I Hope They Don't Do This........

[PathfinderEss]

save our trees and forests. go e-brochure!!

Oh now your going to far CC'ers. Let me explain a little about paper making. All paper companies, and mills do not cut down old growth forest, in the US they grow their own trees for paper production, just as corn, grapes, apples, oranges and nuts etc., are grown as crops so are trees a crop, they are called them tree farms. They use fast growing trees or timber that turn in 12 to 15 years. Also for every tree that is cut down they plant two in it place. What most people don't realize is that there are more tree's in the world today then ever before. So by not printing brochures, you are not helping to protect the forests. My DH has worked in the paper field for over 40 years, from manufacturing to sales.

I love my brochures, though I go on line to learn about certain cruise, I really reference my bochures for more information on ports, cabin etc., I would miss them.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail, usually we totally agree but I have to say that I never use the brochures. We have not received the newspaper in well over 15 years andany and all magazines/brochures we receive in the garbage can before I even enter the house from going to get the mail with the exception fo any HAL mail. That we look at for a few minutes then in the trash it goes:o

I personally think this would be a good move for HAL:)

[mariner]

Just like the car ads

[kenish]

Melodie- Where in OC are you? We're in RSM.

[Sir PMP]

I do

[Sundagger]

This week I've received a mail offer and an email offer to enter me in 1) a drawing for a Med cruise and 2) a drawing for a Carib cruise - all I have to do is tell them what brochures I want for next year's cruises. Doesn't sound like they are cutting back too much.

 

[My news I get from a local paper (for local news), TV and the Internet].

[mancunian]

We are clearly very old fashioned. We read newspapers every day and browse brochures. I use the computer quite a lot but tend to go straight to information I want. My DH does not generally go on the computer at all. He can use it but doesn't. I think like the original poster we will miss out on cruises because they often come from us and particularly him browsing brochures.

[kryos]

I heard recently HAL is going to try to ease off printed, pretty pictured brochures and go to e-brochures. :(

 

While I certainly spend hours on the computer, I don't want to see them stop providing us with brochures.

Sorry, Sail, but all companies today are jumping on the bandwagon to "go green." You may like the pretty printed brochures (as do I) but generally they end up in the trash at smoe point ... and many, many trees wind up dead as well.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Dupe ... sorry. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[marle7]

We like the printed brochures and we prefer paper docs to e-docs. My husband still gets the newspaper delivered while I read my news online. The brochures do tend to convince hubby that the cruise I've picked out is worth taking.:D

[jhannah]

Printed brochures are lovely, but as already pointed out they are very expensive to produce and mail. Electronic versions can be printed as needed. Normally I'd point out that printed brochures can be obsolete the moment they come out of the print shop, so online versions can be updated quickly and easily when needed. But since HAL isn't known for their website prowess ...

 

If the money would be used to help return staffing/service levels to where they once were, then I'd gladly peruse the brochures online.

[hammybee]

All that matters is if the brochures result in incremental bookings. No doubt someone is monitoring bookings following each mailing. If direct mail advertizing brings the desired result, they will continue and if it's not effective, they will cut back and try another media.

[sail7seas]

. Normally I'd point out that printed brochures can be obsolete the moment they come out of the print shop, so online versions can be updated quickly and easily when needed. But since HAL isn't known for their website prowess ...

 

There's the big BUT......

 

HAL's site gets less and less user friendly. They can't seem to get an easy to navigate, dependable site up

 

 

And what about that (sizeable?) number of seniors who do not use computers? How are they to continue selecting their cruises. Some may use TA's such as AmEx Platinum .....meaning their TA may not be a brick and mortar in their neighborhood. We well may lose some of them from cruising if it becomes too hard for them to have a reasonable way to choose their cruises/cabins. They certainly need to see deck plans.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I want colored brochures!!

 

Wonder if the cruise consultants on board are going to take the time to print out all the brochures of trips people want to consider?

[sail7seas]

I doubt it. :( Of course, not all FCC are created equal.

 

I hope they continue printing those brochures but perhaps in fewer numbers and use their demographics and compile their mailing lists to target better those who won't be on line researching or booking; those who specifically request brochures etc

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Should the future cruise consultants not have printed (colored) brochures and don't want to take the time to print out brochures or itineraries for people, some people may get disgusted and not want to book HAL if they can't have some itineraries to look over.

[jhannah]

Should the future cruise consultants not have printed (colored) brochures and don't want to take the time to print out brochures or itineraries for people, some people may get disgusted and not want to book HAL if they can't have some itineraries to look over.

That may well be true. The question for HAL, then, is what is the cost-benefit ratio of printing costs vis-a-vis bookings. I'm confident their marketing people have a pretty good handle on this ... or at least they should.

[gregdude]

Here we go again, this is an age issue clear and simple. Folks under about 40 are completely dependent upon computers and cell phones, they live a technologically driven life and therefore that is how you get to them. Those of us in the above 40 group are somewhere in between. I for one, 62, do all of my cruise research on line and then order a brochure just to see the nice pictures. The reality for me is, of the past three cruises I have taken and the next two that are reserved, I have done completely on line directly through the cruise line without ever looking at a brochure.

 

Pictures are nice, but the future of color brochures are going to go the way, that many of us think formal nights will shortly go, once the folks 40 and below reach 50 and above all bets are off!

[sail7seas]

I bring my former post forward. No on has answered it.

 

 

What does age have to do with wanting a pretty picture brochure. Young or old, if one is computer savvy, what's the difference if 41 or 61? :confused:

 

I shop on line all the time but still leaf through some of the catalogs I get. Some I toss, of course, but others I read.

 

 

I'm definitely over 40, use my cell phone and have for years, spend hours daily on my computer, book flights ande hotels when we choose on line..... we do not and will not (yet) book our cruises on line. It is not because we do not have the mental agility to do so. :)

 

DH does a large part of his professional work on line. He is as computer savvy as he needs to be.

And you should see our e-mail box....... communicate from one end of the globe to the other and don't know how we lived before we had e-mail!!!

 

What does my age have to do with whether I want a pretty, printed brochure?

 

[ctsally]

Why not simply send the flyers and brochures to those you request to be put on a mailing list?

 

I certainly enjoy "drooling" over all the possible cruises when I get HAL's mail. Aside from the daily newspaper, HAL literature is the best in the mailbox!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Here we go again, this is an age issue clear and simple. Folks under about 40 are completely dependent upon computers and cell phones, they live a technologically driven life and therefore that is how you get to them. Those of us in the above 40 group are somewhere in between. I for one, 62, do all of my cruise research on line and then order a brochure just to see the nice pictures. The reality for me is, of the past three cruises I have taken and the next two that are reserved, I have done completely on line directly through the cruise line without ever looking at a brochure.

 

Pictures are nice, but the future of color brochures are going to go the way, that many of us think formal nights will shortly go, once the folks 40 and below reach 50 and above all bets are off!

 

Age Issue for wanting a colored brochure!!?? I don't think so.

We are close to 70 and use our computer to book hotels, airlines, parking passes (for the airport), etc. I do shop on line from time to time. We have 2 cell phones (his and hers) - we text message. About the only thing I haven't done yet is to book our cruises on line. But that may soon come when our TA retires.

Ate a restaurant where we ate lunch the other day, our server was showing us all kinds of brochures that she had picked up to plan for her first cruise -- she is only in her 20's!! Quote from her "the computer didn't show her everything she wanted to see" about a couple of ships that she is considering.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Why not simply send the flyers and brochures to those you request to be put on a mailing list?

 

I certainly enjoy "drooling" over all the possible cruises when I get HAL's mail. Aside from the daily newspaper, HAL literature is the best in the mailbox!

 

I agree!!!

[Opinions]

What about you? You care if you get put your fingers on the pretty covers of those beautiful brochures? Would it matter to you if they became scarce?

 

I do all my research online and also book online...However before finally booking I like to have a copy of the appropriate brochure for all the details...I would miss them if they were eliminated completely...I was somewhat surprised that HAL couldn't find any room in their 105 page Europe 2008 brochure for the dress code.(At least I can't find it.)

[brewster007]

Oh now your going to far CC'ers. Let me explain a little about paper making. All paper companies, and mills do not cut down old growth forest, in the US they grow their own trees for paper production, just as corn, grapes, apples, oranges and nuts etc., are grown as crops so are trees a crop, they are called them tree farms. They use fast growing trees or timber that turn in 12 to 15 years. Also for every tree that is cut down they plant two in it place. What most people don't realize is that there are more tree's in the world today then ever before. So by not printing brochures, you are not helping to protect the forests. My DH has worked in the paper field for over 40 years, from manufacturing to sales.

I love my brochures, though I go on line to learn about certain cruise, I really reference my bochures for more information on ports, cabin etc., I would miss them.

 

Some pretty interesting comments. Now I will share some info regarding the forestry industry in Canada. It is in the worst share it has been in recent memory. Mills are closing, OSB plants are closing forest devestation due to the Pine Beetle. While some of the recent problems can be attributed to gas prices (transportation costs), the increased value of the CDN dollar, downturn in housing starts in the USA, trade agreements with the USA, there has also been over foresting - hence my comments of "save our forests". I just think we need to look at ways to better utilize our natural resources.

 

Brewster

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Should the future cruise consultants not have printed (colored) brochures and don't want to take the time to print out brochures or itineraries for people, some people may get disgusted and not want to book HAL if they can't have some itineraries to look over.

Most brochures are grouped together for mulitple cruises, ships and dates. With computers and color lazer printers the Future Cruise consultants can easily print out a page and pictures of anything the cruiser is interested in with out printing out the whole booklet with many pages that do not apply.

Such as this one that was sent to me by my TA

 

 

 

 

It prints out great on my printer here at work. I can see them still publish some brochures in limited publication and have them all available on line.

I also agree that it has nothing to do with age, I would say more of education level and economic statis. I can tell you that I see people applying for car loans that have always struggled to make ends meet and will most likely never own a computer of course they also most likely will never cruise. :o