the oceania experience

[robertschure]

please see the following which I attempted to post on the "reviews" page however I was directed by cruise critic to post here:

 

The following email was sent to Oceania 5 TIMES before we received an answer. The letter follows and then Oceania, reply concludes, I might point out the utter condescending  nature of their reply.

My letter: Re: Mediterranean cruise aboard Marina 5/14/2022-5/24/2022, Although this note is a bit late, I was urged to communicate with Oceania by close friends who had highly recommended Oceania based upon the cruise lines outstanding quality of service. Unfortunately, we found this “quality” lacking. When my wife and I (81 and 76 years old respectively) met up at the Venice airport, for the bus transfer to Trieste. The airport scene was a bit chaotic, however it did finally organize. We were then “herded” from the airport terminal about a half mile (walking in the heat) to the buses. Never were any of us offered water, which was truly needed due to the walking distance and the heat. Very very disappointed. Remember this was our first exposure to the Oceania “high standards”. As I’m sure you are aware when we finally reached Trieste, parched, sweaty and tired, we exited the bus entered a port building, expecting to board the ship, but no, we again were placed on a bus, again never offered water, and transported to a second port wherein we finally boarded the ship, tired and very thirsty. Luckily no one in our group suffered from the potential side effects of dehydration. The second issue we faced was also bus related. When we reached Marseille my wife and I took advantage of the buses that Oceania had provided and traveled to the town. We spent several hours being tourists and then decided to return to the ship. We and about another 80 Oceania passengers waited at the bus stop (the bus was there) for a driver to show up for transport. It took 2 hours of waiting, again, in the hot sun for the driver to arrive, he and the bus coordinator were in a café and forgot about the time. Although I understand that Oceania contracts with these services that is no excuse not to oversee their performance. Now for my last two issues. Although my wife and I had chosen to do the is vacation on a “first class” basis (a suite aboard the ship and first-class air travel through Oceania) we felt that two items aboard the ship were far less than first class. The fact that only one passenger was afforded free wi-fi was mind boggling, and the subsequent cabin mate were forced to pay extra for the service….First-class??? Also, I was prepared to partake in the casino aboard the ship and was advised that if I wanted to charge anything to my credit card (registered with the cruise line) I would pay and service charge, and when I went to use the Euros, I had purchased, I was advised that the casino only accepted dollars (American) Well although my wife and I enjoyed the food aboard, our accommodations, the ship board service, and were very pleased with the offboard excursions we booked; the items listed above hang heavy with us. First class should be first class and to our minds Oceania missed the target.

Following is their reply: Thank you for contacting Oceania Cruises Guest Relations Department. We greatly appreciate your time and effort in sharing the specifics of your recent cruise experience._________, while we were delighted to learn about the positive aspects of your Oceania Cruises experience that met your expectations, we truly regret to learn of your disappointments. Please be assured that all your thoughts and observations have been shared with the appropriate department heads for their review and future planning._________, although we strive to provide each of our guests with a relaxing and enjoyable cruise holiday, sometimes expectations may not be fully met. Based on your feedback, please accept our sincerest apologies that we did not do as good a job in meeting your expectations as we should have. As a gesture of goodwill, are pleased to extend to are pleased to extend to you Cruise Credits totaling $500.00 that may be applied toward the cruise fare on any future Oceania Cruises sailing/itinerary, in any category of accommodation, subject to availability.

The Cruise Credits have been recorded in our Reservations system, and at the time of booking, the Reservations Agent should be advised that a credit has been reserved under your names. Please note that the reservation must be booked within one (1) year of, and sailing must commence no later than two (2) years from, the date of this email. For additional terms and conditions of the cruise credits, please refer to the attached Certificates.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We would delight in the opportunity to serve you again and sincerely hope that your travel plans will include Oceania Cruises in the not-too-distant future.

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, robertschure said:

please see the following which I attempted to post on the "reviews" page however I was directed by cruise critic to post here:

 

The following email was sent to Oceania 5 TIMES before we received an answer. The letter follows and then Oceania, reply concludes, I might point out the utter condescending  nature of their reply.

My letter: Re: Mediterranean cruise aboard Marina 5/14/2022-5/24/2022, Although this note is a bit late, I was urged to communicate with Oceania by close friends who had highly recommended Oceania based upon the cruise lines outstanding quality of service. Unfortunately, we found this “quality” lacking. When my wife and I (81 and 76 years old respectively) met up at the Venice airport, for the bus transfer to Trieste. The airport scene was a bit chaotic, however it did finally organize. We were then “herded” from the airport terminal about a half mile (walking in the heat) to the buses. Never were any of us offered water, which was truly needed due to the walking distance and the heat. Very very disappointed. Remember this was our first exposure to the Oceania “high standards”. As I’m sure you are aware when we finally reached Trieste, parched, sweaty and tired, we exited the bus entered a port building, expecting to board the ship, but no, we again were placed on a bus, again never offered water, and transported to a second port wherein we finally boarded the ship, tired and very thirsty. Luckily no one in our group suffered from the potential side effects of dehydration. The second issue we faced was also bus related. When we reached Marseille my wife and I took advantage of the buses that Oceania had provided and traveled to the town. We spent several hours being tourists and then decided to return to the ship. We and about another 80 Oceania passengers waited at the bus stop (the bus was there) for a driver to show up for transport. It took 2 hours of waiting, again, in the hot sun for the driver to arrive, he and the bus coordinator were in a café and forgot about the time. Although I understand that Oceania contracts with these services that is no excuse not to oversee their performance. Now for my last two issues. Although my wife and I had chosen to do the is vacation on a “first class” basis (a suite aboard the ship and first-class air travel through Oceania) we felt that two items aboard the ship were far less than first class. The fact that only one passenger was afforded free wi-fi was mind boggling, and the subsequent cabin mate were forced to pay extra for the service….First-class??? Also, I was prepared to partake in the casino aboard the ship and was advised that if I wanted to charge anything to my credit card (registered with the cruise line) I would pay and service charge, and when I went to use the Euros, I had purchased, I was advised that the casino only accepted dollars (American) Well although my wife and I enjoyed the food aboard, our accommodations, the ship board service, and were very pleased with the offboard excursions we booked; the items listed above hang heavy with us. First class should be first class and to our minds Oceania missed the target.

Following is their reply: Thank you for contacting Oceania Cruises Guest Relations Department. We greatly appreciate your time and effort in sharing the specifics of your recent cruise experience._________, while we were delighted to learn about the positive aspects of your Oceania Cruises experience that met your expectations, we truly regret to learn of your disappointments. Please be assured that all your thoughts and observations have been shared with the appropriate department heads for their review and future planning._________, although we strive to provide each of our guests with a relaxing and enjoyable cruise holiday, sometimes expectations may not be fully met. Based on your feedback, please accept our sincerest apologies that we did not do as good a job in meeting your expectations as we should have. As a gesture of goodwill, are pleased to extend to are pleased to extend to you Cruise Credits totaling $500.00 that may be applied toward the cruise fare on any future Oceania Cruises sailing/itinerary, in any category of accommodation, subject to availability.

The Cruise Credits have been recorded in our Reservations system, and at the time of booking, the Reservations Agent should be advised that a credit has been reserved under your names. Please note that the reservation must be booked within one (1) year of, and sailing must commence no later than two (2) years from, the date of this email. For additional terms and conditions of the cruise credits, please refer to the attached Certificates.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We would delight in the opportunity to serve you again and sincerely hope that your travel plans will include Oceania Cruises in the not-too-distant future.

FWIW:

Whether it is you or your TA voicing the concern, having the contact info for specific managers at Oceania’s home office can be very helpful in righting perceived wrongs that deserve attention. 
Bringing your reasonable issue directly/immediately to the Exec Concierge (or other appropriate manager on the ship may often result in an immediate solution. At the very least if you remain displeased, you can request the contact info for a specific Miami manager (rather than general mailbox), which will usually be honored. That alone should get you a more immediate reply from Miami though you may find that the tenor of the reply will still be along the lines of a form letter with an FCC of $XXX.00. 
What positive (for passengers) may come of your speaking up is that enough complaints to O about a particular reasonable issue will often affect some change.

[mauibabes]

Wow, so sorry to have seen the Oceania contractors screw up so badly. I read the Guest Relations response you received and can share this thought. A friend last month had a negative experience at debarkation and she sent a note to Oceania. The email she received within a week was similar in conciliatory tone but she did not receive the $500 Cruise Credit. When she told me about her experience, she was very pleased with the message and tone of her email and was not at all offended. I read your email and while perhaps a different word or two could have been used in it, I found it honestly conciliatory and not condescending.  JMHO   

 

So sorry you had a negative experience with O because that is not the norm, again JMO. Take care and stay well and enjoy your next cruise but don’t book Europe in the Summer. 
Mauibabes

[Sny]

It appears that the primary problems that concerned you were related to services contracted by Oceania with other operators, something that they have no direct control over.  I would expect that such is an ongoing concern with Oceania (and other cruise lines).  There are limited resources in most locales and quality can vary, even within a company. 

Having cruised 3x with O and booked on two in the near future, I have experienced similar situations and reported them to the appropriate desk/s onboard and in the mid-trip and final evaluations.,   I know from talking with O employees on the ship/s, that O takes those evaluations VERY seriously, with jobs on the line when ratings are not very high.  

I am actually shocked that O offered any form of compensation.  I consider that very generous.

 

[robertschure]

When I attempted to contact Oceania, numerous times with no response, it was not to elicit any form of monetary compensation, but to make them (O) aware of our misgivings and to hopefully have them “repair” those issues. I would have been satisfied with their understanding of these issues and a response indicating that they would make attempts to cure them. I understand that the contract services are not in the direct control; of Oceania but they should do a far better job of overseeing them.

[robertschure]

remember "FIRST CLASS"

[pinotlover]

1 minute ago, robertschure said:

remember "FIRST CLASS"

Therein lies part of your problem. Aboard ship, those passengers in top suites do get special considerations. Outside of that there is no class differentiation on Oceania. Your treatment is exactly the same as others receive outside the cabin. There is no First Class.

 

Trieste is not a large airport, so your claim of walking a half mile away from the airport is questionable. Fwiw, we always use the bathrooms and ensure we have water for personal use before exiting an airport. Hopefully, the bus will have water for passengers, but it’s never guaranteed. 
 

Your tour experience is unfortunate. Personally, I would have found shade long before two hours. Things are tough right now in Europe as in the U.S.. This summer, we had a tour bus show up 45 minutes late for our tour. The driver, who was also the branch manager, begged our foregiveness. Seems the assigned driver had called in and quit that morning leaving them jumping through hoops to get the bus out. Things are certainly a mess right now. 

[shepherd really]

Your expectations are unrealistic and your compensation far more than a little stroll in the sun and a wait at a bus stop warrant.  Since you are so particular you should seek out a cruise line where everything is always perfect.

 

Good luck with that.

[LHT28]

I am confused

If you  were in "First Class "  top suite    they get 2 internet accounts  so not sure why you had to pay for one??

 

Did you mention the lack of water to anyone once you boarded the ship   like Reception or the Concierge?

 That was  not a good way to start the cruise  but maybe Oceania should have made sure the buses have water available  in the future

 

 The bus contractor should have been reported to O once back onboard  I am sure  Destination services heard about it from other PAX

Always best to report any problems  WHILE on the ship  not when you are at home

 

 A nice good will gesture  from O  so maybe you will give them another try

 

 

 

[robertschure]

To clarify: I believe we are “mixing metaphors” here, we I indicated first-class, that is how Oceania markets their cruises (although we here booked into a penthouse suite) and charging for a second wi-fi is chincy.

Second I do not believe you cure a problem by throwing money at it, it is cured by caring personnel who take actions preventing future occurrences of the same.

Please keep in mind my comments were meant to help Oceania. And yes he had brought these issues to our butler, and the customer service people onboard and were met with total indifference

[shepherd really]

6 minutes ago, robertschure said:

To clarify: I believe we are “mixing metaphors” here, we I indicated first-class, that is how Oceania markets their cruises (although we here booked into a penthouse suite) and charging for a second wi-fi is chincy.

Second I do not believe you cure a problem by throwing money at it, it is cured by caring personnel who take actions preventing future occurrences of the same.

Please keep in mind my comments were meant to help Oceania. And yes he had brought these issues to our butler, and the customer service people onboard and were met with total indifference

I'm not one of the O defenders around here, but your expectations were not realistic.  Oceania markets itself as a premium line.  Not "first class", by which I assume you mean luxury. Glitches happen on every ship of every line, including luxury lines, if you can't roll with it that's an indication that this type of travel is not for you.  

 

[ORV]

3 hours ago, robertschure said:

Please be assured that all your thoughts and observations have been shared with the appropriate department heads for their review and future planning.

This is from the email reply they sent you. Not sure what else they could have said. 

2 hours ago, robertschure said:

I would have been satisfied with their understanding of these issues and a response indicating that they would make attempts to cure them.

 

[oskidunker]

They could have addressed each issue separately and told him what they were going to do to fix the problem. 

[Hlitner]

I am certainly no O fan, having not even been able to cruise on O (thanks to O moving our debarkation port about 1500 miles).  But we are very experienced cruisers (over 45 years of cruising on 16 lines) and also independent land travelers.  I mention all this to put my post so you understand our perspective.

 

All cruise lines must deal with various land-based contractors, and it is a weak point for many lines.  The truth is that most cruise lines actually contract with the same companies because there are often limited options.  The situation with Venice is causing heartburn for just about every cruise line that had originally scheduled cruises to embark/debark at the Maritima Port of Venice.  I am sure that O simply contracted with a local company to provide land services and transport from VCE to Trieste and obviously (based on the OP) they were not served well.  O did offer future compensation which is about the most one can expect when filing a complaint after the fact.  I do not get hung up on the language in response letters since words are just words.  

 

At the risk of being "flamed" I find some of the OP's post disturbing.  Even if they had booked the largest most expensive suite on the ship, the reality is that everyone is going to be met and transferred (from VCE to Trieste) by the same contractor.  If "O" had specified that the OP would have a "special dedicated meet and greet and a unique private transfer" they would have lots of justification to be angry.  But this sounds like one of those awful situations where a shore-based provider treated everyone like %^&*.    As to the nickel/diming aboard the ship, we will leave that to the "O" experts.  Personally, if I had walked in the casino with a stack of Euros and the casino would not accept the currency, I would have told the casino manager to take his/her casino and stick it somewhere!    This issue is not unique to "O" and the kind of thing that drives me nutz. 

 

And finally I would suggest to the OP that if you truly want "First Class" you need to pay for a real First Class Luxury cruise line ("O is not in that category) or at least travel on a cruise line that has a true First Class "ship within a ship" concept.   Booking a more expensive cabin/suite on a typical ship is akin to buying the most expensive home in a neighborhood.  In the final analysis you are still in the same neighborhood with the lower priced homes.   Some lines, who have a true ship within a ship experience, do try to deal with this problem with some success....but "O" does not offer that type of experience.

 

Hank

[PhD-iva]

I found O’s reply courteous and responsive, although it should not have taken multiple attempts to contact them before their addressing your issues. The $500 FCC was VERY generous. I don’t feel their response to you was condescending in any way.
I hope you can find the right cruise line to fit your needs. 

[robertschure]

thanks Hank, what lines would you suggest

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, robertschure said:

To clarify: I believe we are “mixing metaphors” here, we I indicated first-class, that is how Oceania markets their cruises (although we here booked into a penthouse suite) and charging for a second wi-fi is chincy.

 

Did you do any research on what is included in  fare  for your cabin  category?

 

Better to call Oceania & ask for  a number to direct your concerns to than emailing them or if you have  a TA have them send your letter to the cruise line

 

 

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, robertschure said:

thanks Hank, what lines would you suggest

 

Not Hank

but the luxury lines  are Silversea, Seabourn, Regent

[pinotlover]

1 minute ago, robertschure said:

thanks Hank, what lines would you suggest

 

We haven’t sailed them, but friends love Tauck. We don’t choose to pay for the level of service that line provides, but they have wonderful ships, some great itineraries, and impeccable service. A totally different aspect of sailing versus Oceania.

[mauibabes]

Pinot and others,

So Tauck huh, that is great to hear, another one beyond the three Ocean cruise lines mentioned. We are traveling with a big group of friends on a Tauck Great Lakes trip/cruise in September. Tauck uses the French cruise line Ponant to provide the week long sailing of the Lakes, and  less than 184 passengers so pretty cool IMHO.  It is reportedly a luxury line and is all inclusive as far at that goes.  Guess I will have to report on that trip after we get back in Mid October to share the differences. Definitely looking forward to it but have no expectations that their food will exceed Oceania’s quality and breadth of options. 
Ciao, Mauibabes 
 

[pinotlover]

10 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Pinot and others,

So Tauck huh, that is great to hear, another one beyond the three Ocean cruise lines mentioned. We are traveling with a big group of friends on a Tauck Great Lakes trip/cruise in September. Tauck uses the French cruise line Ponant to provide the week long sailing of the Lakes, and  less than 184 passengers so pretty cool IMHO.  It is reportedly a luxury line and is all inclusive as far at that goes.  Guess I will have to report on that trip after we get back in Mid October to share the differences. Definitely looking forward to it but have no expectations that their food will exceed Oceania’s quality and breadth of options. 
Ciao, Mauibabes 
 

As I said, we as of yet not sailed them. Friends have done both European and Japanese sailings with them and rave. Their past Japanese itineraries have been superior to those of Oceania. That is where we may focus in the future.

[avalong]

23 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Pinot and others,

So Tauck huh, that is great to hear, another one beyond the three Ocean cruise lines mentioned. We are traveling with a big group of friends on a Tauck Great Lakes trip/cruise in September. Tauck uses the French cruise line Ponant to provide the week long sailing of the Lakes, and  less than 184 passengers so pretty cool IMHO.  It is reportedly a luxury line and is all inclusive as far at that goes.  Guess I will have to report on that trip after we get back in Mid October to share the differences. Definitely looking forward to it but have no expectations that their food will exceed Oceania’s quality and breadth of options. 
Ciao, Mauibabes 
 

Please do report back!

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, robertschure said:

thanks Hank, what lines would you suggest

 

It is difficult to suggest a line to folks we do not know since each of us has our own wants/needs and budget.  I will also admit that we have never found a perfect cruise line.  If money is not a major factor we do find a lot to like about the upscale smaller ship luxury lines.  Our own recent cruises on Seabourn have been very good (not perfect) and many also like Silverseas, Regent and Sea Dream.  If you want more of a "ship within a ship" experience there is MSC's Yacht Club, NCL's Haven Suites, Cunard's Grill Suites, and the Retreat eligible suites on the newer Celebrity ships.   I should also mention Viking Ocean cruises because a favorite cousin absolutely loves that line.  But I would not consider Viking a true luxury line and many would consider it in a similar class as "O."

 

I also am very interested in trying the new cruise line called "Explora Journeys."  They are slated to be a luxury product (with space ratios comparable to lines like Seabourn) and are wholly owned by MSC.  Their first ship will be sailing next year, they have 4 small ships under construction (about 900 passenger) and recently optioned 2 more.  MSC has very deep pockets and is essentially a family-owned company (Aponte family).  While most cruise lines are trying to find the cash to survive,  the MSC folks are awash in cash because of their commercial ship division.

 

Just keep in mind that luxury lines usually cost $500 - $1000 per passenger day.  But that money will usually get you a suite and just about everything else.   We have actually cruised on Seabourn for weeks and not spent a single dime (onboard) beyond what we paid for the cruise.  

 

Hank

[Guppy99]

11 hours ago, robertschure said:

please see the following which I attempted to post on the "reviews" page however I was directed by cruise critic to post here:

 

The following email was sent to Oceania 5 TIMES before we received an answer. The letter follows and then Oceania, reply concludes, I might point out the utter condescending  nature of their reply.

My letter: Re: Mediterranean cruise aboard Marina 5/14/2022-5/24/2022, Although this note is a bit late, I was urged to communicate with Oceania by close friends who had highly recommended Oceania based upon the cruise lines outstanding quality of service. Unfortunately, we found this “quality” lacking. When my wife and I (81 and 76 years old respectively) met up at the Venice airport, for the bus transfer to Trieste. The airport scene was a bit chaotic, however it did finally organize. We were then “herded” from the airport terminal about a half mile (walking in the heat) to the buses. Never were any of us offered water, which was truly needed due to the walking distance and the heat. Very very disappointed. Remember this was our first exposure to the Oceania “high standards”. As I’m sure you are aware when we finally reached Trieste, parched, sweaty and tired, we exited the bus entered a port building, expecting to board the ship, but no, we again were placed on a bus, again never offered water, and transported to a second port wherein we finally boarded the ship, tired and very thirsty. Luckily no one in our group suffered from the potential side effects of dehydration. The second issue we faced was also bus related. When we reached Marseille my wife and I took advantage of the buses that Oceania had provided and traveled to the town. We spent several hours being tourists and then decided to return to the ship. We and about another 80 Oceania passengers waited at the bus stop (the bus was there) for a driver to show up for transport. It took 2 hours of waiting, again, in the hot sun for the driver to arrive, he and the bus coordinator were in a café and forgot about the time. Although I understand that Oceania contracts with these services that is no excuse not to oversee their performance. Now for my last two issues. Although my wife and I had chosen to do the is vacation on a “first class” basis (a suite aboard the ship and first-class air travel through Oceania) we felt that two items aboard the ship were far less than first class. The fact that only one passenger was afforded free wi-fi was mind boggling, and the subsequent cabin mate were forced to pay extra for the service….First-class??? Also, I was prepared to partake in the casino aboard the ship and was advised that if I wanted to charge anything to my credit card (registered with the cruise line) I would pay and service charge, and when I went to use the Euros, I had purchased, I was advised that the casino only accepted dollars (American) Well although my wife and I enjoyed the food aboard, our accommodations, the ship board service, and were very pleased with the offboard excursions we booked; the items listed above hang heavy with us. First class should be first class and to our minds Oceania missed the target.

Following is their reply: Thank you for contacting Oceania Cruises Guest Relations Department. We greatly appreciate your time and effort in sharing the specifics of your recent cruise experience._________, while we were delighted to learn about the positive aspects of your Oceania Cruises experience that met your expectations, we truly regret to learn of your disappointments. Please be assured that all your thoughts and observations have been shared with the appropriate department heads for their review and future planning._________, although we strive to provide each of our guests with a relaxing and enjoyable cruise holiday, sometimes expectations may not be fully met. Based on your feedback, please accept our sincerest apologies that we did not do as good a job in meeting your expectations as we should have. As a gesture of goodwill, are pleased to extend to are pleased to extend to you Cruise Credits totaling $500.00 that may be applied toward the cruise fare on any future Oceania Cruises sailing/itinerary, in any category of accommodation, subject to availability.

The Cruise Credits have been recorded in our Reservations system, and at the time of booking, the Reservations Agent should be advised that a credit has been reserved under your names. Please note that the reservation must be booked within one (1) year of, and sailing must commence no later than two (2) years from, the date of this email. For additional terms and conditions of the cruise credits, please refer to the attached Certificates.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We would delight in the opportunity to serve you again and sincerely hope that your travel plans will include Oceania Cruises in the not-too-distant future.

I fail to see what you are complaining about. Oceania response was in no way condescending, and they made an offer of good will...which they were under no obligation to do.

 

I am sorry that you had to walk so far and in the heat no less. However, you should not have assumed anything and you should have asked exactly how the transfer would work, especially since you are no longer as fit as you might have been when in your 30's. (Please do not be offended. I'm in the same boat.)

 

As for the excursion, you alerted them and they will likely take this into account in the future. However, it is totally unreasonable for you to expect an Oceania person to escort every excursion. 

 

As for the Casion. You must be joking. There is always a fee when you take cash against a credit card.  Why should they absorb this fee? That is totally unreasonable on your part. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Guppy99

[Guppy99]

7 hours ago, oskidunker said:

They could have addressed each issue separately and told him what they were going to do to fix the problem. 

That's an absurd expectation. If you want that kind of response, then be prepared to have to pay far more for your cruise. The CS staff would have to be  expanded by order of magnitude.