You think it's only Princess?...

[JF - retired RRT]

If you think it's only Princess that's skewing toward the younger generation, take a look at Gary Bembridge's video on YouTube titled "I Look At What Celebrity Cruises Is REALLY Up To. And Why!".

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, JF - retired RRT said:

If you think it's only Princess that's skewing toward the younger generation, take a look at Gary Bembridge's video on YouTube titled "I Look At What Celebrity Cruises Is REALLY Up To. And Why!".

He is a smart guy and I follow him daily.  

[cr8tiv1]

Here's a direct link.  Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I guess I am an "oldER" cruiser.

 

 

[Bgwest]

Bah-Humbug!!!

Not for us. 😡

[c-boy]

15 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

Bah-Humbug!!!

Not for us. 😡

😆 running out of places to hide 

[MustangGT]

I guess I didn’t realize Celebrity changed from an “adult only” line.

Been under a rock? 🥴🤣

[Chad_O]

I love his videos and found this one really insightful. I have never sailed Celebrity but I would still consider it. 

[Sea Hag]

18 minutes ago, Chad_O said:

I love his videos and found this one really insightful. I have never sailed Celebrity but I would still consider it. 

We only did one cruise with Celebrity, quite a few years back. It wasn't terrible, but I've had no incentive to go there again. 

[ShakeDaddy]

Celebrity began this upscale younger client push in the early 2010's, this is really nothing new for them. 

They have chosen not to fade into the Holland America demographic.  

[mom says]

I don't disagree with anything he said on the video. But to be fair,  he did stress that this change is really only apparent on the newer E class ships. For now.

[Eglesbrech]

Most of the lines are doing the same now. Good luck with that in the U.K. with the cost of living crises, the demographic they all want so badly have mortgages which are rising quickly.

 

Any line that alienates older cruisers will struggle to fill the ships out with school holidays. There was a recent news article here about the number of parents being fined for taking children out of school during term time for holidays.

 

We travel with celebrity and to date I still feel very welcome as an older customer but the video is interesting re Edge class which we have not tried as yet.

 

 

[FrugalVoyager]

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

Most of the lines are doing the same now. Good luck with that in the U.K. with the cost of living crises, the demographic they all want so badly have mortgages which are rising quickly.

 

Any line that alienates older cruisers will struggle to fill the ships out with school holidays. There was a recent news article here about the number of parents being fined for taking children out of school during term time for holidays.

 

We travel with celebrity and to date I still feel very welcome as an older customer but the video is interesting re Edge class which we have not tried as yet.

 

 

Absolutely not true, it is smart for cruise lines to alinate away from older people because the younger generations control the markets, set the trends and dictate what's cool and what's not. Older seniors aren't market drivers or relevant to corporations, having them on pamphlet or promotional materials isn't good for sales.

 

There are plenty of young, free going adults to fill the ranks of seniors being pushed out by cruiselines even during school year cruise lines won't have issues filling up if they push out seniors i am sorry but it's time to accept that a new wave of appeal is coming and its toward young people and away from older.

[wowzz]

7 minutes ago, FrugalVoyager said:

Absolutely not true, it is smart for cruise lines to alinate away from older people because the younger generations control the markets, set the trends and dictate what's cool and what's not. Older seniors aren't market drivers or relevant to corporations, having them on pamphlet or promotional materials isn't good for sales.

 

There are plenty of young, free going adults to fill the ranks of seniors being pushed out by cruiselines even during school year cruise lines won't have issues filling up if they push out seniors i am sorry but it's time to accept that a new wave of appeal is coming and its toward young people and away from older.

The problem that you neglect to mention, is that all these trend setting youngsters don't have the time or money to cruise for more than one week per year.  Which is where us oldies come in and save the day,  by cruising two or three times a year, for weeks at a time.

We may not be market drivers, but without our money, there would be no cruise industry to drive !

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, FrugalVoyager said:

Absolutely not true, it is smart for cruise lines to alinate away from older people because the younger generations control the markets, set the trends and dictate what's cool and what's not. Older seniors aren't market drivers or relevant to corporations, having them on pamphlet or promotional materials isn't good for sales.

 

There are plenty of young, free going adults to fill the ranks of seniors being pushed out by cruiselines even during school year cruise lines won't have issues filling up if they push out seniors i am sorry but it's time to accept that a new wave of appeal is coming and its toward young people and away from older.

Try cruising in November or February and see just who is filling the ships. It’s the over 50s.

[caribill]

Princess also promotes itself as a "Luxury Cruise Line."

[sandancer]

By November we will have taken 5 cruises this year, how many younger people will be doing that.?  3 of them were with Celebrity (not E class) and there was a good mix of age groups onboard. The last one was a Transatlantic with an older demographic but I’m sure that’s par for the course on TAs. 

Edited October 9, 2022 by sandancer

[odyssyus]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

The problem that you neglect to mention, is that all these trend setting youngsters don't have the time or money to cruise for more than one week per year.  Which is where us oldies come in and save the day,  by cruising two or three times a year, for weeks at a time.

We may not be market drivers, but without our money, there would be no cruise industry to drive !

Primary revenue is approx 70% based on ticket fares.  Secondary spend is about 30% and based on alcohol, shop items, WIFI, restaurants, casino, travel insurance & expensive excursions.  Secondary spend is higher amongst younger, family oriented & newer cruisers.  5, and 7 day cruises to the Caribbean tend to be far more profitable (hence why there are so many) because of the additional 'revenue per passenger' that secondary spend brings.  Not to say that a 28 day cruises isn't profitable, but the 'revenue per passenger' is lower.  Addnl. spend is the lions share of profits.

 

In the hotel industry that I work in, its called REVPAR.  For cruise lines, its 'revenue per passenger' that is important.  Younger people frankly, spend more after the initial fare sale than 'seasoned cruisers'.

 

https://www.jeremykisner.com/cruise-ship-industry/

https://thehustle.co/the-economics-of-cruise-ships/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7519395   (section 2.2)

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by odyssyus

[SargassoPirate]

Thank goodness there are many cruise lines and ships to choose from.  If certain lines or ships embrace the "new" demographic with venues and activities that don't appeal to the more seasoned cruiser, we can always book elsewhere for the cruise experience that we want.  We tried some of the new and trendy ships that started appearing several years ago and we quickly realized the demographics they were trying to reach.  We don't need an alcohol-fueled floating country fair populated with unbridled feral children when we cruise.  Viking realizes this and one has to only look at their list of what they are not to appreciate their target demographic.

 

I spend more time studying the ship's deck plans, photos, and videos before choosing the line and ship. It's also important to be aware of school holiday schedules.  Longer cruises seem to pare down the number of children on board.

 

As I said, thank goodness there are many cruise lines and ships to choose from.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, odyssyus said:

Secondary spend is higher amongst younger, family oriented & newer cruisers.  5, and 7 day cruises to the Caribbean tend to be far more profitable (hence why there are so many

That is a very UScentric point of view.

I wouldn't necessarily disagree with some of the points you make, but there is a big wide world of cruising out there, that does not include the US.

[odyssyus]

22 minutes ago, wowzz said:

That is a very UScentric point of view.

I wouldn't necessarily disagree with some of the points you make, but there is a big wide world of cruising out there, that does not include the US.

mm.. ok.  Not that big...

 

Data matters...

https://www.statista.com/statistics/287111/cruise-passengers-by-source-country/

 

For those that can't see the linked data;  this is 2021..US passengers was more than 50% of the market in 2019 and previous years.

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by odyssyus

[Eglesbrech]

28 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

mm.. ok.  Not that big...

 

Data matters...

https://www.statista.com/statistics/287111/cruise-passengers-by-source-country/

 

For those that can't see the linked data;  this is 2021..US passengers was more than 50% of the market in 2019 and previous years.

 

But that is still a lot of money up for grabs in the non US cruises and from the older US passenger demographic is it not.

Edited October 9, 2022 by Eglesbrech
Typo

[odyssyus]

6 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

But that is still a lot of money up for grabs in the non US cruises and from the older US passenger demographic is it not.

True.. it is a lot of money.  However, if you were CEO of a cruise line and you had these data points, what market are you targeting?  🙂

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

2 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

True.. it is a lot of money.  However, if you were CEO of a cruise line and you had these data points, what market are you targeting?  🙂

 

 

Probably the one that is not already oversupplied and does not have multiple points of competition.
 

 

There is a lot to be said for establishing a brand in an emerging market.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

True.. it is a lot of money.  However, if you were CEO of a cruise line and you had these data points, what market are you targeting?  🙂

 

 

I would be looking at developing new, untapped markets, and using the US market as a cash cow. 

[odyssyus]

16 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I would be looking at developing new, untapped markets, and using the US market as a cash cow. 

 

New, untapped market is Gen X, Millennials and soon Gen Z.  AsiaPac is also high on my list.  Older Western Europeans/Americans are not high on my list.  I'm going to build the biggest ships I can, with apps, VR, funky clubs etc.. and park them in the Caribbean market.

 

Don't get me wrong.. I'm younger than most on here, but I'm an old soul with cruising and prefer formal nights, traditional shows, and sitting at big tables with people I don't know.  However, when looking at this thru the lens of a sharehold or CEO, I want new, young cruisers with disposable income.

 

source: CLIA

67% of cruises are 4-7 day Caribbean cruises

 

source: CLIA

Edited October 9, 2022 by odyssyus