jonthomas

I guess this is more difficult to understand than I thought. The TA can not wait list us for the cat we are already in. O obviously can't give us a cabin they don't have. I booked it on opening day to get the cat I wanted. Since all except HC was gone, the O rep should have given us a choice at that time. At that time we would have given deposit to be on a wait list in that cat. There was no wait list, we would have it by now. Now the wait lists for both lowest categories are huge. You are correct, our only option is to cancel.

Yup also gave deposit right away. And you are correct, I should have checked out the cabin before giving deposit. However the O rep should have made us aware that it was an HC cabin. It should not be assumed that anyone will take a cabin like that without any hesitation. Yup some say wait, let your agent do their job and some say cancel right away. I will wait knowing that without taking any other action, waiting will get me nowhere.

Yes many.

I was also thinking of writing to guest relations but sometimes if you get a negative response and you take it further, you are told the matter has been answered and is now closed. Then my only option would be to cancel.

May then be easier for you to deal directly with O. Most of the time they won't talk to you when you have a TA. Please let me know what you will do. It's helpful to know I am not alone in this.

Just re read your post. NO OTHER CABINS were available in the same cat, but he should still have asked us before putting us into it and losing our chance of getting on a wait list.

I don't want the O rep to get into hot water. He is a really good guy. We have dealt with him for a long time. He meant well, but I don't see any other way to get out of this mess. You have given us some very good advice here. It will also be our 15th O cruise, so hope it holds some weight.

Patty, you are also 2 years away. What is your TA telling you to do?

Well that certainly applies to us. I have been in touch with the O rep, he knows he put us in that cabin without our consent. We have turned the booking over to a TA. She said she now has us waitlisted for the same cat we are in. So I checked with our O rep, he said NO, we can't be waitlisted for the same cat we are already in.

All I can hope for is a sale with the reduced prem econ air, but it is on a new ship so a sale is not likely to happen, besides it is selling very well. I put it on roll call, letting others know that I have HC cabin and don't need it. No responses but it is very early. Even if someone needed it, how would O unravel it, when nothing is available for the 2 lower categories, with huge wait lists. Sure two years away, but with the situation as it is, I can't see that I have any options. The O rep has put us on the huge wait list for one cat up, since you can't go on a wait list when you are already in that cat. This totally defeats why I booked on opening day. This wait list cat is close to 1400pp more.

I would do that as well...but having the low air with O, complicates it.

Yes at opening day, that was all that was available. He said all the big agencies booked the rest first. Because of our prem air deal at 199 and now 649, we are stuck...a much stronger word is needed here. We will have to pay a great deal more to get into a diff cat, or cancel. Too bad that this time booking on the opening day of availability has put me into this muddle. But as everyone says, you have 2 years, so move on.

Not sure I understand this. The b5 and b4 are fully booked and waitlisted. We did not request this cabin only the category. O rep booked it. Only realized it was HC when I checked. I immediately told him it was a no go. He said don't worry about it, it is two years away.

As long as you have recently sailed on both Viking Ocean and Oceania. If not then not sure what the opinion is based on.

that is the only thing good about Viking, awful food...boring lectures, nothing else to do...just off april 3....

yes agreed....but if quiet means no steel bands by the pool, no kids screaming and running around, I will take that any day....but of course we all enjoy our cruises differently....

Happy to be on O where I dont have to pay for others to drink. We dont drink anything alcoholic. So that side of cruising has no interest to us at all. Never developed a taste for wine or beer. Nope. As for things to do, the O ships, no matter the size keep us quite busy with all kinds of activities. On the last cruise in Jan, on the Riviera, people were so friendly, I gave up time to the activities in favour of socializing. We dont find it sleepy. But if you dont drink, you have a very different perspective on what is fun and what is sleepy. I really dont understand how others can spend so much time at the bars, always a drink in hand. But I know we are in the minority.

Thank you for that.

On one of our cruises we stop in two Turkish ports, Bodrun and Antalya...not overnight, just for a few hours. Are visas needed for that as well?

Beautiful. Thank you for posting. We will be on January 9th.

Because there are those that ask me to respond, just as you did now.

Bottom line, try a different line, then your comparisons will have merit.

We could no longer dine in the mdr on celeb or the buffet.To get better food you have to book suites. Suites on celeb are more than a regular balcony on O. And you are still with kids, a class system etc. Love O, great food, no kids, you are served in the buffet, no one touches the serving utensils except gloved staff, classy, amazing lectures and activities and wonderfully friendly people.

I did not book a GTY, asked for specific cabin in cat b5. O rep came back with a diff cabin. He said the big agencies got the other cabins, he got the last one. Only sometime later I saw it was HC and connecting. He also just clarified that no way could my TA waitlist a cabin in the same cat. The only waitlist is for the higher b4 cat. I have now said too many times that it is time to move on. Will only respond if someone else writes.

Try Oceania. After 50 cruises with C and their class system, gave it all up. Love O, no kids, great food, wish we had done it sooner, great loyalty program, the best of all lines.