Recommendation - Yacht Club Sailing Credits for Explora Journeys

[At Sea At Peace]

Just to get some input from others on this specific idea, we believe that, when trying to create an 'all Yacht Club' suite luxury ship, the first market analysts forgot the best pipeline for such - prior Yacht Club passengers.

 

So, from another thread, we separate out this concept.  Just looking for feedback.  Thank you.

 

FOCUS - Correction #3

 

They 'booted' the bad business model of land-based hotel and hospitality instead of sea-based.  That's correction #1.

 

IMO, they need to make correction #2.

 

- get the gosh darned TA's off the new ships; make sure to take all of the "influencers" also.

 

- keep the good, successful TA's on limited (and soon to end) promotions.

 

- do not interfere with the paying customers access to any venue or amenity re: such.

 

Then, they need to make correction #3.

 

- do "what you should have done at the outset," and tap your most loyal and MSC experienced customers - - - past Yacht Club passengers!

 

- instead of granting free or heavily discounted fares to TA's, reward your 'base'.

 

- Yacht Club past booking 'tiers' of loyalty credits to 'book Explora Journeys'

 

- for example

 

- - - 1 Yacht Club prior sailing - Owners or Royal Suite - - $1,000 Credit

 

- - - 2 Yacht Club prior sailings - Deluxe Balcony - - $1,000 Credit

 

- - - 4 Yacht Club prior sailings - Inside - - $1,000 Credit

 

- MAX credit 'per booking' - - - $3,000

 

🧐

 

 

 

Edited June 1 by At Sea At Peace

[saminina]

Good to plant the seed.   Leave cultivation others.  "Hey boss....listen to this great idea and this is how we'll do it."   Reply from boss, "sounds great!  Now go find that guy on cruise critic.  And give your office key to him"

Edited June 2 by saminina

[At Sea At Peace]

1 hour ago, saminina said:

Good to plant the seed.   Leave cultivation others.  "Hey boss....listen to this great idea and this is how we'll do it."   Reply from boss, "sounds great!  Now go find that guy on cruise critic.  And give your office key to him"

 

Well, good intentions are behind the recommendation.  We were so looking forward to Explora Journeys - - because of our 9 B2B Yacht Club sailings - - - for the 'same experience' just on a smaller ship with access to itineraries' experiences that the larger sea ships can't offer.  We've met so many great cruisers in the MSC Yacht Club and, at first, such would be the sought after clientele to christen Explora Journeys.  Didn't happen - not even an email announcing that Explora Journeys even existed.  Wow, talk about not using the paper trail i.e., the 'rolodex of our  top customers' for our new luxury line branded 'specifically after them?'

 

But such happens.  Sometimes it can be that as entities get larger they get above the clouds and misstep the ground they walked to get aloft in the first place.  We believe they will find their way.

 

Will book when the TA's are dwindled and especially when the IF's are totally gone.  In the meantime we're booked for a couple of Yacht Club B2B's instead and again. The Yacht Club  'loyalty credit' was just a thought, such is not a factor for us at all. It just makes business and marketing sense.

[HappyInVan]

Competitive strategy is complex. You start by determining your focus. What are you? Who do you serve?

 

Explora is a startup evolving their way towards 6 ships. Explora 3 will have larger cabins and public spaces. In contrast, Ritz Carlton's customers are mostly existing hotel clients. So, their likes and preferences are known. The marina in their stern is a necessary lifestyle facility. RC currently has plans for just 3 ships in 2 sizes. “The Most Luxurious Suites at Sea.”

 

Where should Explora source their customers from? They're attracting the disaffected from existing luxury brands. “So much better than Regent etc?”

 

But, loyal luxury customers can also spot the deficiencies in Explora! How to win over satisfied customers from Regent etc?

 

IMHO, Explora needs to be popular (budget-luxury) rather than compete with RC and Regent, in order to fill the 6 ships. It could offer incentives to MSC Diamond customers to sail in OT suites. Eventually, it may need to offer incentives to YC customers to sail in penthouses etc. Explora has the option of offering more configurations than YC.

 

What's missing from Explora is the social scene. Is there a community built around the ship's activities and entertainment? For example, Holland America had the very popular Lincoln Center Stage with concert quality ensembles.

 

Explora has to make choices. It created the Anthology for bragging rights. But at Euro 170, it doesn't seem to make enough of an impact. In contrast, RC's Michelin restaurant is asking for $390.

 

Would it make more sense to create another popular venue like Marble?

 

Explora is very much a work in progress, and time is running out as Explora 2 is operational in August. Still far from its pinnacle.

 

One option to explore is the TA and Trans-Pacific journey. No cruise brand now runs a regular trans-oceanic service. This may be an opportunity for Explora mid-size ships.

[At Sea At Peace]

6 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

Competitive strategy is complex. You start by determining your focus. What are you? Who do you serve?

 

Explora is a startup evolving their way towards 6 ships. Explora 3 will have larger cabins and public spaces. In contrast, Ritz Carlton's customers are mostly existing hotel clients. So, their likes and preferences are known. The marina in their stern is a necessary lifestyle facility. RC currently has plans for just 3 ships in 2 sizes. “The Most Luxurious Suites at Sea.”

 

Where should Explora source their customers from? They're attracting the disaffected from existing luxury brands. “So much better than Regent etc?”

 

But, loyal luxury customers can also spot the deficiencies in Explora! How to win over satisfied customers from Regent etc?

 

IMHO, Explora needs to be popular (budget-luxury) rather than compete with RC and Regent, in order to fill the 6 ships. It could offer incentives to MSC Diamond customers to sail in OT suites. Eventually, it may need to offer incentives to YC customers to sail in penthouses etc. Explora has the option of offering more configurations than YC.

 

What's missing from Explora is the social scene. Is there a community built around the ship's activities and entertainment? For example, Holland America had the very popular Lincoln Center Stage with concert quality ensembles.

 

Explora has to make choices. It created the Anthology for bragging rights. But at Euro 170, it doesn't seem to make enough of an impact. In contrast, RC's Michelin restaurant is asking for $390.

 

Would it make more sense to create another popular venue like Marble?

 

Explora is very much a work in progress, and time is running out as Explora 2 is operational in August. Still far from its pinnacle.

 

One option to explore is the TA and Trans-Pacific journey. No cruise brand now runs a regular trans-oceanic service. This may be an opportunity for Explora mid-size ships.

 

A lot of good points from different angles and perspectives.  Thank you.

 

My simple point of recommendation adds to such when considering the # of YC staterooms on the MSC fleet of ships and (averaging 2 persons) generating approximately 162,000 guests per year one (a reasonably prudent person) would think that to promote a years sailings of Explora I trying to fill the ship with 48,000 guests (in a ship-wide Yacht Club enthused design) that MSC Yacht Club customer base would have had a measurable target - marketing, promotions, etc.

 

They haven't missed the 'boat' but it is a head scratcher for sure, especially when inundating the ships' sailings with TA's and the so-called influencers (along with the accompanying intrusion into the cruise enjoyment of the actual paying passengers).

 

Again, good points.

 

We like the concept you note "Explora needs to be popular (budget-luxury) rather than compete with RC and Regent, in order to fill the 6 ships" as that is how the Yacht Club model became so successful - compared to Haven and now Retreat.

 

🧐

Edited June 2 by At Sea At Peace

[At Sea At Peace]

On 6/1/2024 at 12:54 PM, At Sea At Peace said:

Just to get some input from others on this specific idea, we believe that, when trying to create an 'all Yacht Club' suite luxury ship, the first market analysts forgot the best pipeline for such - prior Yacht Club passengers.

 

- do "what you should have done at the outset," and tap your most loyal and MSC experienced customers - - - past Yacht Club passengers!

 

Yacht Club past booking 'tiers' of loyalty credits to 'book Explora Journeys'

 

- for example

 

- - - 1 Yacht Club prior sailing - Owners or Royal Suite - - $1,000 Credit

 

- - - 2 Yacht Club prior sailings - Deluxe Balcony - - $1,000 Credit

 

- - - 4 Yacht Club prior sailings - Inside - - $1,000 Credit

 

- - - MAX credit 'per booking' - - - $3,000

 

🧐

 

 

 

 

Just recalling the example.

 

Edited June 8 by At Sea At Peace

[LostAtSeaForever]

 EJ should only offer loyal Yacht Club cruisers awesome deals. We have been on over 26 Yacht club cruises would only Cruise MSC in yacht club. We were recently told that post-COVID MSC is sailing with full ships. YC is not always booked solid ( out of USA) they are filling Yacht Club with guests bidding for upgrades.  This is attracting a different clientele into Yacht Club, especially on shorter cruises.  They usually don't pan out to be repeat YC cruisers due to cost. 

 

Also, the large number of travel agents on board EJ is due to the very low rate TAs are offered to cruise. $200-$250 a day even if they have never sold an EJ Cruise. Plus TAs and “Influencers” are given free upgrades to the larger cabins. I think EJ needs to show a little gratitude to paying guests. We will talk about our EJ experience to like-minded friends and family and invite them to Cruise with us. Any TA I've dealt with just answers the phone and books the cruise I ask them to.  #JMHO 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

On 6/10/2024 at 10:13 AM, LostAtSeaForever said:

 EJ should only offer loyal Yacht Club cruisers awesome deals. We have been on over 26 Yacht club cruises would only Cruise MSC in yacht club.

 

 

Agreed, as a start.

 

Impressive count.  We're at 10 cruises, all B2B's.

[tfred]

most companies hate to start any discount program (OBC or off the top) because once you start then when it stops the crying starts   X eliminated OBC from suites and then the yelling started 

 

they need to have some other value added concept - priority restaurant Rez, dedicated hot line, spa something 

[At Sea At Peace]

2 minutes ago, tfred said:

most companies hate to start any discount program (OBC or off the top) because once you start then when it stops the crying starts   X eliminated OBC from suites and then the yelling started 

 

they need to have some other value added concept - priority restaurant Rez, dedicated hot line, spa something 

 

True.

 

Most companies also hate to be operating at 50% revenue capacity with a considerable sub-population of TAs and Influencers on the cheap or free.

 

We'll see.

 

 

[tfred]

1 minute ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

True.

 

Most companies also hate to be operating at 50% revenue capacity with a considerable sub-population of TAs and Influencers on the cheap or free.

 

We'll see.

 

 

well they have to get the word out which is probably the genesis of the influencer an TA route. That only gets you so far. I am no marketing expert but they need to get another way to showcase their product. How many people choose a cruise on their own and have a TA book it vs using a TA as a trusted advisor ?  Dunno. 

 

If potential customers dont even know you then price doesnt matter 

[At Sea At Peace]

13 minutes ago, tfred said:

well they have to get the word out which is probably the genesis of the influencer an TA route. That only gets you so far. I am no marketing expert but they need to get another way to showcase their product. How many people choose a cruise on their own and have a TA book it vs using a TA as a trusted advisor ?  Dunno. 

 

If potential customers dont even know you then price doesnt matter 

 

Again, we share good points.  My original point was they should have (and still should) 'tap' their most loyal MSC Yacht Club data base of almost a million passengers with a Loyalty Credit Program for Yacht Club sailings (adjustments for stateroom classes).  

 

Despite their desire for Explora Journeys to be "the Ocean State of Mind" and compete with the best other luxury brands with generations of new, younger cruisers, they should stick with 'what worked' at MSC in the Yacht Club and 1. provide the best club-within-a-club sea ship for, by far, 2. the best value.

 

You're also right about not knowing the actual price, in a couple of perspectives.  Some TA's are being offered 18% (others 8%) and the TA can OBC 'their most loyal customers.'  How about giving MSC Diamond members that self-book 'the same deal?'

 

Second, how about a website where you can actually see the available staterooms by category and price?  Yikes.  They can't do it!

[CJANDH]

On 6/10/2024 at 10:13 AM, LostAtSeaForever said:

EJ should only offer loyal Yacht Club cruisers awesome deals.

I am not sure it is good strategy to try to build your business by cannibalizing your existing business.

[tfred]

Royal Caribbean Group has offered a pathway for their fleet - Royal/Celebrity/Silversea I think the idea is to keep "you" in the family as vacation needs change.  Tired of Royal with a million kids?  Get on Celebrity. Tired of same old itins?  Silversea.  

 

RCG knows that people can drift away and many people don't know that SSea is part of RCG.  Those people start looking at Regent, Seabourn et al for small ship, better service etc. Why not keep them in house. Sort of the old GM sales model - Chevrolet - Buick - Cadillac 

 

The status match from line to line isnt much. At the SSea level (I am elite on X) is free laundry, but for many people that might be enough acknowledgment of status where pretty much everything is included on SSea

 

 MSC should be advertising that they have a fun little next level cruise line that you should look at when you get bored of the 7 day South Florida routes. MSC YC sailings are easy to get to with repeatable schedules that fit into working peoples timeframes. Explora (and others) sailings are mostly 2 or 3 flight airports and returns from someplace else.  Not the average MSC YC pax

 

The issue is how do you get them to notice?  Discounts are hard to stop once you start and you dont want customers there because of price.  Depends on how the next level up finds the non mass market cruises.  Is it TAs ?  Travel magazines? I look at cruises a lot and I only stumbled upon Explora by some Google pop up 

 

 

[At Sea At Peace]

45 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

I am not sure it is good strategy to try to build your business by cannibalizing your existing business.

 

No offense intended, but that statement is a real head scratcher.  It's quite a leap from using your high end customer data base with enticements to try your new product to the implicating 'ends' that such would somehow disembowel the MSC cruise line and that the Yacht Club (a secret many of us held close 🤐 for so long (for some others no so much 😔 ) that is growing in not only repeat popularity but winning many cross-overs from competing brands.

 

In the past couple of decades, with technology (internet, social media and even almost cost-free email digital campaigns) our purchase and consumption history is not only recorded and used by our vendors (and intermediaries, i.e., Amazon for example) but also sold by medium intermediaries of the search engine or social media source - - to push so many of their other products.

 

It's just seems so common sense, something that they missed and underestimated at the outset, and should definitely work into the current marketing plan to help move away from 50% empty ships, discounted prices (versus pre Explora I) as they double their capacity with Explora II.

 

JIMO  🧐

[tfred]

Other than YC on MSC it is a head scratcher as to what MSC's mission statement is. They have been in the USA for at least 20 years and most would be hard pressed to ID the brand let alone describe the experience. YC seems to be well known but the rest of the ship generally gets mediocre reviews 

 

YC pax looking for a different route other than the Caribbean are a natural to entice.  How do you get them to Explora without discounting ?