HAL's new partnerships, upgrades, branding initiative

[PatsyAnne]

... I can't help but wonder if the civilian industry has to deal with the same "bright ideas".

 

 

yes

[kelleherdl]

yes

 

Every day and twice on Monday's........ :) In a sense it's worse because you would expect that corporate decision makers would be more driven by costs and rate of return. The truth is they are often driven by the same egocentric, I know better, attitude that drives decision making in the public sector.

 

Dennis

[Tarpeian Rock]

Hmmm....maybe not food, maybe hotel branding...let's see, how about a high visibility political figure with hotel branding...OH NO!

 

 

There you have it! Ladies and gentlemen, I present the "Trumpdam!"

[richstowe]

Here is a link to the live web cast that is due to begin at 11:30

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

 

I hate to say this but some people in the sales promotion business seem to think that generalized teasers are a great way to build anticipation, especially via speculation among their best customers. They think the longer they keep the teaser going the better the reception to the announcement when it's finally made.

 

Inevitably, however, the actual announcement turns out to be anticlimactic, thus a disappointment, even if it's very positive.

 

Just for grins, my money (monopoly money) is on a change in the ship naming convention where the next new build will not be a "-dam" ship but something else Dutch, like ms Dutch Treat or ms Netherlands or ms Tulips.

 

Then if it turns out that the announcement is a merger of the frequent cruiser programs of all the Carnival Corp. companies, there will be a good reason to celebrate.

I think you are bang on regarding your "anticlimactic" comments .

 

I doubt the loyalty programs will ever be merged in any meaningful way . There are just too many Carnival platinum and Diamond members . They would swamp the other brands loyalty plan perks .

[qsuzi]

Here is a link to the live web cast that is due to begin at 11:30

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

 

I think you are bang on regarding your "anticlimactic" comments .

 

I doubt the loyalty programs will ever be merged in any meaningful way . There are just too many Carnival platinum and Diamond members . They would swamp the other brands loyalty plan perks .

 

Thanks so much for the link Rich.

[Aquahound]

I doubt the loyalty programs will ever be merged in any meaningful way . There are just too many Carnival platinum and Diamond members. They would swamp the other brands loyalty plan perks .

 

Because the core clientele is going to age out. Maybe they don't need the 20-30 set, but they need the 40-60 set. If they cannibalize Princess a little bit in order to strike at Celebrity, that seems like a smart move.

 

A relatively easy way to attract a more diverse crowd wrt age would be something similar to what Royal Caribbean and Celebrity did. All they have to do is award reciprocal loayalty status. I guarantee if HAL gave 3 star status to Princess Platinum members, and vice versa, it would attract a lot of cross-decking with cruisers who are normally loyal to 1 of the 2 lines.

[Topsham]

Bold New Journey.....

 

UNCHARTED SEAS!!!!!!

 

Beware the reefs and icebergs!:eek:

[macandlucy]

If they did do something like a loyalty points merger, it would be quite motivating to a "comparison/try other lines" cruiser like me to keep my "differences" to a CCL brand.

 

I have no idea what percentage of cruisers are loyal to one line, but if there are a large percentage of people like me, maybe it would do a lot to keep the cruise dollars out of the hands of RCCL, Celebrity, NCL, etc.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Honestly I'm not too excited. After all what can HAL announce that is going to really impress! Only thing I can think of is that they have found a way for me to afford to do a round the world cruise! And we all know that ain't going to happen. So here is my list of what I would like HAL to say

 

1) we are bring back the trio of violinist and getting rid of the violin/piano duo. With the change, the music went from elegant classical to folk classical. Not a fan of folk classical

 

2) the dining room is going back to the way it use to be set. A full service of dinnerware. Last cruise half the time we had to ask for silverware. And bring back the server and his assistant. Also last time after waiting for twenty minutes or so for the tables to be cleared we just finally got up and left. no desert, no coffee. The other night the matre'd came and helped to clear tables. A couple of other nights we had problems but not as bad.

 

3) Elegant, formal what ever you want to call it. Either it should be a night of elegance, formal or just forget the whole thing. I really don't want to dress for dinner and the evening and sit down next to some one who looks like they came out of a homeless shelter.

 

4) get rid of the loud band at the pool (unless there is a special occasion) I hate when I'm sitting there enjoying the day and then I see the band (screamers) setting up the huge speakers and realize that my day just went from wonderful to terrible.

 

5) bring on some lecturers who know something about the area, islands, cities etc. that we will be cruising. Forget the Port talks they are just trying to get you to go to Diamonds int. for the millionth time.

 

Just my 2 cents. But HAL if you are working on a way for me to be able to afford a round the world cruise you have my number call it anytime day or night!

 

Good comments! Worth much more than 2 cents!

 

 

Every day and twice on Monday's........ :) In a sense it's worse because you would expect that corporate decision makers would be more driven by costs and rate of return. The truth is they are often driven by the same egocentric, I know better, attitude that drives decision making in the public sector.

 

Dennis

 

Thank you for reminding me to be grateful that I'm retired! :D

[3rdGenCunarder]

As a marketer, you undoubtedly have seen that the Boomers are a large part of the population and that they have money to spend. Why would Carnival Corp want to steal younger customers from another of their brands like Carnival cruise? Any marketing should be to steal customers from other cruise corporations.... Carnival Corp has a strategy to provide a cruise line for everyone's taste - why muddy the waters?

 

As far as attracting younger cruisers, you'll note that HAL seems to be eliminating the Northern Lights from its ships - the one venue where the younger crowd might feel more comfortable.

 

(bold is mine) I have always admired Carnival's strategy of providing a full spectrum of cruise offerings. They have Carnival for an "entry level" brand--lots of short cruises for young people who don't have a lot of money or vacation time accrued. As they "grow up" they can move on to longer cruises on Carnival or move to other lines within the Carnival group. HAL needs to settle on a place in the spectrum.

 

Merging the loyalty programs won't happen. It's just too complicated and will result in too many high-level members. But I've always been surprised that they don't offer something to encourage people to try other Carnival Corp lines. HAL offers a little of that, less now that embarkation lunch is no longer a Mariner perk. But I haven't seen any cross-over offerend on Cunard or Princess.

 

However, today isn't about Carnival Corp, it's just about HAL. I'm still holding out for a cruise to Cuba...

[whogo]

Here is a link to the live web cast that is due to begin at 11:30

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

 

Thanks, I won't watch it, but trust someone will post a two sentence executive summary here.

[visagrunt]

I think we can glean a few things from basic realities:

 

1) We're not going to hear a "return" to anything. The old demographic isn't going to keep the revenue stream alive; S-class ships have been losing money, steadily--that's why they're going and the R-class are not likely long for this world, either. Rotterdam is 18 years old, and likely only breaking even.

 

2) It's not a new build, because we already know that the second Pinnacle class is on the order books.

 

3) It's not likely to be a refresh/merger of the Mariner program, or any change to current on-board amenity--these would not be "where no cruise line has gone before."

 

I suspect that we are likely to hear about strategic partnership with non-cruise hospitality providers, so that HAL, an airline and a resort network partner up to provide on-stop shopping for all-inclusive vacation packaging. Combining a 7 day cruise with a week at, say, Sandals or Club Med, all for one price.

[Topsham]

There you have it! Ladies and gentlemen, I present the "Trumpdam!"

 

 

 

I thought I recognize the typing.....

 

Was it you that came up with Hooverdam a few years ago? Nice try! :)

[IRL_Joanie]

Hi everyone!

 

We are at the big announcement in NYC today (happening this afternoon) and will keep you posted on social media @CruiseCritic and with a full news story as soon as we find out the exciting news!

 

Best,

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

 

........I've refused to speculate on what the announcement(s) will be. Will be glued to the CC pages and the link provided by richstowe to see what is to be.......

 

Joanie

Edited October 29, 2015 by IRL_Joanie

[DeeniEncinitas]

........I've refused to speculate on what the announcement(s) will be. Will be glued to the CC pages and the link provided by richstowe to see what is to be.......

 

Joanie

 

Good morning Joanie!

I agree with you also and will be watching the link!

Let us see how many of our CCers were right!

I believe we have had a lot of great ideas from a lot of them.

Denise:)

[Fouremco]

Good morning Joanie!

I agree with you also and will be watching the link!

Let us see how many of our CCers were right!

I believe we have had a lot of great ideas from a lot of them.

Denise:)

Unfortunately, there seems to be no positive correlation between the many good ideas provided over the years by CC members and new initiatives undertaken by HAL.

[jvalentine]

I don't know if it's been posted, but they are doing a live webcast if you want to check it out. 11:30 EST

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

[InTheWASide]

no matter how many times in the past they have tried for that younger crowd it hasn't worked.. 'teen center' atop the Volendam..'family targeting' for the Vista ships..now going for even larger ships although they always claimed they would never go that route.. my feeling is that there is NO way that HAL will ever lose ' it's for old people cruiseline' moniker no matter what Ashford or Kruse do to make that happen short of doing away with the company totally..then again ya' never know!..

 

I like it the way it is... but who knows for how long .. good things are ALWAYS ruined by some corporate desk jockey

 

Actually they never said they wouldn't build larger ships... they have said they will always remain mid-sized.

 

As the average ship size goes up they can also build larger and still be mid-sized... (and yes of course this is meant in a relative way)

[SabreSailor]

Core clientele has been aging out for decade after decade as they get older so do their kids and their kids and their kids. There is always a new crop of those who are older, have time and have money to spend for travel/cruising. When one group 'ages out', a new group comes forward.

 

Amen. Was just about to post the same response. The new group that's coming up to the HAL profile are the Boomers and there are a lot of them!

[LauraS]

I have no idea if the Laura, the Senior Community Manager is paid or not & quite frankly it's none of my business.. She might even have a staff..

 

However, I'm very sure that the HOSTS are 'VOLUNTEER Hosts & are also members of Cruise Critic as we both are..

 

Suggest you read the Community Guidelines very carefully.. Any discussion of this sort on the boards could remove someone from the boards & I for one have been here too long & enjoy it very much.. I do not want to be banned from posting.. Following is a quote from the Disclaimer & the Community Guidelines:

 

Quote On our Cruise Boards, this information is sometimes provided by our volunteer Hosts and more often by other contributors, the majority of whom use anonymous user names and are people we've never met. You have no idea who they are, what they do, or what their agenda could possibly be -- and neither do we. The only requirement for membership is a valid e-mail address. Unquote

 

Suggest you read the guidelines very carefully.. Any more questions about the boards can be sent by e-mail to the community Manager..

 

Hello!

 

Our hosts (those w/ a "host" moniker") are all volunteers. Did you know that many of them have been around since our AOL days -- over 20 years!

 

I'm an official employee of the company. (coming up on my 21st anniversary as well)

 

Laura

[shrimp56]

bold new journey.....

 

Uncharted seas!!!!!!

 

Beware the reefs and icebergs!:eek:

amen!

[InTheWASide]

I'm an official employee of the company. (coming up on my 21st anniversary as well)

 

Laura

 

That long at any employer is quite an accomplishment. Congrats!

[jvalentine]

I don't know if it's been posted, but they are doing a live webcast if you want to check it out. 11:30 EST

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

[TheEmerson]

For those who really want to know what is going on, I found this live stream.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=LiveWebcast_151029

 

As of this posting, it is not started yet, but it has gone from "Message from our CEO" to the current screen.

 

 

Errr, what jvalentine said

Edited October 29, 2015 by TheEmerson
new info

[IRL_Joanie]

Hello!

 

Our hosts (those w/ a "host" moniker") are all volunteers. Did you know that many of them have been around since our AOL days -- over 20 years!

 

I'm an official employee of the company. (coming up on my 21st anniversary as well)

 

Laura

 

 

Will the announcement on CC be posted on the CC home page, the News or somewhere else on CC?

 

I have the Pod Cast open and waiting to hear. But I want to read it also.

 

Joanie