New Princess policy makes VV an even better value

[DKNY26]

I think the number one “miss” for them right now is not to have a very aggressive loyalty program.  They can change the tier requirements as the product ages but loyal consumers will talk, promote and bring additional people to the brand.  They should be offering the world on less than full itineraries, etc.  

[Travel-and-See]

3 hours ago, DKNY26 said:

 I hope it lives up to its reputation but it marketed well enough for us to give it a try.  

I think it will check all of those boxes for you.  There are definitely things I like about Celebrity vs. Virgin still but that’s mostly down to the consistency of service, more luxurious rooms, and more upscale details like all of the artwork around the ship.

 

Overall I agree that Virgin WILL change cruising as they take customers away from the other brands.   Free wi-fi, included tips, etc will come. 

[LibertyBella]

I am not in a hurry to sail on VV, and perhaps may never use them in my lifetime.  But after fifty years of cruising on more than 11 different lines, I pay absolutely NO attention to bloggers, social media, etc., etc.  Been there, done all that.  I was even a professional travel agent for a stint, back when training was impeccable, and fam trips were great and cost peanuts.  I sailed on the original Pacific Princess, the Love Boat, on the Mexican Riviera in the early 1980's, with wild Acapulco as one of our stops.

 

Yes, VV comes across as hip, and cool (hammocks), and party-hardy--all inclusive, no kids--sounds like the Carnival Cruise line and Club Med hotels in the 1980's. But all a sudden all the swinging singles became parents, and were willing to spend a bit to take their children on great vacations--so RC ships became playgrounds, and Disney Cruises were invented.  Cruising is constantly changing, but one format or style is not necessarily any better or worse than another--it is just what people prefer at the moment, given their lifestyles!!

 

No need to badmouth Princess for the lack of extras--if drinking and eating are your reason for cruising, then find the line that best suits your style.  However, we cruise Princess for the phenomenal itineraries--Alaska, Baltic, Mediterranean--yes, Celebrity rivals them, Holland America is similar but the cruises are much longer, and the smaller ships also hit a lot of ports but cost quite a bit more.  Loyalty premiums?  I have used four different cruise lines that completely went out of business, the same as did so many wonderful airlines, so as decades pass, the concept becomes meaningless. Maybe when the VV cruisers get a bit more sedate, they will switch to Viking--very similar in concept.

 

I find it quite amusing to read complaining reviews across all cruise lines, because travel is always an adventure, and you have to learn to go with the flow and enjoy. 

 

I always say I am loyal to cruising, because being on the water and arriving in an exotic port is a fascinating experience (we just sailed into Istanbul a few weeks ago--always gorgeous!). Bon voyage to all!

 

 

[cantgetin]

50 minutes ago, DKNY26 said:

I think the number one “miss” for them right now is not to have a very aggressive loyalty program.  They can change the tier requirements as the product ages but loyal consumers will talk, promote and bring additional people to the brand.  They should be offering the world on less than full itineraries, etc.  

Supposedly coming in 2024, but we've heard that before.  We started with the status match, and now qualify as Sea Rovers based on number of cruises.   We've certainly enjoyed the perks of the Deep Blue Extras.  I hope that whatever they ultimately present will include credit for both number of cruises and number of nights.  I don't like programs where the guy who cruises for 3 nights gets the same "credit" as those of us who won't do anything less than a week and preferably more.

 

IMHO, there are still too many people cruising on less than advertised fares available to anyone, but I guess they need those to generate numbers.  And certainly their accounting department has figures on how much they are "making" on various types of sailors.