Future cruises being sold to full capacity

[BSocial]

Wonder what percentage of the first months’ sailings have been lift-n-shifted, or FCC applied?    If that’s a big chunk of the limited sailing capacity, they aren’t making new revenue, just fulfilling for funds already received.  Only new revenue would be purchases or excursions.
 

[Iamcruzin]

23 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Thanks….not the end of the world.  

 

I have a cruise booked with Celebrity in a month.  I’m looking at some Royal sailings for early next year.  GF and I are headed to Italy in the first part of December.  So, I’m not sitting on my thumbs (as I’m hear clattering away).

 

Almost pulled the trigger on one of those recent $100 for 5 nights Carnival cruises, but procrastinated too long and the deal went away.

 

As far as NCL, mentioned before, they are either incompetent or in financial trouble (even worse than they’ve stated when begging for bucks from vendors).  Maybe both.

 

While Royal (and Celebrity), Carnival, etc begin revenue cruises, NCL had revenue cruises ready to go (Joy and Gem in the Caribbean) and punted those, (multiple times) which alienated a lot of us who post here, @JamieLogical and @sid_9169, just to name two others.  To add insult to injury, they promised my refund, and so far, have punted giving my money back ($4,500 fare I paid them 18 months ago that they’ve had in their bank account)  not once, not twice, but three times.  I’m still waiting. 

 

I hope the Alaska cruises go off without a hitch.  I have my doubts.  I have some cruise friends on the Alaska cruises.  They had plenty of opportunities to get their ships sailing, again.  So far, they haven’t been able to.

 

You allowed them to hold your money 3 times. That's shame on you. The first time I can understand although I would have taken the refund then. The second cancelation I would have demanded my money back. From what you post they seem to be in big trouble. I sincerely hope you get your refund.

[graphicguy]

8 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

You allowed them to hold your money 3 times. That's shame on you. The first time I can understand although I would have taken the refund then. The second cancelation I would have demanded my money back. From what you post they seem to be in big trouble. I sincerely hope you get your refund.

No disagreement there.  I feel foolish and taken advantage of.  But, I kept giving NCL chance after chance after chance.  They disappointed me every time.  Now, I’m trying to get my refund.  NCL doesn’t even have the decency to refund the thousands of dollars of mine they’ve been using interest free for over a year.  

 

My CC company can’t help given the charges were made over a year ago.

 

I’ve never felt so used and abused by any company, for any reason, in my entire life.

Edited July 1, 2021 by graphicguy

[Iamcruzin]

31 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

No disagreement there.  I feel foolish and taken advantage of.  But, I kept giving NCL chance after chance after chance.  They disappointed me every time.  Now, I’m trying to get my refund.  NCL doesn’t even have the decency to refund the thousands of dollars of mine they’ve been using interest free for over a year.  

 

My CC company can’t help given the charges were made over a year ago.

 

I’ve never felt so used and abused by any company, for any reason, in my entire life.

From what you described it seems to be a financial issue and not a customer service issue. There have been complaints among many here on the Royal Caribbean board as well as on the Princess and Celebrity boards of slow refunds even at the beginning of the Pandemic.  NCL is just having more of a financial issue than the Carnival group or the Royal group. I have never sailed on NCL and really don't have any desire to so I'm not defending them out of loyalty.

[ampurp85]

RCG makes money, that 10% profit at 108% capacity more than likely is only talking about cruise fare. Lots of businesses have thin profit margins on initial offerings, that's why they push upgrades and luxury experiences. If they sell an internet, bev or dining package to half those cruisers, I am sure its at least 90% pure profit. I think that because they have already accounted for the cost already.

[asalligo]

On 6/24/2021 at 10:30 AM, gadaboutgal said:

Having a low number of guests versus full capacity is so appealing.  Currently, Adventure only has a bit over 900 passengers and it is so amazing.  No waiting in lines, no chair hogs, no crowded promenade.  I wish they would extend the limited capacity well into 2022.

It is certainly appealing to us as cruisers, but it is well known that cruise ships barely break even with most fares. Less capacity means less profit. 

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, ampurp85 said:

RCG makes money, that 10% profit at 108% capacity more than likely is only talking about cruise fare.

No, that profit is at the overall corporate level. They make the majority of their profits from on board spend revenue. 

[ampurp85]

Getting the CSC doesn't mean that ships can sail at 100% capacity, it just means the ship can sail in a revenue capacity. I seriously doubt any RCG ships will sail at 100% capacity this year. We have to remember that the healthy sail protocols require an expand medical area and rooms for quarantine. The first sailing have been under 40% and will gradually increase.

 

@Biker19 I still stand by that all the extras are what brings in the most profit, they might be just breaking even when it comes to fares.

[graphicguy]

34 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

From what you described it seems to be a financial issue and not a customer service issue. There have been complaints among many here on the Royal Caribbean board as well as on the Princess and Celebrity boards of slow refunds even at the beginning of the Pandemic.  NCL is just having more of a financial issue than the Carnival group or the Royal group. I have never sailed on NCL and really don't have any desire to so I'm not defending them out of loyalty.

I get it.  NCL had opportunities for revenue.  They had revenue cruises that were supposed to sail now (Joy and GEM). They cancelled one (Joy) and urged us to reschedule on the GEM at a higher fare, then cancelled it, also.  Then, they urged us to book first, the Bliss, and swapped that for the Encore, all under the guise of not having enough crew.

 

Hard to buy into that given Royal is sailing already and so is Celebrity, with fully trained and vaccinated crew.

 

Only thing that makes sense is NCL didn't have the money to vaccinate and retrain crew.  But, even there, they were putting out slick (and expensive) videos touting they were back to cruise.

 

Give Royal and Celebrity credit.  They have executed nearly flawlessly so far with their sailings that have gone forward with minimal issues.

[Iamcruzin]

4 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I get it.  NCL had opportunities for revenue.  They had revenue cruises that were supposed to sail now (Joy and GEM). They cancelled one (Joy) and urged us to reschedule on the GEM at a higher fare, then cancelled it, also.  Then, they urged us to book first, the Bliss, and swapped that for the Encore, all under the guise of not having enough crew.

 

Hard to buy into that given Royal is sailing already and so is Celebrity, with fully trained and vaccinated crew.

 

Only thing that makes sense is NCL didn't have the money to vaccinate and retrain crew.  But, even there, they were putting out slick (and expensive) videos touting they were back to cruise.

 

Give Royal and Celebrity credit.  They have executed nearly flawlessly so far with their sailings that have gone forward with minimal issues.

I can't believe they didn't even price match the first cruise booked. They would have lost me right then and there.  With all of the 125% FCCs that Royal and Celebrity doled out along with the lift and shifts they offered It makes me wonder if any of these early sailings are revenue cruises and not money already spent.

[Biker19]

51 minutes ago, ampurp85 said:

 

@Biker19 I still stand by that all the extras are what brings in the most profit, they might be just breaking even when it comes to fares.

Right, but that's not what your first post said.

[graphicguy]

6 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I can't believe they didn't even price match the first cruise booked. They would have lost me right then and there.  With all of the 125% FCCs that Royal and Celebrity doled out along with the lift and shifts they offered It makes me wonder if any of these early sailings are revenue cruises and not money already spent.

Price Match?  Lift and Shift?  NCL didn't even attempt to do any of that.  They wouldn't agree to even refund my money and made me take FCCs until they finally canceled me 3 times and said I had the choice for a refund or FCC.  I jumped at the refund, which they keep pushing out further and further.

 

Not that it matters, I'm an NCL Platinum Latitude Member.  I've sailed with them, a lot. 

 

NCL has caused me to totally shut down any further cruises I may have wanted to cruise with them (if there are any that they will actually sail in the foreseeable future).

 

I've sailed Royal before...Liberty, Allure, Harmony and Anthem. Enjoyed all of them.  If I had a crystal ball, I probably would have stuck with Royal instead of all those NCL sailings.  On Royal, I probably would be Diamond or Diamond Plus.

 

Live and learn!

[Iamcruzin]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Price Match?  Lift and Shift?  NCL didn't even attempt to do any of that.  They wouldn't agree to even refund my money and made me take FCCs until they finally canceled me 3 times and said I had the choice for a refund or FCC.  I jumped at the refund, which they keep pushing out further and further.

 

Not that it matters, I'm an NCL Platinum Latitude Member.  I've sailed with them, a lot. 

 

NCL has caused me to totally shut down any further cruises I may have wanted to cruise with them (if there are any that they will actually sail in the foreseeable future).

 

I've sailed Royal before...Liberty, Allure, Harmony and Anthem. Enjoyed all of them.  If I had a crystal ball, I probably would have stuck with Royal instead of all those NCL sailings.  On Royal, I probably would be Diamond or Diamond Plus.

 

Live and learn!

Seems like they lost a good customer. Their loss is somebody else's gain.  Don't let missing out on the loyalty program get you down. I cruise 3 lines and for me I saved more by being flexible over the years and not even thinking about the loyalty programs that could change at any given moment. These mainstream cruise lines are more alike than different. I have never had a bad cruise on any of them. Some have better food, some better entertainment and some better itineraries. The loyalty program never comes into play when I'm planning.

[ampurp85]

@Biker19 That is what my first post said....." more than likely..... they get 90% pure profit from the extras like bev, dining etc" but whatever.

[Biker19]

5 minutes ago, ampurp85 said:

@Biker19 That is what my first post said....." more than likely..... they get 90% pure profit from the extras like bev, dining etc" but whatever.

Re read my quote of your post.

[John&LaLa]

On 6/24/2021 at 1:59 PM, Iamcruzin said:

It doesn't have to be a 6ft distance but it would be nice to be able to get into a lounge chair from the side and not have to crawl onto it from the bottom.

 

Beach Pool on Oasis and Allure has fixed tables that keep the loungers apart. They removed them from Harmony to put more loungers in. 

[CruisingRealtor2018]

Why is it that we start with one question and the forum turns to something completely different!  I started this question wanting to know if cruises next year are being sold to say 50% capacity or if they are selling as many rooms as possible with hopes of switching room number or even upgrading but it has become mostly about vaccine cruising like all other posts.  Sometimes I wish we had the ability to close our own posts!!

[DirtyDawg]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:36 AM, ampurp85 said:

RCG makes money, that 10% profit at 108% capacity more than likely is only talking about cruise fare.

No, it is the consolidated net profit margin taking into consideration all revenue sources.

.  

On 7/1/2021 at 10:36 AM, ampurp85 said:

Lots of businesses have thin profit margins on initial offerings, that's why they push upgrades and luxury experiences. If they sell an internet, bev or dining package to half those cruisers, I am sure its at least 90% pure profit. I think that because they have already accounted for the cost already.

Very true. But all of that profit is already included in the 10% profit margin the biker mentioned. 

 

If you are interested in RCL's finances take a look at the SEC documents that can be found on their website under Investor Relations. https://www.rclinvestor.com/

 

 

[DirtyDawg]

On 7/1/2021 at 8:10 PM, CruisingRealtor2018 said:

Why is it that we start with one question and the forum turns to something completely different!  I started this question wanting to know if cruises next year are being sold to say 50% capacity or if they are selling as many rooms as possible with hopes of switching room number or even upgrading but it has become mostly about vaccine cruising like all other posts.  Sometimes I wish we had the ability to close our own posts!!

 

Starting a thread here on CC is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. 😁

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

If you are interested in RCL's finances take a look at the SEC documents that can be found on their website under Investor Relations. https://www.rclinvestor.com/

I would go directly to the SEC site as they post everything there and sometimes before their own site.

[DirtyDawg]

21 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I would go directly to the SEC site as they post everything there and sometimes before their own site.

First we take little steps, and then we walk. After much practice,  we then might run, my grasshopper. 

 

😉