What does "waitlist" mean under availability?

[clo]

I'm looking at a cruise where the two top cabins, owner's and vista are listed as waitlist.  So are the two inside categories as well as the deluxe oceanview.  Everything else is listed as available.  What's the deal?  Are they just trying to get people to book the more expensive ones on the bottom end?  What happens if you book, say oceanview? TIA

Edited October 5, 2019 by clo

[GrammieK]

The top suites usually get booked first. Insides are also scooped up quickly. Many people just want to be on the ship and inside cabins are an excellent economical way to sail. 

[clo]

Just now, GrammieK said:

The top suites usually get booked first. Insides are also scooped up quickly. Many people just want to be on the ship and inside cabins are an excellent economical way to sail. 

Sorry.  They're marked as "waitlist." Does that mean that they're all booked and now people are waitlisted in case of cancellations.

[pinotlover]

Waitlist means exactly that. All available cabins, in THAT category, are reserved. Oceania is accepting people putting their name on the list in case someone canceled. I’ve seen 20+ names on the waitlist for PH.

 

For popular cruises ran only once or twice a year, I’ve seen categories waitlist upon release, however over the next year plus up to PIF date, a lot of cancellations can occur.

[GrammieK]

Many passengers book a top suite or any suite for that matter and change their mind, especially at final payment time. I’ve been on a waitlist a few times, and always clear the list. 

[ronrick1943]

I think sometimes they hold back some suite for the World Cruise, or very long cruises--and later open them up.  Once I was on the waitlist for an Owners Suite on a segment of a really long cruise, after a while a few of them opened up.  Not sure but I think that was the deal.

[clo]

Thanks all.  I was just surprised that things were that booked more than a year out.

[Mary229]

My theory is that the big tour companies and charters “buy” up blocks that they later release.  Probably a sweetheart deal that has to be relinquished well before the final payment date.    Except for the biggest suites I have always seen the waitlist disappear sometime around 9 months out  

[clo]

54 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

My theory is that the big tour companies and charters “buy” up blocks that they later release.  Probably a sweetheart deal that has to be relinquished well before the final payment date.    Except for the biggest suites I have always seen the waitlist disappear sometime around 9 months out  

Thanks.  That makes sense.  Very much.

[Mura]

Clo, firstly if you are on a waitlist it's best to pay the deposit.  That can boost you up above people who waited to pay the deposit until they get a room.

 

Secondly, and probably more important, your TA can tell you just where you are in line. You might well take your chances if you are #4 or #5, but would you do so if you are #20?

 

Mura

 

[clo]

4 minutes ago, Mura said:

Clo, firstly if you are on a waitlist it's best to pay the deposit.  That can boost you up above people who waited to pay the deposit until they get a room.

 

Secondly, and probably more important, your TA can tell you just where you are in line. You might well take your chances if you are #4 or #5, but would you do so if you are #20?

 

Mura

 

Thanks, kiddo.  Our rep had some very specific info about availability including an exact cabin that would give us the best views of the coast (Stockholm to Copenhagen).  A verandah.  We're going to book with him and then transfer to the TA.  Thanks as always for your advice.

[donaldsc]

57 minutes ago, clo said:

Thanks, kiddo.  Our rep had some very specific info about availability including an exact cabin that would give us the best views of the coast (Stockholm to Copenhagen).  A verandah.  We're going to book with him and then transfer to the TA.  Thanks as always for your advice.

 

Excellent plan.  However, keep track of the cabins that you want that are not now available.  If one comes available, your TA could cancel what you now have and get what you really want.  Be aware that if you cancel and reserve another cabin, you will probably loose any perks that you now have.

[bob brown]

Just a note about my experience on the waitlist...

I was "number one" on the list for an inside cabin on the 2019 ATW cruise, with a deposit paid about a year out.

Every few days, I would monitor the availability, and getting close to the six month out final payment date, began to see some higher categories open up.   So I then began checking every morning, very early in the morning.  

I finally saw an inside open up.   I assumed that meant that I had finally cleared the waitlist.   Wrong.

When Oceania's office finally opened, I called them to find out my cabin number.The agent said that I had not cleared yet, and there were still no insides available.   I told him about the cabin I had seen earlier that morning, while they were closed, and why was it open for sale on the website, if I had not cleared the list yet.   He put me on hold, and came back a few minutes later, and ruefully admitted that someone had already 'snagged it'.   

 

Apparently, the waitlist does not work like it should....cabins released for sale, should not be made available, until the waitlist is first cleared.   But that is not how O does it....they probably have someone check later in the day, and if there are availability on a previously sold out cruise, then poll the waitlist, to see if they want them.   Meanwhile, anyone on the web can 'snag' them.

 

I told the agent how disappointed I was with O, and to kindly send me back my deposit.

 

Fortunately, a few days later, I received a call from a 'manager', telling me they had found a cabin for me.  At first, I was still upset over the way it was handled, but then decided that I would take the offer, and they gave me an 'accessible' cabin, which I suspect they were holding until the last minute.   I told them that if they needed  the cabin for a handicapped person, I would gladly switch to another.

 

 

Anyway, I am very glad that I did make my 'dream cruise', for many reasons (😉), but I just wanted to share this for those that do go on the waitlist.   Unless O changes its way of handling it, you should monitor the website yourself, and if you see availability late at night, grab it, and then call O in the morning to secure it....

[orchestrapal]

The joke with waitlists is that there are always several number ONEs on the so called list.

Our friends were number one according to their TA and when we decided to join them using

another TA we also were number one...

[Mura]

I guess you could all have shared that cabin since you were all #1!  🤣

[Shawnino]

25 minutes ago, orchestrapal said:

The joke with waitlists is that there are always several number ONEs on the so called list.

Our friends were number one according to their TA and when we decided to join them using

another TA we also were number one...

 

Indeed. Friends hoping to travel with us are suspiciously number-one for next October.

[melody hounddog]

Thanks for the information. Interesting topic.

[FlyerTalker]

17 hours ago, Mary229 said:

 Except for the biggest suites I have always seen the waitlist disappear sometime around 9 months out  

 

There are several upcoming cruises where final payment has passed, yet still show up as all waitlist.  Hmmm.

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

There are several upcoming cruises where final payment has passed, yet still show up as all waitlist.  Hmmm.

I guess I should clarify.  I find that the bogus waitlists disappear.  If traveling alone I often seek an interior and those are often waitlisted early but within the 9 month window I get my room.  

[ORV]

One of the reasons those lower cabins open up is upsells. Oceania likes to have availability in the cheapest cabins, or at least the next couple up. 

[GICNJC]

I have been spreadsheeting people's comment's and Guarantee purchasing.  While it appears about 50i% get the cabin level Booked, those cruises that are popular and have issues selling Concierge or PH suites get a 4 level upgrade either by an upsale offer or just waiting it out.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, GICNJC said:

those cruises that are popular

Did you mean to write "not" popular?

[GICNJC]

Either.  Need to watch the cruise info.  Most cases those suites switch from available to wait listed to guaranteed

[StanandJim]

4 hours ago, GICNJC said:

Either.  Need to watch the cruise info.  Most cases those suites switch from available to wait listed to guaranteed

Makes absolute sense:

Available = normal "first come first served" availability

Wait Listed = Nothing is available but based on historical data, we are still expecting some future availability.

Guarantee = We're still taking reservations at this level; if we cant put you in one of these cabins, we will give you a better one at the same price.

 

[GrammieK]

8 hours ago, StanandJim said:

Makes absolute sense:

Available = normal "first come first served" availability

Wait Listed = Nothing is available but based on historical data, we are still expecting some future availability.

Guarantee = We're still taking reservations at this level; if we cant put you in one of these cabins, we will give you a better one at the same price.

 

 

 

Well said, as always!😎