Europe not selling so well....

[Hollywood Traveler]

I'm loving your avatar, Larry.

 

I need a new one.... one that folks will talk about....:eek:

I've been struggling coming up with one I like. I love yours. Always thought it was the best on the boards. And I still love your idea of B2B TAs.

[SusieV]

I'd love the transatlantic crossings. We love sea days and this would be a perfect way to see some interesting ports and relax- plus we could spend our airfare money onboard instead!

[bellybutton530]

...and no jet lag...

 

 

[Texed]

I was actually speaking of a ship doing ONLY transatlantics.

That would be a B2B I would consider. No flying. I like that.

 

I also like your idea, Ms. Button. :)

[kitty9]

It appears to me that not just the market in Europe is soft. I'm seeing a number of specials for Alaska.

 

Perhaps the cost of air flights is a factor in that region as well.

 

For many of us in smaller cities, it's difficult at best to get to the West Coast. I was looking at fares to Vancouver and it was over $1000, plus two plane changes.

[pris993]

Not surprising. We just got off a TA on the Queen Victoria. We enjoyed it so much we booked another cruise to the Holy Land out of Rome. One of the reasons for doing so was the healthy on board credit of $800 for a 12 night cruise. We were booked on HAL, decided to cancel and book Cunard again. So there are some good deals in this market.

 

Just booked air rt to Rome for the Holy Land cruise, air fare was what we would expect $1300 on American and $200 pp cheaper than Air France.

 

I suspected the lower cruise fare had to do with problems in the Middle East and cruise lines not selling cruises.

[buffi001]

B a l t i m o r e

 

a n d

 

B a y o n n e

[BonnieVA]

That would be very interesting! They could have a few Caribbean sailings, a transatlantic, a few Med sailings, and then another transatlantic. That would be so cool!

 

I'd like to see them go back & forth thoughout the summer. Maybe do one Med & one Caribbean in between.

[BonnieVA]

B a l t i m o r e

 

a n d

 

B a y o n n e

 

Yes! And Norfolk!!!!!!

[Germancruiser]

Ah that is by way the best idea i ever read here, put in a ship that does just Transatlantics, back and forth- with a few selected ports in each direction. Creative- Team of X- wake up!

Well Europe- Cruises are much more expensive from over here in Europe- than those in the Caribbean- even when one considers the lower airfair when you take a cruise in europe coming from a country in europe. The price for those cruises to the Baltic are kicking me out my shoes every year.

[DVC Sadie]

MY DH would love that and sign up in a heartbeat. It's that 10 hour flight he hates.

 

I agree! I also dislike the long flight times so would do B2B TA in a heartbeat.:)

[excitedofharpenden]

I also like your idea, Ms. Button. :)

I also give Cheryl's idea a thumbs up.

 

Phil

[Cote d'or]

That would be very interesting! They could have a few Caribbean sailings, a transatlantic, a few Med sailings, and then another transatlantic. That would be so cool!

 

I give a big +1 for this idea ! TA's followed by 1 long itinerary (or 2 shorter) in the Carribean or Med, going back and forth. In that way you can customize your own itinerary, without having those long flights. Works in both ways, for US and European customers. We love TA's and would book B2B2B2B's right away.

 

In our case for example, if we want to cruise in the Med AND the Caribbean :

 

Westbound TA - Caribbean cruise - Eastbound TA - Med cruise

Or :

Med cruise - Westbound TA - Caribbean cruise - Eastbound TA.

 

(Also a good solution for people with a fear of flying.)

[Bridge Maven]

Only if they offered Bridge!

 

Can't stop cruising, that would be perfect - a back to back transatlantic cruise with a bridge game during all those sea days :)

[CruisingChick]

I too would love the TA and not have to fly or have a long drive to any destination. Pick me up in NJ and I can stay on the ship for weeks and drop me back off in NJ.

 

That would be wonderful.

[Bridge Maven]

For many of us in smaller cities, it's difficult at best to get to the West Coast. I was looking at fares to Vancouver and it was over $1000, plus two plane changes.

 

kitty9 when we took our first Alaskan cruise, it was round trip from Vancouver so we were able to get a round trip airfare from the Northeast to Vancouver. However, now that we are doing a Cruise tour package the flight from the Northeast to Anchorage will take longer than our flight from JFK to Barcelona for our Mediterranean cruise a few years ago. The expense is compounded by the fact that we will be flying to Anchorage and leaving from Vancouver.

 

Even so, all of the junior suites for our cruise on Radiance of the Seas have been booked for a long time so the cruise pricing for our category only increased since we booked it.

[CruisingChick]

However, now that we are doing a Cruise tour package the flight from the Northeast to Anchorage will take longer than our flight from JFK to Barcelona for our Mediterranean cruise a few years ago.

 

We flew from NYC to Anchorage through Seattle. It took us longer to get to Anchorage than it did to fly from JFK to Venice, Italy for our Meditertanean cruise. I would love to go back to Alaska, but that flight is a killer. Plus with all the baggage limits now how are you suppose to back for a trip like that?

[Ma Bell]

I've thought the same thing many times but never thought to suggest it to the cruiseline. Let's all let them know we would love TAs back to back.:)

[C-Dragons]

How about some transatlantic cruises during the summer?

 

Brilliant idea!! And I would absolutely love a B2B TA.

 

I hope X is reading this and paying attention to your suggestions. :)

[Can'tstopcruising]

Are Bridge Maven and I the only ones who want Duplicate Bridge?

 

When we did our one and only TA and when we cruised the Panama Canal and when we cruised to Hawaii (all with many seadays) there was duplicate bridge with a director who gave lessons in the morning. It was great.

[bellybutton530]

I've thought the same thing many times but never thought to suggest it to the cruiseline. Let's all let them know we would love TAs back to back.:)

 

Since you liked that idea... how about a

 

Voyage to the Former Homeports cruise

 

Bayonne

Charleston

Jacksonville

Tampa

Galveston (if it isn't too far)

 

Throw in a Caribbean island or two to ensure gambling onboard could continue.

 

Allow folks to embark/disembark at their favorite (or closest) homeport.

 

I'd do it.... What about you?

[24butterfly]

I just put down a deposit for a private shore excursion. From my Capitol One credit card, which goves me a good rate and no transaction fee---the $ to the Euro SUX !!! It's the highest I have EVER paid--$1.50 per euro!

[baldercash]

I just posted the following quote on the trans Atlantic strand.

 

"We are booked on a 16 day Royal Caribbean from New Orleans May 14 2012 to Barcelona. We haven't been to N'Orleans for about 6 years so we will spend 3 or 4 days in the French Quarter pre-boarding. Our plan is to do the trans Atlantic cruise instead of a flight to get to Spain to begin a 2 month or so land tour. I retire this fall so we have the time now. We may add on a Med and or Baltic cruise while staying in Europe. We are planning to return on a Cunard ship as we have never cruised with them and sailing into New York would be a grand finale to our first retirement tour."

 

I booked the Royal Caribbean cruise because it was out of N'Orleans at the time I was temped to book a 12 day Celebrity cruise out of Rome the 2nd week of May but thought the price a little too steep. I am planning on coming back on Cunard as they are the only cruise-line to offer summer crossings. Being newly retired (packaged) time is no longer an issue. As stated on this strand when you compare the cost, comfort and accommodation of a cruise to the price and discomfort of a flight, you take the cruise!

I did not consider the impact that the Olympics will have on accommodation and transportation in the UK. I will now plan the end date of the trip with that in mind.

 

This is a most helpful and informative forum.

[baldercash]

Are Bridge Maven and I the only ones who want Duplicate Bridge?

 

When we did our one and only TA and when we cruised the Panama Canal and when we cruised to Hawaii (all with many sea days) there was duplicate bridge with a director who gave lessons in the morning. It was great.

 

We just completed a 19 day Buenos Aires to Barcelona on Oceania they had bridge on sea days. I took 10 1hr. beginner lessons on sea days as there is nothing else to do on Insignia but go to the gym which I also did for 2 hours a day to fill the time. A challenging game, I won "BIG O points" for being the best beginner. Two items of note one. Oceania is looking at getting rid of Bridge lessons on their cruises, two the average age of a bridge player in America is 67 so it is a dying game. I am 57 so I was the youngest taking lessons at any level on the ship by about 5 years! As an aside my wife did needle point while I did bridge lessons so that gives a good insight into the activity level on Oceania cruises. Sedate is an understatement, we closed out the dance club by 11:00pm every night, never more then 5 couples on it! Oh and they are cutting the needle point classes, I guess they cannot bare the cost of the kits at the prices they charge! I will do a separate review on Oceania.

[c-legs]

Hi,

Back to the original topic....another factor that plays into the soft advance bookings for Europe: the lines' decision to curtail the practice of issueing OBCs on ''within penalty'' bookings following a price drop.

This was met on this board ( as well as every other line's, to be sure ) with the expected dissatisfaction and a general mindset that folks would now book ''last minute''as opposed to the moment the itineraries are open for booking.

I suggest the current lethargic advance bookings profile with the lines has a lot to do with this.

 

And on the topic of many EXCELLENT suggestions to introduce a much wider type of journeys...Well done !! I'd love the idea of TAs mixed in with '' local'' sailings at each end....Didn't Cunard make a living doing this sort of thing ?? One only has to look at how many B2Bs are tacked on to the ''regular'' repositionning TAs...A large ## of cruisers will do a fall Europe cruise, do the TA and, (if suitably funded...:rolleyes:) will stay on for the initial Caribean sailing. Spring time, likewise, in reverse. A round trip TA on, say, Connie, would go a long way towards implanting a permanent smile on the beancounters in Miami.:p

Veery good ideas have been generated by this thread.

Cheers:)