My thoughts on how to improve the LCV update

[pacheco18]

It seems like some people can't ever write a positive post!

 

Larry P has said they will revisit the Loyalty Programme, so let's wait to see what Azamara decides before slamming them.

They have to see that removing the Internet and Laundry benefits is probably the most unpopular decision they have ever made...so let's hope they have the business sense to reconsider it.

 

So let's say they reinstate those two benefits. Still have a good feeling about the line? They were quick to take away benefits from the most loyal customers under the guise of "improvements." Perhaps they will bow to pressure. Is that ok with everyone? I think they have already lost a great deal in the way of good will.

[need2cruisesoon]

So let's say they reinstate those two benefits. Still have a good feeling about the line? They were quick to take away benefits from the most loyal customers under the guise of "improvements." Perhaps they will bow to pressure. Is that ok with everyone? I think they have already lost a great deal in the way of good will.

 

I don't think Larry or Azamara is really that concerned about good will or your feelings about their cruiseline. Bookings are up and so are profits. Whats to worry? I mean how hard is it to sell 2 small 700 capacity ships every 10 days.

Edited September 12, 2014 by need2cruisesoon

[pacheco18]

I don't think Larry or Azamara is really that concerned about good will or your feelings about their cruiseline. Bookings are up and so are profits. Whats to worry? I mean how hard is it to sell 2 small 700 capacity ships every 10 days.

 

I'm not talking about MY feelings.

 

Folks have expressed a lot of anger and resentment about the poor treatment by Azamara. I wonder how many loyal Azamara cruisers will remain loyal if the two benefits are returned. Some have already cancelled cruises, others have booked elsewhere, some did not purchase future cruises on board. You can't just "erase" what was done.

[kiawahdon]

I am not sure whether it is RCL board or Larry, but a lot of decisions have had the net result of alienating your loyal customer base. A quick review of decisions in the last 2 years:

-Guatemala, need I say more?

-killing the harpist that virtually everyone enjoyed and created a special ambiance.

-Moving the piano to a location where "moon river" competes with slot machines.

- The "enhancement" of the loyalty program-- no comment necessary.

-The lack of consistentquality of the Amazing Evenings- some are great and others are a total disaster.

-Chartering of the ships when many loyal passengers like to cruise. I would challenge Larry to name one other major line that charters as AZ is going to do. It is a quick term "heads on beds" decision. Not a long term decision.

 

I could go on, but it probably serves little purpose at this point. An insightful CEO would have quickly picked up on the loyalty program issues- before announcing, not after.

[pacheco18]

I am not sure whether it is RCL board or Larry, but a lot of decisions have had the net result of alienating your loyal customer base. A quick review of decisions in the last 2 years:

 

-Guatemala, need I say more?

 

-killing the harpist that virtually everyone enjoyed and created a special ambiance.

 

-Moving the piano to a location where "moon river" competes with slot machines.

 

- The "enhancement" of the loyalty program-- no comment necessary.

 

-The lack of consistentquality of the Amazing Evenings- some are great and others are a total disaster.

 

-Chartering of the ships when many loyal passengers like to cruise. I would challenge Larry to name one other major line that charters as AZ is going to do. It is a quick term "heads on beds" decision. Not a long term decision.

 

 

 

I could go on, but it probably serves little purpose at this point. An insightful CEO would have quickly picked up on the loyalty program issues- before announcing, not after.

 

 

Pretty much summarizes why I'm not sure reinstating internet and laundry resolves the problem. All these issues have had a negative impact on the brand and on passenger loyalty

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[geocruiser]

So let's say they reinstate those two benefits. Still have a good feeling about the line? They were quick to take away benefits from the most loyal customers under the guise of "improvements." Perhaps they will bow to pressure. Is that ok with everyone? I think they have already lost a great deal in the way of good will.

 

I think that Azamara has or will lose a lot. I believe you have to trust the cruise line that you are traveling on. At any given time things can change with Azamara. For me too many change over the past few years. I gave up on them and now have chosen to sail on other lines. And yes, I am happy on those lines too. Only once in my 35 years of taking cruises have I found a cruise line that I would not sail on again, because I did not like it. So for me I am able to find another cruise line or more to spend my money on. I like a steady product and Azamara is just not that.

[uktog]

Ok whilst you cannot erase what you've done you can try and recover some of the damage

 

(I say Some, not all - there will be lots of reasons why all may not be possible)

 

As I read this I think of mistakes I have made in my business life. I thought about the chances some gave me to recover them and I do wonder, have some of the recent posters never made a mistake in business life, angered clients, been subject to public investigation?.......

 

Maybe they have not, or maybe they have not realised they have - which is far worse in my view than making the original mistake

 

The CEO has come here and said they have recognised they have got it wrong. Let us give them some time to come up with a resolution, they will need to keep some of the new, they will be working out the balance

[Britcruiser]

I met LP on the June President's cruise and mentioned the general dissatisfaction with Guatemala - his response 'the British whinge about everything'. I was speechless and he moved swiftly on!

[Riocca]

I think Azamara were faced with a conundrum, how to distance themselves from Celebrity whilst working within the same loyalty club framework and still provide benefits equal to rival cruise lines. In an ideal world I am sure they would have liked to start with a clean sheet of paper, if you look at it from that point of view and were start at the beginning the benefits don't look too bad, until you get to Discoverer Plus and the gap to Platinum is huge. As an aside we were on a Celebrity ship when the LCV update was announced and we were able to ascertain that fleetwide Celebrity have 60 Zenith members, so the big perks don't cost so much after all.

 

I have looked at Azamara's main rival loyalty clubs the benefits are not enough to persuade us to start afresh with a new line, Regent infact have recently increased the threshold of days sailed to qualify for free internet as well, main difference is that benefit increments are linear always giving that inducement to get to the next level.

 

So I think the main problem is that many on here are Discoverer Plus, as we will be next year, with little prospect of getting to Platinum in a timely manner, it will take us probably ten years at current cruising rates and by then everything will have changed anyway. In this case the tangible benefits of laundry and internet become more important than they otherwise may have been.

 

Let's see what the revisions are we are not planning on making any changes to the four Azamara cruises we have booked. we have looked at the alternatives to our future Azamara caribbean cruise, not only are they way more expensive the ports on offer are just the regular overcrowded large ship ports we have done many times before.

[nordski]

I think Azamara were faced with a conundrum, how to distance themselves from Celebrity whilst working within the same loyalty club framework and still provide benefits equal to rival cruise lines. In an ideal world I am sure they would have liked to start with a clean sheet of paper, if you look at it from that point of view and were start at the beginning the benefits don't look too bad, until you get to Discoverer Plus and the gap to Platinum is huge. As an aside we were on a Celebrity ship when the LCV update was announced and we were able to ascertain that fleetwide Celebrity have 60 Zenith members, so the big perks don't cost so much after all.

 

I have looked at Azamara's main rival loyalty clubs the benefits are not enough to persuade us to start afresh with a new line, Regent infact have recently increased the threshold of days sailed to qualify for free internet as well, main difference is that benefit increments are linear always giving that inducement to get to the next level.

 

So I think the main problem is that many on here are Discoverer Plus, as we will be next year, with little prospect of getting to Platinum in a timely manner, it will take us probably ten years at current cruising rates and by then everything will have changed anyway. In this case the tangible benefits of laundry and internet become more important than they otherwise may have been.

 

Let's see what the revisions are we are not planning on making any changes to the four Azamara cruises we have booked. we have looked at the alternatives to our future Azamara caribbean cruise, not only are they way more expensive the ports on offer are just the regular overcrowded large ship ports we have done many times before.

 

This is our assessment as well. As one of the lower levels on the LCV grid, we were not as affected as those with more points accrued. Those veteran cruisers need some attention in any revision.

 

That said, none of the alternative lines offer a significant advantage to us.

[mauicruiser]

I have read all the threads re the new changes to loyalty program. No one embraces the changes. Is Azamara listening?

[bigmjh]

As Larry Pimentel posted a few days ago - "As an aside, we have hit record high load factors, record revenues and best bottom line results in the brands hisrory. The advance bookings are even better and we contribute to the corporations profit."

 

If the bottom line results are truly BEST IN THE BRAND's HISTORY ... then why ... WHY ... do you rock-the-boat and upset your loyal customer base (the ones that gave you those results) by "improving" the LCV program. :confused: