Exclusive event?

[Bruin Steve]

So...We got an email from Oceania inviting us to an "Exclusive Event" with James Rodriguez...onboard the Insignia while it is here in Los Angeles between cruises--11:00 am to 3:00 pm--so, I guess they usher you on while loading the next cruise's passengers and usher you off before sailaway...Says "by invite only"...

 

"join us to plan your perfect voyage - and receive

generous savings only available by attending

this special invitation-only event

• Enjoy a welcome reception accompanied by wine

• Discover what sets the Oceania Cruises experience apart - The Finest Cuisine at Sea™, the intimate and luxurious ambiance, the diverse array of boutique and iconic destinations and much more

• Book your voyage during the show to take advantage of exclusive offers

• Chance to win exciting prizes (must be present to win)"

 

Anyone ever attend one of these things? Obviously, for Oceania, it is a sales opportunity...but, what is in it for us? I don't want to, or need to, be sold. I like Oceania. When they have an itinerary I like at a time we can go, I'll book it...

 

For us, this is a one hour trip each way to the port and back, the cost of gas and parking, etc. If they are going to tease me with a little of the Oceania cruise experience--feed us a nice Jacques Pepin lunch with elegant service, it's getting close to a nice idea...If it's more of just a sales presentation and then a sit down with a booking agent, I'm not sure it's worth the drive...

 

So, who has ever been invited to one of these things and gone? What was your experience? How many people attended? Thanks...

Edited June 3, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[StanandJim]

Given your situation, I would not bother with this-

 

It's going to be a cocktail party with passed hors d'oeuvres and wine; pleasant, but not worth driving for an hour.

 

Oceania does host luncheon events on the ships occasionally, and those are lovely, indistinguishable from luncheon on a cruise, except that there are only three choices on the menu. Hold out!

[Jancruz]

So...We got an email from Oceania inviting us to an "Exclusive Event" with James Rodriguez...onboard the Insignia while it is here in Los Angeles between cruises--11:00 am to 3:00 pm--so, I guess they usher you on while loading the next cruise's passengers and usher you off before sailaway...Says "by invite only"...

 

"join us to plan your perfect voyage - and receive

generous savings only available by attending

this special invitation-only event

• Enjoy a welcome reception accompanied by wine

• Discover what sets the Oceania Cruises experience apart - The Finest Cuisine at Sea™, the intimate and luxurious ambiance, the diverse array of boutique and iconic destinations and much more

• Book your voyage during the show to take advantage of exclusive offers

• Chance to win exciting prizes (must be present to win)"

 

Anyone ever attend one of these things? Obviously, for Oceania, it is a sales opportunity...but, what is in it for us? I don't want to, or need to, be sold. I like Oceania. When they have an itinerary I like at a time we can go, I'll book it...

 

For us, this is a one hour trip each way to the port and back, the cost of gas and parking, etc. If they are going to tease me with a little of the Oceania cruise experience--feed us a nice Jacques Pepin lunch with elegant service, it's getting close to a nice idea...If it's more of just a sales presentation and then a sit down with a booking agent, I'm not sure it's worth the drive...

 

So, who has ever been invited to one of these things and gone? What was your experience? How many people attended? Thanks...

 

Its for past passengers that havent booked in a while..I believe they invited around 100 people..it might be fun..its almost the last leg of the World Cruise I would love to talk to people that have been on..and BTW James is a terrific guy...

Jancruz1

Edited June 3, 2016 by Jancruz

[GeezerCouple]

Given your situation, I would not bother with this-

 

It's going to be a cocktail party with passed hors d'oeuvres and wine; pleasant, but not worth driving for an hour.

 

Oceania does host luncheon events on the ships occasionally, and those are lovely, indistinguishable from luncheon on a cruise, except that there are only three choices on the menu. Hold out!

 

We were invited to one of these types described by StanandJim, aboard the Marina. Lovely lunch (and in our opinion, more like a dinner menu, and a good one).

However, this was through another organization, and there were no parking fees or such involved, and we live reasonably close to that port. We had some reservations for future cruises on Oceania, but had not yet actually taken one.

 

IF we hadn't already decided that we *were* going to take a planned cruise on the Riviera, this could have sealed the deal.

We went, just to have a better idea of the feel of the ship (size, ambiance, etc.)

 

We've since had that first Riviera cruise, and we absolutely LOVED it.

(We are currently on a cruise that includes Glacier Bay, and Oceania doesn't go there, sad, sad... Otherwise, we'd now be on our second Oceania cruise, for sure.)

 

That lunch tour was more than a year ago, and we were invited to see some of the staterooms.

 

HOWEVER, given the recent Noro problems, as someone else suggested in another thread, these "walk-ons" by outside groups could be a way to carry Noro (or any other such problem) on board, no matter how careful all of the passengers and crew are being.

 

We do hope they asked permission of the cabin occupants, but even so, once something is on and starts spreading, it doesn't matter as much in general where it started... or if it even started in a public area...

 

None of this occurred to us at the time we took that lunch tour.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Bottom line will probably be a 5% cabin discount.

[Silver Sweethearts]

IF we hadn't already decided that we *were* going to take a planned cruise on the Riviera, this could have sealed the deal.

 

You've said it all right here.