Hanoj

Another way to consider Viking's included excursions with O and SB not including excursions is that those of us (moi) who favor DIY or private tours in port can do so much more affordably with O or SB in terms of total trip costs. For example, on our May 2020 Viking British Isles Explorer cruise that was cancelled, we had decided to DIY in nearly every port which included plans to rent bicycles in Kirkwall (weather cooperating) and mostly walk the other ports and purchase tickets for visits to major sights (like Edinburgh Castle). I can buy private tours for much less than O and SB sell similar tours and the total trip costs will be far less than with Viking. $5,800 - $7,000 can go a long way towards buying private tours, especially if arranging to share with other guests (a great way to make use of the roll calls). Note: arranging private tours is more challenging since cruise resumption due to diminished supply. Viking was a great introduction to ocean cruising for us, and the included excursions contributed positively towards this. It helped us gain confidence to DIY and to arrange private tours. Using ship tours (included and purchased) can feel easy and comfortable. But the beauty of travel is we can become more adventurous with the experiences gained from prior trips. Another thing we did with some of the Viking included tours was to arrange with the guide beforehand that we would depart from the tour and arrange to meet at a designated place at an agreed upon time (if the tour included a bus ride to/from the ship). We always tipped the guide as if we had stayed with tour and always made sure we were early to the designated meet up for trip back. Thank you @Vineyard View for sharing your analysis. With the challenges facing all cruise lines, I feel loyalty to any one cruise line will become more expensive and such cost comparison analyses will help consumers determine what is most important. The more that well traveled cruisers cross over between brands, the more likely such competitive measures will help mitigate steep price increases. I also expect there to be leap-frogging in the industry. Oceania fans may observe this with the new marketing campaign beginning July 1, 2023.

Your Seabourn cruise is on Encore embarking April 21, 2024? If so, it is 14 nights. The itinerary shows two entries for April 30.

Perhaps @Vineyard View will need to clarify. The only Oceania Barcelona to Rome in April/May 2024 is aboard Marina. I assume this is the referenced cruise. It embarks May 18 and disembarks June 1. This is 14 nights. Apparently the number of full days (i.e., 24 hours) is an important metric to the OP. Since all three itineraries cover 15 dates there are 14 nights and thus 13 full days. Each itinerary embarks in the afternoon and disembarks in the morning. Viking counts both embarkation and disembarkation dates as “days” in its description.

Each itinerary is 14 nights. Viking’s use of “days” departs from convention and really is dates. O and SB “days” correspond to nights. I prefer cruise marketing displayed using nights (Regent and Azamara).

Your question reminds me of song lyrics that go something like: ”We’ll break your legs and you’ll thank us for the crutches.”

Compared to when? Viking is introducing new ocean ships to beat the ban unabated. Trouble with using percentages for year to year comparisons is that with the introduction of Saturn, Viking has increased its capacity across the fleet by 80% (not counting the expedition ships) since early 2020. At some point I expect they will saturate their market and begin experiencing diminishing returns. Degrade the overall customer experience ( which includes booking) and this will happen sooner.

Especially so now after the resumption. All the lines were adversely impacted by the shutdown. I believe it will become more common for cruisers to patronize more than one line and such comparative analyses, while challenging to conduct, will help consumers make decisions based on individual preferences and priorities.

That makes CEOs the opportunists.

@Heidi13 (with respect, I know your name but we’ve not established the familiarity such use entails), I commend you for your objectivity. It’s exemplary. Many, myself included I suspect, would have taken a shot at disparaging Viking when the fruit hangs so low. You didn’t, you ale drinking saint (I’m reminded of Martin Luther who enjoyed discussing theology over a pint or two!). I’m sincere in my compliments. It’s refreshing observing such integrity. Anecdotally, we opted to take the cash refund in lieu of future cruise vouchers with the 25% uplift when Viking canceled our May 2020 cruise. As a financial professional I weighed the risk of whether Viking would survive the shutdown against the likelihood of increased fares upon resumption. I didn’t wade through the details of the vouchers, but would have carefully considered the terms before accepting the vouchers if I had been inclined toward their offer. Unfortunately, caveat emptor, as a principle in law, remains highly relevant.

This seems to be more an exception than the rule. Viking has its strongest presence in the North Sea and has probably been able to leverage its influence into wider opportunities in this region. Perhaps, too, your cruise next week with more than one complimentary excursion to choose from in some ports is a harbinger.

It appears the SS shore exclusion policy is more similar to Regent than to Viking. 1 - 1 - 0 for those keeping score (SS, R, V). As for O’s new simplyMORE shorex OBC compared to Viking, I give the nod to O. Some choice is better than none. I also suspect the price paid to Viking for a walking or bus tour in each port is significantly higher (as built into the fares) than O’s new program will entail.

Rumors of O’s death (err significant price increases) have been greatly exaggerated!

This use restriction is for the OBC included in the fare? TA awarded OBC has less restrictions?

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/finance/viking-refinances-720m-notes-sale Raising capital at a lower interest rate to replace higher rate notes due in 2025. EBITDA still less than half of what it was in 2019, but appears to be trending toward a sound recovery. For example, the rate reduction (13% to 9.125%) will reduce annual debt service interest expense by about $28 million, assuming the new debt is equal to the debt being paid off. And, the reduction in the expected 9.25% rate to 9.125% lowers interest expense by $900K per year, depending on amortization terms.

Clairvoyance?

Why aren’t tips included in simplyMORE? Viking doesn’t include them.

Former favorite. We were becoming more independent minded (DIY and private excursions) after three Viking cruises (with two more booked that were cancelled due to the shutdowns). Viking was a great hatchway to cruising for us. But Viking has become expensive enough that we have considered Regent (we book business air) and we would prefer not to pay for inclusions we don’t use. Also, if Viking, to us, is off-puttinly paternalistic. Shortly before threads appeared in this forum about the upcoming simplyMORE changes we booked our first Oceania cruise on Vista for August ‘23. We are looking forward to this and liked the ala carte pricing model. The simplyMORE changes will not, by themselves, cause us to ditch Oceania after one cruise, but paying higher prices for unwanted inclusions will favor comparisons with other lines. Based on comments I’ve read among the O forum, Seabourn is growing in appeal.

Not especially. But perhaps O will become considered Viking Lite, not withstanding the attempt to eschew the upper premium categorization in favor of “luxury.” Almost as inclusive as Viking at lower prices.

Avoid the cookies (they’re tasteless), drain pour the Germain, and pass eating at Ember (new and noisy specialty restaurant on Vista). This is the gist from several threads.🤪

? First is the tasteless cookies, then . . .

And if O repeats it enough, perhaps customers will believe it. This may be part of the psychology of simplyMORE.

I don't foresee O rolling back to cruise only fares. Instead, we will likely see more inventive "sales" if they are unable to fill ships after the new program is implemented. They want to raise fares, but it remains to be seen how price sensitive cruise consumers are presently. I think we are observing some of the "revenge spending's" impact on present sailings across many lines and this will dissipate, especially if service doesn't soon return to pre-shutdown levels. But, then there may be enough customers who have accepted the devolution affecting many industries and will pay simplyMORE for less.

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine That's simply(a)MORE!

Oceania is beginning to look simplyMORE like Viking.