Is Princess Trying Too Hard

[Shogun]

Hi All

Is Princess trying too hard to please to wide a cruise market , do they need to focus more on a more limited section.

Many companies have expanded from their core business sector made a mess of these new markets as well as taking their eye of their money making core, result know one is happy.

If you run down a list of cruise companies and try and put a couple of words against them to describe them, they try and do the same for Princess

Regent Seven Seas 6 star service

Saga over 50s only

Thomson All inclusive

Disney Family

Fred Olson Tradional

P&O British

Carnival Fun

RCI Mega ship

Princess ?

We see lots of posts from unhappy cruisers, saying shows better on X, food better on Y service better on Z

So what is Princess target market, it can not be honeymoon couples alone,

Are they looking to offer a low price good value cruise experience to first time cruisers, and assume that after a few cruises they will move onto other cruise companies.

The Royal Princess looks very nice and I am sure I will enjoy my cruise on her, but again there are posts saying not happy with this or that and they have not even launched the ship.

So a few thoughts, is Princess looking to provide a nice cruise experience to get to great ports of call, or are they wanting the cruise experience to be the highlight of the vacation,

If Princess is to stand out from the pack, what do you think they should be doing that they are not.

Just now the ships are sailing mostly full, so should we experienced Princess

cruisers just accept that we are not their core market.

At the end of the day we are not forced to cruise on Princess it is our choice

they put there product out there, for all to see and compare,

and when we do compare, I know I can get better, food, service etc but can I get it at the same Price as provided by Princess.

yours Shogun

[Iamcruzin]

I have to tell you that I canceled my Royal Princess Caribbean cruise and booked a cruise on Celebrity. At first it was based on itinerary and then X offered a great promotional deal where they matched a gift card purchase up to $500 which was taken off the cost of the cruise. I am now doing an 8 day itinerary on X stopping at 4 ports one of them being an overnight in Bermuda. So for me who has a very limited budget and vacation time. Price and itinerary is going to dictate who I sail with. With that said Celebrity must be having a hard time filling ships especially in Europe. They are now offering the basic beverage package which includes alcohol tax and gratuities for free for the first 2 passengers. The package costs $44 a day plus tax and grats. If you are sailing a European itinerary you have a choice of picking 2 out of the 3 promotional offers. I don't think the New Royal Princess is much different than any of the Grand class ships. It just offers more of the same features only larger. I'm also not crazy about only one main pool because I will be forced to listen to MUTS during the day and really won't be able to escape completely.

[Balloon Man]

I'm wondering if Princess isn't trying hard enough? We are fortunate to be able to book suites (that doesn't make us snobs), and we enjoyed our penthouse on Golden to Hawaii and the perqs that went with it. Our next Princess cruise is in September on Diamond from Vancouver to Beijing and from my understanding of recent Cruise Critic postings it seems that Princess may no longer value suite guests.

 

We choose our cruises firstly for itinerary and then for the ship. If on our trans Pacific cruise we find that Princess is no longer offering value for money they will no longer feature on our list of lines from which to choose. We will see what September brings, but I hope it isn't disappointment.

 

Maybe they are trying to be the first communist inspired line - equality for all. And it might work.

[Coral]

I think they are not trying hard enough. They used to try to compete with Celebrity (and possibly HAL). They were ranked equally with Celebrity back in the day. Now, many experts put both of these lines above Princess.

 

I think they are spending more time on cut backs and trying to save money that they are declining the experience/quality and just trying to fill the ships so they can get onboard revenue.

[jollyjones]

A large part of what keeps me coming back to Princess (I'm on a cruise right now!) can be said in two words - PROMENADE DECK!!!

 

I look at all these new behemoths being built and wonder what it feels like to cruise without easy access to a good walking deck.

[Mulege]

They are owned by CCL and that company is cutting wherever they can. Unfortunately it is occurring on Princess and diluting what traditionally has been an excellent product.

 

Celebrity has made a huge investment in modern ships and refurbishing their older ships. They might not always hit the mark but they consistently strive to be a cut above their competitors and it is showing in guest satisfaction. Hard for Princess to do when their food and entertainment budgets are being cut. Read CCL financial reports.

[melbur]

I think they are not trying hard enough. They used to try to compete with Celebrity (and possibly HAL). They were ranked equally with Celebrity back in the day. Now, many experts put both of these lines above Princess.

 

I think they are spending more time on cut backs and trying to save money that they are declining the experience/quality and just trying to fill the ships so they can get onboard revenue.

 

Well said - agree totally.

[ChevyCruiser]

A large part of what keeps me coming back to Princess (I'm on a cruise right now!) can be said in two words - PROMENADE DECK!!!

 

I look at all these new behemoths being built and wonder what it feels like to cruise without easy access to a good walking deck.

 

I'm with you on the promenade decks. I spent a week on the NCL prison ship Epic and never felt so disconnected from the sea. Their 'promenade" deck was really a lifeboat access area where you could walk back and forth and look at the lifeboats. Never again.

 

Now, if Princess would just learn that louder is not the same as better with the MUTS sound level in the daytime, they'll have me 100%.

[Nomsayin]

This and several other recent threads have made me think about why we stay with Princess, although we've also sailed with RCI, Carnival, and X. We're now in the Platinum category and are booked on the CB for the British Isles next August. We always get a balcony somewhere midships, but nothing fancier than that.

 

What keeps us coming back, I think, is the overall consistency of the experience. We know what to expect and those expectations are nearly always met. We expect an organized, well-run ship and interesting itineraries. We expect a variety of good food. We expect a clean, comfortable, well-maintained cabin. We expect a selection of interesting, well-organized excursions (yes, we favor the "geezer bus" tours). We expect professional, easily accessible entertainment, and this is perhaps the one area in which we've been a bit disappointed of late. We pretty much gave up on the first evening shows in the theatre when it became impossible to find a seat an hour or more before the show. We've not yet sailed with the new half hour format, but my inclination is to wonder if it's worth the effort to go for something that short. On the brighter side, instead of the theatre we now enjoy the lounge shows, piano bar, and atrium performances.

 

Are there things we don't like about Princess? Well, the Horizon buffet can be a competition sport at times. And it would be nice to take an outside walk around the ship without changing decks, as is the case on some ships. Daytime MUTS (an oxymoron?) is distracting. Also, shower controls can be challenging.

 

All in all, though, the positives far outweigh the negatives for us, and in the end I think the main reason we like Princess is that they always look after us.

[ChevyCruiser]

I think that the too-loud volume of MUTS is my chief complaint with Princess. I complain about it every cruise in hopes that it might change someday.

 

I think some already-half-deaf, 20-somethings must control the volume and 10+ is all they know.:eek:

[flamomo]

I think that the too-loud volume of MUTS is my chief complaint with Princess. I complain about it every cruise in hopes that it might change someday.

 

I think some already-half-deaf, 20-somethings must control the volume and 10+ is all they know.:eek:

 

 

I certainly agree with this. The volume is ridiculous, when one can be half a deck away from MUTS, with a wall in between the two pool areas, and still hear the sound!!!

 

I suggest Princess invests in some of those radio-like devices that transmit the audio to earphones. Then viewers can set the volume to their personal needs, and others in the area are no blasted with horribly loud audio that is inescapable unless one opts to go to the farthest end of the Lido deck to escape it.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

When MUTS first came out it had head sets. Did not last long.

 

yours Shogun

[flamomo]

Hi There

 

When MUTS first came out it had head sets. Did not last long.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

They were terrible .... el cheapo! They really did not work well, so I can see why.

[balcony bum]

I stay away from muts because it is to loud so now that is one area of the ship I can not use or enjoy :(

[USAF Retired]

I don't think Princess is trying to capture any specific section of the cruise market as much as they are trying to recover lost revenue. A few years ago you had to book a Caribbean cruise about a year in advance to get a balcony cabin. I just checked the Caribbean Princess for early April of this year and found over 100 empty cabins listed. I remember boarding and seeing the signs that the cruise is sailing full and no upgrade or cabin changes available and that was not on the last few cruises. With over 100 empty cabins and 17 ships and figuring about $2000 minimum per cabin for cost and spending on board they have lost revenue of a few million dollars a week. My wife and I were on the Golden Princess to Hawaii in January 2012 and Caribbean Princess in November 2012 and the food was good but not as good as before so they seem to be cutting budgets and personnel in order to save money. Reading the posts here and on the Princess page on Facebook a large number of smokers, mainly Platinum and Elite, have left for other cruise lines. Even Disney which caters to kids allows smoking on balconies. I think Princess lost more passengers than they planned on and must be cutting costs to make up for the lost revenue. I realize the smoking issue has been beaten to death on boards and I am not trying to open up this issue again, just stating what I have observed.

[itravelalot]

I think they are not trying hard enough. They used to try to compete with Celebrity (and possibly HAL). They were ranked equally with Celebrity back in the day. Now, many experts put both of these lines above Princess.

 

I think they are spending more time on cut backs and trying to save money that they are declining the experience/quality and just trying to fill the ships so they can get onboard revenue.

 

It is like everything else in the world economy. Just like when high end car manufacturers started lowering their brand to have models affordable to "everyman". Cruiselines had to change with the times too.. Less formal attire, anytime dining, fewer perks for suites and more nights/cruises needed to reach loyalty levels.. They, like everyone else are trying to appeal to a broader audience. It is a shame, especially when service suffers and you lose perks that once brought you to the line. We have only done one Princess Cruise and were very happy with it, but I am not comparing to past Princess cruises, only other lines.

[tip]

.... I realize the smoking issue has been beaten to death on boards and I am not trying to open up this issue again...

 

And for what it is worth, that is why we are now booking Princess cruises rather than RCCL or HAL ... new smoking policy on Princess. We look forward to enjoying our balcony on the Emerald next week without having to breathe second hand smoke!

[lcmslady]

I can't speak from recent experience with Princess bub do have a couple of thoughts

 

1. Owned by CCL. I'm assuming that it didn't used to be. If that's the case, could it be that CCL has a 'Carnival' mentality and is trying to make Princess 1 step about Carnival instead of 5 steps above Carnival?

2. Competition - In Europe and especially in the Caribbean, there are so many ships available, that a shopper who isn't married to one line can shop by price - which means revenue goes down.

 

I'll be honest. I booked the cruise I sail on tomorrow because I hadn'ttt sailed on Princess in a long time and I thought that their ship and itinerary were better than what X was offering.

after reading these boards all summer, I'm a little apprehensive about what awaits but it is what it is. It's still a cruise, still the Panama Canal, and can it really be that bad??

[junglejane]

I tend to agree with Coral that Princess is not trying hard enough. With the Solstice class ships, Celebrity implemented a conscious business plan to redefine itself as "Modern Luxury" and to appeal to a younger, upscale demographic. I'm not saying that marketing strategy has been a total success, but at least there seems to be a strategy. We still enjoy our Princess cruise experiences, but Princess just seems a little bland by comparison. The S-class ships have a very contemporary feel, which many liken to the W hotels with "contemporary luxury", amplified entertainment, vibrant lounges, innovative cocktails, etc. You might not like it and you might even hate it. But it's a conscious strategy and branding effort.

 

I've never studied marketing and don't claim to know what works. But as a consumer it seems to me that a big cruise line has to appeal to a broad market to fill its ships while having some sort of "branding' or identity that sets it apart. It's more than just a slogan such as "Escape Completely." I like Princess but feel that it is lacking in an identity that differentiates it from the crowd. It's a good, reliable cruise experience with itineraries and prices that work for us -- but you need more than that to stand out in a highly competitive cruise market. Right now, when I can find a Celebrity cruise with a price and itinerary that works for me, I tend to prefer it over Princess. I'll be interested in the reports on the new Royal Princess as they come in and maybe that will change my thinking.

[Loonbeam]

While not privy to marketing decisions, in my book it simple math. Cruiselines are building more and bigger ships to spread out costs. Those ships need people on them. To get those people you need to expand your market. To expand your market you need to modify your offering to attract more people. Business 101.

 

I'll cruise whichever line works out best for my plans. I do look at Princess first, because as someone above mentioned they are among the most consistent in their service from my experience and their price point is usually reasonable. But I'll sail RCCL, Disney, Celebrity if the schedule fits and I am sure I'll try HAL and possibly even Carnival at some point (for some reason, can't get into NCL, tho their new class looks interesting).

 

But back on point, here's the deal. Cruiselines cannot survive in the current market by focusing on 'traditional' cruisers. There are simply not enough of those anymore. And in broadening their market they will make decisions that alienate some of those cruisers, but if alienating 1 gets you 10 more... Add that in to necessary cost cutting (fares are still comparable to those in the 1990s) and you are talking a lot of change that can't be avoided. What they really need to do is what the airlines are doing and reduce capacity...

[FritzG]

A large part of what keeps me coming back to Princess (I'm on a cruise right now!) can be said in two words - PROMENADE DECK!!!

 

I look at all these new behemoths being built and wonder what it feels like to cruise without easy access to a good walking deck.

 

That was one of our many complaints about the Celebrity Eclipse. We missed our walks on the open decks. It felt so closed in when you went out on the promenade deck.

[WolfpackFan]

Well we've been on three Princess cruises and loved all three of them but the last time we sailed with Princess was 7 years ago. We are now trying to decide on a cruise for next January and either the Crown or Emerald are our main two choices. I hate to hear that things have declined on Princess but we plan on sailing with them anyway. We've found in the past that many of the things that people complain about don't bother us at all. Our main reason for choosing Princess is Anytime Dining as well as they usually have more interesting itineraries than other lines. Plus we've found the Princess prices to be more reasonable than a lot of the other lines. We'll just have to see next January how things have changed. We're also hoping to do the British Isles cruise in 2015 and will have to sail Princess then as they seem to be the only line that does that kind of cruise.

[Happy2cruise]

Have cruised Princess 25 times and for the first time we are trying Royal Caribbean in about a week and Celebrity in March.

 

While we still love Princess, since Carnival took over we have seen many, many changes and not for the better. I personally do not blame Princess but I do blame their parent company Carnival. They are calling the shots and it seems Princess hands are tied.

 

This is just my personal opinion and you may not agree. I saw it happen when my husband's company was bought by another one. A good, profit making company, great place to work has turned into the complete opposite. Sounds like the Carnival purchase of Princess???????

[mr green]

Hi All

Is Princess trying too hard to please to wide a cruise market , do they need to focus more on a more limited section.

Many companies have expanded from their core business sector made a mess of these new markets as well as taking their eye of their money making core, result know one is happy.

If you run down a list of cruise companies and try and put a couple of words against them to describe them, they try and do the same for Princess

Regent Seven Seas 6 star service

Saga over 50s only

Thomson All inclusive

Disney Family

Fred Olson Tradional

P&O British

Carnival Fun

RCI Mega ship

Princess ?

We see lots of posts from unhappy cruisers, saying shows better on X, food better on Y service better on Z

So what is Princess target market, it can not be honeymoon couples alone,

Are they looking to offer a low price good value cruise experience to first time cruisers, and assume that after a few cruises they will move onto other cruise companies.

The Royal Princess looks very nice and I am sure I will enjoy my cruise on her, but again there are posts saying not happy with this or that and they have not even launched the ship.

So a few thoughts, is Princess looking to provide a nice cruise experience to get to great ports of call, or are they wanting the cruise experience to be the highlight of the vacation,

If Princess is to stand out from the pack, what do you think they should be doing that they are not.

Just now the ships are sailing mostly full, so should we experienced Princess

cruisers just accept that we are not their core market.

At the end of the day we are not forced to cruise on Princess it is our choice

they put there product out there, for all to see and compare,

and when we do compare, I know I can get better, food, service etc but can I get it at the same Price as provided by Princess.

yours Shogun.

 

As one who is getting increasingly disilusioned by Princess of late, much of what Showgun has stated is too true. His questions are not easy to answer, but to me Princess seems to be cutting back too much,at the expense of what was a very good product.

 

john

[jimandtoni]

That was one of our many complaints about the Celebrity Eclipse. We missed our walks on the open decks. It felt so closed in when you went out on the promenade deck.

We also miss the old promenade decks where you could walk all the way around the ship, even to the bow of the ship! Ever since "I'm KING OF THE WOLRD" scene in Titanic, this has been a thing of the past. Too bad..it was fun to be on the bow at night...