Just received the very impressive (and expensive) promotional piece - "Regent, Live the Luxury" which highlights hotel properties as well as cruises. I found it interesting that all ships except the PG are shown as all inclusive going forward. I wonder why they are excluding PG?

We also received the mailing. I will agree that it is beautifully done!

Betty

Call me a grouch. It was an attractive mailing, but frankly I wish they wouldn't spend the money on these types of communications.

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Eugene

I agree, Eugene. Lovely photographs and packaging, but spend the money elsewhere on us Seven Seas customers.

Remember the PG is not owned by Regent like the other ships. Just managed. Many things come along that are exclusively PG or the other three ships but NOT the PG.

In fact that brochrue on the PG that was so badly done - I guarantee you (dont know for sure) that this was actually produced by Grand Circle and NOT Regent. This happened early on for the 2006 season as well. A poor piece came out early and I know that was done by Grand Cirlce then it was followed up by a "nice" 2006 brochure done by Regent.

I did not get that PG 2007 brochure until just yesterday so I had not seen it as the members here received it before I did. I believe another indication it came from Grand Circle and not Regent. It looks like Grand Circle to me.

I also agree, so much money spent on marketing you often wonder how much it sells.

Having worked in Marketing for several years, I am aware of the astronomical costs involved in creating and producing high-end collateral/promotional pieces. Regent is spending very, very substantial bucks for their direct mail advertising. While these pieces are aesthetically pleasing, we toss them in the trash after a quick look-see.

Direct mail pieces don't sway me. Word-of-mouth, recommendations and experiences of others who've been there-done that help me make educated decisions. It's not the glossy collateral.

True. But the glossy pieces serve as a way to show others around us what kind of product RSSC is. I know that we keep giving our material to Amanda's parents for them to admire. :) Who knows, maybe they'll book one of these days.

Masaki

Hi Masaki,

It's your raving about the RSSC experience that will "seal the deal!" I hope they do book sometime soon. They'll be as spoiled as the rest of us!

Actually, I do use the marketing material - I tear out the photos of the ships and they are :p tacked up in the office file room and under my clear desk blotter to keep me motiviated while I am working.

I was very impressed by the quality of the "Live the Luxury" Regent Brochure. While undeniably expensive to produce, it is really the company's "statement" piece regarding where they want to take the line in the future. While I expect the company's future brochures to echo the themes and some of the production values set forth herein, I don't expect future brochures to be this elaborate or expensive.

If anything, this brochure is proof of how serious, committed and organized Regent is in executing their rebranding strategy. Their strategy of going "up market" is way more involved than just going all inclusive...

I am very excited about Regent's direction. Now all I have to do is decide on an itinerary for 2007!

Best regards--
Bill

I was confused by the difference between the PG and the rest of the ships as far as all inclusive goes.

Even more confusing, it seems to promote that the Voyager, Mariner and Navigator are all inclusive NOW. No start date is given for AI anywhere in the brochure. I thought it started in 2007. Sure would be nice if they changed over now

It must be hard for them to balance this type of advertising.
For Jan and I we don't need or want these.
We already know where, when, and what ship we would like to go on. Going to the web site is more than enough.
I do understand the importance of sending this material to non-RSSC cruisers.

speaking of which, I have yet to receive this brochure ... :D

Masaki

There's no winning with this kind of literature. If Regent sent it out to all non-clients, we would be complaining because we didn't receive the same info. Yet, lots of mailings to already loyal customers seems like money that could better be spent elsewhere. I think it's the same with most travel related companies. You should see the mail we get from Tauck tours. Often it is the same brochure mailed over and over again. If the advertisement is enough to entice a client to sign-up then it is probably worth it to the company.

All inclusive does not start until 2007 unless you are a Platinum member and then you get it now.

You are right Donna, there is no winning on this type of thing and Regent is going to do it their way anyway.

We got it today, it is very nice.

Question: When do you actually qualify for the next SSS tier (i.e., Silver, Gold, Platinum) - the cruise where you reach or pass the number of nights required, or the next time you cruise after reaching the qualifying number of nights? We may hit 199 nights on the first leg of a back-to-back cruise next year, if we book a cruise we're thinking about this fall. Do we get Platinum tier benefits on the second leg of that back-to-back? Or do we have to wait until the next cruise we take?

Good question Mike, I am checking now as I do not know.

Someone posted that the 2nd cruise you would get a status change. I have the same going Silver to Gold on the Grand Crossing. Maybe will need to do a cruise just for the status before since that Grand Crossing is 16 days.

We too received the new Regent brochure in the mail and we are now reliving our "R" experience. We are going to try the "O" line in January and after that will make our decision as to which will remain our "line of choice."

Best wishes and happy cruising to all our LCT friends.

I just received this ad today, and was so taken aback by it that I missed this thread and started a new one on this ad. I have asked that the thread I started be deleted.

When I reviewed the printed material, I was struck by two things. First, this was a VERY expensive ad. Second, it contained almost no real, objective information. By this I mean it contained almost no information as to Itineraries, dates, accomodations, prices, dining options, suite options and descriptions, inclusions and features, and the like. IMO, this is the kind of info both seasoned RSSC cruisers and those new to RSSC would like -- and frankly need -- to make cruise choices. Instead, 95% of the printed material was devoted to pictures of someone's back who was looking over a ship's railing, a person sitting on the pool deck of an otherwise empty ship, and even pics of zebras' rear ends!

I watched the DVD, and found it even more vague than the printed material. A lesson in Zen, pictures of someone in the spa, and an interview with guests at a table in the main dining room (otherwise empty) discussing in very vague terms the things they like about RSSC.

I too have a bit of education and experience in advertising. I found this ad to be the most expensive "waste-of-money" ad I have ever seen. Just a bunch of photos, some blurry and some of people whose heads don't show in the photos, with no real objective information.

Thanks,
Richard

Well at least you are getting the mail. I have yet until today receive anything from Regent marketing via snail mail ever since my first cruise 3 years ago. I have repeatedly requested and resubmitted my info several times over the years but nothing has come....not even brochures. That is until today. I went to my mailbox and just about fainted when I pulled out a flyer sale, two for one, from Regent. I had to do a double take as I really couldn't believe my eyes that something had long last arrived in the mail. It had become so bad that Jennifer after repeatedly sending in my info to Regent took it upon herself just this this week, to mail me out a PG brochure from B&K offices. Needless to say I was very grateful and impressed that she hung in there with me and got some results. Thanks Jennifer! I can only hope that this first piece of mail is only the beginning.
Pat

Pat:

Don't worry. If you had received what I received, you would have obtained absolutely no objective information from it.

Note: I have now learned that the ad I received in the notebook with magnetic snaps and a DVD IS NOT the one that is the subject of this post. The one I received may actually be worse! So the other thread I started remains. Check it out and see if the ad described therein is the same as is the subject of this thread.

Thanks,
Richard

We received our package today. What a waste! It's already in the re-cycling bag.

I doubt it will generate unfound revenues that approach 10% of its cost.

I just got it today. At first, I thought Richard was talking about the "other" thick mailing I recently received about the "Grand Voyages 2006/2007". That one went into great detail about itineraries, pricing, deck plans etc., so I was confused. This one baffles me, as it has a cover letter to past passengers, and I'm thinking it was just sent to us. Frankly, all this re-branding and "upscaling" thing has me a bit wary, as I liked things just as they were before, and saw Radisson as a product that didn't need "fixing", even with the charges for drinks. Now the pricing is higher, and for the rest of the cruise experience, I don't know how they are going to enhance the experiences I have had in the past. The en suite amenities are not going to change to a degree that will affect my enjoyment, hey the pillows, douvets, etc already suit me! The only "up grading" I can see is the "concierge collection" excursions and more personalized service for some of the touring opportunities.

This one baffles me,

We all agree~!!! SOOOO bad - Joanna

The costs for such upscale collateral will be absorbed by those of us who sail on Regent.

Olivia, I, too, liked things just the way they were!

jhp and all:

Yes, I had received the "Grand Voyages 2006/2007" book earlier, and had no negative comments (or thoughts) about it. It, in fact, was just fine -- except for the prices, of course.

Then, I received this mailing in a box, containing a hard-backed snap close notebook thing! Inside that was a bunch of expensive looking printed material and a DVD -- none of which contained any objective information that I could find.

With all the unanswered questions about such things as tier level benefits and inclusions on the Paul Guaguin for '07 -- and concern about how RSSC prices have crept up -- this later mailing just struck me as "bragging" by RSSC when it should be answering questions.

Thanks,
Richard

Beautiful book but what a waste of $$. No information inside making it worth keeping. In the trash it went.

The letter that came with our collateral stated that the brochure was a "limited edition." Wonder if it will increase in value - and can be auctioned off at Christies or sold on EBay ;)

Hopefully, not trash pick-up day in Fullerton, Marcie!

I just got the brochures. Slick?, sure. A small fortune to produce?, not really. Regent (Carlson for that matter) produces a mountain of printed collateral, so in the aggregate, this does not amount to all that much. Love the satin finish to the pages.

IMO, the problem lies in Regents' mailing lists. Illustrated by many repeat cruisers on this board receiving mailings of a non-or-first time cruiser. I have received mailings indicating that I am a repeat cruiser. Hello?

This piece should have only gone to people who have not cruised on the line. It's a fairly standard "brand" piece. Repeat cruisers want the "meat" that is missing here. Namely, itinerary, cabins and price. This piece is meant to lure the non-Regent customer to the line. You are already here. You like the product. It was a mistake to send it to you.

Regent needs to seriously examine their mailing lists and tailor mailings accordingly. They are doing more harm than good and wasting money besides.

Robert: I don't think as first (or non) time cruisers it would have done much for me - NO meat!!!! (so that means no A1 sauce!) I threw mine away never thought about ebay :mecry: :mecry: Joanna

Robert - said perfectly, my thoughts exactly (although I am thinking about an O cruise for Baltics in 2007)

Robert, I agree. Only because of that Seven Seas Society introduction letter did I think it was just sent to us. Since you have not yet cruised, maybe it was because you once planned to and recently, booked again? Don't need to preach to the large choir of loyal passengers.

I often get e-mails sent from thecampaign (something)...com from both Silversea and Radisson. Do they use the same ad/marketing agency? I was told on one of the ships that they use the same recruiting agency in Asia to hire personnel.

Aren't we adorable the way we agree and disagree??? Thank you Ngaire for insisting we be "happy" people - Joanna (Kathi and Robert just joking)

Mrs. Marc Conroy works for Silversea, Olivia.

Kathy: How are you so in the know???? About the Conroy family??? I hope MC recognizes me on some cruise as I would not know him from Adam and yes Mr Conroy I promote your ships!!!! Joanna

DUH, knew that Kathy, and thought everyone did! I thought that was between the lines of what I was saying! I think I once said the lines should merge since certain people from each of them retired to bed at night! That was probably off-line!

One of these days Joanna! He's nice, easy to get to know and talk to. Your paths will cross and when they do, I promise you he won't forget you or Tony!! :banana:

Actually, I did not know that until I went to an event where the CEO of Viking Cruises was giving away a cruise for two. I was telling him how loyal I've been to RSSC and he told me about the Conroys. His wife and Mrs. C went to College together and they are all friends.