Jump to content

New final payment deadline and cancellation policy


shepherd really
 Share

Recommended Posts

5 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Does your TA keep you CC information on file?  Mine does not for security reasons.  I have to give them my CC information each time I make a deposit or final payment.  

Mine keeps my CC info. 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Does your TA keep you CC information on file?  Mine does not for security reasons.  I have to give them my CC information each time I make a deposit or final payment.  

My TA  has ours on file  but does check that it is OK to use that one  when the payment is about a week away

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For our booking purposes, Oceania keeps CC numbers applied to each reservation but as I recall it is only the last 4 digits. They have recently started requiring the 3 digit Security Code also. Since most of our trips are booked on board and are 12-24 months out, the credit card used can change so we normally provide the latest, updated card and expiration date.  We all have preferred credit cards so we can be driven by point award options, CC limits, or other factors. For us, it would not be uncommon to have multiple credit card numbers in the Oceania system for any given booking so the TA would need to have specific information to place a payment.  We will also expect a TA contact before any final payments are made in case there is a change in our travel plans.

Like so many have emphasized, A GOOD TA IS VERY IMPORTANT, well beyond just an order taking website. Algorithms are great but real personal relationships make the difference for us. 
Gerry

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/24/2021 at 11:09 AM, mauibabes said:

Your Travel Agent can set your FP up on an Auto Pay with your CC on file.  That way you are not having to wait for extra notifications. Some trips In the past and based on the $$ involved, I will make additional payments along the way so I can use the proper credit card to garner points. 
 

For our October 18 Istanbul trip to Miami trip, 46 days, they made our FP 60 days from sailing.  
Good luck to us all as we look forward to sailing O again. 🙏👍

Ciao,

Gerry

Gerry, Did they change your FP for the IST to Miami to August? Ours was split into to 2 and we had to pay the MC to Miami leg in June. Were you able to make it one cruise with a final of 60 days? Just wondering if we have any leeway here for canceling.....just in case. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, mauibabes said:

For our booking purposes, Oceania keeps CC numbers applied to each reservation but as I recall it is only the last 4 digits. They have recently started requiring the 3 digit Security Code also. Since most of our trips are booked on board and are 12-24 months out, the credit card used can change so we normally provide the latest, updated card and expiration date.  We all have preferred credit cards so we can be driven by point award options, CC limits, or other factors. For us, it would not be uncommon to have multiple credit card numbers in the Oceania system for any given booking so the TA would need to have specific information to place a payment.  We will also expect a TA contact before any final payments are made in case there is a change in our travel plans.

Like so many have emphasized, A GOOD TA IS VERY IMPORTANT, well beyond just an order taking website. Algorithms are great but real personal relationships make the difference for us. 
Gerry

I've definitely gotten the message from you folks that a TA is very important. So, I've attempted to find one using Oceania's list of agents. I zeroed in on one that seemed likely, read their yelp reviews etc. and made the leap. I handed over an existing booking to them. The agent is A-B-S-O-L-U-T-L-Y AWFUL.  So, I'm firing them and now it's back to the drawing board. It ain't easy.....I'm just sayin'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, avalong said:

I've definitely gotten the message from you folks that a TA is very important. So, I've attempted to find one using Oceania's list of agents. I zeroed in on one that seemed likely, read their yelp reviews etc. and made the leap. I handed over an existing booking to them. The agent is A-B-S-O-L-U-T-L-Y AWFUL.  So, I'm firing them and now it's back to the drawing board. It ain't easy.....I'm just sayin'.

I feel your pain.  I think it is the luck of the draw, even with TA that is affiliated with a cruise line - as a special partner.

 

I tend to DIY my travel (most of which is not cruising) but see the financial benefits of  using a TA for cruising, in the vast majority of instances.

 

But even when using a TA I am hands on and proactive, kinda defeating the purpose of using a TA - except to save some $$$ or maybe get a tiny bit more than the cruise line offers.

 

I've booked with direct with cruise line and could not get my "personal consultant" to respond to my inquiries and the same has happened with TA who promises the moon leading up to deposit and is a ghost after final payment (with line that requires final payment eons before sailing).

 

More recently, my experience using FCV in mid pandemic was better than a new booking more recently.  Is it because of volume and super busy agents now or something else?  I don't know.  My current O prefered partner will be a one and done TA.  Either very lazy or very busy, either way not a good fit for me.  Even with my preference to keep an active ro5le in my travel arrangements. 

 

So a good TA is as rare as hen's tooth or as easy to find as a bad salesperson.  I have yet to find a hens tooth.  But will not give up in despair ( yet)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, avalong said:

I've definitely gotten the message from you folks that a TA is very important. So, I've attempted to find one using Oceania's list of agents. I zeroed in on one that seemed likely, read their yelp reviews etc. and made the leap. I handed over an existing booking to them. The agent is A-B-S-O-L-U-T-L-Y AWFUL.  So, I'm firing them and now it's back to the drawing board. It ain't easy.....I'm just sayin'.

Just because the agency or agent is listed  on O website not all are OCCC  members

 

You may be able to fire them but they will still get the commission & not many agents would take over the booking for NO PAY

 So check the details before  you "FIRE THEM"

JMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good TA is worth their weight in gold [some of which they will rebate to you as OBC or even cash!], but there are also bad TAs – and TAs that just aren't a good fit for a person's needs.  Since we can't refer CC members to our good TAs online or through offline contacts, my advice is to keep this first booking direct with Oceania if you still can and make a point to chat up your fellow passengers onboard the ship about their TA experiences.  (a) do they recommend their TA? (b) what is it that they find particularly helpful about their TA?  Then book a future cruise while onboard [for the extra onboard booking benefits] and transfer it to one of those recommended TAs who seems to fit your wants/needs.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Gerry. We had to pay our final in June for that November 7 sailing. Our TA did call and talked to them more than once and the answer was no! I think it also had something to do with when the cruise was booked. Ours wasn't booked until May so that might be the difference. BUT I will have her call and push again!

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But, it does sound like mauibabes, Gerry, was offered 60 days for a cruise leaving November7? Gerry my TA has hit a wall, even with the supervisors. She asked if I could get the last name or booking number for anyone who was offered 60 day FP. If you are comfortable with emailing me that would be awesome. kimhuselid@gmail.com

 

Thank you!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, khuselid said:

But, it does sound like mauibabes, Gerry, was offered 60 days for a cruise leaving November7? Gerry my TA has hit a wall, even with the supervisors. She asked if I could get the last name or booking number for anyone who was offered 60 day FP. If you are comfortable with emailing me that would be awesome. kimhuselid@gmail.com

 

Thank you!!

 

My TA is in the same position. We can't get any movement from O without evidence.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Just because the agency or agent is listed  on O website not all are OCCC  members

 

You may be able to fire them but they will still get the commission & not many agents would take over the booking for NO PAY

 So check the details before  you "FIRE THEM"

JMO

This agency was on Oceania's "connoisseur" list, believe it or not. I have contacted both Oceania and the agency regarding the relinquishment of the booking and it is in process. It's interesting that they would receive commission for a booking they had for less than a month, especially when they didn't make the booking and final payment hasn't been made. But I guess that's between Oceania and the agency. Thanks for your input.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, avalong said:

This agency was on Oceania's "connoisseur" list, believe it or not. I have contacted both Oceania and the agency regarding the relinquishment of the booking and it is in process.

 

Hope it all works out for you 

The most important thing  is to have a good cruise

Enjoy

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, luvsmickey said:

Just spoke to my TA who then spoke to O. Cruises beginning before 10/31 are FP 60 days. That’s why our 11/17 Riviera was not 60 days. 

I think they need to do additional checking.  I just moved from the Riviera sailing on 11/7 to the Marina sailing on 11/9.  Just before I changed, I received notification (via my very diligent TA) that the final payment for the Riviera November 7th sailing had been changed to 60 days out.  I have not received such a notice for the Marina November 9th sailing.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, sbsmutoni said:

I think they need to do additional checking.  I just moved from the Riviera sailing on 11/7 to the Marina sailing on 11/9.  Just before I changed, I received notification (via my very diligent TA) that the final payment for the Riviera November 7th sailing had been changed to 60 days out.  I have not received such a notice for the Marina November 9th sailing.

 

Maybe the  date  are dependant on where the ships are sailing from & if there may be issues whether the ship will be able to sail in that area

Just guessing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe the  date  are dependant on where the ships are sailing from & if there may be issues whether the ship will be able to sail in that area

Just guessing

Yeah, that's what my assumption is too.  I do wish they'd move the current option.  I feel like that, as long as the cruiseline does not back out, I'll be there, but I have a little niggle about the surge in the new variant around Europe causing issues. 

 

Also, to the last poster assuming the FP date is dependent upon cruise length....that's a good guess/assumption, but the Riviera (Nov. 7th) that had the 60 day window is the same length as the Marina (Nov. 9th) that has a 90 day window (10 days each).

 

 

Edited by sbsmutoni
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1st poster's cruise was a South America.   The other possible common link on the Reviera FP is  Miami.  Both Marina and Riviera have significant Miami itineraries.

 

So purely speculative - cruises involving Miami and/or South America in Nov 2021 through Jan 2022 are in the FP shuffle?????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True, but our November 7 is 26 days to Miami. Our TA also said that the cut off for these FP changes are cruises leaving after October 31. If they leave before this date the FP is 60 days regardless of length. 

 

I guess we are all just getting a bit nervous if we have paid our FP. Things were very different, virus wise, 2 months ago. So disappointed that things have declined and so many folks are still at risk!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More info from our awesome TA. Rules can be different, for FP's, for different ships!! No wonder we can't keep track of it all!!

 

She is working hard to see if she can get some inside info for us. Stay tuned.

 

Kim

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our December 1 cruise from Miami to Lima shows now almost all categories as available. Inside and outside were waitlisted for over a year (we ended up booking veranda). We were #3 for outside and #4 for inside. There is very limited number of those cabins on the Marina (around 20 I think) Not sure how to interpret this - did people cancel, or Oceania released cabins that were reserved? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...