Why so much wasted paper on cruises?

[Bazzito]

I, personally, like to have printed matter because I love trees!!

 

I’m constantly being hectored to reduce my paper consumption to “save the trees” by short-sighted people who don’t realize that in order to have trees, we need plenty of paper.

 

Don’t believe me? Well, think about this:

 

If you were to drive past some intersection of country roads in the middle of Iowa, Nebraska, or some other similar state, one thing you won't see is some forlorn farmer sitting by an empty field, crying and bemoaning, “What happened to all of the corn?” :( Of course not! He continually plants and harvests corn so that corn-lovers can have an abundant supply.

 

Should, God forbid, sometime in the future, everyone decide to “save the corn,” well there would be no market for his product, and he’d most certainly plant something else on his property. The fact is that the very ones who would want to “save the corn” would be directly responsible for the demise of corn fields everywhere!

 

The same is true for trees. The very moment we stop using paper, the foresters who are continually planting, growing and harvesting trees will be forced to do something else with their resources. But planting trees will not be one of them.

 

So, if we love trees, we have to use paper.

 

I just don’t want to be responsible for the death of the forests!!

[boogs]

I don't see what would be annoying about opening up limited WiFi access to allow folks to see the Compass electronically on their smart phones, tablets, or laptops.

 

That gets me the information I want when I want it without creating any waste and at a minimal cost to the company.

 

Yeah, like I want to carry one of those all the time while on vacation. I take my vacations to get away from everything at home, not to bring it along with me.

[sjcruiser]

I read the daily's at night to get an idea of whats going on for the net day. There use to be a side tab you could detach with a quick rundown of the times and location of events, and I'd stick that in my pocket with the events I wanted to do highlighted. They probably could condense the daily's, and do away with all the port shopping stuff.

[boogs]

Rhapsody of the Seas is in dry dock right now for refurb (a few ships have been done already) and is suppossed to be getting iPads:

 

 

 

There are few articles online about the refurb and what the ship is getting. The question is will they still be printing the same amount of Cruise Compass brocures after.

 

Personally, I would rather toss the iPad into the trash and keep my printed compass. At a curmudgeonly 62 years of age, I have no desire to spend the rest of my years being tethered to some confounded electronic crutch in order to survive another day.

 

[BlueRiband]

Don't you agree by now they should have come up with some kind of alternative to wasting ALL that paper from the ads they put in your cabin each day? ...

 

The ship wouldn't be printing on all that paper unless it resulted in sales. The cruise line generates more than enough revenue to offset the cost.

[MrsPete]

People could go up to the kiosk " say, hey that's a great one" and order it to be printed in a size that works for them. In my case it actually decreases their opportunities for a sale because I refuse to pose at all their little " photo stops" knowing they will print and I will pitch most if not all of the photos. If they did it digitally, I probably would not mind posing and would look at the kiosk every night and maybe end up ordering a few.

To add to your thoughts, how about they quit printing that big box with the ship's name under your photograph? I'm thinking of the photos they come around and take at dinner. Does anyone actually want that advertisement printed underneath his or her picture?

[KirkWN737]

If your concerned about the amount of paper on a cruise... You should see flying. Every flight we pretty much have a book of paper that is just thrown away or recycled. We're moving towards iPads rather than all the paper but that process is slow.

[Redbarnphotog]

I do like the Compasses being paper. We do carry ours around and keep notes and track activities.

 

What I don't understand is the photo paper. I would be interested to know why they don't come up with a system like the Disney Photo Pass. They could scan your card, take a picture or 2, then put them online. You could view them on a kiosk onboard, or as Disney does, give you a few weeks to view them at home. I believe they would make more money that way. People would not have to waste their time going through all of the photos looking for only their own. You could take your time and order them later. With the new flat screens on board, you could probably look at them there also. No wasted time, no wasted paper.

 

We used the Photo Pass system last December and loved the ease of use. We ordered several pictures. JMHO

 

As a Photography studio owner I can verify that the longer you give someone to look at the images, the less they will buy. And most people don't see the value of a digital image, they value the paper.

 

We have spent years educating our clients that it's not the paper that's valuable, it only costs a few cents. It's what's ON the paper that counts and the time and talent (and equipment) involved in capturing that image.

 

But, still, clients are more apt to buy and pay more when they can hold it in their hand and there is a sense of urgency with the theat of it becoming trash when you walk away.

[traveling1969]

No to put too fine a point on it, but they have to plan for the future and not for folks like you. Like it or not mobile data accessibility is what people expect.

I get your point; you missed mine. Many if not most cruisers do not have those devices. While paper is recyclable, many if not most of those devices are not. In the future that may change, but for now, if they want to reach all of their passengers, paper is the way to do it. not to mention the logistical nightmare of setting up a database for notifications. To do both at this time or to limit notification to said devices would not serve the best interest of ALL their passengers.

 

Harry (happy dinosaur)

[ducklite]

Photo paper is not recyclable. That to me is a very, very big waste of resources. I like the idea of kiosks where you browse through, select the photos you like, swipe your card and hit print. It takes seconds for those to print out these days.

[ducklite]

I get your point; you missed mine. Many if not most cruisers do not have those devices. While paper is recyclable, many if not most of those devices are not. In the future that may change, but for now, if they want to reach all of their passengers, paper is the way to do it. not to mention the logistical nightmare of setting up a database for notifications. To do both at this time or to limit notification to said devices would not serve the best interest of ALL their passengers.

 

Harry (happy dinosaur)

 

Actually setting up the notifications is incredibly easy from an I/T perspective.

[PeterPan]

Photo paper is not recyclable. That to me is a very, very big waste of resources. I like the idea of kiosks where you browse through, select the photos you like, swipe your card and hit print. It takes seconds for those to print out these days.

 

This is true of the old types of photo paper from the film age, but not for the new digital age. The paper used to produce images of digital photographs is just a coated heavy stock paper.

[traveling1969]

Actually setting up the notifications is incredibly easy from an I/T perspective.

Yes, once you've gathered all the data. That's a bit more time consuming.

[johneeo]

Yes, once you've gathered all the data. That's a bit more time consuming.

 

Not at all.

 

Businesses continually and eternally gather data every second of every day.

 

It is how they handle it and what they do with it is the sticky wickett.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how most companies have pathetic database solutions for handling everything from contact management, customer relationship management, sales force automation, etc.

[ducklite]

Yes, once you've gathered all the data. That's a bit more time consuming.

 

I'm guessing you don't work in I/T or publishing.

[Smokeyham]

Rhapsody of the Seas is in dry dock right now for refurb (a few ships have been done already) and is suppossed to be getting iPads:

 

 

 

There are few articles online about the refurb and what the ship is getting. The question is will they still be printing the same amount of Cruise Compass brocures after.

 

There are a couple of problems with putting iPads in every cabin. (1) for people who don't own one, you then have to quickly learn the new technology. If people are having difficulties, will there be sufficient IT staff to support them?

 

(2) Many people (as we have seen here) still like the paper version of the ship's paper to be able to highlight it, and to keep as a souvenir.

 

(3) Will customers be happy having to carry around an iPad or other device, and will they be liable for the cost if they lose or damage it?

 

If they do provide these in every cabin, I hope they will provide an "opt out" provision for people who do not want to use them, and who want to stay with paper.

[traveling1969]

I'm guessing you don't work in I/T or publishing.

Kind of obvious from my previous posts;).

[srlafleur]

There are a couple of problems with putting iPads in every cabin. (1) for people who don't own one, you then have to quickly learn the new technology. If people are having difficulties, will there be sufficient IT staff to support them?

 

(2) Many people (as we have seen here) still like the paper version of the ship's paper to be able to highlight it, and to keep as a souvenir.

 

(3) Will customers be happy having to carry around an iPad or other device, and will they be liable for the cost if they lose or damage it?

 

If they do provide these in every cabin, I hope they will provide an "opt out" provision for people who do not want to use them, and who want to stay with paper.

 

My guess would be that the paper versions would probably still be available at the main desk or somewhere. And it's likely the i-pad would be somehow attached near the desk as a permanent fixture, or they would surely sprout feet and jump ship.

[j24752]

The LAST thing i want to do is lug around any type of ipad or tablet or anything like that while im on vacation. ITS VACATION PEOPLE!!!! If you want to be all "techie" and stay connected, go to an Apple store and vacation there. A cruise is about sun, sand and relaxation.

 

 

I agree you dont need to waste tons of paper printing ads, but if that helps the bottome line to help them make their revenue, its called "the cost of doing business". If they dont make $$$ selling other items from those ads, the cost of your cruise goes up to make up for it.

 

I love the daily print out they give you. I can highlight what i want to do, fold it up and put it in my pocket and go.

 

There is more to life than increasing it's speed. -Ghandi

[Leo Jay]

I'm sure they won't stop printing on paper anytime soon, but an electronic option could be low cost, easily-updatable on the fly and one less thing (for us "brain-dead" people who do use electronic data devices).

:D

[Stanza]

Im am travelling on Rhapsody OTS later this year so have read about the March upgrades with interest. One of them is iPads in every cabin, so Im guessing that a lot of the paper based communications and potentially photo boards will now be delivered to your cabin via the iPad. iI will definitely help with the paper overload, and as it will be on their iPad, it will not cost the guest to view, as they will have total control of the content available.

[ITMan]

I do like the Compasses being paper. We do carry ours around and keep notes and track activities.

 

What I don't understand is the photo paper. I would be interested to know why they don't come up with a system like the Disney Photo Pass. They could scan your card, take a picture or 2, then put them online. You could view them on a kiosk onboard, or as Disney does, give you a few weeks to view them at home. I believe they would make more money that way. People would not have to waste their time going through all of the photos looking for only their own. You could take your time and order them later. With the new flat screens on board, you could probably look at them there also. No wasted time, no wasted paper.

 

We used the Photo Pass system last December and loved the ease of use. We ordered several pictures. JMHO

 

I agree totally. I wish they would do a more electronic photo system and something like the disney pass would be great. We would probably spend more then than now.

 

I know that they think the paper photo thing is a great marketing tool, but just how much do they waste every cruise. No wonder prices are so high! They could make just as much if not more on an online system, selling more pictures at a lower cost, with vastly lower overheads!

 

On the compass side, I do like the paper ones to carry round and keep as souveners, however we are booked on the Grandeaur in October, and my understanding is they are moving to an electronic system at their refit in May. They are, I believe, putting in touch screens through the ship to find your way and to allow you to check activities. There are also supposed to be iPADS in every stateroom and the compass will be delivered electronically.

[Ocean Boy]

I agree totally. I wish they would do a more electronic photo system and something like the disney pass would be great. We would probably spend more then than now.

 

I know that they think the paper photo thing is a great marketing tool, but just how much do they waste every cruise. No wonder prices are so high! They could make just as much if not more on an online system, selling more pictures at a lower cost, with vastly lower overheads!

 

On the compass side, I do like the paper ones to carry round and keep as souveners, however we are booked on the Grandeaur in October, and my understanding is they are moving to an electronic system at their refit in May. They are, I believe, putting in touch screens through the ship to find your way and to allow you to check activities. There are also supposed to be iPADS in every stateroom and the compass will be delivered electronically.

 

Prices are what they are because people will pay them. If RCI lowered it overhead they would continue to charge the same and pocket more money. The only thing that will lower prices is a drop off in sales.

[Smokeyham]

 

On the compass side, I do like the paper ones to carry round and keep as souveners, however we are booked on the Grandeaur in October, and my understanding is they are moving to an electronic system at their refit in May.

 

They are, I believe, putting in touch screens through the ship to find your way and to allow you to check activities. There are also supposed to be iPADS in every stateroom and the compass will be delivered electronically.

 

 

I'd be interestd to get your feedback on how the electronic Compass works, after your trip aboard the Grandeur of the Seas in October.