I'd never seen the yakka trees on previous trips to Kangaroo Island. But now, clusters of them have shimmied up toward the sky like upside-down palms. Their spearlike trunks, designed by nature to germinate with fire, sprouted recently, a result of the catastrophic 2020 “black summer” bushfires, which engulfed Australia. Fast-moving flames reduced half the island to embers, claiming the lives of thousands of its animals, including more than 60,000 koalas. But the hardy native trees are a symbol of the regenerative power of the bush.
How Royal Caribbean, Silversea Can Recover From Photoshoot Debacle
08.03.2024 - 14:35 / forbes.com / Royal Caribbean
It probably seemed like a great idea at the time: use a rare confluence of itineraries to bring three cruise ships together in the middle of the ocean, launch a drone or two, and get unique photos to highlight Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s biggest brands: Celebrity, Silversea and Royal Caribbean.
Not only would this create some great marketing assets, the passengers on the ships would enjoy a memorable celebration at sea.
There was just one catch. While the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas and Celebrity Ascent could participate in the rendezvous without altering their port schedules, the Silversea Silver Nova would have to deviate from its course, resulting in a four hour delay in arrival at Ft. Lauderdale, where current guests would debark and new ones board.
To decision-makers at RCCL, this must have seemed like a minor sacrifice. While the Ascent and Icon can together hold over ten thousand passengers, the comparatively tiny Nova’s capacity is just 720 guests. How bad could a few hour delay be for this small group?
As I reported earlier, the Nova passengers received a letter advising them that their arrival would be “slightly delayed.” Passengers who had booked their own post-cruise travel plans were advised to adjust them, and that reasonable extra expenses would be reimbursed. Passengers departing from Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports were encouraged to only book flights departing after 5:00 PM, compared to the typical advice of noon or even 11:00 AM.
The impact on the Nova passengers was far from “slight.” Those making their own arrangements would have to contact their airline or travel agent and find new flights. Post-cruise flights are usually booked well in advance. Now, the direct flight with the coveted aisle seat would have to be canceled. Passengers would have to scramble to grab whatever flights and seats were available - in the middle of Spring Break! Ground transportation plans, pet sitting arrangements, planned get-togethers with family or friends, would all have to be adjusted.
Needless to say, the line’s callous attitude toward the chaos caused by the photoshoot sparked anger, disappointment, and comments about the decline of the Silversea brand.
Rerouting a ship for a marketing photo shoot would predictably anger many passengers. The most damaging aspect of this incident, though, is the lack of empathy for the guests. At no point in their initial communication did Silversea acknowledge the harm that this change would cause passengers. Passengers were merely thanked for their “understanding.”
What passengers understood was that corporate brand marketing was more important than the concerns of mere guests. The offer to reimburse extra costs reduced their relationship to a financial
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14.03.2024 / 13:11
Help! Air Canada Ruined Our Trip to Ireland but Won’t Take the Blame.
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