tfred

"Promised" is a word almost never used in travel hospitality lounges these days. Delta has basically gutted its loyalty program and lounge access over time and certainly in the last week or so, Go look at Flyertalk.com in the DL forum for that blowback. X must be seeing a dip in zenith cruise reservations and think that this will stall its decline. It certainly isnt because it is "right". The total number of zeniths on any given cruise is probably pretty low to allow this without impacting full fare suite customers

I see in your profile that SeaDream is your favorite cruise line. If so, I can imagine you are looking sideways at X food. X food (yes always subjective) is pretty good for most land based resort people who are taking a cruise. SeaDream is 2 or 3 notches above X so it is no surprise that you are unhappy

Cruise Critic is a very, very small subset of cruisers. Many people are signed up, few post. X probably looks at CC occasionally, but isnt basing corporate policy on what is said here.

Edge class has been on the water since 2018. They have had plenty of time to evaluate acceptance. Judging by bookings it is obvious that it isnt a problem.

You will really enjoy the suite and service. Been on a few and it is excellent that said, don’t pay attention to anything past the 3rd page as it will be filled with complaining and grumbling just because you have them a forum to talk on.

Probably scared for safety reasons.

Cruising is an easy decision for many because there are no day to day decisions -especially if you are with a group of family or friends. Fly to Florida and get on the ship. Looking at the florida boards people are turned around try to find a hotel and transport to the port. many people are planning adverse with hotels-airlines and car rentals. I (and I think you too) traveled extensively for business so to me it’s second nature. If planning is in your blood then you can find lower prices.

40% of pax never get off the ship during the cruise in the Caribbean They view it a floating resort. you never hear these complaints at land based resorts with a la carte dining

I think that their planning is long term and it doesn’t include the “ where’s my lobster and prime rib every night crowd “. They will parallel land resort offerings AND land resort prices If you are looking for $500/day pricing you will be disappointed look up any Marriott resort for a weeks stay and see what you come back with. A standard room is $600 day. Add in food and booze and it is 1000.

Part of me wants to say software glitch but … $1200 night is my cutoff for X Sky suites. The $3000 night is ridiculous

New menu looks good to me May not satisfy the prime rib and lobster every night crowd though

I could believe it on pax switching. Cruising used to be a very cost effective vacation - no more. It is on par with a land vacation at a better resort The usual veranda crowd is being put off by the overall price increases and is looking to keep it below a dollar amount budget The cookie thing is just an excuse for that The suite crowd (that is us) has.less of a concern of dollars (although everyone has a budget). My concern is that X is now equal to or more per day than the next level or two up cruise lines - Oceania, SSea, Seabourne. On a daily basis those lines offer solid value for money spent. Discussed ad naseum before, the experience between X and the others is there. Big ship activities, easy to fly to 7 day cruises versus limited round trip from the same city, dinner as the night time activity. We have probably reached our limit on X with the current Retreat numbers when compared against the others We are retired and able to be more flexible. Many people are still working and need a cruise that regularly leaves on Saturday from an easy to get to city (FLL MIA)

there are many potential pax that have never cruised before so they dont really know what prices were last year or prior. To them, these are the prices. X (or anyone else) is not going to issue a press release about higher prices

Oceania Silversea and seaborne have attractive per day prices. Difficulty is not 7 days, sometimes unusual embarkation cities and midweek departures - difficult for many working people Also if you are not familiar with cruise industry it is a secondary name.

61 days on Regent is a very big number. That is not the customer that X is looking for.

that is certainly true at the Retreat/suite level. SSea et al offer a "fuller" experience than X at those numbers. With a little bit of looking you can find something at the same price as X. We booked a Med cruise on SSea (with excursions) for the same price as X suite. Most of the cuts here and there dont bother me. Team Butlers, premium wines that come and go are ok.

Short ribs are good. Best we ever had. I did see turkey in Luminae once and was aghast as that is really a low end protein That isn’t something you would find in a Daniel B menu-it’s just a cost cut. we like the food in Luminae but they probably need 2 more entrees and 1 more starter.

I would eat those- better than tilapia and turkey as the equivalents

at this stage of the game I want to see actual Luminae menus before the usual "comments" of "this food is crap"starts Th breakfast menu looks fine. There is the "the menu never changes and is always the same" crowd and the "why can't I have the same things I had for the last 5 years". crowd. Menus will evolve in any restaurant or they go stale

Many people didn’t use that animal towel for drying off. The staff has to rewash all those towels using up water and generating grey water waste.

why cheapen the product when there are customers willing to pay for it? X assumes (correctly) that they can get enough suite customers to pay full price for an all inclusive package. They aren't looking for customers who are trying to finesse the system, with carry on wine, free elite drinks They also know the demographics and purchases of pax they want, especially at suite level. If you aren't drinking and using the internet, you probably aren't buying spa, specialty restaurants or buying items on board. That is where all the profit is.

Airline and hotel programs used to have easily obtained flights and rooms- no more. Very high redemption rates and limited availability are the norm now. I have 1.5 million miles that are not easy to use. what those programs are good for is resolution of problems. Missed or delayed flights. Sold out hotels. Loyalty programs there are made for heavy users at high fares generally on business I have yet to figure out why cruise lines still have loyalty programs. Free laundry or preferred reservations at specialty restaurants is good. Free booze (which promotes a la carte trips with no AI) seems to be against the lines interest.

I think X has determined where the more profitable and easier to showcase their perceived value is and isn't. South America has lost out to the increase in expensive expedition ships going down there. 7 day Caribbean is a hot market and they are pushing the ships into that. Many people only have time for a 7 day trip. 1/3 of pax never get off the ship so port selection as a cruise determinator is low. Many vacationers only take one vacation a year, so the idea of catering to the taking a cruise every other month crowd is not a solid strategy for growth. It makes sense that they would use PC as a port if DCL and RCL can fill those ships - especially RCL with that behemoth

I don't disagree with you of channeling X pax (especially suites) to SSea. I asked the same question to a SSea phone rep. They would like to offer something s a 'welcome" gift but no go from management. issues include offering X pax something/anything and having SSea loyalists without that same or similiar offer. That would include OBC or Venetian Points (their program) Not a direct comparison but the Carnival empire doesnt any reciprocity among its lines I am a high level Marriott lifetime member and Ritz Carlton would barely recognize me for extras.

All that would do is poach X suite customers who may not come back