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Precisely the point. Yet, airlines offer precisely that (and practically nothing more). Cruise lines are all about that "more".

 

 

And it might be best to appeal to them still as eventually older passengers, rather than appeal to a passenger group that is presently much younger and in the process lose the current older and becoming older passengers.

Or not. One or the other.

[OlsSalt]

Precisely the point. Yet, airlines offer precisely that (and practically nothing more). Cruise lines are all about that "more".

 

 

Or not. One or the other.

 

 

Exactly, it will be one or the other.

 

And these final decisions will be made somewhere in the bowels of CCL. Should we be concerned these final decisions are now being made by key executives with zero hands-on background in the cruise/hospitality business? Maybe so. I am.

 

BTW: I don't consider merely sitting on the board or CLL to be "hands-on cruise/hospitality" experience. Nor taking a few cruises with his wife. The industry is far more complex that both superficial transactions.

[bUU]

That cuts both ways: It you don't have experience marketing vacation destinations, or managing capital budgets for cruise ships, etc., then you really don't have the experience necessary to say how a cruise line should be run.

 

But that doesn't mean we will stop doing so.

[draftxhorselover]

But your assuming the next generation of 'older passengers' will like whatever the current one does which won't be the case ...

 

 

Wow! completely agree with this statement in response to the original remark about 'if it ain't broke, don't change'

 

Reality is... yes its lovely to have a live band playing ballroom music but how many people REALLY want that? A few folks? Remembering the good ole days? Or how about the grumbling about the removal of the 'library and the librarian'. I see so many folks reading their own books or e-book readers now. Board Games? Not likely except for 10% of the population.

 

Things change and surely we must adapt and have things which may attract the 40 and 50somethings to cruising.

 

I'm looking forward to HAL since it appears they are trying to step into the 21st century but not to the extent of RC or Disney.