A Longer Vision

Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas, and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises

On 18 Jun 2004 07:16:46 -0700, Cal Ford
wrote:

A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the coffee
provider.

Hi Cal,

FWIW, Seattle's Best Coffee brand has been served on Royal Caribbean
for several years. Seattle's Best Coffee was purchased by Starbucks a
in 2003.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

"Cal Ford" wrote in message
...
Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas, and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The
additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a
specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the
coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


If RCCL plans to "stretch" the Vision class ships, then they don't have
much to work with length-wise and still allow them to travel through the
Panama Canal. Yet taking the total volume gained by a 50' stretch times the
beam times the deck space, you end up with a lot of additional space. I'm
sure enough to add a number of cabins etc.

Neil

Good Morning Ray .....

Yes, but as I understood it this will be a Seattles Best venue much like a
Johhny Rockets is on the other ships. A full operation where you can get all the
weird stuff that some people like.

Seattles Best was around before Starbucks as I remember and finally was
purchased by them in order to diminish the competition.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


In article , Ray Goldenberg says...

On 18 Jun 2004 07:16:46 -0700, Cal Ford
wrote:

A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the coffee
provider.

Hi Cal,

FWIW, Seattle's Best Coffee brand has been served on Royal Caribbean
for several years. Seattle's Best Coffee was purchased by Starbucks a
in 2003.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

Good Morning Neil:

Yes, there is a limit to length but you can get a lot into 50 ft. If it would
not be cost effective then I am sure RCI would not even consider it. Just about
everything in the addition will be revenue producing.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises



In article , Neil Gillis says...


"Cal Ford" wrote in message
...
Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas, and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The
additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a
specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the
coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


If RCCL plans to "stretch" the Vision class ships, then they don't have
much to work with length-wise and still allow them to travel through the
Panama Canal. Yet taking the total volume gained by a 50' stretch times the
beam times the deck space, you end up with a lot of additional space. I'm
sure enough to add a number of cabins etc.

Neil

Yes, it is true. The entire Vision Class of ships is
reportedly being stretched. It is an attempt by RCCL to
increase the size of the fleet without incurring greater
debt. This is their best alternative as further new new
build expenses, and institutional buyers would be really
turned off. RCCL already has considerable debt. This detail
separates them from CCL...even though CCL has about 7 or 8
billion in debt (not much to worry about with their huge
cash flow) with a market value of about 28 billion. RCCL's
market value is about 9 billion for comparison.

Cal Ford wrote:
Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas, and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


--
Peter Berlin
Your Host Agency: GGC2003 GGC2004 GLC2005
Peter Berlin's Travel Center / http://peterberlin.com

"Cal Ford" wrote in message
...
Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas, and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The
additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a
specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the
coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


We have Seattle's Best here, although I'm not a coffee drinker myself. It
would seem to me that a better profit could be made if the cruiselines would
just start their own "brand" of coffee shops. Just for the ships and for
their home ports. And maybe sales on the internet to past passengers...

Stretching an "older" ship makes more sense to me. The price to stretch say
5 ships would be less (at least from what I can see) than building 1 new
ship. Plus, the new beds are divided between 5 different itineraries instead
of just 1 itinerary at a time with a new ship. Therefore more choice.

Ok, maybe that didn't make as much sense as it did in my head lol

LES!

If RCI wanted to add capacity and not increase debt, they could simply do a
lease of a new ship (or several ships) like Princess did.

In fact, if they wanted to reduce debt, they could sell their existing ships
to a bank and then lease them back.

There are a lot of corporate and financial ways to get around what you're
describing.

Remember that RCI is getting their best pricing on their Voyager ships. And
they're purchasing the ultra Voyager ships.

If it was me, I would do a cost/benefit analysis on the cash payback -
whether I get more payback on ultra Voyager ships or stretching the Vision
ships. Perhaps RCI did and this is a way to keep the older Vision ship
"somewhat up to date".

--Tom


"Peter Berlin" wrote in message
ink.net...
Yes, it is true. The entire Vision Class of ships is
reportedly being stretched. It is an attempt by RCCL to
increase the size of the fleet without incurring greater
debt. This is their best alternative as further new new
build expenses, and institutional buyers would be really
turned off. RCCL already has considerable debt. This detail
separates them from CCL...even though CCL has about 7 or 8
billion in debt (not much to worry about with their huge
cash flow) with a market value of about 28 billion. RCCL's
market value is about 9 billion for comparison.

Cal Ford wrote:
Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas,
and
perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The
additional
space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a
specialty
coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the
coffee
provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


--
Peter Berlin
Your Host Agency: GGC2003 GGC2004 GLC2005
Peter Berlin's Travel Center / http://peterberlin.com

I agree, but I think the ROI will be greatly enhanced by the
extra footage and extra revenue generating areas. Also,
"cut in half and splice" routine can happen quite quickly
and put the tonnage back on line without the wait of a new
build.

Peter

Tom & Linda wrote:

If RCI wanted to add capacity and not increase debt, they could simply do a
lease of a new ship (or several ships) like Princess did.

In fact, if they wanted to reduce debt, they could sell their existing ships
to a bank and then lease them back.

There are a lot of corporate and financial ways to get around what you're
describing.

Remember that RCI is getting their best pricing on their Voyager ships. And
they're purchasing the ultra Voyager ships.

If it was me, I would do a cost/benefit analysis on the cash payback -
whether I get more payback on ultra Voyager ships or stretching the Vision
ships. Perhaps RCI did and this is a way to keep the older Vision ship
"somewhat up to date".

--Tom


"Peter Berlin" wrote in message
ink.net...

Yes, it is true. The entire Vision Class of ships is
reportedly being stretched. It is an attempt by RCCL to
increase the size of the fleet without incurring greater
debt. This is their best alternative as further new new
build expenses, and institutional buyers would be really
turned off. RCCL already has considerable debt. This detail
separates them from CCL...even though CCL has about 7 or 8
billion in debt (not much to worry about with their huge
cash flow) with a market value of about 28 billion. RCCL's
market value is about 9 billion for comparison.

Cal Ford wrote:

Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas,

and

perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The

additional

space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a

specialty

coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the

coffee

provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


--
Peter Berlin
Your Host Agency: GGC2003 GGC2004 GLC2005
Peter Berlin's Travel Center / http://peterberlin.com





--
Peter Berlin
Peter Berlin's Travel Center
800-874-6040

Right now, Vision is only 105 ft. shorter than Voyager. Probably about
10-12 cabins worth of length, if you added about 100 ft. With 5 decks of
cabins, and mostly 4 cabins across, that would be an additional 200 cabins
or so. That's not too bad.

--Tom


"Peter Berlin" wrote in message
ink.net...
I agree, but I think the ROI will be greatly enhanced by the
extra footage and extra revenue generating areas. Also,
"cut in half and splice" routine can happen quite quickly
and put the tonnage back on line without the wait of a new
build.

Peter

Tom & Linda wrote:

If RCI wanted to add capacity and not increase debt, they could simply
do a
lease of a new ship (or several ships) like Princess did.

In fact, if they wanted to reduce debt, they could sell their existing
ships
to a bank and then lease them back.

There are a lot of corporate and financial ways to get around what
you're
describing.

Remember that RCI is getting their best pricing on their Voyager ships.
And
they're purchasing the ultra Voyager ships.

If it was me, I would do a cost/benefit analysis on the cash payback -
whether I get more payback on ultra Voyager ships or stretching the
Vision
ships. Perhaps RCI did and this is a way to keep the older Vision ship
"somewhat up to date".

--Tom


"Peter Berlin" wrote in message
ink.net...

Yes, it is true. The entire Vision Class of ships is
reportedly being stretched. It is an attempt by RCCL to
increase the size of the fleet without incurring greater
debt. This is their best alternative as further new new
build expenses, and institutional buyers would be really
turned off. RCCL already has considerable debt. This detail
separates them from CCL...even though CCL has about 7 or 8
billion in debt (not much to worry about with their huge
cash flow) with a market value of about 28 billion. RCCL's
market value is about 9 billion for comparison.

Cal Ford wrote:

Have recently heard from several sources that the Vision of the Seas,

and

perhaps several others, will be stretched in the near future. The

additional

space will be additional cabins, an alternative restaurant, and a

specialty

coffee lounge. A company called "Seattles Best" was mentioned as the

coffee

provider.

Cal Ford
Lido Deck Cruises


--
Peter Berlin
Your Host Agency: GGC2003 GGC2004 GLC2005
Peter Berlin's Travel Center / http://peterberlin.com





--
Peter Berlin
Peter Berlin's Travel Center
800-874-6040