I am posting this in a new topic for those who don't read the sea mail.

Here's what Mark Conroy said:

First of all lets just say, it was about 90 minutes, open questions, and he was very open and above board. Lots asked about various new ports, etc. Here are some points we thought you might want first.

In dry dock, they changed all the carpeting (75K sq feet), soft goods, new upholstery, added cabins by removing the cigar bar and changed crew quarters to passenger. They reworked the engines, did a complete saftey check and painted the bottom of the ship. There are 290 passengers on this cruise, of which 210 are society members, a very high number.

They have plans to add another ship to the fleet, about 700 passengers rooms and about 500 sq ft in size. They are trying to compete with the upscale hotel industry not other cruise lines. Delivery of the ship would be 27-30 months after contract signing. The PG will remain in the fleet through 2008 and maybe longer.

The name change to Regent will take place offically March 7th. The Regent name will be used (instead of radisson) because the Carlson group owns the upscale Regent line of hotels and it is felt this name is better suited to the direction the company is taking. The transition to the new name will take 12-18 months, the logo will be changed which will force the ships to be painted with the new logo, new china, new towels etc. will also be required. As they move to the new name they are also considering changing their level of service (i.e. improving), one change being seriously considered is all inclusive. In fact he said he was pretty sure that would happen. This may take place in 2007. He also said that he hopes everyone is willing to pay for it, as they may (of course) need a small increase. They have experimented with all inclusive on the world cruise and have found this increases social interaction onboard. BTW, he said they buy booze cheap, for example, he said they buy gin in 1000 case lots which works out to about $4 a bottle. The mix is more expensive. He is a gin martini drinker.

There is more info, if you have individual questions please ask. he is leaving tomorrow to join the Voyager. Mr. Conroy has been in the cruise business since 1973 is married to a British woman. He attended the University of Miami. He travels 200 days a year.

Radission is a ~$400 million company and made money in 2005 for the first time.

I know this is a little disjointed, but David and i are both writing, as he attended all of it. I was at the spa!!

Cindy and David

Great information, Cindy and David! Thanks so much for taking the time to keep us all up to date! Sounds like many things that we've all discussed may actually happen. However, at an increased cost, which comes as little surprise.

Any word as to when the 2007 itineraries are due out?

Hope you guys are having a wonderful time!

sorry about the double post, you wouldn't believe the on-line situation here. No word on the 07 stuff Denise.
-C

Thanks, again, Cindy!

Any further insight into the tier level program?

Cindy, you feel like I did aboard the Voyager shakedown cruise! Trying to get all that information out first hand is a job! You did a great one! Thank you for all your information. I had already heard that they were considering all-inclusive, just wondering what the price increase will be, given that prices have increased considerably in the past couple of years. I am thinking they have to make up for those lost revenues. All inclusive really not important to me from a price point, given my credits that I get from Amex. Just wondering what others will think.

I just have a feeling that as they move ahead to more inclusive, they are going to be pressured into offering free cruises to long time cruisers, other than the free shakedowns with a new build. Any gossip on that? Oh, the pressure we are putting on you!

Cindy, great seamail and info, thx for sharing..r/wes

Cindy, thanks for the report! I think I am going to like the new Regent Cruise Line :)

This part about the mixers being the expensive part of the all-inclusive factor struck me as funny as sodas and juices are included already :)

Now I don't have to look to Silversea for 2007 (I couldn't find the right itinerary, anyway!)

Thanks, Cindy for the lowdown!
What a great reporter!! Yippee!!
Oh Boy - All INCLUSIVE!! (Where is Richard???)

OOOhhhh....a Shakedown Cruise in 2008? 2009?! That could be fun -maybe they will select us from LCT!!

Sounds all good to me. I don't get the comparison of ship to hotel, but, okay - who cares?

I think they should start the all-inclusive with MUSH, we would be the perfect test group!!

Cindy, this is great to hear! Thank you so much for taking notes and posting them to us.

Cindy,
Thanks for the update. We were on the cruise prior to the dry-dock - saw all the carpeting etc. being loaded onto the ship during the disembarkation.
Appreciate the info. Have a great time!

(I still will be asking you questions about SS)

Miriam

Cindy,

Thanks for the great report. We have not considered our travels for 2007, but will definately peruse all RSSC itineraries given the possible changes that look quite positive. This LCT group all seems in favor of all-inclusive...just hope they follow through with it.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!
Cheers, Pam

Cindy - great report and some very encouraging words from Mark Conroy! Thanks for sharing the news!

Masaki

Great report, and mostly good news by the sound of it. But did you really mean the new ship would have 700 passengers rooms?? Or 700 passengers? (I hope the latter.)

I most likely will not be cruising in 2007, but look forward to 2008!

Cindy,

Thanks for the report! Now, you go enjoy your cruise. LOL

Betty

Cindy and David,

Thank you for a great report! Some interesting items there. I'm definitively looking forward to the 2007 schedule.

Continue enjoying your cruise!!

Thanks Cindy and David - hope you are having a wonderful cruise! :banana:

Cindy & David - we're adding you two to the brand new LCT Outstanding Aboard Reporter club (OAR).

It's good to know RSSC is continuing to adjust their product offering/price points to stay competitive. It will be interesting to see how the timeline develops & how their customer base responds. I'm mindful of the delayed rollout of the tier program so am thinking 2007 as the earliest date on all inclusive; let's hope the all-inclusive rollout is smoother.

Thanks for the update on the Regent roll-out being pushed back to Mar. 7.

Cheers, Anne

Thanks for the wonderful report. We will in Bangkok on the Voyager on March 7th. It will be interesting to see what if anything special they do to introduce the new name. I will report back with any news. Enjoy the rest of your cruise....

Doris

This is what we've ALL been saying for such a long time....glad that this will likely become a reality!

I'm curious why the "Harp" logo needs to be changed? I've always really liked that logo!! That seems like a lot of expense and for what?

Thanks for the great report Cindy!

Well HEEEER'S Richard.

Of course, everybody knows how I feel about all inclusive. I just hope that what Mark Conroy is "pretty sure" about ACTUALLY happens!

But I wonder if many people know WHY I am so strongly in favor of all inclusive. It may not be what you imagine. It is only because I like to have a cocktail hour BEFORE dinner with friends --- but actually do not like to drink with dinner. I rarely drink during the day, except maybe a beer after returning from a strenuous excursion. And I have never had drinks after dinner. I'm an old man and just usually just go to bed! I doubt that open bar for me will cost Radisson much!

And that being said, I really think that Radisson has ALREADY raised their prices to a level that SHOULD include open bar. I just hope Mr. Conroy realizes that.

Thanks,
Richard

Having recently taken an all inclusive Silversea cruise, i agree that it does encourage social interaction - especially pre-dinner. The bar was often packed for cocktail hour. And personally we didn't drink more on this cruise than we normally do - except for the one day we were invited to join some people for lunch! After a very nice bottle of sauvignon blanc we went to get some sun by the pool, and promptly fell asleep! By the time we woke up we were in the shade! Just time to shower, change and head to dinner! Oh the joys of cruising.

Thanks, Cindy, for passing on this information! Hopefully you & David don't feel too much like you're back in school (taking notes, etc.)! :D But we sure do appreciate it.

I for one, know that Greg & I would be MUCH MUCH MUCH (how many more "muches" can I add) more likely to cruise RSSC/"Regent" if they do decide to go all-inclusive. We've been far too spoiled by Silversea!

Enjoy the rest of your cruise -

I too am curious about whether Mr. Conroy meant the new ship would carry 700 guests, or would have 700 rooms (meaning 1400 guests). This would make a big difference to us, as a ship with 700 GUESTS is bordering on too large for us, and 1400 guests would be way "over the top."

I am also curious concerning how a ship with "regular" suites of 500 sq. ft. could be kept affordable for folks like us. Pouring 11 cents worth of rum into my already-included coke is one thing (calculated at 1 oz. per shot at $4 per liter), and is something they should have been doing all along -- at their price level. But providing me with 500 sq. ft. of suite on a ship (where space is always at a premium and expensive) has just got to cost Radisson (and me) "an arm and a leg."

Thanks,
Richard

We all know that I am not good at math but wouldn't 700, 500sq ft. rooms make for a rather large ship? I am assuming it's 700 guests and not rooms.

Richard, enough of this "old man" stuff and bedtime !! I have two cocktails (Rob Roys) every night. White wine wirh dinner (don't eat lunch). And a fine Sambucca with expresso to end the evening. So I will benefit from all inclusive.
The Silversea cocktail hour was lively with interesting conversation and high spirits.
And I'm not old ! 79 years young in April .

Thanks, Cindy for keeping us informed of the Town Hall Meeting. You knew we would all be interested in the hot topics discussed. It is good to hear that Mark Conroy and RSSC are listening to their loving fans and strongest supporters. The all-inclusiveness has been hotly debated here on LCT. They really are listening to us. :app:

Karen,
350 500 sqft suites with 7.5 ft ceilings comes out to only about 14000 tons of displacement. If you imagined Voyager with all the less expensive suites at 500sqft vice 300sqft...that would add about 4800 tons to the Voyager's displacement. This assumes the same (700) pax count so there would be no need to add common area space, propulsion, fuel or staff space and no desire to reduce common area space (since the suites are bigger. :rolleyes:


Greg

Ok Greg, you totally lost me. But I think it's this - lose the larger suites, make all suites equal, common/staff areas stay the same and you wind up with a ship that is roughly 1/3 larger than the Voyager is now, right?

USNA72:

Well if anybody on this board has the background to know if an increase to 500 sq. ft. "regular" suites would (or would not) result in astronomical fare increases, it is probably you. And I hope this is all feasible within reasonable fare structures, because nobody enjoys BIG living quarters more than I!

I just felt it humorous that Mr. Conroy (in true cruise line executive manner) felt it necessary to worry about the cost of alcohol (which by his admission was about 11 cents per 1 oz shot), while not expressing much concern (according to the report) about the economics of the huge regular suites. I have found it humorous how numerous lines have felt it necessary to "crack down" on alcohol from "other sources" for economic reasons, while building skating rinks, rock climbing walls, and much more costly things than a few drinks.

Thanks,
Richard

Advertising and Executives are all about what they think you want to hear.

Robert,
Closer to 10% bigger. About 55000-58000 tons. If there are no changes in common areas, all suites were same size and the ship stays a 700 pax vessel...BIG ifs. If I were going to bet money, I'd go with same hull (keeps electrical and machinery the same), keep the Penthouse and above suites (part of RSSC's market can afford the $$$$ and aren't price sensitive(unlike me :( ))and increase the "standard suite" to 500sqft. Net effect...fewer passengers...slightly reduced variable costs but same fixed costs spread over fewer pax. Result VERY NICE but more expensive. That said, I'm not a betting man 'cause I lose a lot! :D


Greg

Richard, I have repeatedly stated on this board what Marc Conroy told pax on the Voyager shakedown cruise, that it is not about the cost of the alcohol, it is about the LOSS OF REVENUE to the company if there are no longer drink sales ($4 million per year, back when prices were at least 25-35% less than now. If the company is to stay on course and now make a profit, that loss is going to have to be made up with either higher prices, increased revenue, or a combination of the two. Perhaps if there are larger cabins, people will excuse an increase in price, particularly if it means all-inclusive.

So if the ship would have 500 sq. ft. rooms, it would have to be 700 passengers and not 1400, right?

Karen, I cannot imagine that RSSC would ever have a 1400 passenger ship, or for sure most of us would bolt to Silversea immediately! (That sure would make Mark's wife sleep better at night, since she works for Silversea!)

All these "smart" people are totally confusing me with all these mathematical calculations and stuff - I'm totally lost at this point!

But thanks Cindy for your post. You may have opened a "pandora's box" however, but that was interesting information, and thank you for sharing it.

All inclusive sounds good to me. But if not, its fine the way it is in our opinion.

Thanks Cyndi and David for all the great information. I for one hope that they go all inclusive as well. It is also good to know what direction the cruiseline is taking.

Hi, jhp:

Yes, I recall your post, and also an email I received from Mark Conroy stating that Radisson's loss in net revenue from going open bar would be about $15 pp per day. I'm sure he's got better figures than anybody else, but has anybody on this board ever spent enough on non-included alcohol to yield a $15 per day profit?

This notwithstanding, fares have already increased in the past few years geometrically above the general cost of living figures published by the US government. Surely, Mr. Conroy's $15 can be found in the recent increases.

Thanks,
Richard

Richard, I suppose that no matter what way we look at this argument, we will all vote with our feet, and go to other lines, or stay with Radisson, depending on the price and the value we get based on our perceptions of a good deal. That is certainly what I plan to do, as I did when I went on Silversea for a "real deal" at a time and itinerary that worked for me. I just prefer not to be a critic of RSSC if they are trying to make a profit when they have not done so in the past, and now they are, or in the future, they would be out of business! You are absolutely correct about the pricing on RSSC rising above the cost of living. From now on, I will still look at price and itinerary when I am choosing my cruises. But I would rather take a land trip at a much lesser cost if the cruise does not offer value for what I am getting. Value for me includes the the non-cost irritation of planning my own hotels, restaurants, and where I am going when I get there, and whether they are included. Sometimes a cruise seems better, sometimes a land trip does. All in the way you look at things.

jhp:

No argument from me. We'll all just have to wait and see what Radisson develops and hope (for the sake of all, including Radisson) that it can not only remain competitive, but regain its former position as value leader in the sense of price vs. content. And I certainly agree --- no cheap, low-content cruises for me! Been there, done that, never again.

Thanks,
Richard