Rare Caroldoll Posted October 2, 2012 #1 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I noted on another thread that someone is having reservations "held" and since I want three cruises including the Christmas Cruise, I also called Oceania. They read this board, and I want them to know how horribly unfair this is to other guests. I want the Master Suite and there are only three on the Riviera and Marina. If they were to hold all of these prior to the release, I would indeed be out of luck. They wouldn't even tell me the release date. This is not a good way to do business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted October 2, 2012 #2 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I noted on another thread that someone is having reservations "held" and since I want three cruises including the Christmas Cruise, I also called Oceania. They read this board, and I want them to know how horribly unfair this is to other guests. I want the Master Suite and there are only three on the Riviera and Marina. If they were to hold all of these prior to the release, I would indeed be out of luck. They wouldn't even tell me the release date. This is not a good way to do business. Sounds like you need to talk (and/or form a relationship with) one of those Oceania Cruise Planners like that Poster on the other thread did. I can guarantee that you won't find the process quite so unfair if YOU are the one that they are holding the room for....:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 2, 2012 #3 Share Posted October 2, 2012 It is unfair to anyone to be able to jump the queue When the itineraries are announced to the TA's they will take your requests & try to get the cabin you want but it is first to book & that is how it should be . If they are going to start taking bookings long before the opening day for "special" people ...very unfair to those of us who play by the rules If you are one of the queue jumpers very rude to announce it here in the first place JMO Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Easy Posted October 2, 2012 #4 Share Posted October 2, 2012 If you are one of the queue jumpers very rude to announce it here in the first place JMO Lyn Agree - maybe the "queue jumper" announces here because he/she is unable to obtain recognition elsewhere in their life - JMO - Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Ellen Posted October 2, 2012 #5 Share Posted October 2, 2012 If you are one of the queue jumpers very rude to announce it here in the first place LOL. You aren't alone in your opinion. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted October 3, 2012 #6 Share Posted October 3, 2012 money talks and BS walks. Some persons have long histories of booking serious cruises ever year. It is pure business practice to give these persons an advantage.:rolleyes: If it were your business, you would think more kindly on the customer that every year spent 100K with you for the past 5 years, than a zelot on his second cruise. Would:( you not? Heat rises; Water runs downhill: There is no free lunch.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love.II.Cruise Posted October 3, 2012 #7 Share Posted October 3, 2012 money talks and BS walks. Some persons have long histories of booking serious cruises ever year. It is pure business practice to give these persons an advantage.:rolleyes:If it were your business, you would think more kindly on the customer that every year spent 100K with you for the past 5 years, than a zelot on his second cruise. Would:( you not? Heat rises; Water runs downhill: There is no free lunch.:cool: I can recall reading threads of different people booking cabins as their retirement... meaning they lived on the ship and only got off during refurbishments. If I was that person I would want the same stateroom - always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Caroldoll Posted October 3, 2012 Author #8 Share Posted October 3, 2012 cruises for the Owners Suite, I feel that they should at least "take my name down". Crystal does this in advance (although they publish their itineraries so far ahead now it isn't necessary) and if I had not been able to get a "hold", I would have never had the CP which there were only 2 of! Some categories are limited and if you don't care about the price and are willing and a past cruiser, I don't see the problem. It is just that they should be willing to give the same info to all. For now I will have to get up at 4:30 in the AM PST to try to book the three or four cruises I want with limited availability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 3, 2012 #9 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Sorry I disagree maybe there are others that spend 100K every year so what then Maybe they are contacted ahead of time also ...who knows I think everyone should be equal when it comes to booking day You obviously do not That is my opinion ...you do not have to agree with it Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted October 3, 2012 #10 Share Posted October 3, 2012 For now I will have to get up at 4:30 in the AM PST to try to book the three or four cruises I want with limited availability. Also on the west coast I feel your pain with the Centre of the Universe time. I'd have my TA do book it. They get to work even earlier than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted October 3, 2012 #11 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Sorry I disagreemaybe there are others that spend 100K every year so what then Maybe they are contacted ahead of time also ...who knows I think everyone should be equal when it comes to booking day You obviously do not That is my opinion ...you do not have to agree with it Lyn My TA lodged a complaint on my behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 3, 2012 #12 Share Posted October 3, 2012 If it were your business, you would think more kindly on the customer that every year spent 100K with you for the past 5 years, than a zelot on his second cruise. Would:( you not? What if the zealot ( as you so put it) will book 5 cruises B2B next time ....why risk losing potential clients for one Well it may lose a few good client but what the heck more will come along ...right!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Easy Posted October 3, 2012 #13 Share Posted October 3, 2012 My TA will transmit a formal complaint to O regarding Hawaiidan's "in-office Oceania agent" that provides him the "locked-in edge" (as he describes it). Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted October 3, 2012 #14 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Good Mine did already -- the more complaints the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted October 3, 2012 #15 Share Posted October 3, 2012 While you are all complaining....you are forgetting one salent fact. Oceaina called me up, and made the proposals. I just agreed to their proposal . This was not an ongoing, continious badgering and positioning game of weekly calls jockeying for position . The cruise in question, I had tried over the past years tried to book but was thwarted time again If you consider a que forming, maybe you might want to consider that I have been in the same line for this cruise for 2 years! Maybe Oceania recognized this. Did you ever think of that? I posted so that others could be aware that the cruises were being marketed and set for release very soon. I fail to see how thats a bad thing to say? My intent was to give others notice to assist their planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted October 3, 2012 #16 Share Posted October 3, 2012 If they continue to hold certain suites for certain people the should remove said suites from all brochures and marketing so people are not bamboozled into thinking they have a shot at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyQuinn Posted October 3, 2012 #17 Share Posted October 3, 2012 money talks and BS walks. .. If it were your business, you would think more kindly on the customer that every year spent 100K with you for the past 5 years, than a zelot on his second cruise. .. Hawaiidan - just wondering if you're the customer who spent $100k per year with Oceania for the past 5 years or are you the zealot (no SIC) on his second cruise? Or have you even set foot on an Oceania ship yet? In reading your posts here and on the HAL forum, I somehow got the distinct impression that you discovered Oceania recently and are booked on your very first cruise with them later this year. But I may have missed something, so just sayin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dundeene Posted October 3, 2012 #18 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I do not list my past cruises in my signature, but this cruiser did. It certainly appears he has been a strong customer for Regent and Oceania based on this list from his signature. . . . Regent ..Seven Sea South Pacific 29 day Regent.. Seven Sea Australia/NZ 16 day Regent.. seven Sea Circle Pacific 36 day Regent.. Seven Sea Hawaii Tahiti 28 day Oceania..Central America 10 day Oceania..Lima to London..36 days Oceania..Tahiti to London..54 days I understand every company's right to market their product as they wish. If high value cruisers may get extra perk whether before or after the sailing, Oceania has the right to offer such perks. I do not believe the original post was done in a mean-spirited way, but rather in the excitement of a long awaited travel plan eventually fulfilled. And the desire to pass on information to others who may benefit from the opportunity to reserve early. I think it best to discuss the issue rather than the specific individual. If Oceania does indeed offer a hold on suites on unreleased itineraries before they are open to agents or the public, this could be disclosed easily. It may just be an over-zealous cruise-rep trying both to make a frequent customer happy and a large commission . I do not believe we have enough information to determine that this is a company approved policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted October 3, 2012 #19 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I do not list my past cruises in my signature, but this cruiser did.It certainly appears he has been a strong customer for Regent and Oceania based on this list from his signature. . . . Regent ..Seven Sea South Pacific 29 day Regent.. Seven Sea Australia/NZ 16 day Regent.. seven Sea Circle Pacific 36 day Regent.. Seven Sea Hawaii Tahiti 28 day Oceania..Central America 10 day Oceania..Lima to London..36 days Oceania..Tahiti to London..54 days I understand every company's right to market their product as they wish. If high value cruisers may get extra perk whether before or after the sailing, Oceania has the right to offer such perks. I do not believe the original post was done in a mean-spirited way, but rather in the excitement of a long awaited travel plan eventually fulfilled. And the desire to pass on information to others who may benefit from the opportunity to reserve early. I think it best to discuss the issue rather than the specific individual. If Oceania does indeed offer a hold on suites on unreleased itineraries before they are open to agents or the public, this could be disclosed easily. It may just be an over-zealous cruise-rep trying both to make a frequent customer happy and a large commission . I do not believe we have enough information to determine that this is a company approved policy. LOL The Tahiti to London is the one he claims he is booking for 2014. Not sure you can "trust" his signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 3, 2012 #20 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Hawaiidan - just wondering if you're the customer who spent $100k per year with Oceania for the past 5 years or are you the zealot (no SIC) on his second cruise? Or have you even set foot on an Oceania ship yet? In reading your posts here and on the HAL forum, I somehow got the distinct impression that you discovered Oceania recently and are booked on your very first cruise with them later this year. But I may have missed something, so just sayin'... Does make you wonder:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
writer100 Posted October 3, 2012 #21 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I can recall reading threads of different people booking cabins as their retirement... meaning they lived on the ship and only got off during refurbishments. If I was that person I would want the same stateroom - always. Sir, it can be economically appropriate to "retire to sea." More as a joke, I recently asked our cpa if indeed it would be cheaper to sail more or less continuously--say, with a month on land each year. He used Seabourn as a cost platform, using a veranda suite and assuming a discount of varying percentages. The further assumption is that the "sailor" doesn't need the full services of assisted living. Guess what? In New York it might be cheaper to set sail, given the sky-high costs of retirement communities in the metro area. But the numbers don't work if you live in an area where retirement costs are lower. The land-based retirement is of the type in which you live in a semi-detached town house, with all services taken care of, including meals in the community dining room. Even if the numbers do work, there's a terrible sense of loneliness about people--and especially one person--whose human ties are so irrelevant that they can spend eleven months at sea year after year. Eventually even trivia must lose its appeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kkamlani Posted October 4, 2012 #22 Share Posted October 4, 2012 It is unfair to anyone to be able to jump the queueWhen the itineraries are announced to the TA's they will take your requests & try to get the cabin you want but it is first to book & that is how it should be . If they are going to start taking bookings long before the opening day for "special" people ...very unfair to those of us who play by the rules If you are one of the queue jumpers very rude to announce it here in the first place JMO Lyn After watching the back and forth on this thread it appears that it may be helpful to take the mystery out of how we launch a season. At this point our Winter 13/14 itineraries are with our travel agent partners. Due to the high demand for our itineraries we encourage travel agents and guests to provide us, in advance of opening day (Wednesday, October 10th, 830am), the sailing and cabin category of their choice. Although we take this information in advance to keep telephone hold times down on opening day, we do not make any bookings before opening day and therefore we do not guarantee specific state-rooms. We do not give preference to guests based on any factor including how much they have sailed with us in the past. On October 10th at 830am we will take bookings over the phone, Internet as well as from the advanced list. I hope the transparency into our Season Launch is helpful. Thank you for choosing to explore the world with the Oceania Cruises family. Kunal S. Kamlani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted October 4, 2012 #23 Share Posted October 4, 2012 After watching the back and forth on this thread it appears that it may be helpful to take the mystery out of how we launch a season. At this point our Winter 13/14 itineraries are with our travel agent partners. Due to the high demand for our itineraries we encourage travel agents and guests to provide us, in advance of opening day (Wednesday, October 10th, 830am), the sailing and cabin category of their choice. Although we take this information in advance to keep telephone hold times down on opening day, we do not make any bookings before opening day and therefore we do not guarantee specific state-rooms. We do not give preference to guests based on any factor including how much they have sailed with us in the past. On October 10th at 830am we will take bookings over the phone, Internet as well as from the advanced list. I hope the transparency into our Season Launch is helpful.Thank you for choosing to explore the world with the Oceania Cruises family. Kunal S. Kamlani Thank you Kunal for clearing this up ..I am sure we all appreciate it!! Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 4, 2012 #24 Share Posted October 4, 2012 After watching the back and forth on this thread it appears that it may be helpful to take the mystery out of how we launch a season. At this point our Winter 13/14 itineraries are with our travel agent partners. Due to the high demand for our itineraries we encourage travel agents and guests to provide us, in advance of opening day (Wednesday, October 10th, 830am), the sailing and cabin category of their choice. Although we take this information in advance to keep telephone hold times down on opening day, we do not make any bookings before opening day and therefore we do not guarantee specific state-rooms. We do not give preference to guests based on any factor including how much they have sailed with us in the past. On October 10th at 830am we will take bookings over the phone, Internet as well as from the advanced list. I hope the transparency into our Season Launch is helpful.Thank you for choosing to explore the world with the Oceania Cruises family. Kunal S. Kamlani Since you chose to quote my post I will respond That is how we have done it in the past with our TA Sometimes you get the cabin you want & sometimes you do not So the mystery is why a certain poster has stated in another thread and they put a lock on my desired cabin for me. So I am missing something here or are they misinformed :confused: Curious minds what to know Lyn P.S. Congratulations on your new Appointment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg 3 Posted October 4, 2012 #25 Share Posted October 4, 2012 we encourage travel agents and guests to provide us, in advance of opening day (Wednesday, October 10th, 830am), the sailing and cabin category of their choice. Just how does one do this? I called your reservations people and was told they have no information about next season, and won't have until the 10th. Is there a specific number you call to get your reservation preferences on the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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