Vallesan

We have three cruises booked for this year, two on Riviera and one on Marina. Our first cruise later this month has ‘private car’ trips. The cruises for May and September don’t have this option so we would be unable to participate in ANY of the INCLUDED tours. Whilst I have said to others that the price you pay includes lots of things you may not use like sunbeds, theatre, pool etc etc. It just feels a bit uncomfortable that there is now an included trip allowance but not everybody is ‘able’ enough to take advantage of it. Just wondering what your thoughts are?

Yes I agree! How much more do we want to pay for? Personally I don’t eat gelato or crepes but then I would hate for the included extras like coffees etc to suddenly become ‘chargeable’. For me that would defeat the whole object of Oceania’s ‘inclusivity’ which is one of the reasons we sail with them.

I have read all the posts and given constructive advice. Maybe I missed your posts I wasn’t really checking who had said what. Just that your ‘throw away’ comment seemed a little out of place when there have been so many posters here that have been genuinely trying to help. Sometimes the written word on these threads doesn't come across as the way we would ‘say’ it in person. Yours appeared ‘mocking’. My apologies if I misinterpreted it.

Have you read all 181 posts? Have you offered any constructive help? If not then you really shouldn’t comment and ‘mock’ those of us who have.

We sailed into the city centre in 2016 on the Nautica. We asked where this ship was sailing because sailing up the river is a highlight. We were told it wouldn’t be Phu My. We booked on that reassurance. BUT, the world has changed in recent months. Hopefully it will still sail up the river.

I’m sure that they would both have more success on Oceania because as you say they would be ‘included’, unlike on Celebrity.

No. I assume you are talking about alcoholic drinks. As SATaxman says there are non alcoholic alternatives If you don’t drink or take trips you have to think of the cost as the price of the cruise. Lots of people who don’t drink sail Seabourn, Silversea, Regent and Viking all of whom include drinks but they realise when they book that the drinks are included in the price whether you drink them or not. Guess you have to work out what an Oceania cruise is ‘worth’ to you.

Part of me is starting to feel that OP is maybe ‘attention seeking’. He/she has been involved in this mess for 9 months and it’s appears to be the primary focus of each and every waking moment. What a dreadful waste of 9 months of life. The reason for my assumption is that every constructive idea that has been posted here has been rejected for one reason or another. Also the time OP has spent here would be better spent speaking to those (insurers) who, in reality, are the only ones that can help. My guess is, that if he/she is ‘hounding’ everyone involved on a daily basis they may also have lost track of the whole situation. Sometimes, with constant badgering, you tend to lose focus on the ‘real’ issue, in other words you can’t see the wood for the trees. Bongomauka, as has already been said, maybe you should put all your energy into finding a way through the maze rather than spending so much time here. I wish only a good outcome.

In England at least we speak the same language, well after a fashion! In Italy it might be a different story!

Another option may be to take a whale watching trip from La Palma?

A whale watching trip will be far more readily available in Tenerife. I’ve not done a whale watching trip myself but know the island quite well. The main/nearest area for a trip will from be Los Cristianos, about a 50 or 60 minute drive from the port in Santa Cruz. About another 20 or 25 minutes further down the coast you have Costa Adeje which is the next area that you will find trips leaving from. Check out Viator or use the ship’s tour depending on how long you have in port.

When we travel on the R ships we usually do PH2 (under the patio on deck 9) around 8044, 42 even 49. These may be close to the lifts/stairs but we have never suffered any noise at all. Also, because people fear cabins close to the lifts because on big ships they could be noisy, they tend to be available when most others are taken.

If it’s leather chairs you’d like then it will have to be Regent or Silversea I’m afraid!

LOL! Yes it would certainly make me feel like a ‘millionaire’!

Thanks!

Ahh! I see. I hadn’t realised you actually had had an invoice from PAF. Can’t or won’t your insurers pay that invoice? Where do NCLH come in ?

I’m in the UK so can’t help but I can tell you what I would do if I was in your situation. You have done your best to get the information required for your insurance claim. I can see how you are concerned that the case may go over the time limit and you will end up without reimbursement. I would send a letter to the CEO of NCLH, here it would be by recorded delivery so that there would be proof of receipt of the letter as it would have to be signed for. Don’t know what your system is. I would state in the letter that I was giving them fair warning etc. and would then say that if you had not had a response within 10 ? working days you would close the case and would not be responsible for any monies etc. as I said in my previous post. If they don’t respond I don’t see how you can be held responsible as you have given them ‘fair warning’. I can see how you might be concerned but in fact you are not responsible for reclaiming costs for NCLH, which is in effect what you’re doing. If they choose not to let you help them, because that’s what they’re doing, then on their head be it. Finally, NCLH may not have actually paid any money to the PAF so they don’t have proof! I would also let your insurance company have a copy of the letter you send that way, as far as I can see, you have covered yourself in every way you can.

If I have read the situation correctly your insurance company is happy to pay your claim and the payment for the evacuation to whoever paid for it. ie. Portuguese Air Force or NCLH. NCLH say they have paid. You need proof of payment by NCLH from them for your insurance company. NCLH are unwilling/unable to provide you with that proof. Your concern is that after your insurance company has paid out your part of the claim, without paying for the evacuation, NCLH will then come to you at a later date and ask for a payment, from you, to cover the evacuation. If I’ve read this correctly maybe you, or a solicitor, should send a letter to NCLH telling them that you are ready to settle the insurance case and you are giving them fair warning that, any payment to them, for the evacuation will not be included in that settlement, unless they provide proof of payment. Also, that once the case is closed, if NCLH did not supply your insurance company with the required proof of payment, you cannot, and will not, be held responsible for any monies they think are owed to them for the evacuation. Sorry if somebody else has already suggested this. This thread is quite long and I may have misunderstood some of it. Anyway, best of luck, and hope this is resolved for you.

Tipping. Which is the best currency for tipping drivers/guides?

We were due to go to Cambodia several years ago and Oceania were to do our visas. The ship didn’t dock because of bad weather so we weren’t charged. My guess is that a ship does the visas when they’ve docked in port. But I may be wrong.

Obtaining a visa for Cambodia was not practical for us as it would have meant a 430 mile round trip, twice, as you have to apply in person. The other alternative was to send the passports and paperwork via the postal service, which here in the UK, is absolutely abysmal. I didn’t fancy the idea of having to get an emergency passports if they got lost. I spoke with my TA about Oceania getting a visa on board and apparently they can do it without paperwork. The cost is what it is. Sometimes in life you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place!

I haven’t but am using the service in a few weeks …. I’m assuming if will be taken from my OBC?

WOW! Definitely a change. I really dislike Californian wines in general so it will just have to be Champagne for me. Oh dear! How difficult is that!

That’s a difficult one. I assume that itinerary will take precedence. We have not sailed on the Marina but have done several times on the Riviera. We’re booked on the first Marina cruise after her refit and yes we were disappointed that the whole ship isn’t being ‘re-imagined’. Nonetheless, we like the itinerary and the price reductions in the Summer Sale really couldn’t be refused. I think the answer, really, is ‘time will tell’?

I must admit after 10 Oceania cruises I’ve never had an issue with speciality restaurant bookings. I just have all my documentation on my iPad so hopefully if there is a mistake in the future I’ll have the paperwork.