Conde Nast and NCL

[smeyer418]

There is a special section in this Months Conde Nast magazine about cruising to say the least, it gives NCL short shift and leaves out a lot of things(like NCL allows free Cappicino- its says the RC does that which I belive it doesn't) in any case there is nothing else nice said except that NCL has nice excersions in Hawaii-- it is considered a budget line(along with Carnival and RC) with long lines. Is there some history between NCL and Conde Nast that I am unaware of?

 

Thanks

[newmexicoNita]

There is a special section in this Months Conde Nast magazine about cruising to say the least, it gives NCL short shift and leaves out a lot of things(like NCL allows free Cappicino- its says the RC does that which I belive it doesn't) in any case there is nothing else nice said except that NCL has nice excersions in Hawaii-- it is considered a budget line(along with Carnival and RC) with long lines. Is there some history between NCL and Conde Nast that I am unaware of?

 

Thanks

I don't think Conde Nest thinks much about any lines that do not advertise with them big time. The average type of cruiser, especially those who do cruise NCl either don't read Conde Nest or don't pay much attention. To me it is nothing but a bunch of ads. As for budget line: think about it, If you are going to classify any of the mass marketed lines as budget those 3 would be the ones. This is taking nothing away for any of them. There was a time when there really were some budget lines out there: Commodore, Chandres, and Primere, but they are gone: Sad in many ways. NMNita

[newmexicoNita]

There is a special section in this Months Conde Nast magazine about cruising to say the least, it gives NCL short shift and leaves out a lot of things(like NCL allows free Cappicino- its says the RC does that which I belive it doesn't) in any case there is nothing else nice said except that NCL has nice excersions in Hawaii-- it is considered a budget line(along with Carnival and RC) with long lines. Is there some history between NCL and Conde Nast that I am unaware of?

 

Thanks

I don't think Conde Nest thinks much about any lines that do not advertise with them big time. The average type of cruiser, especially those who do cruise NCl either don't read Conde Nest or don't pay much attention. To me it is nothing but a bunch of ads. As for budget line: think about it, If you are going to classify any of the mass marketed lines as budget those 3 would be the ones. This is taking nothing away for any of them. There was a time when there really were some budget lines out there: Commodore, Chandres, and Primere, but they are gone: Sad in many ways. NMNita

[KeystoneCruiser]

I feel NCL gets slighted alot by the travel publications. Last January, our major city newspaper devoted much of their travel section to discussing cruises and cruise lines. There was hardly a mention of NCL. (I think one paragraph) You would have thought RCCL was the cat's meow, everything was about that line! (and Carnival, Princess and HAL were not far behind.)

 

Only one travel agency in our city (the one I use) was advertizing NCL in that paper at the time and they have since stopped advertizing NCL. It is bad for NCL since there really is no promotion of them in our town. (although I have sent a few people their way)

 

Also, in a recent AAA article, NCL was not mentioned with the other lines.

 

 

I have a theory that maybe Conde Nast and the other "mainstream" travel agencies are slighting NCL because of Freestyle. Freestyle goes against the traditions of cruising...fancy dinners, dressing to the nines, etc.. How many traditional cruisers have come on here and blasted Freestyle basically because it is not traditional?? Many things over the years have been fought against by traditionalists and one of the most valuable weapons is by not awknowleding them or providing their "non traditional" system with any press. Just a thought......

[bookdoctor1]

Our AAA here in Central Ohio will not even book NCL even if you ask. They say there are too many problems, which is garbage. I think NCL just doesn't pay them to use them so they bad mouth them. Personally I love the freestyle cruising. Do not like to dress up or eat when they say and where. Will probly never go on another cruise except with NCL. Just did #13 on the Dawn and had a blast. Ship was clean, food was good. Service was excellent.

[newmexicoNita]

I feel NCL gets slighted alot by the travel publications. Last January, our major city newspaper devoted much of their travel section to discussing cruises and cruise lines. There was hardly a mention of NCL. (I think one paragraph) You would have thought RCCL was the cat's meow, everything was about that line! (and Carnival, Princess and HAL were not far behind.)

 

Only one travel agency in our city (the one I use) was advertizing NCL in that paper at the time and they have since stopped advertizing NCL. It is bad for NCL since there really is no promotion of them in our town. (although I have sent a few people their way)

 

Also, in a recent AAA article, NCL was not mentioned with the other lines.

 

 

I have a theory that maybe Conde Nast and the other "mainstream" travel agencies are slighting NCL because of Freestyle. Freestyle goes against the traditions of cruising...fancy dinners, dressing to the nines, etc.. How many traditional cruisers have come on here and blasted Freestyle basically because it is not traditional?? Many things over the years have been fought against by traditionalists and one of the most valuable weapons is by not awknowleding them or providing their "non traditional" system with any press. Just a thought......

I agree, I have started spending a littlle time on another board that isn't really too busy but fun. It has been around for about a year or so, but just picking up. The moderator actually used to work for RCI, so did her husband: talk about biased. I would hate to think she was working in the media. I have always felt one of NCLs problems could be the mix match of ships. I am not knocking them, it just most of the lines have ships they built and fit into catagories. NCL has just started this in the past 5 years; the older ships have come from everywhere and even with the newer ones they don't have classes like HAL, RCI< Celebrity, etc. I know this doesn't have much to do with Conde Nest, I just thought I would throw it in. NMNita

[mikedw]

Conde Naste usually ends up in the garbage can in our agency. We serve a lot of middle class blue collar families and it just doesn't fit the type of travel that we do. When I first entered the travel industry, I remember looking through it and seeing a full page ad for a round the world trip on a chartered concorde, that's a mass market trip:)LOL. It blows my mind that another agency would refuse to use a major company and lose the business, we have our preferred suppliers, but if you ask, I'll get you the info and we'll book it. I have to admit, when I call NCL, I usually am on hold for a bit, but everyone I have ever talked to with them, have been excellent.

 

Take care,

Michael

[smeyer418]

The AAA travel agency quote is frankly wierd. I am a member of AAA I just got a brochure through the mail from them that highlights NCL which may have been cause I am from NY and they sail from here so much. I also just got an email from AAA as well and the first two cruises listed are also NCL(and its from the national aaa not the local one)...

[newmexicoNita]

Our AAA here in Central Ohio will not even book NCL even if you ask. They say there are too many problems, which is garbage. I think NCL just doesn't pay them to use them so they bad mouth them. Personally I love the freestyle cruising. Do not like to dress up or eat when they say and where. Will probly never go on another cruise except with NCL. Just did #13 on the Dawn and had a blast. Ship was clean, food was good. Service was excellent.

I agree with Mike and Sid on this: any major company that refuses to book has a screw missing. Our latest AAA magazine and ads are now pushing NCL> It has to do with advertising in my opinion. As a TA, I would never, not book a cruise nor would I knock it. I do try and be honest with my clients, explaining what they may want to consider. Example, I was asked yesterday for some suggestions for inexpensive 5 day cruises in Oct or early Nov: I did throw in the Dream even though it is 7 days because she leaves from TX which is their first choice: With that I let them know a little history about the ship, but I didn't blast away. Like Mike, much of my business is middle income (not blue collar actually) but lots of airline employees and lots of retired couples, some with money but most living on enough to survive but certainly not enough to cruise Crystal etc. I sell whatever they want. NMNnita

[seahorse]

Sid,

 

That little booklet was written by Wendy Perrin, Consumer News Editor. She is a high-end traveler and IMO a little too much so. She did not even sail on NCL so what she is reporting is hearsay.

 

Also notice that NCL did not advertise in the booklet.;)

[jingming]

I have the feb issue of the mag where it ranked the top 80 cruise ships. None of NCL's ships were on the list...individual ships were ranked and RCCL appeared quite a few times.

[jsil]

we booked our recent cruise through a large well known travel agency.

The agent was almost dead set against us going on NCL. We wanted to cruise out of New York to avoid flying so we were limited to the Celebrity Zenith, NCL: the Dawn, the Spirit, or the Crown or the Crown Princess. She was pushing the Celebrity Zenith to Bermuda. In the end, we decided to go with NCL and the Dawn because the Dawn was a newer ship and the fact that there would be more kids on the Dawn and the kid's club.(but, I won't go there since that is a different thread)

[newmexicoNita]

we booked our recent cruise through a large well known travel agency.

The agent was almost dead set against us going on NCL. We wanted to cruise out of New York to avoid flying so we were limited to the Celebrity Zenith, NCL: the Dawn, the Spirit, or the Crown or the Crown Princess. She was pushing the Celebrity Zenith to Bermuda. In the end, we decided to go with NCL and the Dawn because the Dawn was a newer ship and the fact that there would be more kids on the Dawn and the kid's club.(but, I won't go there since that is a different thread)

Am I the only TA out there that doesn't try and push a certain line or product? I am beginning to think so; I read so much about "MY agent didn't want to book thus and so" It isn't our decision to make, it is our clients. When I was a realtor (about 2000 years ago) I had to follow the same policy. I wasn't living in the house my clients would choose: I also learned when new owners take over a home the bad decor goes also. Maybe the blue kitchen I think is awesome, my clients might hate: maybe freestyle that certainly fits me, is not for my client. Maybe I prefer a newer ship than the Zenith: maybe my clients like the small older variety. NMNita

[mikedw]

Personally, I would walk out of an agency that was so hell bent on pushing only one product. Seems like some agencies are going back to the old days when each steam ship company and railroad had there own offices in each city. In my office if we just pushed one product, we wouldn't be working here long.

 

Michael

[drk]

Our local AAA in Melbourne also does not want to book with NCL. I get a kick out of the X boards when they hold up the Condo Nast ratings of the X ships as the beall endall for their chosen line. My gut tells me that those ratings are either biased or bought and paid for. Just MHO.

[seahorse]

Am I the only TA out there that doesn't try and push a certain line or product? I am beginning to think so; I read so much about "MY agent didn't want to book thus and so" It isn't our decision to make, it is our clients. When I was a realtor (about 2000 years ago) I had to follow the same policy. I wasn't living in the house my clients would choose: I also learned when new owners take over a home the bad decor goes also. Maybe the blue kitchen I think is awesome, my clients might hate: maybe freestyle that certainly fits me, is not for my client. Maybe I prefer a newer ship than the Zenith: maybe my clients like the small older variety. NMNita

 

Perhaps we are both Dinosaurs Nita:rolleyes: .......I qualify my clients and then sell them on my knowledge and experience of the product. There has never been a cruise ship or line that I didn`t like.......just some better then others for different reasons;)

[zimmerjulie]

I had lunch with a AAA agent onboard the Pride of Hawai'i. I had heard people say that their AAA wouldn't handle NCL. I asked her if she had heard of this, and what the reason might be. She said that in order to establish a contract with AAA, the cruise lines have to agree to offer AAA higher commissions than the industry standard, plus other preferential terms not offered to other agencies. NCL declined and so many locations do not allow their AAA agents to sell NCL, but route passengers to the lines that have agreed to their terms.

[mbisson]

She said that in order to establish a contract with AAA, the cruise lines have to agree to offer AAA higher commissions than the industry standard, plus other preferential terms not offered to other agencies. .

 

 

Thanks for the info Julie. This really smells!

 

-Monte

[tomluvsaida]

Perhaps we are both Dinosaurs Nita:rolleyes: .......I qualify my clients and then sell them on my knowledge and experience of the product. There has never been a cruise ship or line that I didn`t like.......just some better then others for different reasons;)

 

I know I haven't been on a cruse ship yet so maybe I haven't a right to talk but I think you two are NOT the dinosaurs but those that only push one line and an upper end at that are.

By the way, did anyone happen to notice last season when The Apprentice was on an NCL Ship and Donald Trump was promoting Free Style? I really don't think NCL or anyone else had to BUY Donald Trump and I doubt if he would promote anything he didn't belive in.

Also I agree with Nita, I'm a realtor and if I tried to sell real estate with only my personal taste I'd be out of business.

[Cuizer2]

There is a special section in this Months Conde Nast magazine about cruising to say the least, it gives NCL short shift and leaves out a lot of things(like NCL allows free Cappicino- its says the RC does that which I belive it doesn't) in any case there is nothing else nice said except that NCL has nice excersions in Hawaii-- it is considered a budget line(along with Carnival and RC) with long lines. Is there some history between NCL and Conde Nast that I am unaware of?

 

Thanks

 

The readers of Conde Nast are more of the Cunard, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea ... type. Thus, lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL are going to get bad reviews by Conde Nast. Think what would happen if a family friendly magazine reviewed Seabourn (which I believe is adults only). Seabourn would get a very negative review. You have to understand the source before you can understand the review.

[hotspur]

The readers of Conde Nast are more of the Cunard, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea ... type. Thus, lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL are going to get bad reviews by Conde Nast. Think what would happen if a family friendly magazine reviewed Seabourn (which I believe is adults only). Seabourn would get a very negative review. You have to understand the source before you can understand the review.

Sort of like the book ranking cruise lines that knocks NCL (and others) for not providing a proper fish knife and fork in the dining room. I'm sure they do in the Queen's Grill, but you pay a pretty penny to use it.

[newmexicoNita]

I know I haven't been on a cruse ship yet so maybe I haven't a right to talk but I think you two are NOT the dinosaurs but those that only push one line and an upper end at that are.

By the way, did anyone happen to notice last season when The Apprentice was on an NCL Ship and Donald Trump was promoting Free Style? I really don't think NCL or anyone else had to BUY Donald Trump and I doubt if he would promote anything he didn't belive in.

Also I agree with Nita, I'm a realtor and if I tried to sell real estate with only my personal taste I'd be out of business.

Thanks Tom, obviously Seahorse and I sell the same way. Sure, I admit, for me NCL is number one, because of my lifestyle, but this isn't for everyone. I did have a client recently that wanted a panama Canal (acutally around the canal) cruise on MSC. I asked them if they knew anything about the line; they had done some research, knew it wasn't the type of cruiseline they usually used and had to be happy with an inside cabin. These are seasoned cruisres and they wanted the particular itinerary. I am happy they know what they are doing and am sure they will have a great cruise. NMNita

[Got2Cruise]

I know I haven't been on a cruse ship yet so maybe I haven't a right to talk but I think you two are NOT the dinosaurs but those that only push one line and an upper end at that are.

By the way, did anyone happen to notice last season when The Apprentice was on an NCL Ship and Donald Trump was promoting Free Style? I really don't think NCL or anyone else had to BUY Donald Trump and I doubt if he would promote anything he didn't belive in.

Also I agree with Nita, I'm a realtor and if I tried to sell real estate with only my personal taste I'd be out of business.

 

The Donald is one heck of a businessman. . .don't kid yourself, he probably owns tons of stock in NCL. He most likely believes that Free Style is the wave of the future in cruising. . .and slowly but surely, I think it will become the "norm" in cruising also. But getting back to the article, isn't another reason people cruise NCL, besides "freestyle" is that it gives good value for the dollar? There is nothing wrong with that. . .jmo

[tomluvsaida]

The readers of Conde Nast are more of the Cunard, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea ... type. Thus, lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL are going to get bad reviews by Conde Nast. Think what would happen if a family friendly magazine reviewed Seabourn (which I believe is adults only). Seabourn would get a very negative review. You have to understand the source before you can understand the review.

Cunard, Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea - I could be way out of line on this so forgive me if i am, but I get the idea it is mostly a rich geriatric crowd on these ships. Am I wrong?

[Cuizer2]

By the way, did anyone happen to notice last season when The Apprentice was on an NCL Ship and Donald Trump was promoting Free Style? I really don't think NCL or anyone else had to BUY Donald Trump and I doubt if he would promote anything he didn't belive in.

 

I believe I read where NCL did pay for that spot. If I recall right, it was $1,000,000.

 

Also, I have read where some agent have had some much trouble with NCL that they refuse to book with NCL. It is a customer service issue as I understand it. Of course everyone has trouble with someone. There is a well known high tech company I will no longer deal with. Again, it is a customer service issue (their products are good). And while I am complaining about their customer service, they are winning awards for - you guessed it, customer service (go figure).