Celebrity Cruises Becomes the First Cruise Company to Offer Kate Spade, Cole Haan an

[richstowe]

Another disappointing announcement. Instead of trying to keep the experience top notch for everyone, Celebrity has instead been cutting costs and services to the average cruiser, and spending it's resources on bringing in more shopping and amenities for the wealthy. This certainly doesn't encourage me to book more cruises. If putting all their resources into catering to suite passengers and buyers of overpriced clothing items is what Celebrity thinks is the right direction, then we might be looking for alternatives in the future. I want Celebrity to the focus on my demographic, the average cruisers, and give us back the upscale experience we used to have. Instead, they seem to be cutting back on things for us and spending all their time designing new ways to appeal to the people who have so much money they can afford to splurge on expensive things. All at the expense of the average cruiser.

 

I get it - it's all about revenue. But, I don't share the "cater to the rich" focus, so I feel left out and ignored. If big spenders are the demographic they want to attract, then they have turned their back to me.

I agree with many of your points but why go on the attack on this issue ?

Adding some new "branded" product to the rest of the merchandise for sale is less then nothing.

Seriously, so what.

Now taking away what was public space to cater to suite guests - That's an issue worth getting angry about! :mad:

[Orator]

Celebrity has on board shops that are owned by one company and a Port Shopping Guide who is employed by another. Naturally the Port and Shopping Guide will never mention the shops and the shops only mention that they will match any price you can get in port. I've heard some domplaints by people working the on board shops that the Port and Shopping Guide hurts their business. To me it's an interesting situation.

Just a word to new cruisers: the shops are a leased operation and those who work in the shops are not employed by Celebrity. Neither is the Port and Shopping Guide a Celebrity employee. Need to remember this if you have a complaint.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Orator

[NLH Arizona]

I think people should look outside the US market. Victoria is a small city, we don't have large US style department stores. To order online we have to deal with the for ex against our dollar and the delivery/custom charges usually cost as much as the product we are buying.

 

For people in the EU and Australia, the shops on board are a bargain. The shops that sell cosmetics etc are a much better price point than they can get at home. My GF in Oz buys a lot of stuff on the ship.

 

I for one love bags:D The Guess shops are my downfall and they are a better price than I can get in Canada. I will have to be careful in Oct if they have upped the shops on the Equinox lol

Please let us know how the store is after your cruise. I love Cole Haan and am really interested in what they will be carrying on that brand. The only thing I would suggest, if you are interested in a particular item, check the prices back home or on line to see if it is more or less on the ship. I was looking at a bag on another cruise line and didn't end up buying it and was glad because it was cheaper at home.

Edited September 12, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[MCKC]

I'm excited....I like a lot of these brands especially Trina Turk and Diane Von Furstenberg! You never know what you might find in the shops on board.

 

 

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[phoenix_dream]

Well, I prefer to look at things from the positive side rather than the negative side, as it is much more fun to go through life with a smile instead of a frown.

 

I'm an optimistic person by nature, but you can't argue with history. Over and over I hear people talk about how adding all the higher price point items and more and more pay-to-play options will keep the price of their cruise down so they are happy about them. If only. Sadly, from what I am seeing that is not the case, in fact far from it. Cruise prices have risen substantially despite all of this stuff, and far in excess of inflation. This is another example of appealing to a higher income level passenger and increasing revenue - it is not about keeping prices down for the masses. That said, I personally really don't care what stores they add (although I wish they would add more options for the middle to upper middle income folks who book the majority of their cabins!).

[BosoxI]

Cole Haan is hardly an upscale brand anymore, if it ever was. Many, if not all, of their products are made in China, not Italy.

[bhughey]

I'm excited....I like a lot of these brands especially Trina Turk and Diane Von Furstenberg! You never know what you might find in the shops on board.

 

 

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Ditto. Love both!

[hcat]

Back in the day, cruise ships were fun places to shop. They featured fairly high end merchandise at a discount. So, you got a good deal on a Gucci bag, in addition to being duty and tax free.

 

No fun at all to see a Le Vian piece in the shops that you can buy at home at Macy's at a discount.

 

Shaco

 

I also thought...brands that are so Macy's...

I have purchasd some M Kors on board and will proably get another if it catches my eye, but now those are everywhere like Coach..

 

Hope X not moving to mall and food court model of Royal C...

 

One nice handbag I bought in port was a Parazul featured in the shopping magazine on bd. Purchased in a. certified shop...when the handles frayed in a month, shopping guarantee ofc sent a replacenent...of course the replacement is now fraying but I had enjoyment from it for a long time,...Now Parazul is on line so not as special as when you could mainly get them in port,,,

[jkgourmet]

Cole Haan is hardly an upscale brand anymore, if it ever was. Many, if not all, of their products are made in China, not Italy.

 

I'll agree with you about the decrease in quality, but most still consider it upscale. Branding is gold when it comes to retail. Just go to any outlet mall - and the branded products in outlet stores are not the same as the the regular retail products.

[phoenix_dream]

Let's drop the "upscale" wording, and just substitute "expensive". To the average Joe, Cole Haan is expensive, as is Michael Kors as is Kate Spade. Can most people cruising Celebrity afford to buy a purse or something similar from them? I would guess yes. But I think many (most?) of us would think it a splurge rather than an everyday purchase.

[MizDemeanor]

Thinking only of accessories and small leather goods for Cole Haan, Kate Spade and Michael Kors what comes to my mind that I'd expect to find on board are sunglasses, wallets and handbags.

 

I'd expect to find price points to be in a $100 to $300 dollar range. And for any of these items there are also shops on board where similar accessories can be purchased at vastly dissimilar price points.

 

There are many options on board for a wide range of tastes and affordability just as there are on land.

 

It's Demographics.

[4cats4me]

I can buy all this great "stuff" within an 8-mile radius of my home -- no... a 2.5 radius, if you count all that cheap-o looking Coach junk at the mall

So won't be interested in purchasing on a ship.