A gratuitous increase is coming.

[PhD-iva]

2 hours ago, Robjame said:. If you are Platinum+ don’t lecture the rest of us about begrudging “them” an increase to offset inflation.

You enjoy “lecturing” others, so don’t begrudge others when they lecture you.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, PhD-iva said:

You enjoy “lecturing” others, so don’t begrudge others when they lecture you

Good point and thank you for reminding me. I was a little disingenuous in my response.

Perhaps  my point would be better made that it is simple to support an increase for others if it does not affect you. NIMBY. We do not take Oceania excursions but I would never promote a cost increase for this reason.

If there are justifiable reasons (and I contest this) for Oceania to transfer it’s labour costs to its client, why would they not transfer these to all their clients, not just the lowest - those below A category?

[Robjame]

On 12/28/2022 at 7:25 PM, pinotlover said:

Since I have a sales contract, with all the applicable fees and credits sitting in my desk, imo the increase will be for new bookings only.

I agree. Am trying to think of a circumstance where a contract would be opened to allow the seller more money.

 

I spoke again yesterday to the head purser as to how they were going to handle this price increase since we will be in the middle of a contracted back to back. She said she has heard nothing from Head Office re. the implementation of this announcement. Will let you know if anything is revealed.

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, Robjame said:

There are simpler ways Oceania can get more money -fuel surcharge, cruise price increases - but few that would be accepted with less complaint and I note the number of Platinum+ Club members with prepaid gratuities who can get behind this increase. If you are Platinum+ don’t lecture the rest of us about begrudging “them” an increase to offset inflation.

Maybe  that will be the next cut  for the Club Benefits  no more PPG

They could save $$ there  ..how many cruisers have attained the Silver level  (10 cruises) 

 

Then they could  stop the Free Cruise for every 20th cruise  or cap the price  at $5000. PP

Stop giving the bottle of free wine to Club members  (I know many would love that idea )

go back to charging for sodas & Specialty coffees

allow only 1 Specialty restaurant booking PP per restaurant  then Charge for extra reservations

Who really needs a new tote bag every cruise

stop giving the aluminum water bottles (seems many do not like them anyway)

cap the number of drinks in the Beverage package  to 10 PP PD

 

We could make a list of  cuts  & send it to FDR JR

 

lots of ways  to save Oceania money to pay the crew  more $

 

We get PPG  but we still give the crew  extra $  as well as a mention in the survey

JMO

 

 

[PaulMCO]

On 12/29/2022 at 12:29 PM, MEFIowa said:

The GRATUITIES go to the crew & staff, so no begrudging them for an increase to offset inflation. Why would anyone complain?

 

As for corporate issues, that's up to their board of directors, banks & others who do or might lend them money, bond markets, and stock markets. Not up to me to decide or know what salaries and benefits senior executives receive. But the markets will punish them if they don't have an efficient, effective operation that isn't bloated with expensive debt that has to be serviced.

 

You do realize that ALL expenses, including corporate taxes, are paid by customers? When expenses and taxes go up, so, too, usually do the prices paid by customers. TANSTAAFL.

Have you looked at who are the board of NCL Holdings. The CEO -- Mr. who shall be not be named -- are all old buddies/cronies of his.  Lets see -- several former members of Apollo Management, a former travel professional, former bankers who have been given business by NCL.  The board has been negligent in its oversight of the company and too generous of certain executives pay, including that of who that shall not be named.

Edited December 31, 2022 by PaulMCO

[sbcs5390]

On 12/29/2022 at 11:02 AM, MEFIowa said:

 

 

I had no sense that there was any general communication by the ship to new crew & staff about such places. Certainly NOT for the entertainers. That saddened me.

I think to some extent you have to remember our 11/22 cruise was the start of the Caribbean season. I’m sure many crew were new (based on the service provided) and that information takes some time to make its way to everyone. At least several of the production cast were new to ships or new to the working world. By now they’re well into the Caribbean season, with a lot of ports repeating and I am sure they are all better into their groove and more knowledgeable. 

[ORV]

On 12/29/2022 at 2:22 PM, pinotlover said:

Trying to get a verification, but just heard that those of us with O Club PPG benefits will no longer be eligible to additionally receive OCAPP PPG benefits. No more OBC in lieu of. Awaiting details.

Heard anything new on this?

[MEFIowa]

22 minutes ago, sbcs5390 said:

I think to some extent you have to remember our 11/22 cruise was the start of the Caribbean season. I’m sure many crew were new (based on the service provided) and that information takes some time to make its way to everyone. At least several of the production cast were new to ships or new to the working world. By now they’re well into the Caribbean season, with a lot of ports repeating and I am sure they are all better into their groove and more knowledgeable. 

Yes, the entertainers were new (got to meet two sets of their parents) but that doesn't negate O being smart and kind to its crew and staff by providing them such important information in advance port by port. How hard would it be to have some sheets of paper on some bulletin board showing the addresses and locations of good grocery & other related stores for crew needs? I'm sure the CVS in San Juan by the docks was a lot more expensive than the store up the hill in the old city where I found the CD shopping who said she'd been shopping there for decades, but if the CD knew it, how come someone in HR or staff supervision doesn't get that sort of information out to the crew in advance? Treat your people well!

[shepherd really]

17 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Have you looked at who are the board of NCL Holdings. The CEO -- Mr. who shall be not be named -- are all old buddies/cronies of his.  Lets see -- several former members of Apollo Management, a former travel professional, former bankers who have been given business by NCL.  The board has been negligent in its oversight of the company and too generous of certain executives pay, including that of who that shall not be named.

So are you saying that greed, cronyism and nepotism are the drivers of this (and many other corporations) obscene increase in executive compensation and not the brilliance and value being brought to the board room?  

 

Shocking. 

 

I still get a kick out of people who call Oceania a "family".  I never fired 9% of my family right before the holidays and gave myself all their presents.   

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

 How hard would it be to have some sheets of paper on some bulletin board showing the addresses and locations of good grocery & other related stores for crew needs?

How do you know they do not provide this information  or even the Crew Purser may do so??

[MEFIowa]

10 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

How do you know they do not provide this information or even the Crew Purser may do so??

All I KNOW is what I experienced on Sirena 11/2022. New crew, including 2 entertainers, did NOT know where the inexpensive supermarkets, grocery and related stores were in ports like Kingstown, St Vincent or San Juan, PR. THEY told me after I mentioned the issue of hoping the crew was finding the best shopping places. I stood looking out to the city from Sirena pointed to the green cross on the one supermarket, telling the entertainer, "That's where it is. At the green cross." She didn't know. And, I met CD Dottie shopping in the same supermarket in San Juan I went to in order to find inexpensive alcohol and she told me she'd been shopping there for decades. I wrote the name, address, and a "map" on two pieces of paper and handed them to the new crew I knew for their future use. They thanked me! The one had already gone to the CVS nearest the docks, which I'd bet was more expensive for him. And this was near the end of the 10-day cruise.

Edited December 31, 2022 by MEFIowa
Fixed a typo, added a clarification

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, MEFIowa said:

. I wrote the name, address, and a "map" on two pieces of paper and handed them to the new crew I knew for their future use. They thanked me! The one had already gone to the CVS nearest the docks, which I'd bet was more expensive for him. And this was near the end of the 10-day cruise.

maybe the crew were just being polite  😉

 

The entertainment crew  may not be in the know but the rest of the crew will share info

JMO

[MEFIowa]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

maybe the crew were just being polite  😉

 

The entertainment crew may not be in the know but the rest of the crew will share info

JMO

Then their smiles and profuse thanks would've been insincere. And they didn't appear to be.

 

From my time with the boutique staff on Riviera (12/21), including walking on the exercise deck engaged in conversation arranged in advance (he said he had to "hide" somewhat so they didn't think there was too much interaction with passengers), I suspect they're pretty separated from the crew. I'd have dinner with the jewelry person in the Terrace Cafe, where she'd be eating in the evenings. I did see the entertainers at a TC table one evening on Sirena with the #2 (IIRC Croatian or Slovenian) and the HR person (Serbian), so they may be in the same boat (pun intended).

 

I wonder how much language and nationality issues play into some of this beneath decks. So many Filipinos for example, who make look after each other. Same for so many Indians. But so few say Bulgarians and Romanians and Hungarians. I forget if the one crew I met was B, R or H, but when I mentioned her language, she mentioned that she was sad that the only other B, R, or H was getting off at the end of the cruise and she'd be the only person of that background on board.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

  The board has been negligent in its oversight of the company and too generous of certain executives pay, including that of who that shall not be named.

Maybe they learned the practice from  the Government 😉

 

I saw  that NYS   lawmakers  appointed themselves a 29%  raise  this year

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, ORV said:

Heard anything new on this?

I’ll have to wait until she gets back home. Not an emergency issue.

 

She’s on ( the Nautica, I think) Oceania ship with very spotty wifi. Having trouble just getting emails. Imagine that, an Oceania ship with spotty wifi!! 🤫

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe they learned the practice from  the Government 😉

 

I saw  that NYS   lawmakers  appointed themselves a 29%  raise  this year

I'm not affected by the salaries of public servants in a state and/or country I don't live in. 

 

I am however affected by the overcompensation of executives at companies I do business with.  That impacts me with higher prices passed along and services that are cut diminishing my cruise experience.

Edited December 31, 2022 by shepherd really

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, shepherd really said:

I am however affected by the overcompensation of executives at companies I do business with.  That impacts me with higher prices passed along and services that are cut diminishing my cruise experience.

you know my answer to that 😃

[ORV]

On 12/29/2022 at 4:01 PM, ORV said:

I also saw someone post on the site every one seems to use that the price of the drink package costs them $30 per person to upgrade on board. But I think they're confused. The reason being is they thought the basic package is $29.95. I see so much misinformation and confusion on that site that it makes my head want to explode. 

 

FWIW, the FAQ's still show the daily grats as $16 per person per day. I'm sure they'll get it caught up. 

I was checking out the posts on the other place today and this person posted a picture of Currents with the Drink Packages in it. It definitely showed the price for the Prestige package at $69.95. So yes, it's going up. 

[TIMONEY]

On 12/29/2022 at 1:22 PM, pinotlover said:

Trying to get a verification, but just heard that those of us with O Club PPG benefits will no longer be eligible to additionally receive OCAPP PPG benefits. No more OBC in lieu of. Awaiting details.

What exactly is OCAPP and how much of what where talking about fracture and/or hear say? Thanks 

[pinotlover]

9 minutes ago, TIMONEY said:

What exactly is OCAPP and how much of what where talking about fracture and/or hear say? Thanks 

OCAPP is what shows up on one’s Oceania invoice . Travel Agents have united in alliances called Consortiums.
 

Oceania, on a rotating bases for specific cruises, offers the different Consortiums PPG for their customers as additional enticement for booking cruises. 
 

Your TA may say “ this cruise comes with Consortium X PPG”. In actuality, it’s not from the Consortium, but merely a pass through from Oceania. Therefore, OCAPP is pass through PPG from Oceania.

 

What happens when one receives both OCAPP and PPG as a benefit of their Oceania Club status? Ah! That is a different story.

[TIMONEY]

4 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

OCAPP is what shows up on one’s Oceania invoice . Travel Agents have united in alliances called Consortiums.
 

Oceania, on a rotating bases for specific cruises, offers the different Consortiums PPG for their customers as additional enticement for booking cruises. 
 

Your TA may say “ this cruise comes with Consortium X PPG”. In actuality, it’s not from the Consortium, but merely a pass through from Oceania. Therefore, OCAPP is pass through PPG from Oceania.

 

What happens when one receives both OCAPP and PPG as a benefit of their Oceania Club status? Ah! That is a different story.

Thanks for explaining that to me, makes sense now appreciate it.

[PirateShark]

41 minutes ago, ORV said:

I was checking out the posts on the other place today and this person posted a picture of Currents with the Drink Packages in it. It definitely showed the price for the Prestige package at $69.95. So yes, it's going up. 

Thank goodness I purchased our packages for our 30 day voyage already 😳😳😳. 

[sbcs5390]

3 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

I wonder how much language and nationality issues play into some of this beneath decks. So many Filipinos for example, who make look after each other. Same for so many Indians. But so few say Bulgarians and Romanians and Hungarians. I forget if the one crew I met was B, R or H, but when I mentioned her language, she mentioned that she was sad that the only other B, R, or H was getting off at the end of the cruise and she'd be the only person of that background on board.

Absolutely - and many of the entertainers as you probably learned practice together shoreside first, so they are quite tight-knit. And, it was probably H - Klaudia the Martinis/pool/Horizons bar server (always in her aviators at the pool!) from Hungary headed home when we did on 11/28. 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

was checking out the posts on the other place today and this person posted a picture of Currents with the Drink Packages in it. It definitely showed the price for the Prestige package at $69.95. So yes, it's going up. 

Orv sometimes those other sites are country - based - Aussie or UK and the prices are different.

‘No such current Currents showing this on Riviera…so far

[ORV]

3 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Orv sometimes those other sites are country - based - Aussie or UK and the prices are different.

‘No such current Currents showing this on Riviera…so far

The site they are posting on is a US site, what ship the poster is on and where it's at I'm not sure.