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Frank del Rio comments on Oceania bookings/pricing


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Pinotlover,

All of that makes sense and may well be true.

That said, the large proportion of Oceania cruisers are over 65 and thus probably retired. As such, they are living on some sort of fixed income - more or less. At least they are not working and earning money actively. That being the case, they are not as well positioned to constantly absorb rising prices of cruises like those that are still working. I realize that this is a generalization and many cruisers are well off.

Hence O may depend more and more on younger clientele who tend not to cruise on “boring” ships of Oceania.

Again, time will tell.

 

Paul,

I have cruised several times on the new NCL ships..yes they are big but I usually am in the Haven and happy as a clam..

I suggest you try them..

Jancruz1

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Paul,

I have cruised several times on the new NCL ships..yes they are big but I usually am in the Haven and happy as a clam..

I suggest you try them..

Jancruz1

 

Thanks Jan. We have tried that on a short California coastal cruise. The Haven was nice enough but you can’t really sail in a cocoon - you still have to deal with the entire ship and that experience is very different from Oceania.

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The folks on the Seabourn board are also having a discussion similar to this one. I would think that it would be somewhat disturbing from an industry standpoint to have such conversations taking place, but not yet as the FDR approach to things is most likely in vouge across the board.

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Thanks Jan. We have tried that on a short California coastal cruise. The Haven was nice enough but you can’t really sail in a cocoon - you still have to deal with the entire ship and that experience is very different from Oceania.

 

The biggest issue is getting from the Haven to the specialties. To do that you must transition through the bars. Just avoid trips where the drink package is free. Not all Haven cabins are in the Haven also. The best ones are the aft facing suites..

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The biggest issue is getting from the Haven to the specialties. To do that you must transition through the bars. Just avoid trips where the drink package is free. Not all Haven cabins are in the Haven also. The best ones are the aft facing suites..

True but the walking through the ship did not bother me..I loved the shows (Jersey Boys) and the restaurants and the cabins in Haven were beautiful I loved the service and the robes were yummy..I would not change permanently but it a nice change for Stu and I once in a while and they leave out of LA sometimes..although next December Sirena is doing a northern California Coastal from LA to San Francisco..I will be on December 7..

Want to come??

Jancruz1

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Something is wrong here - they cannot offer a cruise from LA to San Francisco without taking you to a distant foreign port. And that means a stop in South America or similar.

 

How about Mexico? In fact, that is exactly what they are doing.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Caribbean-cruises/los-angeles-to-los-angeles-SIR191207/?sr=%2Fcruise-finder%2F%23sailDates%3D2019%7C12%23ships%3DSIR

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Something is wrong here - they cannot offer a cruise from LA to San Francisco without taking you to a distant foreign port. And that means a stop in South America or similar.

 

 

It's not a cruise from LA to San Francisco, it's a closed loop LA to LA that includes San Francisco on its itinerary.

 

LA to San Francisco would require visiting a distant foreign port as "retafcruiser" said, which this cruise does not. However LA to LA or any closed loop cruise is legal with a visit to any foreign port, which on this itinerary is Ensenada, Mexico.

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Do you really think the pricing is going up on Oct 1? They say this all the time - Book Now before prices go up - and it never changes! This time is different because FDR commented on it and I've never seen him say this before....so perhaps it's true. What do you all think?

 

I agree with you. There may be some itineraries that are advertised as increasing but that means nothing. It's textbook marketing.

 

Same promos as this:

 

Hurry on down to your local Mercedes Benz dealer to get a great holiday deal on a certified pre-owned Mercedes Benz. Act fast, the inventory is limited. (It's not.)

 

Hurry on down to your local Mercedes Benz dealer and take advantage of great deals on our 2018 inventory before prices increase. (They don't.)

 

Blah, blah, blah. Oceania is no different.

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So, FDR, if things are so rosy with 2019 bookings to justify price increases next week for 67% of the 2019 sailings, it looks like there was no reason to SLASH the loyalty program benefits that was done about 5 months ago.

 

 

 

Once upon a time, he posted on these boards!

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1. Airfares are up, mostly because of fuel costs, but also planes are flying near full and don’t have to discount. Since those airfares are included in O cruise prices, something has to give.

 

2. Higher oil prices means increased costs.

 

3. Ports are aggressively raising docking fees.

 

One will still be able to putz around the Carribean in winter for cheap. Far to many ships trying to just cover costs in those markets. Putting one in a plane to Sidney, Tokyo, or Mumbai and sailing thousands of miles is a different story!

 

Some of the posters here live the 685 passenger R ships. Just be aware that is just a lot fewer guests to spread a lot of costs around to.

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They ARE willing to pay more (at current prices) as the number of new Oceania cruisers shows. I am not sure that they will be willing to pay even more if prices go up.

But, like I said, time will tell.

 

True. We are mass market cruisers who have booked an Oceania cruise as friends have raved about it. They won't cruise another line even though they've never tried other lines. I am looking at my booked cruise which is going to cost over 20K for two in an inside cabin. (And we just got a price increase email for future bookings) I can book the same length cruise in an equally exotic location for about half of that on one of the lines we have high status with. Thinking twice about keeping this booking.....although I do want to try Oceania but since we've already been to many of the ports, the particular one we've booked may not be a good value for us.

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True. We are mass market cruisers who have booked an Oceania cruise as friends have raved about it. They won't cruise another line even though they've never tried other lines. I am looking at my booked cruise which is going to cost over 20K for two in an inside cabin. .

YIKES

we did a 14 day in a B3 for about the same or less

 

I would NEVER spend that for an inside no matter the cruise line

 

YMMV

I see you are doing a 30 day Africa cruise so it works out to just over $300. pp pd

 

probably a better deal than my 14 day cruise ;)

Edited by LHT28
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I just got an email from my travel agency for O with the price increase notice at the top. So we will see.

 

We are doing the 18 day extended journey Myths & Legends next June in a C1, booked in late April, and this was the last cabin left on the 2nd leg. Our cruise only fare is $14,598 for 2. Still have to get air (hopefully on miles) and add tours (not thru O). Not sure what I was thinking when I booked this, other than we could see Ireland without doing the driving (we did spend 5 days in Dublin 3 years ago and a week based in Edinburgh back in 2005, plus about 4+ weeks in London and England over 4 trips).

 

We are miles and points collectors and enjoy our independent land trips. In the past 5 years, in addition to 3 cruises (including Oceania and Azamara) and 2 US road trips, thanks to our miles/points we have been able to take 6 such land trips - 5 to Europe (55 days), 1 to Hawaii (12 days) with all flights on miles (6 one-ways in business class), staying in 4-5* hotels, transportation including a few rental cars, meals, touring, airport parking, et al, for less than what this 18 day cruise will end up costing when all is said and done.

 

We've got an upcoming O cruise (Spain/Canary Islands) in November and one more cruise on Celebrity Solstice doing a B2B Australia/NZ in October 2019 to celebrate my 70th, but then I think we are done with cruising - at least at the way prices are going. (Unless my DH says he wants to go to the Galapagos or Antarctica - which is not likely. :D) Most other places we can do land trips.

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Since this discussion is salient to my observations it is that the entire cruise industry is changing, and not for the better.

Lines are seeking new ways to increase revenue and perhaps clear out the older passengers ( who get more costly benefits and are accustomed to certain levels of service, cuisine and experience etc.) for younger ones who have no such wants. Passengers they can wow with 30-40% less expense, who have no knowledge of what was once.

 

Just like in the business world , getting rid of older expensive employees for younger cheaper ones. Thus it is in the selfish best interest of a cruise line to rid its self of its older past passengers however possible.

They are more than willing to throw whom ever under the bus if it means a better bottom line. I and a lot of other have experienced that this past 6 months.

 

Franks sales pitch is really a "take notice" . Things are going to change and going to change faster and to a greater extent than older , experienced, travelers have yet seen..

 

For travel in the future one needs to have a situational awareness that they may need to have a plan B or C and look to alternatives to cruises. The changes after some 17 years with the same line Regent/Oceania, are such that I no longer will consider cruising.

 

I disagree on the airlines, they have placed in fees they account for 25% of their net profit. They have created classes within classes even in coach there are 5 or more now! I just flew to Boston from LAX for 312.00 rt...!!! a few years ago it was 675 !!!

 

Keep your eyes open as well as your options.... take care all

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True. We are mass market cruisers who have booked an Oceania cruise as friends have raved about it. They won't cruise another line even though they've never tried other lines. I am looking at my booked cruise which is going to cost over 20K for two in an inside cabin. (And we just got a price increase email for future bookings) I can book the same length cruise in an equally exotic location for about half of that on one of the lines we have high status with. Thinking twice about keeping this booking.....although I do want to try Oceania but since we've already been to many of the ports, the particular one we've booked may not be a good value for us.

 

You actually answered your own question.... No it is not a good value.

 

The O you heard about is the O of the past...It is not the O of the future...... save the 20K

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Thanks to Hawaiidan!

 

Your comments on this and your original thread are spot on. Our family and friends are most grateful for your leadership. You are a leader - leadership is about challenging the status quo and scanning the horizon for challengers and issues - that Hawaiidan is exactly what you are doing.

 

Take no guff from the cheerleaders or as marketing people call them today "obedient consumers".

 

We are taking our 2nd cruise on Oceania this Oct 8 on an R ship. We will see what value for money Oceania provides. I have followed Oceania CC for many years and note the changes that are occurring at Oceania like the new menu which has more repetition etc.

 

We left Celebrity after 15 years because of their reduced value. We will not be happy if the same thing happens to Oceania. Well if the value is less, then Oceania will be fired.

 

Getting fed up with travel - the arrogance of the airlines and cruise lines.

 

Also, paying in Cdn $ - it is 35% more than US $. Suffice it to say, our bookings are way, way down.

 

There are so many wonderful ways to spend our $ - cruising may find themselves cancelled.

 

Watch out arrogant cruise line CEO's - you might be surprised on what happens next!

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I don't think this is necessarily a cruise industry bashing thread. For myself, I indicated what our 18 day British Isles extended journey is costing on Nautica next June. The per diem for a C1 is $811 for 2. Our Canary Islands cruise on Marina this November in a B3 with a nice extended verandah is $519 for 2 per day. I call that a significant difference. (For reference, our just finished August Baltics cruise on Azamara, also in a C1, was just $601 per day for 2, but Azamara's prices are now increasing significantly, too). All 3 cruises do not include air in the figures quoted.

 

As I read various threads here on CC, I realize that many can afford to take cruises that are longer, in larger staterooms, and more expensive, and I am happy they can do so. But for us, I think we will have to seriously consider how we wish to spend our vacation dollars, and cruising may figure significantly less in our plans.

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How much you are willing to spend for a given experience is a personal preference - no wrong answer, just personal taste :)

 

Within O there are some itineraries that tend to be much lower priced on a per-person, per-day basis - usually repositioning cruises. Slide 135 of NCL's 2018 investor day presentation says 82% of O itineraries are "Premium Priced" and 18% are "Other" - so if the "Other" cruises interest you, you can pay relatively less for the O experience. For comparing different cruises within O, the math is relatively straight forward using O's "cruise only" prices (although you still want to consider your own air costs whether $ or miles).

 

Comparing across lines gets trickier for true apples-to-apples math. I like to take a stab of estimating all-in costs (including on-board spend). For more inclusive lines you will pay relatively more $ up front but there are fewer extras that you have to pay for on board. Mass market is typically less $ up front and relatively more spending on board (as well as a different level of service, obviously). Doing the math from that same NCL 2018 investor day presentation, looks like Norwegian gets about 2/3 revenue up front and 1/3 onboard, while O is roughly 85%/15% and Regent roughly 95%/5% (slides 70 & 181 if you are curious).

 

Perhaps the same adage applies to cruising as to insurance - every so often compare rates to make sure you are happy with paying what you're paying for what you are getting :)

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A question on the definition of “upfront “.

 

If I book La Reserve, with is an extra cost, yet pay 4 months in advance, is that upfront or onboard? Same goes with booking an O shore tour in advance. Not part of the fare but one can pay pre boarding. Upfront earnings or not?

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This has been an informative discussion of pricing issues. We have started substituting European river cruise as alternatives in our search for 'value / $', new experiences. Christmas Markets river trips have a lot of $0 - $300 rd-trip airfare offers. Once fully retired, I'm thinking of orienting on the 'last minute discounts' but realize there are trade offs with selection, airfare. HAPPY CRUISING

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This has been an informative discussion of pricing issues. We have started substituting European river cruise as alternatives in our search for 'value / $', new experiences.

 

River cruises would definitely qualify as a “new experiences” but rarely as “value/$”. They tend to be more expensive per diem than most ocean cruises and can be cancelled (ours was this year for low water levels :()

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