An example of luxury vs premium

[clo]

Please tell me what those are? I know you get earlier reservations for specialty restaurants. And 'special' liquor. I'm sincerely interested.

[mnocket]

7 hours ago, jonthomas said:

 

I guess I can repeat that, talk about YOU missing my point.

IF a luxury line is about how much you can drink, the variety, quality,  and how you are served those drinks, since we dont consume any alcohol,  then we are getting all the luxury we need by sailing a premium line , without the cost. For us it has to be about something other than liquor to pay more.

Hope you get my point. I really cant explain it better than that.

WOOSH!  It's not about alcohol.  

[ronrick1943]

4 hours ago, ak1004 said:

Agree, but this is directly related to the service. Also, if they have clear instructions and guidelines from the corporate that dictate cutbacks, sometimes the best crew cannot save the day.

 

Also, age and condition of the ship. Crystal fans will always point out to the crew, but just read some of the reviews. The best crew will have a hard time to resolve some of the issues on a 25 years old ship.

I agree choosing a ship is very important---so is Corporate , they have to set policy-but you need good leaders on the ship to follow those policies.  Only then do you what you should be getting for your purchase and decide if that is the line you want to go on.  Continuity is important.  I've cruise about 20 cruise on different lines before going to "O" (9 cruises), then I got a little bored and moved to Regent (8 cruises), bored again and moved to Silversea (2 cruises) and didn't see the value so now I've moved back to "O" because of the device and the larger suites.  We'll see how it goes.

[ronrick1943]

52 minutes ago, mnocket said:

WOOSH!  It's not about alcohol.  

I agree, if it really is about alcohol - then save their money and cruise Carnival.  I don't drink either and I don't appreciate loud month guest at dinner or around the ship.  

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

I agree, if it really is about alcohol - then save their money and cruise Carnival.  I don't drink either and I don't appreciate loud month guest at dinner or around the ship.  

Have you ever cruised on Carnival?  Once upon a time, we took three cruises with that line (2 when we had a young daughter) and it was surprisingly good.  The first folks we met were luxury line cruisers who also turned to Carnival and RCCL (now RCI) for their family cruises.  We have also encountered loud mouth guests on one luxury line and friends of ours recently had an awful cruise on Seabourn, because of a large group of drunken/loud souls from a country south of the Equator.  Unfortunately, stuff happens even on the best lines.

 

Hank

[ronrick1943]

42 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Have you ever cruised on Carnival?  Once upon a time, we took three cruises with that line (2 when we had a young daughter) and it was surprisingly good.  The first folks we met were luxury line cruisers who also turned to Carnival and RCCL (now RCI) for their family cruises.  We have also encountered loud mouth guests on one luxury line and friends of ours recently had an awful cruise on Seabourn, because of a large group of drunken/loud souls from a country south of the Equator.  Unfortunately, stuff happens even on the best lines.

 

Hank

Oh, I don't disagree with you, yes we had them on Regent, Silversea and "O".  I was just being snarly (wrong of me) but with all the problems Carnival is having with drinking and bad behavior I wouldn't resist.  Sorry about that--yes I have cruised Carnival once, it just wasn't my style even when I was young.  I've always liked better in travel, I've worked hard, travel a lot around the world both personal and business.  Now retired I just want to enjoy life while I can, a get away for me is quiet time, no tours-stay on the ship unless there is something really I want to see or just a walk and lunch around a small town during port stops..  Wrong or right, selfish or not that's me--I'm polite, but don't necessarily want to have dinner with others until I get to know them (meaning) sitting around the pool, gym, coffee or a quick lunch.

[jonthomas]

9 hours ago, mnocket said:

WOOSH!  It's not about alcohol.  

Someone here said that on a luxury line they have so many more choices for liquor and constantly being offered more.

I said if that is the diff between lux and premium, we won't pay for lux since liquor has no incentive for us.

O offers us all that we need, even though now we have to pay more for SM.

[fdnycruiser]

Well said, Ronrick ! 

[Woodrowst]

3 hours ago, jonthomas said:

O offers us all that we need.

Getting back to the core of the thread (Luxury vs premium lines), I’m not sure the issue is need.  It really is more about appreciation.  The question is whether you appreciate the incrementally elevated level of service provided on a luxury line.  I don’t mean to be rude, but unless you have sailed on both levels you really don’t know your answer.
 

As an example, some who have sailed on a luxury line say they feel their butler added substantially to their experience.  Some others have said that they did not find that a butler enhanced their experience.  And a third group said they did not think a butler would enhance their experience but found after having one that it did.  
 

If you have never sailed on Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, or other luxury line how do you know that you are not in the third group above; those that did not think that they would appreciate the elevated service but after trying it found that they did?

[ak1004]

43 minutes ago, Woodrowst said:

Getting back to the core of the thread (Luxury vs premium lines), I’m not sure the issue is need.  It really is more about appreciation.  The question is whether you appreciate the incrementally elevated level of service provided on a luxury line.  I don’t mean to be rude, but unless you have sailed on both levels you really don’t know your answer.
 

As an example, some who have sailed on a luxury line say they feel their butler added substantially to their experience.  Some others have said that they did not find that a butler enhanced their experience.  And a third group said they did not think a butler would enhance their experience but found after having one that it did.  
 

If you have never sailed on Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, or other luxury line how do you know that you are not in the third group above; those that did not think that they would appreciate the elevated service but after trying it found that they did?

 

Personally I can appreciate the incrementally elevated level of service and willing to pay for it (to some degree). But the question is - is this really the case? We sailed on old Crystal, SS, O and Azamara, and I cannot honestly say that the level of service was that different.

 

Yes, it was nice to have a butler on SS - but SB doesn't have butlers. does it make SB less luxury than SS?

 

Maybe someone who cruises extensively (like 3-4 months a year) and sails say 3-4 weeks on SS and then a few weeks later 3-4 weeks on O can really feel those nuances. We sail around 3 cruises a year, each one around 10-12 nights, and truly enjoy all of them - maybe it's just not frequent enough to truly compare them and see the difference? But to me, when I see the current prices of SS and Crystal, I just don't see the value.

[RPen63]

I have had a similar experience to the OP’s while I was on O.  I was in a specialty restaurant, probably Polo, but I don’t remember for sure.  After checking out the dessert menu and finding nothing that I felt was worth the calories, I asked if they had berries available.  The waiter said that they did not in that restaurant but told me that he would get me some from elsewhere on the ship, which he did.  I’m not sure that the end result was any different between our experiences.  

[ronrick1943]

21 hours ago, Woodrowst said:

Getting back to the core of the thread (Luxury vs premium lines), I’m not sure the issue is need.  It really is more about appreciation.  The question is whether you appreciate the incrementally elevated level of service provided on a luxury line.  I don’t mean to be rude, but unless you have sailed on both levels you really don’t know your answer.
 

As an example, some who have sailed on a luxury line say they feel their butler added substantially to their experience.  Some others have said that they did not find that a butler enhanced their experience.  And a third group said they did not think a butler would enhance their experience but found after having one that it did.  
 

If you have never sailed on Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea, or other luxury line how do you know that you are not in the third group above; those that did not think that they would appreciate the elevated service but after trying it found that they did?

I believe you are right, until you have and use the service of a Butler you don't know.  For us the best thing about Regent and Siversea is you don't have to show your key card every time you do something.  Honestly that's about it and that's because you pay ahead of time, the drink package and tours are included.  We don't drink so no big deal.  I really found the Butler we've had on our "O" cruises does every bit as good as the others.  Sometimes you get a great Butler others time not so good.  Again I also believe the suite is important - and for price you get a nicer suite at a lower cost and that really does make a difference.  The bigger the suite the better the perks in general.

[babysteps]

Ok here's my worth just 2 cents recap,

What is the answer to a special request?

mass market "no"

premium "yes" *if* it's someplace onboard and isn't already an extra cost

luxury "yes" even if they have to make a special purchase ashore to make it happen

 

No this doesn't apply in all circumstances.

Yes there are additional differences between the categories. 

Yes we can all agree to disagree as to whether we see the $ value of a given category compared to any other category

Yes the conversation as we agree to disagree is engaging!

[Psoque]

There are two different things that makes this whole “premium” designation rather fluid and very elusive.

 

One is the actual usage of the terms such as “premium” and “luxury.” There appears to be a disagreement about which line is “premium” and which line isn’t.  Celebrity Cruises, for example calls itself a “premium” line.  On the other hand, some travel agencies, especially those who sell a lot of Oceania itineraries, love to say that Oceania is special because it is a “premium” line, with an onboard experience much better than the “mass market” lines, including Celebrity, etc.  I also read here some of the Oceania fans comparing Oceania to a german luxury car brand.  And on some of the brochures, Oceania likes to call itself a luxury brand.  And for an obvious reason, Celebrity/HAL/Princess will never call itself a “mass market” cruise line.  I personally consider anything that I can reasonably afford to be a mass market cruise, since I consider myself nothing more than a typical consumer of cruises.

The other is that, cruise experience, at least based on my personal experience, is somewhat unpredictable, because most cruise lines execute their “luxury,” “premium,” etc. service in a rather inconsistent manner.  There are major overlaps in what you experience on a “luxury” line and other lines.  And each line excels in one aspect or another.  For example, I consider cabin design of Riviera to be as good as on a Crystal ship.  However, the gym on Riviera is maintained in a much poorer condition than what I have seen on Celebrity/HAL/Princess ships.  The level of dining service inconsistencies we have experienced on Riviera is something I can’t even forgive on a Celebrity cruise.  So, the labels do not mean much, in my opinion.  Being on a “luxury” cruise does not mean all aspect of that cruise is better than a “premium” cruise.   The same can be said about an experience on a “premium” line… some aspect MAY be “premium,” some may be “luxury,” and some may be more consistent with “budget.”

 

So we can go on and on about labels.  But in my mind, they don’t really mean much.

 

 

Edited April 25 by Psoque

[ak1004]

25 minutes ago, babysteps said:

Ok here's my worth just 2 cents recap,

What is the answer to a special request?

mass market "no"

premium "yes" *if* it's someplace onboard and isn't already an extra cost

luxury "yes" even if they have to make a special purchase ashore to make it happen

 

No this doesn't apply in all circumstances.

Yes there are additional differences between the categories. 

Yes we can all agree to disagree as to whether we see the $ value of a given category compared to any other category

Yes the conversation as we agree to disagree is engaging!

 

We have been on two SS cruises and asked for pomegranate juice. I don't think this is too much to ask - on both cruises the answer was "no, we don't have it". 

 

Asked for cherry jubilee on SS and O - got it on both lines.

 

So the answer is - it depends. 

[Kay S]

4 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

I believe you are right, until you have and use the service of a Butler you don't know.

Good point.  I haven't had nor do I want a butler.  I don't have servants at home and I get along just fine.  Not to sound too snarky about it (🙃) but am I likely to find a "snob" attitude on board when I confess I'm not in a butler-class cabin?  (My first O cruise coming up.)  

[ronrick1943]

11 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Good point.  I haven't had nor do I want a butler.  I don't have servants at home and I get along just fine.  Not to sound too snarky about it (🙃) but am I likely to find a "snob" attitude on board when I confess I'm not in a butler-class cabin?  (My first O cruise coming up.)  

If you do, you don't want to know that person anyway--and you really don't want to have dinner with them.😃

[basor]

34 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Good point.  I haven't had nor do I want a butler.  I don't have servants at home and I get along just fine.  Not to sound too snarky about it (🙃) but am I likely to find a "snob" attitude on board when I confess I'm not in a butler-class cabin?  (My first O cruise coming up.)  

Doubt it since more cabins onboard do not have a butler than do and, unless we are needing to contact someone, the subject of what cabin we or they are in does not even come up..

[clo]

2 hours ago, Kay S said:

I'm not in a butler-class

It doesn't appeal in the least to me. I guess some is I'm giving up a small amount of privacy. And I don't plan everything in advance and I might want to change my mind at the last minute. I don't want to think that I'm 'bothering' the butler with my last minute changes. And, hey, to be honest, it doesn't sound like there are any female butlers. Are there? And if not, why not?

[FlyerTalker]

7 hours ago, babysteps said:

Ok here's my worth just 2 cents recap,

What is the answer to a special request?

mass market "no"

premium "yes" *if* it's someplace onboard and isn't already an extra cost

luxury "yes" even if they have to make a special purchase ashore to make it happen

 

Well said.

 

There is just something you feel different on a luxury line.  It's not just about cabin size, or all inclusive, or butlers or whatever.  The atmosphere is different, sometimes quite significantly.

 

And, I will concede that some probably don't notice or care.  It's all about the hard quantifiable for them.  NOTHING wrong with that.  But, no reason to continue this kind of differentiation in that case.

 

 

 

[FlyerTalker]

7 hours ago, ak1004 said:

We have been on two SS cruises and asked for pomegranate juice. I don't think this is too much to ask - on both cruises the answer was "no, we don't have it".

 

Did you pre-request that they have this?  If not, then this come down to a simple question of "just how extensively must a ship stock their larder to be able to cater to non-standard requests from guests?"

 

I guess they didn't anticipate your unspoken needs until the ship was sailing and already provisioned.  How dare they not FedEx in a supply at the next port.

 

And FWIW, this is the first time I've ever heard of a guest wanting pomegranate juice.  So maybe it's not as desired as you might wish.

 

 

[ak1004]

24 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Did you pre-request that they have this?  If not, then this come down to a simple question of "just how extensively must a ship stock their larder to be able to cater to non-standard requests from guests?"

 

I guess they didn't anticipate your unspoken needs until the ship was sailing and already provisioned.  How dare they not FedEx in a supply at the next port.

 

And FWIW, this is the first time I've ever heard of a guest wanting pomegranate juice.  So maybe it's not as desired as you might wish.

 

 

 

Well, one of the posters mentioned "luxury "yes" even if they have to make a special purchase ashore to make it happen"

 

Shouldn't be too difficult to buy a few pomegranates in the next port.. Or even few bottles of pomegranate juice if they are not willing to make a freshly squeezed one.

 

So yes, to me it didn't feel much different from "premium" lines.

[Woodrowst]

9 hours ago, clo said:

It doesn't appeal in the least to me. I guess some is I'm giving up a small amount of privacy. And I don't plan everything in advance and I might want to change my mind at the last minute. I don't want to think that I'm 'bothering' the butler with my last minute changes. And, hey, to be honest, it doesn't sound like there are any female butlers. Are there? And if not, why not?

We are currently on the Silversea Silver Endeavor and have a female butler.  Her name is Khai.

[Harters]

12 hours ago, clo said:

it doesn't sound like there are any female butlers. Are there? And if not, why not?

Good questions. 

[Harters]

8 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

this is the first time I've ever heard of a guest wanting pomegranate juice.  So maybe it's not as desired as you might wish.

Bearing in mind O's generally older customer base and pom juice's well publicised alleged health benefits, I'm surprised if it wouldnt be reasonably popular. 

 

And, of course, it's the main traditional ingredient in grenadine.