I know there has been great interest in the past days about what is Five Star Luxury cruising, so I was thinking (as I do) and...
It is time to get out of discussing the "theory" and getting you on the ships. The Yachts of Seabourn, that is!
Disclaimer (Don't you love them): What follows is not hype. (Let's face it you know my feelings about hype).
I am going to be putting money where my mouth is! I want you to take advantage of me! Use me! While the details are still being worked on, next week I am going to have some extraordinary deals available for you on Seabourn with pricing that you won't believe. (And, by the way, the airlines are drastically dropping their fares, so that will make these deals even sweeter.)
I am not talking about the Seabourn published discount prices...
I am talking about Goldring Travel prices!
You are going to have truly affordable opportunities that will make you excited to travel and experience Five Star Luxury at sea on all four of Seabourn's ships. (Don't worry, even if you have experienced Seabourn, these prices will be available to you as well.)
There is one (and only one) catch: I am not publishing these fares on either my blog or website. You have to call (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898) or email me eric@goldringtravel.com directly.
If you are interested and want to speak to me in advance of the details and fares being available, feel free.
And if you want to consider something while you are waiting, check out these four sailings which are available on March 9, 2009 for one week:
Seabourn Pride - 12 days Round-trip Copenhagen, Denmark
(Scandinavia & Russia including Tallin, Estonia – St. Petersburg, Russia - Helsinki, Finland – Stockholm, Sweden – Warnemuende, Germany and Roenne, Bornholm, Germany)
Dates: June 1, 2009 to June 13, 2009 and June 22, 2009 to July 04, 2009
Category Discounted rate Percentage off brochure fare
Category OW $15,990 50% off
Category CS $12,065 50% off
Category B3 $ 6,849 65% off
Category B2 $ 6,499 63% off
Category A3 $ 5,899 62% off
Category A2 $ 5,599 61% off
Category A1 $ 5,299 59% off
Category A $ 4,999 58% off
Seabourn Pride – 9 Days Round-trip Copenhagen, Denmark
(Norwegian Fjords including Flaam, Norway - Aalesund, Norway – Olden, Norway – Bergen, Norway and Stavander, Norway)
Dates: June 13, 2009 to June 22, 2009 and July 30, 2009 to August 8, 2009
Category Discounted rate Percentage off brochure fare
Category OW $12,005 50% off
Category CS $ 9,275 50% off
Category B3 $ 5,549 62% off
Category B2 $ 5,249 60% off
Category A3 $ 4,749 59% off
Category A2 $ 4,499 58% off
Category A1 $ 4,249 57% off
Category A $ 3,999 56% off
Remember these fares are capacity controlled, subject to prior sale and may be withdrawn at any time. Goldring Travel is not responsible for any misprints.
Jumat, 06 Maret 2009
Kamis, 05 Maret 2009
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.
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"?
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"?
Rabu, 04 Maret 2009
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.
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.
Selasa, 03 Maret 2009
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.
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.
Senin, 02 Maret 2009
Seabourn Odyssey - New Construction Photo
The Seabourn Odyssey is taking shape! You can really see the similarity of profiles between the Odyssey and her older sisters, the Pride, Legend and Spirit.
OK, who is going to be the first one to start counting windows and balconies to find their suite?!
Just as a reminder, you can find a good bit of information about the Seabourn Odyssey at http://www.seabournodyssey.com/index.cfm.
Azamara Zigs While Oceania and Regent Zag - Airfare No Longer Included in Price
Azamara Cruises, which is the more upscale line operated by Celebrity and similar in many respects to Oceania, has decided to unbundle air from its pricing. According to Dondra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity’s senior vice president of sales, more than half of their guests have opted to take the air credit and book their own air.
Personally, I find this to be refreshing. I cannot tell you how many times I have told clients that "free air" is not "free" and, after doing the pricing, they see that up to $500+ in air-related taxes can be added on to that "free" air.
I find that clients are looking not just to the bottom line, but to ways to see if the bottom line can lowered through different pricing strategies. For me, the best way to do this is by unbundling the air...and tours.
Personally, I find this to be refreshing. I cannot tell you how many times I have told clients that "free air" is not "free" and, after doing the pricing, they see that up to $500+ in air-related taxes can be added on to that "free" air.
I find that clients are looking not just to the bottom line, but to ways to see if the bottom line can lowered through different pricing strategies. For me, the best way to do this is by unbundling the air...and tours.
Here is what Azamara is now offering:
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