Oceania's gamble pays off

Joe Watters, the Chairman of Oceania cruises took a gamble over Christmas
when he personally organized a holiday cruise on his newly formed Oceania
Cruise Line's ship Regatta. Joe, the former head of Princess and Crystal,
called in a lot of IOUs and invited the cruising elite to join him and his
family for Christmas and New Years on the Regatta. He personally called many
of us and asked us all to give his new line a try assuring us that it would
be a good experience. Aboard where many old friends and a virtual who's who
of ultra-luxury cruising -- regular Seabourn, Silversea, and Crystal
cruisers as well as many of the old Royal Viking, Norwegian American and
Cunard crowd. (Astoundingly, neither Dick Goldhaber nor his son Mike
Cordelli were invited!)

This was a gutsy move on Joe's part. He was putting his personal reputation
on the line with disastrous consequences if he failed to deliver what he
promised.

The people Joe invited are a tough, tough crowd. They are the sophisticated
season travelers accustomed to the very best. They always stay in the best
hotels and dine at the best restaurants. They exceptionally high
expectations. They pay for, and expect, exemplary service, the highest
quality decor, furnishings, and ambiance, a staff that attends to the
smallest details and the very best dining experience possible. When they
don't get what they want, they are merciless and do not take prisoners. You
won't get a second chance if you don't perform for these people.

No surprisingly, Oceania pretty much delivered as Joe said they would.

While not a perfect cruise by any means, most aboard agreed that, for a line
that's only 6 months old, the cruise was indeed impressive. The line shows
a lot of promise and has the potential to become a player in the small, but
elite, ultra-luxury cruising category.

Additionally, the positive feedback and publicity from this cruise benefited
Oceania's reputation immensely. As Joe expected, most of us gave Oceania a
thumbs up, and, also as he expected, bookings for the line surged in January
as a result (see the attached link).

http://tinyurl.com/2azwq

Well done Joe. Keep up the good work. We're all looking forward to the
next ship this summer.

I think this question will be better served if revisited in two years.

Paul,

This is the second thread in which you have made it a point to tell us
that Joe Watters called you personally to ask you to join him and the
rest of the "cruising elite" on the Oceania's Christmas cruise. And you
had the gall to comment that I was condescending when I mentioned that I
had been on 13 Crystal crruises. You hypocrite!!

Are you now a tout for Oceania?

"Paul" wrote in
:




No surprisingly, Oceania pretty much delivered as Joe said they would.

While not a perfect cruise by any means, most aboard agreed that, for
a line that's only 6 months old, the cruise was indeed impressive.
The line shows a lot of promise and has the potential to become a
player in the small, but elite, ultra-luxury cruising category.



I have clients who have sailed on the Regatta, they enjoyed their cruise
and certianly feel that they got full value for their dollars spent. They
did not have an elite ultra luxury cruise category experience, however, as
such is reserved for the next higher class, where everything is included
and where nothing is left for the nickel and dime approach to accounting.
On Regatta one still pays for soft drinks as well as liquor. There are few
inclusions that wouldn't be inclusions on mass market lines. Yes the
quality is higher, but it is rather a step between HAL and Celebrity and
Radisson which is itself a small step below Silverseas and Seabourn.

Hype like the above does not serve the line well as it raises expectations
to an unrealistic level. Oceania does not try to compete with Radisson,
Silverseas and Seabourn. It does attempt to reach Crystal. But if there is
any doubt check the per diem and note that it is less costly than the above
mentioned. A good price in it's own right.

In article , Nona M
wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:19:33 -0500, "Paul"
wrote:


The people Joe invited are a tough, tough crowd. They are the sophisticated
season travelers accustomed to the very best. They always stay in the best
hotels and dine at the best restaurants. They exceptionally high
expectations. They pay for, and expect, exemplary service, the highest
quality decor, furnishings, and ambiance, a staff that attends to the
smallest details and the very best dining experience possible. When they
don't get what they want, they are merciless and do not take prisoners. You
won't get a second chance if you don't perform for these people.

Average "Betty" speaking here, but wow, your description of these
"sophisticated season travelers" sound a bit scary to be around. This
is kind of like the same feeling I had when I was in my late teens and
going to a what I considered at that time to an expensive restaurant
for the first time and feeling a bit uncomfortable (lol - especially
since I way paying).
Nona

I think you have Paul pegged. If you were to be where he is, you would
be able to spot him even if you had never met him. He would be the one
bitching the loudest about the most trivial things. When he isn't
bitching, he will then snidely make sure all around him know that they
are not nearly as good as he is.

That is his definition of 'sophisticated', most of us would call it
snobbish, and the more crude of us would just call it 'asshole'!

Lloyd

Today, at last, I received a response to the letter that I sent to Joe
Watters some time ago in which I commented on the lack of evening
entertainment on the Regatta. I neglected to mention Paul's name so I
didn't get a reply from Joe Watters personally.

The reply, which came from a lady in Passenger Services said, "Oceania
wishes to have more enrichment programs and solo artists, rather then
(sic) the Vegas style production shows."

Enrichment? Hogwash!!

I didn't feel particularly enriched the two nights that they had bingo
or the night that they offered Liars' Club, or the night they showed a
movie or the night that they had nothing. If they are going for
enrichment why didn't they offer an enrichment program every night....or
were they really just cutting corners? Or is Oceania's philosophy as
Paul observed, in his post about the Christmas cruise, that the
sophisticated passengers who will be sailing on Oceania can entertain
themselves. (Possibly getting sloshed at one of the bars)

Possibly because I'm just a big rube, I just don't get it.

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:19:33 -0500, "Paul"
wrote:

Joe Watters, the Chairman of Oceania cruises took a gamble over Christmas
when he personally organized a holiday cruise on his newly formed Oceania
Cruise Line's ship Regatta. Joe, the former head of Princess and Crystal,
called in a lot of IOUs and invited the cruising elite to join him and his
family for Christmas and New Years on the Regatta. He personally called many
of us..

LOL



The Not So Fine Art Of Google - Go To Top Of Thread
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E29A321E6

I agree with your comments.

Two things would need to be done to bring it close to the ultra-luxury
category.

1. Make it all-inclusive (like Seabourn and Silversea)
2. Improve the service

Then I think they'd be a solid #3 (above Radisson and Crystal, but below
Silversea and Seabourn. I don't count SeaDream or the World as mainstream
cruise lines ).

However I don't think that is where the line is headed. They are trying to
capture the crowd that wants something more than Crystal, but not a boutique
ship -- kinda line the old Royal Viking crowd.

It's still an uphill battle

"jcoulter" wrote in message
6.16...
"Paul" wrote in
:




No surprisingly, Oceania pretty much delivered as Joe said they would.

While not a perfect cruise by any means, most aboard agreed that, for
a line that's only 6 months old, the cruise was indeed impressive.
The line shows a lot of promise and has the potential to become a
player in the small, but elite, ultra-luxury cruising category.



I have clients who have sailed on the Regatta, they enjoyed their cruise
and certianly feel that they got full value for their dollars spent. They
did not have an elite ultra luxury cruise category experience, however, as
such is reserved for the next higher class, where everything is included
and where nothing is left for the nickel and dime approach to accounting.
On Regatta one still pays for soft drinks as well as liquor. There are few
inclusions that wouldn't be inclusions on mass market lines. Yes the
quality is higher, but it is rather a step between HAL and Celebrity and
Radisson which is itself a small step below Silverseas and Seabourn.

Hype like the above does not serve the line well as it raises expectations
to an unrealistic level. Oceania does not try to compete with Radisson,
Silverseas and Seabourn. It does attempt to reach Crystal. But if there is
any doubt check the per diem and note that it is less costly than the
above
mentioned. A good price in it's own right.

Robert,

You can certainly tell you're a Crystal cruiser -- bitter, whiney, angry and
bitching about everything. Kind of like an upscale Holland America
passenger.

According to you Crystal groupies, no one can do anything right expect
Crystal. Whenever a line offers a program in a manner other than the way
Crystal does it, you have to find fault. They're "cutting corners". The
people that enjoy low-key entertainment are all "getting sloshed at one of
the bar".

For heavens sake don't ever set foot on Seabourn, Silversea or Windstar.
The entertainment on those lines is even less than that provided on Oceania
(and the Casinos are much smaller)! Of course we all know that these lines
do this merely to cut corners, it has nothing at all to do with the overall
cruise experience they are providing or passenger preference.

Further, it is obvious that anyone who doesn't want to sit through third
rate productions show or see has-been comedians, singers, magicians,
jugglers, etc. has to be a drunk right? I mean, why would anyone want to
spend an evening engaging in conversation with fellow travelers or watching
a first-run movie -- how stupid can that be!

Stick with Crystal Bob -- we don't need you.

Paul


"Robert "Bob" Edwards" wrote in message
...
Today, at last, I received a response to the letter that I sent to Joe
Watters some time ago in which I commented on the lack of evening
entertainment on the Regatta. I neglected to mention Paul's name so I
didn't get a reply from Joe Watters personally.

The reply, which came from a lady in Passenger Services said, "Oceania
wishes to have more enrichment programs and solo artists, rather then
(sic) the Vegas style production shows."

Enrichment? Hogwash!!

I didn't feel particularly enriched the two nights that they had bingo
or the night that they offered Liars' Club, or the night they showed a
movie or the night that they had nothing. If they are going for
enrichment why didn't they offer an enrichment program every night....or
were they really just cutting corners? Or is Oceania's philosophy as
Paul observed, in his post about the Christmas cruise, that the
sophisticated passengers who will be sailing on Oceania can entertain
themselves. (Possibly getting sloshed at one of the bars)

Possibly because I'm just a big rube, I just don't get it.

Paul,

Spare me the invectives. You said,
"WE don't need you"??? Just confirms that you're just pimping for
Oceania.

Let me cite another area in which Oceania doesn't compare to true luxury
lines. Did you ever try to arrange for a special entree such as lobster
or a special desert like Salzburger Nockeral on Oceania? We've received
such special items without a blink of an eye on Seabourn, Cunard and
Crystal. On Crystal I just happened to mention to a waiter in the Lido
a special pastry I enjoy in the morning and within minutes the pastry
chef was at my table asking for more specifics. From then on that
pastry was available every morning. I just didn't see any indication
that that level of attention to individual's preferences would be
available on Oceania.

I will repeat for the last time, Oceania is a good product for the
money but it does not approach the level of a luxury line. There's no
point in us discussing the matter further because I have my opinion and
you have your agenda and never the twain shall meet.