Disappointed with the direction DCL is heading.

[SonicGuy]

DCL's model seems to be to sell as many cabins as they can at a very high premium, and then what they don't sell they discount at 60 days out. As someone who always books GT rates I have to say I'm getting a little tired of chasing discounts. Waiting, and changing vacations dates around when I find a cruise at a price I like is getting pretty old. I'm also finding it difficult to find cruises I'm interested in doing. I can't keep spending money to go to the same places over and over. Were going to spend a week in Spain next Sept and then take the TA home. TA's are about the only DCL cruises I don't find over priced. Unfortunately I cant afford to go to Europe every year just to sail a TA on DCL. The stale itinerary's out of North America are probably going to drive me to another cruise line more than the prices. Like others have said I don't think they're interested in keeping customers if they were they would have a better loyalty programs.

Another GREAT point. I read elsewhere that DCL's business model seems to be focused on new cruisers, rather than returning. I tend to agree - based not only on pricing, but also the routes you mentioned above. How many times can one go to Nassau??? We look for new or "fresh" routes. Doing the Galveston to San Juan repositioning cruise in January and really looking forward to it.

 

[littleblackegg]

I was going to ask the same thing. I'm assuming someone who drinks the DCL kool-aid without questioning what's in it?

I don't think think that's what was being said. Preferable customers for any luxury company, including Disney, are those who have plenty of disposable income and with whom they can form a company/customer relationship over decades. These types of customers tend to purchase premium items and services, refer friends and family and become sort of "brand ambassadors." All luxury brands court the customers with plenty of time and money to spend.

 

[littleblackegg]

Another GREAT point. I read elsewhere that DCL's business model seems to be focused on new cruisers, rather than returning. I tend to agree - based not only on pricing, but also the routes you mentioned above. How many times can one go to Nassau??? We look for new or "fresh" routes. Doing the Galveston to San Juan repositioning cruise in January and really looking forward to it.

I would say DCL's business line focuses equally on new cruisers as it does on experienced cruisers. Experienced cruisers may have the whole system figured out and spend their money carefully, but they take longer cruises with more expensive itineraries. They also spend more on high-end meals, cabins, wine, etc. New cruisers take more expensive excursions and spend more on gifts and odds and ends. Each group figures heavily into the bottom line, so I don't see one being favored over the other. I do see less emphasis on "middle level" cruising for the couple or family who just wants a moderate cruise of 3-4 nights. Less seems available to them. There's not a lot of fancy on board activities for teens and tweens like surfing and rock climbing like the other lines offer. I have no beef with this, but I think I am right in line with Disney's target customers.

 

[ICEMANPAD]

We love DCL. We have sailed on all four ships many times. We cancelled our Christmas Fantasy cruise this year and booked RCCL Oasis of the Seas due to price. We were paying $8500 for a cat 7 on the Fantasy. We are paying $3500 for an ocean view balcony on Oasis. We could not justify a $5000 price difference to sail the same week.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I would say DCL's business line focuses equally on new cruisers as it does on experienced cruisers. Experienced cruisers may have the whole system figured out and spend their money carefully, but they take longer cruises with more expensive itineraries. They also spend more on high-end meals, cabins, wine, etc. New cruisers take more expensive excursions and spend more on gifts and odds and ends. Each group figures heavily into the bottom line, so I don't see one being favored over the other. I do see less emphasis on "middle level" cruising for the couple or family who just wants a moderate cruise of 3-4 nights. Less seems available to them. There's not a lot of fancy on board activities for teens and tweens like surfing and rock climbing like the other lines offer. I have no beef with this, but I think I am right in line with Disney's target customers.

I think they know they have a solid core of those brand ambassadors. Disney has a group of people who will support them regardless of what they do and they'll collect money from them any way possible.

The benefit of new customers is you can bring them in under current programs and it's what they know. They don't know how things used to be and they're okay with paying a premium even if it's just to say they did something once.

The brand gives them access to both parties and I'm really not sure the line of suckers on either end will ever run out.

 

[Ofinn]

Another GREAT point. I read elsewhere that DCL's business model seems to be focused on new cruisers, rather than returning. I tend to agree - based not only on pricing, but also the routes you mentioned above. How many times can one go to Nassau??? We look for new or "fresh" routes. Doing the Galveston to San Juan repositioning cruise in January and really looking forward to it.

I almost booked that cruise. It is a really great price. The GT rates came out on the Dec 4 cruise and we decided to do that instead. We have never been to Galveston or Key West so there is something new there. We have cruised out of San Juan and loved it. I have been looking for a cruise this Spring to do before our TA, but nothing interests me. I would love to do the San Diego- Vancouver repo, but the price is insane. The good news is it's not selling...so who knows.

 

[ChaPie]

I have to say, I am also disappointed in the way DCL is headed. We have been park visitors almost annually for the past 3 decades and the Park/resort magic has been basically gone for us for years as they have kept taking more and more away and charging more and more for less. Also the service level at WDW has dropped significantly over the past 5-10 years. We found a new way to enjoy the Disney magic in 2012 when we did our first cruise on the Dream. We loved it so much we did the same cruise the following year and then last year we did a 7 night on the Fantasy. Unfortunately we discovered DCL too late. It has become too overpriced too quickly for us. We can afford it, but I don't see the value in it to cruise it frequently now and the longer we wait it seems the less value you get for your dollar. We used to recommend it to everybody, now I tell people it is a great vacation, but only do it if you can sail at a discounted off season price. DCL introduced us to great cruising vacations, but they have also turned us off with recent changes and we are looking at other cruise lines now.

I also will add, we have a dummy cruise booked, mainly because if we choose to cruise DCL we want to save every dollar we can with their sky rocketing rates. realistically looking at it, I doubt we'll use that dummy date and will probably cancel.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Full disclosure, I'm a former CM of the Walt Disney Company as part of my professional career in hospitality and would work for them again in a heartbeat if I didn't have to leave AZ to do it. I also love DCL, they are responsible for me falling in love with cruise vacations.

I would love to continue sailing DCL as well but the price is just not justifiable anymore. Over the weekend we decided to do a cruise in October 2016 for kids and wife fall break. Choices were 2 connecting insides on the Fantasy western Caribbean deck 8 for $6016 for the 4 of us. I then found a western Caribbean out of Galveston on RCCL Liberty of the Seas, (Freedom class), same itinerary minus CC, 2 connecting insides on her for $2800 for the 4 of us. She is going into dry dock soon and getting 3 water slides and a new class of cabins on deck 12, the Panoramic Ocean View that Freedom of the Seas just got. I ended up booking one of the Family Panoramic cabins that sleeps 6, is over 400 square feet and has 1 and 1/2 bathrooms. I had to pay for 5 people to be able to book this cabin but it ended up priced at $2963 for this room:

The wall of glass is 7 feet tall and over 25 feet long. It has a full size sofa sleeper next to the 2 chairs and a bunk room with its own closet and privacy curtain.

I could not turn down this price. I'm still planning on booking the Fantasy for June 2017 when dates are released but this will give me a chance to test the other waters, (pun intended).

 

[jdb in AZ]

We also LOVE DCL but even my DH is getting gun shy about the pricing and with the extra we tack on for the exchange rate, it's crazy.





Funny, the people I know with deep pockets are the ones who always look for the extra angle to hold on to a dollar

That's how a lot of wealthy people become wealthy, and stay wealthy. My DMIL saved cereal box tops and was excited when she finally had enough to get a child's watch -- the same day she and DFIL paid cash for a new Cadillac.

 

[cgolf]

I think they know they have a solid core of those brand ambassadors. Disney has a group of people who will support them regardless of what they do and they'll collect money from them any way possible.

The benefit of new customers is you can bring them in under current programs and it's what they know. They don't know how things used to be and they're okay with paying a premium even if it's just to say they did something once.

The brand gives them access to both parties and I'm really not sure the line of suckers on either end will ever run out.

They are losing some of those people now. I used to wear my DCL gear all the time and tell anyone that would ask how awesome they were. Now, I don't wear it near as much and if anyone asks I don't even attempt to sell them on the cruise, I won't say it sucks, because they don't. I will answer any questions they have, and will do so in a truthfull manner and won't let my frustrations take away from a trip they may really want to take.

 

[Toddymae]

Everything is more expensive in the last 5 years Big Mac up 29.5%, Coffee 27%, Bacon 67.8%, Eggs 30.3%, Ground Beef 39.5% and Milk 21%

Disney started sailing in 1998? $100 in 1998 is now $144.79

Everything changes, everything is more expensive and your getting less for your dollar. I believe every generation has said this! I'm not too sure that splitting into the wind helps!

 

[insureman]

Everything is more expensive in the last 5 years Big Mac up 29.5%, Coffee 27%, Bacon 67.8%, Eggs 30.3%, Ground Beef 39.5% and Milk 21%

Disney started sailing in 1998? $100 in 1998 is now $144.79

Everything changes, everything is more expensive and your getting less for your dollar. I believe every generation has said this! I'm not too sure that splitting into the wind helps!

Increasing cruise prices are fine as long as they don't diminish the overall experience trying to be like every other cruise line by charging for things that were free before.

 

[littleblackegg]

I think they know they have a solid core of those brand ambassadors. Disney has a group of people who will support them regardless of what they do and they'll collect money from them any way possible.

The benefit of new customers is you can bring them in under current programs and it's what they know. They don't know how things used to be and they're okay with paying a premium even if it's just to say they did something once.

The brand gives them access to both parties and I'm really not sure the line of suckers on either end will ever run out.

Well, being a sucker means investing your resources of time and/or money into something you will get little, if any return. Disney's formula for years, and even with the current changes, seems to be giving consumers what they expect. Those who are not getting what they expect are moving on to other lines, and Disney is not chasing them back. This is one of those long-term marketing strategies in which a company simply quietly allows a customer to leave without aggressively trying to get them to stay. It has been found that the constant servicing of chronically unsatisfied guests is not as helpful to the bottom line as it was once thought. Chronically unsatisfied guests take a lot of human resources, and also may require upgrades and gifts that may add up considerably. I think Disney is going to try this more benign approach for a while and see where it takes them.

 

[insureman]

It has been found that the constant servicing of chronically unsatisfied guests is not as helpful to the bottom line as it was once thought. Chronically unsatisfied guests take a lot of human resources, and also may require upgrades and gifts that may add up considerably. I think Disney is going to try this more benign approach for a while and see where it takes them.

DCL's shortsighted approach is probably fine when the economy humming along but one down turn period (remember 2008) they will be scrambling to fill staterooms with a $99 per person bounce back offer!

 

[keaster]

DCL's shortsighted approach is probably fine when the economy humming along but one down turn period (remember 2008) they will be scrambling to fill staterooms with a $99 per person bounce back offer!

We got that $99 bounceback in 2009, those were the days! We got it after we sailed our first cruise...the Canadian dollar then was a couple cents higher than it is now, but due to the downturn in the economy our first cruise was booked on a Canadian resident special (I think it was 30% off.)

 

[littleblackegg]

DCL's shortsighted approach is probably fine when the economy humming along but one down turn period (remember 2008) they will be scrambling to fill staterooms with a $99 per person bounce back offer!

Well, most companies run on the "money now" principle. They are not our grandparents, sitting on mattresses stuffed full of cash and fearing the next Depression. It's all about the stockholders and what they bring in this quarter. It will flow back. It always does. And when it does, they will not need to have a staff of 2500 people with full benefits to handle calls about vacations being ruined because there were no towel sculptures in the room and "what are you going to do to make it up to us?"

 

[cgolf]

Well, being a sucker means investing your resources of time and/or money into something you will get little, if any return. Disney's formula for years, and even with the current changes, seems to be giving consumers what they expect. Those who are not getting what they expect are moving on to other lines, and Disney is not chasing them back. This is one of those long-term marketing strategies in which a company simply quietly allows a customer to leave without aggressively trying to get them to stay. It has been found that the constant servicing of chronically unsatisfied guests is not as helpful to the bottom line as it was once thought. Chronically unsatisfied guests take a lot of human resources, and also may require upgrades and gifts that may add up considerably. I think Disney is going to try this more benign approach for a while and see where it takes them.

I am good with everything you just said except for the chronically unsatisfied part. We were very satisfied with our cruises, but that satisfaction has a price attached to it. We are going to move on either temporarily or permanently in 2017 having never been let down on a cruise. Did we have comments on the comment card of things they could do better/different sure. But I bet most on these boards put a negative comments or suggestions on the comment card.

In my opinion they are losing DCL cheerleaders now to other lines too, not just people that went on one and said we are done or those that thought they had a bad experience. We will have been on 12, so we obviously liked the product. Heck I have a closet full of DCL hoodies and shirts and use my DCL Tervis everyday at work We are still really looking forward to our B2B that we scored next year for crazy good prices.

 

[littleblackegg]

I

I am good with everything you just said except for the chronically unsatisfied part. We were very satisfied with our cruises, but that satisfaction has a price attached to it. We are going to move on either temporarily or permanently in 2017 having never been let down on a cruise. Did we have comments on the comment card of things they could do better/different sure. But I bet most on these boards put a negative comments or suggestions on the comment card.

In my opinion they are losing DCL cheerleaders now to other lines too, not just people that went on one and said we are done or those that thought they had a bad experience. We will have been on 12, so we obviously liked the product. Heck I have a closet full of DCL hoodies and shirts and use my DCL Tervis everyday at work We are still really looking forward to our B2B that we scored next year for crazy good prices.

I don't understand. Do you not agree that large companies with a reputation for excellent service are now backing off on trying to satisfy chronically unsatisfied customers? You know, the ones like Disney who used to do everything to "make it right," but are now just apologizing and allowing the customer to choose something else in the future. To make it clear, a chronically and compulsively unsatisfied customer is one who wants to see a manager about everything. Nothing is ever good enough. It takes a lot of staff resources to handle customers like this, and the current business model for most large companies is just to listen to their complaint, but not offer anything in terms of services or perks.

 

[cgolf]

I

I don't understand. Do you not agree that large companies with a reputation for excellent service are now backing off on trying to satisfy chronically unsatisfied customers? You know, the ones like Disney who used to do everything to "make it right," but are now just apologizing and allowing the customer to choose something else in the future. To make it clear, a chronically and compulsively unsatisfied customer is one who wants to see a manager about everything. Nothing is ever good enough. It takes a lot of staff resources to handle customers like this, and the current business model for most large companies is just to listen to their complaint, but not offer anything in terms of services or perks.

Yes of course they want that group to go away, apparently my mind is a little cloudy due to illness today lol.

What I was trying to say was that DCL is also pushing away the cheerleaders too. Not long ago many of us talking about leaving now were on the other end of the argument recruiting people to go and trying to talk those that said they were leaving into staying (that sounds a little weird once I reread it). So the unintended consequences of their actions is they are going to lose some loyal free advertisers. I guess I will have to replace my DCL gear with another lines gear

What would be great if the cruise lines went like the cell phones (we will buy you out of your ....... cruise if you do the same cruise with us for less lol) That will never happen, but would make things interesting if it did.

 

[insureman]

What would be great if the cruise lines went like the cell phones (we will buy you out of your ....... cruise if you do the same cruise with us for less lol) That will never happen, but would make things interesting if it did.

How about if I could transfer my Platinum CC status to another cruise line?