You're the owner of NCL and can make ONE change....

[havanadaydreaming]

What do you do? 

 

If I, personally, could have one change implemented it would be having a "clone" of the G. Fieri burger joint on lido deck, where fresh burgers are cranking out all afternoon.  I'd love to see if Andrew Zimmern would jump at the licensing opportunity?  Bobby Flay? Adam Richman? 

 

If I was in charge professionally I would consider lowering the table limits in the casino.   It seems that many sit empty almost the entire cruise, even at $10-20/play.   Drop some tables to $5 and let's see if folks nibble, I bet they would.  Wouldn't be the biggest profit per sq ft onboard, I know.  I always feel sorry for the dealers at the tables that are unoccupied. 

 

 

 

 

[Two Wheels Only]

• Eliminate the bid process for suites/Haven to prevent direct bookings from subsidizing bids.
• Make travel insurance an option that is easily seen on every booking on the website. 
• Eliminate the DSC and just add it into the cruise fare.
• Show every available stateroom when booking.
• Make every new build after Encore smoke-free....then make each ship smoke-free after it's refurbish. 
• Built a +200K GT class to compete with all of the other lines that have/will have ships of that size. 
• Always have at least 1 ship of the newest class sailing out of Miami.
• General website improvement.
• More knowledgeable PCCs.
• Increased go-kart speed. 

...I could probably do this all day...

 

[dpepper64]

I would eliminate the chair hogging going on at the pool.   Come up with a good plan, such as if you don't use your chair in 20 min move everything out.  Everyone would enjoy this rule

[markf]

• aDD  $50  to thwe  cruise fare per  person and  stop nickle diming  people 

[GeezerCouple]

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Eliminate the bid process for suites/Haven to prevent direct bookings from subsidizing bids.

• Make travel insurance an option that is easily seen on every booking on the website. 
• Eliminate the DSC and just add it into the cruise fare.
• Show every available stateroom when booking.
• Make every new build after Encore smoke-free....then make each ship smoke-free after it's refurbish. 
• Built a +200K GT class to compete with all of the other lines that have/will have ships of that size. 
• Always have at least 1 ship of the newest class sailing out of Miami.
• General website improvement.
• More knowledgeable PCCs.
• Increased go-kart speed. 

...I could probably do this all day...

 

 

"Eliminate the bid process for suites/Haven to prevent direct bookings from subsidizing bids."

 

This has really killed most of our interest in suites/Haven on NCL for us.

We don't mind paying for something that is of value to us, but to know that many/most others are paying far less... but this new approach started annoying us more and more, as we learned that more and more of the suites/Haven were being sold this way, for much less than we were paying.

(No, we wouldn't want to cruise in a regular sized cabin on NCL, so "trying to bid" is out, lest we don't get it.)

 

We've since switched to Oceania, and for a similar price (or less), we  can get a lovely PH suite, and enjoy the ambiance of the entire ship much, much more.

If we take the kids/grands again, we'll probably switch back to NCL for just that cruise.

 

NCL beancounters are in charge here, but if there are enough others like us (and there may not be, of course), then the "full price" suite cruisers will, well, keep jumping ship.

 

GC

[Two Wheels Only]

1 minute ago, GeezerCouple said:

...but if there are enough others like us (and there may not be, of course), then the "full price" suite cruisers will, well, keep jumping ship.

 

Jumping ship to Oceania or Regent won't bother them (same family). Jumping ship to MSC Yacht Club or Celebrity Retreat will.

[BirdTravels]

4 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

"Eliminate the bid process for suites/Haven to prevent direct bookings from subsidizing bids."

 

This has really killed most of our interest in suites/Haven on NCL for us.

We don't mind paying for something that is of value to us, but to know that many/most others are paying far less... but this new approach started annoying us more and more, as we learned that more and more of the suites/Haven were being sold this way, for much less than we were paying.

(No, we wouldn't want to cruise in a regular sized cabin on NCL, so "trying to bid" is out, lest we don't get it.)

 

We've since switched to Oceania, and for a similar price (or less), we  can get a lovely PH suite, and enjoy the ambiance of the entire ship much, much more.

If we take the kids/grands again, we'll probably switch back to NCL for just that cruise.

 

NCL beancounters are in charge here, but if there are enough others like us (and there may not be, of course), then the "full price" suite cruisers will, well, keep jumping ship.

 

GC

You are aware that NCL has always sailed with their suites full. The Bid Process just automates the old telephone dial in number. Nothing new here. 

[GeezerCouple]

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Jumping ship to Oceania or Regent won't bother them (same family). Jumping ship to MSC Yacht Club or Celebrity Retreat will.

 

That may be, but it's still the case that they are losing full-paying Haven sales, for sales of Oceania that wouldn't have been sold for more to someone else, etc.

And my main point was that IF others start doing the same, regardless of which line they go to, it will end up with worse and worse outcomes in terms of total suite/Haven sales on the NCL ships.  (They do not do the same "bidding" on Oceania, no surprise.)

That would still be less revenue for the "family company", as well as NCL specifically.

 

And we might well try other lines when we are taking kids/grands with us in the future.

 

GC

[NLH Arizona]

- Come up with a system to stop chair hogs at pool, in Atrium and theatres.

- Put a door on the pool deck smoking cubes, to stop folks from standing outside while smoking.

- More non-smoking areas in the casino, crew to check for smokers in non-smoking area and those smoking, but not playing.

- Have crew member watching for diapered/non potty trained children in kiddie pools.

- Add DSC into fare.

- Tent cards on buffet tables telling folk no card or game playing during mealtimes and then enforce it.

- Change the Haven or suite designated restaurant's lunch menus daily or offer different specials.

 

[Two Wheels Only]

8 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

And my main point was that IF others start doing the same, regardless of which line they go to, it will end up with worse and worse outcomes in terms of total suite/Haven sales on the NCL ships

 

Losing the "directly book the Haven" guests will end up hurting everyone. NCL will make up for that loss by raising the prices across the board...like they have done to the extreme in recent years.

 

 

[bbnjcruiser]

17 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You are aware that NCL has always sailed with their suites full. The Bid Process just automates the old telephone dial in number. Nothing new here. 

 

It is new. A new process backed up by an aggressive marketing effort that clearly shapes behavior. My upcoming cruise on NCL as a Haven direct booking will probably be my last, meeting so many people that tell me how cheap they got their suite makes me feel like a sucker.

[saintsfan777]

Change from Pepsi to Coke

[eddeb]

This is a fun post!

You brought back the Rib Eye, Now bring back

a Labstah or two...

Kevin now has two ships, look out NCL.😎🌏

[yankees111]

Let everyone cruise for free!

[eddeb]

Now  That's FREE STYLE, not fee style~😎

[NLH Arizona]

6 minutes ago, eddeb said:

Now  That's FREE STYLE, not fee style~😎

Could you darken your font, this color is very hard to read.

[ilovetotravel1977]

Change up the pool situation! Three full-sized pools for ships carrying over 4,000 people.

[bbnjcruiser]

End “FEE STYLE” Cruising.

[beerman2]

25 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

Could you darken your font, this color is very hard to read.

Just expand the font, easy to read then. I thought the same thing when I first saw posts like this, until I remembered/tried expanding the sentence/paragraphs.

[bob brown]

Build a flagship under the name "Norway", that would do a full world cruise each year, along with a few transatlantic crossing's, and other cruises, similar to the Cunard QM2 model.   It would be  mostly 'Freestyle', but would offer one traditional assigned dining room for those that enjoy that experience.  It should also have a "magradome" retractable roof pool for cruising in or out of colder climates.

 

 

[4774Papa]

Eliminate price bundling promos with the basic cruise price.

[david_sobe]

Open bar first hour after every sail away

 

Free slot pulls 15 minutes randomly every night

 

One deluxe owners suite is never sold and is randomly given out during every embarkation to surprised guests

 

Allow passengers to work in the kitchen and wait tables to earn off the DSC and auto gratuities

 

Have a real Italian restaurant on every ship (no La Cucina)

 

Spa passes, specialty restaurants, and bottled water included for all Haven suites

Edited December 16, 2018 by david_sobe

[eddeb]

🕔OK FOLKS, This posting is reaallly getting funner by the post. Good job Dave.😎

[K_e_short]

2 hours ago, saintsfan777 said:

Change from Pepsi to Coke

I know I sound completely petty and and it is totally a first world problem but I agree. I am not a fan of pepsi. The decision to not buy the unlimited soda package was based on the lack of coke products.

[HowardK]

Get a better CEO that actually cares about the product - customer retention is important not just raising prices.