Did anyone get the Venetian Society survey?

[Dolcevita Diva]

Originally Posted by Wellseasoned

Ditto, Canadian Kate and everyone else.
The first part of the survey was encouraging, asking about your satisfaction with Venetian benefits, which of them are important to you, and what other loyalty benefits you might suggest. Then the bombshell questions suggesting a "premium benefits" package for a fee, threatening the whole concept of rewards for loyalty! As people who have always loved Silversea and have hundreds of days to prove it, we find this very disturbing.

The survey was poorly designed. It did not even ask about awareness of the current benefits..
For what it's worth, the pre-paid perks approach they are describing is similar to the Leading Hotels of the World program.

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Cashipman/Craig, pls see the article at link below for more background on Mrs. Bettridge.

http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/a...rsea-steps-out

Also, Steve Tucker left SS last June, prior to her arrival, in the article there is a brief profile of the guy who replaced STucker...key graph below:

New Sales Executive

Indeed, one of the first measures Bettridge did take at Silversea was to hire a vice president of sales to replace Steve Tucker, who had just left prior to her arrival. The new appointee is Kristian Anderson, the former vice president of U.S. sales for Qatar Airways, who started June 11. (See sidebar.)

That Anderson is not from the cruise industry was a purposeful decision.

“I really wanted to get a different type of thinking and approach when we think about our business, and if you bring in someone with a strong cruise background you don’t always get that,” says Bettridge. “I wanted to figure out how we can mix things up a bit. I think we have to be competitive right now so I wanted a VP of sales who also might think differently.”

According to Bettridge, Anderson has strong travel agency and customer contacts. “He’s also a strong leader of employees so those were some of the qualities that I was looking for. And he is also a fantastic salesman.”

One of the reasons Bettridge is particularly excited about her new job is that she’s always been a fan of Silversea, having sailed with them three times over the years.

“It’s a great, great brand. The service is phenomenal; the food is great; they have incredible potential,” she says. Going forward, she says, it will be important to look at how the line can provide better service. “That means thinking of how the customers will be happy, therefore our [travel agency] partners are happy.”

In her new role as president of the Americas she has yet to sail, but she’s anxious to hit the seas, knowing she’ll now look at the experience differently. Most difficult to get onboard, she says, will be the Silver Explorer expedition ship, which sails remote areas, including the polar regions, and fills up quickly.
Silver Shadow
The Silver Shadow is shown sailing in Alaska.

That adventure market has proven lucrative for Silversea, so much so that at presstime it had announced the purchase of Canodros, an Ecuadorian tourism company that operates in the Galapagos Islands. With the purchase comes an upmarket expedition ship, Galapagos Explorer II.

The cruise line plans to add the Galapagos Explorer II to its fleet of six ships next year, after the 100-guest vessel undergoes a major refurbishment in September 2013 and is given a new name, to make it consistent with the rest of the Silversea fleet.

The addition of the Silver Explorer (formerly the Prince Albert II) in 2008, says Bettridge, has assisted in pulling in a younger demographic that can graduate on to the rest of the Silversea fleet. “It’s different, though it’s definitely Silversea. It’s luxury but it’s very adventurous, and everyday you are doing something fabulous.”

[billcrooz]

Originally Posted by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

Cashipman/Craig, pls see the article at link below for more background on Mrs. Bettridge.

http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/a...rsea-steps-out

Also, Steve Tucker left SS last June, prior to her arrival, in the article there is a brief profile of the guy who replaced STucker...key graph below:

New Sales Executive

Indeed, one of the first measures Bettridge did take at Silversea was to hire a vice president of sales to replace Steve Tucker, who had just left prior to her arrival. The new appointee is Kristian Anderson, the former vice president of U.S. sales for Qatar Airways, who started June 11. (See sidebar.)

That Anderson is not from the cruise industry was a purposeful decision.

“I really wanted to get a different type of thinking and approach when we think about our business, and if you bring in someone with a strong cruise background you don’t always get that,” says Bettridge. “I wanted to figure out how we can mix things up a bit. I think we have to be competitive right now so I wanted a VP of sales who also might think differently.”

According to Bettridge, Anderson has strong travel agency and customer contacts. “He’s also a strong leader of employees so those were some of the qualities that I was looking for. And he is also a fantastic salesman.”

One of the reasons Bettridge is particularly excited about her new job is that she’s always been a fan of Silversea, having sailed with them three times over the years.

“It’s a great, great brand. The service is phenomenal; the food is great; they have incredible potential,” she says. Going forward, she says, it will be important to look at how the line can provide better service. “That means thinking of how the customers will be happy, therefore our [travel agency] partners are happy.”

In her new role as president of the Americas she has yet to sail, but she’s anxious to hit the seas, knowing she’ll now look at the experience differently. Most difficult to get onboard, she says, will be the Silver Explorer expedition ship, which sails remote areas, including the polar regions, and fills up quickly.
Silver Shadow
The Silver Shadow is shown sailing in Alaska.

That adventure market has proven lucrative for Silversea, so much so that at presstime it had announced the purchase of Canodros, an Ecuadorian tourism company that operates in the Galapagos Islands. With the purchase comes an upmarket expedition ship, Galapagos Explorer II.

The cruise line plans to add the Galapagos Explorer II to its fleet of six ships next year, after the 100-guest vessel undergoes a major refurbishment in September 2013 and is given a new name, to make it consistent with the rest of the Silversea fleet.

The addition of the Silver Explorer (formerly the Prince Albert II) in 2008, says Bettridge, has assisted in pulling in a younger demographic that can graduate on to the rest of the Silversea fleet. “It’s different, though it’s definitely Silversea. It’s luxury but it’s very adventurous, and everyday you are doing something fabulous.”

what do you think Col?...

[oregon50]

So some of you have taken off the blinders......congratulations!

[Stumblefoot]

Originally Posted by Dolcevita Diva

If they are seriously contemplating these types of changes, they should invest in a professionally designed and executed research program. Using Surveymonkey to survey your top customers/repeat guests sends a "cheap/amateur" signal which is an inappropriate approach for a luxury brand.

TOTALLY agree!

[MrsWaldo]

I just booked Seabourn (OMG...gasps) for a cruise in July in Russia.

Why?

Well SS has cancelled my last 2 bookings due to rescheduling of a cruise and a charter.. so I guess if this is a pattern then why would I pay $$ for a membership (and FWIW my travel companions are in the age group they are seeking)

We have a limited departure option and I just wasn't willing to take the risk and I was wavering about who, until i got the survey. Right by July I might have to pay for my membership of venetian club ie loyalty = nothing


I lose nothing trying Seabourn and they have offered me club membership effective without having taken the first cruise..


IMHO loyalty isn't about paying premium to be a member , it's about retaining a customer by offering a perk to keep them with you..

[Ravenscroft]

We've just returned from our first Seabourn cruise, having decided to give them a try. And I came home to find this survey waiting in my inbox.
The survey has given us some concerns, already discussed by others here. We only have 30-ish Silversea days, so we are a long way from receiving the VS rewards, but we feel it would be very unfair to introduce this new 'pay an annual fee for the perks' scheme.
Before our Seabourn cruise we had hoped that SB would prove to be a good alternative for us to SS. This isnt the case as we were somewhat disappointed with SB. Silversea will continue to be our first choice, with SB a very long way behind but we would possibly consider SB again if the itinerary and price were right. However if SS starts to make the sort of changes outlined in the survey, we're really not sure which cruise company we'd choose as an alternate, but I don't think we'd be happy to stay with SS.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Originally Posted by Dolcevita Diva

But it is not an appropriate tool when you re considering a change that fundamentally alters your company's core brand positioning.

If they are seriously contemplating these types of changes, they should invest in a professionally designed and executed research program. Using Surveymonkey to survey your top customers/repeat guests sends a "cheap/amateur" signal which is an inappropriate approach for a luxury brand.

I am sorry to say that you are 100% correct.

My company worked with the senior team (we were personally directly appointed by the owner) a few years ago at advising on satisfaction improvement and loyalty programmes. I worked closely with a VP who has since left and joined another line. Our relationship was highly productive and we left on good terms at the completion of the project. So just to answer the potential dig .... there's no sour grapes at all .......

It is challenging enough when you use an expert external and independent agency to advise on change. There is a lot of resistance to change. External advice is often resented. Experts would know how best to collect data, validate it, analyse it, work out what hasn't been said as well as what has been, and give the often highly unpalatable truth in a clear and concise way directly to the senior team. Customers are also often more candid with independent agencies and the agencies should have experience of how to best frame the questions. But, in essence you are often telling people what they already know but do not really wish to hear or have confirmed. The more irritiation you cause the better job you are generally doing.

As a loyal customer with lot's of days under our belt, I found I couldn't complete the survey because it simply concerned me that such an important topic was being given such an amateurish and cheap pproach and I found the clear lack of value placed on the project insulting.

[Noggins]

I wasn't going to bother with the survey but having read these reviews I felt it a must! Impossible to disagree with most of the comments (didn't Travelodge send me something similar recently...?) but...
as one who has yet to reach 50 nights perhaps there could be a demand from others like me who are way off receiving the benefits some of you enjoy. I don't believe you should be able to buy your way in to all the benefits afforded to loyal customers but there are some 'extras' that properly packaged could make an attractive add-on. Let me hastily say that this should not replace in any way the rewards that long term Venetian members get for 'free' - it would simply offer a means for 'newbies' (?) to enjoy some of the benefits but at a price.
We spread our cruise spend around all the 'luxury' lines (plus Oceania who we feel are on the cusp of achieving what the top lines achieve). I hope that doesn't make us 'dis-loyal' (or worse!) to any one line - but it does mean only one line so far offers us any meaningful perk (Regent's free internet is a great perk) - if I ignore the not to be sniffed at 5% fare discount SS give us sometimes.
There must be many many people like us and SS might just be toying with ideas around how to make their offering even more attractive to relative newcomers whilst still doing all that they do for their long term customers.
Why, though, they have done it in such a clumsy cheap way goodness only knows...
Of course this is full of surmises but just in case I am about to be flamed I have donned my asbestos pants (trousers)....!
Adrian

[CASHIPman]

Well, I feel horribly left out for not receiving the survey! Bordering on tears....tears, I tell ya...TEARS!!! (no, not really).
But I did send SS a message asking for it and asking that they confirm my email address as I haven't had any direct communications with them in eons.

[CanadianKate]

Part of me wondered if the VS membership list was hacked. I can just see some competitor thinking about the best way to damage SS's reputation. This is an excellent beginning - start a rumour and get the VS members all in an uproar!

[Ravenscroft]

Originally Posted by CanadianKate

Part of me wondered if the VS membership list was hacked. I can just see some competitor thinking about the best way to damage SS's reputation. This is an excellent beginning - start a rumour and get the VS members all in an uproar!

I understand your thinking ! This coming on the back of the, IMO, dreadful Christmas 'gift' fiasco. I'd almost like to think it's sabotage rather than the new direction SS appears to be taking.