New itineraries out?

[Paulchili]

O needs to do a NW passage ala Crystal. Theirs sold out very quickly so there is a demand for this.

 

Paul,

A&K is offering this itinerary on a Ponant ship next August and they are selling it out fast.

If interested, you should look into it soon.

We have a deposit on it and have to decide soon.

PS My TA may have a group booking.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Paulchili

[orchestrapal]

Yes - when you want to keep it as a B2B rather than an extended journey, book them in different names. Book the first under your name and the second under your spouse's/partner's name. You both will receive credit for each cruise.

 

It will be most interesting to see how many of these bookings Oceania will allow.

Only time will tell!:rolleyes:

[Paulchili]

How interesting! Never thought of that - thank you!!

 

You are welcome.

It worked for us (more than once).

[Mura]

But now you have alerted them to the practice ... I'm thinking of the Canadians who were banned from Oceania once it was realized they were making multiple bookings and then cancelling.

[Paulchili]

But now you have alerted them to the practice ... I'm thinking of the Canadians who were banned from Oceania once it was realized they were making multiple bookings and then cancelling.

 

I am not aware of this practice being illegal.

If it is, please refer me to where it is stated that this is not allowed.

If the segments are offered separately, why can't you legitimately book the first segment and then after thinking about it add the second segment as an "afterthought"?

Perhaps the policy has changed since we did this last - it was not a problem then and I didn't think I was doing something illegal.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Paulchili

[Mura]

Paul, maybe it isn't. No, I can't point you to anything that says it is. It just seemed a bit UN-kosher to me, that's all. Maybe O doesn't care at all if you do this.

 

Mura

[newbie60]

In our case this time, we really want to do one segment and would add the other later. The same cruise this year is not selling well (still has lots of availability in every category) and it's only 4 months out. I suspect they will start discounting it pretty soon. That's why we'd rather book the portion we are most interested in and pick up the other itinerary if it works out that the price comes down. If it doesn't work out - so be it.

 

Like Terrior1, tired of paying full price when the ship is filled with folks who got enormous discounts and huge OBC.

[ORV]

I remember someone mentioned on a thread that they added a cruise either on the front or back, they had two reservation numbers and at a later time Oceania combined it for them without asking. So, not sure sure this always works, although we have added a cruise on a B2B that had been marketed as a GV, but ours was treated as two separate cruises.

Edited April 3, 2016 by ORV

[TERRIER1]

Paul, maybe it isn't. No, I can't point you to anything that says it is. It just seemed a bit UN-kosher to me, that's all. Maybe O doesn't care at all if you do this.

 

Mura

 

Oceania says you will save more money by booking the grand voyage versus a back to back. If that is the case then Oceania shouldn't care if a passenger prefers to book the voyage as a B2B. What is not kosher is Oceania not allowing you to book as a B2B and locking you into a trip where if one of the legs is undersold you cannot rebook and get the lower fair even if it is way before final payment. If you look at many of these "grand voyages" one of the legs is not that attractive and serves often as a re-positioning leg.

[rallydave]

I am not aware of this practice being illegal.

If it is, please refer me to where it is stated that this is not allowed.

If the segments are offered separately, why can't you legitimately book the first segment and then after thinking about it add the second segment as an "afterthought"?

Perhaps the policy has changed since we did this last - it was not a problem then and I didn't think I was doing something illegal.

 

Agree with your Paul this isn't "illegal" but then, what the passengers were doing wasn't illegal either yet Oceania did see fit to remove those customers.

 

Also, if you book each sailing in different names, you would not be able to get the 1/2 airfare credited back on either cruise. Might not matter if you are taking the air credit on both cruises but, if you would want to use O air, you would have issues and need to deviate on the first cruise to return home much later. With different disembarkation points, using O air would be near impossible. Best to take the air credit for both cruises and do your own air.

[Paulchili]

Agree with your Paul this isn't "illegal" but then, what the passengers were doing wasn't illegal either yet Oceania did see fit to remove those customers.

 

I can see O combining a B2B into a extended journey, if they deem this a necessity, but I do not see anyone being banned for life for booking an extended journey as a B2B.

[TERRIER1]

I can see O combining a B2B into a extended journey, if they deem this a necessity, but I do not see anyone being banned for life for booking an extended journey as a B2B.

 

Oceania can do whatever they want since it is their choice. All I know is that I was burnt once and I will never again book another "grand voyage" extended journey with them. We are not talking a few hundred dollars here but thousands that were lost at our expense. They seem to bundle voyages together into a "grand voyage" where one leg is not as desirable as the first leg and at risk for filling up. If you sign up for the Grand Voyage then you are stuck if the second leg is heavily discounted. Oceania is very well aware of what they are doing and as a marketing strategy it is great for them but sucks for the cruisers.

 

I am going on my 9th Oceania cruise in a month so I obviously enjoy the cruise line. However, there are things that have changed since our first cruise back in 2008 and I am not brand loyal so we will see how it goes on our April cruise.

[pinotlover]

From comments from my TA, the people in Canada along with some in the US, got nailed for making multiple booking (6+) with the tours opened up and then waited until final payment to decide upon their schedule and which tours to take. Under O's rules, there were no downside, as they got 100% of their deposits back.

 

The $1K initial deposit was chump change to them, and they were tying up high dollar suites on high demand cruises. The other cruisers wanting those suites would see them sold out or waitlisted and go elsewhere ,leaving O to struggle/hussle after final payment. Several of the people were not only booking doing this on Oceania, but also doing the same on other cruise lines on conflicting schedules. After several years of this game, and a warning they chose to ignore, O banished them.

 

Many of we O cruisers are very satisfied with the $1K, or less, deposits. For some it is certainly just chump change and not enough to prompt them to play by the rules. I also got the feeling that their exists more communications between the cruise lines than we might expect. Friendly competition can have several meanings! ;)

[pinotlover]

Awaiting confirmation now, from my TA, on our new bookings for 2017. They had been forwarded to Oceania for booking last week and O had cleared up the few questions they had on them already. Now, just awaiting the results of the game/pecking order of whom gets which selected suite when multiple requests for that/those suites are made.

[emt1958]

I have a question for you experience Oceania cruisers. I could not find an answer to my question on the web site. I could be looking for it in the wrong spot. Which free shore excursions are you allowed to take? I was looking at the possibility of doing a Mediterranean or a Baltic cruise next summer. Thanking you in advance for your help.

 

Andrew

[Flatbush Flyer]

I have a question for you experience Oceania cruisers. I could not find an answer to my question on the web site. I could be looking for it in the wrong spot. Which free shore excursions are you allowed to take? I was looking at the possibility of doing a Mediterranean or a Baltic cruise next summer. Thanking you in advance for your help.

 

 

 

Andrew

 

 

On the page for a specific cruise, select "ports and excursions". Pretty much anything other than the Oceania "Choice" or "Exclusive" tours are available for O Life perk (number depending on cruise length).

[pinotlover]

2017 is now booked!

 

First cabin choice on one cruise, second cabin choice on the other. There's a reason why my TA makes us give her options on cabin selections. Actually the difference between the 1st choice and the 2nd choice was just one cabin down, so not a big deal!

 

Next step set up Roll Call and start planning excursions, then in a couple of months start thinking air arrangements.

[JVNYC]

2017 is now booked!

 

First cabin choice on one cruise, second cabin choice on the other. There's a reason why my TA makes us give her options on cabin selections. Actually the difference between the 1st choice and the 2nd choice was just one cabin down, so not a big deal!

 

Next step set up Roll Call and start planning excursions, then in a couple of months start thinking air arrangements.

 

Great news! I'm just waiting for mine as well. What did you book for 2017?

[PaulMCO]

What are people booking for 2017??

Itineraries seem rather ho-hum??? (yawn)

 

DW has never been to St. Pete's -- so that is one we are looking at for 2017....

 

Sitting on Nautica right now. O is offering now a "best price guarantee" right up to sailing.....

[Cruise Junky]

What are people booking for 2017??

Itineraries seem rather ho-hum??? (yawn)

 

DW has never been to St. Pete's -- so that is one we are looking at for 2017....

 

Sitting on Nautica right now. O is offering now a "best price guarantee" right up to sailing.....

 

We booked Lisbon to Barcelona on Marina. We'll do a pre cruise stay in Oporto. We were going back and forth between a cruise and a land trip and this is so spain intensive were really happy.

[Carol From California]

We booked today too. Chose the British Isles cruise, London to London on the Marina August 1, 2017. I have always wanted to visit the British Isles and have heard this is a great cruise. We love the Marina!

[PaulMCO]

Looking at back to back London-Copenhagen and Copenhagen-Stockholm on 13/23 Aug 17 on Marina. May book on-board or just do a future cruise credit and wait til home.

[JVNYC]

Looking at back to back London-Copenhagen and Copenhagen-Stockholm on 13/23 Aug 17 on Marina. May book on-board or just do a future cruise credit and wait til home.

 

I was looking at that one as well. Oceania is no longer giving the 5% B2B discount IF the sailing is offered as a Grand Voyage. So no way to get 2 cruise credits unless you pay more. Did the Ambassador onboard mention this as well?

[JVNYC]

What are people booking for 2017??

Itineraries seem rather ho-hum??? (yawn)

 

DW has never been to St. Pete's -- so that is one we are looking at for 2017....

 

Sitting on Nautica right now. O is offering now a "best price guarantee" right up to sailing.....

 

This is most interesting news! Does this mean that O will honor price drops after final payment? I'm thrilled if this is the case.

[PaulMCO]

I was looking at that one as well. Oceania is no longer giving the 5% B2B discount IF the sailing is offered as a Grand Voyage. So no way to get 2 cruise credits unless you pay more. Did the Ambassador onboard mention this as well?

 

No she did not. Will ask her tomorrow.

 

Kinda funny she was doing her presentation yesterday, with the usual O marketing sales pitch saying that details of each of the 2017 schedules are just getting to her. Of course they have been on-line already for a week...

 

[/b]

 

This is most interesting news! Does this mean that O will honor price drops after final payment? I'm thrilled if this is the case.

 

ONLY IF BOOKED ON BOARD....

Edited April 7, 2016 by PaulMCO