Is the Royal Caribbean Group Neglecting the Celebrity Brand?

[stringbean10]

On 5/15/2023 at 11:41 AM, 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?

 

 

RCI keeps investing billiions in brand new innovative Celebrity ships too??????

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

2 hours ago, stringbean10 said:

RCI keeps investing billiions in brand new innovative Celebrity ships too??????

No, RCG is investing billions in new Celebrity ships. Not RCI. Either way, the discussion was based around improvements to infrastructure where RCI is getting all the special treatment.

[QuestionEverything]

On 5/17/2023 at 12:39 PM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

You haven’t been on a Celebrity ship seen 2016 , but you come on to CC  tell us the Celebrity is no long up to your standards and another more expensive cruise line is better 🤔

 

Absolutely. All analysis is appropriate and analysis comes from many sources dear, friends, travel agents etc. Also be more accurate in your post; the better cruise line for ME is Oceania, that may not be the case for other consumers.

 

[TeeRick]

Investments, particularly capital investments, need to be evaluated over a multi-year period.  The RCG corporation's Celebrity investments have been very significant, even though the pandemic intervened.

Edge. Apex. Beyond. Ascent.  Edge5.  $Billions$.  

Revolution.  $Millions$ on multiple ships pre-pandemic.  

Infrastructure.  New terminals like in Port Everglades Term 25.

You want a private island to judge investments?  The Celebrity brand does not focus on amusement parks and entertaining families with small children.  It leaves that to RCCL.  Most Celebrity cruisers would hate an amusement park atmosphere.  A private island with just a beach perhaps- but why bother with that?

 

Sorry.  I think RCG has invested plenty in Celebrity.  Even if a lot of folks here do not agree with the investments in E-Class design.

[TeeRick]

16 hours ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

No, RCG is investing billions in new Celebrity ships. Not RCI. Either way, the discussion was based around improvements to infrastructure where RCI is getting all the special treatment.

Other than beach clubs/islands, which is a different culture investment, what true infrastructure examples can you give RCCL vs. Celebrity?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

52 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

Absolutely. All analysis is appropriate and analysis comes from many sources dear, friends, travel agents etc. Also be more accurate in your post; the better cruise line for ME is Oceania, that may not be the case for other consumers.

 

I was just on the Reflection TA , it was one of the best cruises I have been on 

our first cruise on Celebrity was in 2012 

Nothing like first hand experience to see if Celebrity is good valve for my money in a price range that I am willing  spend 

 

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Other than beach clubs/islands, which is a different culture investment, what true infrastructure examples can you give RCCL vs. Celebrity?

Galveston cruise terminal would be one

[markeb]

1 hour ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Galveston cruise terminal would be one

 

What would you propose for an investment in Celebrity with a similar or greater ROI for RCG? It appears the investment in Galveston is similar to the investment in Terminal 25 at Port Everglades. It allows them to bring one of their largest and probably most profitable ships to an alternate port within driving distance of one of the largest populations in the country. And RCG could chose to share the new facility with Celebrity if it made sense (which with 12 non-Galapagos ships and one more coming on line, it probably doesn't).

 

If there had been a project with a greater return for Celebrity, I'm sure it would have been approved. As Rick noted, the Celebrity investment at this point is mostly in ships.

 

Food, food quality, drinks, drink quality, staffing (for the most part) are operational (income statement) decisions, not investment (balance sheet) decisions. Like it or not, those improve pretty much solely by increasing revenue (prices).

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

14 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

What would you propose for an investment in Celebrity with a similar or greater ROI for RCG? It appears the investment in Galveston is similar to the investment in Terminal 25 at Port Everglades. It allows them to bring one of their largest and probably most profitable ships to an alternate port within driving distance of one of the largest populations in the country. And RCG could chose to share the new facility with Celebrity if it made sense (which with 12 non-Galapagos ships and one more coming on line, it probably doesn't).

 

If there had been a project with a greater return for Celebrity, I'm sure it would have been approved. As Rick noted, the Celebrity investment at this point is mostly in ships.

 

Food, food quality, drinks, drink quality, staffing (for the most part) are operational (income statement) decisions, not investment (balance sheet) decisions. Like it or not, those improve pretty much solely by increasing revenue (prices).

I'm totally in agreement with you regarding the focus on ROI and there would be an issue if RCG built out another private island for use by Celebrity only. However, there could be potential for building an island visited by both Celebrity and RCI ships to maintain visitor counts throughout the summer. They keep packing in RCI ships at the Florida ports and PD@CC has only so much capacity. Maybe they could deploy their older RCI ships (less flashy) to this new private island as the theme would certainly need to be more laid back than PD@CC in order to be interesting for Celebrity cruisers.  Having another private island reachable on 3-4 night itineraries would certainly provide greater interest in these itineraries versus the same old Nassau, Key West, Bimini itineraries. This is especially important if they are trying to appeal more to the millennial generation when they have to compete with Virgin Voyages which offer more short sailings for cruisers who are more often limited in their ability to take time off for longer durations.

[Baron Barracuda]

1 hour ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

I'm totally in agreement with you regarding the focus on ROI and there would be an issue if RCG built out another private island for use by Celebrity only. However, there could be potential for building an island visited by both Celebrity and RCI ships to maintain visitor counts throughout the summer. They keep packing in RCI ships at the Florida ports and PD@CC has only so much capacity. Maybe they could deploy their older RCI ships (less flashy) to this new private island as the theme would certainly need to be more laid back than PD@CC in order to be interesting for Celebrity cruisers.  Having another private island reachable on 3-4 night itineraries would certainly provide greater interest in these itineraries versus the same old Nassau, Key West, Bimini itineraries. This is especially important if they are trying to appeal more to the millennial generation when they have to compete with Virgin Voyages which offer more short sailings for cruisers who are more often limited in their ability to take time off for longer durations.

RCG has not stated that the new Paradise Island beach club will be exclusively for RCI passengers.

[markeb]

31 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

RCG has not stated that the new Paradise Island beach club will be exclusively for RCI passengers.

 

I hadn't followed this. From the press releases, this is essentially RCG owning a 51% or greater stake in its own version of Atlantis? Pull into the same dock and bus passengers to to the beach club? I guess time will tell if that's best or worst of both worlds...

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

49 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

I hadn't followed this. From the press releases, this is essentially RCG owning a 51% or greater stake in its own version of Atlantis? Pull into the same dock and bus passengers to to the beach club? I guess time will tell if that's best or worst of both worlds...

I believe the concept was to ferry people to the beach club via water taxis rather than bussing people.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

1 hour ago, Baron Barracuda said:

RCG has not stated that the new Paradise Island beach club will be exclusively for RCI passengers.

True, we shall wait and see.

[Oceansaway17]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:47 PM, 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.

And Holland has the nice half moon cay 

[Oceansaway17]

9 hours ago, TeeRick said:

 

  It leaves that to RCCL.  Most Celebrity cruisers would hate an amusement park atmosphere.  A private island with just a beach perhaps- but why bother with that?

 

 

Because you would have a chance to enjoy a beach that is taken care of and without local vendors or controlled vendors

[TeeRick]

On 5/19/2023 at 5:10 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

Because you would have a chance to enjoy a beach that is taken care of and without local vendors or controlled vendors

OK understood.  But when I go to a port on a Celebrity ship and want a more private beach day, I go and get a day pass at any number of nice beach clubs or resorts at pretty much any island in the Caribbean.  Still not sure why Celebrity needs its own island and why the fact that they don't means that RCG is not investing in Celebrity.

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

OK understood.  But when I go to a port on a Celebrity ship and want a more private beach day, I go and get a day pass at any number of nice beach clubs or resorts at pretty much any island in the Caribbean.  Still not sure why Celebrity needs its own island and why the fact that they don't means that RCG is not investing in Celebrity.

Well X could go to Labadee since there is no water park.

[jagoffee]

7 hours ago, TeeRick said:

OK understood.  But when I go to a port on a Celebrity ship and want a more private beach day, I go and get a day pass at any number of nice beach clubs or resorts at pretty much any island in the Caribbean.  Still not sure why Celebrity needs its own island and why the fact that they don't means that RCG is not investing in Celebrity.

I agree.  IMO investing in a dedicated private island would be a total waste of money for the Celebrity brand.  There are many cruise brands with private island options. Most of Celebrity’s Capital investments are directed towards new ships and improvement of existing ships which is logical to me.  

[Cruise a holic]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:46 PM, jwlane said:

Have you ever not gotten enough to eat?

Most people gain weight on a typical cruise.  Too much food!  

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Well X could go to Labadee since there is no water park.

Have you been there?  There are a lot of Amusement park like activities at Labadee.  Roller Coaster,  Zip lines.  And yes water park. Not just a private quiet beach by any means.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/blog/8-hours-in-labadee/

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Have you been there?  There are a lot of Amusement park like activities at Labadee.  Roller Coaster,  Zip lines.  And yes water park. Not just a private quiet beach by any means.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/blog/8-hours-in-labadee/

But is lot is back always and not in your face like Coco Cay

[the penguins]

19 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Most people gain weight on a typical cruise.  Too much food!  

Not too much food, just not enough will power. 😀😂😀