Error in Brochure?

[CaptainLarry]

Today I received a brochure from Oceania, and on page 7 they display a comparison chart that equates the cost and "value" of an Oceania Alaska Cruise with one from Celebrity and one from Holland America. The top half of the chart compares amenities, and Oceania looks quite good, and then displays the base price. Oceania is over twice the cost of the other two. But the bottom half of the chart lists the "Cruise Add-Ons", included in the Oceania price but charged extra by the others. There are six add-ons listed. The seventh line is the sum of the six previous lines. But...when adding them up to arrive at the TOTAL per person, they double count the add-ons for the other two companies by adding all seven of the lines to the base price.

 

I will give them the benefit of the doubt that it is an honest mistake. Otherwise it is criminal misrepresentation. But if it is an honest mistake it displays very poor oversight of the advertising side of the business. At the very least, Oceania should find it very embarrassing.

[I&J Cruisers]

On mass market cruise lines they require all occupants of a cabin to purchase the various packages. Could that be the difference. It's also assuming that you are booking a jr suite or higher. It doesn't work with balcony,ocean view or inside cabins

[hypercafe]

It goes into the same category as two for one cruise fare and free air. It's just marketing, let the buyer beware.

 

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[QuilterGirl]

Did anyone notice the O brochure mailed out a couple weeks ago that had a list of "free" amenities, which list had the title "WITHOUT OUR COMPLIMENTS"?!

[kuldalai]

CAVEAT EMPTOR . Cruise line marketing is very deceptive . Lines advertise inclusive free shorex but then the cruise is much more expensive than others. Inclusive yes, but free no .

 

Also beware of fly free offers . Such cruises include a wholesale air fare often by unknown airlines by weird routes . Again inclusive but not free . Such offers are usually higher than the cruise itself .

 

Then bookings open and on the day they open you can save $ on the brochure fare !!! No one saves anything as no one actually pays the brochure fare which is an inflated figure plucked out of thin air .

[dorisis]

Oceania is , owned by NCL, is a mass market line. Take a look at some of the tricky pricing on ships owned by RCI and Carnival. They are all doing it.

[MVPinBoynton]

Today I received a brochure from Oceania, and on page 7 they display a comparison chart that equates the cost and "value" of an Oceania Alaska Cruise with one from Celebrity and one from Holland America. The top half of the chart compares amenities, and Oceania looks quite good, and then displays the base price. Oceania is over twice the cost of the other two. But the bottom half of the chart lists the "Cruise Add-Ons", included in the Oceania price but charged extra by the others. There are six add-ons listed. The seventh line is the sum of the six previous lines. But...when adding them up to arrive at the TOTAL per person, they double count the add-ons for the other two companies by adding all seven of the lines to the base price.

 

I will give them the benefit of the doubt that it is an honest mistake. Otherwise it is criminal misrepresentation. But if it is an honest mistake it displays very poor oversight of the advertising side of the business. At the very least, Oceania should find it very embarrassing.

 

You are correct. It is a glaring mistake. I have seen this on a couple brochures and almost wrote to O about; but figured they knew what they were doing. When the cost is shown per person and they double the add-ons, it is total misrepresentation. Had there been O add-on costs, I am sure that they wouldn't have been doubled.

[PaulMCO]

Oceania is , owned by NCL, is a mass market line. Take a look at some of the tricky pricing on ships owned by RCI and Carnival. They are all doing it.

 

 

O is the master of this. They have been doing this since they started with free air that was not free..

[2pbears]

On mass market cruise lines they require all occupants of a cabin to purchase the various packages. Could that be the difference. It's also assuming that you are booking a jr suite or higher. It doesn't work with balcony,ocean view or inside cabins

 

No, and no. We noticed this last night as well and it is very clearly stated as a comparison of Veranda category cabins and the cost is specifically "per person". I'm thinking someone should lose their job over this as it presents Oceania as being either crooked or incompetent and I'm not sure which is worse.

[ORV]

There are six add-ons listed. The seventh line is the sum of the six previous lines. But...when adding them up to arrive at the TOTAL per person, they double count the add-ons for the other two companies by adding all seven of the lines to the base price.

 

On mass market cruise lines they require all occupants of a cabin to purchase the various packages. Could that be the difference. It's also assuming that you are booking a jr suite or higher. It doesn't work with balcony,ocean view or inside cabins

 

I & J, read the part in Capt Larry's quote above. I looked at my brochure and it is crystal clear what he's saying.

[cruiserchuck]

In one of the brochures I received last year, Oceania misrepresented the size of the cabins on Celebrity ships. For the Oceania ships, they listed the total square feet, including the balcony. For the Celebrity ship comparison, they excluded the balcony in the total square foot calculation. Since I was familiar with the Celebrity ships, I was not confused, but this type of misrepresentation may be a pattern.

[Paulchili]

I find all of this is a little disturbing.

It goes a bit beyond 2 for 1 and freee air.