Has X Ticked You Off?

[Capt]

Sooner or later "X " will alienate themselves from the loyal consumer.

 

It may be the embark and disembark procedures, the repetitive itineraries, the seldom changed menu, non-competitive suite prices or the same tired stuff that you will get if you sail them year after year after year.

 

They surely are not the line that they were when we started cruising them in the early 90's. The dining room food was fairly close to what the alternative dining rooms are today. Frequent cruise spiffs were better (God, I'm sounding like my Dad) and we felt a little more special than we recently have.

 

To celebrate our attainment of Celebrity's highest frquent cruiser status we are going AWOL to Princess. Will we dislike it? Only trying it will answer the question. If we find out X is really not that bad, we will gladly return.

 

Exercise your free-market rights!! See what the competition has to offer.

If they fall short and the experience is wanting return to the line that "exceeds your expectations" As far as our upcoming cruise we will be pleased if it meets our expectations.

 

Will report post cruise.

[Nurse Bambi]

Capt, We are also starting to feel the same way. After several Celebrity cruises and with the noticeable downturn in the quality and maintenance of the ships we are also are looking around to see what else is out there. We thought the food on Celebrity was as good as Princess and thought that overall the entertainment was better on Celebrity. Since the corporate feeling for customer loyalty has slipped very low on the totem pole, we feel that for us, it would be more interesting to try different lines than just going on the same cruise line every time. We have also sailed Princess and think you will enjoy Princess very much. Please let us know how they compare.

Happy cruising

[HurricaneSally]

I have always tried different lines (not a loyalist here). I have tried Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Norwegian. The products are basically the same on all with some minor differences. Would go back on any of them for the right price and itinerary.

 

Unfortunately, all cruiselines have tried to increase the profit margin, while continually lowering prices to accommodate the masses. It's a tight rope to walk and Celebrity does it very well.

 

True, dinners aren't what they used to be on any main stream line. Quality always suffers first.

 

I still love cruising and will continue to do so, but won't be loyal to any line, the perks aren't worth it to me.

[DC2OC]

Who saids you have to be loyal to any line,Though out of my 6 cruises ,4 have been with the other 2 Carnival.No cruise line will fit all the time.For a fiftysomething cruiser there are times when a party boat or family cruise won't do ,thats where X fills the bill,but I'm finding their choices a bit thin esprcially to Hawaii.I dont want to spend 15 days on ship with only 5-6 days in Hawaii.But I would also like a little more zip at times and thats were X may fall short.My next cruise will be based ports ,price and will consider all cruise line even freestyle...............Frank

[BILLP1]

We are moving over to Regent for a number of reasons. Better to pay more and be happy .

[Host Anne]

I can honestly say that all of the cruise lines we've sailed over the years (four of them) have done something at one time or another to really annoy me. If I really let it get to me, I wouldn't be cruising any longer. I could actually say that about any vacation, business trip, flight, trip to the grocery store, etc.

 

When things happen that you don't like, I certainly think they should be addressed but then I think we need to move on. Life's too short.

[Texed]

Celebrity ticks me off every time they make me get off the ship.:rolleyes:

[mollyanne]

Sooner or later "X " will alienate themselves from the loyal consumer.

 

It may be the embark and disembark procedures, the repetitive itineraries, the seldom changed menu, non-competitive suite prices or the same tired stuff that you will get if you sail them year after year after year.

 

They surely are not the line that they were when we started cruising them in the early 90's. The dining room food was fairly close to what the alternative dining rooms are today. Frequent cruise spiffs were better (God, I'm sounding like my Dad) and we felt a little more special than we recently have.

 

To celebrate our attainment of Celebrity's highest frquent cruiser status we are going AWOL to Princess. Will we dislike it? Only trying it will answer the question. If we find out X is really not that bad, we will gladly return.

 

Exercise your free-market rights!! See what the competition has to offer.

If they fall short and the experience is wanting return to the line that "exceeds your expectations" As far as our upcoming cruise we will be pleased if it meets our expectations.

 

Will report post cruise.

 

Sailed X once - sailed Princess twice with third booked for March. Does that tell you anything? Love Princess for many reasons too numerous to mention but the value is huge . Check out their boards. Hope you love it as much as we do and happy cruising!

 

mollyanne:)

[newtocc]

I can honestly say that all of the cruise lines we've sailed over the years (four of them) have done something at one time or another to really annoy me. If I really let it get to me, I wouldn't be cruising any longer. I could actually say that about any vacation, business trip, flight, trip to the grocery store, etc.

 

When things happen that you don't like, I certainly think they should be addressed but then I think we need to move on. Life's too short.

 

I'm sorry Host Anne, I have to disagree with you, my life has been really, really long, I can't do the things I could do when I was young, or at least not as often, I've been married so long the wifester is starting to look like me, I'm still paying for the kidsters, and if I wasn't old, then I'd feel bad badmouthing other cruise lines, but I don't, so I must be old! So let this be a lesson to you, just because you're a Host, you can't tell me my life is too short, so there!!

[Luckyladym]

and for DH and me, it was never an important issue.

 

When we first cruised in 1980 it was to "try it out" and of course we became addicted. No more land vacations or all-inclusive Caribbean resorts for us.

 

We have over the past 25 years chosen our cruises by itineraries as we really wanted to cruise the world.

 

I feel as though we have tried them all...in all the exotic areas of the world...3 times to Alaska...S. America to visit the penquins...Australia, New Zealand, Trans Atlantic and Trans Pacific.

 

If being loyal to one cruise line is important to you...go for it.:(

 

But cruise ships are like people..they change...they grow older...they lose their looks....but to us the thrill of the seas is the important thing and we will continue to enjoy all the cruise lines that we can.

 

Hope you all get the chance to do the same.

 

Marilyn

[greeneg]

I'm sorry Host Anne, I have to disagree with you, my life has been really, really long, I can't do the things I could do when I was young, or at least not as often, I've been married so long the wifester is starting to look like me, I'm still paying for the kidsters, and if I wasn't old, then I'd feel bad badmouthing other cruise lines, but I don't, so I must be old! So let this be a lesson to you, just because you're a Host, you can't tell me my life is too short, so there!!

 

Newt, OLD buddy, how ever you want to look at it, Vertical beats Horizontal every time.......

 

Keep on, keeping on!!

[m steve]

that we have taken but we are concerned about up coming one. We sailed the Connie from San Juan a few years ago and really enjoyed it and loved CC cabin. Again went to San Diego for Mexican cruise on Mercury. Since then we sailed Princess twice, 1 good, one bad, and Hal on Vol great. We have always brought a few bottles of wine and liquor for cabin use and paying corkage in dining room. Never had any line threatened to disembark us for doing this. Only offered to hold it until end of cruise like buying duty free in ports or on ship. I don't know why X needs to alienate their passengers.

As for cleanliness, food quality and ship condition we will find out in Dec. I hope that I am just doing a Mel Brooks. " Hope for the best, expect the worst"

[osiebosie]

I'll be glad when I've cruised X enough to say the same.

 

Shay

[JEDMELK]

We have cruised on Celebrity (going again in 3 weeks), Princess, Holland America, NCL and Carnival. Without a doubt, they all have their good and bad which is true with anything in life.

That being said, I think what is more offensive is the attitude with which rules are enforced or not. I do understand and agree that dollar for dollar a cruise still affords the best "bang for your dollar" and that the lines must generate income or, they will be out of business. What I have a hard time with is the fact that the profit margin that is made for these additional items.

We have been cruising since 1980's and what we are paying now for 10 days with a balcony is only a few dollars more than we had paid for 7 days with an inside cabin. So, the additional revenue must come from somewhere.

I do not have a problem paying their price while I am on deck or in a lounge however, if I choose to enjoy an "adult beverage" in my cabin or on my balcony I do have an issue with either having to pay their prices and either have to venture to a bar or worse yet, wait for room service to deliver it.

As far as I am concerned, I would rather pay a few dollars more for the cruise and not have to deal with the threats (for lack of a better term) of the consequences for exercising my options.

OK, I have vented about this issue and now it is someone else's turn.

[kruisecat]

Sooner or later "X " will alienate themselves from the loyal consumer.

 

 

I think the point is that they DON'T need as many loyal customers any longer. For every one of the "loyals" that they lose there are probably 6 newbies waiting in line for the experience. As long as they continue to offer a decent vacation at a decent price there will be fewer and fewer reasons to worry about hanging on to the loyal following who cruise 3, 4, 5 or more times a year because there will be a constant stream of 1x a year cruisers to fill up the ship.

 

Just my 2 cents!

[C 2 C]

Celebrity ticks me off every time they make me get off the ship.:rolleyes:

 

And I thought that was my complaint...

 

We've sailed HAL and Princess more than 10 times each (total of 250+ days)...

X has not done anything serious enough to send me back... but I keep on looking. All the lines provide their own version of cruising and attract their own loyal following..

I hope to hit my 365th day on board X in December and 50th X "cruise credit" in February... despite X not giving me any perks.

I check cruise deals daily and others just don't measure up to my budget limitations...

 

For every trip on X I get $200 for booking on board and $250 for owning the stock...

Carnival policy against double dipping: Princess and HAL don't allow both credits on the same sailing.. That extra dough is worth laundry and internet credits.

 

Celebrity is not perfect. They have ticked me off over the years but so have the other lines. For every person leaving the X-fold there is a guest on Princess or HAL (etc) coming to X.

No matter what you choose for your cruising pleasure... find the one that suits your own tastes and let the cruise lines know how to improve their product.... Competition is great for all of us.

[two rabbits]

I think the point is that they DON'T need as many loyal customers any longer. For every one of the "loyals" that they lose there are probably 6 newbies waiting in line for the experience. As long as they continue to offer a decent vacation at a decent price there will be fewer and fewer reasons to worry about hanging on to the loyal following who cruise 3, 4, 5 or more times a year because there will be a constant stream of 1x a year cruisers to fill up the ship.

 

Just my 2 cents!

 

I think you hit a home run with that thought! It would also explain the lack of interest in addressing any serious problems, by customer service.

While I believe this will work in the short run, the problem may be that with a shrinking loyal customer base you will eventually run out of new customers, to replace those who don't return.

[greeneg]

I think that some of the issue may well be not only whether or not customers return, but also where those customers go. If they find a venue other than cruising, well, that's one thing. On the other hand, if they in fact strengthen your competition, that's quite another IMHO.

 

We orgininally settled on Celebrity after indifferent customer service from HAL; so far, I cannot say that I have had a major issue that has not been appropriately addressed. At the same time, I would like not to have the "other shoe drop".

 

Just my thinking.

[lysolqn]

Not long ago I read an article that said a) only 5% of the US population has ever been on a cruise; and, b) cruise lines target the other 95% potential first-timers that haven't. I think that pretty much dismisses any loyalty issue from the cruise lines' perspective (even the best cruise line loyalty program doesn't come close to the worst airline program) and also explains why post-cruise customer service problems often go unresolved. In short, while I doubt Celebrity (or any of the others) wants to lose any customers, I don't think they're terribly concerned about loyalty either.

[kruisecat]

I think you hit a home run with that thought! It would also explain the lack of interest in addressing any serious problems, by customer service.

While I believe this will work in the short run, the problem may be that with a shrinking loyal customer base you will eventually run out of new customers, to replace those who don't return.

 

The only difference will be that the newer cruisers will not have the "good old days" memories and really won't notice a major difference.

 

In the past 5 years I have been on only 3 cruises so I don't notice things like the menu's being the same or the itins being repetitive. I will continue to sail X because frankly they offer the best bang for the buck AND they have consistently been less expensive for the itins I've wanted.

 

I think it might be time for the "loyals" to change their expectations as opposed to the cruiseline changing their business practices. Unfair? you bet. Realistic? For sure.

 

Again, just my take on the situation

[dkjretired]

I really doubt they are not trying to attract their past customers particularly in view of the fact they will have to fill three new ships in the coming years.

[caviargal]

I really doubt they are not trying to attract their past customers particularly in view of the fact they will have to fill three new ships in the coming years.

 

 

Do you really think that the true X fan is excited about Solstice? I don't think so personally. The size and capacity of those ships implies a difference in personal service and onboard ambiance. I have been aboard ships that size and found little, if anything, to like. IMO, it is will lessen their differentiation and cause those who prefer a traditional and somewhat elegant atmosphere to go elsewhere.

[caviargal]

We are moving over to Regent for a number of reasons. Better to pay more and be happy .

 

BILLP1, Regent is a great line:). I will be interested in your impressions upon completing your cruise.

 

We will be on X and RSSC within 2 weeks of each other so a fresh comparison will be posted then

[dmk]

Has X Ticked You Off?

 

You, betcha, they have. But they 'll have to get in line with the 1231 other companies that tick me off!

[Alaska Boo]

Oh, Yes, they have ticked me off. I am booked for the Millenium on 1/21/07 in a Royal Suite. It's me and my two staff people. Our annual firm retreat. We just added a new staff person, so now we are four. Therefore, I wanted to move up to the Penthouse, but it is not available on the 1/21 cruise (we are waitlisted, not holding my breath). However, there is a Penthouse available the week before, 1/14. I asked to change.

 

Now keep in mind this increases my pay out by about $3,000 for a week long cruise. I was willing to do that, provided that X waived the cancellation fee. (Technically, we would be cancelling the 1/21 cruise, and purchasing anew the 1/14 cruise.) I am a loyal X customer. I sail around once a year, always in an expensive suite. Would they waive the $1,000 "cancellation fee," even though they were going to be booking a much more expensive, and currently vacant, suite? No. Wouldn't even consider it.

 

I will take this cruise with X. I will order double appetizers and entrees, even if I only take one bite of them. (I never do that, but I will now.) I will do everything in my power to make the most of every "free" opportunity, and will encourage my staff to do the same. Then, X has seen the last of me. I will go with Regent next year.

 

Not really being treated famously today. . .

 

Vanessa