Royal Carribean disloyal to loyal cruisers, how not to run a cruise line.

[PWP-001]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

They will be when the next virus sweeps across the planet and they are the only people willing to step foot aboard a cruise ship.

 

A healthy patient who comes into the office once a year for a physical is just as important to me as one who has medical issues and is in every three months. Everyone is important no matter their contribution. Some even cost the practice money depending on needs and insurance reimbursement. However, their good will, word of mouth, and referrals help make up that individual financial loss. If one grandmother and her issues provide a net loss I'm willing to take that in return for her three children and eight grand kids. 

 

There are too many variables to pin each individual to overall business profit and loss. The overall mix of the population is far more important. 

I won't argue with you on how you run your practice; it sounds like you are happy with it and it's turning a profit that you find acceptable.  I mean that sincerely because similarly I run my service business without scrutinizing and classifying one client over another as being more profitable.

 

But I know that I don't answer to shareholders who demand profitability, and I'm guessing you don't either.  Leaders in the corporation have that responsibility while those with guest contact do not, leaving them to the task of providing good service to all whom they come in contact.

 

And despite comments in this thread to the contrary, there is a distinct difference between a manufactured product and a service experience.  Anyone that doesn't see the nuance has probably never worked in the service industry; if they have and still don't get it, then they don't belong in the service industry.  

 

As a passenger I know that RCI get it.  Their loyal program changes are a matter of efficiency and survival, as opposed to a way to generate more traffic on this site.  Those grumbles are inevitable.  

[grandgeezer]

10 hours ago, CruisingHogFan said:

This makes absolutely no sense and you sound like a used care salesman with this comparison!!  Why would you compare local liquor store prices to drink packages?

 

Drinks are currently $14.99 a day and every cruise we have booked for 2023 has drink packages between $72-$78 per day. So if I want the package at current rates it’s going take around 5 alcoholic drink per day to breakeven on the package compared to buying by the drink. Add the water, soda, coffee, juice I get each day and it’s less than 4 alcoholic drinks a day to break even on the drink package.

I will gladly pay these rates and even more than buying by the drink even after our vouchers  

 

At home we drink what we want, when we want. That being said the free drinks we get on the ship are more than we normally drink at home. The comparison is to show the main reason we don’t and won’t pay for drinks individually or with a package. We don’t need drinks to make an experience better, home or on vacation. Money is no object, it’s the value of what we purchase.

[PWP-001]

5 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

At home we drink what we want, when we want. That being said the free drinks we get on the ship are more than we normally drink at home. The comparison is to show the main reason we don’t and won’t pay for drinks individually or with a package. We don’t need drinks to make an experience better, home or on vacation. Money is no object, it’s the value of what we purchase.

The point you make here is a clear and good one.  Your stance isn't profitable to the cruise line, but you're not alone.  

 

On the balance is a couple that I overheard talking at the pool bar yesterday.  Essentially they said that they purchase the drink package and do not feel they need to drink a certain number of drinks or "get their money's worth."  They know it's costing them more, but they just like that they pay one price and don't see all their drinks add up.  In other words, they place value on the convenience and ease.  That's their choice.  And THAT's profitable to the line.  

 

And hopefully it all balances out.  Note that while many of my comments focus of profitability, in no way do I think there will ever be a time where low rev spenders will be banned or shunned.  It all balances out.... and when it doesn't ... prices go up a bit.

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

They will be when the next virus sweeps across the planet and they are the only people willing to step foot aboard a cruise ship.

 

A healthy patient who comes into the office once a year for a physical is just as important to me as one who has medical issues and is in every three months. Everyone is important no matter their contribution. Some even cost the practice money depending on needs and insurance reimbursement. However, their good will, word of mouth, and referrals help make up that individual financial loss. If one grandmother and her issues provide a net loss I'm willing to take that in return for her three children and eight grand kids. 

 

There are too many variables to pin each individual to overall business profit and loss. The overall mix of the population is far more important. 

Fantastic analogy