Fred Is Hiring! But is it changing?

[twotravellersLondon]

 

FOCL seems to be looking to beef up shore-based management at Ipswich HQ with the aim to providing a better consistent restaurant, bar and retail experience for customers within budget... to ensure profitability.

 

The company is looking for a Head of Culinary Operations with overall responsibility for the development and execution of food onboard ships and making sure that it's of a consistent standard... as well as being in budget with minimal food waste.

 

The Hotel Operations team in the head offices in Ipswich will also be strengthened with a Restaurant and Bar Operations Manager with overall responsibility for the development and running the restaurant and bar operation on board the ships and making sure that these are on target and within budget.

 

Ipswich is also looking to add a Retail Delivery Operations Manager to the team at Ipswich. This new role will have overall responsibility for optimising commercial revenues through the product and services offered on board and support the transition and delivery of a range of existing services to customers.

 

It looks as if someone at FOCL is determined to deliver and develop the food, drinks and retail side of the business on board the remaining ships in a way that will ensure client satisfaction while keeping within budget... and, with the aim of making a profit. Is this, "Fresh Eye Thinking?" Perhaps just a subtle hint of... "Under New Management?" 

 

Will clients like it... and will it dig FOCL out of a mountain of debt? Will customers welcome this positively as the beginnings of strategic change, rely on the cliche of "rearranging the proverbial deck chairs" or take little or no interest of the imminent changes to their food, drinks and shopping on board? 

Edited February 7 by twotravellersLondon

[Coravel]

I welcome that development as much to my wife's annoyance I'm a very fussy eater and find fault with much of what's served up for Dinner.  Breakfast and lunch is fine.  My wife will eat anything that's put in front of her so has no problem at all with the food.

[Eglesbrech]

Well I know nothing about cruise ship management but even to a lay person there are some potentially easy ways to increase profit and not annoy customers too much. There is a game called fantasy football manager where you manage a team and try to get them up the league which OH a plays, the following is fantasy cruise company manager and my (probably implausible) thoughts.
 

The retail element is definitely low hanging fruit in my humble opinion. I never buy anything onboard as there is little I would want. Much of the retail space is given over to jewellery and watches. I have yet to see anyone buying any of them and jewellery is not something I would buy on a whim. The items for sale need to tempt a spontaneous purchase and be priced at a level that you don’t think about it too much. They also need more practical things eg I forgot bubble bath last cruise and there was none on sale. A decent bubble bath can retail at £25, low enough to be an impulse buy buy high enough to make it worth the space on the shelf.

 

Celebrity cruises do this well, they have a range of products, pricing and change what is on offer. They also have regional products for where they are at the time so in Norway trolls and Dale of Norway jumpers etc. . Other lines have a nicer selection of clothes on sale

 

I would guess that the price of the speciality restaurants could rise and that additional speciality restaurants may be added as a quick way to make money. There is a lot of wasted space on the ships that produces no revenue that could be utilised in this way. Both speciality restaurants offer spicy food which I love but it’s not to everyone’s taste. Why not add something like an Italian choice and add in some lunchtime opening on sea days.

 

Main dining needs a revamp as well. Perhaps the new broom will bring in freedom dining which could also act as an incentive for early bookers to secure it. Younger people don’t want stuck with a time and shared tables and Fred need to attract more younger customers.

 

The drinks packages are very limited. I’d guess they may charge more but perhaps offer more choice. Or perhaps different levels of packages offering top shelf drinks or better inclusive wines. Nicer cocktails would be a good start and turn a good profit.

 

More chargeable onboard activities. At the moment it’s the same offering every cruise - Martini clinic,(the same) wine tasting, (the same) tea tasting etc which one you have done them once or twice is enough. They do vary one event so we tend to book that, we had German beer tasting in Kiel and Norwegian cheese tasting on Northern lights. More variety could mean more bookings as they are always popular.
 

I would also look at the Ocean’s club as there is little to incentivise “loyalty”. It needs to be worthwhile to book year on year with Fred and at the moment it’s just not. I lost my first lot of points as we were unable to travel for a while so started at zero again. I’m building them back up but incidentally, not with purpose.

 

I also think they need a good look at pricing policy. I’m sick of booking and finding that others have a much better deal. While this happens with every cruise line, the swing in Fred pricing is sometimes huge and you can’t avoid knowing about it as they send you a flyer telling you your cruise is now half price and includes a drinks package!

 

On the subject of flyers it must cost a fortune for all the paper (and postage costs) they send out.

 

Anyway it will be interesting to see what those who actually know their business do as opposed to my ill informed meandering thoughts. Banning smoking on balcony’s was a good first salvo.

[twotravellersLondon]

On 2/9/2024 at 10:28 AM, Eglesbrech said:

Well I know nothing about cruise ship management but even to a lay person there are some potentially easy ways to increase profit and not annoy customers too much. There is a game called fantasy football manager where you manage a team and try to get them up the league which OH a plays, the following is fantasy cruise company manager and my (probably implausible) thoughts.
 

The retail element is definitely low hanging fruit in my humble opinion. I never buy anything onboard as there is little I would want. Much of the retail space is given over to jewellery and watches. I have yet to see anyone buying any of them and jewellery is not something I would buy on a whim. The items for sale need to tempt a spontaneous purchase and be priced at a level that you don’t think about it too much. They also need more practical things eg I forgot bubble bath last cruise and there was none on sale. A decent bubble bath can retail at £25, low enough to be an impulse buy buy high enough to make it worth the space on the shelf.

 

Celebrity cruises do this well, they have a range of products, pricing and change what is on offer. They also have regional products for where they are at the time so in Norway trolls and Dale of Norway jumpers etc. . Other lines have a nicer selection of clothes on sale

 

I would guess that the price of the speciality restaurants could rise and that additional speciality restaurants may be added as a quick way to make money. There is a lot of wasted space on the ships that produces no revenue that could be utilised in this way. Both speciality restaurants offer spicy food which I love but it’s not to everyone’s taste. Why not add something like an Italian choice and add in some lunchtime opening on sea days.

 

Main dining needs a revamp as well. Perhaps the new broom will bring in freedom dining which could also act as an incentive for early bookers to secure it. Younger people don’t want stuck with a time and shared tables and Fred need to attract more younger customers.

 

The drinks packages are very limited. I’d guess they may charge more but perhaps offer more choice. Or perhaps different levels of packages offering top shelf drinks or better inclusive wines. Nicer cocktails would be a good start and turn a good profit.

 

More chargeable onboard activities. At the moment it’s the same offering every cruise - Martini clinic,(the same) wine tasting, (the same) tea tasting etc which one you have done them once or twice is enough. They do vary one event so we tend to book that, we had German beer tasting in Kiel and Norwegian cheese tasting on Northern lights. More variety could mean more bookings as they are always popular.
 

I would also look at the Ocean’s club as there is little to incentivise “loyalty”. It needs to be worthwhile to book year on year with Fred and at the moment it’s just not. I lost my first lot of points as we were unable to travel for a while so started at zero again. I’m building them back up but incidentally, not with purpose.

 

I also think they need a good look at pricing policy. I’m sick of booking and finding that others have a much better deal. While this happens with every cruise line, the swing in Fred pricing is sometimes huge and you can’t avoid knowing about it as they send you a flyer telling you your cruise is now half price and includes a drinks package!

 

On the subject of flyers it must cost a fortune for all the paper (and postage costs) they send out.

 

Anyway it will be interesting to see what those who actually know their business do as opposed to my ill informed meandering thoughts. Banning smoking on balcony’s was a good first salvo.

  

A fantasy cruise-line CEO sound good fun! Now that would be great to play around a dinner table one evening. More seriously... we very much agree with most of what you've suggested!

 

We very much agree about the retailing aspect... a lot of stuff on FOCLs has never really appealed to us. We've bought cards to write a thankyou note for our stewardess, the odd little "souvenir" for people looking out for our house and garden while we're away but that's about it.

 

Even when Fred was in charge the company never really monetised the Grill experienced. We spent entire cruises in pleasant weather and it was never open. On other cruises it was only us and a captain's table... that was in the heart of Seville in the middle of the summer!

We like your idea of "pop-up" restaurants... once upon a time... Fred just to have a bookings only curry night in the Cafe once a week that was very popular. We would really like a fish restaurant, or an Italian one that did a bit more that pizza. We'd certainly be attracted to a cruise that had a pop-up French Bistro in France, a Greek Taverna in Greece  and something similar for other countries.

 

When "Fred" really was Fred Jun, the dining wasn't as fixed... the first sitting started later and people could arrive 10 or twenty minutes after the dining room opened... it made for a more relaxed service and it worked... probably because there was more staff on the floor and in the kitchen. FOCL do need to grasp the nettle and go down the "Freedom" route... but the real problem is that the Balmoral especially has too little space in the bard, lounges and theatre to accommodate everyone at once... SAGA have designed out that problem by having two venues... the Playhouse Theatre and the Britannia Show Lounge.

 

The last time we had afternoon tea on FOCLs... it really was the case of quantity over quantity... a far superior experience could be created with less food and more delight... and rather than a set price... a menu really high quality add-ons could be really good.

 

Your ideas about the wine and beer are great... something like a taste of the region that the ship was visiting would really enhance a cruise for us. 

 

Most of all... your ideas about the current problems with pricing policy are spot on as far as we're concerned. Then years ago Fred Jun had a policy of refunding the difference if cruises were later sold at a discount... in those days he achiever a 92% capacity and many cruises were full. 

 

FOCL seems to have been playing the game of trying to pull people in at the last minute with offers that make the company's cruises seem as cheap as chips... until of course, insurance, drinks, Wi-Fi. gratuities, excursions, speciality dining, travel to the port and everything else is added on as well. That's still may-be a reasonable deal compared to a rock-bottom coach trip but... move outwards and upwards to ocean-view cabins and balconies and FOCL has some of the most eye-watering comparative differentials in the industry. Yet, for the additional price, the cruise is the same, the food is the same, the excursions are the same and the entertainment is the same. FOCL need to move on.

 

It's interesting that many of the problems... passenger numbers well below expectation, high debt levels and the loss of bookings by a significant number of FOCL loyalty members (who are now cruising with other companies)... have been under the watch of those who (supposedly) actually knew their business.  Fresh Eye Thinking, someone with far wider experience of the holiday market than simply one cruise company and a history of achievement in numerous companies in the holiday sector may just be the shot in the arm that FOCL seems to so desperately needs... 

 

Let's hope the appointment of a CEO is successful... for the clients as well as the company.

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

The new broom?

 

There are some subtle changes to the website which appears to be more optimised for mobile devices. A lot more opportunity to scroll and to click at an earlier stage.
 

The  filters for finding a cruise are now on the horizontal. Once you get through the new filters it looks similar to in the past, at the moment. You can still ask to be shown all cruises then filter as before. So there appears to be new paint on the front door and the rest of the decorating inside may follow in time.

 

In my capacity as fantasy cruises CEO I approve. I would also be looking at adding in a biding system for left over inventory rather than slashing prices publicly and annoying customers. Also putting the fully obstructed cabins in with the insides as effectively they almost are if all you see is a bulkhead, lots of muttering about them on Bollette last year.

 

[twotravellersLondon]

On 2/16/2024 at 10:04 AM, Eglesbrech said:

The new broom?

 

There are some subtle changes to the website which appears to be more optimised for mobile devices. A lot more opportunity to scroll and to click at an earlier stage.
 

The  filters for finding a cruise are now on the horizontal. Once you get through the new filters it looks similar to in the past, at the moment. You can still ask to be shown all cruises then filter as before. So there appears to be new paint on the front door and the rest of the decorating inside may follow in time.

 

In my capacity as fantasy cruises CEO I approve. I would also be looking at adding in a biding system for left over inventory rather than slashing prices publicly and annoying customers. Also putting the fully obstructed cabins in with the insides as effectively they almost are if all you see is a bulkhead, lots of muttering about them on Bollette last year.

 

 

We like these ideas and we would like then even more if...

 

1, Some of the advertising was made a tad more creditable. Terrace cabins might be advertised as "promenade cabins"... rather than "balcony cabins"... they don't have balconies... they never have had balconies... and... advertising them as "balcony cabins" stretches the company's creditability to breaking point... it just seems silly to many.

 

2, The ships itineraries might be a bit more transparent. Expected arrival and departure times in ports were advertised in advance... just like most other cruise companies do. Otherwise it seems that the company is trying to entrap people into taking expensive ship-booked excursions rather than allowing them to make their own arrangements

[berkshireboy]

19 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

We like these ideas and we would like then even more if...

 

1, Some of the advertising was made a tad more creditable. Terrace cabins might be advertised as "promenade cabins"... rather than "balcony cabins"... they don't have balconies... they never have had balconies... and... advertising them as "balcony cabins" stretches the company's creditability to breaking point... it just seems silly to many.

 

 

Fred advertises cabins on the Bolette and Borealis as Suite, Terrace, Ocean and Interior.  The Terrace cabins are described as "Offering access to the Promenade Deck via sliding doors.  I can't see a problem with that.

 

 

[twotravellersLondon]

2 hours ago, berkshireboy said:

Fred advertises cabins on the Bolette and Borealis as Suite, Terrace, Ocean and Interior.  The Terrace cabins are described as "Offering access to the Promenade Deck via sliding doors.  I can't see a problem with that.

 

 

 

Not on the FOCL website...

 

The Terrace cabins are advertised as "Balcony Cabins." 

 

It's easy to check on the website...

 

Pick a cruise, any cruise (as long as it's with FOCL on one of the two old HAL ships... the Bolette or the Borealis). 

 

Select "Book Now." You will now have the opportunity to select from inside, outside, balcony or suite. 

 

Select "balcony" which the site will assure you is "Best for scenic views" and also advises that you may "Take in the scenery and sea air from a private outdoor space in one of our Balcony cabins."

 

Select "Balcony" and you will have only one grade to chose from... "Terrace Cabin"... 

 

But... despite being listed and advertised as "balcony cabins" these terrace cabins don't have balconies and they never have had balconies. 

 

That's one of the things that undermines the creditability of FOCL... and it would be so easy to change... just don't list/advertise terrace cabins as balcony cabins on the website. And it would be good to make the change...

 

Some people may not feel there is a problem of credibility but others may well do so. This is especially the case when FOCL is keen to attract new cruisers... who wants to pay extra to book a balcony and find that the cabin just doesn’t have one! People who do realise the situation may well being to wonder just what else might not be as advertised... it's a barrier to booking... and, at the moment, it would seem that FOCL can ill-afford to have any real or perceived barriers to booking.... every purchase matters.

 

FOCL is currently hiring staff to be based in the Ipswich HQ with a remit to improve catering drinks and retailing on board the remaining three ships. This is essential in our opinion.

 

FOCL is a company that's in challenging circumstances. The last quarter results from 2023 were released only a few days ago. The occupancy rate has fallen from 76% to 71%. Operating revenues have fallen from about NOK 921 million to NOK 856 million. Net ticket income per passenger has fallen from about £189 to £161. The net return has fallen from about NOK 146 million to only NOK 48 million. And the company has a NOK 1,473 million debt... (that's almost £112,000,000!)

 

 

Now FOCL knows all of this... the company supplied the figures quoted above... Bonheur... the ultimate parent company have just appointed a turn-around CEO to run FOCL... times seem to be "a changing."

 

There is many a true word spoken in jest... and in the fantasy world of cruise-line CEO...  the suggestion that the world "balcony" should not be associated with terrace cabins on the FOCL website... (because they don't have balconies) might be worth thousands to the company... if that small change had a positive effect on company creditability and engendered just a few more sales.

 

 

[berkshireboy]

20 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

Not on the FOCL website...

 

The Terrace cabins are advertised as "Balcony Cabins." 

 

It's easy to check on the website...

 

Pick a cruise, any cruise (as long as it's with FOCL on one of the two old HAL ships... the Bolette or the Borealis). 

 

Select "Book Now." You will now have the opportunity to select from inside, outside, balcony or suite. 

 

Select "balcony" which the site will assure you is "Best for scenic views" and also advises that you may "Take in the scenery and sea air from a private outdoor space in one of our Balcony cabins."

 

Select "Balcony" and you will have only one grade to chose from... "Terrace Cabin"... 

 

But... despite being listed and advertised as "balcony cabins" these terrace cabins don't have balconies and they never have had balconies. 

 

That's one of the things that undermines the creditability of FOCL... and it would be so easy to change... just don't list/advertise terrace cabins as balcony cabins on the website. And it would be good to make the change...

 

Some people may not feel there is a problem of credibility but others may well do so. This is especially the case when FOCL is keen to attract new cruisers... who wants to pay extra to book a balcony and find that the cabin just doesn’t have one! People who do realise the situation may well being to wonder just what else might not be as advertised... it's a barrier to booking... and, at the moment, it would seem that FOCL can ill-afford to have any real or perceived barriers to booking.... every purchase matters.

 

FOCL is currently hiring staff to be based in the Ipswich HQ with a remit to improve catering drinks and retailing on board the remaining three ships. This is essential in our opinion.

 

FOCL is a company that's in challenging circumstances. The last quarter results from 2023 were released only a few days ago. The occupancy rate has fallen from 76% to 71%. Operating revenues have fallen from about NOK 921 million to NOK 856 million. Net ticket income per passenger has fallen from about £189 to £161. The net return has fallen from about NOK 146 million to only NOK 48 million. And the company has a NOK 1,473 million debt... (that's almost £112,000,000!)

 

 

Now FOCL knows all of this... the company supplied the figures quoted above... Bonheur... the ultimate parent company have just appointed a turn-around CEO to run FOCL... times seem to be "a changing."

 

There is many a true word spoken in jest... and in the fantasy world of cruise-line CEO...  the suggestion that the world "balcony" should not be associated with terrace cabins on the FOCL website... (because they don't have balconies) might be worth thousands to the company... if that small change had a positive effect on company creditability and engendered just a few more sales.

 

 

I'm sorry but I am using the current FOCL website. 

 

As an example, I've selected at random cruise S2409 Wildlife and Culture of the Scenic Scottish Isles on the Borealis sailing from Southampton on the 7 May 2024. Going to the booking options on this cruise the cabin catagories offered are Suite, Terrace, Ocean and Interior.  There is no specific Balcony catagory.  [Athough the Suites on offer are described as having a private balcony].  The Terace cabins are described as offering access to the Promenade deck via sliding doors - there is no mention of a balcony.

 

Perhaps you could check this cruise and see if you can see the same as I've described?  If not perhaps your computer is holding an old copy of the FOCL website and, if this is the case you would need to delete cookies etc.

[twotravellersLondon]

1 hour ago, berkshireboy said:

Perhaps you could check this cruise and see if you can see the same as I've described?  If not perhaps your computer is holding an old copy of the FOCL website and, if this is the case you would need to delete cookies etc.

 

That was certainly the case a little earlier today but if you noticed the web-site seemed to have a few minor glitches. 

 

It now seems to be operating normally again. We've just chosen a "Balcony Cabin" on that same cruise. We were directed to a page which stated, "Select your cabin" and offered only

"BALCONY CABIN: Terrace Cabin (TC)." 

 

Just in case, we've randomly checked out T2426, T2412 and T2404... every description was the same. 

 

It really would be best if FOCL desisted this practice and it could well help their sales.

 

The fact is that FOCL are selling terrace cabins as "balcony cabins" although the don't have balconies, they never have had balconies and there are seemingly no plans to give them balconies. 

 

 

(Incidentally many thanks for the well-meaning IT advice. FOCL has no cookies on our equipment. Having asked friends to do a double check via their equipment... they find exactly the same... "BALCONY CABIN: Terrace Cabin (TC)." association on the FOCL site.)

[twotravellersLondon]

3 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

The fact is that FOCL are selling terrace cabins as "balcony cabins" although the don't have balconies, they never have had balconies and there are seemingly no plans to give them balconies. 

 

FOCL has just sent an email advertising this cruise, the Wildlife and Culture of the Scenic Scottish Isles, for 7 nights on 7 May 2024 on the Borealis... and this is part of the booking form!

 

 

As can be seen... it's the same cruise referred to in #9  and the only "balcony cabin" on offer  is clearly a terrace Cabin on the Promenade Deck... but these cabins don't have balconies!

 

Now what else should folks check out very, very carefully to save disappointment?

 

 

 

Edited February 20 by twotravellersLondon

[LandC]

The balcony cabins have no balconies, and the Junior Suites and Suites are in fact just balcony cabins, with a few canapés provided.

Unless people are prepared to pay for a premier suite they do not get the suite experience.