Sales must be bad

[Loonbeam]

They may give a few crew some downtime, but think about it. After the TA or cruise the ship will be on another cruise, and they will need them then. There's always additional training, maintenance, etc..

 

Then what will they have the surplus labour do? Remake made beds?

[generichandle]

Don't give up on the idea of more TA's too quickly Loonbeam. I can visualize one I think might sell for the older regulars. To wit:

 

Ft L, St Thomas, Canary 1, Canary 2, Maderia, Paris, London, Glasgow, Shetland I, Iceland, Greenland, St Johns, NYC, Ft L.

 

28 days TA Circle, no transatlantic flights so reasonable price, and no repeated track. Substitute your favorites along this approx path and you can see what I mean. Think it could be done in Spring or Fall before repositioning [or a single ship Summer Caribbean season, which they have resisted].

 

I would buy it, I think maybe it would sell if only done 1 or 2 times per year.

 

I agree Princess [all cruise lines] are at least partly at the mercy of air prices. Gotta work around it if they can.

 

Doug

[Loonbeam]

Makes sense, except that in the same 28 days they can do 4 7 day round trips, with each one loading new passengers who will buy more photos, items from the gift shop, etc and probably 16 ports to sell excursions in versus 10...

 

Don't give up on the idea of more TA's too quickly Loonbeam. I can visualize one I think might sell for the older regulars. To wit:

 

Ft L, St Thomas, Canary 1, Canary 2, Maderia, Paris, London, Glasgow, Shetland I, Iceland, Greenland, St Johns, NYC, Ft L.

 

28 days TA Circle, no transatlantic flights so reasonable price, and no repeated track. Substitute your favorites along this approx path and you can see what I mean. Think it could be done in Spring or Fall before repositioning [or a single ship Summer Caribbean season, which they have resisted].

 

I would buy it, I think maybe it would sell if only done 1 or 2 times per year.

 

I agree Princess [all cruise lines] are at least partly at the mercy of air prices. Gotta work around it if they can.

 

Doug

[CZEE]

Don't give up on the idea of more TA's too quickly Loonbeam. I can visualize one I think might sell for the older regulars. To wit:

 

Ft L, St Thomas, Canary 1, Canary 2, Maderia, Paris, London, Glasgow, Shetland I, Iceland, Greenland, St Johns, NYC, Ft L.

 

28 days TA Circle, no transatlantic flights so reasonable price, and no repeated track. Substitute your favorites along this approx path and you can see what I mean. Think it could be done in Spring or Fall before repositioning [or a single ship Summer Caribbean season, which they have resisted].

 

I would buy it, I think maybe it would sell if only done 1 or 2 times per year.

 

I agree Princess [all cruise lines] are at least partly at the mercy of air prices. Gotta work around it if they can.

 

Doug

 

I'd sign up for that in a heart beat!

[ONT-CA]

As anyone who has ever been a manager can attest, there is always work that can be done. I certainly don't do housekeeping (not even in my own house; that's what the maid service is for!), but I imagine it's a great time to deep clean cabins, to organize supplies, to inventory. .

 

Do you really imagine they send the crew home for a vacation in the middle of their contract?

 

The idea of sending someone home who is on contract is ludicrous. But as pooled labour they could be assigned to other vessels that are primarily filled and in need. The allocation of the labour force is under stricter control than "we have a surplus quantity, let's deep clean..." Plus the drop in the HC gratuity amounts in there being fewer passengers will be such that all employees will be working for less of that shared income .

[PunkiC]

We had an extremely light load on our last cruise so they upgraded everybody on two decks, moved crew members into those decks and used the cruise to refurbish the crews quarters.

 

We were in a balcony on Aloha and could see that they had removed all of the deck furniture from the decks where the crew were temporarily reassigned. I thought that was interesting.

[Love.II.Cruise]

We had an extremely light load on our last cruise so they upgraded everybody on two decks, moved crew members into those decks and used the cruise to refurbish the crews quarters.

 

We were in a balcony on Aloha and could see that they had removed all of the deck furniture from the decks where the crew were temporarily reassigned. I thought that was interesting.

 

That is interesting!

[Waihekean]

Princess could offer more competitive pricing to regions outside the US of A and it might be able to full their ships up. Even the cruises that Princess have split in half I can't access the pricing they offer to the USA.

 

 

Aye! aint that the truth. DH and I had planned to go on the Royal Princess, but the fares were just too high for us down under. Have now booked with Celebrity, because they allow non resident bookings and can take advantage of American pricing (about half price compared to Princess). The itinerary is not as good as the Princess cruise and we will have to add on a land trip to Venice and Florence, but after all costs of transport, accommodation & food have been deducted, we still save about $ 2,500 NZ.

[cruis247g]

Loonbean - We LOVE the idea of a TA! (I don't know how much revenue they generate for the cruise line.) It's a fabulous way to get to Europe from our home. At present, we can't take one on Princess because they don't seem to exist in summer, mainly spring and fall for ship relocation, and we are tied to summer for longer cruises because we have children in school. There is another line that does TAs in the summer, but I would prefer it on Princess.

 

As was said earlier on this thread, we tend not to fly to Europe (from the US) for shorter cruises because the airfare for the family is quite costly, however, I'm now rethinking that. If we could fly to a city we really enjoy and combine an inexpensive cruise and a land based vaca, that might work.

[Cruise Junky]

I have to say, we're really tempted by Crown being split into 2 6 day cruises. The cruise out of Athens leaves the day after we arrive in Rome on Equinox. Easy Jet flight is about $60 plus luggage. That still gives us two days at the end of Crown's cruise to get back to Paris for our flights home. Balcony for $699 is darn tempting!

[Loonbeam]

I love the idea as well, but it looks like the sales figures just don't hold up to add more of them...

 

Loonbean - We LOVE the idea of a TA! (I don't know how much revenue they generate for the cruise line.) It's a fabulous way to get to Europe from our home. At present, we can't take one on Princess because they don't seem to exist in summer, mainly spring and fall for ship relocation, and we are tied to summer for longer cruises because we have children in school. There is another line that does TAs in the summer, but I would prefer it on Princess.

 

As was said earlier on this thread, we tend not to fly to Europe (from the US) for shorter cruises because the airfare for the family is quite costly, however, I'm now rethinking that. If we could fly to a city we really enjoy and combine an inexpensive cruise and a land based vaca, that might work.

[rdsqrl]

I have to say, we're really tempted by Crown being split into 2 6 day cruises. The cruise out of Athens leaves the day after we arrive in Rome on Equinox. Easy Jet flight is about $60 plus luggage. That still gives us two days at the end of Crown's cruise to get back to Paris for our flights home. Balcony for $699 is darn tempting!

I think you should go for it!!!!!! What fun, to have two Med cruises in the same vacation window. And it'd be hard to do six days on land w/meals and all for the same price.

[Cruise Junky]

I think you should go for it!!!!!! What fun, to have two Med cruises in the same vacation window. And it'd be hard to do six days on land w/meals and all for the same price.

 

Yes, it's going to cost more by land...but I have to give up 6 nights at my favourite B & B in the world in the South of France and 2 days in Brussels....tough choice! Will save a ton of dough though.

[cruising cockroach]

If anyone wants to see a cheap cruise, the Crown P's TATL on 2 Dec Barcelona to Galveston is cheap. $1,000 for an inside for 20 days and I bet it'll drop much further.

 

The cruise lines should really market them as replacements for airlines travel. I was tempted by the above deal but will take a shorter (1 week shorter) HAL cruise earlier in the season in a verandah GTY for the same price as the inside on the Crown P.

[icat2000]

I thought about doing one of the cheap 6 days. But it probably bit tight getting from Athens to Venice on the same day.

[lcmslady]

first, why would I fly all the way to Europe for a 6 day cruise? If I'm flying all that way and spending all that money, I'm going for more than a week.

 

Second, aren't they setting themselves up for another Costa Concordia type situation - when people get on and off - if some folks do the full 12 days and others do 6, how do you know who has done muster drill.

 

I'm just sayin.....

[icat2000]

Well for me I'm already going to be in Europe and doing the Ruby TA on 9 October. I haven't booked my flight out from Australia yet so I can be a little flexible. I'm also watching a couple of Royal Carribean pricing too. I wait until after final payment date to make a decision.

 

I think its a bit of stretch to say their setting themselves up for a Costa type situation. They turn boats around on 7 day cruises. What wrong with 6 day cruises.

[weberman]

I would never book a six day cruise because I like cruising so much and I love being on the ship and at sea. With a six day cruise, you'd only have 3 days to relax.

 

Airfare costs definiteely can add $$$$ to a cruise and therefore limit your choices. Right now I'm able to work overtime at work to save up for our airfares to Europe. When I retire in 2016 I might have to adjust my travelling itineraries. I am also lucky to live about 70 or so miles north of the port of San Pedro. Last year we did the 14 day r/t to Hawaii. We are also doing it again next year. It soooo nice not to have to worry about costs, luggage weight, etc.

Bob

 

Who knows what the airfares are going to be when they are finally available? Which in most cases will probably be about October, 2012.

 

"The Shadow Knows" :D

[Cruise Junky]

first, why would I fly all the way to Europe for a 6 day cruise? If I'm flying all that way and spending all that money, I'm going for more than a week.

 

Second, aren't they setting themselves up for another Costa Concordia type situation - when people get on and off - if some folks do the full 12 days and others do 6, how do you know who has done muster drill.

 

I'm just sayin.....

 

It's all about options. From the US, book the 12 day. Already in Europe book a six day, or tag a six day on the end of a 12 day.

 

Costa comment is kind of silly, lots of lines have boarding in multiple ports and don't hit rocks.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Cruise Junky...would you mind sharing the name and town of the favorite B&B you refer to in the south of France?

 

thanks!

[Cruise Junky]

Cruise Junky...would you mind sharing the name and town of the favorite B&B you refer to in the south of France?

 

thanks!

 

No problem. Villa Maxime in St. Paul de Vence

[ukbriang]

Please somebody tell me what a "Ta" is ???

[hmh60]

Please somebody tell me what a "Ta" is ???

 

Transatlantic

[sunsetbeachgal]

No problem. Villa Maxime in St. Paul de Vence

 

Looks lovely!! What a choice...cruising or this magnificent place...life is good ;)

 

prior poster...TA on this thread refers to transatlantic sailing. On some other threads TA is abbreviation for travel agent

[Cruise Junky]

Looks lovely!! What a choice...cruising or this magnificent place...life is good ;)

 

 

Such a trial to have to make these decisions :) It is lovely, as are the owners.