Disappointing customer service

[aussie_nsw]

Hi All

 

Booking a new Oceania Cruise which is the good news. No real bad news just disappointed in the customer service response.

Asked my travel agent to get a quote on Monday, came back with a price we were happy with as well as a choice of bonuses so we emailed, book it, 2 cabins both with OBC that was offered.

Next day Oceania said their rep made a mistake, even though the rep had checked while my travel agent was on the phone & now there is now no OBC & in Australia they only will honour the quote if you book while on the phone.

As I use a travel agent that means when I want to book a cruise, I would have to call my agent who then would have to conference call Oceania so we can all agree to the price & conditions.

I understand mistakes can happen, which Oceania has admitted & would have been happy with a token gift, not the original OBC offered but all Oceania said, they have taken note of the mistake and will add it to their training.

So now they have a disappointed customer who is also helping them with their training & not getting paid for that! (joking)!

Still not a bad problem to have, to everyone in the path of the horrible weather Stay Safe.

 

 

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[happy cruzer]

I think the Travel Agent may have some fault here? Have they not booked with O before? Maybe try to see if you want to continue with this agent?

 

I'm glad you are able to focus on the big picture of a nice cruise that you have booked.

[AZjohn]

Kind of agree with happy cruzer. When my TA get's a price and OBC from cruise line and her agency it is e-mailed to me stating this is valid for X amount of days (not many days). If her or O made a mistake she would need to find a way to make it right.

 

I do like your attitude that in the big picture, not a big deal.

Cheers,

John

[ronrick1943]

I don't understand why it would be the TA's fault, They called, got the information from "O", passed it on to the cruiser, they accepted the offer and it was booked within 2 days. "O" should have called the TA, no the cruiser. And the cruiser shouldn't have had to say yes or no while on the phone with "O". I understand mistakes, but if the OBC was a real amount of OBC-I think "O" should have give it to the cruiser, just for good will................

[LHT28]

That is ridiculous

If a TA calls for pricing & availability that they have to confirm the booking at that moment

Most TA's will check prices for clients then relay the findings to the client & the client has time to talk it over

That is just a way to have TA's not refer clients to Oceania if that is how they do business

If I was your TA I would be on to the Oceania rep for Australia ASAP

& if not satisfied with the outcome on to someone at Miami

If there is an offer of OBC when they inquire it should not be contingent on booking in the next 10 mins

 

JMO

[JimandStan]

Please note that this is an AUSTRALIAN booking and we must accept, for better or for worse, that the Australian rules apply.

North American concepts of what is fair and or proper are not a part of this equation.

P.S.

Did you ever wonder why, when Australians do so much cruising, that there aren't any Australian Cruise Lines???

This is why. :lips-sealed:

[LHT28]

Please note that this is an AUSTRALIAN booking and we must accept, for better or for worse, that the Australian rules apply.

North American concepts of what is fair and or proper are not a part of this equation.

Sorry Jim

 

I will disagree

 

Oceania have an office in Australia there is no need to expect someone to book on the spot for a cruise they are pricing out

 

It is like a bad telephone scam .."hey book a cruise in the next 10 minutes & we will give an OBC "

 

Never heard such drivel

 

JMO

[aussie_nsw]

Just to clarify, Australia does have our own rules. The TA did everything to get the original quote honoured even had a recording of the quote, but no dice. Then they did escalate it to Miami & still a resounding NO from Oceania.

Again, to me a first world problem, just disappointing response from Oceania.

Thanks for all the responses & by the way the TA has given us something to smile about, so there are good TAs out there.

 

 

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[LHT28]

Just to clarify, Australia does have our own rules. The TA did everything to get the original quote honoured even had a recording of the quote, but no dice. Then they did escalate it to Miami & still a resounding NO from Oceania.

Again, to me a first world problem, just disappointing response from Oceania.

Thanks for all the responses & by the way the TA has given us something to smile about, so there are good TAs out there.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

So are you saying when you want to book a cruise you have to decide while you are on the phone getting the quote ?

Seems like an odd way to do business

[ronrick1943]

I would think "O" would be better than that. I agree with LHT28 and if someone changed a price once I had accepted the price---I'd cancel and go with someone that has a little better class when dealing with their customers.

[aussie_nsw]

Yes, unfortunately that seemed to be the case in Australia. Either Oceania are trying to get us not to use TA or book direct. Never been an issue for any other booking but they say that has been their policy, it is not a new policy.

Very strange policy and do not see how it can work unless they conference call every TA request for a quote with their client.

Only became an issue this time as Oceania customer representative made a mistake with their first quote.

 

 

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[Beagle5]

North American concepts of what is fair and or proper are not a part of this equation.

P.S.

Did you ever wonder why, when Australians do so much cruising, that there aren't any Australian Cruise Lines???

This is why. :lips-sealed:

Well, there kind of is actually: https://www.pocruises.com.au/

If by 'Australian' you mean a cruise line that only operates out of Australian ports and markets to an Australian clientele.

(while it is owned by one of the big three, like just about every other cruise line - it does have its operational headquarters in Sydney).

 

 

Although I am not actually sure what you are trying to say? That our inherent unfairness and lack of propriety prohibits us from having any success in the cruise line business? hmmm.

 

BTW P&O Australia does some interesting itineraries around exotic locales like Papua New Guinea if you ever get sick of Oceania's same same offerings. Although it is admittedly a pretty down market line relative to Oceania.

Cheers, mate!;p

[Paulchili]

.

BTW P&O Australia does some interesting itineraries around exotic locales like Papua New Guinea if you ever get sick of Oceania's same same offerings. Although it is admittedly a pretty down market line relative to Oceania.

Cheers, mate!;p

 

We actually did that cruise RT from Brisbane earlier this year.

Great itinerary, fun fellow passengers (2500 Aussies + 6 Yanks), awful food :D

Definitely a diversion from the same old/same old :)

Edited September 9, 2017 by Paulchili

[cbb]

have you looked at some of O's Australian/New Zealand itineraries? PNG on some

 

(currently glued to about 6 tabs looking at web cams of south florida--real estate doesn't matter, friends, neighbors and ATW16 family does)

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Australia-cruises/sydney-to-sydney-REG171220/