No more free hotel in Europe

[blg]

I've searched the Oceania board and can find no mention of 2012 sailings having a hotel night included with their flight the day before the cruise. Just gone?

[DOJO466]

I've searched the Oceania board and can find no mention of 2012 sailings having a hotel night included with their flight the day before the cruise. Just gone?

 

The "free" hotel stay was part of the Ad campaign that ended on 8/31/11. I don't know if this will be offered again, depends on sales etc. Glad I booked our Rome to Venice on Riviera before the cut off date.

[dougt1957]

You are correct that the "free" hotel offer has expired, however the price has dropped to reflect the change. The price has dropped $250 per person on our A4 cabin. I'm sure they will allow you to fly in a day early and you can use the savings to book your own hotel. $500 should provide a decent hotel.

[Mura]

Many if not most of us didn't think this was such a great deal anyway. You could refuse the hotel and get a $500 credit, and book in the same hotel if you wanted to for a lot less money.

 

Maybe Oceania figured out they were losing money on all the $500 credits. They would make a lot if people opted to take the hotel.

 

I miss Renaissance ... hotel stays included as part of the trip with low, LOW prices. Of course, those low prices are a big reason why they bellied up ...

 

Mura

[JimandStan]

Many if not most of us didn't think this was such a great deal anyway. You could refuse the hotel and get a $500 credit, and book in the same hotel if you wanted to for a lot less money.

 

Maybe Oceania figured out they were losing money on all the $500 credits. They would make a lot if people opted to take the hotel.

 

I miss Renaissance ... hotel stays included as part of the trip with low, LOW prices. Of course, those low prices are a big reason why they bellied up ...

 

Mura

 

Just as with Airline costs, it now may or may not be cheaper to book through Oceania than to do it independently.

Next April, they're putting the Suite Passengers up at the Grand Bretagne, before the Riviera Maiden Voyage, and we could not find anything close to a $500.00 rate.

Ditto the airfare.

[sunchaser1008]

The "free" hotel stay was part of the Ad campaign that ended on 8/31/11. I don't know if this will be offered again, depends on sales etc. Glad I booked our Rome to Venice on Riviera before the cut off date.

Yes, we are glad we booked the Rome to Venice on Riveria also. Have you joined the Roll Call?:)

[Mura]

Just as with Airline costs, it now may or may not be cheaper to book through Oceania than to do it independently.

Next April, they're putting the Suite Passengers up at the Grand Bretagne, before the Riviera Maiden Voyage, and we could not find anything close to a $500.00 rate.

Ditto the airfare.

 

It may be the timing. When I first booked the April 12-24 B2B on Riviera I was checking out the hotels. And I did find better rates, inclluding for the Grand Bretagne.

 

But that was some months ago.

 

Still, I have yet to check out a hotel where the rate is cheaper with the cruiseline. That I have NEVER seen. I'm not saying it's impossible, I just haven't seen it.

 

Mura

[DOJO466]

Yes, we are glad we booked the Rome to Venice on Riveria also. Have you joined the Roll Call?:)

 

We are on the Sep24-Oct4 journey. What one are you on? I started a roll call for ours but so far only three replies. Still early yet.

[Jancruz]

It may be the timing. When I first booked the April 12-24 B2B on Riviera I was checking out the hotels. And I did find better rates, inclluding for the Grand Bretagne.

 

But that was some months ago.

 

Still, I have yet to check out a hotel where the rate is cheaper with the cruiseline. That I have NEVER seen. I'm not saying it's impossible, I just haven't seen it.

 

Mura

 

I agree Mura..there are so many websites and deals on hotels these days..you can almost always find it cheaper on the computer!

Jancruz1

[wripro]

Even at the Grande Bretagne, depending of course, on room category. But I doubt O is putting anyone in a junior suite with an Acropolis view.

 

The real point here is not to fret over the disappearance of the "free" room. It wasn't free to begin with. You were paying for it or they never would have given a $500 credit for not using it.

[Don P]

We also booked this cruise before Oceania dropped the free night pre-cruise hotel. We looked up the hotel on TripAdvisor and found it to be very acceptable. We also went to the hotel website and liked the location. It's a ten minute walk to the Spanish Steps. We've been to Rome several times and this location for the pre-cruise stay is ideal. On the back end of this cruise we're staying a couple more nights in Venice. The ports of call were the driving force behind our booking this cruise. We took the airfare credit of $2,000 for the both of us as we live in Sarasota and will book business class fares with a combination of points and the $2,000 savings. Where are you from?

 

Don and Carole P.

We are on the Sep24-Oct4 journey. What one are you on? I started a roll call for ours but so far only three replies. Still early yet.

[sunchaser1008]

We also booked this cruise before Oceania dropped the free night pre-cruise hotel. We looked up the hotel on TripAdvisor and found it to be very acceptable. We also went to the hotel website and liked the location. It's a ten minute walk to the Spanish Steps. We've been to Rome several times and this location for the pre-cruise stay is ideal. On the back end of this cruise we're staying a couple more nights in Venice. The ports of call were the driving force behind our booking this cruise. We took the airfare credit of $2,000 for the both of us as we live in Sarasota and will book business class fares with a combination of points and the $2,000 savings. Where are you from?

 

Don and Carole P.

 

We are on the June 27-July 7th cruise :( & there is very little action on our roll call as well. We live in Chicago & as this is our first ever cruise we are using the air/hotel package from Oceania to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. Unfortunately the hotel we have in Rome is around 1/2 hour from city center, but offers a free shuttle. Hoping for the best. Have a great cruise Don!

[Don P]

Sunchaser, it seems that activity on roll call boards usually picks up between three and six months from departure. I wouldn't worry about where you're staying in Rome. There are plenty of modes of transportation and so much to see that getting around is a fun experience. Have a good time.

[DOJO466]

We also booked this cruise before Oceania dropped the free night pre-cruise hotel. We looked up the hotel on TripAdvisor and found it to be very acceptable. We also went to the hotel website and liked the location. It's a ten minute walk to the Spanish Steps. We've been to Rome several times and this location for the pre-cruise stay is ideal. On the back end of this cruise we're staying a couple more nights in Venice. The ports of call were the driving force behind our booking this cruise. We took the airfare credit of $2,000 for the both of us as we live in Sarasota and will book business class fares with a combination of points and the $2,000 savings. Where are you from?

 

Don and Carole P.

 

We are from NH...We took the $500 credit and will be staying 10 minutes from Piazza Navona/steps etc. We got two nights for about $380 so the $120 left will be transport from airport to hotel then hotel to Civit. No complaints there. We did take the air this time as so far we cannot find flights any cheaper and we have no ff miles. We will be taking the deviation.

Deb & Jim

[spindrift]

We took O's hotel in Rome this time also, but the driving force for our decision was the long transfer from Rome to Civi. and related cost. We usually book our own hotel. We booked our own hotel in Venice for a couple of nights as well.

[caribbeansun]

I can understand your desire to keep things uncomplicated. However, I would urge you to give a second thought to the hotel and transfer to the port as it's not terribly difficult to arrange on your own.

 

Being so far from the city center in an amazing city like Rome is a shame and does a disservice to a port that deserves an extended stay (should that be possible).

 

Either way I suspect you'll love the city.

 

We are on the June 27-July 7th cruise :( & there is very little action on our roll call as well. We live in Chicago & as this is our first ever cruise we are using the air/hotel package from Oceania to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. Unfortunately the hotel we have in Rome is around 1/2 hour from city center, but offers a free shuttle. Hoping for the best. Have a great cruise Don!

[Rickey 88]

Just as with Airline costs, it now may or may not be cheaper to book through Oceania than to do it independently.

Next April, they're putting the Suite Passengers up at the Grand Bretagne, before the Riviera Maiden Voyage, and we could not find anything close to a $500.00 rate.

Ditto the airfare.

 

There are booking sites, and booking sites and booking sites.....

 

All of them will give you a different rate, but won't tell you what class of room you will get for your money. A direct inquiry with the Grand Bretagne, got a quote of 310 Euros for an upgraded double - or $486.US dollars.

 

Thus the Oceania allowance of $500 is pretty darned close....

[Don P]

Having been to Rome several times we opted for this slightly remote hotel. We're usually pretty tired on arrival date and prefer to adjust to the time change by relaxing around the hotel and going out to dinner late on the first day. As you are probably aware eating after 8:00pm is very common in Italy. We do arrange our own transport from the airport to the hotel. Oceania's rate was a bit on the high side.

 

I can understand your desire to keep things uncomplicated. However, I would urge you to give a second thought to the hotel and transfer to the port as it's not terribly difficult to arrange on your own.

 

Being so far from the city center in an amazing city like Rome is a shame and does a disservice to a port that deserves an extended stay (should that be possible).

 

Either way I suspect you'll love the city.

[Don P]

Should be a great cruise. Certainly the ports of call are great!

 

Don and Carole

 

We are from NH...We took the $500 credit and will be staying 10 minutes from Piazza Navona/steps etc. We got two nights for about $380 so the $120 left will be transport from airport to hotel then hotel to Civit. No complaints there. We did take the air this time as so far we cannot find flights any cheaper and we have no ff miles. We will be taking the deviation.

Deb & Jim

[orchestrapal]

Even at the Grande Bretagne, depending of course, on room category. But I doubt O is putting anyone in a junior suite with an Acropolis view.

 

The real point here is not to fret over the disappearance of the "free" room. It wasn't free to begin with. You were paying for it or they never would have given a $500 credit for not using it.

 

Which means they just increased the fares by $500.....since, as you say, the rooms were never FREE!