Is the Royal Caribbean Group Neglecting the Celebrity Brand?

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

With the current investments in future infrastructure specifically for the Royal Caribbean International brand, would it apear that the Royal Caribbean Group is neglecting the Celebrity brand?

 

There's at least 2 projects in the works specifically for use by Royal Caribbean International guests: 1) Royal Beach Club in Nassau opening 2025 and 2) Hideaway Beach on Coco Cay opening Q4 2023.

 

Ship revolution projects for Celebrity have been put on hold since the pandemic and no announcements have been made as to when they will restart the program.  Similarly, Royal Caribbean International has put a halt to their Amplification program since the pandemic with no announcements on when or if it will return.

 

Imagining Celebrity and Royal Caribbean International were kids and Royal Caribbean Group was their parent, Celebrity might say, "But she's getting upgrades to her private islands and I'm getting nothing. That's so unfair! 😠".

 

I get that ship refurbishment and infrastructure are different types of investments, but it seems that Celebrity is getting the short end of the stick here.

[hcat]

7 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

With the current investments in future infrastructure specifically for the Royal Caribbean International brand, would it apear that the Royal Caribbean Group is neglecting the Celebrity brand?

 

There's at least 2 projects in the works specifically for use by Royal Caribbean International guests: 1) Royal Beach Club in Nassau opening 2025 and 2) Hideaway Beach on Coco Cay opening Q4 2023.

 

Ship revolution projects for Celebrity have been put on hold since the pandemic and no announcements have been made as to when they will restart the program.  Similarly, Royal Caribbean International has put a halt to their Amplification program since the pandemic with no announcements on when or if it will return.

 

Imagining Celebrity and Royal Caribbean International were kids and Royal Caribbean Group was their parent, Celebrity might say, "But she's getting upgrades to her private islands and I'm getting nothing. That's so unfair! 😠".

 

I get that ship refurbishment and infrastructure are different types of investments, but it seems that Celebrity is getting the short end of the stick here.

has been so since Celebrity came under direct Royal Mgmnt..they had no background in MODERN LUXURY  but loved Marketing!

[horseymike]

6 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

With the current investments in future infrastructure specifically for the Royal Caribbean International brand, would it apear that the Royal Caribbean Group is neglecting the Celebrity brand?

 

There's at least 2 projects in the works specifically for use by Royal Caribbean International guests: 1) Royal Beach Club in Nassau opening 2025 and 2) Hideaway Beach on Coco Cay opening Q4 2023.

 

Ship revolution projects for Celebrity have been put on hold since the pandemic and no announcements have been made as to when they will restart the program.  Similarly, Royal Caribbean International has put a halt to their Amplification program since the pandemic with no announcements on when or if it will return.

 

Imagining Celebrity and Royal Caribbean International were kids and Royal Caribbean Group was their parent, Celebrity might say, "But she's getting upgrades to her private islands and I'm getting nothing. That's so unfair! 😠".

 

I get that ship refurbishment and infrastructure are different types of investments, but it seems that Celebrity is getting the short end of the stick here.

You make a good point. Maybe they are investing in the areas where they are making the highest returns .

Being partial to Celebrity over RCCL , I totally agree with your assessment.

We enjoy a calmer more refined product as opposed to water slides , loud thumping music etc….

[jelayne]

They are investing in the new ships and Star Link was a investment.  
What area do you think they should be investing in for Celebrity.  

[hcat]

5 minutes ago, jelayne said:

They are investing in the new ships and Star Link was a investment.  
What area do you think they should be investing in for Celebrity.  

for Non suite  guests:

staff development and training

upgrades to older ships

better food quality and portions

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I have no desire to visit a private island

3 minutes ago, hcat said:

for Non suite  guests:

staff development and training

upgrades to older ships

better food quality and portions

 

I agree with the above, but I found portion to be fine , I was never hungry or wanting more 

[marvelous35]

I think Royal Caribbean has hit home runs with Cococay and the Oasis class ships.  It really plays to the families they are target marketing.  I think Celebrity has had a harder time positioning itself in the higher end cruise market.

 

There is actually no reason Celebrity can't go to Cococay.  But maybe Cococay is not the best fit for the luxury cruisers they are targeting.  Celebrity used to go there before the Perfect Day days.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

What Celebrity needs to do is go back to Always include for everyone  , but only with non alcoholic drinks , like Viking and Oceania 

Step up the food in MDR and OVC

[jwlane]

31 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

better ... portions

 

Have you ever not gotten enough to eat?

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

1 minute ago, horseymike said:

You make a good point. Maybe they are investing in the areas where they are making the highest returns .

Being partial to Celebrity over RCCL , I totally agree with your assessment.

We enjoy a calmer more refined product as opposed to water slides , loud thumping music etc….

Exactly, why can't Celebrity get their own private island catered to the Celebrity clientele? Princess does (Princess Cays). It's something that would certainly make the short Bahama cruises more appealing. Like you said, I'd imagine they are investing in what's netting them the highest profit and Celebrity's Caribbean itineraries are limited to only 1 ship in the Summer season.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

46 minutes ago, jelayne said:

They are investing in the new ships and Star Link was a investment.  

Both of which are also being done with Royal Caribbean International 

[Sigyn]

I went to CocoCay on Harmony of the Seas with my teenage son and it's not an environment that I'd want to do with my husband when we're on Celebrity this summer. It felt like a big amusement park. Not my scene.

[the penguins]

10 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

What Celebrity needs to do is go back to Always include for everyone  , but only with non alcoholic drinks , like Viking and Oceania 

Step up the food in MDR and OVC

Any form of compolsary AI is bad news. It reduces the value of the loyalty programme, penalises passengers who have no need of unlimited WiFi and is especially bad for single passengers who end up paying for 2 lots of everything. The current system works well as everyone has choices.

[JBare]

I'm clearly the sort of passenger Celebrity wants, I wouldn't be seen dead on any private island, what on earth is the point ?

[mahdnc]

16 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Exactly, why can't Celebrity get their own private island catered to the Celebrity clientele?

 

I don't want a private island.  Besides all the shady and nice spots will be in the Retreat area

[Woody14]

Now that they have hired a new president for the brand it will be interesting to see if the corporate priorities change and the brand works out its direction and market segmentation.    Celebrity is still my favourite line and my default starting point but the brand experience has certainly been all over the place from a little before covid till now.

 

[Woody14]

19 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Exactly, why can't Celebrity get their own private island catered to the Celebrity clientele? Princess does (Princess Cays). It's something that would certainly make the short Bahama cruises more appealing. Like you said, I'd imagine they are investing in what's netting them the highest profit and Celebrity's Caribbean itineraries are limited to only 1 ship in the Summer season.

You are right they would be investing where there is return.  One ship in the summer stoping at a private island would definitely not pay back the investment in to a private island. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Woody14

[the penguins]

4 minutes ago, Woody14 said:

Now that they have hired a new president for the brand it will be interesting to see if the corporate priorities change and the brand works out its direction and market segmentation.    Celebrity is still my favourite line and my default starting point but the brand experience has certainly been all over the place from a little before covid till now.

 

New? I thought she was promoted from within so hardly a "new broom".

[Woody14]

5 minutes ago, the penguins said:

New? I thought she was promoted from within so hardly a "new broom".

Fair but still new to the role and hopefully new ideas and renewed vigour towards the brand with their new found power as the top dog.

[jelayne]

43 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Both of which are also being done with Royal Caribbean International 

That is true but still a investment.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

for Non suite  guests:

staff development and training

upgrades to older ships

better food quality and portions

 

What in particular investment for non suite guests?  Just off a cruise in a Concierge cabin and I can’t think of anything where I would say they really to need to invest a lot of $ in this area.

 

Cant really assess what training exists vs lacking.  We did see staff & crew  trading occurring in a conference room that we passed frequently.

Edited May 15, 2023 by jelayne

[bEwAbG]

I was always under the impression that Caribbean in the summer wasn't a desirable time to travel due to the heat + you start running into hurricane season.  It was a necessity the last few years because a lot of the world was closed (also why there were Mexican Riviera cruises this year when X had seemed to abandon Mexico a few years ago).  

 

I would like to see them invest in different itineraries, both in ports visited and length of cruises (even if it was just segmented cruises strung together).  This is one of those areas where HAL has pretty much cornered the market and X could make inroads, I think.  

[Baron Barracuda]

If you think X is being neglected now how about the six year period from Reflection (2012) to Edge  (2018) where X received no new ships while Royal and TUI received four each.

 

Regarding private islands, remember  X only has one lonely ship in the Caribbean this summer (Equinox) while Royal has 12.  Next summer Royal will have 14 vs just Reflection for X.   Still, have been to Labadee on X in the past and haven't seen anything saying the new Nassau beach club will be Royal only.  

[horseymike]

1 hour ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Exactly, why can't Celebrity get their own private island catered to the Celebrity clientele? Princess does (Princess Cays). It's something that would certainly make the short Bahama cruises more appealing. Like you said, I'd imagine they are investing in what's netting them the highest profit and Celebrity's Caribbean itineraries are limited to only 1 ship in the Summer season.

I guess we may need to go on Princess once and awhile.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Any form of compolsary AI is bad news. It reduces the value of the loyalty programme, penalises passengers who have no need of unlimited WiFi and is especially bad for single passengers who end up paying for 2 lots of everything. The current system works well as everyone has choices.

They could do a better job of giving out a single supplement, 

The cost of Wi-Fi to the cruise ships is  minimal with Starlink , believe it or not most people like having wifi now