Ask Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ CEO: Call for Questions for Frank Del Rio

[CCAubs]

One of the biggest cruise industry events, Seatrade Cruise Global, is quickly approaching. At the event, cruise line CEOs sit side by side to discuss all things cruising. This year’s panel of esteemed CEOs includes Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ President & CEO, Frank Del Rio.

 

And he wants to hear from Cruise Critic members. 

 

Do you have a question that you’d love to ask Mr. Del Rio? Are you wondering what’s ahead for onboard dining and entertainment? Have thoughts on how NCLH can leverage technology to improve the cruise experience? Do you have questions about the cruise line’s sustainability efforts? We want to hear from you.

 

Share your questions below, and your question might be one asked of Mr. Del Rio at this year’s event.

[quillwercruisers]

Is the Q&A published after the event for the general public to read? Or will it be posted here on CC?

[tony s]

Why up the service charge and cut service to once a day? Also why raise fares and cut food, specifically in Le Bistro making the filet of beef a supplementary charge

[laudergayle]

Cruise lines are a muddled mess right now, trying to recover from the financial devastation of the COVID shutdown.  The cuts to product offering, entertainment, service levels, staffing…combined with the increase in costs has eroded all of the cruise lines brand positioning.  Basically they have become “vanilla” in eyes of the consumer.

 

Has the NCL brand—specifically—identified their competitive advantage, and if so, what are we likely to see in the near future that will deliver on their brand promise and differentiate them from the masses?  
 

I want to be a brand loyalist…but 2023 adds and cuts has made it hard for me to be true blue.

Edited February 15, 2023 by laudergayle

[Knicks1130]

With the service cut to once a day… what about cabins with 3 or 4 people that have Pullman beds.  Will they remain out/open all day? Will someone come back in the evening to make them up? (Not a full 2nd service)

[BirdTravels]

Frank, why has Harry not deployed the new Prima Main Dining Room menu across the fleet yet?

[fshagan]

The recent refurbishment of the Norwegian Spirit was fantastic, and plussed the adult areas with a large H20 area, eliminating the kid's splash zone area. While it's not strictly "adults only" I'm thinking that families will gravitate to the ships with play areas, water slides, etc.

 

Do you see that as a trend, especially for the smaller ships that can't compete race tracks and water slides?

[complawyer]

while for the past 13 years, (24cruises) all exclusively with NCL, why do your sales seem not really to be "sales" and just an increase  of prices to be marked down to appear to be a sale  price

[njkate]

Frank with the cutbacks, increase in fares, increase in DSC and as one of the highest paid CEO of a cruise line how do you justify your salary?

[CCAubs]

17 hours ago, quillwercruisers said:

Is the Q&A published after the event for the general public to read? Or will it be posted here on CC?

Yes! We will be covering the State of the Industry and will be sure to post a link to the coverage here. Thanks for the interest, Kimmers!

[CaptainHollywood]

How do you think about the relationship between the NCL, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas brands? Is there a natural or aspirational progression for customers to move from one brand to the other, and if so, why isn't there one loyalty program applicable across the entire fleet?

[ontheweb]

How is the compensation for the crew affected when those of us who had a cruise booked before the increase in the DSC now pre-paid it at our previously booked rate? Are you going to share with them any of the interest you earn on having this money in advance? (The last question is half serious as we know they are not going to do that.)

[geo.mac]

Since there are multiple cruise CEO’s on this panel:  why is there not agreement on the best way to administer muster drills?  If safety and or customer satisfaction is the priority, shouldn’t all lines be on the same page and sharing best practices?  Can we get NCL to change course and reinstate e-muster?

[3OfDiamonds]

Frank, it seems like NCL has both raised prices/fees *and* cut back on amenities/services recently, per accounts of cruisers.  How do you justify this to people who already paid for a cruise expecting a certain level of product and ultimately receiving less or having to pay additional fees to receive what they thought they were going to get as part of their cruises?  What do you plan to do to keep your current customer base from becoming alienated?  

[ontheweb]

6 hours ago, geo.mac said:

Since there are multiple cruise CEO’s on this panel:  why is there not agreement on the best way to administer muster drills?  If safety and or customer satisfaction is the priority, shouldn’t all lines be on the same page and sharing best practices?  Can we get NCL to change course and reinstate e-muster?

For Mr. Del Rio---you have been accused of going back to the old muster to save money. Could you explain the reasoning for this return.

 

For the CEOs of Carnival and Royal--you have stayed with the new e-muster. Can you provide some proof as to the safety of this new procedure if there needed to be a real call for a muster? How is the crew being adequately trained to react to a real emergency?

[OceanDreaming2]

On 2/16/2023 at 10:29 PM, geo.mac said:

Since there are multiple cruise CEO’s on this panel:  why is there not agreement on the best way to administer muster drills?  If safety and or customer satisfaction is the priority, shouldn’t all lines be on the same page and sharing best practices?  Can we get NCL to change course and reinstate e-muster?

Just off the Prima.  There was no place to sit during the muster drill and it was impossible to hear what was being said.  If you weren't close to the station, there was no way to see the demonstrations for the life jacket, etc.  Not only that, I saw passengers with drinks when it was announced they were not allowed during the drill.  No one was enforcing the rules.  Bring back the e-drill.  

[eileeshb]

Why has it taken so long to resolve the legionnaires contamination on Norwegian Prima if guests were suspected of getting it aboard on the November 19th sailing and another guest got it on the February 5th sailing? (See thread in this forum)
Are cleaning standards being sacrificed to save more money for you and your nepo-babies to continue to be overpaid while short-changing staff and guests alike?

How come Prima has a soot issue so soon after launch when a modern design should have no soot whatsoever if properly designed? 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by eileeshb
Adding link to legionnaires thread

[chillyw]

What is the strategy for Norwegian on entertainment going forward? Entertainment was a compromise differentiator for the brand, and with the cuts, it feels like it's undergoing a transition period at the moment.

[rockfsh]

Why the in person muster drills? No other cruise lines employ this.

[OceanDreaming2]

What's the point of advertising Freestyle when you have to book restaurants, entertainment, etc. months in advance?

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, OceanDreaming2 said:

What's the point of advertising Freestyle when you have to book restaurants, entertainment, etc. months in advance?

Thank you, I wondered the same thing after our first NCL cruise. I had thought do what you want, when you want really meant that!

 

When I then posted that in the NCL boards, a few agreed with me, but most told me I just did not understand freestyle.

[Joken35]

Why is lobster served in specialty restaurant have a surcharge, when the price is LESS than other items on the menu which are included in the price.? It does not make sense unless it is a supply issue.

[Crown Vic]

Mr del Rio:-

1) does NCL have a team reading Cruise Critic? There are some comments made to which NCL should listen. One such item is the reduction in cabin service whilst offset by an increase in the DSC. At what capacity point will your company take heed?

2) Why is the NCL Latitudes recognition program not linked to the other NCLH brands of Regent and Oceania? More NCL cruisers would upgrade to sister lines with a little encouragement…read ‘recognition’. 
Look forward to your positive responses. No bafflegab/Officialdom speak please!

[AZ Desert Rat]

NCL has been building extra large cruise ships for 3000-4000 guests for quite a while. Has the pandemic changed that thinking to consider adding new smaller ships instead?  Are all of the 8 new NCL ships being built going to be extra large?

[farmecologist]

Frank,

 

We were on the Norwegian Joy recently and our room steward seemed extremely unhappy and overworked.  Other room stewards were in similar spirits.  We actually felt quite bad for them....which has never happened to us on a cruise before. I understand changes have been made in this area. 

 

Room stewards are the NCL employees passengers see the most, and the fact that they are now unhappy certainly isn't a good look for NCL. 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2023 by farmecologist