Advice Please: Bad experience has made us hesitatant to book another cruise!

Hi.

We are hesitant to book cruise number 3 as a result of our last experience and would welcome some advice or feedback from others.

Just a bit of background we are 58 and 62 and had our first cruise a couple of years ago with Holland America and it was wonderful (and at the top of our budget.)

We than made the mistake of booking Thomson/TUI/Marella thinking that all inclusive would mean no worries over budgeting! How wrong we were.

We planned ahead and sadly watched the price drop from the £3000+ that we had paid to around £1500! :eek:

We hoped it might put us in line for an upgrade, no chance.

We then found the food at the buffet was barely edible and nowhere near the standard we had experienced on HAL.

The restaurant was a bit better but we had long waits 2 hours and over was not unusual for dinner and we tried the Italian upstairs and I ended up with extended toilet visits a few hours later after an undercooked chicken, which I discovered half way though eating!

The bars were always busy, the staff were often sullen, the reception staff we dealt with were indifferent especially when we needed help with a problem.

The enrichment was lacking, badly organised and the one and only 'tours talk' I attended spent half their time talking about how 'drunk' we would get on some of the tours.(classy)

We had small strange flies in our bathroom, the shower curtain would constantly stick to you when trying to shower.

I could go on but the upshot is I would like decent food with professional staff, does this exist?

I would book HAL again but would like to try another line and knowing the budget upfront would be helpful. :)

Just for clarification:- The 2 hours wait in the MDR was to be served 3 courses (sometimes 2)

Just thought I would clarify this after a reply received. Thanks for all replies so far .

I’d recommend you check out the Princess website. I am a fan and feel their prices are reasonable for a good quality of cruise. If you are able to travel during non-peak times you can do very well on pricing. Regarding budget planning, the website has all the info on which restaurants are included and the fee for specialty. There are sample wine and drink menus with prices and there are drink packages (alcohol or no alcohol) available with upfront pricing. Princess will let you take advantage of price reductions prior to final payment, you just have to be diligent in checking prices. Shore excursion pricing is also available on the website. We’ve always had good experience with the food options and the service of the staff.

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Oceania IS food.

O's basic cabin fare will usually be higher than HAL, Princess or Celebrity. But the O fare includes airfare/air credit, internet, beverages, all speciality restaurants and a choice of alcohol, excursions or OBC. All of that would normally be an extra cost on the "wannabe" lines.

In addition, Oceania pays TAs on a sliding scale (per sales) and the most productive partners will cover gratuities and/or share commissions.

Bottom line is that, for a few $ more on Oceania, you will get FAR better food and service on smaller ships without thundering herds (and with a well-traveled, cosmopolitan passenger demographic).

BTW, if you "book onboard" with Oceania, you get a discounted price, additional OBC (on the current cruise) and a "price drop match" up until the day of sailing.

Celebrity

Princess will let you take advantage of price reductions prior to final payment, you just have to be diligent in checking prices.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

OP is in the UK. From what I have read on here... pricing is different and so is the opportunity to take advantage of price reductions.

OP - We enjoy Princess. We have only had to wait in the MDR one time. It was formal night and we went at a popular time ( we do anytime dining). Had to wait 30-40 minutes. Usually we are only waiting in a short line for them to escort us to a table.

Crew seems happy to be working there. I would recommend this cruise line.

You'll get lots of suggestions here, but there are just too many factors that need to be weighed in; time of year, budget and itinerary preferences being the top 3.

I would suggest finding good a good TA who specializes in cruises. My preference is for a brick and mortar agency where you can have face time with an agent. They can sit down with you and discuss your preferences and suggest cruises that best fit your needs.

But I'll chime in anyway and suggest Celebrity, HAL or Princess.

...I could go on but the upshot is I would like decent food with professional staff, does this exist?...

I would book HAL again but would like to try another line and knowing the budget upfront would be helpful.

The answer to your question is yes.

Just to clarify, you were happy with HAL, unhappy with Thomson, and want to try a third line that is of a similar quality to HAL but not HAL. Generally, Celebrity, Princess and maybe Royal Caribbean offer service at roughly the same standard as HAL. In the fuzzy and debatable continuum of cruise line quality, Viking, Azamara, and Oceania are generally ranked a step or two above Celebrity, Princess, Royal, and not HAL. But a higher level of cuisine and service comes with a higher per diem. For example, would you rather have a 14 cruise with a lower standard of service and cuisine or a 7 day cruise on a line with a higher level of service and cuisine? That's just personal preference.

Working with a travel agent should help you sort out your priorities. These days it's easy to compare between cruise lines. Look at their websites and learn what is included and what is not. Do a little arithmetic and calculate the per diem cost including gratuities and whatever you might spend on beverages, etc. There's your budget. Narrow your search and ask specific questions on the boards of the lines that interest you.

Hi.

We are hesitant to book cruise number 3 as a result of our last experience and would welcome some advice or feedback from others.

 

Just a bit of background we are 58 and 62 and had our first cruise a couple of years ago with Holland America and it was wonderful (and at the top of our budget.)

 

We than made the mistake of booking Thomson/TUI/Marella thinking that all inclusive would mean no worries over budgeting! How wrong we were.

We planned ahead and sadly watched the price drop from the £3000+ that we had paid to around £1500! :eek:

We hoped it might put us in line for an upgrade, no chance.

We then found the food at the buffet was barely edible and nowhere near the standard we had experienced on HAL.

The restaurant was a bit better but we had long waits 2 hours and over was not unusual for dinner and we tried the Italian upstairs and I ended up with extended toilet visits a few hours later after an undercooked chicken, which I discovered half way though eating!

The bars were always busy, the staff were often sullen, the reception staff we dealt with were indifferent especially when we needed help with a problem.

The enrichment was lacking, badly organised and the one and only 'tours talk' I attended spent half their time talking about how 'drunk' we would get on some of the tours.(classy)

We had small strange flies in our bathroom, the shower curtain would constantly stick to you when trying to shower.

 

 

I could go on but the upshot is I would like decent food with professional staff, does this exist?

 

 

I would book HAL again but would like to try another line and knowing the budget upfront would be helpful. :)

 

Just for clarification:- The 2 hours wait in the MDR was to be served 3 courses (sometimes 2)

 

Just thought I would clarify this after a reply received. Thanks for all replies so far .

Sorry you had such a bad experience. We are a couple a bit older than you 80 and 71... have been cruising for 30 years, have cruised 9 different lines, well over 60 cruises. We have made a practice to only cruise main stream cruise lines: Princess, Holland America, Celebrity and Cunard in recent years. I can highly recommend any of these lines. These lines are very similar, if you like Holland America you will like any of the others.

Been on Celebrity for most of our cruises and have never come away disappointed. That is why they are our favorite. Beautiful and well maintained ships, friendly and helpful crew, food better than most cruise lines, and a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I have experienced nothing on Celebrity that you describe. I have also had good experiences with Princess, our 2nd favorite line. You don't need to cruise on luxury lines, and pay much higher fares, for good cruise experiences.

FYI: tipping in included in Thomson's base fare. There is no incentive to give good service since they won't get rewarded for it. A problem I have encountered in restaurants where tipping is not the norm.

First a few words about Thomson (Marella).

It's quite well-known amongst seasoned cruisers (but quite a shock to new cruisers) that Thomson seek high prices, then chop the prices depending on whether sales are up to target. So those who book late (about 6 weeks out) get bargains - or for particularly popular cruises / at busy times of year they find the cruises sold-out. All cruise lines do this, but on Thomson the differences are much more extreme.

Yes, the buffet food is pretty awful - and on most of their ships in pretty canteen-like surroundings. OK for a rushed breakfast on a port day, or for a snack.

But in the MDR we've always found the food, the surroundings and the service up-to-par.

You mention 2 hours - surely not 2 hours before being served.:confused: On all cruise ships our dinners usually stretch toward 2 hours - and beyond when seated with good company.

We've found the crew generally excellent on all cruise ships, including Thomson. Always the chance of one crew member, on any ship, who's having a bad day.

Bear in mind that Thomson fares include all service charges, and on-board costs like drinks and excursions are lower - on US ships expect to pay about $15 pppd for grammatically-incorrect "gratuities" and 15% or more on top of already-high drinks prices.

I hesitate to say this, but - finding out that they've paid way more than others naturally clouds a person's opinion of other factors.

But you're right - Thomson isn't as good as the rest, on like-for-like cruises and prices I'd choose most other lines.

I'm no apologist for Thomson but they have some great itineraries, good value with a late booking, and I've always found them friendly and enjoyable.

You've experienced HAL, and you liked it.

I think you'd also like Princess.

Mebbe P&O, though P&O is perhaps a little bland.

Or pay a little more for Celebrity.

But, sorry Flatbush Flyer, I don't understand why on threads like this folk suggest cruise lines with prices that are in a totally different league. Even allowing for all the inclusions (inclusions that not everyone wants) the prices of Oceania are much much higher.

You might as well go the whole hog and suggest Silversea.

"Don't like your Ford, sir?" "try a Rolls-Royce". :)

JB :)

Edited to add - I've taken a pop at Flatbush, so I'll do the same with SloopSailor.

Your hypothesis could be reversed - when crew are sure of their service charge (witness how those who want to remove the charges get mercilessly-flamed on these forums :D) there's no incentive. Since they've not been charged a separate service charge, most Thomson cruisers put their hands in their pockets for the crew that serve them. We've never had a problem with service on Thomson, and service on P&O didn't change when their US masters introduced service charges. Have you actually sailed Thomson, SloopSailor?

…….extra cost on the"wannabe" lines……you will get FAR better food and service on smaller ships......without thundering herds......and with a well-traveled, cosmopolitan passenger demographic..

You just can't resist ridiculing cruise lines that are clearly below your uppity preferences, can you? Having to call other lines "wannabe" lines and calling those of us who cruise on them to be "thundering herds", certainly gives the impression that you are NOT one of the "cosmopolitan passengers" you so much want people to think you are.

Sorry, but I consider myself well traveled and cosmopolitan, and I have had very enjoyable cruises alongside those thundering herds you despise so much on a variety of wannabe lines you can’t imagine embarrassing yourself by being seen on.

I don't need to put on an air of superiority to have an enjoyable cruise.

First a few words about Thomson (Marella).

 

 

 

It's quite well-known amongst seasoned cruisers (but quite a shock to new cruisers) that Thomson seek high prices, then chop the prices depending on whether sales are up to target. So those who book late (about 6 weeks out) get bargains - or for particularly popular cruises / at busy times of year they find the cruises sold-out. All cruise lines do this, but on Thomson the differences are much more extreme.

 

 

 

Yes, the buffet food is pretty awful - and on most of their ships in pretty canteen-like surroundings. OK for a rushed breakfast on a port day, or for a snack.

 

But in the MDR we've always found the food, the surroundings and the service up-to-par.

 

You mention 2 hours - surely not 2 hours before being served.:confused: On all cruise ships our dinners usually stretch toward 2 hours - and beyond when seated with good company.

 

We've found the crew generally excellent on all cruise ships, including Thomson. Always the chance of one crew member, on any ship, who's having a bad day.

 

Bear in mind that Thomson fares include all service charges, and on-board costs like drinks and excursions are lower - on US ships expect to pay about $15 pppd for grammatically-incorrect "gratuities" and 15% or more on top of already-high drinks prices.

 

I hesitate to say this, but - finding out that they've paid way more than others naturally clouds a person's opinion of other factors.

 

But you're right - Thomson isn't as good as the rest, on like-for-like cruises and prices I'd choose most other lines.

 

I'm no apologist for Thomson but they have some great itineraries, good value with a late booking, and I've always found them friendly and enjoyable.

 

 

 

You've experienced HAL, and you liked it.

 

I think you'd also like Princess.

 

Mebbe P&O, though P&O is perhaps a little bland.

 

Or pay a little more for Celebrity.

 

 

 

But, sorry Flatbush Flyer, I don't understand why on threads like this folk suggest cruise lines with prices that are in a totally different league. Even allowing for all the inclusions (inclusions that not everyone wants) the prices of Oceania are much much higher.

 

You might as well go the whole hog and suggest Silversea.

 

"Don't like your Ford, sir?" "try a Rolls-Royce". :)

 

 

 

JB :)

Sorry but, when you talk about international air AND the average passenger on board option purchases, premium lines that have mostly inclusive pricing often have "net daily rates" (I.e., ALL trip costs divided by total days away) that are not much higher than the "wannabes." This is particularly true in the highly competitive Caribbean market.

Several CC regulars have done actual bottom line cost comparisons and posted the surprising cost similarities. One post a few months ago had Oceania's bottom line (all costs) the same as RCCL for basically the same Caribbean cruise.

Is Oceania (and Azamara) often more expensive? Of course, they are. But, you have to examine the value quotient (which also includes what you avoid by going with the premium product).

As for your car comparison, a more realistic example would be a fully loaded Ford Edge vs something like an Audi Q5. Quality and performance? Audi, of course. Out-the-door price difference? Almost negligible.

You might want to try Celebrity or if you want to go on a luxury line, try Crystal.

Best buffet by far celeberty , much better than Hal, rccl bad buffet but great entertainment

 

You just can't resist ridiculing cruise lines that are clearly below your uppity preferences, can you? Having to call other lines "wannabe" lines and calling those of us who cruise on them to be "thundering herds", certainly gives the impression that you are NOT one of the "cosmopolitan passengers" you so much want people to think you are.

 

Sorry, but I consider myself well traveled and cosmopolitan, and I have had very enjoyable cruises alongside those thundering herds you despise so much on a variety of wannabe lines you can’t imagine embarrassing yourself by being seen on.

 

I don't need to put on an air of superiority to have an enjoyable cruise.

Perhaps a bad choice of words for folks with a delicate constitution but, facts are facts.

Lines like Celebrity and HAL bombard folks with claims of premium/luxury/etc. Yet, as is often posted on CC, they rely on a reputation of yesteryear with current quality on a downward spiral. ERGO, "wannabe" is an apt shorthand description that has nothing to do with the cosmopolitan qualities of many of their passengers (who are perfectly fine people).

As for "thundering herds," my comment references the passenger load (thousands) and poor crew/passenger ratios you would never find on any premium/luxury line.

Sometimes "thundering herds" are unavoidable (opening day of any State Fair) and calling out that overcrowding has little to do with anything about the folks in those "herds." But, it's easy to avoid "thundering herds" on cruises. Just pick smaller ships with great space/crew to passenger ratios.

And, if I (or you) can finesse the right deal for the right itinerary and bring the cost of premium cruising down to what I used to pay on the mass market, why wouldn't I want to alert other folks to do the math?

Can you imagine how many people merely look at posted cabin price comparisons and then are too lazy or otherwise inattentive to dive deeper into pricing strategies?

Consumer law in the UK is different than elsewhere. The deal is sealed when you pay the deposit on your cruise and the cruise line is under no obligation to refund you if they subsequently reduce the fare. You could of course cancel, lose your deposit and rebook at the lower fare

Sorry but, when you talk about international air AND the average passenger on board option purchases, premium lines that have mostly inclusive pricing often have "net daily rates" (I.e., ALL trip costs divided by total days away) that are not much higher than the "wannabes." .

I reserve "wannabes" for clueless amateur newbie tour operators etc - not for long-established mainstream cruise lines. :rolleyes:

14 nights to the Med from Southampton

P&O from £980

RCI from £1167

Cunard from £1399

Celebrity from £1579

NCL from £1927

Oceania from £2949

Or fly-cruise (incl flights) 14 nights to the Caribbean from UK airports.

Marella out of Barbados from £1019

P&O out of Barbados from £1156

Celebrity out of Miami from £1349

Princess out of Ft Lauderdale from £1449

MSC out of Barbados from £1549

RCI out of Ft Lauderdale £1624

Carnival out of Miami from £1829

Oceania (12 nights) out of Miami from £3142

Doubtless Oceania provide a better experience.

And no doubt the extras (rather limited & not including alcoholic drinks) close the price gap a little.

But for the cost of one cruise on Oceania I'll happily take 2 or even 3 cruises on another cruise line.

JB :)

Been on Celebrity for most of our cruises and have never come away disappointed. That is why they are our favorite. Beautiful and well maintained ships, friendly and helpful crew, food better than most cruise lines, and a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I have experienced nothing on Celebrity that you describe. I have also had good experiences with Princess, our 2nd favorite line. You don't need to cruise on luxury lines, and pay much higher fares, for good cruise experiences.

 

FYI: tipping in included in Thomson's base fare. There is no incentive to give good service since they won't get rewarded for it. A problem I have encountered in restaurants where tipping is not the norm.

In my experience of 20 Marella cruises I found the service excellent and the crews happy and efficient. Even better than on my 21 P&O cruises where auto gratuity applies.

There is every incentive to give good service because any cash tips they receive they can keep. Note that there is no pressure to give cash tips and passengers are even reminded of this in the daily news sheet.

Hi.

We are hesitant to book cruise number 3 as a result of our last experience and would welcome some advice or feedback from others.

 

I could go on but the upshot is I would like decent food with professional staff, does this exist?

 

I would book HAL again but would like to try another line and knowing the budget upfront would be helpful. :)

 

Just for clarification:- The 2 hours wait in the MDR was to be served 3 courses (sometimes 2)

 

Just thought I would clarify this after a reply received. Thanks for all replies so far .

The short answer to your question regarding decent food & professional staff is "Yes" they do exist.

We have just completed a similar exercise of finding a new cruise line that meets our changing expectations, as we age. Having cruised with Princess and P&O for almost 40 years, we find their standards have declined and ships have increased in size to the extent they are incompatible with our current expectations. In addition to having standard for food & service quality, may I suggest you list a number of additional requirements to assist in finding a cruise line -

Our search started with Celebrity & HAL, which have better quality meals than Princess, but they are still mainstream lines, with the constant nickle & diming. While the HAL ships are probably described as medium sized, some of the newer Celebrity ships are bigger, with about 3,000 pax. We hoped for smaller ships of about 1,000 pax.

We then moved onto premium lines - Oceania & Viking Ocean. Oceania have 4 of the older R-01 to R-09 ships, which have under 700 pax and 2 newer ships with 1,250 pax. Food quality is excellent, as is service. Viking have 5 ships, all with 930 pax. Food is also excellent, but many who have cruised both lines say Oceania is a little ahead. Service is exceptional. Both lines have good perks. Viking has no annoying photogs, no art shows and no casino. Both lines have free specialty restaurants.

However, the base fares of both Oceania & Viking are higher than the mainstream lines, however the bill at the end of the cruise will most likely be significantly less.

If your preference is standards consistent with HAL, I would consider Celebrity, Cunard and even P&O. Only you can determine your final budget, based on you on-board spend, which can be significant.

Should you be interested in a higher standard than HAL, I would consider Viking & Oceania, which in my opinion are in a category between the better mainstream lines & luxury brands. Determining a full budget is easier, as while the base fare is higher, your on-board spend will probably be significantly less. Perks depend on the cruise, so you would have to select an itinerary to complete the full budget.

Good luck finding a new cruise line.

I reserve "wannabes" for clueless amateur newbie tour operators etc - not for long-established mainstream cruise lines. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

14 nights to the Med from Southampton

 

P&O from £980

 

RCI from £1167

 

Cunard from £1399

 

Celebrity from £1579

 

NCL from £1927

 

Oceania from £2949

 

 

 

Or fly-cruise (incl flights) 14 nights to the Caribbean from UK airports.

 

Marella out of Barbados from £1019

 

P&O out of Barbados from £1156

 

Celebrity out of Miami from £1349

 

Princess out of Ft Lauderdale from £1449

 

MSC out of Barbados from £1549

 

RCI out of Ft Lauderdale £1624

 

Carnival out of Miami from £1829

 

Oceania (12 nights) out of Miami from £3142

 

 

 

Doubtless Oceania provide a better experience.

 

And no doubt the extras (rather limited & not including alcoholic drinks) close the price gap a little.

 

But for the cost of one cruise on Oceania I'll happily take 2 or even 3 cruises on another cruise line.

 

 

 

JB :)

Actually, O Life provides the option of complimentary wine/beer at meals- upgradeable to unlimited alcohol (including premium spirits) for $20/day (18% gratuity included).

That said, let's look at your MED numbers for a US resident (assuming your prices would be the same for the regular U.S. "O Life" fare). The O fare would translate to approx $3900 USD. With included RT O airfare from the US to England, subtract that extra $1000 cost on the other lines from your bottom line = $2900. Subtract unlimited internet at approx $300=$2600. Subtract the approx $225 gratuities that most Oceania TAs will cover =$2375. Subtract the approx $250 (7-10%) commission sharing of a top Oceania TA =$2125. Subtract the approx $25 specialty restaurant cost of $175 for half the nights (7) =$1950. Subtract the $560 O Life mealtime alcohol package ($40/day)= $1390.

Translate $1390 back to £1054. Now compare "apples to apples."

Of course, my calculations are based on what I would want my cruise experience to be and thus each of the cited savings would be an extra cost on the other lines.

As expected, the biggest factor in price is the international airfare. But even if I dump that $1000 item, the O bottom line value comparison would be $2390 and I'd gladly pay $70/day more for far better food and service.

YRMV.

My favorite ship now is Regal Princess. We sail on here 3 to 4 times a years since she has been out.

Logic suggests that someone who enjoyed HAL is likely to enjoy them again. Experience suggests that Celebrity would offer comparable enjoyment - with possibly better activities/enrichment and not quite as good service (still perfectly acceptable). Princess is in same general range - with Royal Caribbean offering better entertainment, but lesser service - and more crowds. Cunard also good for food and service , but more formal. Norwegian has good entertainment, but poor food/service (unless you pay for alternative dining) and significantly uncomfortable crowding in their limited public areas.

I would stick with HAL.

Actually, O Life provides the option of complimentary wine/beer at meals- upgradeable to unlimited alcohol (including premium spirits) for $20/day (18% gratuity included).

That said, let's look at your MED numbers for a US resident (assuming your prices would be the same for the regular U.S. "O Life" fare). The O fare would translate to approx $3900 USD. With included RT O airfare from the US to England, subtract that extra $1000 cost on the other lines from your bottom line = $2900. Subtract unlimited internet at approx $300=$2600. Subtract the approx $225 gratuities that most Oceania TAs will cover =$2375. Subtract the approx $250 (7-10%) commission sharing of a top Oceania TA =$2125. Subtract the approx $25 specialty restaurant cost of $175 for half the nights (7) =$1950. Subtract the $560 O Life mealtime alcohol package ($40/day)= $1390.

Translate $1390 back to £1054. Now compare "apples to apples."

Of course, my calculations are based on what I would want my cruise experience to be and thus each of the cited savings would be an extra cost on the other lines.

As expected, the biggest factor in price is the international airfare. But even if I dump that $1000 item, the O bottom line value comparison would be $2390 and I'd gladly pay $70/day more for far better food and service.

YRMV.

Bear in mind that the OP is British, and would book and start from the UK.

That's why I used a UK cruise-specialist agent's website, and quoted examples of cruise-only from Southampton to the Med and for fly-cruise from UK to the Caribbean

No mention of Oceania beers & wines with meals on the website I used, nor an option to upgrade to unlimited alcohol. And an upgrade from soft drinks only to unlimited alcohol would cost a lot more than $20 per day.

So remove alcohol from the equation - the OP can figure how much they expect to drink and tally-up at drinks prices (plus 15 - 18% service) quoted on various cruise line forums - but not based on prices on Thomson cos those prices are mebbe 25% lower than on US lines).

And some cruise lines, including Thomson and RCI, often include AI alcohol packages to boost bookings

None of the Med cruise examples include airfare.

So remove that calculation too from your Med figures - I don't know how much O saves on airfares from the US but that's of no use to Brits.

All the Caribbean examples - including Oceania - are fly-cruise.

$2600 saving with free internet???????

My home internet costs £20 per month & is ten times quicker than ships' internet.

At sea I get enough freebie loyalty minutes from Princess and P&O, and use free hot-spots ashore. I don't even spend your lower figure of $300 and if I needed internet 24/7 to run my business while on vacation I'd think carefully about delegation.

In the UK gratuities-included is used by most cruise lines & agents from time to time as a booking incentive, so your $225 saving could apply to any of them. No mention of that perk for any of them on my sample website. So strike a line through your "savings" there too.

"Subtract the approx $250 (7-10%) commission sharing of a top Oceania TA".

Altho UK cruise agents can be cajoled into giving reductions and / or perks they are very coy about discussing their commission. But is that agents' commission-sharing in the US particular to Oceania? If not, it doesn't deserve to be in your figures.

Paying extra to dine in a speciality restaurant for half of your cruise?

After you've posted "Oceania IS food"?

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've dined up-grade on cruise ships, and every time was for a special celebration. So strike thro that "saving"

I sure wouldn't expect to have to upgrade dining at Oceania's cruise prices

Some apples are better than others, but all the comparisons are apples.

BTW - the fares I've quoted are broadly brochure prices for cruises late '18 thro '19. I've used them purely for comparisons between Oceania and the ......errr..... wannabes ;p.

There are deals to be done on most of them, doubtless incl Oceania, esp closer to the date.

JB :)

Bear in mind that the OP is British, and would book and start from the UK.

 

That's why I used a UK cruise-specialist agent's website, and quoted examples of cruise-only from Southampton to the Med and for fly-cruise from UK to the Caribbean

 

 

 

No mention of Oceania beers & wines with meals on the website I used, nor an option to upgrade to unlimited alcohol. And an upgrade from soft drinks only to unlimited alcohol would cost a lot more than $20 per day.

 

So remove alcohol from the equation - the OP can figure how much they expect to drink and tally-up at drinks prices (plus 15 - 18% service) quoted on various cruise line forums - but not based on prices on Thomson cos those prices are mebbe 25% lower than on US lines).

 

And some cruise lines, including Thomson and RCI, often include AI alcohol packages to boost bookings

 

 

 

None of the Med cruise examples include airfare.

 

So remove that calculation too from your Med figures - I don't know how much O saves on airfares from the US but that's of no use to Brits.

 

All the Caribbean examples - including Oceania - are fly-cruise.

 

 

 

$2600 saving with free internet???????

 

My home internet costs £20 per month & is ten times quicker than ships' internet.

 

At sea I get enough freebie loyalty minutes from Princess and P&O, and use free hot-spots ashore. I don't even spend your lower figure of $300 and if I needed internet 24/7 to run my business while on vacation I'd think carefully about delegation.

 

 

 

In the UK gratuities-included is used by most cruise lines & agents from time to time as a booking incentive, so your $225 saving could apply to any of them. No mention of that perk for any of them on my sample website. So strike a line through your "savings" there too.

 

 

 

"Subtract the approx $250 (7-10%) commission sharing of a top Oceania TA".

 

Altho UK cruise agents can be cajoled into giving reductions and / or perks they are very coy about discussing their commission. But is that agents' commission-sharing in the US particular to Oceania? If not, it doesn't deserve to be in your figures.

 

 

 

Paying extra to dine in a speciality restaurant for half of your cruise?

 

After you've posted "Oceania IS food"?

 

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've dined up-grade on cruise ships, and every time was for a special celebration. So strike thro that "saving"

 

I sure wouldn't expect to have to upgrade dining at Oceania's cruise prices

 

 

 

Some apples are better than others, but all the comparisons are apples.

 

 

 

BTW - the fares I've quoted are broadly brochure prices for cruises late '18 thro '19. I've used them purely for comparisons between Oceania and the ......errr..... wannabes ;p.

 

There are deals to be done on most of them, doubtless incl Oceania, esp closer to the date.

 

 

 

JB :)

As I said, YRMV. BTW, very few O cruises (beyond Caribbean) ever see price reductions (e.g., recently booked an Asia cruise for late spring 2020 that is already sold out).

One final point. On Oceania, specialty restaurants aren't "better" (as one might pursue on a mass market line). Rather, they are focused on particular cuisines.

Happy cruising.

Oceania IS food.

O's basic cabin fare will usually be higher than HAL, Princess or Celebrity. But the O fare includes airfare/air credit, internet, beverages, all speciality restaurants and a choice of alcohol, excursions or OBC. All of that would normally be an extra cost on the "wannabe" lines.

In addition, Oceania pays TAs on a sliding scale (per sales) and the most productive partners will cover gratuities and/or share commissions.

Bottom line is that, for a few $ more on Oceania, you will get FAR better food and service on smaller ships without thundering herds (and with a well-traveled, cosmopolitan passenger demographic).

BTW, if you "book onboard" with Oceania, you get a discounted price, additional OBC (on the current cruise) and a "price drop match" up until the day of sailing.

A question because I am confused. If you would never be caught dead on any mass market cruise line, and from a quick look at your posting history, Oceania is the only cruise line you every sail on, how do you know that the food and service is FAR better if you don't have any experience on other lines? A person needs to try all cruise lines to make such a bold, sweeping claim. You may like it, but you simply can't have any idea how good or bad the food is on lines that you avoid because they aren't tony enough for you.

As for me, I have cruised several times on Hal, Celebrity and Princess. Since it's been several years since my last HAL cruise, I can't even pretend to know how good or bad the food is on that line today. It was quite good when we were last on HAL. What I do know is that for our recent cruises Celebrity edges out Princess most of the time. The same goes for service.

We are not a food snobs, so my husband and I are quite satisfied with the food on the cruise lines we patronize. And, we do it WITHOUT looking down our noses at those lines that we don't have experience with or those that you would think unworthy of your patronage.