No more past guest pins.

[SandyW]

I like Fat Boy's suggestion the best, too. Although it would be nice if there was one coupon per past guest instead of one per cabin. It doesn't seem fair to me that one of us wouldn't be rewarded for being a past guest. However, I'd rather have one coupon than none! Or perhaps limit it to adult past guests only.

[falkcor]

alright, here's a new twist on this theme... has anybody else tried to figure out how much fiscal effect this decision has for carnival's bottom line, and the potential revenue from instead putting them in the gift shop for sale?

 

i'm being serious. i remembered i did this the other night while waiting for friends to arrive, on a whim, and reviewed it tonight... i looked at it as an interesting case study of the affect of a relatively small change, to a relatively large corporation...

 

granted - it's based on certain estimates of mine re: prices, and an educated guess regarding total passengers... 0.50 production cost of pin, 5 day average cruise (with all lengths considered), 50% of total carnival PASSENGERS (4,641,778) are past guests (2,320,889 passengers - it's important to note that many past guests sail several times per year, so not 2.32M unique past guest (or 4.64M unique passengers)/yr), and they would sell the pins for $4 in the gift shop... shift these variables up/down (and i wasn't about to calculate the actual day average of all carnival's cruises lol) and it's still pretty staggering when you look at it this way.

 

Total revenue, including added revenue stream of $4,061,558.00 in sale of the pins, plus a mitigated expense of $1.160M in having previously given them away for free, is $5,222,022.50.

 

WOW. :cool:

[Fat Boy]

Total revenue, including added revenue stream of $4,061,558.00 in sale of the pins, plus a mitigated expense of $1.160M in having previously given them away for free, is $5,222,022.50.

 

The mitigated expense is a given, but I doubt the added revenue would touch $4 million. The market for pins would be twice as big (all guests vs past guests), but as you pointed out, that's not 4 million unique guests, and not all guests would be willing to buy the pins. Still, your point is valid... The financial gain is significant.

 

Offset that financial gain with the goodwill lost by chiseling your most dedicated customers for a couple more bucks or furthering the "bargain bin" brand image. I don't know that the bean counters win this argument. Time will tell. I think this hybrid proposal gives a win to everyone... which, of course, means it could never possibly come to fruition.

[falkcor]

The mitigated expense is a given, but I doubt the added revenue would touch $4 million. The market for pins would be twice as big (all guests vs past guests), but as you pointed out, that's not 4 million unique guests, and not all guests would be willing to buy the pins. Still, your point is valid... The financial gain is significant.

 

Offset that financial gain with the goodwill lost by chiseling your most dedicated customers for a couple more bucks or furthering the "bargain bin" brand image. I don't know that the bean counters win this argument. Time will tell. I think this hybrid proposal gives a win to everyone... which, of course, means it could never possibly come to fruition.

 

thanks for your thoughtful response. and what i highlighted in red above - you hit the nail on the head. and in calculating the figures cited above, i didn't even take that into account. i did at first, but edited it out of the equation given the variable and unknown nature of first time guests that would purchase them.

 

some would say only 30% would, because most didn't even know they existed, and 70% wouldn't... others could argue that 70% would because that would be an important momento / souvenir of their first cruise, and 30% won't because they don't care or don't know... (and i would have bought one, as a cheap souvenir, even though i'm effectively pin-neutral in a lot of ways...) that's all too subjective.

 

i expected 50% of total passengers to be past guests, and 50% of those (buying one pin) to purchase, with a production cost of 0.50 (seeing a trend), which i thought was reasonable, as was $4 to be a likely charge - wouldn't deter much of anyone... less than 5.00. that doesn't account for those past guests that buy for other ships they were on, for friends as a pre-cruise gift, or that buy as souvenirs for friends at home. again, all way too subjective.

 

i did this in the 30 mins or so of time i had waiting for friends to arrive, as noted - and just approached it as simply as i could, to just figure out a reasonable calculation. like i said - adjust it up or down, it still is a good case study / hypothesis, which is all i propose it to be, of economies of scale...

 

which gave me the idea for the name of the thread i'll start with the actual calculations...

 

'economies of SAIL'...

 

gimme a few minutes and i'll post to a separate thread. 1, because it'd be a very long hijack, and 2, because of that - go ahead, move the numbers up down - that'd be great! and consider a larger monetary change - i'm assuming a $0.50 change of service that grants $5M over a fiscal year. imagine if they cut something worth say $5... a captains party per pax for an hour, a thermos from plat members, a whatever else that costs $5... that'd be $50M.

 

that's my major point - it's pretty staggering when you look at things in the larger perspective, as they do... and how such a small change can yield a major effect.

 

i just looked at it (again, on a whim, and on very rough estimates), like i would to a change in my business practices or specifications of product. i know, i'm a dork like that. but i'm pretty good at it. :cool:

 

i'll post a link here when i post the big calculations. again, challenging (with appropriate alternate scenarios based on the variables) will be interesting. :D

[falkcor]

Offset that financial gain with the goodwill lost by chiseling your most dedicated customers for a couple more bucks or furthering the "bargain bin" brand image. I don't know that the bean counters win this argument. Time will tell. I think this hybrid proposal gives a win to everyone... which, of course, means it could never possibly come to fruition.

 

forgot about that last point... i don't think any past guest will NOT sail carnival because they don't get a pin (cost, 0.50 assumed)

 

especially when they save hundreds just for booking vs. the competition, for what many consider a superior product (for them)

[falkcor]

I think this hybrid proposal gives a win to everyone... which, of course, means it could never possibly come to fruition.

 

hey, btw real quick - i'm writing the intro - but would you mind if i repost your comments for this thing? im gonna repost my comments regardless, because they're clarifying... but your question was perfect and addressed an unknown in the equation :D

[Fat Boy]

forgot about that last point... i don't think any past guest will NOT sail carnival because they don't get a pin (cost, 0.50 assumed)

 

especially when they save hundreds just for booking vs. the competition, for what many consider a superior product (for them)

 

I agree. Having to buy the pins wouldn't put me off of Carnival. However, the cumulative effect of minuscule cuts will eventually have people trading "up", or at least "over". Where's that final straw? Pin? Pin and thermos? Pin, thermos, and fruit punch? Pins, thermos, fruit punch, and drinks at the past guest party?

 

It would be interesting to find out who books solely on price, who takes into account the extras, and where each person's threshold is.

[Fat Boy]

hey, btw real quick - i'm writing the intro - but would you mind if i repost your comments for this thing? im gonna repost my comments regardless, because they're clarifying... but your question was perfect and addressed an unknown in the equation :D

 

Go for it. But be warned that I may completely disagree with myself later. Note the Whale Tail job title... :D

[falkcor]

I agree. Having to buy the pins wouldn't put me off of Carnival. However, the cumulative effect of minuscule cuts will eventually have people trading "up", or at least "over". Where's that final straw? Pin? Pin and thermos? Pin, thermos, and fruit punch? Pins, thermos, fruit punch, and drinks at the past guest party?

 

It would be interesting to find out who books solely on price, who takes into account the extras, and where each person's threshold is.

 

again, good response. i can't wait to get the new thread up. lol. and i like your analysis. i can see eye to eye with it. however, if even pins, thermos, fruit punch, and drinks at the past guest party - 0.50 + 2.00 (being more realistic), 0.00 (you can drink other things), 5.00 = 7.50, how could anybody justify spending say, 30-50% more for a rccl, dcl... or other varying rates with the other lines (i'm really not up w/ all the comparisons, and even the 30-50 is an educated guess, that i've seen before).

 

again, take that 7.50 away, and if i booked for several hundred less - and especially if i could buy those things anyway (i don't care for a thermos, at all)... and i'm good.

[falkcor]

Go for it. But be warned that I may completely disagree with myself later. Note the Whale Tail job title... :D

 

lmao that's hilarious. i think i like you lol. i welcome your comments there. i'm just putting this out there, i hope people disagree and just use the variables (and / or correct them) to foster an interesting discussion. it could kinda be applied to anything going on. which is why it needs its own thread. :cool:

[Fat Boy]

lmao that's hilarious. i think i like you lol. i welcome your comments there. i'm just putting this out there, i hope people disagree and just use the variables (and / or correct them) to foster an interesting discussion. it could kinda be applied to anything going on. which is why it needs its own thread. :cool:

 

I'll be there, but it'll have to wait for tomorrow. It's bed time, and not-so-fat-girl is hollering... She must be waiting for a warm back to drive her frozen butterball knees into.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Have all pins for the fleet for sale in the shop (a la Jetskier's suggestion), then give one coupon per cabin (that has a past guest), reredeemable at the gift shop for ANY of the funnel pins. That would allow those past guests who want a pin to get one for free, but still drive traffic to the store.

 

One pin per cabin that has a past guest? There are THREE past guests in my cabin in September. I think we should each have the option to turn in a coupon for a pin. I would pay extra for some of my friends who want the Dream pin but aren't going yet.

[Donnask8pro]

We need a thread for pin trading. I would be willing to trade pins.

 

I need a Sensation since I cruised it in 1996 and never got it. I think they dont even make one but.. would love to have one if so.

[jetskier]

We need a thread for pin trading. I would be willing to trade pins.

 

I need a Sensation since I cruised it in 1996 and never got it. I think they dont even make one but.. would love to have one if so.

 

It was made at one time when she sailed from New Orleans before Katrina. The trick is to find someone who has tossed the pin in a drawer who is willing to give it up.

Dave

[jetskier]

We need a thread for pin trading. I would be willing to trade pins.

 

I need a Sensation since I cruised it in 1996 and never got it. I think they dont even make one but.. would love to have one if so.

 

It was made at one time when she sailed from New Orleans before Katrina. The trick is to find someone who has tossed the pin in a drawer who is willing to give it up.

Dave

[Donnask8pro]

It was made at one time when she sailed from New Orleans before Katrina. The trick is to find someone who has tossed the pin in a drawer who is willing to give it up.

Dave

 

I wrote Carnival at one time a few months back and they told me that they didnt make on. Uninformed employee?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

It was made at one time when she sailed from New Orleans before Katrina. The trick is to find someone who has tossed the pin in a drawer who is willing to give it up.

Dave

 

I'm looking for my Sensation pins. I don't know if I have any left. We cruised on the Sensation 1998 and 1999 when she left from Tampa and did a port of call in New Orleans.

 

My wife is going to look to see if we have any left. I have already sent one to somebody a couple of months ago.

 

I'll let you guys know if she finds any.

 

Bill

[Donnask8pro]

I'm looking for my Sensation pins. I don't know if I have any left. We cruised on the Sensation 1998 and 1999 when she left from Tampa and did a port of call in New Orleans.

 

My wife is going to look to see if we have any left. I have already sent one to somebody a couple of months ago.

 

I'll let you guys know if she finds any.

 

Bill

OMG that would rock.. Thanks so much. Are there any pins that you are looking for?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

OMG that would rock.. Thanks so much. Are there any pins that you are looking for?

 

Nah we don't collect them but thanks for offering. We just have them in a drawer like Dave said earlier. We have sent most of them to new homes.

 

Hopefully my wife can find you one over the weekend. If she finds one I'll meet you in the middle of the Betsy Ross bridge for the exchange.:D

 

Bill

[Donnask8pro]

LOL I didnt notice you were in the area.. I'm right off exit 32 on 295.

Although I should have with the Harry Kalas signature, may he rest in peace

[Fat Boy]

One pin per cabin that has a past guest? There are THREE past guests in my cabin in September. I think we should each have the option to turn in a coupon for a pin. I would pay extra for some of my friends who want the Dream pin but aren't going yet.

 

I'd love to have one pin per actual past guest, too... I was just trying to find a way to give Carnival their "win". Cutting the number of give-away pins would effectively half their financial expenditure (most past guests cruise with another past guest), while still allowing them to recoup some of it by selling the pins to the first timers.

 

Another added benefit to this hybrid plan... The first timers in the shop seeing the past guest redeem a coupon for a free pin might also add a tiny bit of sway in their decision to return...

 

FT: Where'd you get the coupon?

PG: Oh, it was with my past guest party invite?

FT: There's a party for past guests?

PG: Sure is. Free drinks and hors d'oeuvres. You get an invite on your second Carnival cruise.

FT: Really? We just might have to book another one of these!

[jbroons]

Is this really still serious?...just curious.

[joebat1]

Another way would be to have Carnival print up generic post cards with blanks left for the passengers to fill in... Then customer service could send pins only to those who wanted them ~~!!~~

 

Saves a lot of money on wasted pins, and give those who want them an opportunity to acquire them ~~!!~~

[joebat1]

I miss the old cameo style tie pins that they used to sell at the gift shop. I got one for the Elation and Ecstacy about six years ago.

 

They still do.... At least on the Holiday in March '09.

Every Carnival ship I have been on sells two types of "Ship Pins" in the gift shop.... The cameo type.. Which by the way, all the "out of fleet" cameo pins are the only ones I have been able to find, and the gold colored pins in the shape of a cruise ship, with ships name on it..... I guess I am lucky to have acquire all of the ships pins both present & past, and the most I had to pay was $ 50.00...

 

Now if I could just complete the dated ones from 2000 & 2001.. I have a few duplicates if any one is wanting to trade for the dated pins ~~!!~~

[jetskier]

John has a phone call about ship pins today with management. Hopefully a decision will be made that benefits everyone. Stay tuned to your Whale Tail channel.

 

Dave