Should Princess Rebrand Itself?

[pms4104]

For a very long time, even before Covid, Princess has branded itself as a Premium cruiseline.

 

Many comments on this board take aim at changes Princess has made:  cutbacks, the Captains Circle perks, the Medallion program, food selection and quality and preparation, policy enforcement (MDR attire and environmental compliance, for instance).

 

Is it time for Princess to reassess their premium brand?

[Ombud]

Princess is targeting a younger age range which (IMHO) it needs to do to be profitable.  MedallionClass app, MDR attire, and menu selections aren't an issue for their targeted age range. But if they really REALLY want to update their food then I'd appreciate more healthy vegetarian options. Although I always have a choice between 2 it'd be nice to have an option between 3

 

Also:

More like Rock Opera and less like Stardust

Newer cruisers leave more $$s behind than higher category Captain Circle members

 

Just saying "it's just business"

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Ombud

[turquoiselake]

I'm a new cruiser and have only cruised once ages ago after graduated college graduation with Royal Caribbean on the Enchantment of the Seas. I've just booked a Med Cruise on the Enchanted Princess for next year (I must love being enchanted on cruises) and I agree. I'm probably in the minority but I have a marketing background and I think they should target families more. Not families looking for bumper cars and laser shows, but families like mine with older children (tweens and up) who are looking for a slightly elevated experience, educational excursions, and more than just a floating amusment park.

 

This shouldn't be a difficult pivot because they already partner with Discovery and Animal Planet. It's a great spot and I think they would really fit in well with. I think exploring more offerings in their teen clubs that can be fun class oriented (I'm thinking photography/videography, STEM). Or collaborating with Minecraft or Nintendo (animal crossing at sea anyone?) would be really cool. Book themes could be really neat too. My son is obsessed with the Percy Jackon novels which focus on Greek Mythology, a series of excursions focused on that would be fantastic on a cruise with stops in Greece. 

 

This could be great for multigenerational trips. I'm an "elder millenial" and travelling with grandparent/parents/kids is so much easier on a cruise. Just my two cents from a non cruiser who hadn't considered Princess initially until I dug more into the ports and ship offerings. 🙂

[Murray's Pop]

While we enjoy Princess immensely, we have never thought it to be a "premium" cruiseline.  So not sure why they would need to re-brand.  Take a look at the boards here for pretty much all the other lines and you will find the same complaints.  This just seems to be the ever changing environment of the cruise industry as a whole.

[mtnesterz]

Princess isn't Premium. They are mass market.

What kind of premium line makes you do everything yourself?, ie. the Medallion 

Tipping is not indicated on premium lines. Pricing reflects that.

A check yesterday on a big TA site: NCL, MSC, Carnival, US$ 60/100 day

HAL, Princess 75/130 day.

Cunard, Celebrity, 130/200 day

Oceania, Azamara, 230 plus

Seabourn, Silversea,... If you have to ask how much, you can't afford it.

 

[Esprit]

I too think it's not a premium line. Certainly better than P&O or Royal Caribbean and on par with Celebrity.

[Cruise Raider]

46 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Princess is targeting a younger age range which (IMHO) it needs to do to be profitable.  MedallionClass app, MDR attire, and menu selections aren't an issue for their targeted age range. But if they really REALLY want to update their food then I'd appreciate more healthy vegetarian options. Although I always have a choice between 2 it'd be nice to have an option between 3

 

Also:

More like Rock Opera and less like Stardust

Newer cruisers leave more $$s behind than higher category Captain Circle members

 

Just saying "it's just business"

 

 

 

Well said on all counts!  
 

[Daniel A]

I'd be interested in seeing a universally recognized definition of what constitutes Premium, vs Mass Market or Economy cruise lines.  It would seem to me that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

All the time I see beers (IPAs) that are called "Premium", and they taste like swill, but since it's labeled as "Premium" people drink it and pretend to like it as if they know what a better beer tastes like.

 

It's all a matter of taste.  I like Princess just the way it is, and it doesn't matter to me what others want to call it.

[tcdcruiser]

Agree. Princess is not a premium line.  With new ship builds with 3600 passengers you are by definition not premium. 
 

For me, the question is “where is Princess strategically headed?”

Targeting the next cruiser generation, 40 to 50 year olds, with tech products makes sense as this demographic grew up on smart phones and tablets. (Aside…I say 40 -50 year olds since Carnival gets the 20-30 crowd). 

But the 40 - 50 demographic segment is more than tech savy, they are foodies and speciality coffee (with premium bean) drinkers. They fly business class and use the airport lounges.  My point is it is going to take more that a RFID that opens your cabin door and comes with a lot of clunky and cranky features. 
 

As Princess begins to transition to this new world one has to ask what is the current cash cow demographic group, the 60 -80 crows going to do?  My guess is those with money will migrate to Oceania, Azamara, etc. and those without money will totally stop cruising. 

 

 

 

 

[scooter6139]

We should make sure we are looking at the categories that have been used to describe cruise lines before (Fodor's List).  They are Mainstream, Premium, Luxury.

 

Mainstream would include:  NCL, RCL, Carnival, etc.

Premium would include: Princess, HAL, Celebrity, Disney, etc.

Luxury would include: SilverSea, Regent, Seabourn, Viking, etc.

 

I've also seen groupings for Contemporary, Premium Contemporary, Resort, Upscale Premium, etc. 

 

I would still consider Princess to be a Premium line, as it is still the same as the others on the their respective lists (people also complain on the HAL and Celebrity forums).  It just depends on what you want to call premium.  Premium is different that mainstream, but everyone has their own opinions. 

[USCcruisecrazy]

8 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I'd be interested in seeing a universally recognized definition of what constitutes Premium, vs Mass Market or Economy cruise lines.  It would seem to me that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

All the time I see beers (IPAs) that are called "Premium", and they taste like swill, but since it's labeled as "Premium" people drink it and pretend to like it as if they know what a better beer tastes like.

 

It's all a matter of taste.  I like Princess just the way it is, and it doesn't matter to me what others want to call it.

Yes, it is in the eyes of the beholder.  After all, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.  We didn't start cruising on Princess because we thought it was a Premium Line.  We started cruising on Princess because of the itineraries, the older crowd (which is usually more reserved), the beauty of the ships, and the atmosphere.  That being said, I personally would consider it a premium cruise line.

[turquoiselake]

2 minutes ago, tcdcruiser said:

Agree. Princess is not a premium line.  With new ship builds with 3600 passengers you are by definition not premium. 
 

For me, the question is “where is Princess strategically headed?”

Targeting the next cruiser generation, 40 to 50 year olds, with tech products makes sense as this demographic grew up on smart phones and tablets. (Aside…I say 40 -50 year olds since Carnival gets the 20-30 crowd). 

But the 40 - 50 demographic segment is more than tech savy, they are foodies and speciality coffee (with premium bean) drinkers. They fly business class and use the airport lounges.  My point is it is going to take more that a RFID that opens your cabin door and comes with a lot of clunky and cranky features. 
 

As Princess begins to transition to this new world one has to ask what is the current cash cow demographic group, the 60 -80 crows going to do?  My guess is those with money will migrate to Oceania, Azamara, etc. and those without money will totally stop cruising. 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree and fit into that demographic. My husband and I will be 39 when we cruise, so right on the borderline of your age brackets, and are definite foodies, coffee snobs, and airport lounge users. We definitely didn't grow up with smart phones and tablets and didn't have cellphones (basic flip phones, the iphone was first available in 2007) until college normally in the early 2000's. Tablets came around long after that. 

 

Princess must be doing something right since we are sailing with them as opposed to Royal Caribbean which was also on our list but seemed a bit crass for the price. I'm hopeful that we'll fall in love with cruising but I think enviornmentalism is also a big part of this age demographic and I've been grappling with the enviornmental impact of cruising. 

[voljeep]

Disney is in a category by itself ... sorry

[Ombud]

36 minutes ago, tcdcruiser said:

more than tech savy, they are foodies and speciality coffee (with premium beer) drinkers.

Can we get small bites, lattes, & premium tea at the Princess Live Cafe as well as International Cafe on new builds? Addition of sushi bar is another great touch

 

I think they're trying to expand beer selection in Salty Dog Gastropub  ..... heading back there in a month

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Ombud

[nattie]

1 hour ago, turquoiselake said:

I'm a new cruiser and have only cruised once ages ago after graduated college graduation with Royal Caribbean on the Enchantment of the Seas. I've just booked a Med Cruise on the Enchanted Princess for next year (I must love being enchanted on cruises) and I agree. I'm probably in the minority but I have a marketing background and I think they should target families more. Not families looking for bumper cars and laser shows, but families like mine with older children (tweens and up) who are looking for a slightly elevated experience, educational excursions, and more than just a floating amusment park.

 

This shouldn't be a difficult pivot because they already partner with Discovery and Animal Planet. It's a great spot and I think they would really fit in well with. I think exploring more offerings in their teen clubs that can be fun class oriented (I'm thinking photography/videography, STEM). Or collaborating with Minecraft or Nintendo (animal crossing at sea anyone?) would be really cool. Book themes could be really neat too. My son is obsessed with the Percy Jackon novels which focus on Greek Mythology, a series of excursions focused on that would be fantastic on a cruise with stops in Greece. 

 

This could be great for multigenerational trips. I'm an "elder millenial" and travelling with grandparent/parents/kids is so much easier on a cruise. Just my two cents from a non cruiser who hadn't considered Princess initially until I dug more into the ports and ship offerings. 🙂

You should work for Princess 🙂

We as a family have loved Princess since we tried the brand, heck my 13 yo is one cruise away from Elite, for exactly these reasons - Discovery and Animal planet partnerships, actually enthusiastic and experienced kids club stuff (when DS was smaller), better selections of excursions and general sense of families cruising together vs drunk adults leaving their kids to fend for themselves. I bet Percy Jackson themed excursions would sell out in heartbeat! In words of my teen from our April cruise on NCL: "keep the waterslides, I want to go back to Princess".

We actually like using the medallion and overall the changes Princess introduced lately have been positive for our family. I think for every loud complainer about prevalence of technology/cutbacks/missing barrel chairs, etc. there are plenty of people who actually like Princess product and changes. To us Princess is the "premium" line.

[Princessfan20]

1 hour ago, Murray's Pop said:

While we enjoy Princess immensely, we have never thought it to be a "premium" cruiseline.  So not sure why they would need to re-brand.  Take a look at the boards here for pretty much all the other lines and you will find the same complaints.  This just seems to be the ever changing environment of the cruise industry as a whole.

Princess is a very solid middle of the road cruise line and a very good product.  It is by no means a premiere cruise line and does not need to be because they have a very loyal customer base.  I am sure the would be happy to up their prices and call themselves a “Premium” cruise line if that would make some happy.  They are more like a Honda Civic instead of a Lexus… 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Princessfan20

[turquoiselake]

4 minutes ago, nattie said:

You should work for Princess 🙂

We as a family have loved Princess since we tried the brand, heck my 13 yo is one cruise away from Elite, for exactly these reasons - Discovery and Animal planet partnerships, actually enthusiastic and experienced kids club stuff (when DS was smaller), better selections of excursions and general sense of families cruising together vs drunk adults leaving their kids to fend for themselves. I bet Percy Jackson themed excursions would sell out in heartbeat! In words of my teen from our April cruise on NCL: "keep the waterslides, I want to go back to Princess".

We actually like using the medallion and overall the changes Princess introduced lately have been positive for our family. I think for every loud complainer about prevalence of technology/cutbacks/missing barrel chairs, etc. there are plenty of people who actually like Princess product and changes. To us Princess is the "premium" line.

 

Thanks! From one Marylander to another (we're in Takoma Park) we are super excited to try Princess and I hope my son likes it as much as yours.

[LawDog61]

Can claiming ESG status be far behind? 😂

[Murray's Pop]

4 minutes ago, LawDog61 said:

Can claiming ESG status be far behind? 😂

Environmental, Social, and Governance??  Not sure what you mean.....

[Ombud]

30 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

They are more like a Honda Civic instead of a Lexus… 

IMHO:

Carnival = Honda Civic

Princess = Honda Accord

Cunard = Lexus 

[Ombud]

To those who miss 'the old days,' Carnival Corp is a business with shareholders who are hoping it comes out of the pandemic better & stronger than ever. It has multiple lines to suit many income / age / language / interest factors.  If one no longer suits you, there's always another 2 or 3. CCL appears to be in direct competition with RCCL. PCL is middle of the road as is HAL. It just doesn't shut off the lights each night as early as HAL. 

 

New cruisers spend more per day, less interested in sneaking items (booze) onboard,  generally more fit, and a younger demographic which is great for the future. 

 

Want an older more sedate crowd? There's always HAL & Cunard, Viking, and Uncruise. 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Ombud

[LawDog61]

54 minutes ago, Murray's Pop said:

Environmental, Social, and Governance??  Not sure what you mean.....

Yes

[AtlantaCruiser72]

55 minutes ago, Ombud said:

IMHO:

Carnival = Honda Civic

Princess = Honda Accord

Cunard = Lexus 

Holland = Oldsmobile ? LOL

[pris993]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

IMHO:

Carnival = Honda Civic

Princess = Honda Accord

Cunard = Lexus 

I have never been on Carnival, but have cruised Princess, HAL, Crystal, Cunard, Celebrity, RCCL years ago, and NCL.

 

Unless in first class on Cunard, Cunard is about the same as Princess, HAL, Crystal and Celebrity in my book.  Did several cruises on Cunard, QM2 and Queen Victoria.    I have 30 cruises on Princess, elite on both Princess and Celebrity and 2 star on HAL.  Don't see much difference between any of the lines.  For us Princess was far more consistent when it came to quality and service.    I would rate RCCL and NCL at the bottom level of my cruise experiences. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I generally break down the industry as follows (In terms of brands popular with US travelers):

Budget: Carnival, Costa, MSC

Mainstream: NCL, Princess, Royal Caribbean, P&O (both UK and Australia)

Premium Mainstream: Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America

Ultra Premium / Luxury Light: Azamara, Oceania, Viking

Luxury: Regent, Ritz Carlton, Seabourn, Silversea (and Crystal before they sadly went out of business)

Boutique/Expedition: American Cruise Lines, American Queen , Lindblad, Paul Gaugin, Ponant, Seadream, Windstar, etc.

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72