Future of Oceania

[StanandJim]

We have been on Virgin-atlantic airways many times and think is is among the best in the world. (upper class) Do not know about the back of the plane but think it would compare to others. Also, Virgin-Australia and Virgin-America. My opinion is that anything he founds is top shelf and would think the same should be true of Virgin Voyages. Time will tell. :):)

 

Branson is painting an R ship Orange-

I don't have great hope for his taste level.

[Sea42]

An interesting aspect to all of this is the limited cruise options in winter. The Carribean is already glutted with ships creating fire sale prices on some cruises. All these additional new ships will add to that. A week on a cruise ship in the Carribean in winter may become cheaper than staying at a Holiday Inn!

However, only half of the world is experiencing winter at a time. I would guess that there are many places in the Southern Hemisphere with rich histories that could be developed into interesting port stops.

[pinotlover]

Sea42;

 

How many cruise ships at a time do you ( or they) want in Papeete and Bora Bora at a time? Already no shortage of ships in Oz and NZ during those months. Oceania stopped sending the Marina there because it couldn’t fill it up in between there and back. Only the R ships go there now for O.

 

Viking is running a ship up the coast of Norway and into the fjords, in the dead of winter, to see the Northern Lights! I wonder if that demand will fill multiple ships? There would be an adventure for you , caught in a Northern Atlantic storm/ blizzard in January! I’d spend big bucks for that! All those cruisers that don’t care about the ports, only the ships, might be just right for them!

[StanandJim]

However, only half of the world is experiencing winter at a time. I would guess that there are many places in the Southern Hemisphere with rich histories that could be developed into interesting port stops.

 

While you are guessing, please list 5 where the Airfare is less than $500pp from North America.

[Sea42]

Sea42;

 

How many cruise ships at a time do you ( or they) want in Papeete and Bora Bora at a time? Already no shortage of ships in Oz and NZ during those months. Oceania stopped sending the Marina there because it couldn’t fill it up in between there and back. Only the R ships go there now for O.

 

Viking is running a ship up the coast of Norway and into the fjords, in the dead of winter, to see the Northern Lights! I wonder if that demand will fill multiple ships? There would be an adventure for you , caught in a Northern Atlantic storm/ blizzard in January! I’d spend big bucks for that! All those cruisers that don’t care about the ports, only the ships, might be just right for them!

Those are all good points. I just think it's a big world out there and there are probably some areas that would love to attract more tourist dollars. Granted, it will ruin those places for land tourist (Cozumel and Playa del Carmen etc).

[Sea42]

While you are guessing, please list 5 where the Airfare is less than $500pp from North America.

Is $500 the magic number for airfare? If that were the case we wouldn't travel to very many places!

[buggins0402]

FYI..For those that were not around for Renaissance the reason they went out of business in addition to the disaster of 9/11 was that they overbuilt the R ships and could not fill them 8 ships in a couple of years....those of us that were around remember $999 for 10 days in a balcony including air fare..

Plus..An interesting fact you may not know..

The new Viking ships are the following..when Ren was built they had a 2nd generation of ships drawn up ..900 passengers..when they went out of business in 2001 the plans for those ships were put away..later they were bought by Viking, which is why the Viking ships are so similar to the R ships.,they did take out the casino that was drawn in there..

Just some fun facts..

Dont worry about Oceania..they are doing fine!!

Jancruz1

 

Our first cruise was an oddball Renaissance Cruise on a ship they had chartered. The ship is still sailing for Voyages to Antiquity.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Aegean_Odyssey

 

Do you know the reason for that charter? Perhaps a late delivery on an R?

[RJB]

 

Branson is painting an R ship Orange-

I don't have great hope for his taste level.

Exactly what he said about your taste level. I would go with him.

[ORV]

 

Branson is painting an R ship Orange-

I don't have great hope for his taste level.

 

I guess I don't know what you're talking about. Please explain.

[StanandJim]

Is $500 the magic number for airfare? If that were the case we wouldn't travel to very many places!

 

I was being generous with the $500 figure.

 

If the cruise line sends its' ships off to far flung "interesting" places, those cruises are in competition with others who are getting passengers to the ship for under $200.00

.

Not much help in drumming up business.

[buggins0402]

I was being generous with the $500 figure.

 

If the cruise line sends its' ships off to far flung "interesting" places, those cruises are in competition with others who are getting passengers to the ship for under $200.00

.

Not much help in drumming up business.

 

Not only that, when many people are looking at long flights, they will only do it in business. So it’s $200 vs $6K. The airline then captures a large percentage of those vacation dollars as opposed to the cruise company.

[tgg]

FYI..For those that were not around for Renaissance the reason they went out of business in addition to the disaster of 9/11 was that they overbuilt the R ships and could not fill them 8 ships in a couple of years....those of us that were around remember $999 for 10 days in a balcony including air fare.

 

Jancruz1

 

Jan, I wonder if people remember the other eight Renaissance ships? They carried fewer than 120 passengers and were designated Renaissance I through Renaissance VIII. I was reminded of them recently when I saw a picture of the MVCorinthian and realized that it was one of those yachtlike vessels.

[Wol]

>>Why is Oceania not expanding and thus "allowing" Viking Ocean to surpass it in terms of fleet size? What Oceania seems to be doing (or not doing) is like what Azamara was doing (or was not doing) when Oceania overtook it.<<

 

FWIW My read has been that NCL will allow Oceania to fade away and hope that the loyal membership will migrate to Regent.

I think they are mainly wrong if that's the "plan" (My quotes)

[buggins0402]

>>Why is Oceania not expanding and thus "allowing" Viking Ocean to surpass it in terms of fleet size? What Oceania seems to be doing (or not doing) is like what Azamara was doing (or was not doing) when Oceania overtook it.<<

 

FWIW My read has been that NCL will allow Oceania to fade away and hope that the loyal membership will migrate to Regent.

I think they are mainly wrong if that's the "plan" (My quotes)

 

Or, are they hoping that the mass market cruisers will age and become more affluent and look beyond the massive ships with things that entertained their kids? The numbers that have sailed mass markets has grown exponentially over the past few years.

 

However, when I try to tell my fellow non cruising boomer friends that cruising doesn’t have to be a buffet food fest filled with people in wife beater tea shirts, they just don’t get it. There is an untapped market out there...but they have been scared away by their own imaginings of what cruising is about.

[Classiccruiser777]

FWIW My read has been that NCL will allow Oceania to fade away and hope that the loyal membership will migrate to Regent.

I think they are mainly wrong if that's the "plan" (My quotes)

I disagree. If this were the case I doubt O would have purchased and refurbished the Sirena.

[RJB]

I guess I don't know what you're talking about. Please explain.

read the post from Stanand jim

[ORV]

read the post from Stanand jim

 

 

I did, that still doesn't tell me anything. Is Virgin refurbishing an R ship?

 

I thought they were doing newbuilds.

 

Maybe it's like the ceiling, over my head.

[RJB]

I did, that still doesn't tell me anything. Is Virgin refurbishing an R ship?

 

I thought they were doing newbuilds.

 

Maybe it's like the ceiling, over my head.

No, I guess that's just Jimandstan. They are just playing games. Have nothing constructive to talk about.

[StanandJim]

I did, that still doesn't tell me anything. Is Virgin refurbishing an R ship?

 

I thought they were doing newbuilds.

 

Maybe it's like the ceiling, over my head.

 

 

Orv-

 

To get the project up and running they are starting with a refurbished R ship.

The new build(s) which take more time and money, are supposedly following.....

[LHT28]

Orv-

 

To get the project up and running they are starting with a refurbished R ship.

 

The new build(s) which take more time and money, are supposedly following.....

What R ship are they using ?

 

I would think the Ren Yacht size are too small for his venture

[Cruise Junky]

Orv-

 

To get the project up and running they are starting with a refurbished R ship.

The new build(s) which take more time and money, are supposedly following.....

 

Are you sure? I've been following Virgin Voyages pretty closely and haven't seen anything on this. Just the new build which they're already taking deposits for.

[RJB]

Are you sure? I've been following Virgin Voyages pretty closely and haven't seen anything on this. Just the new build which they're already taking deposits for.

fake news !!!

[Hawaiidan]

>>Why is Oceania not expanding and thus "allowing" Viking Ocean to surpass it in terms of fleet size? What Oceania seems to be doing (or not doing) is like what Azamara was doing (or was not doing) when Oceania overtook it.<<

 

FWIW My read has been that NCL will allow Oceania to fade away and hope that the loyal membership will migrate to Regent.

I think they are mainly wrong if that's the "plan" (My quotes)

 

 

Well, If I had all my ships filled most all the time by a very loyal demographic which is only getting larger, would not building more ships be contrary to the laws of supply and demand. ? Viking and Branson may soon find out and be at each others throat to get passengers having to cut/slash prices.

 

O is wise NOT to play that game Viking may well be experiencing a cash flow problem in the near future Doubling the number of rooms in a hotel that only has had 50% occupancy is not going to suddenly fill the hotel.

 

As far as Regent, their fare is nearly double that of O and it is Regent passengers who are migrating to O . Not the other way around ! Many simply like the ability of Ala carte on O and its cuisine, Something Regent and Viking lack.as all inclusive ships.

 

With Branson and Viking building to their hearts content, the only thing I see is them creating an over supply and crashing their profits. In the meantime O with its nice little fleet, sails full over and over making money..

I think Azamar was surpassed by O is because O offered a much more refined product and choices Azamar was an attempt to create a Celebrity's Regent. It did not work ( now their prices are way more than O)

[Cruise Junky]

fake news !!!

 

It would appear so. The name isn't even right. It's Virgin Voyages, not Cruises.

 

Here's a real picture of what their first ship will look like:

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/40921112199708dc83bf19130a91f017f734696d/c=16-0-7105-4005&r=x1683&c=3200x1680/local/-/media/2017/10/31/USATODAY/USATODAY/636450541272892844-Virgin-Voyages-Ship-1-Front.jpg

[Cruise Junky]

According to the market share report for 2018, Oceania looks to be doing just fine on revenue vs. both Viking and Azamara. Not vouching for the accuracy of the report

 

https://www.cruisemarketwatch.com/market-share/