Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business

Chapter Two

Truth Number 2: Someone Has to Pay for It

In 2003, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, Celebrity Cruises launched an initiative called 150 Tastes of Luxury. The initiative added additional service improvements to Celebrity’s premium cruise experience.

For more than a decade, Celebrity had been known for great service and exceptional cuisine, but this offering took these amenities to the next level. A holiday mood was set the moment the passenger stepped on board. Customers were greeted on deck with a chilled glass of champagne and delighted by new “tastes” everywhere they turned: cold towels and fresh sorbet poolside, sunset yoga and Pilates, expanded dining options that included sushi cafés and pasta and pizza bars. Shortly ...