XCoastie73

On 11/11/2022 at 10:27 AM, EllaDuChien said:

I was scheduled to be on the Oceania Nautica March 2023 from Singapore to Hong Kong.  We just received notice that our cruise will now not go to Hong Kong at all but will instead visit two ports in Taiwan and finish in Taipei.  I had used Oceania air so they will make the changes, but this trip is celebrating my 50th and my moms 80th birthdays so we are still going unless something else changes.

I’m on the Singapore-Tokyo cruise that includes your segment. I received a small credit; others got a 15-20% discount.  May I ask if you received anything similar?

14 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Sounds reasonable from a reasonable person. However, both Fauci and the CDC have publicly and clearly stated they don’t consider economic consequences in their decisions. 
 

The decision to allow cruising to resume, in the near term, will be made at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, not at CDC Headquarters. Stop trying to apply logic to any governmental agency.

I was a senior attorney in the Federal government before I retired. THE BIGGEST problem I had with my staff was the same as I’ve seen with CDC and Fauci. They know ONE thing, in a complex multidimensional problem. They demand that ONLY their thing has any value. So my attorneys would craft a policy or action recommendation that optimized the legal stance — no or THE minimum legal risk. That attitude struck the clients as arrogant, and it got in the way of an optimal OVERALL solution. 

15 hours ago, Hanoverian said:

Squeeze play.  Look, I am trying to be reasonable.  Here's my plans.  Look them over, tell me what is specifically wrong with them, and maybe we can work it out in time for July 4 (my strawman deadline).  And, oh by the way, look at that, will you, everyone else starting up elsewhere.  Seems that they were able to get the approval of other governments.  Gee, their port workers, suppliers, crews, excursion folks must be happy.  Bet ours would be, too, if you would only look at my plans.  Hear that - your phone is ringing - maybe it is OUR port workers, suppliers, etc., who are also calling the WH and Congress.  OK, your move.

‘Squeeze play’ versus ‘bring me a rock.’  You can bet that whatever plan each line submits, there will be CDC dithering and goal-post-moving. 

’July’ is now grayed-out on the O website under ‘Plan a Cruise;’ one of my Roll Call mates in the U.K. reported their TA told them we were cancelled. 

On 3/28/2021 at 9:36 AM, howiefrommd said:

Although sounds good, unfortunately it is totally political theater.  For a State to have a “Standing” in Federal Court pursuant to any actionable matter set for via Regulations set forth in the CFR, requires an amazing amount of legal expertise. Certainly there are others who can claim “Standing” (ie cruise lines, other States, etc.) yet they have failed to apply for relief from the Federal Judiciary.

Should the amazing hurdle be made and “Standing” is granted, you are looking at many years of litigation before this would even be heard.  

 

I'm a retired senior career fed agency attorney, about half in a regulatory agency.

Generally, I would agree with you about States and standing when the regulatory/admin action seems aimed at the private sector.  But in the last Administration there were a ton of cases brought by States and other seemingly-outside entities, which I thought  would get tossed on the basis of standing -- yet they didn't.  I think District Courts have lowered the standing bar so much that lower State tax revenue or even a general negative effect on the State's inhabitants can give the State standing.

On 3/28/2021 at 7:19 PM, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

Well, maybe this has changed by now, but about 8 hours ago, I checked all the July sailings and found a mixed bag.  Nautica (4 from Europe), Insignia (6 from NY), and Regatta (4 from Seattle) cruises were showing wait lists in every category on every cruise, Sirena (5 from Europe) had everything WL except for one category on one cruise.  Riviera's 2 cruises, both Europe, had a good number of categories available.  Marina's 3 cruises all had availability (Europe). So whether the computer programmers are still working through all the cruises, or something else is happening, who knows?

I just used this secret decoder ring to check my Riviera cruise departing Athens (Greece, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey) on 18 July, and it still shows many available categories -- so far.

5 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

So the thing to do is create a controversy that pushes the other way, like the CLIA letter campaign.

Agree. One could, if desperate, challenge through litigation, too. But it’s always dicey to haul into court an agency upon whose cooperation and approvals you depend. In addition, it would be an uphill battle — courts tend to give great deference to agency ‘experts’ on essentially technical decisions. So taking it to the court of public opinion may be the best available alternative. 

3 hours ago, Croooser said:

The letter from Rubio, Scott and company is well thought out and expressed clearly the issues and specific requests for information and action. It is surprisingly devoid of the normal political posturing we normally get from our politicians from either side of the political divide. 

 

IMO, they have done a very good job of highlighting the issues. If the administration fails to provide a meaningful response, it will be unfortunate to say the least.

Speaking from experience (see above) Government agencies generally default to the most risk-averse position. Their safest place is to not let anything happen that MIGHT create an issue or controversy. 

13 hours ago, bob brown said:

As much as people are disappointed (myself included),  people should realize that the CDC's mission is public health safety, first, and not recreation.   If they allowed return to business as usual, and several outbreaks resulted, imagine how they would be looked at then.

If the only tool you have available is a hammer ("Disease Control") then everything looks like a nail.  And every nail must needs be fully pounded in.

Forty-eight years in government at fairly high levels.  The risk-averse culture in any agency, especially at the DC/HQ rather than local level, is to avoid at all costs opening the agency up to a black-eye.  The best way not to be criticized for a disease that might linger in ANY degree is to allow NOTHING until it is (essentially) fully pounded in.

We depend on elected politicians to weigh the risks and rewards across competing disciplines in a sophisticated, complex, multi-dimensional manner, and to make the best rational overall decision.  Silly us.  (Flamers: N.B., this last is non-partisan.)

6 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

Good one, njhorseman!  Looking forward to one or more of the legal eagles on this board addressing the question.  (Sadly, it's above my pay-grade.)

The standard for nullifying administrative rules is that the rule is arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion (beyond the agency's statutory authority).

Did the agency make a sufficiently rigorous inquiry (in a typical promulgation of a regulation, there would be notice to and comment from the public)?  Did it accurately apply legal (or, in this case, scientific) standards?

I'm in Texas, where the Governor has relaxed the clampdown -- from a governmental perspective.  However, we're such a litigious society (even in Texas!) that many establishments here STILL impose a mask requirement, I think out of fear of litigation should someone somehow trace their infection back to that establishment.  (Or it's just virtue signaling.)

Well, this is a great thing to know --- I only wish I knew it back on about 19 March!

Thanks for this valuable info.

I just got word from my travel agent the 4 Mar-1 Apr Singapore-Tokyo cruise has been "suspended" -- what really seems to be "cancelled."  I was offered a refund of my deposit, or the alternative of "best price" on similar/equivalent itineraries in 2022.  If you're already paid in full, they're offering a 125% future cruise credit, or a 100% refund.  Oh, well....

Here's the operative wording for the PAID IN FULL refund/alternative:

"To make up for the inconvenience of this suspension, guests who are currently booked on this voyage that are paid in full with cash funds (credit card, check, bank wire) will automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit worth 125% of the cruise fare paid.  This is our way of providing even more value to our loyal guests to cruise with us at a later date. This Future Cruise Credit will be issued automatically and may be applied to any voyage on Oceania Cruises anywhere in the world through December 31, 2022 that is booked by December 2, 2021. For guests who prefer to forego the higher value of the 125% Future Cruise Credit, a full refund option is available. Please contact your Travel Advisor or our Guest Services team no later than close of business December 16, 2020 if you prefer to be issued a 100% refund."

Here's the operative wording of the DEPOSIT ONLY refund/alternative:

"If your reservation has been deposited or paid in full utilizing a previously issued Future Cruise Credit, your Future Cruise Credit will be re-issued for the amount that was applied. Future Cruise Credits are not redeemable for cash refunds. 

If you wish to book a similar or identical itinerary for 2022, we encourage you to review the voyage suggestion(s) listed below. You can reserve the dream voyage of your choosing with total peace of mind and confidence knowing that every sailing is covered by our Best Price Guarantee. Should a better public promotion or price become available, up to the date of sailing, you may take advantage of it.

Suggested Alternate Voyage(s)

Nautica – March 8, 2022 – 28 days – Singapore to Tokyo

Insignia – March 19, 2022 – 28 days – Tokyo to Bangkok"

2 hours ago, YoHoHo said:

Thanks for the basic info -- if I'd come here first, i would have saved some time.  We've done Viking, both river and ocean, and are now branching out to Oceania based on experienced cruisers' recommendations.

 

Sorry dont know how to grab two quotes fomr the same post in this "new" version of CC

 

"On maybe a more 'advanced' question about OLife, is it a decent deal when it comes to airfares, if you know?  We took the easy route with Viking, letting them do it for us, and it worked out fine since they 'owned' any flight or connection problems and we were still in training wheels.  Being relatively inexperienced, I was wondering if breaking out and making other flight arrangements than thru OLife would save enough (if anything at all) to offset any issues or complications that might arise.  "

 

First off, while they say they will help you if there is an issue the Contract applies and you might be on your own if they deem it. This is all cruise lines that I know of. There are indeed cases where they have done amazing things to help but the obligation does not match the marketing.

 

As for price, maybe. O will almost always fly you out to arrive on embarkation  day and that is considered a bad move on these board and increases the risk of missing boarding. If you want to fly in the day before (or earlier) before you must purchase a deviation from O and that incurs a $175 admin fee pp. So to decide ask your agent to find out how much the air credit is (the earlier you ask the amount could be higher due to more availability I have read on this board). I consider the flight from O is costing me the air credit plus the $175. That is what I "save/dont spend/get back" if I buy flights elsewhere. I then do some flight searches. And not taking O I get more choices, seat, pay with miles, etc. For some here they always buy on their own. We've had a mix. Upcoming cruise one way is with O and the other on our own. It does take some research on your part to get what suits *you* (there are some on these boards with very strong opinions on air but it comes down to you and your comfort level and the time you want to spend on research, etc. Good 3rd party travel insurance can help (and they can have someone to call)  if you miss a connection.

 

Thanks!  Great intel.  We've gotten insurance for our last couple of trips.  I was figuring that we would arrive at the departure port at least one day early, to mitigate the possibility of something going wrong, too.

Thanks!  I had puzzled myself to the bottomline of your first two paragraphs --excursions seem to be the way to go in choosing among the three options.  We don't drink (enough), and you can exceed $800 in excursions (even if the MSRP's are high).

The air part was exactly what I was looking for, so thanks again.  I didn't realize the OLife Business Class angle -- we're looking at Houston-Tokyo and Singapore-Houston, so Business Class is important.  I had the general feeling that we could do better than the OLife Economy fare PLUS an Oceania upgrade to Business Class.  great insight.

I've seen some better deals than the ones at Oceania.com on ***** and Cruise.com, but I also lurked enough here to have learned about OCC TA's, including specifically a highly-regarded nationwide one that happens to be based in Houston.

Yeah, my Dad and I went to Ebbett's Field a few times that I remember.  He got the Schaefer Brewery season tickets occasionally.  I happen to be in NYC at the moment, in SW Queens about five miles from the Gil Hodges Bridge and 2-3 miles from Erskine Street.  

On 12/31/2019 at 12:22 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Full cruise brochure fares are like the MSRP "sticker price" on a new car. Nobody in their right mind would ever pay that price. Just disregard it.

 

On Oceania, there are "O Life" and "cruise only" prices. O Life (no membership required) gets you airfare or an air credit plus a perk selected from booze, SBC or tours. Both fare types get free internet, beverages, specialty restaurants, et al.

 

In some cases, the difference is a wash (i.e., cruise only fare + air credit + SBC perk = O Life price). But, if you select booze or tours as your O Life perk, the value of O Life is a better choice.

 

OP: Oceania is a cruise line where it is best to use a TA who is one of O's top sellers (O's Connoisseurs Club) and who will most likely share their commission with you.

Thanks for the basic info -- if I'd come here first, i would have saved some time.  We've done Viking, both river and ocean, and are now branching out to Oceania based on experienced cruisers' recommendations.

On maybe a more 'advanced' question about OLife, is it a decent deal when it comes to airfares, if you know?  We took the easy route with Viking, letting them do it for us, and it worked out fine since they 'owned' any flight or connection problems and we were still in training wheels.  Being relatively inexperienced, I was wondering if breaking out and making other flight arrangements than thru OLife would save enough (if anything at all) to offset any issues or complications that might arise.  

It looks like some cruise sites offer better deals than the line itself, but I'm finding out that may be apples to oranges without doing more due diligence.

(BTW, Flatbush, Brooklyn? I was a Dodgers fan until I was 6 and they moved.)

OH no... Did Viking offer any compensation or allow you to cancel? Any options ... We leave Basel to Amsterdam on sept 22 ... Only a few weeks...

Things may change, but Viking has been offering a voucher for 25% of your current 'cruise fare' against a future cruise with them (valid for booking, not even traveling, withing a year) according to every poster on Cruise Critic who reported facing a serious disruption.

I can't speak to what they might do in the future or for less-serious disruptions, but we lost about three days on the rivers, had two pack-unpack disruptions, and spent a significant amount of additional time on buses. After we got home, Viking advised us we had a voucher -- which we are immediately applying to a Med cruise with them next Summer.

We leave today, August 22, on Viking’s Idi from Amsterdam to Basel. Aside from the email everyone received last week about possible modifications, we haven’t received any more recent notice of definitive changes or ship swap. I’ll post more once we get to the boat today and along the way for those who are interested.

Our experience (B->A; got home last weekend) is that they are stingy with info, I suppose hoping for the best while planning for the worst. We're adults; we can deal with potential future adverse conditions, but I suppose they don't want to spring bad news on vacationers and get everyone upset or posing too many questions.

My best and earliest source for what might be coming next (I prefer more info to less) was the Cruise Critic boards and posts by others over my forward horizon.

Late this afternoon we were informed that for our Viking Rhine Getaway leaving Basel on 25 August, the originally scheduled vessel, the Viking Alruna, would be unable to make it to Basel -- the implication being because of low water levels -- and we would instead embark the same day on the Viking Tialfi. As far as I can tell from tracking sites, the Alruna is presently at Braubach, south of Koblenz but still north of the Rhine gorge. I haven't yet determined where the Tialfi might be or what itinerary it is sailing. So, the adventure begins. At least Viking is keeping its promise to supply us with information as our sailing time approaches. I live in hope that they will find a way to charter a smaller river craft to take us through the gorge, and my fantasy is they will charter the Goethe. But of course that is about as unrealistic a fantasy as one can imagine. Who knows -- perhaps this will all work out well in the end.

Viking did just that used, a small excursion vessel, for the Grand European Tour leaving Amsterdam last weekend. The Viking ship sailed to and docked in Mainz while everyone was on their Cologne excursion, bused folks back downriver the next morning, and they went upriver through the gorge on the excursion boat at least part ways to Mainz. There is a Budapest/Amsterdam 'roll call' post that has the details. (I was on the B->A trip that turned into that A->B trip).

We are currently docked in Kehl just across the river from Strasbourg. (On Viking). The Scenic Jewel cruised by us headed downstream about 5 hours ago.

I was trying to track the Viking Mimir approaching Nuremberg from Amsterdam as we we approaching Passau from Budapest for a bus transfer. I noticed the tracker wasn’t always ‘real-time,’ that the data could be 24 hours old.

Currently on the Viking Mimir; Left Budapest (actually, Komarno, Slovakia; our ship — already an alternate — couldn’t make it downriver on the Danube to Budapest) on 8/3; bus transfer from Passau to Nuremberg roughly a week ago due to low water; now docked in Cologne.

We just learned we won’t be able to sail to Amsterdam tomorrow. It was very slow down the Rhine from Mainz (where we entered the Rhine) to Koblenz. The conning officers were huddled on the bridge during that stretch, evaluating conditions. We were told we couldn’t dock downtown, due to water levels, so we’re deep in some industrial basin further downriver. While we were in town, the decision was made to terminate at Cologne. So buses to and hotels in Amsterdam.