What is Your Reaction to This?

[sail7seas]

DH and I sailed "X' about 6 times total but have not sailed them in many years. We only sail HAL.

 

I just checked my e-mail and found the President of Celebrity chose to send me an e-mail, addressed to my first name (have we met? are we friends? :confused:) and the message of his multiple paragraph letter was how safe "X" ships are and we should sail.

 

Is he implying the Carnival Family of ships are all unsafe?

He thinks this is good marketing?

The letter was way too long to begin with and is such a turn off to me that were we considering sailing "X", which we are not, I would have second thoughts.

 

Anyone else here get the letter?

What is your opinion of them seeming to be taking advantage of such a horrid tragedy to market their brand?

[jtl513]

It could be taken as just reassuring customers, past and potential.

 

What would your reaction have been if it had come from HAL?

[rafinmd]

I think I'm also in the camp of "It's just reassuring". Interesting, though that I have a booking nearing final payment date and haven't gotten the message.

 

When you did sail with X, were you a pretty regular cruiser with them?

 

I am having trouble figuring why the message would need to be long.

 

Roy

[Mar56]

Personally, i think that they are setting themselves " aside" from carnival corp and costa lines and are very much implying, though very overtly ( cue the lawyers) that they are safe while others..........?

 

Jmo

 

Mar56

[gelo7]

It could be taken as just reassuring customers, past and potential.

 

What would your reaction have been if it had come from HAL?

 

That's my take on it.

[3rdGenCunarder]

It sounds to me like they're hoping to catch some people who were thinking about cruising but are now nervous, especially about Costa or other lines in the Carnival group. Several nights ago, Diane Sawyer kept calling the ship the Carnival Concordia. If other newspeople made similar references, all of Carnival may be suspect in some people's minds.

 

By just saying "we're safe," they let people come to their own conclusions. If this makes people think it's OK to cruise, just stay away from the scary, dangerous Carnival bunch, X comes out ahead.

 

Without reading the actual letter, I can't decide if I think it's savvy marketing or sleazy opportunism. Or are they the same thing...

[cruz chic]

That's my take on it.

Mine too. I also received the email.

[peaches from georgia]

It's business, not personal.

 

There will be lots of people who know Costa is part of Carnival Corp. and will wonder about the overall safety standards of Carnival lines. Sure X is trying to get some new business. It's not any disrespect to those that suffered in this tragedy, it's marketing to get new customers. Carnival Corp lines would do the same thing if the situation was reversed and they should.

[localady]

Funny Sails, I got an email from RCCL but not Celebrity. Last sailed Celebrity in 2007, but haven't sailed with RCCL since 1999......go figure!:rolleyes:

I am sure all the cruise lines are mortified that each day we wake up to the latest news reports and the media saturation of the Concordia disaster. It cannot be helping any of them monetarily.

[sail7seas]

It could be taken as just reassuring customers, past and potential.

 

What would your reaction have been if it had come from HAL?

 

 

In the hypothetical as I can't know for sure how I'd feel but I strongly suspect I would not like it coming from HAL either...... or from any cruise line.

 

I take it as the worst of bad taste but understand others might view it differently and that is why I asked.

 

I didn't find it to be reassuring but rather as a shark swimming around blood in the water. :eek:

 

 

 

[localady]

It could be taken as just reassuring customers, past and potential.

 

What would your reaction have been if it had come from HAL?

 

HAL put out at least one blurb this weekend on Facebook regarding it's continuing commitment to safety. I am sure more assurances will follow.

It will also be interesting to see if the Muster on the Oosterdam differs this weekend from what we experienced in October.

I was surprised to note in October that no one was trying to take any kind of roll during Muster.

[sail7seas]

Funny Sails, I got an email from RCCL but not Celebrity. Last sailed Celebrity in 2007, but haven't sailed with RCCL since 1999......go figure!:rolleyes:

I am sure all the cruise lines are mortified that each day we wake up to the latest news reports and the media saturation of the Concordia disaster. It cannot be helping any of them monetarily.

 

 

Makes me wonder how they decide which 'leg' of RCI got which letter. We sailed RCI once but didn't hear from them. Thus far, only "X" has landed in my in box with such a message.

 

Maybe we can look forward to more in the coming days.

 

Seems safe to say they are waiting the next 'event' which will catch our attention and take Concordia off the evening news.

 

 

[glanders]

I think it's a good business move. When I read it, I thought more of it standing up for the industry and not just Celebrity. The industry could be really affected by this in the short term. They do refer you to more information on their website if you want more information. I would imagine it would be reassuring to some. I would not be surprised if others follow.

[jlocole]

I got an email from RCCL about the safety proceedures they have in place. I think the cruiselines are worried that people won't cruise due to the Costa.

 

And once you are in their sysyem, you can expect mass email letters. Nothing untoward or unacceptable in them doing this.

[magictam]

Maybe you did get one from RCL. I received one but it went to my junk mail. I have sailed once with RCL. i've never sailed with X and also received an email today. Which didn't go to my junk mail.

 

I am rather surprised I haven't received anything from HAL as we sail on the Oosterdam in 26 days. I thought it would just be proactive to reassure thier customers.

 

I'm not offended by any of them or lack of receiving one.

[kazu]

We got the letter too - and we haven't been on Celebrity in at least 5 years! Wonder how they are choosing their email selection? Maybe going after those that haven't sailed with them in a while thinking they are cruising other ships?

 

i guess it's an opportunity - I didn't like it, but that's just me.

 

I haven't heard boo from these guys in several years (no brochures, nothing) - so it seems kind of strange to get the email:confused:

[RMLincoln]

We also just received this letter. We sailed X last March for the first time. I think it's marketing to pick up some low lying fruit so to speak. It didn't stike me in poor taste. I think X is trying to get out a positive message for thier product, probably knowing that this tragedy will put a damper on sales for all of cruising for the short term. Just general positive PR to help balance out the horror and reassure customers. I'm not surprised by the proactive approach. Carnival has it's hands tied by thier laywers to not say too much yet so X and others can step up and bee seen as maybe a better option, they hope. m--

[Typhoon1]

The Costa disaster gives them another reason to contact current and former customers, hoping to lure the former customers back.

 

Did they offer you a 30% discount?

[Barrick]

I don't think it's strange at all that the president of a cruise ship company would send an email to everyone on their list talking about their safety standards, after the Costa incident. I would actually find it strange if they didn't address their in house safety guidelines, and reassure all their past, present and future clients in this manner.

 

There have been many posting on other boards about people calling cruise ship companies and inquiring about their safety standards. What better way to address this, than sending out an email blast.

[localady]

Maybe you did get one from RCL. I received one but it went to my junk mail. I have sailed once with RCL. i've never sailed with X and also received an email today. Which didn't go to my junk mail.

 

I am rather surprised I haven't received anything from HAL as we sail on the Oosterdam in 26 days. I thought it would just be proactive to reassure thier customers.

 

I'm not offended by any of them or lack of receiving one.

 

I have bets that safety will be a word you hear even more frequently on your next cruise. ;) :D

[whogo]

 

Anyone else here get the letter?

What is your opinion of them seeming to be taking advantage of such a horrid tragedy to market their brand?

 

I get a lot of e-mail that I don't bother reading. This would have been one of them. Doesn't bother me a bit, but I am not a HAL cheerleader or Carnival stockholder.

 

Does Celebrity do "salutes" as Captain Schettino reports he was ordered to? If not, let them use the difference to their marketing advantage.

 

Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino reportedly told prosecutors that Costa Cruises operators ordered him to perform the “salute” maneuver, when a cruise ship sails close to the shore to attract publicity and delight passengers. That move, he says, caused the ship to capsize, Reuters reports.

“It was planned, we were supposed to have done it a week earlier but it was not possible because of bad weather,” Schettino reportedly told prosecutors. “They insisted. They said: ‘We do tourist navigation, we have to be seen, get publicity and greet the island.’”

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/23/costa-concordia-captain-says-he-was-ordered-to-make-risky-salute-maneuver/#ixzz1kKSXR4Lj

[kazu]

The Costa disaster gives them another reason to contact current and former customers, hoping to lure the former customers back.

 

Did they offer you a 30% discount?

 

Funny :D no! not to me anyways:D

[DFD1]

I expect there will be a lot of marketing efforts launched across the industry around the safety issue.

 

In the last couple of days, I've run across "blurbs" from several cruise lines about their concern for passenger safety.

 

The Concordia grounding likely has the whole industry spooked....as it should.

[sparky-elpaso]

I got one and I've never sailed with them - only RCCL and HAL. They're just trying to reassure folks - especially after that 20/20 show the other night.

[magictam]

I have bets that safety will be a word you hear even more frequently on your next cruise. ;) :D

 

you'll have to let us know how it goes for you. enjoy yourseil!