Cruise Lines Should Target Their Most Profitable Customers

[A Knitter]

All of you are right, but there will always be some passengers who will be unhappy if you hung them with a new rope. We see them every cruise.

In defense of long reef's concerns. This couple has 2 posts so far as new to the Board. I would also be intimidated with this thread if this were my first cruise not knowing where to spend to be part of the Oceania elite.

Oceania is a great ship with great values. We sailed with RCCL when raising our son and we were often upgraded to concierge level without paying more. My rock climbing days are over. I prefer Oceania now. If I don't receive a call to upgrade to OS, I still think for what I pay, the value is comparable if not better than the others. Oceania won't be able to please everyone nor should they.

[Veronica13]

LOL - dear lord - what is that a picture of?? It looks like a glass prison to me!!:eek: It that something people PAY for?

 

Many of these threads, from bottled water, to what to wear, to someone smoking 100 feet away, to people "making fools of themselves" drinking, are IMHO just plain silly.

 

My focus is on the quality of the sailing itself. If someone is annoying me, I walk away. It's not hard to do.

 

Signed,

SINGLE, SMOKING, DRINKING WEAR WHAT I PLEASE WITH BIG BANK ACCOUNT :p

[hondorner]

SINGLE, SMOKING, DRINKING WEAR WHAT I PLEASE WITH BIG BANK ACCOUNT :p

The smiley sticking out his tongue is appropriate since they don't have one that thumbs his nose...

[wripro]

This continuing thread exemplifies exactly why I find it ugly.

[Veronica13]

For Sale:

 

One sense of humor.

All offers considered.:D

[Huddler]

Signed,

SINGLE, SMOKING, DRINKING WEAR WHAT I PLEASE WITH BIG BANK ACCOUNT :p

I definitely want to cruise with you, girl!! I am not a smoker, save for the occasional fine cigar, but smoking doesnt bother me at all. It goes hand in hand with drinking and having a good time. I wish I could enjoy a really nice stogey on board, but it is apparently too offensive to others so I dont indulge. Ive noticed that the new national pastime is people taking offense to the words and conduct of others. We are a nation of whinners and snitches. Sad but true.

[ClaudiaF]

LOL - dear lord - what is that a picture of?? It looks like a glass prison to me!!:eek: It that something people PAY for?

 

Many of these threads, from bottled water, to what to wear, to someone smoking 100 feet away, to people "making fools of themselves" drinking, are IMHO just plain silly.

 

My focus is on the quality of the sailing itself. If someone is annoying me, I walk away. It's not hard to do.

 

Signed,

SINGLE, SMOKING, DRINKING WEAR WHAT I PLEASE WITH BIG BANK ACCOUNT :p

 

Veronica.. Just.. THANK YOU!

Hope to meet you on an O cruise.. you are terrific...

[ClaudiaF]

p.s.

hey..just found this great site and low and behold:

We just got upgraded to owners suite including a free bar bill , cabana and spa services, dinner reservations every night and free business class airfare..wow what a deal..and even though I consider myself one of "THOSE" passengers.. well hey.. free is good.. so

if you want the same thing.. just check out the website

IWANTITFREEDARNIt@O.com:D:p;)

[Fontana]

I definitely want to cruise with you, girl!! I am not a smoker, save for the occasional fine cigar, but smoking doesnt bother me at all. It goes hand in hand with drinking and having a good time. I wish I could enjoy a really nice stogey on board, but it is apparently too offensive to others so I dont indulge. Ive noticed that the new national pastime is people taking offense to the words and conduct of others. We are a nation of whinners and snitches. Sad but true.

 

Huddler, I don't think the folks in the 'smoking corner' would mind at all, if you enjoyed a cigar or two.... on your next cruise.

I know on our last cruise (Nautica) there were several males & females smoking cigars whilst chatting & enjoying a drink or two...:) with the cigarette smoking regulars.

[Huddler]

Veronica,

 

When I started reading your post, I was very inclined to disagree with you, but you are RIGHT.

 

The smokers appear to have been beaten into submission as have the Single cruisers (who were once a massive force, particularly on Cruise Critic).

 

On the Oceania board, our most recent contretemps in the money wars

occurred when the Cabanas were installed along the forward perimeter of Deck 11

 

There were outraged cries from passengers who considered the forward views sacrosanct. Dire predictions of Panama Canal Rebellions were tossed about.

 

We went through the same thing with corkage fees.

 

Perhaps, the problem is that where some of us see privelege, others see loopholes........

Well said!

[Huddler]

This continuing thread exemplifies exactly why I find it ugly.

You are offended because I initiated a conversation regarding the way cruise lines could affect their bottom line by directing marketing efforts and discounts to their more profitable customers? You apparently feel that somehow we are being elitest in our statements regarding the fact that the more profitable a customer is, the more important he is to the line? It was not my intention to offend anyone by bringing up this topic, but it seems one cant say anything in this country anymore without somebody getting their feelings hurt. Fortunately, I am not someone with a thin skin. There are MANY more customers onboard who are more valuable to the crusie company than me, but why should that even concern me? And I dont care that the cruise line would have the temerity to direct more marketing efforts and discounts toward those folks who have shown a propensity to spend more. The cruise company has a duty to make a profit and if identifying and cultivating a more profitable customer base works toward that end, why shouldnt they do it; your bruised ego and hurt feelings not withstanding.

 

Look, if you buy a ticket on a cruise, you can do basically anything you want. You deserve the same treatment as any other passenger and can spend or not spend as you see fit. Its your money, its your time, its your cruise, enjoy however best suits you. But to think that discussions regarding customer profitability and cruise line marketing efforts are in someway "ugly" is beyond the pale of political correctness. How can empirical data regarding customer spending habits and ways to increase a companys bottom line be so darn offensive to anyone? Wow is all I can say!

[Veronica13]

Veronica.. Just.. THANK YOU!

Hope to meet you on an O cruise.. you are terrific...

 

Well, that's three of us who know how to have fun and laugh at life. Maybe one day Huddler, yourself and I will be on the same sailing. Pity the other passengers.;)

[Veronica13]

Veronica,

 

When I started reading your post, I was very inclined to disagree with you, but you are RIGHT.

 

The smokers appear to have been beaten into submission as have the Single cruisers (who were once a massive force, particularly on Cruise Critic).

 

.

 

In the scant months I've spent here, I find "beating people into submission" is the number one goal. Like some kind of sick video game. Many on here seem addicted to posting, regardless of whether they have any knowledge about the thread, many addicted to juding others, etc. I've never seen such a "bullying", negative website. My favorite signature is on Pipedreams62..."Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups". LOVE THAT.

 

Now, I'm not sure these people are really that way in REAL LIFE (this is cyber space people, not the real world), but I can only take so much of it in a week. I surround myself with positive people and influences. Thank god, only a tiny percentage of actual cruisers post here.

 

ps - newest research out today says 1 in 5 people smoke...that's 20% of cruise business. I would venture to guess the Baby Boomers figure is a little higher than that...25%? That's many millions down the toilet every year. Making room for everyone seems acceptable to most, alienating smokers by forcing them into tiny corners of the ship doesn't seem like a prudent business decision. But the stock price will tell all.

(ducking from the smoking police ready to strike):cool:

[Huddler]

LOL, Okay. I'll chime in. I love how some people put their judgements and religious views and disguise them otherwise.

 

I hope people arent allowing their religious dogma to bleed over into this discussion. Alcohol is a legal substance that I have a right to consume, regardless of what anybody's God or religion has to say about it. Gambling is a legal pastime that I have the right to engage in, regardless of what some "prophet" alledgedly said eons ago. Please dont bring that sort of judgemental approach to non-religious topics like this one. People have an absolute right to their own religious beliefs. That is an inherently personal thing and I couldnt care less if you worship a tree, a rock, or a thousand year old ancient cult created by uneducated drifters. You can claim that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the creator of the Universe. I dont care one wit and will defend your right to believe whatever you want. But dont insinuate into a logical and rational discussion things that your favorite invisible man in the sky told you.

[paulista1950]

Huddler,

You are right when you say that "it seems one cant say anything in this country anymore without somebody getting their feelings hurt." And if you replace country by world you'll be even more precise. Like you I am not someone with a thin skin and I firmly believe that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me"

That being said I must also say I understand why someone (not me) can be offended by being accused of "changing the ambience of the trip". Can't you?

Besides being offensive (again, not for me), it's a silly statement. I've seen many times very rich people (and spending accordingly) ruining "ambiences". The last time was at the casino on the QM2, where a group of 4 or 5, waging around $500 each round on craps, acted like drunk teenagers. Btw, they were drunk, but far from their teen years;)

[Huddler]

Huddler,

You are right when you say that "it seems one cant say anything in this country anymore without somebody getting their feelings hurt." And if you replace country by world you'll be even more precise. Like you I am not someone with a thin skin and I firmly believe that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me"

That being said I must also say I understand why someone (not me) can be offended by being accused of "changing the ambience of the trip". Can't you?

Besides being offensive (again, not for me), it's a silly statement. I've seen many times very rich people (and spending accordingly) ruining "ambiences". The last time was at the casino on the QM2, where a group of 4 or 5, waging around $500 each round on craps, acted like drunk teenagers. Btw, they were drunk, but far from their teen years;)

Well, I never mentioned ambiance or how "cheap" people affect it. Nir did I ever say people with money will always make for a good ambiance. Lots of things can have on effect ambiance. A cruise with the average age of 85 years of age, sorry HAL, MAY have a different ambiance than one with a median age of 25. A cruise with hundreds of kids MAY have a different ambiance than one with no kids. A cruise filled with CEO's of major corporations MAY have a different ambiance than a NASCAR cruise. A cruise filled with Americans MAY have a different ambiance than one filled entirely with Asians or Europeans. A cruise filled with all singles MAY have a different ambiance than a cruise filled with Baptist conventioneers. Or the ambiance in all these examples may be the same. Its just so hard to generalize something as nebulous as ambiance. Its all subjective as to what sort of ambiance is good or bad, so getting offended over it is quite illogical. Its such a subjective thing, why should someone get upset? My opinion of a good ambiance will differ from yours, does that make either of us wrong?

 

My entire arguement has been how cruise lines could data mine their former customer spending habits, quantify it based on various factors, and then target their marketing efforts based on those results. I have simply posited that they should identify the most profitable among us, and then take action to get those folks back onboard in order to increase profitability. Thats the long and the short of it. But people want to take offense and turn this into some sort of class warfare. It makes the ambiance of this board seem like one where differing opinions are not welcome, will be deliberatly misconstrued, and people relish being offended. And to me, that is a bad ambiance.

[Veronica13]

I must confess. It was I, who mentioned the ambience of the trip being quite important to me, and as Huddler says, that ambience is influenced by many things. The ones I know of ahead of time, that would ruin my idea of the perfect ambience, I avoid.

 

Which is why I would never sail Carnival, NCL, RCCL, or Disney. Old people don't bother me, so I'd "do" HAL. It would make me the youngest, hottest chick on the ship for the poor lonely officers.:eek:

 

And of course, I'd probably be able to beat anyone to the deck chair first.

[LHT28]

It is a slippery slope !!:D

[LHT28]

Making room for everyone seems acceptable to most, alienating smokers by forcing them into tiny corners of the ship doesn't seem like a prudent business decision.

 

It has been working so far!

 

Most Oceania passengers like the smoking policy whether it is right or wrong.

Where we live we are use to non-smoking venues now ...no smoking in restaurants, public buildings, theaters etc... even in your car there are smoking rules.

BIG BROTHER is everywhere:D

[Veronica13]

:-)

[paulista1950]

"Well, I never mentioned ambiance or how "cheap" people affect it."

 

Well, and I never said it was you. Since Veronica admitted it, (I'd have never told on her) it WAS her.

 

"Lots of things can have on effect ambiance"

Ditto

 

"Or the ambiance in all these examples may be the same"

Ditto

 

"Its just so hard to generalize something as nebulous as ambiance. Its all subjective as to what sort of ambiance is good or bad"

Ditto

" My opinion of a good ambiance will differ from yours"

Probably so

"does that make either of us wrong?"

Not at all, certainlly not

 

"one where differing opinions are not welcome"

I actually appreciate difering opinions

 

 

"The ones I know of ahead of time, that would ruin my idea of the perfect ambience, I avoid."

And Veronica, DITTO!!!!;)

[Veronica13]

Yea, we're all in agreement and playing happy together!!

:D

Well, my chinese food just arrived, so enjoy your day everyone.

[paulista1950]

Bon appetit!