fire onboard Insignia

The basis upon which I report is the NCL Holding Leadership team web site located at: http://www.nclhltd.com/leadership-team.cfm

 

They have created five vice president positions, under NCL Holdings, for the following functions for all three brands;

 

Michael Flesch

Executive Vice President, Shipboard Operations

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises

 

Andrew Stuart

Executive Vice President, International Sales and Charters, Meetings and Incentives

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises

 

Crane Gladding

Senior Vice President, Passenger Services

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises

 

John McGirl

Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises

 

Colin Murphy

Senior Vice President, Destination and Port Operations

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises

 

Shipboard Operations, Passenger Services, Human Resources, and Destination and Port Operations seems to sum up all of the passenger interfaces of a cruise line. There is no doubt that NCL Holdings will try to keep the "Brand Identity" of Oceania and Regent separate from the NCL Brand - considering Oceania and Regent are upscale and NCL is more economical - but it is very clear that the officers of Oceania/Prestige Holdings do not have the same control as before. Also, it is not clear that they have any direct control outside of these NCL Holding's vice presidents.

 

The largest model of Cruise line acquisitions is Carnival Corp's acquisition of Costa, Holland America, Princess, AIDA, Seaborn and Cunard. In those cases, Carnival Corp went to great lengths to preserve the brand identities. Of note, Carnival Corp web site (Carnivalcorp.com not Carnival.com) does not indicate any form of shared services.

 

In other mergers of travel providers, such as Northwest's acquisition of TWA and the US Air merger with American West; the inferior brand disappeared entirely in a few years.

 

So you have two models of the extremes of what may happen - only time will tell if any of the impact is seen in the cost or service to the passengers - but it is naive to think that seeing impact is impossible.

 

As a further variable NCL Holdings did an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and is now publicly traded on the NASDAQ as NCLH. The good news is that you can buy stock in the company - 100 shares minimum - and get $250 shipboard credit for a cruise of 14 days or more on NCL, Oceania, or Regent. The bad news is the company now has a financial/legal responsibility to the shareholders of a for profit company. One further detail, NCL Holdings is incorporated in Bermuda.

 

This is probability more detail than needed - but I assure none of it comes from my wild imagination. BTW, I am booked on Insignia and look forward to sailing on her. I have no plans to change my booking strategy but I will keep my eyes open.

Thank you. Very helpful, very well thought out, and well researched. Excellent post.

I think most of us are in a "wait & see" mode

Of course changes will occur it is a matter of when & what

This thread is about the fire on Insignia & the results of such let's try to think of those crew that lost their lives & some have lost their income for several months

Lyn

In other mergers of travel providers, such as Northwest's acquisition of TWA and the US Air merger with American West; the inferior brand disappeared entirely in a few years

Northwest didn't merge with TWA, American Airlines did......I should know, I was with TWA.

jack

I really would not worry who is on charge. Oceania will do what is right for their business, and what is right by the law. No line is out to create bad press and screw their customers.

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I try to keep it simple. I buy only those products and services that meet or exceed my needs. I do not let myself get too entangled in who bought the company or who the new third assistant VP is now, etc. if I no longer am satisfied with my purchase, I move on.

Hear, hear!

But Lyn is right, this thread is about the fire, not about the merger.