New Crystal Financial Stabilty

[Keith1010]

For those concerned about financials for any trip you book whether that is land, sea, or air remember insurance can be your friend.  Also for credit cards, know the details. While some companies were more of a challenge the devil was in the details such as their term period for a company defaulting.  

 

I say the same thing about ones health. Insurance can be your friend.  Again, the devil is in the details.

 

With all this said, the new company has an entirely different owner than the old company.  

 

Keith

[Texas Tillie]

18 hours ago, History&Wine said:

It seems that sales are soft across the luxury space.

On the other hand, Royal Caribbean has been  selling more rooms than they actually have on their mega ships. 

 

 

 

 

From my experience I'd think that is true. I am getting at least one and sometimes multiple emails each day from Seabourn, a line I've never sailed.

 

Patty

[bitob]

34 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

From my experience I'd think that is true. I am getting at least one and sometimes multiple emails each day from Seabourn, a line I've never sailed.

 

Patty

On seabourn now

5th cruise

no emails at all

 

lol

[nancygp]

1 hour ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

From my experience I'd think that is true. I am getting at least one and sometimes multiple emails each day from Seabourn, a line I've never sailed.

 

Patty

I haven’t sailed on silversea or regent yet.  I get several emails weekly from these companies and did in past years. Started sailing with Seabourn last year and mostly received several promotional emails weekly..it’s more lately 

 

nancy

[avalon244]

On 5/11/2023 at 10:57 AM, moggyhill said:

They can’t even sell out inaugural cruises.  That says it all.  If you are a cheerleader good for you.  But if you aren’t concerned then imho you certainly should be.  Too much really bad history here.  And I learned in elementary school if you don’t study history you are doomed to repeat it 

I completely agree with you about studying history. So for the newcomers on this Board, let's review the last 16 months of history since OC stopped sailing and the predictions/opinions made by a handful of naysayers:

"Crystal is never returning "      WRONG

"No one is buying 2 old ships"  WRONG

"The new owners are doing

  nothing to help OC customers 

  who lost money"                       WRONG

"No cruise travel agencies will 

  book passengers on NC"          WRONG

"Passengers on NC can't get

  trip insurance"                             WRONG

"Few if any former OC officers,

  crew and staff will return"          WRONG 

"New bookings on NC are

  sluggish, suggesting 

   financial instability"                     TBD

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and are free to post. But look at the 16- month prediction "history" of these naysayers. Not a very good track record imho.

[bitob]

3 hours ago, CryptOkicker5 said:

@avalon244 There are some cherry-picked adjectives there, like few instead of many, none (no) instead of some, and so on. But overall, I think you've made a fair point. Well done! 😀

 

That last point though, that's a big one!

 

More than a few 

[Keith1010]

6 hours ago, avalon244 said:

I completely agree with you about studying history. So for the newcomers on this Board, let's review the last 16 months of history since OC stopped sailing and the predictions/opinions made by a handful of naysayers:

"Crystal is never returning "      WRONG

"No one is buying 2 old ships"  WRONG

"The new owners are doing

  nothing to help OC customers 

  who lost money"                       WRONG

"No cruise travel agencies will 

  book passengers on NC"          WRONG

"Passengers on NC can't get

  trip insurance"                             WRONG

"Few if any former OC officers,

  crew and staff will return"          WRONG 

"New bookings on NC are

  sluggish, suggesting 

   financial instability"                     TBD

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and are free to post. But look at the 16- month prediction "history" of these naysayers. Not a very good track record imho.

This is true.  

 

I would add to this the comments about the new cruise line will be so much different than the former one.  I will continue to say it will take many (not all but many) of the old attributes and add on new ones. I base this on what the same type of information I based my comments on when said most of the old crew is returning.

 

It reminds me of all of the comments made as the Cold Crystal evolved.

 

I remember when they went inclusive many negative comments were made such as people will get drunk and will fall on the floor.  I found it made the ship more social particularly win the lounges and so much easier to dine with others. 

 

As I have said for those concerned insurance is your friend and know the terms of your credit card.

 

Anyway for those who are sitting back or who might never book Crystal that is your choice. As long as you are happy with your decision that is what counts.  For those of us who are excited about sailing  new Crystal, have made one ore many more bookings and some people being not he earlier cruises who are happy I hope they can enjoy their happiness without receiving negative comments for their opinion.  And I hope whether you agree or not agree with their actual experience that people can be respectful and stop with the "name calling".

 

Personally, I never gave up hope about Crystal ships and name being bought all those months when there was uncertainty.  

 

Keith

[bitob]

The financials of a & k are irrelevant to the financial stability of the new venture. A & k will bring experience but not money. Business 101. 

[Keith1010]

18 minutes ago, soupysailor said:

If A&K is such a big drawing card, maybe they should have renamed the cruise line and or the ships to include A&K ???

Why?

 

They have two brands A&K and Crystal.

 

Did RCI rename Silversea or Celebrity to RCI.

 

Did Carnival rename all its brands to one or a couple of brands?

Different Products.

 

WIth that said there will be cross marketing.  

 

Keith

[TRIPACIAN]

On 5/11/2023 at 2:44 PM, Keith1010 said:

We know quite a bit about the ships. Over the years the ships have gone through some very big makeovers in dry docks and lines launch new ships so I do not understand why not knowing what all the changes to the ships would matter.  

 

Interesting about the butlers. Since there were no butlers in those room before wouldn't having a butler be a positive even if they did half of what is done in suites.  We had butlers on the river cruise vessels (all rooms) and on Endeavor (all rooms) and we didn't know all the details but that didn't keep people from booking.

 

I am also not sure why ship occupancy would be an issue for someone booking. Personally if the ship is not sold out to me that is a plus from a guest perspective.  I rarely have sailed sold out ships and I have sailed on many ships over the years.

 

Keith

And NC hasn’t either.

[bitob]

16 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

Why?

 

They have two brands A&K and Crystal.

 

Did RCI rename Silversea or Celebrity to RCI.

 

Did Carnival rename all its brands to one or a couple of brands?

Different Products.

 

WIth that said there will be cross marketing.  

 

Keith

Cross marketing? I get emails all the time from a&k. Not one of them mentions crystal

[Keith1010]

2 minutes ago, bitob said:

Cross marketing? I get emails all the time from a&k. Not one of them mentions crystal

Yepper.

 

First one this week. Crystal cross marketing A&K. In time I am sure it will be done with A&K cross marketing Crystal.

 

[bitob]

3 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

Yepper.

 

First one this week. Crystal cross marketing A&K. In time I am sure it will be done with A&K cross marketing Crystal.

 

I would be surprised. But you never know. 

[Keith1010]

3 minutes ago, bitob said:

I would be surprised. But you never know. 

I won't be surprised.  Make sense to cross market. Time will tell but it has started.

[bitob]

9 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

I won't be surprised.  Make sense to cross market. Time will tell but it has started.

Unfortunately the nc does not own the oc river cruise ships. Those would have been a spectacular fit with the a & k product. Many of their luxury tours include river cruises and they lease luxury river boats. A great opportunity to cross market. I don’t see the relevance of the ocean ships for cross marketing in the other direction

Edited May 13, 2023 by bitob

[cruise_loverinlaval]

Hello, A&K are cruising on Ponant’s ocean  ships.  

[History&Wine]

Just my opinion:

A & K bought the Serenity and the Symphony quite cheaply, paying only 103 million and 25 million respectively.  The total is less than half what the Endeavor was sold for.  This gives New Crystal a lot of room to work with, even after refurbishment.  I'm thinking NC does not need to fill the ships to turn a profit.

 

Again my opinion:

I think the Aquamarine and Sapphire suites are over priced.  Ocean view rooms are also slightly over priced.  I think repricing will happen over time.  I believe this is a major reason the ships are not sold out.  

Edited May 13, 2023 by History&Wine

[bitob]

4 minutes ago, cruise_loverinlaval said:

Hello, A&K are cruising on Ponant’s ocean  ships.  

Much smaller and more intimate.  One is like a yacht. Very different from symphony and serenity 

[Mr Luxury]

2 hours ago, History&Wine said:

Just my opinion:

A & K bought the Serenity and the Symphony quite cheaply, paying only 103 million and 25 million respectively.  The total is less than half what the Endeavor was sold for.  This gives New Crystal a lot of room to work with, even after refurbishment.  I'm thinking NC does not need to fill the ships to turn a profit.

 

Again my opinion:

I think the Aquamarine and Sapphire suites are over priced.  Ocean view rooms are also slightly over priced.  I think repricing will happen over time.  I believe this is a major reason the ships are not sold out.  

I would think Manfredi might have a very different opinion to you about not needing to fill the ships to turn a profit.

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, Mr Luxury said:

I would think Manfredi might have a very different opinion to you about not needing to fill the ships to turn a profit.

Every line wants to fill ships. 
 

With that said the ships were sized to accommodate many more guests so even full there is a lot of space.

 

 

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, Keith1010 said:

Every line wants to fill ships. 
 

With that said the ships were sized to accommodate many more guests so even full there is a lot of space.

 

 

Fewer guests now due to the refurbishment.

[Keith1010]

1 minute ago, Mr Luxury said:

Fewer guests now due to the refurbishment.

Fewer guests now due to the changes made not only now but over the last several years.

 

Deck 9 on Symphony is an example when they added the Seabreeze Suites.

Deck 10 on Serenity over several dry docks eliminating the standard rooms.

 

And now this continues.

 

The amount of public space per guest is incredible.

 

 

[bitob]

7 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Fewer guests now due to the refurbishment.

And other issues

[moggyhill]

8 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Every line wants to fill ships. 
 

With that said the ships were sized to accommodate many more guests so even full there is a lot of space.

 

 

ManFreddie would really disagree with that statement.  I am certain he doesn’t want nc to go the way of Worldcom!

Edited May 14, 2023 by moggyhill

[bitob]

7 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Fewer guests now due to the changes made not only now but over the last several years.

 

Deck 9 on Symphony is an example when they added the Seabreeze Suites.

Deck 10 on Serenity over several dry docks eliminating the standard rooms.

 

And now this continues.

 

The amount of public space per guest is incredible.

 

 

There’s no revenue derived from public space