Wait Listing for an Interior

[VirtualRain]

My GF and I want to do a Tahiti cruise but are budget constrained. There are two 11day O cruises next Jan and with the current promo pricing we can afford the interior rate but not the Balcony cabins. The problem is that the interiors are wait listed.

 

An O rep said we could book a balcony, pay our $750 deposit and wait list on the cheaper cabins with the current promo locked in. If the wait list doesn't clear, we could withdraw our deposit without penalty before the final payment deadline (90days prior to sailing).

 

It seems like a no risk way to go, but, I want to go into it fully informed with accurate expectations.

 

Does this information sound accurate? Is there anything I should know? Will they actually give us any consideration for downgrading given we've booked a balcony? Of course from our perspective it's strictly interior or bust, but will they look at it that way?

 

I'm told there are 9 waiting on a F inside cabin. This doesn't sound like many but there only appear to be 14 such cabins total on the Marina.

 

Can anyone comment on the chances of clearing the wait list?

 

Logistically I'm concerned this is a waste of time... I mean the wait list may not clear until the planners do a bunch of juggling after the final payment cutoff date, yet I will need to pull my deposit and bail by the cutoff if the list doesn't clear... Creating a bit of a no-win situation.

 

Any advice or comments?

[Mura]

I've never been in your situation, but I don't see why they would NOT do this. (Usually if we can't book the cabin we want we are booking a lower one, hoping for an upgrade.)

 

If you are already booked and want a lower level cabin, I would THINK that you are first in line for the downgrade. Here is where an efficient TA can be of the most help. Your TA can be checking the status of available cabins every day where it really isn't practical for you to do so on your own.

 

There ARE a number of people ahead of you, but come pay-up day there can be a lot of cancellations. In your place I would put up the deposit and wait and see. If your desired cabin doesn't come up, you can cancel. If it does, you're in like Flynn. And you never know ... they might upgrade you.

 

Good luck!

 

Mura

[LHT28]

I would book the lowest Cat available & waitlist for the Cat F & G insides

 

If you do not clear the W/L by final payment well just cancel

It will be disappointing... but if you do clear the list you have a great cruise to look forward to

There is many months before final payment & things happen ..people cancel or upgrade

 

I would take a chance but that is just me

 

Lyn

[TropiCAL2008]

I did this in May last year for the December 2011 cruise on Marina in the Caribbean. They dropped us further on the wait list because we made a change (booked the balcony) so be cautious as it could impact your status. The inside rooms are few and we never got an offer on either of the inside room categories (in fact one never changed and I was hopeful it would) - they said it would not be at the special rate closer to cruise time and be current price at the 90 day time frame. We did pay the balcony rate and enjoyed the cruise - beautiful ship and I had lobster 1-2 times a day (lunch and dinner).

[dorisis]

Been there...Done that!

We were 3rd on the list right after bookings opened and didn't make the cut. SOOO disapointing. O's inside and oceanview cabins are always the 1st to be booked.They have so few cabins without balconies. There is always a very large price difference between inside, oceanview and all the other cabins.I would love to do more Oceania cruises, but that difference can be a deal breaker.

 

But good luck to you. if you can't do oceania try one of the mid-market lines like Princess or Celebrity. They may suit you better anyway. Oceania has an older clientele.

[cutiepie43]

We are in the same position as you, we are currently booked on the 1/17/13 cruise. We have an Oceanview guarantee and are waitlisted for both inside categories. After looking at the added space we are pretty sure we will stick with the oceanview and turn down the inside if it becomes available. Plus I'm secretly hoping that b/c there are only 20 oceanviews and we are just a gty maybe we'll be bumped up to a balcony. Fingers crossed.

[Jancruz]

My GF and I want to do a Tahiti cruise but are budget constrained. There are two 11day O cruises next Jan and with the current promo pricing we can afford the interior rate but not the Balcony cabins. The problem is that the interiors are wait listed.

 

An O rep said we could book a balcony, pay our $750 deposit and wait list on the cheaper cabins with the current promo locked in. If the wait list doesn't clear, we could withdraw our deposit without penalty before the final payment deadline (90days prior to sailing).

 

It seems like a no risk way to go, but, I want to go into it fully informed with accurate expectations.

 

Does this information sound accurate? Is there anything I should know? Will they actually give us any consideration for downgrading given we've booked a balcony? Of course from our perspective it's strictly interior or bust, but will they look at it that way?

 

I'm told there are 9 waiting on a F inside cabin. This doesn't sound like many but there only appear to be 14 such cabins total on the Marina.

 

Can anyone comment on the chances of clearing the wait list?

 

Logistically I'm concerned this is a waste of time... I mean the wait list may not clear until the planners do a bunch of juggling after the final payment cutoff date, yet I will need to pull my deposit and bail by the cutoff if the list doesn't clear... Creating a bit of a no-win situation.

 

Any advice or comments?

 

Do not book a balcony, just book an inside on a wait list and put down your deposit..

no reason to book a cabin you dont want!!

Jancruz1

[LHT28]

Plus I'm secretly hoping that b/c there are only 20 oceanviews and we are just a gty maybe we'll be bumped up to a balcony. Fingers crossed.

It does not usually work that way on O they will usually offer those in the cabins an upsell so those on GTY will get the cabin they have deposited for

[VirtualRain]

Thanks for the advice everyone. While I normally book my own travel, I've got a TA involved that a friend has recommended on this one. I think it will be helpful in this case.

 

Do not book a balcony, just book an inside on a wait list and put down your deposit..

no reason to book a cabin you dont want!!

Jancruz1

 

I can do that, but then apparently you are not guaranteed the promotional price that is available when you book, you only get the price as of when the list clears.

 

I've been told that if I actually book a higher level cabin, I am locking in the promo and will get the promo pricing on the interior cabin as well should the list clear.

 

However, all of this is just my understanding, I don't know if this is fact. If someone has been through this and kept the promo pricing from the time of deposit in tact after the list clears, I'd like to hear about it.

 

Sidebar:

 

I suspect this is all clever marketing on the part of Oceania... I recall when this cruise was first offered, the interior cabins started around $5K... now that they are wait listed, they've offered a promotion that makes them look much more attractive at $3K but the fact is the least expensive room is still around $5K. Hence, they always are selling rooms for at least $5K but make it look more attractive by showing what it might have cost for a lower class room if they were available. The fact is, no one probably ever gets a cabin on board this cruise for less than $5K so I should stop wasting my time.