Did Celebrity Need a New Brand?

[grandgeezer]

22 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

One of my clients (w/a big Wall Street firm) is a retired U.S. Navy Commander, who graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis.  I posted something about Capt. Kate on social media awhile back.  He read up on her and said, "Captain Kate has earned her stripes,  She's the real deal.  Captain Kate is a rock star."

I doubt a high ranking officer in the military and a cruise ship captain have much in common. He has his right to his opinion but that’s all it is.

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Stockjock said:

One of my clients (w/a big Wall Street firm) is a retired U.S. Navy Commander, who graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis.  I posted something about Capt. Kate on social media awhile back.  He read up on her and said, "Captain Kate has earned her stripes,  She's the real deal.  Captain Kate is a rock star."

have to disagree - the real "stock star" is Captain Kirk - see his amazing late night show in the theatre and you will know why. 

[The Traveling Man]

16 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

It looks like SkyNet is already here.  Those ChatGPT responses are head and shoulders better than "Nothing Comes Close."

[hcat]

3 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

It looks like SkyNet is already here.  Those ChatGPT responses are head and shoulders better than "Nothing Comes Close."

no idea what Sky Net is? I think these posts  just make it  more complicated here on CC..

 

(we all have our fav Captains and CDs)

[The Traveling Man]

11 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

X has the best marketing tool of all cruise lines, Capt Kate.  She is the most well-known active ship captain out there and is even "cool" with the kids as she puts out very interesting social media reels/videos often sharing content about the ship she's on.  I'd argue she's in the top three of the most well-known ship captains of all time.  I've seen a TV commercial where it shows her face for a few seconds, but she's very sharp and quick-witted.  Her social media content thrives not because she's posting selfies, but rather because she provides great content.  Celebrity needs to get her under a marketing contract and have her become more prominent in their marketing

We have sailed with her once, about a year ago.  What an outstanding experience.  She demonstrated that she really cared about her guests and connected with them.  She was standing next to the gangway, saying goodbye to her passengers, as we disembarked the cruise.  I know it's an overworked phrase, but as we left I just had to say to her "You know that you're a rock star, don't you?"  She just smiled demurely.

[The Traveling Man]

7 minutes ago, hcat said:

no idea what Sky Net is?

Re: Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I am another big fan of Captain Kate. I had the privilege of meeting her during a cruise on the Celebrity Beyond last year and was extremely impressed. I agree that Celebrity would be wise to feature her more prominently in an ad campaign. Her enthusiasm for cruises is incredible. I have taken over 100 cruises since 1967 and would put her at the top of the list of cruise ship captains who I have met.  

[Lastdance]

27 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

We have sailed with her once, about a year ago.  What an outstanding experience.  She demonstrated that she really cared about her guests and connected with them.  She was standing next to the gangway, saying goodbye to her passengers, as we disembarked the cruise.  I know it's an overworked phrase, but as we left I just had to say to her "You know that you're a rock star, don't you?"  She just smiled demurely.

 

13 minutes ago, seacruise9 said:

Hi, 

 

I am another big fan of Captain Kate. I had the privilege of meeting her during a cruise on the Celebrity Beyond last year and was extremely impressed. I agree that Celebrity would be wise to feature her more prominently in an ad campaign. Her enthusiasm for cruises is incredible. I have taken over 100 cruises since 1967 and would put her at the top of the list of cruise ship captains who I have met.  

We also cruised with her last year during her vacay time. She was staying in an IV, enjoying the ship more as a passenger, but still involved with passengers.  Montenegro was one of her favorite stops and she was quite visible during our b2b’s.  She truly does seem to feel more at home on a ship, IMHO.  Those two cruises on Beyond were excellent and among my favorites!

[The Traveling Man]

21 minutes ago, seacruise9 said:

Hi, 

 

I am another big fan of Captain Kate. I had the privilege of meeting her during a cruise on the Celebrity Beyond last year and was extremely impressed. I agree that Celebrity would be wise to feature her more prominently in an ad campaign. Her enthusiasm for cruises is incredible. I have taken over 100 cruises since 1967 and would put her at the top of the list of cruise ship captains who I have met.  

Hear, hear!  I have just under half your number of cruises, so my vote may not carry as much weight as yours, but I also put her at the top of the list.

[Lastdance]

19 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Nothing Comes Close?

 

I can see all kinds of trouble with this…..

Nothing comes close to you, our beloved passengers?  Okay, I am reaching!🤷‍♀️

[Cap_D]

Nothing comes close to the popping and creaking on the Beyond, regardless of Captain Kate or whomever is the captain the other half of the year.

 

We are fans of Captain Kate, but after being on Beyond two weeks ago we found her to be more remote than other captains when it came to being physically around.  If announced, she would be mobbed.  Her ability to speak clearly and communicate is a huge plus while on the ship.  (On the other ships, if the captains can't speak clearly and provide relevant information they should find somebody who can.  It's almost never a problem on major arlines, and shouldn't be too much to expect a premium cruise.  And Captain providing a garbled message and seeming like he would prefer to be doing anything else is a turn off.)  It was nice to see her on the gangway saying goodbye but it would have been better if she had said hello when we arrived, and throughout the stay.  Perhaps even better if she acknowledge the noise issues.  Her Instagram post are fantastic, educational, and self-aware.  

 

The advertising campaign got off to an odd start when the email from the Captains Club had a woman eating french fries!  Also, for what it's worth, there were two new ads that ran during WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network yesterday.  We have noticed the ads in past weeks too. We don't know if that's because we are the viewers and the ads are targeted, or if everybody's seeing them.  

Edited April 9 by Cap_D

[OceanCruise]

Nothing comes close to the high suite prices lately

[Rustyman]

Nothing comes close to their IT system!

[hcat]

Just now, Rustyman said:

Nothing comes close to their IT system!

winner!

[cruisestitch]

And the reverse

 

their IT system is close to nothing🤭

[Jeremiah1212]

To piggy back off this thread a little, Celebrity provided some insight on the new brand campaign (not a new brand...that would be a very different thing). The whole WonderFULL campaign in fall 2022 and in my opinion, it never resonated. 

 

 

They call out a few interesting tidbits in the direction they are moving and how the Celebrity brand is perceived. They admitted that the identity was muddy - to which I would agree. 

 

They named the competitors and what people see them as being known for.

Royal Caribbean - adventure

NCL - freestyle 

HAL - traditional 

Princess - love (weird, but okay) 

Virgin - revolutionary 

Celebrity - ????? pushing to be known as Elevated 

Silversea - luxury 

 

They clearly defined their target customer as 45+ couples who are experienced cruisers opposed to what was formerly "Aspirational consumers". That term in and of itself was perhaps part of the problem. What does that mean? I have no idea. 

 

There is a new look and feel with photography and video. It's pretty well done and more interesting than the former very staged photos they used in the past. More to come within the next few months which they somewhat suggested would be rolled out with additional Xcel details. 

 

[DaKahuna]

On 4/8/2024 at 7:58 PM, Susanb10567 said:

I hope not…it is a British aisles cruise on the Eclipse that I am booked on  and I was looking to see how much it would be if I upgraded…

 

 there is a possibility it's sold out.