Q&A with President Laura Hodges Bethge

[Ken the cruiser]

39 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

You KNOW they're reading every word of this thread as they want to see how their first Q&A with the new President was received; I bet your post literally has them banging their heads against a wall...lol

In that case I hope X starts creating some unique 2026/27 itineraries that can be linked together to form an awesome 3-5 week cruise that goes to different ports they’ve never cruised to before. For example, create a cruise combination that starts and finishes in the US and goes to Longyearbyen. Or maybe one that goes from Ft Lauderdale to Easter Island before heading back to SA and on to Antarctica. Or maybe a cruise combination that goes from Athens to Cape Town by way of the Suez Canal and then back up the western side of Africa to Barcelona. In other words, be creative. 😁

[NMTraveller]

The above post reminds me ...  Did anyone ask about the reasoning for the Perfect Day "Booze Cruzes"? 🤣

Edited September 27, 2023 by NMTraveller

[sunlover33]

7 hours ago, rmedistro said:

But they can. And they will still fill sailings to capacity.  The small group of dissenters here think they are representing what the rest think. They aren't. There's a poster that has mentioned canopies a dozen times. 90% couldn't care less about canopies. We're the next generation of X. The stuffy over expecting last generation will move on. We're going to divide our cruises between VV and X. No or few kids, and fewer stuffy oldies every x cruise going forward. I've met some great people on X, they are too busy living to waste reading the drive here. I'm joining them, not you. I thought CC would be informational. Nope, just drama.

One day you will be a dissenter when the ultra expensive cruise you booked and paid for has changed beyond all recognition when you finally board. Then you just may understand what the stuffy over expecting generation were trying to preserve. Until then enjoy what you have because it won’t last. 

[markeb]

5 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

In that case I hope X starts creating some unique 2026/27 itineraries that can be linked together to form an awesome 3-5 week cruise that goes to different ports they’ve never cruised to before. For example, create a cruise combination that starts and finishes in the US and goes to Longyearbyen. Or maybe one that goes from Ft Lauderdale to Easter Island before heading back to SA and on to Antarctica. Or maybe a cruise combination that goes from Athens to Cape Town by way of the Suez Canal and then back up the western side of Africa to Barcelona. In other words, be creative. 😁

I know you love the uber long B2B2B2B2B cruises, Ken, but most people don’t have that kind of time off. They need people to consider a cruise as a vacation who otherwise wouldn’t, and many of those folks are more likely to do a short cruise using fewer vacation days. 
 

Creativity is going to take a back seat to revenue for awhile…

[Baggy178]

Did anyone mention Slicedtomatogate? 😱

Edited September 27, 2023 by Baggy178

[rmedistro]

3 hours ago, sunlover33 said:

One day you will be a dissenter when the ultra expensive cruise you booked and paid for has changed beyond all recognition when you finally board. Then you just may understand what the stuffy over expecting generation were trying to preserve. Until then enjoy what you have because it won’t last. 

Nah, I speak with my wallet to Corporates, not venting online in forums. I'll quietly move on to something else for holiday travel.  While my wife and I enjoy cruises, most of our friends prefer resort destinations.  We don't live to cruise, though it's a pleasant distraction for down time currently.
I used to attend every Chiefs home NFL game. Now, prefer to watch at home vs fighting the crowds for parking, beers, and restrooms. Our life continues to evolve, and I suspect cruising is just another phase for us.

[poffles]

11 hours ago, Cap_D said:

.... making people run around for water ...

 

What is the backstory with this?  Is it bars not having bottled water?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

I know you love the uber long B2B2B2B2B cruises, Ken, but most people don’t have that kind of time off. They need people to consider a cruise as a vacation who otherwise wouldn’t, and many of those folks are more likely to do a short cruise using fewer vacation days. 
 

Creativity is going to take a back seat to revenue for awhile…

If they take one or 2 Mclass ships they could have them do these longer cruise 

M-class ship would not be missed if they didn’t cruise the Caribbean 

[Honolulu Blue]

6 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

If they take one or 2 Mclass ships they could have them do these longer cruise 

M-class ship would not be missed if they didn’t cruise the Caribbean 

I'd miss them.  I've only sailed on Celebrity with M-class ships in the Caribbean - partly because the charters I prefer like them.

[bikerunner]

4 hours ago, sunlover33 said:

One day you will be a dissenter when the ultra expensive cruise you booked and paid for has changed beyond all recognition when you finally board. Then you just may understand what the stuffy over expecting generation were trying to preserve. Until then enjoy what you have because it won’t last. 

And things and times change.  Need to adapt, if don't like the product there are many other cruise lines out there to choose from. I have sailed since early 2000's mainly celebrity, some others like Princess/NCL etc which I did not like, just preference I have booked for the next 2 years out and none on Celebrity after my next 2.  A few reasons but mainly I prefer smaller ships, 1500 max, Azamara, Oceana, River Cruises, or less and a few decisions corporate handled poorly, none have to do with shipboard product.  

[bikerunner]

8 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

In that case I hope X starts creating some unique 2026/27 itineraries that can be linked together to form an awesome 3-5 week cruise that goes to different ports they’ve never cruised to before. For example, create a cruise combination that starts and finishes in the US and goes to Longyearbyen. Or maybe one that goes from Ft Lauderdale to Easter Island before heading back to SA and on to Antarctica. Or maybe a cruise combination that goes from Athens to Cape Town by way of the Suez Canal and then back up the western side of Africa to Barcelona. In other words, be creative. 😁

Its a good idea but this is easier done on smaller size ships and not with ones over 2000 passengers or more. Celebrity is just as much a mass market line and I get some of the reasons why this cant be done easily. 

[foodsvcmgr]

Similar to what both HAL and Princess have done, I agree that with new larger tonnage coming on line for the 7 day market, a couple of the older M class could be dedicated to longer and more exotic itineraries.

Why keep all their eggs in the short cruise basket?

[Oceangoer2]

19 hours ago, jelayne said:

The link to submit questions was offered twice that I saw.  It may have been in a marketing email on one occasion.  i'm Elite Plus and had the opportunity to submit a question, although I didn't.

I didn't get the email there was a webinar....so no opportunity to ask questions.  I indicate on my profile I will accept  X emails.  I was wondering if this was restricted to TAs?

[Saturngrl]

I viewed the webinar last night and must say it was the best of all I have seen since the onset of PUP.  I'm glad they covered many of the issues reported here on CC.  I am also glad to see the new CEO as being more friendly and approachable than her predecessor. 

 

If Celebrity is, indeed, perusing our CC posts, then I encourage the new CEO to cruise on more than just the President's cruise.  "Undercover boss" experiences will give her and her leadership team the opportunity to learn what opportunities exist for improvement.   

[hrhdhd]

2 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I didn't get the email there was a webinar....so no opportunity to ask questions.  I indicate on my profile I will accept  X emails.  I was wondering if this was restricted to TAs?

No, it was not.

 

The e-mail asking for questions was a few weeks ago. I received the e-mail about the webinar on Sept. 26 from the Captain's Club.

[Roxie888]

12 hours ago, bikerunner said:

what’s funny about the whole thing I can remember so many different threads where canapés are mentioned and many just told the houseman either stop bringing them and or they just left in the room for pickup the next day or at turndown  To me never needed as is simple enough in my walk arounds to pick up something.  I usually tell them please don’t bring them. Just will become fish food overall.  Yes it was a question brought up and I agree a small few might miss them.  But overall most don’t want them.  

It is because they are rubbish. 

[Oceangoer2]

1 minute ago, hrhdhd said:

No, it was not.

 

The e-mail asking for questions was a few weeks ago. I received the e-mail about the webinar on Sept. 26 from the Captain's Club.

No email...did a search.  However, not that important to me...most of the questions mentioned here I could have answered logically myself.  It's an information opportunity for X and placebo answers for us.

[NMTraveller]

5 hours ago, markeb said:

I know you love the uber long B2B2B2B2B cruises, Ken, but most people don’t have that kind of time off. They need people to consider a cruise as a vacation who otherwise wouldn’t, and many of those folks are more likely to do a short cruise using fewer vacation days. 
 

Creativity is going to take a back seat to revenue for awhile…

I am not sure how the Perfect Day cruises generate revenue.  They are priced around $60 pp per day for inside.

[markeb]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I am not sure how the Perfect Day cruises generate revenue.  They are priced around $60 pp per day for inside.

I’m on a slow connection. What about Aqua and the retreat? Are insides ever profitable on their own?

[Cap_D]

4 hours ago, poffles said:

 

What is the backstory with this?  Is it bars not having bottled water?

Retreat rooms that inherently are all included and premium package not getting in room refills on bottled water as a result of the elimination of butlers who did that function.  This was perhaps discretionary, as an above and beyond or made to seem special by butlers.  Regardless the marketing makes clear the butler was to get guests what they wanted, and when.  Even Laura said they would get tea for guests, and that would not change.  So, one can get tea, but reportedly not bottles of water or if there is it would be charged.  The work around is guests going to bars and the retreat lounge and carrying back to rooms, which is "running around" in my view.  

Edited September 27, 2023 by Cap_D

[Ken the cruiser]

6 hours ago, markeb said:

I know you love the uber long B2B2B2B2B cruises, Ken, but most people don’t have that kind of time off. They need people to consider a cruise as a vacation who otherwise wouldn’t, and many of those folks are more likely to do a short cruise using fewer vacation days. 
 

Creativity is going to take a back seat to revenue for awhile…

Actually, the most Celebrity itineraries we've ever linked together were three 7-day legs on the Edge when cruising started back up in Aug 2021 where the first and third legs were identical. But what can I say, we're cruisaholics and were just happy to see "the light at the end of the tunnel" again. 🤣

 

I was just expounding on a comment LHB mentioned where they are working on providing some future itineraries that could possibly be linked into multiple B2B+ scenarios without going to the same ports. Celebrity used to offer three different legs in the Med, from Barcelona to Rome and then to Athens before arriving back in Barcelona. However, they changed that specific set of itineraries in 2019 where the most you could hook together were 2 before duplication set in.

 

Here's another example. Create a set of Alaska itineraries that would include one longer 10-11 day leg going to the Bering Sea and briefly stopping at Nome.

 

But that's cool. If Celebrity wants to shy away from us "older" retired folks that like to cruise on 3-5 week itineraries that go to different destinations, that's cool. That's entirely their decision. 

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Shellyd22]

15 hours ago, rmedistro said:

But they can. And they will still fill sailings to capacity.  The small group of dissenters here think they are representing what the rest think. They aren't. There's a poster that has mentioned canopies a dozen times. 90% couldn't care less about canopies. We're the next generation of X. The stuffy over expecting last generation will move on. We're going to divide our cruises between VV and X. No or few kids, and fewer stuffy oldies every x cruise going forward. I've met some great people on X, they are too busy living to waste reading the drive here. I'm joining them, not you. I thought CC would be informational. Nope, just drama.

I get why X would market to a newer generation. There’s new money there and new cruisers who don’t have years of cruising to compare their experiences to. Wanting a trip with good food is not for “stuffy oldies.” You may be stuck on the canapés but the real issue seems like the downgrade in food and the gaslighting of customers who have been loyal to the brand. As a young millennial, I am so over people saying the younger generation doesn’t care about these things. Literally food, service and transparency are the things that I care for. I rather hang out with the old stuffy folks who like to eat 🙃😂 Also just because people don’t post, doesn’t mean that don’t think these things. Chances are there’s a lot of others out there who feel the same way. 

 

 

[maxsales]

18 hours ago, rmedistro said:

Do you really think cruise lines just blindly make business decisions that directly affect passengers?

I guess you missed "cookiegate"

[Ken the cruiser]

6 hours ago, markeb said:

They need people to consider a cruise as a vacation who otherwise wouldn’t, and many of those folks are more likely to do a short cruise using fewer vacation days. 

There's also another comment she made that might coincide with your thinking and that's regarding the possible tweaking of the 3 different RCG Loyalty programs in the near future. Just imagine how many "RCG" guests would start to book X itineraries, and possibly a few of Silversea, if they were able to accrue loyalty points from cruising on any of their 3 lines, similar to the arrangement Celebrity and Azamara used to have?

[maxsales]

4 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

If they take one or 2 Mclass ships they could have them do these longer cruise 

M-class ship would not be missed if they didn’t cruise the Caribbean 

Sorry but at least one has to stay for Tampa, I don't think S or E class can pass under the Sunshine Skyway bridge.