Cost-cutting trends: good or bad?

[Cricket999]

I returned Sunday from a eastern Mediterranean cruise on MSC’s Musica. While the trip was on the whole enjoyable (and I would sail with MSC again), the ship was lacking a few things I’d grown accustomed to over the years on other cruises. For instance, MSC, at least on this Med. itinerary, does not offer the option of a dinner buffet. This means guests, unless they ordered room service, are forced to go to the MDR or to one of the specialty restaurants. I can imagine it would be extremely off-putting for those people who don’t wish to dress up for formal nights — and there were two on this one-week cruise. Musica also did not offer coffee or tea after dinner which I thought was rather strange. In fact, free beverages (coffee, tea and fruit juices) were available only at breakfast. The rest of the time we had to make do with water only. Also missing was a pool deck grill, forcing sunbathers, sometimes still clad in their bathing suits or wrapped in a towel, to go to the buffet inside for their hamburgers and hotdogs. If you wanted a pizza or ice cream you had to pay. I know all cruise lines are cutting back on costs in order to remain competitive, but is this type of penny pinching going a bit too far? Are other lines starting to do this as well? I realize you get what you pay for — and MSC’s prices are relatively low — but I for one would be prepared to pay a bit more, if only to retain some tradition.

[kitty9]

This is something with MSC only. I've not heard of anything like you mention on lines like RCI, Celebrity, Carnival or Princess. Probably that's why MSC cruises are so cheap---when you offer such deep discounts, they've got to make it up somewhere. You still have the burger and pizza on all other lines and I've never heard of not offering coffee or tea after dinner. I've never heard of having to pay for pizza. Sounds like MSC is going to lose passengers rather than gain them if they're charging for things like pizza.

[ab0si]

Part of the this might be the target audience. The other lines mentioned have North America as their primary market while MSC is European based.

[mikedw]

Several years ago at the agency I worked at one of my coworkers sent a couple on a Costa Cruise. When they got back they said they hated the Italian food that was served onboard the ship. Well it was real Italian food and not what passes for Italian here in the US. Unless you're a traveler and not a tourist I would stick with the lines that cater to North Americans.

[Atomica]

MSC is primarily European-based, and as such, are catering to a (mainly) European clientele. It's not penny-pinching as much as it is a cultural difference.

[michmike]

Granted there may be some differences because Costa or MSC tends to target a European clientele.. but the fact is that OP is stating that things that used to be available on MSC are no longer available. That of course is true on most of the lines that target US clientele as well.

 

It does strike me that as some point the lines in general ought to take a long hard look at those cutbacks and ask themselves at what point the customer will rebel. We tend to sail on HAL, on ships that carry about 1600 pax. An additional $20 per passenger in fare would yield $32,000 a week or $1.6 million a year. I'd rather pay the additional $20 and keep some of the amenities. We've seen significant cut backs in the 10 years that we have been cruising.

[cb at sea]

Ditto! Michmike!!! I really miss the ambience of cruising in years past...even when it wasn't on a "luxury" line. It use to feel like something special...now, it's downgraded itself to a basic vacation....

[AmoMondo]

Some of what the OP reports re MSC could be penny pinching. However the no dinner buffet in the evening has always been the norm for them - they adapt for the American market whilst in the Caribbean and keep it open a bit later. they used to do tea and coffee after lunch and dinner. Not sure if it is cost cutting or trying to keep to the scheduled hours. The coffee in the dining room was always dire, so i don't miss it at all. Europeans often take longer over meals and I often found that they were late re-opening for second sitting. Ice cream too has always been extra unless you have it at lunch or dinner then it is free.

 

Persoanlly i really don't mind the few extra cost. It is such a competitive market just now and the recession is hitting the travel industry hard. maybe it will help them ride out the current economic storm by triming back on costs here and there. Overall MSC is still good value and as a solo traveller, one of the few lines that I can afford to travel on several times per year (when you take into account the single supplement)

[RetireeWannabee]

Neither good nor bad. Just Necessary.