P&O to be rebadged as Princess??

[chaz cruiser]

Hi All,

 

A friend has just returned from the Pacific Sun where she was told by the Deputy Captain's wife that Carnival were restructuring the company & that P&O would be rebadged as Princess. Has anyone else heard any more about this?

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)

[thied]

Hi All,

 

A friend has just returned from the Pacific Sun where she was told by the Deputy Captain's wife that Carnival were restructuring the company & that P&O would be rebadged as Princess. Has anyone else heard any more about this?

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)

 

yes I have heard that they were going to be rebadge with one of the cruise lines under the carnival name., It has been posted and chatted about here by my self and a few others.

 

 

 

 

 

Love Thied.

 

 

 

.

[Skyrules]

Hi All,

 

A friend has just returned from the Pacific Sun where she was told by the Deputy Captain's wife that Carnival were restructuring the company & that P&O would be rebadged as Princess. Has anyone else heard any more about this?

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)

 

 

We have heard that the management of the operational/onboard services (eg hotel, food, tours, entertainment, mechanical, etc) of the P&O Australia and Princess brands have been merged into one body to streamline operations, but that the brands would still remain seperate entities.

[Sandielle]

We have heard that the management of the operational/onboard services (eg hotel, food, tours, entertainment, mechanical, etc) of the P&O Australia and Princess brands have been merged into one body to streamline operations, but that the brands would still remain seperate entities.

 

Now that sounds like a sensible way to go. :) It's hard to think they would get rid of the P&O name - it has such a long history. Despite the anti-P&O people here, they have a large following.

[Bella cruiser]

Now that sounds like a sensible way to go. :) It's hard to think they would get rid of the P&O name - it has such a long history. Despite the anti-P&O people here, they have a large following.

 

You are right Sandy, P&O is a very strong brand here in Australia with lots of people who have enjoyed many happy holidays with them and they have a large percentage of repeat cruisers....(just not on Cruise critic:rolleyes:). Somehow to me, Princess doesn't seem the right fit. It's a totally different style of cruising.

 

Many people remember that when all the others deserted Australia (except for the occasional cash & grab raid by the northerners) for all those years, P&O was here year round, it's such a part of Australia's cruising history that it would be a shame to lose the brand.

 

By the way Sandy, tell us all about your new ship icon. You have me very curious?????

[Sandielle]

It's just clip art Jenny. Thought it was about time I got around to removing my old 'Sailed' cruises. :)

[Bella cruiser]

It's just clip art Jenny. Thought it was about time I got around to removing my old 'Sailed' cruises. :)

 

Very attractive, I thought you had booked something Carnival without telling us.:D

[The_Big_M]

Thought the whale tail was an implication you had something booked on Spirit!

 

I also couldn't see them rebranding P&O as Princess; they'd need to upgrade the P&O services to match Princess; not major, but why add the costs when things are working well as is?

[thied]

we have chated about this not long ago.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1403392

 

 

 

 

Love Thied.

 

 

.

[fredman]

Hi All,

 

A friend has just returned from the Pacific Sun where she was told by the Deputy Captain's wife that Carnival were restructuring the company & that P&O would be rebadged as Princess. Has anyone else heard any more about this?

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)

 

That is interesting, Princess just had a handover ceremony to P&O of the Royal Princess. She will be called Adonia. This video was released on May 3, 2011 by Princess.

 

 

I am not doubting the string here, but wouldn't it make more business sense if P&O were to be re-branded as Princess that they would do it in one fell swoop?

 

In the video they say good-bye to the Royal and then later if they re-brand they bring her back again? By the way one reason may well be is that Princess' new ship will be called the "Royal" as well and maybe they needed to move the old Royal so the new ship can take the name.

[Sandielle]

Thought the whale tail was an implication you had something booked on Spirit!

 

Haha no, sadly. We're just biding our time for a while. As there are so many ships coming here it's getting hard to choose. I, like everyone else, was hoping there would be some different itineraries, though. :rolleyes:

[thied]

There is not many good cruises at all unless you cruise out of sydney.

 

 

 

 

Love Thied.

 

 

 

 

.

[Skyrules]

That is interesting, Princess just had a handover ceremony to P&O of the Royal Princess. She will be called Adonia. This video was released on May 3, 2011 by Princess.

 

 

I am not doubting the string here, but wouldn't it make more business sense if P&O were to be re-branded as Princess that they would do it in one fell swoop?

 

In the video they say good-bye to the Royal and then later if they re-brand they bring her back again? By the way one reason may well be is that Princess' new ship will be called the "Royal" as well and maybe they needed to move the old Royal so the new ship can take the name.

 

That's P&O UK/World Cruises, and is a completely different story. Can't see P&O UK being at risk of a name change. We're talking P&O Australia on this thread, which is a completely seperate operation to P&O UK.

 

Another thing I thought of too, if they were thinking of re-branding P&O Aus. as Princess, then why are they on the verge of announcing a loyalty program down here? If they were going to rebrand P&O the Princess program would be adopted.

[fredman]

That's P&O UK/World Cruises, and is a completely different story. Can't see P&O UK being at risk of a name change. We're talking P&O Australia on this thread, which is a completely seperate operation to P&O UK.

 

Another thing I thought of too, if they were thinking of re-branding P&O Aus. as Princess, then why are they on the verge of announcing a loyalty program down here? If they were going to rebrand P&O the Princess program would be adopted.

 

Thank you, I was completely ignorant of that fact! :D As they say you learn something new everyday!

 

I guess they are similarly structured as Carnival UK and Princess UK. Good to know thanks once again!

[thied]

That is interesting, Princess just had a handover ceremony to P&O of the Royal Princess. She will be called Adonia. This video was released on May 3, 2011 by Princess.

 

 

I am not doubting the string here, but wouldn't it make more business sense if P&O were to be re-branded as Princess that they would do it in one fell swoop?

 

In the video they say good-bye to the Royal and then later if they re-brand they bring her back again? By the way one reason may well be is that Princess' new ship will be called the "Royal" as well and maybe they needed to move the old Royal so the new ship can take the name.

but that has nothing to do with P&O australia brand.

 

 

 

 

Love Thied.

 

 

 

.

[fredman]

but that has nothing to do with P&O australia brand.

 

Love Thied.

 

Skyrules just educated me on the difference between P&O Australia and P&O UK. So yes it has nothing to do with P&O Aus.

 

Cheers! :)

[Cruise ship fan]

They couldn't remove the P&O Australia brand without losing many customers. If you say to someone who know almost nothing about cruising in, the word P&O they instantly know what it is but if you say Carnival they think of a fair, princess castles or disney. Plus their are many people who will only sail of P&O and would never think about another cruise line. So I think the name it safe.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They couldn't remove the P&O Australia brand without losing many customers. If you say to someone who know almost nothing about cruising in, the word P&O they instantly know what it is but if you say Carnival they think of a fair, princess castles or Disney. Plus their are many people who will only sail of P&O and would never think about another cruise line. So I think the name it safe.

 

The public have very short memories.

P&O Australia does not have a long history. Before them it was Sitmar with the Fair Sky, Fair Sea and Fair Princess. People said the same about the Sitmar line going.

They will get used to Carnival , (which in fact P&O Australia is now), very quickly..

especially when they discover how good the Carnival Spirit will be:)

 

[thied]

The public have very short memories.

P&O Australia does not have a long history. Before them it was Sitmar with the Fair Sky, Fair Sea and Fair Princess. People said the same about the Sitmar line going.

They will get used to Carnival , (which in fact P&O Australia is now), very quickly..

especially when they discover how good the Carnival Spirit will be:)

 

I agree, but most of the public not care who they sail with, as long as the price is right and the cruise is good and the ship is good and makes it back each time.

 

 

 

Love Thied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

,.,..,,

[Bella cruiser]

The public have very short memories.

P&O Australia does not have a long history. Before them it was Sitmar with the Fair Sky, Fair Sea and Fair Princess. People said the same about the Sitmar line going.

They will get used to Carnival , (which in fact P&O Australia is now), very quickly..

especially when they discover how good the Carnival Spirit will be:)

 

Hi David

 

The difference with this is that P&O and Sitmar were competitors/rivals, call them what you will and Sitmar was taken over by P&O/Princess.:( They were not different branches of the same company.

 

We actually had a huge range of lines to choose from in the old days and they gradually departed over the years for one reason or another, but P&O remained consistantly here. People have been able to cruise P&O from the 60's right up to current times, I think that makes the difference in peoples minds. :)

 

To illustrate this just look at my cruise history in my signature, I have:

Royal Interocean lines

Dominion Far East Lines

E & A

P &O

&

Sitmar

and there were many more into the mid to late 80's, Chandris, CTC Shaw Savill etc, I can't remember them all.

[Cruise ship fan]

The public have very short memories.

P&O Australia does not have a long history. Before them it was Sitmar with the Fair Sky, Fair Sea and Fair Princess. People said the same about the Sitmar line going.

They will get used to Carnival , (which in fact P&O Australia is now), very quickly..

especially when they discover how good the Carnival Spirit will be:)

 

 

P&O has been sailing from Australia even before Sitmar they only made Australia its own line with the Pacific Sky as we had an increase in cruising passengers. In fact they will think differently about Carnival then P&O as many people will only sail on their know and trusted brands as well as wanting to sail on a ship they have heard of for a long time. Plus the Carnival Spirit isnt that good and it really isn't that different to our current ships, except for being newer and bigger.

[The_Big_M]

I also wouldn't see them giving up their brand equity in P&O, at least while the current fleet of ships is here. Were Carnival to be a success, new ships may come under that brand and P&O be phased out, but there are negligible benefits to combining the public brands vs greater costs.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

So all this says to me that P & O Australia would not need to create their own Loyalty Program.

Am I correct?

Jilly:)

[jessica3152]

I still suspect that Carnvial will do away with the P&O brand within a year. It makes no sense to maintain 3 brands in Australia so suspect that Pacific Jewel, Pacific Dawn and Pacific Pearl will be rebranded as Carnival Jewel etc. The current "nothing" livery of P&O tells you it is only temporary. It is like Virgin Blue flying all white 737s before they announced their rebrand as VirginAustralia last week.

 

Princess will maintain a separate branding and continue to be pitched upmarket from Carnival.

 

I also believe Pacific Sun will never be rebranded but instead be sold.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I still suspect that Carnival will do away with the P&O brand within a year. It makes no sense to maintain 3 brands in Australia so suspect that Pacific Jewel, Pacific Dawn and Pacific Pearl will be re branded as Carnival Jewel etc. The current "nothing" livery of P&O tells you it is only temporary. It is like Virgin Blue flying all white 737s before they announced their re brand as Virgin Australia last week.

Princess will maintain a separate branding and continue to be pitched upmarket from Carnival.I also believe Pacific Sun will never be re branded but instead be sold.

 

 

Thats how I see it too.

They will all be under the Carnival Umbrella

P&O will revert back to what it originally was, ie a UK based cruise line and will reinforce its Britishness.They will call on their World Cruises, and who knows may even stay down under and do a few "Aussie" cruises, like they used to. Bet Aurora or Oriana would sell out if they did 12 day cruises Sydney to Sydney.:D

P@O Australia will become Carnival Australia and gradually replace the fleet as the Carnival American ships age and they get sent down here.

Princess will stay Princess and we will get the ships the Americans tire of.

Holland America will stay Holland America

Cunard and Seaborne will stay the same , with perhaps Cunard doing an Australian season as QM2 is doing. I bet Carnival will be watching that with much interest.;)