Oversold

[yorkiemomjn]

A couple of members of our roll call (Regatta Barcelona to Rome April 4th) have posted that their TA's have contacted them with incentives to give up their booking because our cruise is oversold! What happens if no one wants to give up their booking? By this time, tours are planned, hotels & airfare booked, etc. :eek:

[poss]

It's unlikely that a cruise line would ever be in the position you describe. I.e. the incentives for canceling are usually very good, and many (or some) people have the flexibility to cash in on that. And as with airlines, if no one bites with the first incentives, they'll just keeping upping the ante until someone does. (I've often wondered if cruise lines play the same numbers game that airlines play. I suspect not-- at least not to the same degree.)

[pacheco18]

Same thing happened on our Mediterranean cruise on Insignia last September.

Lots of calls offering substantial upgrades to take a different cruise. It worked out in the end.

[Jancruz]

A couple of members of our roll call (Regatta Barcelona to Rome April 4th) have posted that their TA's have contacted them with incentives to give up their booking because our cruise is oversold! What happens if no one wants to give up their booking? By this time, tours are planned, hotels & airfare booked, etc. :eek:

 

Oceania keeps upping the ante until someone takes the buyout..it is not unusual for this to happen.

Jancruz1

[yorkiemomjn]

Since this is our first Oceania cruise, I wasn't sure how that worked. Thanks for all the input!

[katz]

This happened on our cruise. Oceania will offer incentives for people to cancel or upgrade. We received a carrot on a stick email every Monday as our cruise date got closer. They will offer discounted amounts to upgrade your cabin and discounts on another cruise if you cancel. There is always someone who is willing to make a change.

 

We had a woman on our roll call who was on the wait list and was promised a cabin. She didn't know which cabin it would be until she showed up. (She was very brave, in my opinion). Anyway, she didn't like the cabin and was able to change to another one.

 

We were told that it always works out and everyone gets a cabin. I certainly would not be happy, though, if this happened to me.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[JimandStan]

I certainly would not be happy, though, if this happened to me.

 

 

If WHAT happened to you? :confused:

 

Changing cruises, being offered a deal to change cruises, or not knowing your cabin # until sailing time?

[lord of the seas]

If WHAT happened to you? :confused:

 

Changing cruises, being offered a deal to change cruises, or not knowing your cabin # until sailing time?

 

They used to be indicisive, now their not so sure.:rolleyes:

[potterhill]

We have a guarantee on our Istanbul-Athens in Nov 2011 and I am not concerned in the least. I will be on the dock ready to go whether I have a cabin assigned or not!

 

Mo

[katz]

All of the above. I like to know every little detail before I leave home. Not knowing my cabin number means (to me) that I don't have a cabin. I have probably waited at least six months already and don't want to wait any longer---to be booked on another cruise. Plus I don't want my money back or credited to another cruise. I want to go right now!!!

[JimandStan]

All of the above.

 

Then you're simply not the type who could ever book a guarantee.

Some people enjoy the thrill of the gamble of it all.

If you're not one of those people, then book an assigned cabin and get exactly what you paid for.

 

But please don't condemn the cruise line for abiding by those rules when it comes to others who have chosen to take that risk.

 

Some people are very happy to be offered a buy out, because their time is their own and it cuts down on the bottom line when they do sail.

[gr'aunt]

hmmm, sounds like someone didn't get any chocolate eggs in their basket this morning:mad:

[Friscorays]

My last Oceania cruise (a Holiday cruise) was overbooked and everyone ended up happy.

 

Oceania keeps increasing the attractiveness to book a different cruise until it becomes a deal too good to pass up for those that decide to accept the offer.

 

For us, we booked an inside F. The cruise was overbooked in inside categories so I was eventually upgraded to an ocean view room for a good rate. As it turns out there was an additional upgrade offer that I did not see which arrived a few days before sailing (I was spending some time with my parents and did not have internet access). We could have got into a concierge room for a ridiculously small amount, something like $100 per person. Maybe next time.....

 

Anyway, it is really not a big deal at all to be on an overbooked Oceania cruise (IMHO) as they will make sure to keep their customers content.

[Mparis184]

We are on the Maiden Voyage of the Marina and did not get a cabin number. There are only 20 outside cabins on the ship - I hope one of them will be ours! LOL. I did not take "O" air and have already paid for our tickets . I hope I won't have to sleep on a lounge chair near the pool. What do you think?

 

Marion

[JimandStan]

What do you think?

 

I think that if you have a booking #, you are good to go. :D

 

Speaking of that booking #, try using it to sign onto the Oceania website (they way that you do to fill in your passenger information).

 

I'd be suprised if you haven't already been assigned to a stateroom, even if you have not been notified yet.

[Mparis184]

Thanks Jim & Stan,

 

I checked the web site - No cabin number yet ...........it says "Get on line for the Library" LOL. I hope their couches are comfortable!

 

Marion

[YoHoHo]

Thanks Jim & Stan,

 

I checked the web site - No cabin number yet ...........it says "Get on line for the Library" LOL. I hope their couches are comfortable!

 

Marion

We called dibs on the Library, Marion but I am sure there will be room to share :) At least I hope - does seem like a few GTYs have been sold. I hope their stats on overbooking apply with this being the Maiden Voyage.

We know of pax who accepted good incentives to change ships to free up space on the one they had originally booked. I wonder if it will take a bigger carrot to induce giving up this voyage. I'm sure the number of GTYs they sold are within O's expectations of those who cancel for various reasons. No value to anyone to overbook the overbookings.

 

I somewhat like the mystery. That is based on the assumption that we will indeed get a cabin assigned and not be left standing at the pier, bag and cap in hand, sadly waving farewell.

 

On our previous O cruise we had a GTY because of late booking to travel with friends. We did not get assigned a cabin until after a few last minute emails to our TA before catching our early depature flight. Worked out well in the end. The only real difference was the not knowing and that we had to write in our cabin # on the luggage tags. Took little effort on our part. All we had to do was be patient but I am sure the booking folks at O were busy. Once again I am optomistic (sound of knocking on wood can be faintly heard.)

 

Hope you get your assignment early especially being as you have your air fare committed.

-Mark

[Mparis184]

Mark

 

I think there will be room in the Library for at least the 4 of us. I first thought their lounge chairs near the pool would be a good place to crash but your idea was a lot better. It might be too cold in January to sleep by the pool, the Library sounds more welcoming.

 

If I were traveling with "O" air it wouldn't make any difference, I really don't care about cabin location, they are all mid-ship anyway. We travel extremely light, even heading to Europe. We each bring a small back pack and carry-on, that's it. We keep our luggage when we get on the ship and personally drop it off at the cabin as soon as we can. This way our luggage arrives on the same plane with us and gets to our cabin early. As you can tell, we have had missing luggage problems before - never again!

 

If all the outside and veranda cabins are booked I guess a suite will just have to do! LOL

 

Marion

[Jancruz]

I think that if you have a booking #, you are good to go. :D

 

Speaking of that booking #, try using it to sign onto the Oceania website (they way that you do to fill in your passenger information).

 

I'd be suprised if you haven't already been assigned to a stateroom, even if you have not been notified yet.

 

I hate to be the spoiler but just because you have a booking number does not mean you are good to go..you can have a booking number and be on the wait list..you must have a Guarantee cabin even without a cabin nassignment and then you are guaranteed to go!

Jancruz1

[wripro]

Jan,

 

I was about to post the same thing. I'd have the TA clear it up.

[JimandStan]

...just because you have a booking number does not mean you are good to go

 

I'd have to disagree with you there, Jan.

 

If Mparis booked a guarantee, and they don't OPT to give up the space that they were promised, then Oceania will have to keep upping the ante until something in the category that they booked or something better, becomes available. At least, that is the way that I understand it.

 

If that is not the agreement, then why would ANYONE ever book a guarantee?

[Mparis184]

I usually select a specific cabin and get the cabin number when I book . All O inside and outside cabins booked immediately. I had an O rep and another TA trying to get me a cabin - both didn't have any luck - thus the guarantee booking.

 

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

 

Marion

[JimandStan]

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

 

 

This is an interesting situation, because I'm of two minds regarding that maiden voyage.

 

Firstly, I think that Oceania deserves Kudos for keeping the Marinas' pricing in line with the rest of the fleet, and for not jacking up the prices on the maiden voyage.

 

That said, right from the first day, demand for the Marina was huge, and I think that Oceania was initially taken aback, and perhaps slightly unprepared for her success (especially in this economy!).

 

It's probably a bit of a worry to be slightly overbooked on what might be considered Oceania's most sought after sailing, but it's still infinitely preferable to the ship sailing half full (and some were predicting that because of the so called "economic Tsunami").

[Mparis184]

Yes you are right. The response was overwhelming and I don't think it was expected. Maiden Voyages are always in demand - but nothing like this one. Good for O. I can't wait to sail on the Marina but we still have 9 months to go. It's like waiting for the birth of a child.

 

Marion

[LHT28]

So back to the OP ....did anyone take the offer to move to another sailing?

 

Lyn