JFontaine

@Sthrngary Not to derail this conversation,  but you keep raising the point about insurance.   Ive been cruising often over 35 years, and have only bought insurance twice, for specific reasons. I do use an expensive credit card which has some insurance (relatively new feature in last 15 years, never tested by me), but the policy is very comparable to low cost separate insurance (does not contain Cancel for Any Reason, which adds significantly to the cost of insurance).  My point is I've easily saved more than $100,000 in insurance premiums.   There isn't much that that bucket won't cover.   

As for the rest of your post, I learned things from the OP's post and some of the responses. I thank her for raising the issue. 

I am surprised at some of the harsh  comments.  It seems to me that the OP is quite right to question this unfortunate situation,  especially because other similarly priced cruise lines are being more generous in their resolution.   It could be that Azamara or Regent (or whoever is issuing FCC) has business interruption insurance that covers these costs, and Oceania might decide to buy it in the future if passengers protested being dragged near a war zone (or lose their cruise fare) - rather than throwing up their hands and saying 'that's what the contract says'. Business interruption insurance would add a small amount to the cruise fare.   It could turn out that you benefit next time. 

@Mark_UK

In the US if your parents had cruised Celebrity before and played in the casino they might be eligible for  a reduced price or free cruise (based on prior play), with offers getting more generous closer to sailing. Would a call to the Blue Chip Club desk be useful? Maybe someone from the UK could respond if the program is available there. Here they would be able to apply the future cruise certificate to a casino rate, I believe. They often don't need a lot of casino play to qualify - often a few minutes at the slots is enough. 

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

Is this something new?  Never heard of it.

 

It is not new. They start with the highest level suite on that ship and move down the top suites until the 10 are gone. You would only get an offer if your reservation is linked to a non-suite cabin. If I recall correctly it is about $100 per person per day and does not include specialty restaurants.

6 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Food per passenger per day in main stream lines run maybe 15 dollars per person per day according to 10q filings. The variable costs are pretty small. Most costs for a given cruise are fixed (personnel, fuel, etc)

 

You are assuming that there is a cabin that will be sailing empty in a week or two. Which there might or might not be. even if there is today, it might be booked by the start of the cruise. if the the cruise line gives it away while they is still a possibility that it might be sold there is a cost. Unless the cruise were to offer the equivalent of standby, where they could show up at the port and be let on if there was a room available after all sales was done for a specific cruise.

 

The cruiseline has already incurred their costs for the cruise they paid for. They could not resell the cabin.

 

 

The cruiseline knows almost exactly what will be available in two weeks. They know how many people will book within days of a cruise (not many) and how many will cancel (more than will book last minute). They have decades of data and computer models. I agree, they likely won't offer anything on a sold out cruise.  

2 minutes ago, ldtr said:

 

It is a bad situation caused by a thief, but anything provided by the cruise line other than covered by insurance or items like port fees do have a cost to the line.

What will it cost the cruiseline to put them in a cabin that would otherwise sail empty in a week or two? This couple already paid for the food that they didn't eat on the first cruise. There is a paperwork burden, but this is their business. 

14 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

 you just put it in a safe pocket, a no-brainer.

You have heard that some thieves  target people, pushed them down and stolen from their 'safe pocket '? These thieves are practiced and quick and most people don't stand a chance against them.  It happened to my dad when he was tripped and robbed on an escalator in a hotel.  Scream all you want, these people are gone. So take precautions and be lucky. 

Please let your parents know that people from all over were rooting for them to have a positive outcome. We look forward to hearing that they get on a ship someday soon. Best wishes to them from NY. 

26 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Note to Self…….Maybe it would be better to just order the steamed lobster.

They call it Maine lobster, but it tastes nothing like Maine lobster that we are familiar with (summers in Kennebunk for 40 years) - even steamed.  And it's not the full lobster.  If you want good lobster, order from a Maine lobster company for next day delivery.  

I agree they should calmly search again, maybe one at a time. Every pants pocket, every jacket pocket, every book that it might have dropped into, sofa cushions, floor, drawers.  I assume that they are sure that the hotel took a photo of their passports and returned it to them?  Maybe the hotel needs to do some searching to confirm they were returned to them. 

On 9/19/2023 at 10:21 PM, JFontaine said:

Updating the info on this thread about the bathroom. The step into the main  bathroom is very short, maybe an inch.  It is definitely not 4 to 6 inches. There is a grab bar at the toilet and in the shower. We asked for a raised toilet seat which was here (but not installed) upon arrival. I noticed 2 other cabins nearby also had raised toilet seats outside their doors.   The step into the guest bathroom is also about an inch, but there is no grab bar.   

I realized I didn't identify the cabin I am talking about. It's tge Owners Suite. 

Those "nasty old ladies"??  One or two bad interactions on a ship of a few thousand people or like 30 or 40 nasty old ladies?  Next time someone 'looks down on you' just look away. Thanks. 

I've cruised on many lines and last week on first Oceania cruise was the only time where we had no porter assist on embarkation and disembarkation (we had our own wheelchair).   Until this cruise, regardless of the US port (including the same terminal as this cruise) or line, local porters assisted through security to check in and cruiseline porters assisted from there onto ship.  This time --- nothing, which left us struggling up and down ramps and over thresholds.   Not only was it a danger to my mom, it held up the people behind us, some who pushed through, with their luggage and all. Very disappointing.

12 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Yikes

Who was the GM?

 They should respond to you no matter what the complaint is

Claudio Melli. I received a voice-mail from him on boarding,  where he mentioned my name, welcomed us and invited me to let him know if I needed anything.   

Updating the info on this thread about the bathroom. The step into the main  bathroom is very short, maybe an inch.  It is definitely not 4 to 6 inches. There is a grab bar at the toilet and in the shower. We asked for a raised toilet seat which was here (but not installed) upon arrival. I noticed 2 other cabins nearby also had raised toilet seats outside their doors.   The step into the guest bathroom is also about an inch, but there is no grab bar.   

26 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Did you speak to the GM about this butler ?

Nope. I wrote the GM a letter with a special request (a lounge chair for balcony - we are 3, my sister in another cabin).  Housekeeping turned me down,  guest relations turned me down. So I wrote GM a letter (mentioned all of the saved but empty chairs at pool deck and the sewer smell on deck 5 - someone mentioned it here a few weeks ago, it persists).  I also mentioned in my letter that my brother was in the same hospitality program that he was in. Anyway,  no response to my letter on my "found " stationery,  but 24 hours later a visibly BROKEN (dangerous) chair was delivered. That was replaced on request. 

I did truthfully answer the survey, and things got worse. My mistake. There's only so many things I'm going to fight for on vacation. 

Here are some of my butler disappointments, other than the hidden invitation:

Breakfast is always early and both hot and cold food are delivered at room temperature, I've not once received a call before he delivers (he rings once and uses his key to immediately enter) despite me sleeping on a rollaway bed facing the door (senior mom in bedroom), he pressured me to order all of the wine at the first meeting and then said everything had to be delivered to either room or dining room - I couldn't split it up; ignores request for diet Coke and water: as advertised laundry took 3 days (10 pieces), I asked him when the latest I could get disembarkation room service breakfast and he said 6:30, but I just found hidden card and it says 7:30 to 8 (he did say we had to be out by 8).  Never a smile or a warm word or a what are you doing today (I asked him on port day).  Funny thing: randomly he delivered chips, pretzels and nuts, and after a lousy dinner I was so happy to devour the chips.  I told him that he came to my rescue with those chips and thanked him. Never got them again. 

I've had lousy butler service before on other lines, but I think this is the worst.  

I'm on the Insignia now in an Owners Suite. Unpacking the first night I found a personalized welcome letter inviting me to have an in-suite lunch and the menu, in a dark folder buried inside the credenza/bar under the TV, with personalized stationery (bottom shelf in the back).   An oversight or a butler who didn't want to be bothered getting lunch? 

Maybe because with a small ship Oceania should have been able to go to Bahamas but avoid Nassau and its 20,000 plus cruisers. Crystal had an interesting (to me) Bahamas itinerary when they restarted after the covid halt.  I'm just happy that we are avoiding the hurricane and its effects (they say).  

I'm not sure if it is still the case, but for a while it seemed the pajamas (and before that robes) were only available on ships that have been updated and E Class ships. Also - PJ bottoms run very small and sometimes the monogram machine hasn't worked, and the robes/pj's were delivered without monogram. Just don't want you to upgrade and be disappointed.  Since you have a Magic Carpet suite you are on an E class ship, but for others reading this. 

British Geriatric Club?  Nursing home? The longer, the more expensive cruise - the older, the more well-off the passengers. Good for them to be out there enjoying life and I can only hope to be among them one day. Nice people need canes and wheelchairs, and you would think about this differently if it was you or your spouse who needed help..  Until then I'd recommend shorter cruises  and less luxurious lines since older travelers apparently bother you. 

15 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

Actually being referred to as cattle is very derogatory. As someone in their 30s travelling solo there is no way I could justify the price of double occupancy in retreat. Anyways I won’t pay more to be with a bunch of typically older more boring couples. As I’ve said in the past on here thank god people people aren’t as nasty on cruises as they are on CC especially the celebrity area.

Typically older and more boring?  Glad you aren't meeting nasty people on cruises. 

I've been here a very long time, and a near constant theme among some posters is how Celebrity is getting worse. Yes, things change, some things improve, some don't. When I first started cruising there was no way to communicate with home; I'd use precious port time to jam into a phone booth to talk to my parents for three minutes (local currency needed).  TV had  2 channels playing the same movies on a loop.  A small balcony cabin cost $5000 then - $10,000 in today's dollars. There was no food after 2 pm, even the hamburger grill closed,  until 4 or 5.  You got assigned a table - early seating was too early, late too late - and if your table mates didn't show you ate by yourselves at a table for 8.  I can go on.  Enjoy your cruise. Almost everyone does, regardless what they post here. 

As a long-time Manhattanite I would suggest simply getting on the taxi line (assuming you are going to NYC).  No hassles finding your driver.  Some terminals (Delta, for one) have the taxi lines indoors, and there is a dispatcher to direct you to a cab when it is your turn. Fares to Manhattan are set, tip and tolls are extra. There are several different models of cabs - sedans, small SUV's and large SUV's - if you have a hard time climbing into a higher car ask the dispatcher for a lower one.  I have not had a wait at JFK in the last few years, but weather could mean cab shortages anywhere. 

@QuestionEverything Thank you for your report. Glad to hear you are out of the bad weather and are fine.