Offer from Oceania to change our cruise

[Mparis184]

Oceania has their work cut out for them with the 1-22-11 Marina sailing. A lot of us have guarantees and are patiently waiting for cabin numbers.

 

Marion

[boblin]

Interesting thread. We, too, rec'd an offer to give up our lowly inside cabin on the Feb. 25 departure of Regatta in the Caribbean and haven't even made our final payment. They have offered a similar length Alaska cruise in May with a 2 cat. upgrade and $1000 OBC. Thing is, we couldn't use up that much OBC!!! Have made flt plans too, so no thanks O.

[dlb237]

Interesting thread. We, too, rec'd an offer to give up our lowly inside cabin on the Feb. 25 departure of Regatta in the Caribbean and haven't even made our final payment. They have offered a similar length Alaska cruise in May with a 2 cat. upgrade and $1000 OBC. Thing is, we couldn't use up that much OBC!!! Have made flt plans too, so no thanks O.

 

$1000/cabin OBC is standard on all 2011 Oceania Alaska cruises booked before the end of this year, so the offer was the Alaska cruise and upgrade - still generous as the Alaska cruises seem to be more expensive than the Caribbean cruises.

 

Here's a copy of Oceania's press release on the Alaska OBC from another site:

 

http://www.cruisereport.com/crNews.aspx?id=1354

[susiesan]

Interesting thread. We, too, rec'd an offer to give up our lowly inside cabin on the Feb. 25 departure of Regatta in the Caribbean and haven't even made our final payment. They have offered a similar length Alaska cruise in May with a 2 cat. upgrade and $1000 OBC. Thing is, we couldn't use up that much OBC!!! Have made flt plans too, so no thanks O.

 

I got this same offer too. Not interested. Don't care for Alaska. I made the final payment last week and am hoping for an upsell call so as to move out of my inside cabin.

[burm]

They have offered a similar length Alaska cruise in May with a 2 cat. upgrade and $1000 OBC. Thing is, we couldn't use up that much OBC!!! Have made flt plans too, so no thanks O.

 

Sadly, it is far easier than one would imagine to use up a $1000 OBC. Last year we had free gratuities and a $700 OBC. As we arrange mostly private excursions, we too wondered what we would use up that amount on.

 

While on the cruise I had to visit the ship's doctor, and guess what the bill came to- $700! Our insurance company later repaid the full amount. :D

 

Aside from medical bills there are gratuities, drinks, excursions (for $1000 we could take that flight to Tikal) and the wonderful ship's stores. You may not NEED that pretty necklace, but if you have to use up that credit, you have to.

[Benita]

Having looked at the excursion prices for Alaska, it would be very easy to use up the $1000 and then some. I just wish Oceania would allow payment for the excursions to be made on your shipboard account- excluding prebooked excursions from the $1000 credit will just ensure a run on the excursion desk upon embarkation. (I still remember the days before prebooking when the same thing happened for specialty restaurant reservations.) Not a great way to begin a cruise. Many cruise lines allow you to book the excursions online, after the final cruise payment has been tendered and bill for it on the shipboard account. There are deadlines for cancellations, just as there are for people who book the excursions after embarkation.

[wripro]

Having to prepay excursions is a big drawback for both Oceania and Regent. What's the point of making a big deal out of offering huge OBCs if you have to struggle to use them or don't have the convenience of adding them to your shipboard account. It's worthy of a mass market line.

[Oceans&Rivers]

Having to prepay excursions is a big drawback for both Oceania and Regent. What's the point of making a big deal out of offering huge OBCs if you have to struggle to use them or don't have the convenience of adding them to your shipboard account. It's worthy of a mass market line.

 

I agree with this, and it is especially troublesome when the itinerary is one that has great ship-sponsored shore excursions, such as Alaska.

[YoHoHo]

Having to prepay excursions is a big drawback for both Oceania and Regent. What's the point of making a big deal out of offering huge OBCs if you have to struggle to use them or don't have the convenience of adding them to your shipboard account. It's worthy of a mass market line.

I saw a post about Seaborn OBC and wondered how these would be used as well. Don't know on Seaborn if these can be used to pre-pay excursions but being as drinks are included not sure what else it could be spent on.

[Paulchili]

I saw a post about Seaborn OBC and wondered how these would be used as well. Don't know on Seaborn if these can be used to pre-pay excursions but being as drinks are included not sure what else it could be spent on.

 

Tours are not included on Seabourn and I am sure one can use the OBC to pay fo them. I am not sure if you have to book onboard to use the credit or you can pre-reserve them online and pay onboard (like with Silversea). Regent is a different story as excursions are included.

Then there is the spa for DW......

We'll find out next year.

[wripro]

On Seabourn you can preselect excursions online. When you board you have the tickets in your suite. You don't pay a dime until you settle your account before disembarkation and any OBC you have can be used toward them. This is way a luxury or deluxe line should handle it.

[Benita]

On Seabourn you can preselect excursions online. When you board you have the tickets in your suite. You don't pay a dime until you settle your account before disembarkation and any OBC you have can be used toward them. This is way a luxury or deluxe line should handle it.

 

Actually, even non-luxury cruise lines handle it that way, as well. On our recent Princess cruise, we prebooked our excursions online and it was paid for on the last day of the cruise, along with purchases made onboard, drinks, gratuities, etc.- all put on the credit card that was registered on embarkation. The onboard credit issued to use by the AMEX Platinum card was applied to that bill automatically. Making life as hassle free is the whole point of a cruise and this insured us the excursions we wanted and the ability to use the credit.

[Mparis184]

Having to prepay excursions is a big drawback for both Oceania and Regent. What's the point of making a big deal out of offering huge OBCs if you have to struggle to use them or don't have the convenience of adding them to your shipboard account. It's worthy of a mass market line.

 

I never knew you had to pre-pay foe the excursions. I always planned private excursions with other Cruise Critic passengers and never had to deal with this. I was surpresed when I had to pre-pay for the culinary classes. Guess that's the way "O" does things. I didn't like having to put that on my charge card just before Xmas. Paying in February would have worked out much better.

 

Marion

[Paulchili]

On Seabourn you can preselect excursions online. When you board you have the tickets in your suite. You don't pay a dime until you settle your account before disembarkation and any OBC you have can be used toward them. This is way a luxury or deluxe line should handle it.

 

 

Thanks wripro - I am sure we'll put our OBC to good use :)

[wripro]

and I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Paul.

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

We just received an offer to upgrade 2 categories for $500 each. We didn't take it.

Guess new offers are beginning again.

[susiesan]

We just received an offer to upgrade 2 categories for $500 each. We didn't take it.

Guess new offers are beginning again.

 

Which cruise is this Virgina Artie? Ship and sailing date, please.

[aohkay]

We just received an offer to upgrade 2 categories for $500 each. We didn't take it.

Guess new offers are beginning again.

 

Sooner or later some lucky person will get the upgrade for free. Hang in there!

[Mparis184]

I wonder if the Marina is starting the offers again for January 22 sailing...

 

I know of 8 couples who are waiting for cabin assignments and I am sure there are a lot more.

 

Marion

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

The cruise is Regatta January 12th, Susie.

[neepawa]

My TA just confirmed that the upgrade offer from our A1 to PH is $500 per person. This is the same offer I declined on November 2nd.

 

Don

[susiesan]

The cruise is Regatta January 12th, Susie.

 

What category are you now and where would they put you for $500? Was it $500 each or for both? Maybe I'll get an offer for my Regatta cruise Feb. 25 a month in advance like you.

[StanandJim]

What category are you now and where would they put you for $500? Was it $500 each or for both? Maybe I'll get an offer for my Regatta cruise Feb. 25 a month in advance like you.

 

 

It really does not matter what anyone else is offered.

 

Even if you learned that Oceania was fishing for your category on your cruise, you may or may not be offered that same upsell.

 

It's best to put your efforts where they will do the most good.

 

Every day when you first wake up, tap your thymus gland three times

while repeating this mantra:

[Mparis184]

StanandJim:

 

Oh, that's what I have been doing wrong all these years. I didn't know the Upgrade Fairy secret until now.

 

I will start working on it immediately.....thanks.... LOL

 

Marion

[susiesan]

It really does not matter what anyone else is offered.

 

Even if you learned that Oceania was fishing for your category on your cruise, you may or may not be offered that same upsell.

 

I'm just curious, that's all. I'm interested in the value of taking the upsell offer versus what the price would have been initially, how much of a savings it is if one is lucky enough to get an upsell offer. I'm curious as to why Virginia Artie did not think it was a good deal.