Feedback is welcome.

If I get it, I will post it!

[ 11-19-2004: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by mec1:

He was pretty vague about the ship though.

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Nigel indicated that a cruise line needs to retain 5% market share to remain visible and feasible. On current projections by 2010 Olsen might be as low as 3% - meaning drastic action needed.

I really think they need to attract passenger under the age of death!

Finally he mentioned that the market place for second hand ships is difficult since Carnival by and large won't sell outside their group. When they own so much of the ship stock, that puts a stranglehold on the Olsen type operators.

quote:

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
Surely Olsen would not be looking for ex-Carnival brands? Surley they are looking for smaller independent vessels?

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Once one gets into the 90s things get bigger. I am sure there must be many more, I just can't think of them at present.

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Originally posted by mec1:
I went - and they are looking for a recently built midsized ship to replace Black Prince when she is retiredin 2010.
He was pretty vague about the ship though.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
I wa snot there. I don't doubt what he said, but I don't understand a few things:

Nigel indicated that a cruise line needs to retain 5% market share to remain visible and feasible. On current projections by 2010 Olsen might be as low as 3% - meaning drastic action needed.

I really think they need to attract passenger under the age of death!

Finally he mentioned that the market place for second hand ships is difficult since Carnival by and large won't sell outside their group. When they own so much of the ship stock, that puts a stranglehold on the Olsen type operators.

Surely Olsen would not be looking for ex-Carnival brands? Surley they are looking for smaller independent vessels?

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They target 45+ and believe that there remains alot of untapped potential cruisers in that age groupb with the British demographics looking the way they are.....

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Originally posted by PamM:
Just right, but perhaps a bit pricey? Not sure how many single cabins she has either?
Pam

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Olsen can convert singles to doubles! However, it would be a pitty to convert her from 'Grand Hotel Style' to 'Olsen Syle'.

I do not think Deutschland is a 'grand' Malcolm, especially when you happen to see beneath the cracked 'plastic' coverings Some of the artwork aboard may not be to Olsen Pax liking, but that's easily rectified. As a ship, she's the right style though, lots of deck area aft.

See this old thread re Deutchland for sale. She's still there listed, but I think the site may be a bit 'dubious', looking at the toher ships showing.

Pam

[ 11-23-2004: Message edited by: PamM ]

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Originally posted by Westerdam:
Another guess would be the Super Star Gemini but it seems that Star Cruises wants to keep her but who knows once they start taking on some old NCL tonnage.

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I also agree that the Berlin and the Deutchland would also make for a fine addition.

tyler

Nigel explained in fascinating detail the economics of ship building (i.e. the threshold of wealth above which a cruise line can choose to build new rather than buy second hand). FOC lies at about the threshold but is risk averse in this respect - as he pointed out, think of the smaller lines that have chosen to build new in the last few years and all have gone bust (Renaissance and ROC for starters, though no-one mentioned Peter Deilman).

So they are actively searching for a new ship and think they have identified one but he could not tell us anything further. It is a very highly
sensitive deal. He had some interesting comments to make about the second hand ship market and, implicitly, Carnival's distortion of it.

He also updated us on the present fleet. Black Watch, as widely reported, is to have a major mechanical refit in 2005 that will give her a further
20-25years of service. Black Prince, due to have been retired in 2007, had an unplanned major mechanical overhaul this year after a serious breakdown and is therefore life-extended to 2010.
>
Nigel made clear the difficulties that Olsen would experience in the next five years: essentially that if they cannot acquire an additional ship their market share will fall below the viable minium and,
> he implied, that would be that. However, they must be confident of finding that vessel and he implied that they would then seek to emphaise their
market niche as an operator of friendly small ships with interesting itineraries and a distinctly British feel. He spoke in detail about niche marketing.

The only way to have got the whole picture would have been to have been there. I am delighted that the word of mouth worked and his was the best
> attended Tuesday talk since 1997. Nigel's talk this year was, in my estimation, the talk of the year as was last year's by him.