New Seabourn survey

[JPH814]

And further…

it was one of the most confusing “surveys” I have ever taken.   I would have voted “ none of the above” to all the scenarios provided.   
It would have been better to pair each option with the current scenario and then ask which - if any - you would prefer.  

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, Mahogany said:

The only change I would accept would be no liquor in the suite, since it's so easy to get a drink.

I agree with you.  We have quit asking for liquor in our suite because it went unopened by us.  

[frantic36]

45 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

And someone at HQ will likely say "See, they won't keep a confidence.  Why bother running options past them."

 

 

Well that is a silly assumption to go forward with at HQ. Of course people want to discuss such radical suggestions as this goes away from what we have chosen to sail Seabourn for. I am trying a Regent cruise later this year but only because I want to have another option as Seabourn have introduced too many 7 day sailings in the Med. My husband and I would still prefer Seabourn though as we don't want included excursions.

 

We haven't received this survey and we're in Australia. I find it interesting that it seems to be only those from the USA. That also isn't a good survey if they only choose a subset of their passengers from one demographic.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, frantic36 said:

Well that is a silly assumption to go forward with at HQ. Of course people want to discuss such radical suggestions

 

Not silly.  I've been involved with a number of survey/group sessions where non-disclosure agreements were part of the package.  They obviously didn't want to have wide dissemination of what they were asking, and yet when their "loyal" customers ignore the company's wishes, it isn't far fetched for the reciprocal feeling to be "who needs these people that can't respect our wishes".

 

IMO, there were a number of well-placed red herrings in these scenarios.  Some were put in to test for response consistency, some to measure against the initial "ranking" of features.  Anyone who believes that all were being seriously considered is unlikely to have ever been on the drafting/evaluating side of customer research.

 

 

[Vineyard View]

It’s being discussed on other social media sites as well as here. Seems to be same consensus as here. Since CC is purportedly such a crazy small population of pax on cruises, I sincerely doubt that the generalized topics discussed here from the survey, rather than actual specifics of the survey will catch HQ attention. It it does, then they pay more attention to CC than is presumed based on lack of response from SB on this site. 
Surveys that truly seek customer needs and expectations can be valuable tools of that data is implemented in marketing strategy. Surveys that are ambiguous and without clear definition can be marketing ploys to say a survey gathered data, only to justify what they already are planning to do. I sincerely hope it was for the first and not second reason. 

[frantic36]

Just now, FlyerTalker said:

yet when their "loyal" customers ignore the company's wishes, it isn't far fetched for the reciprocal feeling to be "who needs these people that can't respect our wishes".

 

They need these loyal customers to sail on the ship. Of course a survey like this with such out there suggestions will be discussed. I am sure it is discussed on the other site which I don't belong to as well.

 

3 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

IMO, there were a number of well-placed red herrings in these scenarios.  Some were put in to test for response consistency, some to measure against the initial "ranking" of features.  Anyone who believes that all were being seriously considered is unlikely to have ever been on the drafting/evaluating side of customer research.

 

 

Maybe you're right as I said I find it interesting that so far on CC only Americans received the survey and that is a poor way to conduct a survey. I am quite certain Europeans, people from the United Kingdom, Australians etc have different viewpoints on what they consider acceptable.

 

Some of the things mentioned like not including gratuities, having different classes with wine only included at meals would be unacceptable to me. The whole vibe of having pre and post dinner drinks at the Club & Obs Bar charged would change the atmosphere. Sometimes I only have a ginger ale but I don't want to have to pay for it. 

 

My question is why include red herrings like that if they aren't considering it?

[Robisan]

20 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Not silly.  I've been involved with a number of survey/group sessions where non-disclosure agreements were part of the package.

Agreements and package are doing a lot of work here. Seabourn sending an unsolicited blast email survey to countless numbers of people is pretty far afield from the organized surveys you're alluding to.

 

26 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

They obviously didn't want to have wide dissemination of what they were asking,...

Obviously? They sent it out in an unsolicited blast email. They're either naive or stupid.

[whogo]

18 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Surveys that are ambiguous and without clear definition can be marketing ploys to say a survey gathered data, only to justify what they already are planning to do. I sincerely hope it was for the first and not second reason. 

Sometimes surveys seem to be sent out for amusement purposes only.

 

My second Seabourn cruise is coming up this summer. I did not receive the survey. I know I subsidize the drinkers, do not want Seabourn to quit being all inclusive on booze or gratuities. Included air and included excursions are not selling points. I am following a Regent blogger who has taken what I consider to be horrible included big bus tours. No, not interested.

[FlyerTalker]

13 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

My question is why include red herrings like that if they aren't considering it?

 

They were part of an initial "ranking" of various cruise features that you started off the survey with.  Later questions with them being an important variable serve as a check-value to measure the internal consistency of participants answers.

 

Further, surveys often include irrelevant questions to test the validity of the overall responses.

 

This survey was a combination of ranking and A/B questions.  Running a number of A/B questions can be used to develop preference matrices, which can be cross-tabbed with the ranking results.

 

 

 

[frantic36]

1 minute ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

They were part of an initial "ranking" of various cruise features that you started off the survey with.  Later questions with them being an important variable serve as a check-value to measure the internal consistency of participants answers.

 

Further, surveys often include irrelevant questions to test the validity of the overall responses.

 

This survey was a combination of ranking and A/B questions.  Running a number of A/B questions can be used to develop preference matrices, which can be cross-tabbed with the ranking results.

 

 

 

 

I'm still wanting to know if they included people from other countries or only the USA. I know CC is a small sample size so maybe those who use other websites can tell me. I am hoping it is people from other countries otherwise the survey was flawed to start with in my opinion. And all the cross referencing you mention does not work if that is the case.

[PaulMCO]

Actually quite a good survey.  It really did evaluate what was important to me, doing it multiple ways and there were a couple of consistency got yous too.

[FlyerTalker]

32 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

I am hoping it is people from other countries otherwise the survey was flawed to start with in my opinion. And all the cross referencing you mention does not work if that is the case.

 

Did it ever cross your mind that, for this specific survey, they may have only wanted the opinions of USA customers?  And that they were fully aware of this, going in?

 

Or are things automatically flawed if they don't include your geographical demographic?

 

Example:  A survey is sent out, but only to those who are under 50 years of age.  Is that necessarily flawed?  Or is it a way to determine opinions OF THAT SURVEY TARGET?

 

Why should it matter to anyone outside Seabourn what their survey goals and parameters are?  It only matters that THEY know that when evaluating responses.

 

 

[FlyerTalker]

29 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Actually quite a good survey.  It really did evaluate what was important to me, doing it multiple ways and there were a couple of consistency got yous too.

 

Completely concur.  Somebody put some time into crafting this.  And it was crafted, not just thrown together.

 

As for the folks that wanted to list their own separate opinions....that's not what this was for.  Send in a letter to express your feelings.

 

 

[frantic36]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Did it ever cross your mind that, for this specific survey, they may have only wanted the opinions of USA customers?  And that they were fully aware of this, going in?

 

Or are things automatically flawed if they don't include your geographical demographic?

 

Example:  A survey is sent out, but only to those who are under 50 years of age.  Is that necessarily flawed?  Or is it a way to determine opinions OF THAT SURVEY TARGET?

 

Why should it matter to anyone outside Seabourn what their survey goals and parameters are?  It only matters that THEY know that when evaluating responses.

 

 

Okay so you think Seabourn should be USA centric only? I don’t agree that this is a way to move the brand forward. 

Hopefully you are wrong and they do care what other demographics think and send out surveys world wide.

You and I will just have to disagree on methodology.

[FlyerTalker]

28 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

Okay so you think Seabourn should be USA centric only? I don’t agree that this is a way to move the brand forward.

 

Never said that.  You are projecting, IMO.

 

What is important is that Seabourn understand the preferences of their DIFFERENT market segments.  It's not one monolithic lock-step group.  A smart company knows how to recognize market segment differences and how to address each of those in a unique fashion.

 

 

30 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

Hopefully you are wrong and they do care what other demographics think and send out surveys world wide.

 

They may or may not feel the need to send out surveys to other demographics.  Or they may take a different research approach.  The presence of, or lack of, surveys does not indicate how much they "care".

 

 

33 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

You and I will just have to disagree on methodology.

 

Obviously.

 

 

 

 

 

[Vineyard View]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

They were part of an initial "ranking" of various cruise features that you started off the survey with.  Later questions with them being an important variable serve as a check-value to measure the internal consistency of participants answers.

 

Further, surveys often include irrelevant questions to test the validity of the overall responses.

 

This survey was a combination of ranking and A/B questions.  Running a number of A/B questions can be used to develop preference matrices, which can be cross-tabbed with the ranking results.

 

 

 

I agree with this logic. I  had to question why there wasn’t an option that didn’t include keeping things the way that they are. Or, One of the main differences between SB and other luxury lines is the lack of included excursions, or the baked in cost to cover some excursion credit. That is a huge difference. The scenarios as I recall included ‘x’ amount of excursion credit, or included excursions. A key differentiating factor wasn’t in A or B.  

[Pre Eng]

We haven’t received one in UK.

[arzz]

Bottom line as I saw it in the survey is that they are putting out feelers for what they can charge extra for that is currently gratis without alienating their customer base. 
 

Or alternately, how much more HAL like can they make Seabourn? Are they considering formally combining Seabourn and HAL at some time in the future?🙀🙀
 

Are fare structures different in other countries?  Could that be why only US passengers received this survey?

Edited April 25 by arzz

[commodoredave]

15 hours ago, JPH814 said:

For what it is worth, this survey is concerning     The only thing I might want to include would be unlimited excursions - or one per port included like a river. Cruise.  But leave the gratuities and booze alone.  No paying extra for special dining.   And no “multiple tiered” system on board - hell no!  

I do not like included excursions for the following reasons:

1. I usually prefer to do my own thing in port 

2. I often cruise to ports I have been to before, and therefore may not even get off the ship

3. Cruise lines that currently include excursions also offer others for an additional price, usually because the included ones are very basic 

4. Many of the best excursions sell out before all passengers have a chance to book them as on my recent SS Japan cruise 

5. If I do my own thing rather than taking an included excursion, I am not getting good value from my cruise fare 

For these and other reasons, please do not add shore excursions as part of the fare.

[PaulMCO]

10 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I agree with this logic. I  had to question why there wasn’t an option that didn’t include keeping things the way that they are. Or, One of the main differences between SB and other luxury lines is the lack of included excursions, or the baked in cost to cover some excursion credit. That is a huge difference. The scenarios as I recall included ‘x’ amount of excursion credit, or included excursions. A key differentiating factor wasn’t in A or B.  

Because if you said -- I would NOT purchase to all 7 possible scenarios, you would want to keep the status quo.  If you said yes to one or more of these, then they would know several changes to the current pricing which would be acceptable.

[Tallante]

6 hours ago, Pre Eng said:

We haven’t received one in UK.

Nor in Spain, their customer base here must be very very small.

[Audiobookphile9]

I received a survey.  I think it was designed to determine how much you would be willing to pay for (specialty restaurants, inclusive excursions, laundry and dry cleaning, in-suite bar stocked with soda, wine, beer/ without spirits). It also had a couple of scenarios to determine if something like a swim-up-to sushi bar, or a lavish barbecue pool party, or a shop with the ship's chef excursion would be appealing.  I liked the idea of the latter but not the former two.  Most of the survey was designed to determine which cruise you would book and how much more you would be  willing to pay for an item that is currently included in Seabourn's 'all inclusive' cruise prices. Which is why I don't think there were any questions about the Spa prices. The final section of the survey was designed to get demographic info. 

[BasandSyb]

Australian and didn’t receive it. 
 

The mere suggestion frightens the heck out of us. We are currently experiencing our first HAL and climbing the walls. No lectures, all activities (except quick trivia) are for the purpose of promotions and upselling - art, spa, casino, shop, photos. Basil went to look around the spa and returned angry as the spa personnel were more persistent and aggressive in pushing sales than the best Egyptian tourist hawkers.

 

Every menu has up charges even in the specialty dining venues - $130US extra doesn't seem to provide much difference from the dining room. If you’d like a small lobster add another $30. Drink orders take forever and involve paperwork, service charges, cadging for tips and signatures. Don’t understand the point when we have a drink package and prepaid gratuities.  It’s a chaotic and unpleasant environment which we will not be repeating which has cost us roughly the same as what we would pay for a Seabourn cruise.

 

Not our cup of tea.

 

[lincslady]

Oh dear.  The writing may be on the wall, in view of HAL now being in charge of much if not all of what Seabourn does.  Hope not.

[commodoredave]

HAL is already working on the next survey for Seabourn. I’ve heard some of the questions will be:

1. Would you like more than 1 more meal per day?

2. Would you be willing to pay extra for a mattress on your bed?

3. Do you want the ship to visit more than 1 port?

4. Would you pay extra for gin in your martini?

5. Are you willing to wash your own dishes?

If you would like to suggest some more survey questions, please do so as there is no area that HAL is unwilling to explore to improve the Seabourn experience.