Oceania's current booking cancellation policy vs industry

[Beagle5]

21 minutes ago, cruisingaussies said:

  And if already booked, do you have the choice to cancel with a full refund (not a FCC)?

 

Not a full refund, just a FCC. The email I received states in regard to the 6 cruises with adjusted itineraries eliminating Italy:

 

"All guests who choose to sail will receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 25% of the cruise fare paid. If guests choose to cancel, refunds will not apply yet they will receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 100% of the cruise fare paid"

 

I believe there are only three circumstances where Oceania will send you cash:

1. They cancel a cruise entirely and nobody sails

2. A guest arrives at Port having traveled through China, HKG etc. within 14 days of embarkation (according to the current Coronovirus Statement on the website which I assume is still valid).

3. And as has always been the case, you cancel before the cancellation penalty period for your cruise in which case they will refund your deposit less the standard charge (A$350pp for Australians)

 

The new policy is designed to conserve NCL corp.  cash and, indeed, encourage loyalists to send them more cash by taking advantage of the new future booking guarantee.

I don't mind it so much as I do want them to survive.

 

[Bellanina]

47 minutes ago, cruisingaussies said:

From today’s email from O:

 

 “Just today, we undertook the very difficult decision to eliminate ports of call in Italy from six of our April and May itineraries. We will continue to monitor the situation and make further revisions as necessary, just as we did a few weeks ago with our voyages in Asia.“
 

has anyone received the new itineraries eliminating Italian ports?  And if already booked, do you have the choice to cancel with a full refund (not a FCC)?

This is my question too. We have not received new itineraries and cannot reach our TA. Is it best to wait for new itineraries?  Does Oceania typically offer full refunds?  

[LHT28]

27 minutes ago, Bellanina said:

This is my question too. We have not received new itineraries and cannot reach our TA. Is it best to wait for new itineraries?  Does Oceania typically offer full refunds?  

This  is  not  a typical situation

If they change ports  no  they do not offer refunds

 You could  cancel the cruise under the  new travel assurance program but you would  get  an FCC for  a future  cruise

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/assurance/

You could always  wait  to see if the new itinerary  will suit you  & still have time to cancel under the new program

JMO

[jo-b]

My understanding is that in the UK we have the right to cancel with full refund if there are "significant changes" .We have received no information about our May cruise but the email does say they are changing Italian ports.It still has the same itinerary online. 

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, jo-b said:

My understanding is that in the UK we have the right to cancel with full refund if there are "significant changes" .We have received no information about our May cruise but the email does say they are changing Italian ports.It still has the same itinerary online. 

it may take them a day or two to find other ports that are accepting cruise ships  with all that is going on

[jo-b]

And if our experience in Asia in February is anything to go by they can still be subject to change as you sail. 

[susiesan]

Oceania's notifications of changes is very subpar. I know about this travel assurance policy from reading about it online, on cruise critic and other web sites for the cruise industry. My husband got an email from Oceania about it yesterday,  I have received nothing from either Oceania or the TA who booked the cruise. I am the one who makes the travel arrangements and if I hadn't been talking about the situation with my husband he might have just blown off the email. How many other people sailing soon on Oceania have no idea this policy is in effect?

[LHT28]

6 hours ago, jo-b said:

And if our experience in Asia in February is anything to go by they can still be subject to change as you sail. 

quite  true   these days

[LHT28]

Just now, susiesan said:

Oceania's notifications of changes is very subpar. I know about this travel assurance policy from reading about it online, on cruise critic and other web sites for the cruise industry. My husband got an email from Oceania about it yesterday,  I have received nothing from either Oceania or the TA who booked the cruise. I am the one who makes the travel arrangements and if I hadn't been talking about the situation with my husband he might have just blown off the email. How many other people sailing soon on Oceania have no idea this policy is in effect?

OMG

Why not  just ask  Oceania  or  your TA's  to send all correspondence to you

 My DH never gets emails from O 

[susiesan]

I get some notifications from O, like the form letter about visas for stops at  Russia. I got that notice last week as we will be in St. Petersburg for 2 days in July. I already know that the private tour agency  I am using, SPB Tours, will provide the visa.

O has my email address associated with the O Club membership as well as on our booking. They are really dropping the ball.

 

Yes, yes, I know, I need a new TA. I already have one going forward. I used the new one to book the cruise after the Marina cruise, a Windstar cruise inTahiti next January.

[Kate-AHF]

56 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Oceania's notifications of changes is very subpar. I know about this travel assurance policy from reading about it online, on cruise critic and other web sites for the cruise industry. My husband got an email from Oceania about it yesterday,  I have received nothing from either Oceania or the TA who booked the cruise. I am the one who makes the travel arrangements and if I hadn't been talking about the situation with my husband he might have just blown off the email. How many other people sailing soon on Oceania have no idea this policy is in effect?

The exact same thing here.  i make the travel arrangements - I book the cruises - my husband got the email from Oceania, and nothing to either of us from our TA.  Really ticks me off.

 

ETA - Silversea had NO problem sending me their notifications.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Kate-AHF

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, Kate-AHF said:

The exact same thing here.  i make the travel arrangements - I book the cruises - my husband got the email from Oceania, and nothing to either of us from our TA.  Really ticks me off.

 

 

Does your DH  need to get the emails from O?

 I am the one that  does the travel arrangements  so DH  never put his email  down

If  he does not care if he gets the email  then change his  info  to put your email addy  for both names

Just a thought

 Why get  angry over something you can easily fix ...life's too short 😎

[ranchomirage777]

+1

[Petoonya]

5 hours ago, susiesan said:

Oceania's notifications of changes is very subpar. I know about this travel assurance policy from reading about it online, on cruise critic and other web sites for the cruise industry. My husband got an email from Oceania about it yesterday,  I have received nothing from either Oceania or the TA who booked the cruise. I am the one who makes the travel arrangements and if I hadn't been talking about the situation with my husband he might have just blown off the email. How many other people sailing soon on Oceania have no idea this policy is in effect?

I got a notification from my TA within an hour after it was released.

 

Different subject. I was on a family reunion cruise to Alaska in May on ugh, NCL. Now it's cancelled due to some of the infirm in the group. If wishes were horses......now I have this fat NCL FCC that I'd give anything to be able to use on Oceania. Especially because my retirement account is in the toilet and will prob be a bit before I can book O again! Realize it's just wishful thinking but it would make it a whole lot easier to use that FCC if it was O rather than an NCL ship.  😞

[Marymcgol1]

Does anyone know if the FCC can be used for shore excursions, gratuities or other cruise related expenses or can it only be applied to the actual cruise fare.

 

 

 

 

[susiesan]

22 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

I got a notification from my TA within an hour after it was released.

 

Different subject. I was on a family reunion cruise to Alaska in May on ugh, NCL. Now it's cancelled due to some of the infirm in the group. If wishes were horses......now I have this fat NCL FCC that I'd give anything to be able to use on Oceania. Especially because my retirement account is in the toilet and will prob be a bit before I can book O again! Realize it's just wishful thinking but it would make it a whole lot easier to use that FCC if it was O rather than an NCL ship.  😞

Maybe you can use on Regent. It would be worth asking.

 

LHT28: I am not angry, just miffed. Sometimes I think I know more about cruises than my cruise TA. I will go online to O website and change the communication preferences for both of us to be my email.

Edited March 7, 2020 by susiesan

[Petoonya]

36 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Maybe you can use on Regent. It would be worth asking.

 

Gosh I'd even prefer to use it for ice cream at Baskin Robbins than on NCL!

Edited March 7, 2020 by Petoonya

[Sun Queen II]

57 minutes ago, Marymcgol1 said:

Does anyone know if the FCC can be used for shore excursions, gratuities or other cruise related expenses or can it only be applied to the actual cruise fare.

 

 

 

 

No - the whole amount must be used towards new cruise fare.  If you find a cruise cheaper than your FCC, you lose what is remaining on your FCC.  They will reimburse any excursions, La Reserve or cooking classes to your credit card.  Just got off the phone to cancel our March 21 cruise.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Petoonya said:

I got a notification from my TA within an hour after it was released.

 

Different subject. I was on a family reunion cruise to Alaska in May on ugh, NCL. Now it's cancelled due to some of the infirm in the group. If wishes were horses......now I have this fat NCL FCC that I'd give anything to be able to use on Oceania. Especially because my retirement account is in the toilet and will prob be a bit before I can book O again! Realize it's just wishful thinking but it would make it a whole lot easier to use that FCC if it was O rather than an NCL ship.  😞

Maybe  some cruise will catch your eye  in the time frame of the NCL FCC   ..better than losing the  $$ you already put out  😉

 

[Petoonya]

21 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe  some cruise will catch your eye  in the time frame of the NCL FCC   ..better than losing the  $$ you already put out  😉

 

They do have some amazing deals out there....and Australia/Tahiti again is what's catching our eye. Husband is 73 and snorkeling is all he's interested in anymore. We're easy to please. I think it would be better actually than Baskin Robbins.

Thanks so much.

[cruisingaussies]

Does anyone know if you take up a FCC, if your original cruise had all the O Life benefits included, will they carry over to your next chosen cruise using the FCC, even if they aren't actually advertised for new bookings?

Also, if your itinerary is significantly changed and you accepted to travel on it, would you still keep all the benefits of your original itinerary?

[majo7777]

I have the same question. We have all the O-life benefits on our March 31st Riviera TA. It was offered as an incentive to past Oceania cruisers and not as a specific cruise offer. Will it carry over as part of the FCC?

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, cruisingaussies said:

Does anyone know if you take up a FCC, if your original cruise had all the O Life benefits included, will they carry over to your next chosen cruise using the FCC, even if they aren't actually advertised for new bookings?

Also, if your itinerary is significantly changed and you accepted to travel on it, would you still keep all the benefits of your original itinerary?

I will make  a guess  & say  what ever perks are on the cruise  you book with the FCC those are the perks you will get

Best to check with Oceania/TA   so many different variables  with all the  changes

[LHT28]

Just now, majo7777 said:

I have the same question. We have all the O-life benefits on our March 31st Riviera TA. It was offered as an incentive to past Oceania cruisers and not as a specific cruise offer. Will it carry over as part of the FCC?

What type of Benefits/perks were you offered as past guests ? Just curious

[majo7777]

We were offered all 3 O-life benefits by the Oceania rep (Ultimate package?) instead of the choice of only one. We had 2 days to accept which we did.