Robjame

2 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

But apparently, they're not rolling back the prices, they will remain the same.  So, it isn't the "old ways". The prices went up with Simply More since it included more than O Life and that will apparently remain the "base price".

Price increases are a reality right now.

If we accept that to be profitable, Oceania had to either reduce amenities or increase the price, which would you prefer?

I know my choice because I realize that free amenities aren’t free. As someone said, by 2026 these prices will seem cheap and a cruise line must price for the reality of the economy ahead.

16 hours ago, jonthomas said:

we book when itins first come out...so you need to check that pricing not todays prices....

 

our may 1, 2025, vista, cruise was booked Nov 2, 2022, 22 days, $ 5400 pp US...french balc...totally sold out now...yes with an FCC to gain the benefits...

 

as with  all our other cruises, all booked at opening day....so those are the prices to look at...

 

it comes to 250 per day...before TA rebate...

 

we also took Os air, cheaper than we can do ourselves in Canada, with a prem econ for 199 from London. 

 

if you have the brochure for 2022 you can look all that up, although we booked at opening day, so maybe before the brochure...

Glad you addressed this as you cannot compare the brochure prices on the website to get a real cost per day.

i would add we book air fare with reward points which backs out airfare costs for us.

As well, when we cruise we book B2B (combined) cruises which gives us a 5% discount and, allows you to back out the airfare even if you use O air.

31 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

If I paid ~$40k for a cruise, extra $1400 wouldn't make much difference to me

As we are both Canadian, our total was significantly less than 40K CAD - more than 25% CAD less.

And that $1400 US for gratuities becomes $1900 CAD.

And you bet it makes much difference to us.

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

You pay $500+/day for a cruise and you care about $18/day gratuities? 

Per person.

For our 39 day cruise that is over $1400 US so, yes, I care about $18/day gratuities.

(Anyone who doesn’t, please see my Go Fund Me page (Joke))

This change makes sense.

Some people don’t drink and I am sure they complain that they are ‘paying’ for an unwanted amenity.

Some people don’t do O excursions and prefer to make their own arrangements. I am sure they complain that they are ‘paying’ for an unwanted amenity.

Everybody pays, or should pay, gratuities.

Now we know when we do get out the calculator, this change will financially benefit O but maybe it will disguise a fare increase.

Floral arrangements show up in Bon Voyage gifts so google that option.  They invite a phone call so questions can be answered.

It is also something you can order from Oceania and have them delivered and set up in your cabin. I did this and the cost was reasonable and the arrangement was beautiful. 

12 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

I assume if for some reason they would be denying it that they’d let you know.

Nope.

Whether they accept or deny your request, only by checking your OBC online, or by phoning Oceania or by asking your TA will you verify that you have received the OBC. If it doesn’t appear then your request has been denied or rejected, in my experience.

4 hours ago, basor said:

no - it is per cabin so just one person needs 100 shares to qualify for OBC

Although the amount ($100 or $250) will be split evenly, and show up on the accounts, of the two persons in the cabin. In reality that has little effect as expenses and credits are lumped together as one, for accounting purposes.

After resubmitting our request the second part of our cruise for Shareholder Credit, the money was in our account in 3 business days. It showed up as Complimentary Shipboard Credit.

Again my complaint is that had we not been persistent in checking our account and with the information we learned on CC, we would never have known that submitting two requests in one email was a reason for them to ignore our second cruise eligibility. 

2 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Did your TA say this or was this directly from the company? If it was the TA reapply.

We use a TA who is excellent but, as this is a direct perk from Oceania, we fill out the form and submit directly to Oceania. I never considered using my TA to submit proof of Shareholder eligibility and then following up with her to expedite the application.

So to answer your question - this is me dealing with Oceania.

Do others deal through their TA for Shareholder benefit?

On 8/12/2024 at 7:04 PM, EJL2023 said:

 I did get the automatic email they had received it. I guess just another example of some inconsistency.

My major complaint with Oceania is the lack of information and poor customer service. Anyone trying to use their website knows what I mean.

We have two cuises coming up, b2b. I submitted two shareholder requests and the proof of share ownership. 
‘We got the automated reply and, in time, one of the credits, for one of the cruises appeared on our on-board cruise credit. Nothing on the second cruise.

Upon phoning Oceania I was told they have to be separate emails. The justification the agent gave me was, “what if a person had 10 cruises coming up and submitted 10 requests at once.” I did not argue that the efficiency of that seemed obvious. An email explanation would have been nice.

I submitted the second cruise request again, separately. Got the automated reply but to date there has been no communication nor dealing with the request.

This lack of communication and lack of action are things I have experienced before with this department.

15 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Is the OBC nonrefundable?

It is not a question that we asked as our final bill has always been more than whatever OBC we have accumulated. We don’t have our gratuities paid for, so this alone will more than use up this refund for our combined voyage.

30 minutes ago, ORV said:

With a Dec 5 sailing date I think that puts you in the 50% penalty. 

Yes Orv we are in the 50% penalty but this did not enter into the conversation. Oceania has simply given us OBC credit for the difference between our original Cruise Fare Total and the new Cruise Fare Total. 
Very fair IMO.

This amounts to $452 US per person.

29 minutes ago, ORV said:

So being after final payment have either of your TAs mentioned the penalty schedule and whether it applies to you?

Ours is not a rebooking but rather, I think, a courtesy refund. In our initial conversation she had said that a rebooking under the penalty clause might require us to accept a different

cabin. We are only a month past final payment.

I suspect that if they didn’t refund the difference there would be a lot unhappy (regular) customers. A lot of people probably don’t check the sales and are blissful in their ignorance.
Also, Oceania mitigates their loss by refunding the difference only as OBC which doesn’t really matter to us but is extremely beneficial to them.

29 minutes ago, ORV said:

Let us know what your TA finds out please. 

Our TA contacted Oceania and they have refunded the difference in cruise fare. As mentioned above this difference will be applied as a OBC to us, which is fine with us. 
For us, this is a combined cruise and the 5% combined cruise credit (b2b) had to be referred for credit, to a higher up. I will update when we hear back.

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Just an FYI, if you're past final payment take a look at the Cancellation Schedule. In the past I've heard of people getting OBC after final,

We are booked and past final payment date,  on one of the 40 cruises included in the flash sale. We have contacted our agency. 
The difference is more than $1500. Has anyone had success or not in getting satisfaction after the final payment date. OBC would be fine.

Thanks for your help.

49 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

I think it is more like 3 drinks a day. It is only $30/day to upgrade to the prestige oackage

I have seen the three drinks a day or the 2 drinks a day and even a 5 drinks a day justification for the Prestige Package. None of these are correct IMO. I was drinking Oban 14 scotch @ $18 a glass which includes the 20% gratuity $21.60 per. I would order a double as my pre dinner drink with this package totalling $43.20. 
Even 2 glasses of champagne will pierce the $30 a day upgrade.

36 minutes ago, cappycas said:

We have the Premium Drinks package included for our cruise. Does anyone know if this includes all drinks, any time throughout the cruise? Thank you.

Having had the Prestige Beverage package (Premium), we made a habit of telling the server that we had the Prestige package and asking was a particular drink included. That little question never failed to clarify the situation, even particular wines (everywhere) or particular liquors (Toscana) or beers (Red Ginger).

Remember that with this package you can specify your preferred liquor - Grey Goose Vodka in my Bloody Mary.

I see from a Vista YouTube video, that there are sommelier-led Food and Wine Pairing luncheon, held in Ember. These are not to be confused with the Wine Spectator meals.

Anyone have some information about these - price, where/when do they show up on the Oceania website, worth it?

20 hours ago, janecambridge said:

We were in an Oceania  suite Xmas 2022

From Riviera Christmas 2022

On 6/10/2024 at 2:13 PM, JRIH said:

Ha, we leave in July and the culinary classes still haven't shown up.

As a follow up, we contacted our TA and she was back to us within the day with an apology from Oceania plus the listings of the culinary classes and the wine pairing dinners. They were not in our Oceania account for whatever reason.

You may want to check with your TA or ask in your roll call. 

13 hours ago, the mice said:

We are on December 17-27.  In Manage This Booking choose Other Options.  I first noticed them a couple of weeks ago. 

Classes on December 18 (Passport to the New World - we signed up for this).  There is a 8-10 Dessert Party class on December 22 (Guadalupe), Mexican Fiesta classes on Christmas and Brunch Comforts on December 26.

I was hoping they would do the Red Ginger one but not offered.  Culinary Center on Vista is fabulous.  Did 2 classes last November.  Unfortunately, had to cancel our Asian cooking class on Riviera in February once I got severe bronchitis, since I didn't want to give it to anyone else. 

Thanks so much for posting this. I followed up with Oceania this morning and they insisted that the Culinary classes have not even been released yet for that voyage. (I know how they get mixed up). When I quoted your knowledge of specific dates and classes they changed their story and said it is not released until final payment, which for me is not until July 20.

So I will toss this in the lap of my TA and let her sort it out.

Thanks again and we look forward to meeting you on board.

56 minutes ago, the mice said:

Antigua is Christmas Eve.  Christmas Day is a sea day. 

I was thinking that the cooking classes meant no special brunch, so thanks for the info.  I realize lots of people don't celebrate Christmas so offering them would make sense.  But O does offer culinary classes more attuned to the Caribbean. 

The Christmas cruise is one of those that is marked as a single or combined cruise, December 17 to December 27 or (combined) December 17 to January 3. The combined cruise does go to Mexico on December 29 and on January 1. 
 

More to the point - where are you finding the culinary classes? We are on the Vista combined cruise December 17 to January 3 and the culinary classes have not been posted yet to our Oceania account. I think usually these are posted 6 months out, when final payment is due. Perhaps things are different for you but our final payment is not due until July 20.

Maybe you are booked on an earlier cruise, before the 17th - 3 one, that gives you access to culinary classes earlier.

2 hours ago, ORV said:

Yet there are people that have posted here that they were able to do it onboard. I have no idea, just find it curious. Maybe it's one of those things that vary from ship to ship

Not sure if this is a bit of an answer but there are certain excursions which are culinary classes - for instance “Cooking with Spices” (an example). You visit a spice farm with the O chef and return to the ship to do a culinary class. This allows you to you to use your SM excursion allowance for what is essentially an enhanced cooking class.