Virgin Voyages coming to Oz

[odysseus]

Nobody suggested that diverting around west Africa was for profit, of course it was due to the trouble around the Middle East. Some continue to do so, as it only adds a few days in the scheme of things.

The issue is the cancellation of their subsequent season in this region, which had been for sale and had taken bookings. That was just done because they wanted more profit, and they prioritised that over fulfilling their commitments to customers from their previous decision to operate here. That decision was taken barely a year after they decided to operate here when they actually had fewer ships than they do now, so if you call that decision silly, so be it. Odd that other operators have managed to operate here for years including some with only a few ships, so not sure why they aren't also silly, or just have managed to make a go of it.

 

[bPeteb]

Nobody suggested that diverting around west Africa was for profit, of course it was due to the trouble around the Middle East. Some continue to do so, as it only adds a few days in the scheme of things.

The issue is the cancellation of their subsequent season in this region, which had been for sale and had taken bookings. That was just done because they wanted more profit, and they prioritised that over fulfilling their commitments to customers from their previous decision to operate here. That decision was taken barely a year after they decided to operate here when they actually had fewer ships than they do now, so if you call that decision silly, so be it. Odd that other operators have managed to operate here for years including some with only a few ships, so not sure why they aren't also silly, or just have managed to make a go of it.

Other operators have lasted because they offer a formulaic cruise experience that appeals to the average Oz cruiser. I think they realised that they were a star shaped peg that just didn't fit into the (very) square hole that is the very small Oz cruise market (compared to the Caribbean or Med markets).

The even smaller part of the Oz market that Virgin appeals to is just not big enough to support a large VV ship. We LOVED it, but we did not love the majority of the passengers onboard who wanted what they were used to on main stream lines. We heard them complain endlessly about the lack of a dining room and the loud dance music. They looked at the prices they'd paid and expected main stream suite level service. They didn't care about (or for) the whole VV 'experience'.

It might have been different if they'd based themselves in Brisbane and headed north to warmer waters and not south, but I doubt it. The majority of the people who sail the same cruise over and over to our nearby Pacific Islands on Royal, Carnival, P&O and Princess want seven or less nights for at $100 a night (or less). They want a main dining room and a big theatre with production shows. They want buckets of beers and mass produced coughtails, not champagne hour and drag bingo. VV just isn't that line, and I kind of hope they won't ever be. I'm pretty sure they won't ever be back.

 

[odysseus]

Other operators have lasted because they offer a formulaic cruise experience that appeals to the average Oz cruiser. I think they realised that they were a star shaped peg that just didn't fit into the (very) square hole that is the very small Oz cruise market (compared to the Caribbean or Med markets).

The even smaller part of the Oz market that Virgin appeals to is just not big enough to support a large VV ship. We LOVED it, but we did not love the majority of the passengers onboard who wanted what they were used to on main stream lines. We heard them complain endlessly about the lack of a dining room and the loud dance music. They looked at the prices they'd paid and expected main stream suite level service. They didn't care about (or for) the whole VV 'experience'.

It might have been different if they'd based themselves in Brisbane and headed north to warmer waters and not south, but I doubt it. The majority of the people who sail the same cruise over and over to our nearby Pacific Islands on Royal, Carnival, P&O and Princess want seven or less nights for at $100 a night (or less). They want a main dining room and a big theatre with production shows. They want buckets of beers and mass produced coughtails, not champagne hour and drag bingo. VV just isn't that line, and I kind of hope they won't ever be. I'm pretty sure they won't ever be back.

All fair comments (though RCL especially is nowhere near that pricing now - and not sure there is that much variety in the Caribbean market, especially with the multitude of private islands to extend the onboard experience).

But not aligned with Virgin's PR that they want to return, but the only reason they actually had to cancel on all the existing bookings was because of trouble in the Middle East (and nor is it indicative of good business planning/market research prior to committing here, and just terminating early).

 

[bPeteb]

not sure there is that much variety in the Caribbean market, especially with the multitude of private islands to extend the onboard experience).

I don't imagine that there is. Going on a Caribbean cruise is literally at the bottom of my cruise list. The same people who keep going back to the same islands in the Caribbean sail to Vanuatu and New Caledonia from Oz, but the north American cruise industry has a market of 300m+ and we have 25. They have the population to support cruise lines all the way from Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville through older Carnival and RCL ships to the mega suites on Icon ot S and Norwegian's Haven to adults only like VV. They fill because they have the money and the population

But not aligned with Virgin's PR that they want to return, but the only reason they actually had to cancel on all the existing bookings was because of trouble in the Middle East (and nor is it indicative of good business planning/market research prior to committing here, and just terminating early).

Virgin has always been about flashy PR. I believe that Branson has little financial involvement in VV and yet here he was giving away cruises to a whole flight of people. They had low bookings right from the start. It was a very expensive toe wetting exercise. Branson loves the big stunts and promoting the Virgin name. VV's PR is there right beside him. VV got as much publicty pulling out of the Oz market as they did joining it.

Like they say, any publicity is good publicity, even if it's bad publicity.

 

[p--and--t]

Bransonomics - think up an idea sell it to someone else to take all the risk and make sure you get a cut if they make any money.