Poor by CC

[Shawnino]

Got the e-mail this morning, maybe you did too.. "Luxury Cruises under $200/nt!"

OK, I clicked.

Mostly O and A with a few by Cunard. Oh well.

 

Everybody's gotta eat, but Cruise Critic loses credibility when it pushes these lines as 'luxury'. 

O is my favourite line, suits us well, and we have 9 weeks booked with them over the next two years... but please don't call it luxury. 

Or, rather, O's marketeers can call it whatever they like, but as a semi-independent arbiter of such things, Cruise Critic shouldn't be in the business of calling it luxury when it is premium or mid-market or whatever. Does a disservice to readers. First-timers stumble onto these boards after cruising and are left with unmet, but too lofty,  expectations.

 

I understand the word "luxury" can be somewhat subjective, and it you want to argue that point you can totally have it and I won't bother to push back--but I would point out as simple fact that O's owner, NCLH, places another brand at a price point higher than O (Regent). As such, Regent is logically the luxury offering and O is something else.

[Flatbush Flyer]

32 minutes ago, Shawnino said:

Got the e-mail this morning, maybe you did too.. "Luxury Cruises under $200/nt!"

OK, I clicked.

Mostly O and A with a few by Cunard. Oh well.

 

Everybody's gotta eat, but Cruise Critic loses credibility when it pushes these lines as 'luxury'. 

O is my favourite line, suits us well, and we have 9 weeks booked with them over the next two years... but please don't call it luxury. 

Or, rather, O's marketeers can call it whatever they like, but as a semi-independent arbiter of such things, Cruise Critic shouldn't be in the business of calling it luxury when it is premium or mid-market or whatever. Does a disservice to readers. First-timers stumble onto these boards after cruising and are left with unmet, but too lofty,  expectations.

 

I understand the word "luxury" can be somewhat subjective, and it you want to argue that point you can totally have it and I won't bother to push back--but I would point out as simple fact that O's owner, NCLH, places another brand at a price point higher than O (Regent). As such, Regent is logically the luxury offering and O is something else.

Agreed.

Oceania often self-refers as "ultra-premium" suggesting that it fills a very unique niche of providing "luxury" in terms of food and service while maintaining value with a la carte amenities and doing so better than its competitors. 

The last thing I'd ever want to see/hear is O referring to itself as "luxury." All that would do is open the door to yet another price increase.

[StanandJim]

43 minutes ago, Shawnino said:

-but I would point out as simple fact that O's owner, NCLH, places another brand at a price point higher than O (Regent). As such, Regent is logically the luxury offering and O is something else.

Ok, but we are not dealing with a stagnant marketplace.  The Mass Market Lines have gone down (at least) several notches since Oceania was named as Premium.

A good analogy might be that Ruth's Chris does not pretend to be fine dining, but it is certainly a luxury offering when compared to your local Quaker Steak & Lube (and yes, that is a real chain).

Edited January 1, 2020 by StanandJim

[Waynetor]

I recall when the Concordia sank many articles and local TV  referred to it as a luxury cruise ship.   Made me wonder what cruise lines would have been anything under luxury and how they would have refereed to Regent and similar.

[Earl Rosebery]

Pretty luxurious as far as I’m concerned 

[Shawnino]

11 hours ago, Waynetor said:

I recall when the Concordia sank many articles and local TV  referred to it as a luxury cruise ship.   Made me wonder what cruise lines would have been anything under luxury and how they would have refereed to Regent and similar.

 

Indeed.

X sponsored the weather segment on CNN this morning with the tagline of "Book your luxury cruise today!"

 

Somewhat more bizarrely, the 30-second X spot that followed used "White Rabbit" as the soundtrack.

I love the song/Grace Slick/JA, but I never thought I'd hear it used to sell cruises.

That is what I call specialty dining/beverage...

[ldubs]

On 1/1/2020 at 4:39 PM, Waynetor said:

I recall when the Concordia sank many articles and local TV  referred to it as a luxury cruise ship.   Made me wonder what cruise lines would have been anything under luxury and how they would have refereed to Regent and similar.

 

We use terms like "mass market", "premium" & "luxury" in an attempt to define market segments, but to the vast majority of the world, all would be considered luxury.  But good point -- I don't know how they would label Regent.  

 

[Hawaiidan]

it is personal ...I have sailed  both Regent and O quite a bit.    I went to O because it was the ala carte  version of Regent.  In fact superior to Regent in its cuisine and variety.  Cabins  not different...  decore     no different.....  Passengers way more enjoyable on O.  I do my own shore and do not drink much  so Regent is no advantage....    O to me is luxury... the kind of things I hols important at a level far above other options  I have experienced....    Who cares  what they call it... Too me its a perfect fit and gives me the most enjoyable experience  of any cruise

[palakika]

Shawnino..yes, I too was surprised to hear White Rabbit"  with Gracie et al selling cruises!!  What a chuckle.  Maybe the marketing folks don't know about the song??  Or maybe the cruise biz is going a different direction!

 

Palakika

[ECCruise]

On 1/1/2020 at 7:39 PM, Waynetor said:

I recall when the Concordia sank many articles and local TV  referred to it as a luxury cruise ship.   Made me wonder what cruise lines would have been anything under luxury and how they would have refereed to Regent and similar.

Seen that many times on UK news/sites.

"Luxury cruise liner" for virtually every cruise line.  We always see/hear that and laugh.

[Hawaiidan]

On 1/4/2020 at 12:33 PM, ECCruise said:

Seen that many times on UK news/sites.

"Luxury cruise liner" for virtually every cruise line.  We always see/hear that and laugh.

 In truth  a luxury  is something you do not need in your life.   An extra over an above your need.    Lets face it...no one needs a cruise to subsist.    Thus the press is totally correct  all cruises are luxury......   relax  its a common term,     If you eat at Mc Donalds every day...Sizzler is a luxury..  and so on.