How the New Crystal is treating Old Crystal loyalists

[Texas Tillie]

1 hour ago, bitob said:

Also free laundry for top suites, even if your first sailing.

 

I am quite aware. I was answering the post just before mine that said there was free laundry in the big suites. 🤪🙄🤓

 

Patty

[bitob]

Just now, Texas Tillie said:

 

I am quite aware. I was answering the post just before mine that said there was free laundry in the big suites. 🤪🙄🤓

 

Patty

I guess I didn’t read up

[TER777]

2 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

Silversea has free laundry for all passengers who have sailed over 100 days with them. That’s good because the “laundry room” is one stacked washer and dryer in a closet per floor. 
 

Patty

The ironing board setup is dreadful. You can’t put a full length skirt onto the board etc. 

[travelberlin]

Since this thread is now talking about laundry rooms and having washers and driers in your cabins, I have to wonder why people go on a cruise and do their laundry themselves 🧐 Cruise prices are expensive and laundry prices are peanuts comparing to those prices.

In the original Crystal the laundry service (non self service) was superb. We have used a lot.

Ivi

Edited February 18, 2023 by travelberlin

[Keith1010]

6 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Since this thread is now talking about laundry rooms and having washers and driers in your cabins, I have to wonder why people go on a cruise and do their laundry themselves 🧐 Cruise prices are expensive and laundry prices are peanuts comparing to those prices.

In the original Crystal the laundry service (non self service) was superb. We have used a lot.

Ivi

It's funny Ivi. In the one suite where it included laundry that was something we didn't need. We don't sent our wash out for many reasons.  One is particular how it is washed and some items not dried and others dried and we do things a certain way.  

 

When we didn't have pressing Anne Marie was happy to press items but we sent my suits out and other items where it makes sense not to press them. Dry cleaning we don't use anymore or less whether or not it is included.

 

In the end nothing is free. You pay for it either in the cruise fare or as an add on.

 

We did like the washer/dryer combo in our Seabreeeze on Symphony just for the convenience. Personally I am up early and happy to do the wash.  And over the years we met a lot of nice people in the laundry rooms on Crystal.

 

But whether or not any of those features is included or not will have no impact on where we travel or who we book with.  

 

Keith

[BWIVince]

4 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Since this thread is now talking about laundry rooms and having washers and driers in your cabins, I have to wonder why people go on a cruise and do their laundry themselves 🧐 Cruise prices are expensive and laundry prices are peanuts comparing to those prices.

In the original Crystal the laundry service (non self service) was superb. We have used a lot.

Ivi

You posted my entire life to this point, in one paragraph.  😁  I do SO much laundry (I’m literally doing it right now), that I will pay any price not to have to touch it on vacation.  OTOH, back when my parents were alive, they carried packets of Woolite in their suitcases their entire lives (before they started cruising later), and had made close friends with people they met in the laundry rooms on the various lines they sailed (like Keith mentioned).  My parents always gave me heat for paying for laundry when I could do it myself cheaper or free, but if I threw back the comparison with the cruise fare, I always got, “how do you think we can afford to take cruises like this?”  😊 

 

The same thing went for room service…. (Back before Covid, when room service was still a thing) I had NO problem ordering room service if I was tired enough, or didn’t want to have to go out for anything.  OTOH, I can only remember my parents eating room service once, in 1978, when my grandparents actually ordered and paid for it.  😏 

 

Vince

Edited February 18, 2023 by BWIVince

[KenzSailing]

On 2/18/2023 at 5:13 PM, BWIVince said:

You posted my entire life to this point, in one paragraph.  😁  I do SO much laundry (I’m literally doing it right now), that I will pay any price not to have to touch it on vacation.  OTOH, back when my parents were alive, they carried packets of Woolite in their suitcases their entire lives (before they started cruising later), and had made close friends with people they met in the laundry rooms on the various lines they sailed (like Keith mentioned).  My parents always gave me heat for paying for laundry when I could do it myself cheaper or free, but if I threw back the comparison with the cruise fare, I always got, “how do you think we can afford to take cruises like this?”  😊 

 

The same thing went for room service…. (Back before Covid, when room service was still a thing) I had NO problem ordering room service if I was tired enough, or didn’t want to have to go out for anything.  OTOH, I can only remember my parents eating room service once, in 1978, when my grandparents actually ordered and paid for it.  😏 

 

Vince

 

The one life maxim I have carved in stone is that everyone, and I mean everyone, thinks that their treatment of money is completely rational and everyone else is doing it wrong.

[ryndam]

I didn't quite know what thread to post this observation, so I chose this one (didn't want to start a new thread).

 

A&K must have acquired quite a set of contact lists of former Crystal guests. There appears to have been another mass emailing recently. Three good friends of ours forwarded their copy of the stock email marketing message signed by Jack Anderson. The interesting commonality was that all three friends have not sailed Crystal for at least 17-20 years. And the email messages were sent to their deceased spouses (apparently the last email address on file). 

 

None had sailed Crystal in years, have had no marketing materials sent to them in over a decade, had no knowledge of the liquidation, didn't know of the acquisition by A&K, nor who Jack Anderson is/was. All were a bit disturbed that their deceased partners' email address was still hanging around in some outdated marketing database. None of the three indicated any interest in entertaining any offers from A&K Cruises, aka Crystal.

 

Rob

[Txcotn]

We've received zip.

[Mr Luxury]

2 hours ago, ryndam said:

I didn't quite know what thread to post this observation, so I chose this one (didn't want to start a new thread).

 

A&K must have acquired quite a set of contact lists of former Crystal guests. There appears to have been another mass emailing recently. Three good friends of ours forwarded their copy of the stock email marketing message signed by Jack Anderson. The interesting commonality was that all three friends have not sailed Crystal for at least 17-20 years. And the email messages were sent to their deceased spouses (apparently the last email address on file). 

 

None had sailed Crystal in years, have had no marketing materials sent to them in over a decade, had no knowledge of the liquidation, didn't know of the acquisition by A&K, nor who Jack Anderson is/was. All were a bit disturbed that their deceased partners' email address was still hanging around in some outdated marketing database. None of the three indicated any interest in entertaining any offers from A&K Cruises, aka Crystal.

 

Rob

Not good is it.

That's what you are going to get when a company buys a list that was compiled many years ago.

Someone should learn from this going forward.

[Stickman1990]

3 hours ago, ryndam said:

All were a bit disturbed that their deceased partners' email address was still hanging around in some outdated marketing database. None of the three indicated any interest in entertaining any offers from A&K Cruises, aka Crystal.

Hardly a unique situation

 

How were OC or NC ever to know the status of those who opted in to being on the email list?

 

The problem is no one seems to memorialise or delete old email addresses these days- so companies don’t get rejects and don’t know to delete people. I’m sure the same happened with physical mailings in the post as well 

 

The emails from Crystal contain an unsubscribe option - all they have to do is click on that option and that will be the end of it 

 

In acquiring the Crystal Cruises Brand, A&K Travel Group Ltd. also purchased the Crystal Cruises database. If you prefer not to receive further communications from Crystal Cruises, please “unsubscribe here”. 

[RD64]

True facts - NC has no obligation to OC passengers. Not sure why people assume otherwise.

[RD64]

1 hour ago, suzeluvscruz said:

We've received zip.

Nor should you receive zip. NC is not responsible for the problems of OC.

[Txcotn]

7 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Nor should you receive zip. NC is not responsible for the problems of OC.

We signed up on the web site for updates, have received zero. Not blaming OC, surely NC can do better than ignore people who sign up for their newsletters and updates - unless there are none!

[History&Wine]

2 hours ago, suzeluvscruz said:

We signed up on the web site for updates, have received zero. Not blaming OC, surely NC can do better than ignore people who sign up for their newsletters and updates - unless there are none!

Ditto.  Nothing received by snail mail or email after signing up.  Even checked the spam folder.  And I have a booking! 

[May B]

18 hours ago, History&Wine said:

Ditto.  Nothing received by snail mail or email after signing up.  Even checked the spam folder.  And I have a booking! 

I did get the Jack Anderson email.

 

I don’t care what I receive, tbh, as long as I love the cruise experiences I am looking forward to enjoying on Serenity, this year and next.

[Boatdrill]

On 3/10/2023 at 11:58 AM, ryndam said:

 All were a bit disturbed that their deceased partners' email address was still hanging around in some outdated marketing database.

Or it could have been a message from the afterlilfe....their partners were sending a message to get back on Crystal and start cruising again. 🙂

[Coral]

I received a call from a Crystal Personal Cruise Consultant today. I really didn't have time to talk (plus I have a TA). I have to say he was very polite, he was not pushy and indicated he would follow up with an email in case I have any questions or want to reach out. Shortly after, a nice email arrived.

 

Compared to other Cruise Consultants - I have to say he had the right tone of "Can I answer any questions for you and be of assistance to you" and not being pushy or annoying.

 

I have received several pushing and annoying phone calls from other lines recently.

 

I probably would have asked some questions except for the timing was off.

[FlyerTalker]

On 3/10/2023 at 12:58 PM, ryndam said:

All were a bit disturbed that their deceased partners' email address was still hanging around in some outdated marketing database.

 

And none of them have any clue as to the enduring nature of mailing lists.

 

Far more interesting to me is that a deceased individual's email address is still being used by the survivor.

[Txcotn]

5 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And none of them have any clue as to the enduring nature of mailing lists.

 

Far more interesting to me is that a deceased individual's email address is still being used by the survivor.

Many couples use just one email address and it's in one name and that could be the deceased. Sad but true, I've seen it on several occasions.

[lincslady]

My email address uses both my late husband and my first names - oddly enough, I am happy to leave it thus, as it a nice reminder of him.  I know others find it upsetting, however.

[Embowaf]

Interesting discussion point actually. I'm a millennial and while I vaguely remember a time before i had an email address, I did essentially grow up with one. The concept of sharing one seems so completely invasive to me almost akin to sharing a toothbrush.

[Keith1010]

2 hours ago, Embowaf said:

Interesting discussion point actually. I'm a millennial and while I vaguely remember a time before i had an email address, I did essentially grow up with one. The concept of sharing one seems so completely invasive to me almost akin to sharing a toothbrush.

 

 

The company I spent most of my career with was one of the originators of e-mail for commercial use.  When we developed it we first rolled it out internally. This was around 1982.  Initially, Managers and above had their own e-mail and non-managers shared accounts; one for each department.  

So I was on e-mail before most knew what it was. When my family was on e-mail each member had their own I think we had prodigy for the family and then AOL.  But Prodigy wasn't formed until 1984 and we probably weren't on it for personal use for a few more years.

WIth that said, where I live there are some husband and wives who share their e-mail.  Less than years ago but nevertheless some share it.  

 

Then again I remember the days when cell phones rolled out that often only one family member had one.

 

And let us forget dial-up access.  We've come along way.

 

Keith

[ctjon]

I was in technology - I remember going to conferences put on by cc:Mail (before they were bought by Lotus).  cc:mail was one of the first commercially available email systems.   You'd go to the conference, people would make suggestions and the next day they'd hand out floppy disks with the new versions based upon the suggestions - come a long way from there.

[PaulMCO]

@Keith1010  you are really going back into time.  Had one of the original CompuServe user IDs  in the form 7xxxx,xx based on their old PDP-10 architecture.  Used to be a SysOp in one of their forums.