There has been a bit of a discussion in some of my recent posts about Regent and my appreciation of the start of what appears to be significant changes. Some have felt my comments are nit-picking (my words) or "negative".
Today I read the most recent post on the Seabourn Odyssey blog and have copied a good bit of it here, to show that nit-picking is, in fact, a good thing when your desire is to have the best of the best; not the average marketed to be the best (which I am hopefully going to be able to say is the "Old Regent" way vs. the "New Regent/Old Radisson" way.)
Adam Snitzer, Vice President of Marketing for Yachts of Seabourn, reports from the Miami headquarters as the Seabourn Odyssey build takes on yet another form. “I’m often stunned by the number of details that need to be covered when bringing out a new Seabourn yacht. And, I’m always amazed by the intense focus the hotel operations team put on all of those innumerable details.
Take menus, for example (not the actual decisions about which dishes to serve. That will be the subject of another blog post.) I was recently in a meeting where the hotel operations team was presenting their vision of how the menus should look – the sort of paper they would be printed on, the number of pages, the size, and the covers. The options are dizzying.
There are literally hundreds of different colors and textures of leather for menu covers. And, with the variety of the dining venues on Odyssey, there’s also a desire to “mix things up a bit” from restaurant to restaurant. So some of the final choices are truly one- of-a-kind presentations, meant to intrigue and delight guests from the moment they enter each dining venue.
In the end, The Restaurant will get a stylish black on black leather treatment, which will elegantly match the décor and lighting of the room. The Colonnade will receive a special card and holder that is meant to evoke the ocean itself. The Patio Grill menus will match the teak decking. And Restaurant 2 is meant to be a surprise, so I won’t tell you. You’ll just have to come onboard to find out.”
With that sort of attention to detail, I think having a good cup of coffee served in your suite or by a waiter anywhere on the ship, rather than you walking to from a coffee machine midship on Deck 9, will be pretty easy to come by.
How the menus are presented may mean nothing to some, but to me it is an indicator of what is to be expected. And what I expect on Seabourn...better what Seabourn expects...is luxury.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Fincantieri Shipyards in Trouble, Repositioning for Success or Both?
Fincantieri is the Italian government controlled company which owns and operates a number of Italian shipyard involved in the construction of both cruise ships and superyachts.
Last week Fincantieri was "forced" (not my word) according to Lloyd's List, the preeminent shipping publication, to deny that it had lost as cancelled the contract to build the second Oceania new build. This malstrom was apparently started by some local metalworkers unions over concerns the loss would adversely affect them. Fincantieri, however, remains fairly tight-lipped, as there is little question that there are ongoing discussions with Prestige Cruise Holdings over timing and price renegotiations.
Fincantieri is also subject to pressure because the superyacht order book, in addition to the cruise line order book, is getting scarily thin. Orders are beign cancelled, others delayed and new orders just are not happening. Because Fincantieri has put so much effort and money into getting its previously old and unused shipyards up and running...and then expanding its facilities further...just to keep up with the demand...is faced with the bottom falling out and no sign that there will be a quick recovery.
To that end, earlier this month Fincantieri chose not to exercise its option to increase its interest in the large ship repair facility Lloyd Werft (in Breman, Germany) and has apparently shut down talks to take over Grand Bahama Shipyard in the Caribbean; quashing its previous plans to become a worldwide ship buiilding and repair conglomerate. It did, however, complete its purchase of Manitowoc, a Wisconsin, USA based company that builds and repairs mid-sized ships for various branches of the US military.
With all of this swirling around, the Italian government announced two days ago that may soon approve the sale of a portion of its interest in Fincantieri to private interests. Obviously, what that does is provide Fincantieri with a quick boost of cash while aleviating pressure from the Italian government, which doesn't have the cash available to meet all of Fincantieri's present needs.
I am not sure if this is "the tip of the iceberg" or the beginning of a successful retrenching that may allow Fincantieri to eventually exploit the weaknesses the shipbuilding and repair industries are is suffering from. What I am sure is that this is but the beginning of the story.
Last week Fincantieri was "forced" (not my word) according to Lloyd's List, the preeminent shipping publication, to deny that it had lost as cancelled the contract to build the second Oceania new build. This malstrom was apparently started by some local metalworkers unions over concerns the loss would adversely affect them. Fincantieri, however, remains fairly tight-lipped, as there is little question that there are ongoing discussions with Prestige Cruise Holdings over timing and price renegotiations.
Fincantieri is also subject to pressure because the superyacht order book, in addition to the cruise line order book, is getting scarily thin. Orders are beign cancelled, others delayed and new orders just are not happening. Because Fincantieri has put so much effort and money into getting its previously old and unused shipyards up and running...and then expanding its facilities further...just to keep up with the demand...is faced with the bottom falling out and no sign that there will be a quick recovery.
To that end, earlier this month Fincantieri chose not to exercise its option to increase its interest in the large ship repair facility Lloyd Werft (in Breman, Germany) and has apparently shut down talks to take over Grand Bahama Shipyard in the Caribbean; quashing its previous plans to become a worldwide ship buiilding and repair conglomerate. It did, however, complete its purchase of Manitowoc, a Wisconsin, USA based company that builds and repairs mid-sized ships for various branches of the US military.
With all of this swirling around, the Italian government announced two days ago that may soon approve the sale of a portion of its interest in Fincantieri to private interests. Obviously, what that does is provide Fincantieri with a quick boost of cash while aleviating pressure from the Italian government, which doesn't have the cash available to meet all of Fincantieri's present needs.
I am not sure if this is "the tip of the iceberg" or the beginning of a successful retrenching that may allow Fincantieri to eventually exploit the weaknesses the shipbuilding and repair industries are is suffering from. What I am sure is that this is but the beginning of the story.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Fresh Reports Regarding Regent Seven Seas Post-Refurbishment Abound (Note: Some Interesting Discussion in the Comments)
It seems like every day I am receiving Google alerts about yet another review, blog or travelogue by someone currently on a Regent cruise. My guess is that Regent is trying to quell some of the bad news of late by exposing chosen writers to write about their experiences...or at least encourage those that do posts things on the internet to write about its ships. I am sure that part of the plan is to highlight and market the recent refurbishments on the Voyager and Mariner.
Some of the reviewers are quite observant, while I do get a sense that some tiptoe around any controversy. One writer, for Cruise Critic, seems very nice (and I do enjoy reading the comments), but it is clear that this person has never been on a luxury cruise, so I wonder what the standards and expectations are. (Compared to Line A this is outstanding...but Line A is mass market).
That said, first, the bad news: When reading these reviews and, to be sure, posts on message boards, one thing which is very clear is that Navigator is the bad stepsister. She has reports of electrical failures, significant vibration, maintenance issues, serious service lapses and inconsistent food. She also is not scheduled for refit work until April 2010. One previously die hard supporter of Regent started off his posts singing Regent's praises, but left his cruise just filling unfulfilled and missing something. Therefore, as I have been saying for quite some time, absent something special or unique...
Now, the good news: The reports on the new public spaces are very good. There now are splashes of color and class rather than more of monotone blue. All I have read are praises and the photos I have seen appear to support the positive comments.
The only criticism I have consistently read of relates to the substitute chairs in the main dining rooms (Compass Rose) which are bulky and narrow; one person observing that some people squeeze themselves into the chairs, while others comment they are difficult to move. This should be the worst thing about any cruise, so unless you really need the space, I would look past the issues and enjoy the living room feel.
Prime 7, if you are into American Steakhouse cuisine (I find it hard to use a French term to describe that menu, but I just did), has been getting good reviews for the quality of its meats and portion sizes. Some of the more elegant menu items, however, may need some tweaking...or just aren't consistent with the American steakhouse palate.
Deck furniture is also receiving high marks, though some comments about there needing to be more lounges have to be weighed against the complaints that Regent is not stringent enough about removing towels and "placeholder" books/bags. Chair hogs on a luxury line hopefully is not a comment on a lowering of passenger standards.
One change that baffles me is the praise of the Coffee Corner. To me that is a mass market concept. On a luxury line, a fancy coffee machine should not be the focus; a waiter should be. On Celebrity Cruise Lines they have Cova® Café di Milano "Relax while enjoying a cappuccino and a European pastry with a friend at the Cova Café. Featuring Cova liqueurs, chocolates, and fresh pastries, this jewel offers a scrumptious taste of decadence." Of course, on Celebrity it is an extra charge, but the point is that on Regent the offering is inferior.
The one area I am holding out further comment on is service. I know Regent is open about its working to make this better. While some of the changes should be easily instituted, sometimes bad habits or poor training takes a bit longer. Since the refurbishments were not designed to address service, but just happened to be noted as an issue I will leave it for another day.
Some of the reviewers are quite observant, while I do get a sense that some tiptoe around any controversy. One writer, for Cruise Critic, seems very nice (and I do enjoy reading the comments), but it is clear that this person has never been on a luxury cruise, so I wonder what the standards and expectations are. (Compared to Line A this is outstanding...but Line A is mass market).
That said, first, the bad news: When reading these reviews and, to be sure, posts on message boards, one thing which is very clear is that Navigator is the bad stepsister. She has reports of electrical failures, significant vibration, maintenance issues, serious service lapses and inconsistent food. She also is not scheduled for refit work until April 2010. One previously die hard supporter of Regent started off his posts singing Regent's praises, but left his cruise just filling unfulfilled and missing something. Therefore, as I have been saying for quite some time, absent something special or unique...
Now, the good news: The reports on the new public spaces are very good. There now are splashes of color and class rather than more of monotone blue. All I have read are praises and the photos I have seen appear to support the positive comments.
The only criticism I have consistently read of relates to the substitute chairs in the main dining rooms (Compass Rose) which are bulky and narrow; one person observing that some people squeeze themselves into the chairs, while others comment they are difficult to move. This should be the worst thing about any cruise, so unless you really need the space, I would look past the issues and enjoy the living room feel.
Prime 7, if you are into American Steakhouse cuisine (I find it hard to use a French term to describe that menu, but I just did), has been getting good reviews for the quality of its meats and portion sizes. Some of the more elegant menu items, however, may need some tweaking...or just aren't consistent with the American steakhouse palate.
Deck furniture is also receiving high marks, though some comments about there needing to be more lounges have to be weighed against the complaints that Regent is not stringent enough about removing towels and "placeholder" books/bags. Chair hogs on a luxury line hopefully is not a comment on a lowering of passenger standards.
One change that baffles me is the praise of the Coffee Corner. To me that is a mass market concept. On a luxury line, a fancy coffee machine should not be the focus; a waiter should be. On Celebrity Cruise Lines they have Cova® Café di Milano "Relax while enjoying a cappuccino and a European pastry with a friend at the Cova Café. Featuring Cova liqueurs, chocolates, and fresh pastries, this jewel offers a scrumptious taste of decadence." Of course, on Celebrity it is an extra charge, but the point is that on Regent the offering is inferior.
The one area I am holding out further comment on is service. I know Regent is open about its working to make this better. While some of the changes should be easily instituted, sometimes bad habits or poor training takes a bit longer. Since the refurbishments were not designed to address service, but just happened to be noted as an issue I will leave it for another day.
More Bad News for Cruise Value Center Customers: They Have Another Problem - Prime Travel Protection Protects No More!
On November 13, 2008 I wrote about Cruise Value Center closing its doors (http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2008/11/cruise-value-center-shuts-its-doors.html). Today the company that insured many of the Cruise Value Center clients has gone into liquidation and is probably going to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (i.e. no chance of recovery).
According the ASTA, American Society of Travel Agents, in a notice today:
Prime Travel Protection, a travel insurance company based in Arvada, Colo., announced that it has initiated a liquidation of services, effective Jan. 26, 2009. A statement on the company's Web site indicates that customers will be receiving written communication relating to the processing and resolution of claims and that all inquiries will be handled by legal counsel or court appointed trustee. According to Travel Weekly, Prime Travel Protection President Jerry Watson stated that the company is looking at a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or self-liquidation with a trust receivership, claims will be handled through the bankruptcy court or the trust, and funds to settle claims would come from liquidating assets.
Customers who used a credit card to purchase a policy from Prime Travel Protection and determine that their policy is no longer valid may contact their credit card company to dispute the charge. Under the Fair-Credit Billing Act, cardholders have 60 days from the time they receive the billing statement on which a charge first appears to refuse payment for services not rendered. Instructions for doing so appear on the back of all credit card statements. Even if a customer has already paid the charge, or if the 60-day window noted above has passed, it is still advisable to request a credit for the charge....Customers who purchased travel insurance from Prime Travel Protection and have not yet traveled should consider obtaining alternate insurance coverage, if applicable.
Prime Protection Travel's website merely states:
Prime Travel Protection, Inc. has initiated an orderly liquidation of services, effective Monday, January 26, 2009.
All inquiries will be handled by legal counsel and/or court appointed trustee.
We regret to inform you of this decision, however it was undertaken after consultation with our professional advisors.
You will be receiving written communication relating to the process and resolution of your claim.
In short, if you paid for Prime Travel Insurance and have not yet traveled, you probably don't have insurance, but may be able to recover the premium you paid for the insurance if you paid with, and dispute the charge through, your credit card. You will need, however, to obtain alternative insurance. (Those with pre-existing conditions or within the penalty period, this may create additional issues for you so be careful before - and what - you purchase.)
If you already have a claim pending with Prime, I would assume your chances of a recovery is slim.
According the ASTA, American Society of Travel Agents, in a notice today:
Prime Travel Protection, a travel insurance company based in Arvada, Colo., announced that it has initiated a liquidation of services, effective Jan. 26, 2009. A statement on the company's Web site indicates that customers will be receiving written communication relating to the processing and resolution of claims and that all inquiries will be handled by legal counsel or court appointed trustee. According to Travel Weekly, Prime Travel Protection President Jerry Watson stated that the company is looking at a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or self-liquidation with a trust receivership, claims will be handled through the bankruptcy court or the trust, and funds to settle claims would come from liquidating assets.
Customers who used a credit card to purchase a policy from Prime Travel Protection and determine that their policy is no longer valid may contact their credit card company to dispute the charge. Under the Fair-Credit Billing Act, cardholders have 60 days from the time they receive the billing statement on which a charge first appears to refuse payment for services not rendered. Instructions for doing so appear on the back of all credit card statements. Even if a customer has already paid the charge, or if the 60-day window noted above has passed, it is still advisable to request a credit for the charge....Customers who purchased travel insurance from Prime Travel Protection and have not yet traveled should consider obtaining alternate insurance coverage, if applicable.
Prime Protection Travel's website merely states:
Prime Travel Protection, Inc. has initiated an orderly liquidation of services, effective Monday, January 26, 2009.
All inquiries will be handled by legal counsel and/or court appointed trustee.
We regret to inform you of this decision, however it was undertaken after consultation with our professional advisors.
You will be receiving written communication relating to the process and resolution of your claim.
In short, if you paid for Prime Travel Insurance and have not yet traveled, you probably don't have insurance, but may be able to recover the premium you paid for the insurance if you paid with, and dispute the charge through, your credit card. You will need, however, to obtain alternative insurance. (Those with pre-existing conditions or within the penalty period, this may create additional issues for you so be careful before - and what - you purchase.)
If you already have a claim pending with Prime, I would assume your chances of a recovery is slim.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Seabourn is Limiting Discounts on Close-In Sailings
As I warned a few days ago, don't expect many of the deep discounts on Seabourn...and most certainly don't look for them on close-in sailings. Through April there is only one cruise (other than the transatlantics) that has a discount over 30% from the brochure fares and many are actually discounted less than is set out in Seabourn's primary brochure that was printed in April 2008.
Yes, there are some sailings where Seabourn offered some incredible savings, but it may be the time to start looking at the Seabourn cruises you want to take rather than waiting around to see if you can find a great deal on a cruise.
Heck, its cold out there. Doesn't the thought of Asia, South America, the Caribbean...or even a Transatlantic sound good?
First Hand Account of The "Cheeky" Pirate Incident Involving Oceania Nautica
Back on December 2, 2008 I wrote about my displeasure with the hype surrounding the pirate incident involving the Oceania Nautica. It is not that piracy in the Gulf of Aden is not a serious issue - it is, but rather that the media prostituted the incident to sell papers and clicks and commercials instead of accurate information.
I previously posted that I had a client on this ship, but did not want to mention names...even though I saw her name emblazoned on the front page of USA Today with a caption about "Cheeky Pirates". Well, yesterday my client, Wendy Armitage, posted her report of the incident as a comment to my December 2, 2008 posting, "Piracy and Cruise Ships - Reality vs. Hype" (http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2008/12/piracy-and-cruise-ships-reality-vs-hype.html) and I wanted to make sure it was readily available for all of you to read. Here it is:
Having been on board the Nautica when it was “attacked” by pirates, and been interviewed and reported worldwide, I believe I am in a position to comment.
When we boarded Nautica, we were advised of the pirates and told of the actions that would be taken should anything occur.
When the captain announced that suspicious boats were approaching we all knew what was expected of us. We were asked to move inside, and stay low (in case the sonic guns were activated). The ship then speed up, and quickly left the pirate boats behind.
The Captain and crew acted calmly and professionally throughout the incident, and at NO TIME did we feel in any sort of danger.
The pirates were young men in small boats powered by outboard motors. There were about four of these little boats near the ship, and even though shots were fired, it was doubtful they were firing at the ship.
In reality there was no way any of these men could have boarded our ship. It had high pressure water running down the sides and sonic guns at the ready should they get too close.
When we arrived at Muscat we were interviewed by the Associated Press and my comment “We did not think that the pirates would be cheeky enough to attack a cruise ship” made headline news. The press kept asking if we were scared or frightened, to which we all replied NO.
The whole situation was over very quickly and it certainly hasn’t made me think twice about cruising in that part of the world again.
Thank you Wendy for sharing your experience and your perspective.
I previously posted that I had a client on this ship, but did not want to mention names...even though I saw her name emblazoned on the front page of USA Today with a caption about "Cheeky Pirates". Well, yesterday my client, Wendy Armitage, posted her report of the incident as a comment to my December 2, 2008 posting, "Piracy and Cruise Ships - Reality vs. Hype" (http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2008/12/piracy-and-cruise-ships-reality-vs-hype.html) and I wanted to make sure it was readily available for all of you to read. Here it is:
Having been on board the Nautica when it was “attacked” by pirates, and been interviewed and reported worldwide, I believe I am in a position to comment.
When we boarded Nautica, we were advised of the pirates and told of the actions that would be taken should anything occur.
When the captain announced that suspicious boats were approaching we all knew what was expected of us. We were asked to move inside, and stay low (in case the sonic guns were activated). The ship then speed up, and quickly left the pirate boats behind.
The Captain and crew acted calmly and professionally throughout the incident, and at NO TIME did we feel in any sort of danger.
The pirates were young men in small boats powered by outboard motors. There were about four of these little boats near the ship, and even though shots were fired, it was doubtful they were firing at the ship.
In reality there was no way any of these men could have boarded our ship. It had high pressure water running down the sides and sonic guns at the ready should they get too close.
When we arrived at Muscat we were interviewed by the Associated Press and my comment “We did not think that the pirates would be cheeky enough to attack a cruise ship” made headline news. The press kept asking if we were scared or frightened, to which we all replied NO.
The whole situation was over very quickly and it certainly hasn’t made me think twice about cruising in that part of the world again.
Thank you Wendy for sharing your experience and your perspective.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Mark Conroy Speaks About Regent Seven Seas Cruise's Highest Prices in the Industry
Sometimes it is just better to say nothing. It is a hard lesson to learn. Before writing this post I thought about not saying anything. But then I thought, "I am not going to say anything I haven't said before. All I am doing is confirming its accuracy by an irrefutable source."
As you know I have long complained that Regent Seven Seas Cruises charges the highest prices in the industry and does not provide the true luxury experience that justifies them. I also looked cautiously at the new "inclusive tour" policy, noting that having 4 buses of passengers going to what used to be visited by 1 or 2 buses, changes the tour experience from a luxury one to a mass-market one...assuming the passengers aren't put off by paying for group tours when they prefer the luxury of private tours and the tours are not otherwise compromised in quality.
Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises just gave an interview to Travel Weekly which was posted today on the internet. In it he states that Frank Del Rio, head of Prestige Cruise Holdings stated, quoting Mr. Conroy, "Our prices look higher than everybody else's because everything is included. If it is not explained, people will get sticker shock."
Let's review: Regent provides nothing more than Silversea, SeaDream or Seabourn (other than the tours) and it has 700+ people versus one fifth or one half the number of people. It has admitted and is now working on its service and cuisine issues which are not at the levels they should be.
So, I ask the question: If Regent's prices "look higher than everybody else's" and it is not providing anything of significant value more, what is the motivation for me - as a responsible travel agent trying to assure my clients that they will, in fact, be provided with the highest quality cruise experience their dollars will allow - to sell Regent over Seabourn? Could it be anything other than a selfish motive of earning a higher commissions? I am befuddled!
But, alas, there is more that Mr. Conroy had to say. He claims that discounting "does not go well with the luxury product." Until the past few months I would have strongly supported that comment if the word used was "Sale". In fact, I do believe that when the economy rebounds the luxury market will be the first to reduce the use of the word, "Sale". BUT (don't I always have one?!) I must ask you, "Have you have ever paid Brochure Rate for a cruise?" Let me answer: NEVER. The reason: No one does...ever. Why? Because everyone...even luxury market clients...likes a discount.
Mr. Conroy goes further, stating: "Discounting is basically a marketing plan that went wrong." Huh???? The last time I looked every single Regent cruise shows a discount. Every one!
So, rather than turn Regent Seven Seas into a premium line that prices itself as a very expensive "package", I would suggest maybe, just maybe, you start asking the questions: How much extra would you pay per day for drinks and gratuities? A suite vs. a cabin? A few tours?
This is where I have learned it is better to say nothing. You already know the answer!
As you know I have long complained that Regent Seven Seas Cruises charges the highest prices in the industry and does not provide the true luxury experience that justifies them. I also looked cautiously at the new "inclusive tour" policy, noting that having 4 buses of passengers going to what used to be visited by 1 or 2 buses, changes the tour experience from a luxury one to a mass-market one...assuming the passengers aren't put off by paying for group tours when they prefer the luxury of private tours and the tours are not otherwise compromised in quality.
Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises just gave an interview to Travel Weekly which was posted today on the internet. In it he states that Frank Del Rio, head of Prestige Cruise Holdings stated, quoting Mr. Conroy, "Our prices look higher than everybody else's because everything is included. If it is not explained, people will get sticker shock."
Let's review: Regent provides nothing more than Silversea, SeaDream or Seabourn (other than the tours) and it has 700+ people versus one fifth or one half the number of people. It has admitted and is now working on its service and cuisine issues which are not at the levels they should be.
So, I ask the question: If Regent's prices "look higher than everybody else's" and it is not providing anything of significant value more, what is the motivation for me - as a responsible travel agent trying to assure my clients that they will, in fact, be provided with the highest quality cruise experience their dollars will allow - to sell Regent over Seabourn? Could it be anything other than a selfish motive of earning a higher commissions? I am befuddled!
But, alas, there is more that Mr. Conroy had to say. He claims that discounting "does not go well with the luxury product." Until the past few months I would have strongly supported that comment if the word used was "Sale". In fact, I do believe that when the economy rebounds the luxury market will be the first to reduce the use of the word, "Sale". BUT (don't I always have one?!) I must ask you, "Have you have ever paid Brochure Rate for a cruise?" Let me answer: NEVER. The reason: No one does...ever. Why? Because everyone...even luxury market clients...likes a discount.
Mr. Conroy goes further, stating: "Discounting is basically a marketing plan that went wrong." Huh???? The last time I looked every single Regent cruise shows a discount. Every one!
So, rather than turn Regent Seven Seas into a premium line that prices itself as a very expensive "package", I would suggest maybe, just maybe, you start asking the questions: How much extra would you pay per day for drinks and gratuities? A suite vs. a cabin? A few tours?
This is where I have learned it is better to say nothing. You already know the answer!
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