Stop taking away things and begin adding things, for example...

[PrincessShmoo]

I just *can't* imagine a reason they would do such a thing...

Because they are revenue generating. Navigators are not.

 

[MrsInsG]

Because they are revenue generating. Navigators are not.

Exactly. It truly has nothing to do with environmental benefits.

 

[Mommb]

Strangely enough, those are still being delivered to the stateroom as are the DVC ads and the cruise survey... I just *can't* imagine a reason they would do such a thing...

Navigators need to be printed each day (and more than once if there are changes) and are usable for only one day. DVC ads can be printed in advance and used on all ships. Port guides can be used each time a ship visits that port, which for most Bahamas and many Caribbean ports is often. So, thousands of these flyers can be printed at once on high-capacity presses and stored onboard.

 

[cgolf]

People can spin this any way they want, but for Disney the Navigator has to be a bottom line thing. Sounds like it is happening in the parks and elsewhere Disney has control. Heck since they bought Hulu, our Hulu Live has gone up 15 bucks in roughly 4 months.

I used to love everything about DCL cruises, but they have changed so much even since 2016, and especially since our first, that I am not sure we would be satisfied we got what we paid for. We wouldn't hate it, because of course any vacation is better than work

 

[AquaDame]

Navigators need to be printed each day (and more than once if there are changes) and are usable for only one day. DVC ads can be printed in advance and used on all ships. Port guides can be used each time a ship visits that port, which for most Bahamas and many Caribbean ports is often. So, thousands of these flyers can be printed at once on high-capacity presses and stored onboard.

Forget the printing, can you imagine what it cost to trash them in the various ports? I've often wondered how much it costs to remove the garbage from the ship... where weight and space really matters, it's a no-brainer to reduce as much as they can. I also suspect some of the islands are not as good about proper disposal as others.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Forget the printing, can you imagine what it cost to trash them in the various ports? I've often wondered how much it costs to remove the garbage from the ship... where weight and space really matters, it's a no-brainer to reduce as much as they can. I also suspect some of the islands are not as good about proper disposal as others.

Generally, any combustibles (paper, for instance) are incinerated on ships.

 

[AquaDame]

Generally, any combustibles (paper, for instance) are incinerated on ships.

With the coating on some of those thats kind of scary.... well, there goes that thought anyway!

 

[Ralph&Pam]

On the Fantasy last week, our room host offered to bring a Navigator each evening when he did the turn down service. In fact, he left two for us, after we responded that we really like the printed version. We showed our appreciation in the gratuity and on the comment card.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Oh, please, I hope not......

Maybe they could try and flip that and say adults sail free and see how that goes.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Maybe they could try and flip that and say adults sail free and see how that goes.

They would bankrupt themselves......

 

[Neptune's Fork]

People can spin this any way they want, but for Disney the Navigator has to be a bottom line thing. Sounds like it is happening in the parks and elsewhere Disney has control. Heck since they bought Hulu, our Hulu Live has gone up 15 bucks in roughly 4 months.

I used to love everything about DCL cruises, but they have changed so much even since 2016, and especially since our first, that I am not sure we would be satisfied we got what we paid for. We wouldn't hate it, because of course any vacation is better than work

I don't know what's going on but there have been a lot of what I would call minor things that they've raised prices on, or started charging in an area that they haven't before. Don't know what executive came up with that game plan, but it's not a good one. Nickel and dimeing consumers have led to the demise of a lot of businesses over the years. It's possible the business plan could have anticipated an extra revenue boost from the release of Disney+ and figured whatever, if any, they would lose would be made up by that. But it's not a good long term plan.

 

[MrsInsG]

Navigators need to be printed each day (and more than once if there are changes) and are usable for only one day. DVC ads can be printed in advance and used on all ships. Port guides can be used each time a ship visits that port, which for most Bahamas and many Caribbean ports is often. So, thousands of these flyers can be printed at once on high-capacity presses and stored onboard.

I get it; truly, I do. If they came out and said "this is a cost-cutting measure," people *might* be more receptive. Instead, they frame it as 'environmentally friendly' while clearly ignoring those benefits with something they profit from. I prefer a consistent approach; either ditch it all, or swallow the cost of the paper navigators so maybe people can detach from the electronic leash while on vacation. Just my $.02!

 

[Lisa F]

I get it; truly, I do. If they came out and said "this is a cost-cutting measure," people *might* be more receptive. Instead, they frame it as 'environmentally friendly' while clearly ignoring those benefits with something they profit from. I prefer a consistent approach; either ditch it all, or swallow the cost of the paper navigators so maybe people can detach from the electronic leash while on vacation. Just my $.02!

for what people pay for these cruises, I think it would be extremely BAD PR for Disney to reference them cutting their costs anywhere. Even though we guess that is what it is, they are not going to say "we just jacked up prices 10% again but also are cutting our costs." Bad optics.

 

[Spotthecat]

Coke Zero. Simple wish

 

[SL6827]

Corporate greed, plain and simple.

 

[SL6827]

Rumor is that in Disneyland Paris they took the 500 euro Christmas bonus and cut it down to 250 euros. Greed.

 

[SorcererPanda]

We were on the Fantasy last week and could not EVER get the app to work (in spite of many, MANY, attempts over many different days). We sent our daughter down to the desk each morning at about 7 to collect a Navigator. I can deal with the multi-use toiletries, but I cannot, for the life of me, get over the lack of printed Navigator in the stateroom. It's a cost-cutter, not an environmental issue. If it were environmental, we wouldn't be receiving multiple DVC and shopping ads throughout the cruise.

The app wasn't working for one of us, the whole first day. When we spoke to guest services about it, they directed us to the connect @ sea desk. The gentleman there was able to fix it and get it working!

 

[SL6827]

They are doing this kind of BS when the economy is rocking, I can only imagine what they will try when we head back into a recession, which probably won't be too far off in the future, unfortunately.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I have been following this post and I have to step in to Disney defence about the navigators and the move to using the App.

I work in digital marketing and the tech world and I am alot more tech aware than most people. Im just back from the Web Summit in Lisbon Portugal, which is the biggest international conference for everything to do with the internet and Tech world.

I went to talks from the Chief Marketing Officers of companies like Lamborgini, Burger King, Uber, StockX, Giphy, Tastemade. Every major tech company from Google to Microsoft were there as well as hundreds of tech startups. Basically all the people and companies who create all the tech we use on a day to day basis were at this conference.

Tech is the way forward and Disney are just moving forward. I see it as a natural progression and something which Disney are doing right. The world is changing at a very rapid pace and Disney is making sure they move with it.

Moving away from the paper navigators to the App is a smart move. It gives Disney a lot more scope to be creative and instant. It also gives Disney a way of connecting with passengers on a more personal level.

Everything now is about giving customers an experience. You don't get an experience with a inanimate piece of paper. You don't get information about customer journeys from inanimate piece of paper.

Some of the talks I went to and some of the demonstrations, the tech software and prototypes I saw were about what companies are planning to do in the next 5 to 10 years.

Disney is planning for the future, and embracing new technology, so that the kids in The Vibe and Oceaneers club in 2019 will be the adults who come back in 2030.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Everything now is about giving customers an experience. You don't get an experience with a inanimate piece of paper. You don't get information about customer journeys from inanimate piece of paper.

Have to disagree here. You get an experience with that inanimate piece of paper, it's just not a digital one. I also already give DCL plenty of information about my journey, I should have the option to not give them more. Yes, they need as much data as possible because everything is micromanaged based on data trends, etc... but people should have the option to not be a source of that information.[/QUOTE]