Save $$ booking on ship vs. Brouchures?

[Baybear]

Like most of you, probably, I got a colorful brochure last week on Oceania's 2105 Mediterranean cruises. They are the "usual" 1/2 off minus another $1000 (who in the history of the World has ever paid full price!?!?) including air fare, but these "offers" expire 12/31/14. We are on a Riviera cruise Feb 3, 2015 and I'm wondering if I wait until then, will I get a better (possibly?) deal on-board... OR... will I never get the brochure-deal ready to expire in a month if I don't take advantage of it now?

 

I don't expect any soothsayers' responses here... Just any of you who have had experience yourselves with this and can tell me what you found was any... if any... difference in cruise costs when booking on the ship for a future cruise compared to the normally offered mail-deals or TA deals.

 

TIA

[marilynfaye]

I'd book now and then when you are on Riviera, speak with the On Board representative. If he/she can offer you a better price and IF there is still availability in your cabin classification, I believe your invoice can be repriced. If your cabin classification is sold out (for example, if you booked an Owner's Suite) then that option will not be available to you.

[orchestrapal]

Like most of you, probably, I got a colorful brochure last week on Oceania's 2105 Mediterranean cruises. They are the "usual" 1/2 off minus another $1000 (who in the history of the World has ever paid full price!?!?) including air fare, but these "offers" expire 12/31/14. We are on a Riviera cruise Feb 3, 2015 and I'm wondering if I wait until then, will I get a better (possibly?) deal on-board... OR... will I never get the brochure-deal ready to expire in a month if I don't take advantage of it now?

TIA

 

The deals on the ship are not what they were at one time.

Book the cabin you want and get the " good deal" and maybe if your cabin type is still available you'll get a few hundred more discount.

[Baybear]

OK thanks for the tips. I never thought of booking "twice" for the same cruise.

[LHT28]

OK thanks for the tips. I never thought of booking "twice" for the same cruise.

 

Yoiu do not need to book twice

Book now then when you are on your cruise just go & ask the Ambassador if you can get the current deal (if any) it is all done via computer transaction

Just weigh the options

[Baybear]

Yoiu do not need to book twice

Book now then when you are on your cruise just go & ask the Ambassador if you can get the current deal (if any) it is all done via computer transaction

Just weigh the options

 

I know that... That's why I put "twice" in quotes... It was sort of a joke..

 

Heh Heh...

Edited December 1, 2014 by Baybear

[LHT28]

I know that... That's why I put "twice" in quotes... It was sort of a joke..

 

Heh Heh...

 

Glad you were joking :D

After reading some of the other strange questions on here it is hard to tell sometimes without a :D ;)

 

Lyn

Edited December 1, 2014 by LHT28

[Baybear]

Well, I can't even book ONCE! Turns out I wanted the 27 Sep 2015 Greek Island cruise and they are completely sold out except for the penthouse suite (only 3 people allowed in it), so that puts the kibosh on that one... Apparently Oceania only does one Greek Isles cruise per year... Other cruises "touch" on Grecian places, but this one is almost totally Greece. I was quite surprised I couldn't reserve anything on this cruise 10 months in advance!

 

And yes... I've gone on a priority wait list, paying them big bucks to hold my money for almost a year on the off-chance something opens up.

 

But thanks for your good ideas.

[StanandJim]

Well, I can't even book ONCE! Turns out I wanted the 27 Sep 2015 Greek Island cruise and they are completely sold out except for the penthouse suite (only 3 people allowed in it), so that puts the kibosh on that one... Apparently Oceania only does one Greek Isles cruise per year... Other cruises "touch" on Grecian places, but this one is almost totally Greece. I was quite surprised I couldn't reserve anything on this cruise 10 months in advance!

 

And yes... I've gone on a priority wait list, paying them big bucks to hold my money for almost a year on the off-chance something opens up.

 

But thanks for your good ideas.

 

This is a unique and interesting itinerary, which stops in some rarely visited ports.

That said, if you intend to do any kind of future cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean, you will probably find yourself unable to avoid visiting Crete, Rhodes, Ephesus, Santorini and Mykonos, multiple, multiple times.

 

In short, the idea of confining the Cruise to Greek waters is more intriguing than practical. Unless you have some as yet unmentioned affinity for the Aegean Sea, I'd be tempted to change to something less Greek-centric, as I warn you now that you will otherwise wind up regretting targeting so many overwhelmingly popular destinations, so early in your cruising career.

[LHT28]

How about the Sept 7th cruise

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/easternmediterranean/rva150907/default.aspx

Edited December 2, 2014 by LHT28

[Baybear]

How about the Sept 7th cruise

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/easternmediterranean/rva150907/default.aspx

 

Actually that's a very perceptive and good idea... it's much the same itinerary. But..

 

1) We are a bit cost conscious and that cruise costs $8600 whereas the Sep 27th cruise costs $6000.. Of course one is 10 days and the other is 8 days. But for some reason, the per-day cost of the Sep 7th cruise is $860/day and the cost of the Sep 27th cruise is $750/day...?? Can't be the airfare since both embarkations are Istanbul. So I don't know why the 7th is so much more $$$/day than the 27th. Maybe weather can be worse later in September so it's less desirable... Although the 27th is sold out so it seems to me they could have commanded a higher fare for the 27th cruise (Not that I want them to charge more!).

 

2) We're traveling with someone who really doesn't like "sea days" and there are NO sea-days on the Sep 27th cruise, which is quite unusual but desirable to this particular group. But "only one" sea day on the 7th cruise may be OK with him.

 

So... we just may consider signing up for the 7th, and keep on the wait list for the 27th... And canceling the 7th if the 27th comes up before the cancellation deadline with full refund for the cruise on the 7th. That way we'd at least be guaranteed to get on a Greek cruise the Fall of 2015.

 

You people are like having a travel agent! If mine were better, they might have suggested the same thing...

Edited December 3, 2014 by Baybear

[LHT28]

Actually that's a very perceptive and good idea... it's much the same itinerary. But..

 

 

Just an option to consider

 

Sometime you need a sea day to recover from all the ports :D

 

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

 

Lyn

[orchestrapal]

Just an option to consider

 

Sometime you need a sea day to recover from all the ports :D

 

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

 

Lyn

 

On the other hand many of the so so ports make very peasant, empty ship, sea days.:D

[Stickman505]

Definitely talk to the cruise ambassador. Here's how it recently worked for us. We had booked two O cruises through our travel agent. On the second cruise we had picked a specific Oceania Suite and had placed the required deposit. While on the first cruise, I kept hearing the announcements about talking to the ambassador about future cruises and possible discounts. I walked by her desk one day and she was available ( which was unusual ) so I sat down and asked if it would be possible to receive a discount on the second cruise that we had already booked ( the second cruise was still over a year away ). She couldn't make that decision herself but stated that she would contact the office and see what could be done. We received a letter that night stating that we were granted $800 off the second cruise. The credit was issued through our travel agent and the whole process was seamless. I'm sure there are many factors that influence such decisions but I think we're proof that a pleasant five minute conversation may very well be worth the effort.

 

 

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