Sthrngary

Although I believe you make some valid points, the issue is "Realistic Expectations". These kinds of questions about what a butler will do and won't do are usually from folks that never had a butler before. One of the biggest topics on this and other Haven Threads is about butlers. I try to response to the questions based on my personal experience knowing I too was new to butler service some many years ago. If truth be told, the issue with Butlers and NCL is the number of suites they take care of and the other responsibilities over and above a normal butlers duties. Some are GREAT, some are average and others are well not so great. The solution is to always be kind and understanding. Butlers will go out of their way to make you happy is you connect with them on some level. That being said, my issue with all butler related threads is when folks make public the special stuff that are not policy that butlers have done for them in the past. Then the news guest with a butler for the first time gets disappointed when it is not done for them. I really feel the question posed was much more a clarification than asking a butler to do something out of the ordinary. I want to relate back to my Butler Letter which has evolved over many cruise with butlers. At first, I just did not want to be embarrassed by asking for something that was out of line. The more I cruised, the more I learned was acceptable and not acceptable. I found out that all your butler really needs is GREAT Communication. They might say no and sometimes they might do something very special. When one goes on other brands especially Premium-Plus, Luxury and Ultra-Luxury; all bets are off. These butlers will do anything you ask and really want you to ask. The difference is night and day. Those butlers look for hints of what a guest wants and likes. They also have a lot more time because they have a lot less suites. We all have to remember, NCL is a main stream cruise brand. Even the Haven is no the upper level of personalized service. Realistic Expectations. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@PaulMCO I always love your posts. I have to agree that doing a comparison needs to be done to decide on every cruise. It becomes easier because the Amenities are the same based on stateroom. Also that you basically use the spreadsheet you make as a template for the next cruise adventure. I am sure you would agree, once you have done this kind of due diligence once or twice, you kind of know the three brands that will be the top choice. Either way, I find the entire process enjoyable where some really do not. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Mugennosora I never ask my butler to bring me alcohol at all on NCL. It is there policy to charge for the drinks regardless of the play you have. I always had the Premium Plus Beverage Package. Now some folks have had success with no charge. Don't count on it but ask your butler on day one. Coffee in the room is done per your instructions. Starbucks is the normal Haven Coffee and is no charge. Always ask your butler to provide room service only from the Haven Restaurant as long as it is open. Coffee from the Starbucks ship store is not something your butler can do. The key is on NCL, you need your suite card to get any drink or coffee from Starbucks. The butler does not have your key. Again, you will get mixed answers on the question you asked. Sometime just asking in a nice way when you are on the ship solves all issues. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin I am happy to help. Please remember some of the prices/fares have changed. I want you to know WHY I originally did this sheet and be completely transparent. I wanted to cruise on Regent Seven Seas Cruises because I originally thought it was totally and completely all inclusive. Study told me it was close but not 100%. When I say that the fares for RSSC were close to buying a New SUV, I extended my search out to other brands and stateroom categories. I love the "Ship-With-In-A-Ship" concept that MSC, NCL and Celebrity so I included NCL and Celebrity. I than included the suite below the VIP area for comparison. I then added Added Oceania. Once Oceania had the four category upgrade in Sept of 2022, my decision was made. I like bigger suites and I am not ashamed to say having a butler can make my cruise. I booked two penthouse suites (PH3) and stopped working on the spread sheet. Let me add, there is a tab at the bottom of the spread sheet that has some good information as well. If you have any question, simply reach out to me using @sthrngary and I will respond. Cruise well and enjoy every moment. Regent_Excel_01252023.xlsx

@davencl My first attempt at cruising on Oceania was 2020 with our best friends. Covid-19 forced a cancelation as happened to so many others. When planning that original cruise, I begged my friends to absolutely come at least the one day before the cruise embarkment. They had never cruised before and told me, "if we book our air with Oceania Air, they will hold the ship for us if the flights they gave us are late." Their real issue was the Pre-Hotel Expense if they came in a day early, because they are stretching their budget. I knew better and it was even worse since the flights were to Europe. Nothing I could say or do would change their minds. Then the cruise got cancelled. Fast forward. We rebooked for November 2023. This time I booked everything for both couples. This included the Oceania Pre-Cruise Hotel in Athens on purpose and did not ask permission. This meant Oceania would be obligated to fly them in the day before if they choose to use Oceania Air. I know this rule allowing a day or two early has recently changed but at the time, that was NOT the case. We ended up booking our flights direct with the airline. We also cancelled the pre-cruise hotel and booked it directly with the actual hotel for a huge savings. All it takes is one cruise to feel the anxiety and stress of Airline Issues. I and many others have felt this feeling and I want to avoid it for the rest of my life. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@psac Oh no, say it is not so. I am so sorry, really. OK, then have the Chocolate Cake in Cagney's. A close second. You actually educated me on the Calcium Oxalate Stones. Thank you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@grobma Great comments. Thank you. FYI, everything I write is just my opinion. Does not make it right. You were to kind in the way you approached my past comments. I am currently on another cruise brand board. Let’s say, they are very vocal on many of my comments. Again, everyone has an opinion. Lol Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@fasterflier All very true. Pros/Cons to doing it either way. My point in all this is, know what works best for you. Do your due diligence. Every one has different needs and approach. Evaluate and decide. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

There is "Right" and there is "What the Rules MAY Say". We are not talking about a massage on a Carnival Cruise Here (Used Brand To Make A Point, not be disrespectful). Let's say the Author had done this before with NO issue which is what was indicated. When he found out, it could not be used, he wanted his wife to have the massage. I would have done the same thing. When the supervisor came out and heard his issue, they should have simply cancelled the second massage. That is what classy organizations do. By not doing so, it showed a lack of care and understanding for a client on a Premium-Plus/Luxury Brand. When folks complain, the first thing I do is see how long they have been on CruiseCritic.com. Then I look at the post they have done. This author has been a member of CruiseCritic.com since 2016. They have very few post which simply means, they read the post and rarely want to engage. Except when they are treated poorly. To the Author, you did not deserve to be treated that way. Good customer service is a lost art. I hope it did not effect the rest of your cruise however it would have mine. Again, the spa should have simply cancelled with no 50%. That was wrong. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@JoePDX Thank you for posting with such clarity and detail. This stream was created for everyone to help each other with a focus on travel when cruising. Your contribution is excellent. Delta has come through as much more client friendly in the past years. Again, thank you for your information. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank every one for your excellent feedback, research, and clarification. The whole purpose for Social Media is the free exchange of ideas, opinions and debate. If we can learn one thing from this and other thread, it has been a success. Special thanks to @FlyerTalker for taking the time to provide expert approach, details and feedback. It was most appreciated. Now let's all get to our cruises happy and with the least amount of stress possible. Often times that is by doing a good plan to begin with. Still remember, Murphy's Law sometimes is something we can not predict. I hope to see everyone one day on a cruise I am on. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

If the flight schedule change was minor, they would have done nothing for me at any price ticket. On that we completely agree. Let's start over. If you purchase a Airline Ticket, please consider doing it well in advance. If you do, you will get the best price or miles redemption possible. I do it 330 for Delta because that is when they offer the routes and times. CHECK If you choose an itinerary that is not perfect however it fits your budget best by having long layovers and or extra legs, be happy with your choice. CHECK HOWEVER. If the Airline Changes any part of your flight, it MIGHT key word might, provide you with a way to gain the better Itinerary. This is regardless of full fare, discounted fair that is non-refundable/changeable. This of course has to do with the change and how severe it was made by the airline. Every airline is different and has different rules. If something changes, call the airline and see what they will or could do for you. CHECK. Therefore consider checking often, looking for emails from your air carrier and simply be aware. The best approach is call the air carrier. The worst thing they can say is NO. CHECK I recently did this on two (2) flights and it worked great for me. I consider this a POTENCIAL AIRLINE HACK. Why, because I used to travel for 40 years by air, the longer I had a flight, the more often the Itinerary/times would change. Nothing in life is a guarantee though. Worth the effort if you have the time. This thread was created after hearing all the pros/cons of using the cruise brand air fare. It got me thinking, lets look at ALL the options. For my situation, which may be different from everyone else, buying my own airfare very early, gave me lots of benefits at about the same investment. This may be different then your situation but give a potential path to consider. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@FlyerTalker So I can clarify. The flight I booked and purchased for my friends joining was a fully refundable fare. That was by no means a cheap flight. The key and the reason why I called this a heck was, it is my experience, when you purchase a flight WAY in advance, changes get made by the airlines. As soon as they are, even if I would have purchased a non-refundable fare, they would have accommodated me. The whole emphasis here is, if you see a change, and want a different flight, call the carrier and see what they can do for you. The worst thing they can say is, NO/ Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@lgdesign Wow, thank you for the very kind words. Even in todays say of Text an Email, nothing seems to get the job done better then a professionally written letter to the right folks. Extra work but worth the result. The real message you nailed by say things have changed in the last many years. It is more difficult today to fix these customer issue today than in the past. I hope every cruise brand read these post. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I wrote this post twice and deleted it. It was to long and detailed. This is my third attempt. We are booked on an Oceania Mediterranean 10 day cruise for early November 2023. When we originally booked the cruise in September 2022, we included Pre/Post Hotels and Coach Airfare. The air supplement was $1,000.00 for this cruise. Over the next few months, while reading all the many post on using or not using Oceania Air, we decided to cancel the Oceania Air and book directly ourselves and cancel the Pre/Post hotels and book directly with the hotels. The two couples going wanted to leave from Birmingham, AL and not have to drive to the closest hub which is Atlanta, GA. That would have been over a two hour drive and parking costs. We also did not want to pay an additional supplement to Oceania Air to fly out of Birmingham instead of out of the hub Atlanta. This lead to our decision to book directly with Delta Airlines. However like everything in our world, our flights were NOT perfect and all flight legs were not identical for both couples. That was not ideal however, It was a cost decision when booking. We booked the air directly 330 day prior to the cruise date because that was when the air itineraries opened up. On the return we has a 8.5 hour lay over in Atlanta, GA again due to pricing issues making the earlier flight over budget. Yesterday I called Delta directly and had both couples flight in question changed for NO additional costs. The HACK was waiting for Delta to send a message that one or more of our connection legs had a time or equipment change. Once that happens, all bets are off. They gave both couples what would have been the much more expense connections with NO problem at all. I am criticized for spending to much time and effort on my vacation details. I fully understand I can be obsessive at times. Yet it is kind of a sport to get exactly what you want, for in this case a pretty good discount over that it would have originally been. So if you choose to book your own flights, look at it often for the changes by the airline. This was a very pleasant turn of event for my group. Side note, I did not share this positive turn of events with my group. None of them care about the details of this trip until the last possible second. Than the complaints begin and all eyes are on me. Don't worry, I can take the HEAT. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@redmomof4 You are more than welcome. I would like to change something I said in the original posting. Until we here consistent positive comments on the Premium Plus Beverage Package again, that might be an items that MAY not have the same value as it once did. During my last cruise, it did not met up with my expectations. I think in the future it might bounce back but time will tell. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@pinotlover Well said, well written and completely accurate. So if someone has the time, patience and cognitive abilities to do the due diligence, go for it. If not, allow Oceania or what ever cruise brand you choose be your "One-Stop-Shop". Write one check/credit card and let them take care of it. With that sound strategy comes the responsibility to know what you are getting and not getting. My main point is and away will be. Be informed so you can manage your "realistic expectations". That understanding make social media platforms like CruiseCritic.com a kinder and gentler place to visit. Thank you again for what I and other will consider an excellent post. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@pinotlover Shooting Craps is an interesting choose of words. Not really good odds if losing is unacceptable. I think all of this debate on Air Travel for Cruise Lines really come down to confidence of the guest in the area of booking their own Flights. I personally engaged in this stream because of recent post from those who where very unhappy with their air provided by their cruise brand. The tone of those post were who ever the cruise brand were, it was that brands fault. In the last 10 years, the cruise industry has changed a lot. It has been somewhat of a roller-coaster. The cruise lines are having trouble just keeping their supplies stocked of everything you can imagine. The cost for supplies and personnel are higher across the board. They lost huge money during Covid and those loans need to be paid back. There current prices are going up and cutbacks are happening across the board. This does and will effect airfare provided because it is mostly controlled by the cruise brand. In my opinion, they should not offer airfare as part of their fares in todays market. They only do for marketing reasons. It gives the guest a false sense of security that they will get fare and reasonable flights, brands, and times. Where that does happen sometimes, it does not always. This leads to dissatisfaction with the brands. In todays market, we guest have to take back control of aspects of our cruise to insure our vacation will be as stressless as possible. Airfare, Pre/Post Hotels, booking specialty restaurant reservations as soon as available, knowing rules for each port, understanding the brands drink programs, and doing more planning than we ever had to do in the past. Not ideal but better then spending lots of money and becoming disillusioned on in this situation your airfare decision. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you will have a stress free experience than fining out you have a 24 hour start to end point for a flight that should have taken less than 12 hours; you almost miss the flight because of delays the day of departure; of god forbid you miss the sailing and have to catch up at the first port. Not fun at all. We have to take some accountability for each decision we make and live with the consequences. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@JustAPilot I can see why you and others feel this way. Loyalty goes in levels with the best a brand can achieve is actually called "Advocacy". To be a guest brand "Advocate" means you love the brand so much that you want everyone to know how great it is. All brands have loyal clients and Advocates. What happens is when the brand does not continue to improve overall client expectations, they start losing those guests as clients. The bigger the brand, the harder it for that brand to see they are losing guests. The smaller the brand, the better that brand can see what their clients want and how to improve the experience. Disney Cruises are still small enough to be in touch with client expectations. They also are NOT afraid of being one of the most expensive cruises for families. We all pay it to see Micky and Minnie. What has happen to NCL, Royal, Celebrity, Carnival, and HAL of recent is an increase in cost and a decrease in quality. Not huge but enough to recognize. New ships don't make up for a loss of engagement of the crew member because they have to do more work for the same wages. Team Members build brands not New Ships. When the brand is big, the team members can't handle minor issues because the brand does not want them to do so. That is why the computer applications they use are so rigid. The are to big and could not see any abuses if they were happening until it was too late. Do I buy that, no. I can understand why they feel that way. Where other brands, Disney is one, give empowerment to their team members. Sorry for writing so much on this topic. It is important for all brands of all products to understand your team members make the brand. Give them the opportunity to take care of your guests. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@jonthomas That is a great deal that Oceania has with Premium Coach and I fully understand why it is great choice. After I wrote my post above, I should have added in Premium Coach. You are 100% correct. There is no way you can get a Premium Coach seat for the great offer that Oceania is providing. May I suggest you watch some video's on the air brands out of Toronto and watch the reviews of those airlines Premium product. You will have a GREAT TIME regardless of the airline and details. Something tells me you will be traveling when we get off. I can't want to see Barcelona. We are spending an extra day. Please let us all know how it all works out. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@jonthomas Your question is the same as almost everyone asks when referring to Cruise Brand Air Arrangements. I had the same questions myself. I live two hours away from Atlanta, GA. I researched every airline that traveled to my destination. We are arriving in Athens, Greece and departing from Barcelona, Spain. My focus was more than a Non-Stop flight, it was day/times, and cost. This research showed me there was no direct flights to Athens, Greece. There was one direct flight from Barcelona, Spain to Atlanta however it left two early in the day to safely book. From a pricing stand point, it showed all non-stops were much more expensive than flights with connections. Now take a moment and think like a cruise brand. They will be booking 45 days or so before the cruise which makes all flight more expensive. They want the cheapest cost possible. They will take what every is available which means extra connections and even more than one air line brand. When you read the rules/policies, you are at the cruise brand mercy. Why do I share this information I gathered? To set realistic expectations. If my daughter who is 31 was going on this cruise, she would not care as long as she got to the ship on time and safely. She would look at the whole thing as an adventure. I on the other hand have had some frustrating challenges with airfare through third parties realizing Oceania does provide some options that are usually fee based to gain a better flight. If your flight is far enough away, please consider booking it yourself as far in advance as possible. I assure you, the price will be surprisingly close to the Oceania Supplement. The key as I outlined, the airport you go in and out of, if any airline has a non-stop flight, and how far in advance you can book it. I booked all four of my round trips (Party of 4) 330 days in advance. If you don't have time on your side and want to go with Oceania, please consider Non-Stops are possible but in my experience with other brands highly unlikely. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I always use a travel agent. Mainly because I gain American Express Platinum perks of Dinner for Two and up to $300.00 On Board Credit. I also have had some issues where I thought I had been taken advantage of. My Travel Agent is extremely successful and has been doing her job for over a decade. In each situation, she went up the ladder and got nowhere. I then did what I always do. I wrote a very well thought out letter, used all the information I had to verify my position. I never threatened, ever. That is the trick. I felt that I was done wrong, but I knew if I threatened, it would not help my position. Instead, I asked for a fair resolution as a customer courtesy. I sent those letters out once a week to the top five executives of the cruise brand registered mail. Each and every time in a week or two, the issue was resolved. My Travel Agent always asks me how I did it because it frustrated her that she could not do the same thing for me. The reason my friends is I was passionate about the situation and never gave up. Be nice, be fair and be professional with your approach. Never give up if you really believe you are right. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@uneamie In my career before retirement, I studied some of the best companies in the world. Each focused on team member empowerment. Each company was recognized as a leader in their product or service. The were the gold standard. They were respected so much, each company was purchased for huge money. Now for the rest of the story. Most of those companies are gone now. The moment they were purchased, they stopped doing the things that made them great. In reviewing what happened, those companies were much more concerned about a guest creating fraud which happens but infrequently, than the majority of the clients with a legitimate issues. Sad but true. Now they are no more and the companies that bought them have zero value for the investment. NCL can be a great company. They have show they know who to run a cruise brand across the price point line. Yet they need to now focus on becoming a kinder and gentler place for clients. The way to do that is in and through the team members that have contact with the guests. Let them handle these situations and tell the world how NCL correctly deals with client issues. If not now, than when will all mainstream cruise brands start understanding, we the clients have choices. All we ask is classy treatment. Again, we are on an NCL Blog. This is an industry issue, NCL can be the first to really address it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I read post #12 where NCL finally gave the 20% off. However, the problem is NOT SOLVED. Allow me to explain and everyone that has ever read my posts knows, I do everything to always take the high road. In 44 years of cruising over 25 times I have had my share of issues. Yes with NCL and a few other brands. On each chase, eventually and the key word is eventually the brand made good on the issue. 100% of each of my issues the brand corrected as I originally asked. Now for the rest of the story and hopefully NCL is listening. Your system does not allow your NCL team members to be empowered to handle situations like this. Your systems are designed to take an act of congress to do the simplest thing. The author had to call, write, make copies, get others involved and get frustrated until you finally simply did the right thing to resolve the issue. It should not take a guest that much effort to fix and issue like this. You see, by the time the issue is handled, the guest was so frustrated at what they had to do that it damages your brand in their minds eye. They tell people who tell people. They post the situation. Why not ask for the support documentation you need, have professionals get involved much, much earlier and show your complete commitment to the guest by handling it sooner vs after a fight. Now this is NOT and NCL issue. It is a Mainstream Cruise Brand issue. Listen, Understand, Ask What the Client Feels is fair and empower your team members to make the decision prior to escalating several time. It is Customer Resolution 101. I love the NCL Brand. I wish it would start understanding empowered crew members make great brands. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Installment #3: Pre-Cruise and Post-Cruise Hotels: Overview: The question on the table here is, “Do you book your pre/post-cruise hotel through Cruise Brand or book your own?” If my cruise was in/out of Miami, New York, or New Orleans, I would 100% book it myself. However, when it departs from Athens, Greece and returns in Barcelona, Spain it is more complicated for my mind to grasp. Europe is much less about choosing Marriott, Hilton, or Sheraton. It is much more about the general area you want to stay within. It is time for some of my normal research and I have found that is not as easy as it might seem. Before we begin, always have an endgame in mind. My endgame is: 1. We want to get to Athens, Greece the day before we cruise and in the morning. This allows almost a full day to enjoy the sights of Athens. Realistically, we will have jetlag and even if we got some sleep on the flight, our energy levels will be LOW. 2. We want to get acclimated to the new Europe times zone as quickly as possible. I have traveled to Europe for business many times, and I know getting on a different time zone is NOT easy. You must have a strategic plan taking all things into consideration. I do have such a plan below. Getting Acclimated to Europe Time Zones: 1. You get to Europe early; in our case we arrive at 08:30 am. 2. You get to your hotel by 10:30 AM to simply check your luggage. Usually, the hotel won’t let you check-in until 2:00 PM. 3. Immediately, go see some sites and maybe have a nice lunch. I have studied the foods of Athens so this will not be difficult. 4. Here comes the tough part. We ALL must take a three-hour power nap at 2:30 PM and I mean sleep. It will be hard to get up after the nap, but we must. 5. Following this we need to get dinner and stay up for another three hours. I have a dinner reservation at Kastelorizo for 06:30 PM. The result is, time zone handled. It has worked every time for me. Now that we are all clear on the goals, time to look at the research needed to make a good business decision on the Pre/Post-Cruise Hotel. Note upfront, I changed my mind many times. Pre-Cruise Hotel Research for Athens, Greece: When I booked the cruise back in September 2022 (Oceania Cruises Labor Day Sale), I looked at the Oceania Cruises Pre-Cruise Hotel Option and just like air option took the pre-hotel option initially. Just like airfare with the cruise brand, I can always cancel it and book it myself. However, having this hotel has given me a great starting point to begin my research. The hotel provided was Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Marriott Property with a cost for one night with two guests of $798.00 US. This included transportation from the Hotel to Port and complimentary breakfast. I have watched all the videos on this hotel and it looks and rating by guests are very good. If I book a fully cancelled room (if you prepay, you can save a few dollars) at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, it will cost $440.00 which is slightly less than half as much as the Oceania Rate. My Elite Status with Marriott will provide complementary upgrades based on availability at check-in, free internet, and breakfast. It will not provide ground transportation. You can hire a lot of Taxi’s for $400.00. Since it does not cost me anything to book this hotel myself, I booked the rooms directly. I can now choose to go either way, with Oceania or my own reservation. “I always love options.” Like any large city, Athens, Greece has different areas to stay in. Each area has pros/cons. In each area you have hotels that have a full range of price points, amenities, views, and benefits. About right now, I am saying; “I know that Oceania’s choice is a bit pricy. Maybe I simply save some time and just take it.” In research, none of this is as simple and as easy as you thought. You then rethink the importance of the project. I fought that feeling if simply taking the easy way out and going at it like every other aspect of my planning. A deep and interesting journey that will educate me in many ways. Videos Are My Favorite Research Approach: YouTube.com is our friend. Yet it is NOT as simple as just searching for the best hotels in Athens, Greece. Allow me to explain. Some of these youtube.com content providers making these videos are paid influencers. It reminds me of the Reverse Mortgage TV Commercials with Tom Selleck telling me, if he thought it was bad, he would not do the commercials. What you do get are some facts about the specific hotels they endorse. Like everything in our world, take it with a grain of salt which includes everything I say as well. The next set of videos watched does not even include most of those same hotels shown initially. You must ask yourself, “How can a hotel not make the cut of another list?” The third video series I watch is all about budget hotels followed by all about 5-star hotels. Your head starts to spin like trying to figure out how the Cruise Brand Airfare really works. “Why does everything have to be so complicated? Video after video, google search after google search, blog after blog. The reality is all choices seem good and none of them really stand out. Until you, as I did, end up back at the choice Oceania Cruises suggested in the first place. “Oceania’s Choice seemed as good as any.” To be fair, the hotel was part of the Marriott family and I have the highest lifetime status with Marriott. This means complimentary upgrades, free breakfast, free internet, and extra points for the stay. So, use Oceania or book it myself. Let’s talk about money. The Investment Comparison: The investment when booked through the Oceania was higher at a rate of $799.00 total for both guests. Booking on your own save literally half the price. If you want to pre-pay with no cancellation option, you can save even more. With Oceania, you are ONLY obligated when you make your final payment. One added benefit of Oceania is the provided transfers from the Hotel to the Cruise Port. I know I sound like a broken record. “Simply Do the math!” My Decision: I did the math and decided I will be canceling the hotel option with Oceania Cruise Hotel Booking. Transportation from the hotel to the port can be as low as 10 euro’s each for bus/train or with a cab/private car as much as 40/60 euro for a party of two. Basically, the same hotel, same room, upgrades/breakfast with Marriott Status and much better transportation geared around the guest convenience. I realize not everyone has my Marriott Status, however that is a big money difference. Hard not to consider. Some read my blogs and opinion pieces like this one and think I am looking ONLY for the lowest price and or very best value. That is NOT always true. Sometimes, I will pay more to simply reduce the hassle factor. Just not until I am convinced that the promises made to guests have been kept in the past. Like prompt ground transportation. I researched ground transportation, from the Hotel to the Port through Oceania. I hear mixed opinions/reviews on this aspect of my trip. It made me hesitant especially with the price difference. I like boarding cruise ships as soon as I can. I don’t like waiting for a cruise brand bus to fill for hours before it will go to the destination. I have also heard the coordination/instruction for the transportation is often lacking, leaving guests confused and frustrated. Those items make me feel uncomfortable and yes, I admit out of control. Those and other factors supported my final decision to just book it directly with the hotel. Always Read the Fine Print: When I initially went online, I saw book first room and get the second room for 50% off. This was NOT accurate. It was to buy one room and if you have kids in your family joining you under 16, you gain 50% your second room rate off. Good thing I checked the fine print. No kids, no savings. Yet booking two rooms at the regular members rate was still a savings of $400.00 over Oceania’s hotel rate. To be transparent, this does not vote well when I consider excursion for each port. Making Decisions for a Group: If you have been reading this blog from the beginning, the hardest thing for me is making good business decisions for other people. In my case I am making decisions for our friends joining us on this cruise. If it was just for me, I would just pull the trigger. When others are involved, it simply is not that easy. Every luxury or amenity could have a cost that increases budgets for others. I worry about resentment and feeling like my guest doesn’t have a choice or is not in control. That feeling really bothers me greatly. In the end, I make the best decisions for all involved, however I would be lying to say each decision could not have negative consequences. Onto of the Post-Cruise Hotel: My adult daughter traveled Barcelona, Spain. She said, stay in the “Gothic District”. She then gave me three (3) hotels to choose from, each with a different price point. My process was much the same as with the Pre-Cruise Hotel. Of the price points I was given, I took the higher priced hotel. The location was where my daughter wanted us located and the hotel looked lovely. Our choice was The Barcelona EDITION Hotel. Again, no cancellation fee, correct area, high-end hotel, and Marriott property. The videos are the hotel were outstanding for the higher-level rooms as I would have expected for a 5-star hotel at this price point. I would not have chosen this hotel unless I was confident of gaining an upgrade. When I read reviews, I noticed the scores were 9.2 out of 10. I dived deep to find out why folks were upset. To the person, it was they purchased an cheaper reservation, that was prepaid and had no cancellation option. These kinds of reservations have consequences and are the reason for Travel Insurance. Second was that the rooms were classy but small. That is where the Marriott Status upgrade comes in. Overall Conclusion: Months before the cruise, my preparation happens in a very slow and steady clip. Always keeping my options open, however, also doing my due diligence. I must be sensitive to the way my wife and I travel since it will only be us both for this part of the trip. I also must have an agreement that once we drop off our luggage, we go and see the sites. What normally happens is my wife opens her computer and does not want to move. That dog will not hunt in Barcelona, Spain. The Outdoor Market is waiting for us. If I had a concern, it is, this day is Sunday and many businesses are closed on Sunday. This will be the first time in our history where we stay in a hotel after the cruise is over. The last morning of a cruise is my least favorite part. I feel unkept, rushed, nervous and unhinged. I am hoping this time there will be no rushing or pressure. I am going to look forward to that as well as not having to worry about missing our plane the next day. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.