ta says oceania refuse to give cabin no until full payment?

[TERRIER1]

Im curious as to why GTY is offered in the first place?

 

Sometimes it is the only thing left to book.

[pully8]

just an update and thanks for all responses. this has been a steep learning curve but we have gained a lot of knowledge.

 

we both need peace of mind and certainty when purchasing travel products, and like to know we will get what we pay for. we loved the oceania product and were offered a few cabins and made a decision.

we asked for the number to be confirmed again before we made final payment and thats when the ta said no.

 

GTY was never mentioned but we have since read widely and now know how things may pan out.

 

as said we need peace of mind especially since we will be travelling along way to meet the cruise. perhaps there is a way to lock in a cabin number before payment and be sure that it will be as paid but at present for this cruise it is doubtful.

therefore we will not proceed and have advised out ta. we would still like to travel with oceania and will explore our options further.

just need to know we will get what we want. thanks again.

[LHT28]

Sorry to hear that you will not be cruising when you wanted

Maybe look at a new TA before you book another cruise

 

When you pay your deposit you should be able to choose a specific cabin number from those available

Not sure what happened with your TA or their refusal to obtain a cabin

Maybe some other Australians will comment on how they book with Oceania

[pully8]

Sorry to hear that you will not be cruising when you wanted

Maybe look at a new TA before you book another cruise

 

When you pay your deposit you should be able to choose a specific cabin number from those available

Not sure what happened with your TA or their refusal to obtain a cabin

Maybe some other Australians will comment on how they book with Oceania

yes thanks for that. we are disappointed too but peace of mind is paramount. we will seek another solution and armed with this experience will get a more satisfactory outcome.

 

we like to be comfortable and oceania looks a good product for us and our needs. do many book direct? we will look at a different agent, one we can work with and have confidence in. it has worked in the past.

thanks again. will look in on the thread for general info.

[tvmovielover]

To the OP, we have booked 2 cruises (for 2014) directly with Oceania and yes if you time it right (ie do not get a GTY or waitlisted), you will know your cabin number at the time of booking. We then had the reservation sent to our TA who does not deal in cruises but who gets us some other discounts. Because we are cheap and do not book deluxe cabins (we sleep in our cabins and enjoy the rest of the ship and ports the rest of the day), we found that we needed to book when booking opens on a particular Oceania cruise to be sure to get what we wanted (inside). For example, summer 2014 Oceania cruises began booking on Feb 13 at 8:30 est. We got the last lowest category inside cabin by about 8:35 and now there is a waitlist.

 

OTOH, we started to consider Oceania at this time last year when I got a brochure from my college for the Tahitian Breeze cruise. We did not book through the college (should have!) but went directly to Oceania and were waitlisted. We got offered first an upsell in the fall and then something in our original category. Be aware that if you are waitlisted, you still can get a reduced price but it will be a few hundred dollars more than when you booked (you have to pay a deposit if waitlisted but it is refunded if you do not go). By then we had booked a long trip in Dec and did not want to do a major trip again in Jan. So now we will be doing 2 Oceania trips next year at the price and in the cabins we wanted. I love reading what we can look forward to here and hope you find a way to book what you want too.

 

In case any of you loyal Oceania cruisers are still reading this, I have a question: So you cannot book a GTY by the sounds of it, you have to be offered one and some cruises might fill up to fast for that to happen at all?

[surfyachtie]

tvmovielover in answer to your question re booking GTY

When we booked for our cruise the only option we were given was a GTY for an A4 category.im assuming that this may have been because this particular cruise was already heavily booked but could be mistaken

[sitraveler]

Correct, a GTY is only offered/available once the category is booked.

After GTY, a waitlist is also offered once the GTY is fully booked.

[LHT28]

In case any of you loyal Oceania cruisers are still reading this, I have a question: So you cannot book a GTY by the sounds of it, you have to be offered one and some cruises might fill up to fast for that to happen at all?

If you look at some of the cruise for 2014 you will see them booked up

Regular O cruisers book up to 18 mths in advance

some cruises may still have space after final pyment but the more interesting itineraries sell out early ;)

 

Book early

 

Lyn

[Mura]

We have typically booked about a year in advance, but our two upcoming cruises in 2013 and 2014 were booked a year and a half in advance. And on at least one of those, that far out our choices were somewhat limited. We were looking for PH or OC and had to go to VS. (Well, we didn't HAVE to.)

 

At any rate, on that 2014 TA several cabin categories (not just the top ones) were already waitlisted.

 

Mura

[tvmovielover]

I just wondered about the GTY, now I got it. The reason we changed from waitlisted 2013 cruises (2) to 2014 was because rates and cabin choices were better if not waitlisted on a popular itinerary so I hear what you all are saying and agree even though it seems long until we go on our cruises. Our summer cruise in particular is popular enough (Baltic) that I am not sure we would have been offered a cabin in the category we wanted at all or how much higher we would have had to go so all of us newbies need to keep that in mind when booking.

[pully8]

can understand booking 18 mth ahead to get choice of cabin. how fair ahead is full payment required to secure the cabin?

 

when cabins are offered for sale say 6mths out from travel, are these ones where full payment did not occur or due to cancellations?

 

when is the last date prior to sailing that full payment is required to secure?

 

wonder if it varies globally?

[Mura]

can understand booking 18 mth ahead to get choice of cabin. how fair ahead is full payment required to secure the cabin?

 

when cabins are offered for sale say 6mths out from travel, are these ones where full payment did not occur or due to cancellations?

 

when is the last date prior to sailing that full payment is required to secure?

 

wonder if it varies globally?

 

 

Final payment is not until 90 days before sailing. (Final payment on our 11/20/13 cruise is due on 8/22.) Oceania now withholds $100 of a deposit if cancelled later than 121 days out.

 

If you are wait listed, it helps to make a deposit to make sure you get a room if it becomes available, but you do NOT have to pay in full under any circumstances before the final payment date. Of course, if you want to do so Oceania will not refuse your money.

 

No variance globally ... whatever that means! In other words, it's the same for everybody.

 

YOUR problem seems to be that you are in Australia and the TAs down there have a different deal than North American TAs do. But you technically must use the Australian agent. I've heard of problems with them before but never that you wouldn't be informed of a cabin number if you book a cabin that isn't on a guaranty. Obviously if you have a guaranty or are wait listed they can't tell you what room you will be in. Otherwise, they should know.

 

We (in the U.S.) have booked a guaranty once or twice, and no, we didn't know the cabin number until it became available but we always knew well in advance. Not everyone does ... it depends on how oversold the cruise is.

 

Good luck!

 

Mura

[LHT28]

can understand booking 18 mth ahead to get choice of cabin. how fair ahead is full payment required to secure the cabin?

 

when cabins are offered for sale say 6mths out from travel, are these ones where full payment did not occur or due to cancellations?

 

when is the last date prior to sailing that full payment is required to secure?

 

wonder if it varies globally?

You can check the Terms & Conditions for the final payment dates

Check the back of the brochure

This is for North America but you should have it on the Australian website as well...dates may be different

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/corporate/legal/termsconditions.aspx

 

Also check the cancellation policy with the TA you are dealing with ... know my friend there will lose $500 if they cancel before final payment

 

Ask lots of questions of your TA

 

Lyn

[Barrheadlass]

I booked a 2014 cruise direct with O, and was told final payment is 5 months before sailing.

[LHT28]

I booked a 2014 cruise direct with O, and was told final payment is 5 months before sailing.

new rules

see the link in the previous message

Cruises 14 Nights or less:

 

• 120-91 Days Prior - $100 per person
  
• 90-76 Days Prior - 25% of Fare
  
• 75-61 Days Prior - 50% of Fare
  
• 60-31 Days Prior - 75% of Fare
  
• 30-0 Days Prior - 100% of Fare
  

Cruises 15 Nights or more:

 

• 180-151 Days Prior - $100 per person
  
• 150-121 Days Prior - 25% of Fare
  
• 120-91 Days Prior - 50% of Fare
  
• 90-61 Days Prior - 75% of Fare
  
• 60-0 Days Prior - 100% of Fare
  

[Barrheadlass]

Thanks for the link, Lyn. Our cruise is over 14 days, hence the difference of final payment being earlier.