Ready for Fun in 2021?

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In most seasons, if your baseball team had lost 3/4 of its games by this point in the year, you might hear coaches and players saying, "Wait 'til next year."

Theoretically, some old guy could sell his soul to the devil and turn the team around, like in "Damn Yankees," but I wouldn't count on it. Bookmakers buy new Teslas and yachts taking such bets.

Most likely management would already be negotiating to sell to pennant-contenders the balance of the annual contracts for players destined to become free agents at the end of the season.

Yes, cruise lines have had a disastrous season --- one for the record books --- but they're ready to compete in 2021, if not by this fall.

In a video presentation for travel agents, Richard Fain of Royal Caribbean spoke about "the new normal" everyone seems to be talking about.

At any time, when they design new ships, it is 1/3 tradition, 1/3 evolution and 1/3 revolution.

The ideas that work best are used to modify older ships in the fleet.

Symphony of the Seas looked almost identical to its predecessors but was 25% more fuel-efficient. In its own way, that is no less revolutionary than when Oasis of the Seas first rolled out with a huge Central Park down the middle of the ship.

The excellence of the consumer-facing product did not decline with those revolutionary changes, and in fact the evolutionary changes make each subsequent iteration better in dozens of ways.

Yes, the latest concerns have to do with adapting cruise ships to meet more stringent health and safety demands so as to make it less likely that anyone who is unhealthy boards or circulates around the ship.

I think we all support that, regardless of what the disease may be.

Royal Caribbean and other lines accept the challenge, but they never forget that guests want a wonderful cruise experience first and foremost, one that surpasses all expectations.

As the policies of the late Edwards Deming demand, "Never ending improvement" is always front of mind.

Perhaps some of you will regret losing those buffet lines where inconsiderate sneezing guests serve themselves, but I won't.

I also welcome less-crowded venues on mainstream ships, though I doubt they will become as awesome as Oceania, where the widely spaced seats give guests plenty of elbow and leg room in venues that never seem to be more than half-filled for any of their top quality entertainment.

If your budget allows an upgrade in your cruise line or accommodations, this shutdown should have made you aware of just how truly precious your vacation time is.

Don't waste it or come back with complaints that could have been avoided had you not scrimped to save a few dollars you could have easily afforded to spend. I'll be happy to help you make wise choices.

The shutdowns will not last forever, and I know I for one can't wait to get back to visiting amazing destinations from a floating resort!

Thanks,

Wes