Oceania to Offer Shuttles in Europe -- Just posted on Facebook

[lalawgirl]

Just saw this in my facebook thread -- sounds like our posts on this board made a difference!

 

Oceania Cruises will offer FREE shuttle service to more than 90 ports worldwide when are ships are docked away from the city center starting in Spring 2011.

 

Link for those on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/OceaniaCruises

[Druke I]

Yes, they did listen (or read about it on Cruise Critic).

 

Actually, it was reported that they would be doing that on one of the threads in this forum - but don't recall which thread.

 

Thanks for posting - I bet many did not see it in the aforementioned thread.

[aohkay]

Hi Jen,

 

See the thread titled, Pillars of Disctinction ll (about 1/2 down the page).

 

Hope all is well!

 

Your Insignia cruis'in pal :)

Lisa

[Rickey 88]

Just saw this in my facebook thread -- sounds like our posts on this board made a difference!

 

Oceania Cruises will offer FREE shuttle service to more than 90 ports worldwide when are ships are docked away from the city center starting in Spring 2011.

 

And regrettably, confusion is already starting to rear up on Facebook. It would seem that some people don't understand the difference between "Shuttle" service and "Transfer" service. They are now questioning about Oceania's "FREE" service to and from the airports!!

[mothaselin]

This was my only problem in Europe on the Insignia. I loved the ship but deplored that you were just dumped in a port and on your own. This is just a lot better. So many cruise lines, lines below Oceania, offer this. Wrote a number of letters and they have listened.

[LHT28]

This was my only problem in Europe on the Insignia. I loved the ship but deplored that you were just dumped in a port and on your own. This is just a lot better. So many cruise lines, lines below Oceania, offer this. Wrote a number of letters and they have listened.

 

Dumped!!!

Wow I never felt dumped of course we do our research & either book private tours or just get a taxi to town

It was a pleasant surprise in Le Havre when the local port/town put on a shuttle we had planned to just take a taxi

It is nice to see that they will have some shuttles in some ports but sometimes the wait to return to the ship is LONG!!!

 

I have never been on cruise where they had free shuttles to town put on by the cruise line but I do not book the luxury lines either

Lyn

[wripro]

Long overdue!

[Benita]

Taxis are fine it they are available, but having just been on a Princess cruise that docked in Boston, we were very happy to have the shuttle from the dock to Quincy Market. It was not free and actually, for the two of us cost more than a taxi but it was worth it. If not, the lines at the dock for taxis would have been unbearably long and try to hail a taxi during rush hour to get back to the ship. If we took a ship's tour, it would have brought us back to the dock, but as the tours ended long before the ship left, we would have missed out on more sightseeing. Count me in as a fan of shuttles, even in combination with ship's tours. It is a win-win situation for the cruise line, too as it brings in extra revenue.

[LHT28]

It is a win-win situation for the cruise line, too as it brings in extra revenue.

 

 

Extra revenue for who or is it whom?

 

The cruise line I guess because now they will increase fares to cover the FREE shuttles

 

Nothing is free ;)

 

Lyn

[travel grammy]

We did the Dover-Monte Carlo cruise that ended last month and there was shuttle service in the ports that were not in walking distance. It is a much appreciated addition to the Oceania experience. Love it!

[Benita]

Extra revenue for who or is it whom?

 

The cruise line I guess because now they will increase fares to cover the FREE shuttles

 

Nothing is free ;)

 

Lyn

 

The shuttles were not free - people who used them paid for them, which IMHO is how it should be. The extra revenue, in the case of my recent Princess cruise, went to cover the cost of the bus use, with the extra going to Princess. As you said, nothing is free and I would prefer to pay if I use something than having it be included in my cruise fare and not using it. That is why we sail Oceania in preference to Regent.

[LHT28]

I would prefer to pay if I use something than having it be included in my cruise fare and not using it. That is why we sail Oceania in preference to Regent.

 

Oceania did have fee based shuttles some were reasonable some (Bruges) were not!

Where we thought they were too much we arranged taxis to town.

a nice inclusion but will wait to see how much the fares increase for all the FREE stuff they are adding :D

 

Lyn

[gillianrose]

We did the Dover-Monte Carlo cruise that ended last month and there was shuttle service in the ports that were not in walking distance. It is a much appreciated addition to the Oceania experience. Love it!

 

I agree. :)

[wripro]

Let's not compare Princess with Oceania. Princess is a mass market line where you pay for everything including sodas, water, and shuttles. Oceania is a deluxe line which charges considerably more and as such should include certain things, especially if it wants to compete with Azamara which now includes gratuities and wine.(And please, no diatribes on how O is better than A.) Free shuttles are an amenity which greatly enhances the experience of a cruise.

[Benita]

This is not a comparison of cruiselines, just pointing out the other lines have found a way to offer shuttles.

[LHT28]

Oceania is a deluxe line which charges considerably more and as such should include certain things, especially if it wants to compete with Azamara which now includes gratuities and wine.(And please, no diatribes on how O is better than A.) Free shuttles are an amenity which greatly enhances the experience of a cruise.

 

Reading some of the reviews for A they are not selling out like O & people are not happy with the food on A ..again

 

I am fine with not having wine included... others may have different needs

[3418ahl]

We just got off the Journey and everyone was EXTREMELY happy with the food. It was my first cruise on Azamara, and we will be taking our first on Oceania in Feb. It should be interesting to compare.

[LHT28]

We just got off the Journey and everyone was EXTREMELY happy with the food. It was my first cruise on Azamara, and we will be taking our first on Oceania in Feb. It should be interesting to compare.

Food is subjective but from the reviews not EVERYONE was EXTREMELY happy ;)

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=410

 

Hope you enjoy your Oceania cruise

[3418ahl]

You are right LHT28, there are always some unhappy campers. It's about the same as the Oceania reviews http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=287

 

I just find it interesting that I read very little on the Azamara board except about Azamara, but some on the Oceania board seems eager to disparage Azamara.

[pacheco18]

What I find interesting is how many VETERAN Azamara cruisers disparage the cruise line and their experience. Most of the disparagement about Azamara on the Azamara boards come from those who were devotees in the beginning and have witnessed what they view as a decline in the product -- criticisms about everything from soaring prices, non refundable deposits, uncomfortable beds, decline in food and portion size, undrinkable "free" wine. I was reading the A boards regularly because I wanted to give A a try as I sometimes sail Celebrity and get some perks. Most interesting was that there were some on the boards who were trying to "quiet" those disparaging posts -- . I like the truth.

 

Veteran O cruisers seem to be more loyal or are just finding no decline in the product. Of course there will be those who do not like the Oceania product. O is not a good fit for everyone.

[LHT28]

You are right LHT28, there are always some unhappy campers. It's about the same as the Oceania reviews http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=287

 

 

I agree

Oceania is not for everyone but you need to at least do some research on the line before you cruise. It is clear from some reviews they did not. ;)

 

You have to choose what suits your needs/wants

 

No cruise line is perfect

Lyn

[wripro]

I think most of the complaints from veteran Azamara cruisers is not so much about decline is service as about the rise in fares. They had become used to the introductory fares and expected them to last forever. Anyway this is not the A board. It's a welcome addition for O to be providing the shuttles.

[tanny18]

You are right LHT28, there are always some unhappy campers. It's about the same as the Oceania reviews http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=287

 

I just find it interesting that I read very little on the Azamara board except about Azamara, but some on the Oceania board seems eager to disparage Azamara.

 

DH and I sailed on the Azamara Quest over the New Year's holidays December 2008 to January 2009 on a very interesting itinerary...SE Asia for 18 days. I'm not going to disparage Azamara, but when we compared the services of the staff, the food and the other amenities (not to mention $10 each person to eat in the speciality restaurants) to Oceania, we were quite disappointed The food in the Main DR was not as good at it should have been. We declined to sail with Azamara again. Since our cruise, I believe things have improved, but not to the point where they can outdo Oceania! And I believe their prices are comparable to that of Oceania's!! Arlene:)