Record Phone Calls for More Luxury Lines - What Does It Really Mean?

On the heels of Seabourn announcing its busiest days (based upon phone calls and/or bookings) on record, Regent Seven Seas made a similar announcement which is now followed by Crystal Cruises and Silversea...and Regent Seven Seas UK's office. 

This is a good news/bad news scenario. (Remember calls and bookings do not equal gross sales increases.)

It is good because the prices have been so low and the givebacks (onboard credits/free air, etc.) by some lines so high that resistance has been broken.  This does not mean, however, that the luxury ships are necessarily sailing full.  While there are quite a number of cruises that are now sold out or nearly so, it means that quite a few sailings are simply now sailing with higher occupancies.

What I am finding is that there now is a scarcity of upper end suites on these ships.  I had warned you all about this happening and, unfortunately, many did not listen.  As a result, the across the board bargains (the cruise lines generally did not opt to only severely discount only the lower suites) and complimentary upgrades have filled the ships, but at the possible cost of degrading the perceived rarefied nature of luxury cruising. And...ironically...those willing to "pay the piper" just to get on a cruise this summer or fall are finding that it is the lack of suites, not the price, that is keeping them landlocked.

I am a bit concerned with pressure moving forward that the cruise lines not be perceived as "jacking up" prices when all they are really doing is moving toward "normalizing" them...triggered by simple supply and demand economics.  Moreso, I am concerned that many bargain-hunting cruisers who spent their prior years conversing on how they were going to "smuggle booze" onto a ship and protesting even putting on a sport jacket at dinner may adversely affect the cruise experience the lines have been working so hard to maintain (some with more success than others).

With the summer sailing season just about upon us I will be very interested in the feedback from my clients and readers.  I would not, however, weigh too heavily the comments on message boards like Cruise Critic because the views expressed will, for the most part, be from those who have never cruised on these luxury lines before and, thus, will be very pleased with the differences from the mass market lines.  In other words, while many of the new-to-luxury cruisers will see a steep increase in cruise quality I am concerned that those experienced luxury cruisers will see a commensurate decrease.  Hopefully my concerns will be meritless.

There is, of course, the other side of the coin.  There are those new-to-luxury cruising that are going to really appreciate the product...not just the price.  And those are the new clients that both the cruise lines and luxury travel agents are counting on for the future.  There are four new luxury ships coming on line in the next few years (three for Seabourn and one for Silversea).  While Silversea is rumored to be considering retiring or mothballing one or more of its ships, there is no doubt that there will be an increased capacity in the luxury market and berths will need to be filled.

Added to that is the increased quality and new ships in the premium market.  Oceania has a new ship and  Celebrity has its incredible Solstice-class ships.  I am confident there will be a strong demand in this premium class to further up their game as those who have gotten a taste of the luxury market during this weaker market will just not be willing to part with their money for a cruise which is too far removed from that experience.

So with some bargains still out there, but inventories getting tight, coupled with the change in who will be aboard the ships, it is going to be very interesting.

So You Waited For A Better Luxury Deal...And Now...

Bookings for luxury cruises this summer on Seabourn are tightening up and prices are rising.  Regent has recently announced the strongest bookings ever.  Oceania has quite a number of soldout sailings.  The discounts and incentives may have done their job...but for those of you that didn't listen to me, you may be out of luck if you were planning on taking a luxury cruise this summer at rock bottom prices...at least on some lines.

I heard today that some travel agents are asking the cruise lines to protect their now gone lower prices and they are not finding any success.  (I can't imagine they ever would.)  That does not mean all the deals are gone or every cruise is sold out.  What it does mean is that if you didn't listen to me you may be getting the same percentage off, but on a higher category.  (I told you to book and cancel later if you had to, but to protect the lowest available category.)

As a bit of an aside, I am having more clients being offered upgrades at reduced prices on some of the premium lines.  All of a sudden those who wouldn't pay more than X for their cruise are now feeling a bit more comfortable about the economy and their future so they are upgrading at a cost of thousands.  I find this quite encouraging because months ago the concerns were so great that $200 was a deal breaker, now it is 10% or less of the upgrade cost.

I am not sure how this all plays out, but one thing is for certain:  People are coming out to play...err, cruise.

Superyachts and the Cruise Industry - American Superyacht Forum Day 1

I arrived in Seattle for the American Superyacht Forum (which is annually held in a "yachting" city or hopeful yachting city, such as Newport, Rhode Island,  San Diego, California, etc.)  Though I had been to the airport I had never actually visited Seattle, so I was looking at this trip not only from a yachtie standpoint, but from a cruise one as Seattle is a fairly regular embarkation port.

I am staying at the Marriott Waterfront which has a lovely bay view and typically comfortable, but not flashy, rooms.  My view is of a small yacht marina inside of the commercial pier.  The Bell Conference Center is pretty much 2 minutes away...and the cruise terminal is literally attached to it.  So,the first connection between the two industries I found on Monday is that yacht conference or cruise, stay at the Marriott Waterfront the night before.

The Keynote Speaker is the owner of the 152 foot (46 metre) sailing yacht S/Y Antara.  It was a joy to listen to an "old time" owner that still enjoys the "getting there" more than the "being there" (i.e. the journey is what he enjoys most as opposed to many new yacht owners that want to meet their superyacht once it has arrived in a port...usually by way of their private helicopter landing on the yacht's deck).  Just as that was enjoyable to hear, I was more than surprised to find out he lives literally in the town next to my office and he sails his smaller 44 foot sailboat in the Navesink River, which my office oversees.  (I had to fly to Seattle to meeting because...why?)

During his talk he discussed his experiences from his first sailboat to present.  Then he mentioned he just loves being at sea and spoke fondly of doing a crossing on the Queen Mary 2 just watching the water.  I asked him about his cruise, taken as a Grill Class guest, and he said he was very impressed with the service, but that was before he owned S/Y Antara, his first superyacht.  When I asked him about the difference in service quality he said from the moment he stepped on his superyacht he was "blown away" by the much higher level of service.  He has, for example, hosted former President George H.W. Bush for lunch and a sail on S/Y Antara.  Yes, there is a difference between cruise ship luxury and superyacht luxury.

But we talked a bit more after his talk and I asked him if he would like to sail in the Pacific Northwest, which is quite beautiful.  His answer was that it just wasn't practical to bring his yacht such a distance.  That lead me to ask if he would consider taking a cruise.  The response didn't really surprise me:  Concerns over the level of service, cuisine, etc.  I then asked him if he knew of Seabourn and he admitted a vague knowledge of a cruise line that had something like 90 passengers (SeaDream).  Obviously we spoke a bit about Seabourn and his interest grew and thoughts of spending time on the water visiting more exotic places became a viable option that he never had really considered.

The next conference panel was on State of the Industry - The USA in 2010 and Beyond.  Billy Smith III, the always energized vice president of Trinity Yachts spoke of how to attracted new people to the superyacht industry which, like most industries, finds itself suffering in this economy.  His comment, "The cruise industry introduces people to the ocean if not yachting" obviously jumped out at me.  It hit me that there are millions of potential yacht owners that don't live near the water and that they are part of the 85% of Americans and 95+% of Europeans and Asians that have never cruised.  (BTW, his son is working during his college summer by working for Holland America land tours in Alaska.)

So just on the first day of this conference from cruise terminal to levels of service to practicality of visiting exotic locales, to attracting clients...and even just enjoying the sea...has again tied together the superyacht and cruise industries.

Seabourn Odyssey - Dining Options

Seabourn has just posted a sort of update on the dining venues on the new Seabourn Odyssey. 

I previously had mentioned them in my February 9, 2009 article Seabourn Odyssey - Some News About Public Spaces, but here is the latest and greatest:

On Odyssey, The Restaurant will be open-seating, just as it is on Pride, Spirit and Legend, and will feature a fine-dining setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While The Restaurant can accommodate all guests, you frankly wouldn’t expect to see everyone there, because of the delicious alternatives available.

All the way aft on Deck 8, The Colonnade is a more casual, indoor/outdoor option. For breakfast and lunch, Colonnade will offer Seabourn’s signature array of prepared hot and cold specialties, but they have done away with the classic buffet line and instead will offer different sorts of dishes from several positions around the room. Cooked-to-order items will be available at yet another location. Dinners at Colonnade will feature themed menus served at table, restaurant style.

Just forward of Colonnade, Restaurant 2 has its own permanent location in which to serve the innovative small-plates tasting menus.  These are really fun, because you are served 12 to 15 different small portions, each one just a few bites. They are presented with creativity such as a first course being served in a martini glass or the soup poured from a French café presse. Each “course” is paired with a wine. It’s open nightly for dinner, by reservation.

Brand new on Odyssey will be the Patio Grill. Situated poolside on Deck 8 midships, it will offer tempting, freshly baked pastries and coffee in the morning. As mid-day approaches, irresistible aromas will waft from the on-site pizza oven, and the grilled specialties being prepared for lunch. Weather permitting, this will also be a wonderful place to enjoy an alfresco grilled dinner under the stars.

Between all of these venues, there are more than 700 seats available for dinner every night on Odyssey, and that’s for just 450 guests.

On top of all this, you have the option of ordering from Suite Service around the clock.  During dinner hours you may order from The Restaurant menu and having your dinner served in your suite or on your veranda!

In addition, should all those dining venues not be sufficient, Seabourn will, as always, being offernig cookies and snacks at the Sky Bar, pastries and sandwiches at the coffee bar in Seabourn Square, and afternoon tea in The Club!

Iamboatman's Blog Provided Timely Information That Causes Silversea to Throw Out The Children (Program) To Keep the Luxury Bath Water

Last week I posted that Silversea was going to institute a Children's Program ala Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Silversea is Robbing The (Regent Seven Seas') Cradle. The information was not posted or confirmed anywhere else that I am aware of. At the time I said "Silversea is making a big mistake". And I was, apparently, correct.

The information I posted here found its way onto Cruise Critic and between Silversea consistently reading my blog, The Gold Standard Forum and Cruise Critic today one of my readers let me know of Silversea posting that is abandoning the Children's Program before it even started. Steven Tucker, Silversea's Vice President of National Accounts, posted on Cruise Critic just minutes ago:

From Steve Tucker:

OK, you have spoken, and we have heard you!

We appreciate your comments and the passion you have about preserving the sophisticated, club-like atmosphere and ambiance aboard Silversea.

With that being said, we have decided to stop promoting the $199 Children's Programme.

We were quite surprised at the amount of attention and numerous posts that this subject has created. Since Silversea ships have no quad occupancy suites and a very limited number of triple occupancy suites, this program was never intended to generate a huge increase in the number of children that would normally sail on Silversea at any given time.

In any case, it is now our desire to revert back to the way we have previously handled the few children that do travel on Silversea. We will continue to ensure the best possible cruise experience for all our valued guests.

Thank you again to the readers of this board for your valuable input.

Steve Tucker
Vice President National Accounts & Eastern Region Sales, The Americas
Silversea Cruises

It seems that, as I have said before, the overall clientèle of Silversea and Seabourn is, in fact, tuned into a difference sense of what a luxury experience than Regent. There is a difference between graciously accommodating the children that to cruise on luxury lines and marketing to draw them to the ships.

At least here the experience was short-lived and did not effect more than the emotions of the few that actually knew of it's existence.

A Difference in Philosophy: The Yachts of Seabourn versus Regent Seven Seas

The internet is an interesting place.  A few days ago I posted my Seabourn Challenge:  a $1,000 guarantee that Seabourn provides a better overall cruise experience than Regent does.  Seabourn Challenge: $1,000 Guarantee. Now there is a rumor that Seabourn will honor the perks Regent gives to its frequent cruisers.   Not only is the rumor false, it highlights the impossibility of same since the philosophies of the two lines are so different.  For me it highlights the difference between a true luxury product and one marketed as one.

As background, Regent rewards its frequent guests with a number of perk...and they are nice.  At 4-20 nights you get an onboard cocktail party, special savings on certain cruises and a few lesser perks.  At 21-74 nights you get complimentary internet access (within limits), one hour of telephone time, 2 items pressed for free, and the other perks.  74-199 nights gets you a possible upgrade, 2 more items pressed, a daily newspaper, a special shore event, and increased insurance benefits (if you pay for the standard insurance). At 200-399 nights you get 6 hours of phone and complimentary laundry. 400+ nights gets you complimentary dry cleaning and transfers from your home (within 50 miles of an airport).  One other thing Regent does is increase your involvement in its Advisory Board; more on that later.  (There are a few window dressing benefits of little to no value, as well, across the range.)

Seabourn doesn't give you any of that as past passenger perks.  It has a much simpler benefit:  Cruise for 140 days and you receive a complimentary seven (7) day cruise in the category of suite you most regularly cruise...with no limitation on itinerary.

That may sound like Regent favors its repeating guests in the near term, but that is, in fact, not true.  The reason:  Seabourn treats all of its guests exactly the same way.  It is considered, on Seabourn at least, impolite - better, improper - to treat any single person as "better" or "more entitled" than another person.  Seabourn's philosophy is that the person taking his first Seabourn cruise should have the identical experience on its ships at the person who is on their 40th cruise.  Owner's Suite or Oceanview Suite, it doesn't matter.  Seven day or 30 day cruise, again no difference.  The Seabourn Experience is what it is...for everyone.

Not only is it the goal of Seabourn to have that person return to Seabourn time and time again...with (what is the magic word?) consistency of service...but to earn that loyalty through satisfaction rather than bribes (or "earned" entitlements). 

Regent's philosophy can be seen as an acknowledgment of loyalty akin to a frequent flayer program and/or a way to install a class society aboard its ships.  "You are only Bronze?  I am Platinum.  You are not as good as I am."  (Don't kid yourself, this does happen.  If you read my message board The Gold Standard Luxury Travel Forum you will see that this sort of conduct does occur.)  In other words, Regent seeks to get you to come back because you will get more perks and because it will make you "more important" in its eyes, including placing you on its Advisory Board.  (Does the fact you take longer cruises make your taste, attention to detail, standards higher or your opinion as to how to provide a product to ALL passengers more weighty?  Me thinks not.)

Now, lets look at value:  Seabourn's 7 night cruise is usually worth usually far in excess of $10,000 per couple.  Regent's internet, telephone and pressing is worth about $200 per 7 day cruise...if you use the services, and most do not!), so over the same 140 days you would need to take 20 cruises.  20 x 200 = $4,000 per couple.  Let's also keep in mind that most luxury cruisers take cruises longer than 7 days, so the benefits are actually less (ever spend $400 on internet in 14 days...and, remember, if you reading this you use the internet?)  So, in reality, Regent is providing less than 40% of the value Seabourn is for those who cruise with any frequency.

But you say, Regent offers certain discounts for those who have sailed longer and has certain sailings with special onboard discounts.  Seabourn offers the identical past passenger savings for all past passengers - regardless of whether you have been on a 5 night cruise or 500 nights.  It also offers an across-the-board 5% discount if you book your next cruise on board...or even if you just place an open booking; no tselected sailings. 

And Seabourn does not do what Regent does:  There is no $200 cancellation fee...ever.  Book on board and maybe save $400, but Regent will definitely take $200 out of your pocket if you later choose to not sail with them. 

Now, back to the rumor.  As you can see there is now way for Seabourn to transfer any "benefits" you might have with Regent.  The philosophy is different.  The treatment of its guests is different.  And the program itself is a far lesser value than Seabourn's.  Put another way:  Seabourn Cruise Line is not Regent Seven Seas Cruises and has absolutely no interest in reducing the quality of its product or changing its philosophy to one inconsistent with its mantra.

For those of you who feel the Regent benefits are worthwhile enough to buy your loyalty (rather than the cruise product itself), ask your travel agent to give you a $200 onboard credit or so and try Seabourn.  You will get it all.  If you book with Goldring Travel, you will get value far in excess of that.

Head to Head Challenge: Seabourn Odyssey vs. Regent Seven Seas Navigator

Here is a great opportunity for those Regent loyalists to experience Seabourn in what is about as close to a head-to-head opportunity as possible. And Goldring Travel is going to guarantee you are going to find Seabourn to be a superior overall cruise experience.

The terms of the challenge are simple: If you have sailed on Regent Seven Seas, but have never sailed on Seabourn (and you verify same) you are eligible. All you need to do is purchase and sail on the Seabourn Odyssey on its November 28, 2009 sailing and if you do not agree that the Seabourn Odyssey provides an overall better cruise experience than the Regent Seven Seas Navigator, Mariner or Voyager, Goldring Travel will refund to you $1,000 in cash. (That's right, no gimmicks like a future cruise credit so you are obligated to take another cruise through Goldring Travel to get the benefit. You will get a check sent to your mailbox.)

The only thing to be excluded in your evaluation is that your shore experiences are not to be included. Why? Because the cruise lines do not guarantee ports or the experiences at the ports. You may pay for an extraordinary Seabourn event or choose a complimentary beach day on Regent. You may select the Ensemble Experience (which is not run by Seabourn). You may just not like a particular port (ex. for me, St. Thomas is a sea day...I don't get off the ship).

Why the November 28, 2009 sailing? Because the Regent Navigator has a similar cruise for a similar length of time at a similar price. Also, for most people there will be no issue with air logistics or differences in pre-cruise accommodations, so that would not a factor. So here are the cruises:

Seabourn Odyssey (12 Days with base Cruise Fares starting at $358.25 per day excluding Goldring Travel special amenity and Ensemble Experience or $300OBC):

Nov 28 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nov 29 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Nov 30 Grand Turk, Turks And Caicos
Dec 1 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 2 Deshaies, Guadeloupe
Dec 3 Bridgetown, Barbados (Complimentary Ensemble Experience or $150 pp obc)
Dec 5 St. John's, Antigua
Dec 6 Marigot, St. Martin
Dec 7 Cruz Bay, St John, USVI
Dec 8 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 9 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 10 Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Regent Navigator (11 Days with base Cruise Fares starting at $345.00 per day excluding $500 OBC if booked by March 31st or $200 OBC if booked thereafter)

Nov 30 Ft. Lauderdale, United States
Dec 01 Princess Cays, Bahamas
Dec02 Cruise the Atlantic Ocean
Dec 03 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dec 04 St. Thomas, USVI
Dec 05 St. John's, Antigua
Dec 06 Philipsburg, Saint Maarten
Dec 07 Gustavia, St. Barts 08:00 23:00
Dec 08 Tortola - Roadtown, BVI
Dec 09 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Dec 10 Cruise the Atlantic Ocean
Dec 11 Ft. Lauderdale

So, I am sure you are still asking, "What is the catch?" There is none. It is your opinion, your decision, your choice. All I ask is that you be honest with yourself about your experience: Service, Amenities, Cuisine, Consistency, Spa Facilities, Alternative Dining Experiences, Caviar, etc.

Put another way: You are going to trust me about my recommendations when booking this cruise. I am going to trust you when you tell me how it measures up. And, even if you tell me you didn't find Seabourn an overall superior cruise experience, I will still give you a great deal on your next Seabourn cruise...or any other cruise. (That mean: You can book your next Seabourn cruise onboard - even if just an open booking - take the additional 5% onboard booking discount, and you won't disqualify yourself from the promotion!)

Fine Print: This offer is subject to being withdrawn at any time. Prices are not guaranteed and are subject to change. Suite categories are subject to prior sale.

Seabourn Odyssey Update

It is only weeks until her Maiden Voyage and the Seabourn Odyssey has her name.  Above is a photo of her name ready to be hoisted and installed.   

She is also getting her navigation mast put into place.  Many parts of a ship - even sections of a ship - are virtually completed somewhere other than on the ship and then are installed as a finished product.  Here, if you look closely, you can see the radar antennae (the blocks that are turning all the time) and navigation lights (red and green lamps) are already installed.

OK, so that is the hardware...now the software:

Above are the new Guest Services personnel who will be manning the Seabourn Square.  They are in Miami for a six (6) week training course.  That's right, six weeks of training...so that they have the ability to know what they are doing when your arrive onboard.  Why should it be any different than when you board the triplets?  (BTW, the photo was taken at the Reception Desk...not on the ship, but at Seabourn's offices in Miami.)

And speaking of your arrival, the following is edited from from the Seabourn blog on how the restaurants are going to be run:

The main kitchen, which is over 6,400 square feet, is constructed on two mirror plans, so that during the dinner service the staff can be divided into two lines to ensure speedy service. As I previously mentioned here, there is another purpose:  They galleys are set up to be similar to the triplets, so that wait and galley staff can move from one ship to the other without having confusion as to where things are located.  It is also essential so that the cuisine, which is prepared ala minute, is not sitting on a shelf getting cold because of a backup in the waitstaff line. 

The Colonnade and Restaurant 2 will operate out of a combined galley on Deck 8; the Officer and Crew Mess has its fully equipped galley on Deck 3 and the Patio Grill has another galley of its own.

Let’s have a look at the manning:

The Executive Chef de Cuisine supervises all the outlets. He’s responsible for proper manning, flawless and timely execution of all dishes, ordering of provisions, quality of food, maintaining Public Health standards and more. In order to accomplish all of this he’s assisted by a workforce of 57:

1 Chef de Cuisine – Colonnade
3 Executive Sous Chef
1 Executive Pastry Chef
1 Patio Chef
13 Chef de Partie (station or line cooks)
2 Chef de Partie - Crew
1 Baker
1 Asst. Baker
1 Butcher
1 Asst. Butcher
11 Demi Chef de Partie
3 Demi Chef de Partie – Pastry
1 Utility #1
14 Utility Staff
1 Garbage Manager
2 Utility Garbage Staff

Four distinct dining venues served by three seperate galleys.  Pretty impressive.

Is Silversea Just Shuffling Deck Chairs?

Silversea has announced today that on top of its 15% discount prepay option (and don't tell me that is not a cry for cash) and the slashing of its prices while still sailing with significantly lower passenger counts, it is adding butler service to all of its suites.

I immediately wondered, "Why?" and then "How?"

According to its press release "Each butler, assisted by a suite attendant, is empowered to troubleshoot problems and provide special service touches, if desired by the guest -- for example unpacking and packing clothing, facilitating a dry cleaning request or preparing a scented Jacuzzi bath -- ultimately creating a suite environment where one can relax and feel totally cared for."

The first thing that came to my mind was, "So what." and then it was "Isn't this exactly what the stewardesses do anyway?" and then "Wait a minute...Celebrity already does most of this for all its suite guests.  Don't tell me that is the measure!"  With that said, let's review:

1. Unpacking and packing clothes - If there is one thing that most people do not want assistance with it is unpacking their clothes or packing their dirty clothes.  It is so infrequently done that it is, in reality, a nothing...and if requested a stewardess would normally assist a needing guest.
2. Facilitating a dry cleaning request - Huh?  If laying the drycleaning on the bed and your stewardess needs assistance to take it we are all in trouble.  Anyone ever had such a request from a stewardess declined?  Ever?
3. Preparing a scented bath - Standard stewardess request.  Heck, on Seabourn there is usually one day where there are lots of long tours where you are "surprised" by it being ready upon your arrival back at the ship.

Knowing that the stewardesses normally do these things and that they are truly nothing special, I ask, "Why?"  The reason is painfully obvious:  Silversea is probably cutting down on the number of stewardesses, so they need staff to shift the workload to.  Folks, there are only so many crew berths on a ship, so it is not like Silversea is bringing more staff onboard.  An alternative:  Silversea is seeking a way to address the reported decline in in service quality; not by improving training and crew retention, but by reducing the stewardess's responsibilities. 

And don't think these butlers are going to be lounging around all day while you are at the pool or dinner or on tours; they are going to be doing jobs which others have not been doing as well as they should.

To me the net result is:  Yes, this is it...you might receive the service you used to receive on Silversea albeit through the use of the previously dismissed European staff that Silversea recently discharged (allegedly for not being friendly or happy enough) being reintroduced.

Please, can anyone tell me what is wrong with luxury cruise lines just providing consistently solid service?

Are the Cruise Lines (and Retailers, in General) Sinking Their Own Ships? Just Get On One!

A few months ago (and I know it seems like an eternity for some) the bookings on cruise lines, from mass market to luxury, came to an almost screeching halt.  There were bookings, but not as many.  In typical retail fashion, the answer was "SALES". 

That one word, "SALE", is for American's as the bell ring is for Pavlov's dogs.  (Train a dog that it will be fed right after a bell rings and you can get a dog to salivate just by ringing a bell.)  I was really against the luxury lines putting everything on sale and commented on this to a degree on my blog.  I thought it was setting a really bad precedent and that it just might cause pricing and luxury to start down that slippery slope of degradation.  (And you know I let the cruise lines know I felt it was a bad idea.)

You saw this at high end retailers like Saks and Neiman Marcus and in the cruise industry on lines from Silversea to Seabourn.  And then you saw the bookings were going up...way up...and lines from Princess to Carnival were declaring that January was their busiest months ever.  Was it the right thing to do?  People were starting to fill the cabins and suites that were previously empty.  But, alas, was this the right thing to do?

I must confess that a few weeks ago I admitted to Seabourn that I just might have been wrong; you know, protesting against the deep discounts.  Heck, the ships were filling up.  But I am afraid I was too quick to cave in to the new "conventional" wisdom.  I now think, more than ever, that I actually had it right.

The fact is that now everyone is looking for the bigger discounts...and last minute sales.  We have all been trained:  "Just wait and that price will drop.  In fact, if you buy now you probably are paying too much."  So now that the initial flood of sales have hit the cruise market and passengers on the ships (even if the ships are not selling out) the cruise lines, even the luxury cruise lines, are finding that the bull rush isn't happening.  And it is not because people do not want to, or cannot afford to, go on a cruise. 

It is because the cruise lines and retailers have - in very short order - created a monster:  They have caused their buyers to put a "Let's Make A Deal" strategy into place.  Now, the buyer's mentality is that whatever the price is it is not good enough; there will always be something better.  Just wait!

Well, guess what?  That is not true.  There is a point where "the getting isn't going to get any better".  Saks has essentially admitted it created a monster.  It has tried to re-establish firm pricing by limiting supply.  The problem is Bloomingdale's may not be employing that same strategy...or at least not on that same item.  So what does the consumer do?  Shop around and see who flinches; who drops the price; who is going to "make a deal".

Related to that, there are non-luxury news outlets claiming that "Luxury is no longer acceptable."  That is absurd.  What the heck is that based on?  The reality is that people are just afraid to show their luxury...but I think it is for a very different reason than actual fear of the economy.  It is because the luxury client has a friend who was wiped out by Madoff, or has lost his hedge fund job, or who was going to retire in 2 years and now cannot because his retirement account was wiped out.  That is, without question, far different from not being able to afford luxury or looking for a better price.

On a recent flight I was sitting next to a director for Ferragamo.  We were talking about this subject and that they were discussing the possible use of plain paper bags, so people would not be seen as flaunting their purchase.  My suggestion to him was to put the branding on the inside of their bags because that person just purchased a $500 pair of shoes and feels just fine about it...and will enjoy seeing their brand name when the slip the shoes on.  Their concern is what other people will think.  Let them feel good! JMHO.

Now, let's take a breath...

Where do we go from here?  First, everyone needs to decide if they, personally, want to take a cruise or other vacation.  Second, decide what you - not your neighbor or what your friend - believe is the amount you - not your neighbor or your friend - can afford.  Third, determine the cruise you want to take.  Fourth, Go For It.

Does this sound callous?  Actually it is just logical.  There are people that go on trophy vacations.  Heck, it was marketed to upsell clients by emphasizing "bragging rights."  (I always was offended by that pitch.)  But most people, and the vast majority of my clients, are just too smart to get into the "Keeping up with the Joneses" (or now "Not offending the Joneses"?).  Most people are independent and need to readjust their thinking so they go on "their cruise".  Remember these are the very same people (yes, reader that is probably you) that insist their cruise is a very personal experience.

Related to that, stop waiting for the "best discount" because you are turning that wonderful vacation into a game of cat and mouse...and you are just waiting for that bell to ring.  I know of a number of people waiting who are finding their strategy is a failure on an emotion and financial basis.  The joy is gone because it now not about the experience, but the money.  (Tell me how that makes sense!)  The money is also not saved because that lower category suite is gone and the higher discount on the more expensive suite is the only option...if there even was a higher discount.

Now, coming full circle, you are starting to see at automobile dealerships and some cruise lines that they are now willing to make less sales to stabilize the prices. (With lower or fixed inventory, the need to offload or get quick cash reduces.  Saks, as noted is having a problem because of the wealth of retailers offering the same goods.  But, for example, Seabourn is..well, Seabourn...and there is not a whole lot of competition.  So if the Seabourn Odyssey is going to sail at 75% of capacity (rather than, say the recently reported - though not verified - 35% of capacity on Silversea and 50% on Regent) that may well be what it is. 

You enjoy cruising.  You enjoy luxury.  You earned it.  If you can afford it, do it.  It is, in the end, what you want to do...troubled retail and purchasing strategies aside.

 

CNBC - Discusses Cruises With Goldring Travel - UPDATED

A couple of days ago I received an email from CNBC letting me know that they read this blog and thought I might find its upcoming show "Cruise Inc: Big Money on the High Seas" of interest, which begins airing on March 24, 2009 at 9:00 pm EDT. They also sent me a link to a preview of the show. While the clip tends to show the same thing that many of us have seen on other shows or on the ships, I am hopeful that more than how much food is prepared on NCL is discussed.

According to the just received press release: Correspondent Peter Greenberg and his crew investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the fastest growing segment of travel, as they spend seven days aboard the Norwegian Pearl, one of the newest ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet...Greenberg was granted extraordinary access above and below deck to document the inner workings of the ship and the business itself.

Greenberg investigates the intricate pricing structure of the cruise industry, starting with the most luxurious accommodations, which go for $26,000 a week, butler included. He explains the huge gap that exists between the baseline cabin fee and the actual cost of indulging all the ship has to offer. The report also explores common perceptions and misperceptions about safety and security at sea, and takes viewers behind the scenes as the crew of the Norwegian Pearl train for worst-case scenarios. CNBC gets a rare look at the Pearl’s state-of-the-art security operation, where officials use 1100 surveillance cameras to monitor the ship 24/7.

But, it got me thinking (as I do): The viewers of CNBC probably would be more interested in how things operate on a ture luxury cruise ship (as opposed to a mass market ship with some luxury suites) and how that business model is run, which is far different. In my initial email I wrote, in part:

"For the majority of my readers, Norwegian Cruise Lines would never be considered an option. The quality being provided just isn’t near acceptable. Food preparation, service and amenities are on a whole other level. For example, while Peter was watching the NCL galley pre-cook meals (lobster, etc.) well before dinner was being served, on Seabourn the meals are prepared ala minute.

And, as another example, for the guest it is not about consuming as many pre-cooked lobster tails as possible, but rather enjoying Lobster, Lobster, Lobster…which is an elegant plate of small portions of lobster presented three ways served with complimentary wines chosen to enhance that specific course. (And, of course, the wait-staff is wearing true formalwear, not t-shirts mocking them.)"

I had some additional preliminary telephone discussions today to see if either a follow-up or compare and contrast type program might be of interest. Hopefully I will be able to report back some progress in the coming weeks.

I did mention to him that CNBC did highlight one of my legal clients is Fischer Travel Enterprises. Fischer Travel is the travel agencies for the ultra-wealthy -and if you watch the video by clicking the link, you will know what "ultra-luxury" is about. BTW, don't try to find the telephone number for Fischer Travel; as they say, "If you don't know it, you wouldn't use him." If you want to engage in an OMG comparison, try to squeeze in our Five vs. Six Star Luxury discussion when talking about that kind of luxury.

So if you have any suggestions as to approaches for such I show I would love to hear them. And, even just putting them out there might just lead to some interesting discussions.

A Wonderful Review Shows Why You Need A Good Travel Agent and To Not Rely on Hype

I just finished reading a review by a well-spoken individual who was on the December 27, 2008 11 night cruise on the Regent Paul Gauguin (The PG was not so fabulous ). She was, for good reason, not happy.

As I read it I kept saying, if I had expected a luxury experience I would have written pretty close to the same review.

However, as you may know, I made the mistake of perceiving Regent (as opposed to its former self, Radisson) as luxury, so I downgraded my expectations when booking my cruise on Paul Gauguin. I also swallowed the price because of the lack of viable alternatives. In the end I found the cruise a real success, as the whole far exceeded it parts. (And, by the way, I would strongly suggest you consider the Paul Gauguin as a wonderful way to see French Polynesia...though probably not the Marquesas or Cook Islands, but that is another discussion).

I would suggest that before you read the above review you read mine, from August 2007 (Goldring Travel - Review of Paul Gauguin) . If that guest had a travel agent who had my experience...and candor...he would have said, "I have been there. I have been on the ship. I have been to the islands. If you are expecting luxury it is not going to happen. If you are expecting the marketed Regent experience, you need to change your expectations."

By using a knowledgeable travel agent and calling it as it is, that guest would have been able to make an educated decision on value before stepping on the ship, so that she was not feeling violated every step thereafter. She would have known about the food, less than polished service, lack of entertainment, etc. But, I bet dollars to donuts, that guest would still have gone on the cruise and would have had a far better time and felt comfortable with her decision.

What I am saying is, there is no benefit to "blowing sunshine". The travel agent and the cruise line gained a problem while possibly losing a guest who, if treated fairly from the start (rather than hyped) might have become a great supporter of Regent and/or her travel agent.

Some Thoughts About Silversea Cruises

I was trying to stay away from another concerning post, but the news about Silversea Cruises needs to be discussed.

I have said for a number of months that I have concerns over Silversea's future.  In November 2008 I wrote Silversea - Lost at Sea? which was followed by a telephone call from Marilyn Conroy, resulting in my early December 2008 post Silversea- A Call From The Captain .  The news I have been hearing is not really any different from what I expected, but it is not what I would call good news.

Late yesterday it was reported on a variety of shipping sites that Silversea is effectively indefinitely postponing (canceling) its second new ship.  Now, the wording in these articles, quoting or referring to Amerigo Perasso, Silversea's CEO, is interesting.  I found the most accurate and complete quotation to be as follows, "But I don't anticipate us taking delivery of a second ship until a couple of years after the delivery of the Silver Spirit...I think we are approaching a moment when it will be very interesting to go back to the drawing board and sit down with Fincantieri...Commodity prices are going down dramatically, and not just the price of steel, and the order book of the yards is lagging. I believe it was a good idea not to confirm that option too soon."

But this information (which I will discuss below) must be coupled with two other important facts: 

     1.  Silversea is effectively mothballing the Prince Albert II for months due to slow...and I mean really slow...sales; and,

     2.  Silversea had put off indefinitely the refit of the Silver Cloud, which was scheduled to occur shortly.  According to Silversea, "The drydock is now scheduled to address the technical issues that ships need every so often as well as replacing some carpets as needed. The bathrooms, additional deck, new suites, flat panel TV's (which require a complete rebuilding of the cabinetry), etc. have all been postponed."
Clearly there are financial issues at work here, but that is not to be unexpected.  What really concerns me is that other than the Spirit (and I cannot help by believe there was an intention to confuse the market by picking the identical name of a Seabourn ship...not a class move at all!), there is a huge pull back. 
That may be fiscally responsible or fiscally necessary, but it most definitely is not a message you want to be sending out to the market.
Silversea has, in just a few months, gone from a cruise line that was consistent across the board to one that you need a flow chart to know what each ship offers. So you want to go on a cruise and you are looking for a luxury experience?  What flavor of Silversea are you looking for? 

You know I have been emphatic that, especially when talking about luxury, there has to be - what's the magic word?:  Consistency.  Silversea has now positioned itself to have four (4) distinctly different ships.  Silversea will have one ship sitting idle, one ship in need of upgrading, one ship put off entirely, one ship refurbished and one new ship.     That is not a fatal flaw, and I do not mean to infer that.  But what I see are bigger problems coming...and soon.  I may be wrong, but here is my reasoning:

The delay...really canceling...of the second ship makes sense.  In this economic climate, visions of grandeur if you do not have the financial backing, simply is not an option.  (Why do I say "cancel"?  Because comments like not having a new ship until a couple of years after December 2009, means 2012 at the earliest and "going back to the drawing board"  effectively means that.)  I did not condemn Regent for doing it and do not do so as to Silversea.  So let's take that off the table other than to say the reasoning must relate to long term cash flow and Silversea's obvious perception that there is not a potential for a real return on investment in the next few years as its cash stores are depleted by a soft market not being as profitable as prior years.

I then look at the 50% off and 25% commission offerings.  That is discounting far beyond Seabourn's 40-65% discounts and seems to be a real scream for cash.  Add to that the charging for specialty restaurants and the change to less expensive Filipino crew...who were admitted not properly trained when installed on the ships.

Then I look at passenger loads.  One ship is actually vacant; not a single passenger for months.  The other ships are running at around 50% capacity or less.  (Yes, some cruises are higher occupancy, but not consistently.) 

Then I look at the cancellation of the Cloud's refit.  This screams of there not being enough cash in the coffers.  There may be enough to pay for the work (I don't know), but more importantly it tells me that Silversea is looking at its longterm situation and is now looking to keep its cash; calculating that its net cash from sales to reduced passenger loads will not be greatly affected by the loss of luxury quality on the Cloud.  (Remember my comments about downgrading a Five Star to a Four Star?  I am not saying it necessarily applies, for it is still a nice ship...today, but keep it in mind.)

There is no question that Regent's $40,000,000 refurbishment was designed to help it compete with the new Seabourn ships.  Seabourn's service and cuisine, by anyone's standard, is as good or better than any other cruise line's; and most would consider it to be the best.  Regent's "ace in the hole" has been its suites and multiple dining venues.  With the Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn, that immediately disappears, so the quality of the public spaces had to be improved.  [Also, I believe Regent has changed its demographic -so while demanding "Six Star" it shoots for the premium market; there by insulting itself a bit from the Seabourn luxury pull.  (Pricing is now a huge issue, though.)  But I digress.]

Silversea also sees Seabourn as its primary competition.  It has been providing a true luxury cruise experience and its "ace in the hole" was pretty much the same as Regent's (that why I spoke of Regent above).  Silversea sought to meet Seabourn head on:  New ships to counter Seabourn's new ships and to replace its aging (though not ancient) hardware.  Significant refurbishment of its older ships to keep their competitive edge over the Seabourn triplets (which are being modernized in many ways bit by bit).  The Prince Albert II, to grab the younger wealthy adventure traveler away. 

Now where is Silversea?  Regardless of whether Silversea is making the most prudent decisions regarding cash flow, the consistent issue I see in all of them is the failure to honor its plan.  As I showed, Silversea is now a fragmented product with a little here, a little there.  I am just now sure where it winds up.  But what I do know is that a steady course is really needed at this time.

If I have one suggestion, it is one I give credit to Seabourn for:  Make sure your service and cuisine is consistent.  (This is where Silversea has drawn the most criticism of late.)  Seabourn has a very loyal following on the oldest ships in the luxury business because of it.  Silversea's situation, from an operational (not fiscal) standpoint, need not be terrible.  Focus on the maintenance of a consistent luxury product.  Is that merely what I think?  No.  Mr. Perasso was quoted in the same articles as saying he would not reduce Silversea's luxury services. 

Service issues, cuisine issues and extra charges is  what I am hearing at the prime Silversea issues, as noted above.  Maybe Mr. Perasso's words will be backed by some of those unspent construction and refit funds to address these issues. We shall see.

Goldring Travel Is Setting Up a New Message Board

The response to my blog from so many people has been just fantastic. I, as well as so many readers and posters, are very appreciative.

I know the Comment section of the blog is a bit cumbersome, so I am working on something new. As many of you know I just re-launched the Goldring Travel website. I am now working on adding the optional Message Board to the site!

With it we we can have some real discussions that are easy to access rather than being buried in a particular blog posts where they are hard to find and hard to read. (I will keep the blog going as many of the things I post might be of interest, but not a great topic for discussion.)

It is a new Message Board module that hasn't been used yet as far as I know. I understand it will not be as robust as say Cruise Critic, but then again I don't think it needs to be. While I do not yet know its options or limitations, I am hoping it can:

- Allow for Anonymous posting.
- Allow me to edit postings that have valuable information, but really cross the line vis-a-vis personal attacks; and,
- Allows for Cruise Reviews to be posted without the option for responses (those being left to the Discussion area).

What I would like from you, if you don't mind, is either here or via email if this is of interest to you and, if so, what you would like to see it include and exclude.

Remember, I see this to be more about luxury travel and discussion, but I am open to pretty much anything within reason.

Also any suggested names would be appreciated. If I chose the name you suggest, I will have some sort of Thank You gift. I don't know what it will be, but it will be more than just "Thank You"!

What Does the Future Hold For Regent Seven Seas Cruises?

For the past few days we have had some pretty interesting and honest discussion about the trials and tribulations at Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

I am sure as you have read them you probably feel I am very negative about Regent. Well, guess what: You Are Wrong!

Going back to 2003 or 4 (I don't quite remember) I had one of my best cruises ever. It was on the Radisson Diamond. The Diamond provided a true luxury experience on a quirky ship (that most of us loved). The service was excellent. The dining room was beautiful with Miki doing a great job and with Giuseppe as the Hotel Manager with charm and women fawning over him.

In 2007 I had another great cruise; on the Regent Paul Gauguin. It was not a luxury cruise, but it did not pretend to be. The service ranged from excellent to OK and the food was acceptable, but as I said at the time, the sum was far greater than its parts.

To round things out, my experience on the Mariner was marginal, as the cost-saving transition from European to Filipino staff had just been made and the assistant stewardesses had also been eliminated. Forget service, just being understood and not running out of toilet paper were challenges. My Navigator cruise is better left alone.

What does this reflect: As I have said before, it isn't the hardware the makes a cruise line great; it is the people. The Mariner and Navigator have far superior suites, but they provided the lesser of the cruise experiences. What else was in common: The Management! The Diamond has some of the same, but the change to Regent wasn't there and the Paul Gauguin is pretty much independent.

Looking forward, Regent has two very good ships (Voyager and Mariner) and one dog (Navigator). Leaving the Navigator (and I have bet a case of beer on the fact I do not believe Navigator will be around long enough to have the 2010 refit completed), Prestige Cruise Holdings/Apollo has already done much to address the public area soft goods neglect on the two ships, with revitalized public spaces and Prime 7 replacing the curious Latitudes.

Now, if Regent concentrates on service and amenities rather than Six Star hype and of marginal value "free" tours and "free" air, a turnaround is actually not that difficult for there is a more than decent physical plant. What does it need to do:

1. Stop the hype. Now is the time to honest with the cruising public and earn a legitimate reputation rather than a marketed one.

2. Seriously train the crew. You may notice that I have never, ever, directly criticized the crew. I have blasted everyone from Mark Conroy down to the head waiters, but never the crew. If the management is so entrenched in doing it "their way", get rid of them. If management cannot learn and buy into doing it a new way of doing things, drop 'em. If the management has too far alienated the crew: Bon Voyage.

Why? Because the crew must "believe". With failed management that can never happen. The crew must believe there is a better way. They must believe it matters. They must believe in their future with Regent.

Taken task by task training it is not that complex. But when there is chaos around the crew, that is pretty much all they see and improvements are almost impossible. However, once the crew believes, training them how to properly serve a table is pretty easy. Really fixing that electrical problem rather than patching it "again" will matter. Then they will discover better ways and will want to improve without anyone saying a word. That is called Pride in one's work.

3. Vastly improve the cuisine. Regent has not been spending much on feeding its guests. That is starting to change (ala Prime 7). And it is not about throwing money at food, but as Oceania does, it is about using good quality ingredients to make simply elegant dishes. (Once that is in place, then Regent can get fancy if it wishes.) This kind of cuisine does not baffle the seriously in need of training galley crew or back up a galley when there is a rush in the main dining room....which in turn gets the waiters flustered...which in turn slows the service and leaves guests waiting for wine or just a table. And, by the way, serve coffee that one can enjoy.

4. Improve amenities. There is no excuse for cheap soaps, shampoos and lotions. Personal care is, well, very personal. People enjoy the luxury of great soaps and shampoo that makes your hair feel and smell good. And how many women enjoy taking home a couple of extra bottles of lotion? (Heck it is inexpensive advertising. Every time she looks at the bottle, no less uses it, it reminds her of that wonderful cruise.)

Let's just stop there. Changing amenities is simple and inexpensive. Stopping the hype actually saves money and is easy to do. That leaves two things: train the crew and improve the food. This is not hard stuff.

With good management in place, Regent can do it relatively quickly. So don't look at all the management that is leaving as a bad thing. It may just be a harbinger of good things to come.

Frankly all I want is Radisson back. Hey, maybe that's it: CHANGE THE NAME. Prestige Cruise Holdings, if you are listening (and I know you are!): How about a "do over"? Bring that which Radisson was back to Regent...and change the name so that the tarnished image is gone.

In other words, don't write the cruise line off just yet....maybe just the management and the name.

What Are the Objective Standards Used to Award a Five Star Rating?

Some people are of the opinion that challenging Regent Seven Seas Cruises "Six Star Luxury" claim is, well,biased toward Seabourn or some other line. They even feel that such a challenge is an unfair or cruel attack on them, personally, or their happiness. To the contrary, the star rating system was originally established an an "objective" standard which has been exploited by many entities over the years.

Regent cheerleaders, "Hold on to your hats. This is going to be a bumpy ride!" When you are finished reading this purely and independently objective piece you are going to resent all that "Six Star Luxury" marketing hype that has been placed...with a very big smile...before you.

The Mobile Travel Guide (MTG) site states exactly the concern that I have stated: "For travelers who use the Internet to plan trips, hotel ratings have become seriously suspect. All major travel Web sites offer ratings that appear to help consumers find hotels that meets their requirements. In reality these ratings are intended to help sell hotel rooms, not to provide a consumer unbiased, information that they can trust. Comparisons of Web sites' ratings reveal wild fluctuations that can only be described as confusing (at best) or misleading (at worst). For online travelers, be careful which ratings you trust!"

MTG goes on to quote an independent source as stating, "Travel websites are rife with complaints from travelers who feel they are misled about the quality of a hotel. Frequently ratings conflict to the point of being nonsense ... Mobil Travel Guide is the gold standard in the United States." ... The Wall Street Journal, January 2004 56% of all leisure travelers agree that "hotel guide ratings such as those provided by Mobil Travel Guide and AAA are important when selecting hotel accommodations." - YPB&R/Yankelovich Partners, 2004 National Leisure Travel Monitor

MTG uses unannounced in person visits to the various hotels and uses an objective checklist from which its ultimate rating arises. There is an inspection of the physical plant (for cleanliness, physical condition and location). Service is measured in a second incognito visit by 500 different measures over a period of days "interacting with staff, having a drink at the bar, ordering room service, visiting the spa and taking advantage of other services that a standard guest would encounter.­ "

Measured items include such things a such as graciousness, efficiency and luxury, staff appearance, behavior and skill level as well as food quality, housekeeping and concierge services, etc. Most of the standards are absolute,such as luggage being delivered within 10 minutes (yes/no). Inspectors also detail their thoughts as part of the inspection.

So what are the some of the expectations of a Mobile Five Star rating (quoting directly from MTG, bolded by me for emphasis):

"Exceptionally distinctive luxury environment offering consistently superlative, personalized service and the ultimate in amenities, make these hotels and inns the best in the U.S. and Canada. Attention to detail and the anticipation of every need are evident throughout this exclusive group of hotels. These hotels are remarkable in every aspect from the plush and elegant guest room design to the unforgettable culinary experiences."

- Staff is extremely well spoken, polite and clear, avoids slang and phrase-fragments.
- Staff is extremely well informed about requirements within their department.
- Overall service is flawless from initial reservation call to departure service.
- Guests are offered an escort to their rooms unless they specifically decline.
- If pool service is available, guests are proactively greeted and escorted to their chairs, and set-up assistance is provided or offered.
- If pool service is available, during a 90 minute period and in warm conditions, some sort of complimentary refreshment is offered (for example, mineral water, fresh fruit, water spritz).

In the Restaurant, specifically:

- Service is warm, gracious and anticipatory and committed to providing the guest with a fantastic dining experience
- Pace of meal is never noticed by guest; there are no awkward delays or rushed events
- Food presentations are perfectly executed with evident care given to each individual item on each plate
- Food is flawless, a delightful and interesting experience

(If you want more detail, you can review quite a bit of the MTG standards online.)

Now, is Seabourn "Five Star"? Yes. Is it "perfect"? No. There will always be a slip-up or miss, but Seabourn consistently hits the Five Star criteria. Could it be considered Four Star + because the triplets do not have true balconies? Actually I don't think so, because it is but one criteria and a suite with a full marble bath weights much heavier. (As, the new Seabourn Odyssey is almost all balcony, so that will soon become less of an issue for those that actually want a balcony.)

Is Silversea "Five Star"? Is SeaDream? If they are not Five Star (and they may well be), they are most certainly 4 Star+ (using the same criteria). Why? Am I biased toward Seabourn? No. SeaDream has cabins; not suites (forget about balconies) and other limitations in its physical plant, while its service and cuisine is excellent. Silversea has the physical plant, but it has had some acknowledged slippage in service and cuisine and now charges for more of its specialty restaurants. Fair comment?

Regent, however, simply cannot compare to these lines. You are not greeted with Molton Brown, Bulgari, Hermes, etc. amenities. The staff is not flawless and, as some have recently observed, are overtly disgruntled. Extended waits in the dining room and less than inspired cuisine is commonplace. These are facts, not opinion. And the standards are what they are: Objective.

Having now read the foregoing, and my immediately prior posts about Regent, is there any "objective" standard by which one can claim I am biased? All I have done, and will always do for my clients, is call it as I see it...and this is not even close to being open for legitimate argument.

Now, does anyone really believe Regent Seven Seas Cruises is "Six Star Luxury"...or even "Five Star"?

Is It Time For Mark Conroy to Depart Regent Seven Seas Cruises? UPDATED (Read the Comments!)

I have debated whether to pose the question and then whether to post it. Cruise lines are not obligated to permit every travel agent to book clients on their cruises and, after this posting, it may be that Regent will say it is enough of Iamboatman. Or, just possibly, Regent will say, "Damn he makes a good point and his integrity in making it and explaining why is a good thing."

But, the fact is that I firmly believe that the diluting of the luxury cruise product hurts everyone: The cruise lines, the travel agents and, most importantly, the guests. When there is a fear that a luxury product is not of sufficient value...in part because it is no longer (or never was) luxury...it tends to tar the entire niche with the same brush.

In the March 2, 2009 issue of Travel Weekly there was a great piece on what it means to be a Five Star luxury hotel and the fact that some believe that a new category should be established because that older Ritz Carlton just isn't nearly as good as the new hotels coming online. However, both Mobil and AAA are very content downgrading former Five Star properties that just don't make the grade of the continually evolving Five Star or Five Diamond awards they give out. (Please note that this type of article is becoming more commonplace, because it is now a very real issue.)

Mr. Conroy has been out there pushing a new standard of "Six Star Luxury"...not Five Star; Six Star and it seems nary a worry on Mr. Conroy's part that such a product even exist at all!

Is there some measure that was put in place? There is nothing promoted by Regent that shows how it is better than the Seabourn, SeaDream, Silversea or Crystal products (among others). It is different. Each of the products are different. But what entitles Regent to call itself Six Star? Why does Regent call itself Six Star?

With that preface, I must ask, "Isn't great to be King?"

Mark Conroy is the President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. He is "The Man". When Regent was for sale, he was the face. When Regent went "all inclusive", Mr. Conroy out there. When Regent announced its new ship, he was center stage. (When it was delayed, he was nowhere to be found.) Mr. Conroy was great at getting press to rave about the $40,000,000 Apollo Management just spent on the updating the Mariner and Voyager and their new Prime 7 steakhouses.

My question is, "Why did it take Apollo to cause the improvements?" I skeptically bet the cost of all the glossy brochures and books mailed to me before the takeover (and now eliminated) could have paid for the improvements. In short, the ships need(ed) the work badly...and that work just scratched the surface...on this "Six Star Luxury" line. So I ask again, "Why was it not done before Apollo when the Six Star standard was being pushed?"

UPDATED: In a bit of timing irony, Seatrade just announced that Ken Watson, Regent's head of marketing and sales, is departing as of March 31st. His position will no longer exist with those reporting to him now reporting directly to Mark Conroy. His job prior to Regent: President of Little Switzerland jewelry and Executive Vice President of Marketing for Kmart. 'Nuf said.

As I often say, it is the software (people) not the hardware that makes the difference. Seabourn is a classic example of that. So let's talk about Regent's software.

Mark Conroy stated on December 23, 2008 that he was aware of the declining quality of the crew and that he was taking action to improve the situation. Mr. Conroy wrote, in relevant part, in an open letter on Cruise Critic:

"We’ve made some great enhancements to our training and benefits for the crew in the way of increased benefits, enhanced health coverage, overtime pay and dedicated Crew Resource Managers. We’ve also brought greater consistency to our crew scheduling and the vacation time they spend ashore. Ultimately, we want every crew member to leave the ship at the end of their contract with an assignment letter to return for a new contact."

The fact is, reading his comments, his/Regent's crew was suffering from insufficient benefits, health coverage and pay along with lousy scheduling and little consideration of their "vacations" (alas they are not vacations, but breaks in service). While I must pause and ask, "Why didn't Mr. Conroy know of the problems? Or, better, "How could he not assure his staff and crew were treated well at all times?" But I must also ask, "How long and severe was the problem that he felt compelled to admit it publicly?" Actually I must ask, "Did Mr. Conroy ever actually care, for if he did how could this have ever happened?"

In that same letter, Mr. Conroy stated, "We’re [Regent's] raising the bar in every conceivable area - the culinary experience, onboard amenities and entertainment, crew recruitment, crew training and most importantly, crew retention." Let's see how things are two months after writing his letter.

On last week's cruise on the Regent Navigator the painfully negative reports from an infamous Regent cheerleader no less, included the following:

1. The Food & Wine theme for the cruise was eliminated without notice.

2. A Chocolate theme was added without notice and inconsistent with the website.

3. The wait staff in both the Compass Rose (main) and Portofino (specialty) restaurants have provided horrific service, referencing

a. "Minimal service" the first night
b. Waits of 30 and 20 minutes the second and third night just for bread and wine...forget about ordering
c. Waiters having private conversations...and in a non-English language...in front of English speaking guests.

4. The food quality being so poor "The new food vendor for Regent should (IMHO) be sent back from whence they came!"

5. The Regent tour program is being run to the detriment of passengers that chose private excursions.

6. The staff is generally very good, "Then, there is the rest of the staff..."

7. There was another power outage (this time only 15 minutes, but they are ubiquitous)

8. Brown water visited the suites yet again.

These issues are in addition to the serious vibration issues of the ship, its curious layout, etc.

And let's be clear there are many of the officers and higher level crew on Regent ships that have left or been asked to leave in the past months. You can say X or Y was wonderful; however, while to you his smile counted, his allowing the dining room to be run in a slipshod fashion and uneven fashion is not "wonderful".

So the staff and crew the passengers are exposed to clearly are not showing Five, or even Four, Star qualities and the Navigator languishes...while the Voyager and Mariner just had $40,000,000 of fix-ups that were sorely needed, but Mr. Conroy did not make happen.

And it would seem that the ship's below decks crew is either insufficiently trained, knowledgeable or motivated to actually fix the mechanical problems and/or the ship has been allowed to degrade beyond acceptable standards.

So, should these be reasons to ask someone to leave? If it was isolated, maybe, but it probably would be a bit harsh. However, that is not the situation. I had some of the identical issues years ago. And, if you read people's comments, the issues are cruise, after cruise, after cruise.

It is now two months after Mr. Conroy's letter and - forgetting Regent established the new undefined standard of Six (again count 'em) Six Star Luxury - the attitude on the ships is not good...as the service reflects. (I do hate to paint with a broad brush because I am sure there are some excellent crew...probably frustrated, but still wanting to do the best they can, even if they haven't been trained properly.)

The point is that few on the ships give a damn. They were not properly trained. They are bitter from poor working conditions and inconsiderate treatment. The management is lazy and unwilling to do their jobs...or possibly have such poor habits so ingrained that they don't know the correct way to do things. In short, confirmed by Mr. Conroy's own words, the problem is systemic.

I hate to ask the obvious, but "Why would you want to retain management that doesn't correct or properly motivate crew that can't serve a meal and is rude to the guests onboard?"

As many of you know, I have built, managed and represented superyachts in addition to my cruise industry work. With a good crew you can turn things around almost instantly. It will not be perfect, but it will be incredibly better. At the Genoa Yacht Charter Show a few years ago I had a yacht present that just the year before was considered by everyone to be one of the worst yachts in the superyacht industry. I fired the captain and some chosen upper crew and re-started...with young, enthusiastic crew. And, I insulated them from their perceived nemesis: The Owner. They became so motivated that yacht brokers actually said that their enthusiasm forced them to revisit the yacht and they were thrilled that they did. It was transformed!

Take it from me first hand, when the crew is antagonistic to an owner/management, there is nothing you can do to make the situation right. That crew carries with them a lead weight that effects everything from they way they walk to the way they think about their job to their being open to trying to do something a different way. Honestly it is not about words. It is about actions And those actions are not about telling someone to do something, it is about doing it yourself...and remembering that you are no better than anyone, whether it be the captain or the crew member cleaning toilets at 3AM.

Mr. Conroy I must ask when was the last time you had a beer out of a bottle sitting in the crew bar at 2AM? When was the last time you went with a stewardess and asked her to personally show you (not tell you, but show you) the things about her job that bother her? I fear I know the answer. It lies in your open letter and in the fact that the product has not changed...not a bit.

Let me be clear, Regent Seven Seas Cruises can be turned around and can be turned around quickly. It is done with Motivation, Training and Caring. Heavy on the "Caring"

ManGenius is no longer the New York Jets coach. Colin Vetch is no longer with NCL. Isn't time to think about the Regent Seven Seas product and how to really make it change for the better?

The entire luxury cruise industry needs it.

Seabourn Odyssey - Maiden Voyage Update

It is interesting how the media is transfixed on taking any kind of news and putting a negative spin on it.  Well, actually it is not interesting, it is exhausting and unrealistic.

While it is true that the maiden voyage of the Seabourn Odyssey sold out (actually there was a waitlist to get on the waitlist) and then reported that 10% of the suites were unsold, it now appears that there are only seven (7) suites that remains available.  And this bad news because why?

First, and I hate to say this, with so many new-builds coming out in such a short period of time, there is some loss of the cache for being on an inaugural cruise.  Exacerbating that condition is the fact that the shipyards are getting better (with all their recent practice) in delivering the ships early, so many of the inaugurals really aren't inaugurals...which does dilute the product further.  However, the Seabourn Odyssey is not just another megaship, but rather the highest quality luxury cruise ship in the world.

Second, the 800 pound gorilla is the economy.  But, and please remember this:  Not everyone is in foreclosure and not everyone has savings that have been depleted to the point that going on vacation is not an option.  In fact, if you eliminate the Madoff victims (and, to be sure, quite a few were booked on Seabourn - though I do not know about the Maiden Voyage), a very significant number of past guests are still cruising on Seabourn based upon the cruise they desire; not because a particular cruise has a significant discount.

Third, there is a dilution of what the luxury product is in the cruise marketplace.  Regent has claimed to have raised the bar while lowering its quality in numerous areas and Silversea is throwing everything it can at the marketplace just to get people to book their ships, while it has cut back on crew quality and cuisine and while now charging for more of its specialty restaurants.  And if big players in this luxury sector of the cruise industry are doing such things, it hurts the entire sector....even those who insist on doing it "right", like Seabourn.

There are, of course, more factors, but these are certainly at the fore.

Now, let me put a positive light on the Seabourn Odyssey's Maiden Voyage:  With all of the foregoing on around her, this new luxury ship (the best in the industry) will sail full...and it will do it without giving away the suites just to get to that status.  Today, I think that is a very positive, and truthful, statement.

So with over 97% of the suites sold, maybe it is time to consider grabbing one of the last 3% of suites available on the Odyssey's Maiden Voyage.

A Visit To Seabourn's Offices...and Some News

Earlier this week I had the opportunity, and pleasure, to visit Seabourn's offices in Miami.  I had the opportunity to visit with everyone:  reservations, marketing, sales, tours and hotels, guest relations, the Seabourn Odyssey "command center", etc. and, of course, the President, Pamela Conover.

It was great putting faces to those voices in Reservations who have so wonderfully assisted me over the years.  As many of you know from when you speak with them, we have a great relationship.  What I truly enjoyed was seeing that they not only sound like nice people, they are nice people.  And they seem to really enjoy each other.  Great photos of their fun moments are proudly posted by many desks.  So, if you call Seabourn, I can assure you that the pleasant voice you are hearing is not fake.  They really do smile...a lot.  (In fact, the only complaining I heard at all was about a certain someone - who will deny it - hoarding the brownies I had sent over earlier in the day!)

I was able to get a quick peak at some new things...Seabourn is always looking at ways to improve.  So for those few misinformed complainers and doomsayers (and you know who you are posting away on Cruise Critic), I can assure you that you are very wrong.  I never heard or saw anything about cutting back or modifying anything.  All I heard about, and saw, were improvements.  Sometimes improvements require change, but change can be good.

An example:  I was, with some arm-twisting, able to see the new Pre-Cruise Documents that are going to be used shortly.  They are so well designed and good looking.  While they will not be leather-bound editions, I can assure you that many people will consider then keepsakes of their cruise before they even board.  They have great style and, more importantly, much more useful information then the present ones, in an easy to read and use format.

Another example:  Being nosy, I asked to see the new place settings for the Seabourn Odyssey.  Each venue has its own style and, though I was not able to see the exact colors of the final pieces, the samples clearly reflect Seabourn's concern with the details right down to the differences in presentation of the cuisine in each restaurant.  (Restaurant 2's menus have a far different need than the Main Restaurant, for example.)

I caught wind of some other things to come, but suffice it to say, if I tell you I won't ever be told anything again!  Trust me, it is all good.

Barry Hopkins, the Seabourn Odyssey's Cruise Director, was hard at work with Hotel Manger, Guenter Steinbrunner.  They were so intense I felt like I was intruding...but, of course, I was.  In typical Seabourn style, they stopped what they were doing (with a smile) and enthusiastically answered my questions.  They are feeling the pressure of the new ship, but they are very excited.

One place where there is what I will call "New York intensity" is on the hotel/tour/private excursion front.  If you ever thought Seabourn was sitting back or placing less emphasis on these items you are well mistaken.  Seabourn is really working hard to not only assure truly excellent experiences, but is pushing its vendors and hotel partners to provide better pricing.  I should point out something that many probably do not consider when comparing Seabourn's hotel pricing versus doing it privately.  Seabourn's pricing includes all taxes (which can be very significant) and gratuities plus private sedan transfers.  So, while Seabourn works on getting the prices down, be sure you do the math correctly when choosing your pre- or post- cruise hotel.  (Also, many hotel packages include tours...so keep that in mind too.)

My day was completed with a wonderful private dinner with Pamela Conover.  The best part of it was that it was really just friends having dinner.  Of course we talked about Seabourn, its plans, my goals, etc., but it also was just a nice evening spent in a little, local, Italian restaurant.  It was, as Seabourn is really all about, the people.

Oceania Cruises - Ship Inspection of the Regatta Made Me Smile...Really.

I flew down to Miami yesterday to do a ship inspection of the Oceania Regatta; one of three virtually identical ships operated by Oceania Cruise Lines.  I was not really expecting it to be very interesting - from an inspection point of view - since I had previously inspected the Azamara Journey...which is a sistership in a former life as part of Renaissance Cruise Lines.  Being the skeptic I am I was, however, wondering if I could get some real input and feel as to the effect of Apollo Management's impact on the Oceania product and approach...and how the "Prestige Cruise Holdings owns Oceania and Regent" affects same, and what downsides exist, if any (as it relates to Oceania).

Verdict: I literally came away with a smile.  Honestly.  As a was walking out of the terminal one of the security guards stopped me and said, "You look like you had a good time.  Nice smile."

For those of you not familiar with the ships, they are mid-size ships holding 684 passengers with some suites, but mostly fairly compact cabins.  As Oceania emphasizes, it is NOT a luxury cruise line, but a premium one.  The cabins (with or without balconies) are small at 164 square feet, but are tastefully well designed and comfortable save two major flaws:  extremely small bathrooms with "overly friendly" shower curtains and mini-sofas that just aren't comfortable.  (The Penthouse and higher suites do not suffer from either of these flaws and, in fact, have bathtubs, plenty of room and comfortable furniture.)  Personally, I like the cabin finishes better on Azamara, but not enough to really have it as a factor when choosing which line to cruise.

You will pay as you go for water, drinks and liquor.  There are no complimentary shuttle buses into town.  You will pay gratuities (unless you book one of its special promotions before the end of March 2009). Smoking is forbidden and children are specifically discouraged.  Men can cruise for weeks without ever donning a jacket, though many do wear sport coats to dinner.  Other than the specialty restaurants, it is open seating.

The public spaces are very nice with a country club feel (i.e. casual but elegant), two specialty restaurants (Polo for steak and Toscano for Italian, but without additional charge for either) plus the main dining room and the casual venue, which has a portion (even outdoors) transformed to a tapas restaurant in the evenings.  There are very nice cabanas which you can rent for a day or an entire cruise that give you a fairly luxurious retreat.

The food I had was very good.  Now, while I know a bit of a show is put on for travel agents, what was served does indicate what Oceania does with its cuisine.  We started with a nice serving of caviar over a potato terrine of sorts, followed by lobster risotto, beef fillet and a chocolate dessert.  What my impressions were are very Jacques Pepin (who designed the menu):  Good quality ingredients served in a simple, honest way that looks and tastes good.  My beef was ordered medium rare and it was served medium rare...and cut with a fork.  (By way of comparison I found the presentation, flavors and taste to be superior to its sister line, Regent Seven Seas.)

A note on service:  It appears to be solid, but not as polished as one would expect on a luxury line.  Oceania not being a luxury line would seem to make this an irrelevant observation, right?  Well, the overall impression is such that you cannot help but consider same.  (That is a compliment.)

Okay, so you are reading this and saying, "This doesn't sound like the Eric I know."  Well, here goes...A nice cabin and a good meal does not make me smile.  People make me smile.  The people on Oceania from the room stewardesses to the Chief Financial Officer were warm, friendly and, most importantly, were proud of their product and were absolutely beaming with the personal pride of being on a team that wants to do the best they possibly can.  For me, even if things are not perfect, if someone is genuinely giving their all and want to improve what they do, I willingly embrace any minor slip-ups because they are part of a very productive process.

I had a very enjoyable lunch with the Prestige Cruise Holding's Director of Communications, Chief Financial Officer and others.  We discussed Oceania's philosophy, efforts during refits, happiness of the crew, etc.  I even was introduced to a couple of very happy former Seabourn folks (who spoke with such kind words about Seabourn!).  To be sure, however, I made sure that we spoke of some of the issues regarding Regent, the interrelationship, etc.  What I walked away with was these are the sort of people I, personally, want to do business with.  And, if I want to do business with them, it gives me great comfort in encouraging my clients to cruise with Oceania.

I close with the inevitable comparison:  Oceania versus Regent.  To me this is not even close:

     1.  Food:  This is, hands down, to Oceania.  Not only did I have a meal onboard, I snooped around and saw what was being offered to the paying passengers.  I know that Oceania spends more per passenger on quality ingredients than Regent does.  I understand and appreciate the philosophy of an elegant piece of beef fillet you can cut with a fork trumps a giant rib eye falling off of a plate.

     2.  Service:  I used the term once before, "Comfortable in its own skin" and Oceania's service is just that.  It is solid, but imperfect.  But is offered with a smile, a desire to do it better each and every time and with an intangible warmth.  Regent struggles with uneven service, confused waiters and a lack of polish.  It is working on "it", but Oceania has "it".

     3.  Itineraries:  This is not even close.  Check out Oceania's itineraries.  If you want to see the world, they are so much stronger than Regent's.

     4.  Cabins:  Regent is must stronger, even in most suites.  It is, to me, the only "ace in the hole" Regent has.  That said, the Penthouses on Oceania are nice, though the bathrooms (even with a tub) are a bit spartan.  The upper suites are competitive, though.

     5.  Ships:  If you take the Regent Navigator out of the mix, the pubic areas are both fine.  I do find that most of Oceania's public spaces are more to my liking...with the caveat that I have not been back on the Regent ships since their recent refit.  The style of Oceania works for me, but I would not chose or dismiss either line because of their public areas.

     6.  Value:  If you read this far you know the answer:  Oceania by far.  You could not possibly drink enough or pay enough in gratuities to even begin to justify the price difference. 

So, if you are looking for a value cruise or prefer to pay ala carte (non-drinkers, for example), take a good look at Oceania.  I am confident you will like what you see...especially for the price.