Plain & Simple, Gerry Cahill Must Go

[kerrytens]

Welcome back Fred!!!

 

(oh and I'm in total agreement with you too - just to bring it back to the actual thread;) )

[Sargent_Schultz]

Maybe get a few pages from Royal engine space maintenance book?

 

 

 

Fred

 

It's only a matter of time before events strike the other cruise lines, again.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Probably. Airlines are subject to much more, and all the paperwork has to be in order. Perhaps time for the USCG to do more? Or for someone to watch the watchers?

 

 

Watch the watchers? How about do it right the first time or hold the watcher accountable? Theory we don't practice much in this country. We continue to hire people to watch the watcher.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Something IS seriously wrong. The Company image minimally is getting hammered...but the associated costs of these failures are going to really hurt. For example if each passenger on the dream paid $1000 each that would be a $4m revenue cruise...chartering 20 767's at $100k each takes 1/2 the revenue...refunding the remaining 3 days takes the other 1/2. And I doubt the average ticket take was $1k each...but given these numbers the cruise is break even before factoiring in the operating costs of a couple million per week. Very, very, bad management. His salary expense has been lost several times over. When you spend a dollar to save a nickel the numbers will never add up. Proper planning prevents poor performance...no planning ends up on the global news. Every marketing dollar spent last year was wasted in the past month. Its gonna take a lotta money to paint over this.

 

Who to replace the CEO? Another CEO...that strives for quality...happy employees...which leads to happy customers...which leads to happier revenues...and a happier boss...the stockholders. I take care of my employees like they're family...in return they take care of my customers likewise...seems like an easy philosophy.

 

I will take my 3 more cruises with them this year to get platinum but wont be outspoken as everytime I say I'm taking a carnival cruise people joke about what may happen...and in the back of my mind I think. "What if they're right?"

 

Ive enjoyed my carnival cruises but think celebrity might be back in my future...or Disney...or princess...or...

[cruzn buckeye]

Funny, but I have NO clue LOL...and if you think this place is wonderful, that REALLY shows how new you are!! :p;)

Give it time. It becomes a love/hate relationship :D

 

 

 

To heck with the loyalty program...improve the PRODUCT!

At least bring it back to what it once was. I'd return for sure if they did.

I totally agree with this. :)

[halos]

It's only a matter of time before events strike the other cruise lines, again.

 

yep. Any of these incidents could happen on any line at any time. But what is the chance that they'll have all these mishaps one on top of the other????

small small chance.

PERCEPTION...Carnival's is toast right now.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Don't know, but here's what I would do (Carnival are you listening?)

 

1. Be totally up front and honest. Apoligize for recent mishaps and take full responsibility.

 

2. Put in place a plan to thoroughly check out EVERY ship in the fleet, even if it means pulling them offline for a few days. PUBLICIZE THIS

EFFORT AND MAKE IT PLAIN THAT PASSENGER SAFETY IS #1

 

3. Publicize a new inititiative which will emphasize SAFETY, MAINTENANCE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

 

4. Begin a new publicity campaign that will focus on MORE not less

 

A. More and better entertainment

 

B. Upgrades to the MDR menu. Hire a world renowned chef to upgrade the experience

 

C. Introduce BETTER perks for loyal cruisers including a NIGHTLY EVENT for Platinum and above which will feature complimentary wine and other goodies

 

5. Label this initiative "THE NEW AND BETTER CARNIVAL - THERE FOR YOU"

 

6. Fire all the "Beards" who have been responsible for the cutbacks. Get

rid of the dead wood and bring is people who have been successful in other

venues.

 

7. Be honest in the publicity... e.g., "YES, YOU MAY PAY A LITTLE MORE, BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE SO MUCH MORE YOU WILL BECOME TRUE CARNIVITES!"

 

Would be nice, but Carnival isn't marketing toward the people that want to pay a little more.

[Boston Bill]

Why does everyone keep calling the folks at Carnival beards. I am new. I am not getting it. I am lonely and troubled. Please help me understand.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Seems like company's today worry about today and not tomorrow (speaking from what I see at a company I know)...all about doing more with less....LEAN is what they call it and I hate it!!! Just a matter of time before it all goes kaput

 

Sounds like LEAN wasn't implemented correctly.

[kerrytens]

yep. Any of these incidents could happen on any line at any time. But what is the chance that they'll have all these mishaps one on top of the other????

small small chance.

PERCEPTION...Carnival's is toast right now.

So very true (and that is not an indication that I believe it btw). Everyone knows I love cruising in my life and I can't tell you how many people asked me today, 'are you cruising on Carnival' with this sound of fear in their voices.

 

The perception is very clear in the non-cruising (non-Carnival) world.

[Wennfred]

Why does everyone keep calling the folks at Carnival beards. I am new. I am not getting it. I am lonely and troubled. Please help me understand.

 

Older Upper Management folks, the guys in the Office with the cool name plate on this desk that never once ever cruised on a ship or in other words a (Suits)

 

You know, like in your job, they promote some guy thats never worked the line and then tries to fix something that doesnt needs fixing.

 

 

 

Fred

[Sargent_Schultz]

Why does everyone keep calling the folks at Carnival beards. I am new. I am not getting it. I am lonely and troubled. Please help me understand.

 

John Heald on his blog started referring to management as beards. Even the Carnival haters want to be like John. :p

[Wennfred]

Let me tell you guys something, its been 4 long years since my last cruise, LHP pointed that out, but at work, guess what... I have to hear it every day from everyone as if I was working at Carnivals Corp Office in Miami. I hate it when Carnival keeps coming up due to these engine problems. Carnival had ships that cruised forever. What happen? did they go with cheaper parts or did they get rid of good maintenance people?

 

 

Fred

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Let me tell you guys something, its been 4 long years since my last cruise, LHP pointed that out, but at work, guess what... I have to hear it every day from everyone as if I was working at Carnivals Corp Office in Miami. I hate it when Carnival keeps coming up due to these engine problems. Carnival had ships that cruised forever. What happen? did they go with cheaper parts or did they get rid of good maintenance people?

 

 

Fred

 

Or both?

[Sargent_Schultz]

Let me tell you guys something, its been 4 long years since my last cruise, LHP pointed that out, but at work, guess what... I have to hear it every day from everyone as if I was working at Carnivals Corp Office in Miami. I hate it when Carnival keeps coming up due to these engine problems. Carnival had ships that cruised forever. What happen? did they go with cheaper parts or did they get rid of good maintenance people?

 

 

Fred

 

If we actually waited for the official reports to come out, the gossip mongers would have nothing to speculate/slam Carnival about/on. :D

 

So far, there haven't been any common factors identified. Perhaps when the investigations are completed and reports published.

[Sargent_Schultz]

yep. Any of these incidents could happen on any line at any time. But what is the chance that they'll have all these mishaps one on top of the other????

small small chance.

PERCEPTION...Carnival's is toast right now.

 

It was a very small chance for Carnival, too.

 

My perception is that cruises are still selling, including Carnival's. Cruisers must like toast.

[Gypsywych]

John Heald on his blog started referring to management as beards. Even the Carnival haters want to be like John. :p

 

I haven't seen any Carnival haters on this thread. I see people who love Carnival and have watched it run itself aground.

I'm still a fairly new cruiser and just in 6 cruises I've watched the product drop in quality and value by significant amounts, and now people are rightly starting to wonder if Carnival is skimping on the maintenance too. People may want a cheap cruise, but I'm pretty sure most of them aren't willing to risk life or limb for it. How many more incidents have to happen before passengers get seriously hurt?

Gerry Cahill runs the company and ultimately he is the one that is going to answer for the problems. As paying customers, we all have the right to ask the questions.

Will we get answers?

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Sargent...with all due respect...other lines had major azipod issues...they sued the manufacturer. Carnival is having multiple/simultaneous issues. The issue is irrelevent. The timing is everything. Coincidental? I hope so as I leave in less than two weeks. Damage is done...now time for some serious clean up.

[EZ4]

Carnival is the entry level cruise line. You do get what you pay for. ;)

[scottp]

I have cruised Carnival before and planned to sail with them again. (even after the Triumph disaster!). BUT, now, I am really having second thoughts about booking with them. I definitely will cruise other lines for now and have the "wait and see" attiude for a while with Carnival.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sargent...with all due respect...other lines had major azipod issues...they sued the manufacturer. Carnival is having multiple/simultaneous issues. The issue is irrelevent. The timing is everything. Coincidental? I hope so as I leave in less than two weeks. Damage is done...now time for some serious clean up.

 

Neither Splendor nor Dream have azipods. Carnival hasn't built any ships with azipods in a while.

[swedish weave]

Sargent...with all due respect...other lines had major azipod issues...they sued the manufacturer. Carnival is having multiple/simultaneous issues. The issue is irrelevent. The timing is everything. Coincidental? I hope so as I leave in less than two weeks. Damage is done...now time for some serious clean up.

 

The original Azipods used on many cruise ships had thrust bearing wear problems that were not anticipated. The Azipods also were designed so they were not repairable without the ships going into drydock.

 

New models are now available that can be serviced and repaired from inside the ship. As the older model Azipods are replaced, many of the propulsion issues will diminish.

[bonniemari]

I may be wrong but when John Heald started calling them "the beards" I always pictured young men (and women-minus the goatee) sporting goatees, eating tofu and wearing sandals, kahki's and polo shirts. I know he does joke about the beards eating tofu quite often.

[VolzCruiser]

Uncle Bob was as cheap as they come but has a personality. He is still on the Board of Directors. Corporate is who determines how much each cruise line is expected to return to corporate.

 

You maybe right about Uncle Bob but in the 20 + years that I have been cruising, I haven't ever noticed the constant complaints about things being trimmed (contrary to what John Herald says) until Chahill started running things. So this, in my mind makes him the guy that has caused most of these issues. whether it his fault or not, he needs to go and put someone in place that wants to take care of the customer.

[Sargent_Schultz]

You maybe right about Uncle Bob but in the 20 + years that I have been cruising, I haven't ever noticed the constant complaints about things being trimmed (contrary to what John Herald says) until Chahill started running things. So this, in my mind makes him the guy that has caused most of these issues. whether it his fault or not, he needs to go and put someone in place that wants to take care of the customer.

 

Most of the staff that was with Uncle Bob is also gone. I think society in general has become a lot more whiny during that time frame and not just about Carnival.