Bad Business - Drink To It.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, osandomir said:

I already know that - just like the prices for almost everything else nowadays. What I referred to was particular one person’s gratuities. If you read this topic from the beginning, you will understand.

What would you do? Oh I know…. Bow to the extortion of a cost increase breaking the contract.

Pretty easy to sit there unaffected, particularly when you don’t even pay your own gratuities. 
 

I repeat - the situation is resolved for me.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Robjame

[Amber14]

3 hours ago, Robjame said:

What would you do? Oh I know…. Bow to the extortion of a cost increase breaking the contract.

Pretty easy to sit there unaffected, particularly when you don’t even pay your own gratuities. 
 

I repeat - the situation is resolved for me.

Just curious...how did you resolve the situation satisfactorily? We are in the same boat (Olife beverage package and want to upgrade onboard) for our Jan. 31 cruise and wondering what to do.

[mtadk]

I am in the same situation as you, Robjame, for our cruise in three weeks. How did you resolve it satisfactorily? Thank you. 

[Jim and Monika]

We would also like to know and test it out in about 4 hours.

[Robjame]

Email me and I will reply

 

 

robertjames7022   at aol dot com

 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, Jim and Monika said:

We would also like to know and test it out in about 4 hours.

I have a feeling this might be a topic at the Meet and Greet this evening!

 

Feel free to contact me.

[osandomir]

11 hours ago, Robjame said:

What would you do? Oh I know…. Bow to the extortion of a cost increase breaking the contract.

Pretty easy to sit there unaffected, particularly when you don’t even pay your own gratuities. 
 

I repeat - the situation is resolved for me.

It’s great that you’ve found the solution. Even better it’ll not affect the hardworking crew.

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[LHT28]

12 hours ago, Robjame said:

What would you do? Oh I know…. Bow to the extortion of a cost increase breaking the contract.

Pretty easy to sit there unaffected, particularly when you don’t even pay your own gratuities. 
 

Don't you have an  agent that gives you rebates?

Or one that provides PPG?

[ak1004]

13 hours ago, Robjame said:

What would you do? Oh I know…. Bow to the extortion of a cost increase breaking the contract.

Pretty easy to sit there unaffected, particularly when you don’t even pay your own gratuities. 
 

I repeat - the situation is resolved for me.

 

Personally I would pay the extra $10/day (which is probably less than 1% of the total cost of the trip when you consider all expenses) and not waste my time and energy, and just enjoy the cruise and the drinks.

 

But that's just me..

 

And for the record, I don't think it's a break a a contract. The $20 difference in not mentioned anywhere in the reservation, and all cruise lines increase the prices for items that are not pre paid.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

Personally I would pay the extra $10/day (which is probably less than 1% of the total cost of the trip when you consider all expenses)

2 people = $20

27 days = $540

100% = $54000

Hmmmmmm

[ak1004]

3 minutes ago, Robjame said:

2 people = $20

27 days = $540

100% = $54000

Hmmmmmm

 

Well, I don't know which cabin you are in, but average cabin cost is $400-500 per person. Add excursions and flights (depending on your class).. probably around $600-700 per day per person. I would still consider $10 very insignificant expense. 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

Well, I don't know which cabin you are in, but average cabin cost is $400-500 per person

No where near Your $54000 US calculation or $73000 CAD

Edited January 4, 2023 by Robjame

[ak1004]

11 minutes ago, Robjame said:

No where near Your $54000 US calculation or $73000 CAD

ok. 3%. You won. 😬 still very insignificant as a percentage of the total cost.

[LGW59]

On 1/2/2023 at 9:26 AM, MEFIowa said:

Thankfully, since we can bring our own alcohol on board, I've never ever considered paying O's prices for alcohol. Didn't in 2021 or 2022 in the Caribbean. Certainly won't while in the Med later this year or the Baltic in 2024.

As a non-drinking couple, I am glad O makes purchasing optional.  That said, I'd not be very pleased if they did something like this to me pre-cruise if I had already paid in advance and in good faith.  If I was not able to back out of it, I'd just suck it up and say lesson learned (still not be pleased) and I am also in the still tip the crew camp.  They just put the OP in a really suck and unfair situation.

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

As a non-drinking couple, I am glad O makes purchasing optional.  That said, I'd not be very pleased if they did something like this to me pre-cruise if I had already paid in advance and in good faith.  If I was not able to back out of it, I'd just suck it up and say lesson learned (still not be pleased) and I am also in the still tip the crew camp.  They just put the OP in a really suck and unfair situation.

I believe you touched on the essence of the problem. Oceania has been sailing a bunch of low passenger capacity ships. Lots of upcoming cruises still showing cabin availability. I’m shocked that our June Vista cruise went from waitlist to now having availability and we’re not yet to final payment!

 

If Oceania, or any other entity, is to run a successful wine and spirits program, it has to be paid for. LGW59, and a host of others, don’t choose to participate in any adult beverage program. That leaves only we imbibers to not only cover the program costs, but also turn a profit for Oceania. 
 

While I might feign surprise at the number of ( near) Teatotallers above, the average age of Oceania’s clientele makes that feign look naive. This is coupled with Oceania’s very generous policy of allowing adult beverages to be brought aboard along with a modest $25 corkage fee. This singularly decreases the pool of those buying the package. 
 

As you decrease the number of those buying the various packages while the costs of said booze increases, someone must pay the delta.

 

Oceania has several options ahead. Hopefully, this package increase takes care of the issue. If not, their generous policy of allowing alcohol being brought aboard could be in jeopardy. Or, the selection of included items decrease significantly. When multiple packages become Ala carte, those packages then not only have to pay for themselves, but also generate acceptable profits to be sustained. 

Edited January 5, 2023 by pinotlover

[osandomir]

3 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

 

And for the record, I don't think it's a break a a contract. The $20 difference in not mentioned anywhere in the reservation, and all cruise lines increase the prices for items that are not pre paid.

That’s true. In the reservation it’s just the basic package that was chosen as a OLife perk and was paid for. No other contracts related to it. So it looks like a good will on the Oceania part to offer OP an upgrade without the increase.

[ak1004]

19 minutes ago, osandomir said:

That’s true. In the reservation it’s just the basic package that was chosen as a OLife perk and was paid for. No other contracts related to it. So it looks like a good will on the Oceania part to offer OP an upgrade without the increase.

 

And I don't see how this is different from increasing the price of a single wine glass mid cruise. Or spa treatments. Or any other extras that are not pre paid.

[eroller]

If there is a common thread when I peruse the various cruise line boards, it’s pay more and get less.  Increases across the board while services are being cut or trimmed.  Seems to be the cruise industry mantra these days.  I understand most lines are in a precarious financial position these days, but I hope this strategy doesn’t bite them in the rear long term.  
 

I certainly empathize with the OP.  While I don’t agree with cutting any kind of staff gratuity, I’ve often wondered how much of the required gratuity goes into the corporate pocket of the cruise line.  Likewise when they raise the required gratuity amount, does the crew see that raise?  I’ve been told otherwise.  I’ve also been told by various crew members on different lines they receive a guaranteed amount per contract, regardless of the gratuity.  Of course the cruise line wants you to tip the full amount so they don’t have to make up the crew guarantee out of their own pocket.  This is also a problem when the ship isn’t full, so it’s in the cruise lines best interest to fill ships on many fronts.  
 

Anyway I’m sad to see what is happening within the cruise industry right now (in terms of cuts and price increases), but in no way do I want the crew to suffer in any way.  They work so hard (even harder with staffing cuts), and deserve every penny they earn.  
 

 

[emd138]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

 

And I don't see how this is different from increasing the price of a single wine glass mid cruise. Or spa treatments. Or any other extras that are not pre paid.

It is scale, and timing.  If you took the OLife beverage package knowing that you could upgrade for $X, and now that equation changed, you can't undo the choice to do the OLife beverage package if you are already on board.  For my June cruise, I can still change that equation, because paying for the OLife beverage package offers no value to me.  I still work full time in a non-remote position, so my cruises are short.  For others, this difference is huge.  

[the more ports the better]

On 1/2/2023 at 4:59 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

It was $39.95 previously.

Ore-paid gratuities are not one of the regular O Life perk options (I.e., SBC, booze or tours). Rather, gratuities are an O Club perk deke ding on your membership level.

Flatbush, how do I get one of those deke ding things on my membership??? Sounds fantastic! 🙂 
 

Best auto correct I’ve seen in a while

[ak1004]

43 minutes ago, emd138 said:

 For others, this difference is huge.  

 

Huge? As I mentioned, this is about 2-3% of your total cruise cost (depends on your cabin, it could be less). Personally, I'm not sure it's worth all the time and energy wasted here and on Facebook. Better to just enjoy the cruise..

[mexicobob]

On 1/2/2023 at 11:08 PM, JRIH said:

Not unusual or frowned upon.  Enjoy your wine.

Thank you for your reply. The $25 corkage fee seems to be the best alcohol deal Oceania has to offer. We plan to enjoy some great Italian wine at dinner but............did not want to ruffle feathers. 

[PaulMCO]

 

NEW | Beverage Package Pricing Structure

 

Advance Purchase (Prior to Sailing)

$29.95 per guest, per day – House Select

$59.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

Onboard Purchase

$39.95 per guest, per day – House Select

$69.95 per guest, per day – Prestige Select

[Robjame]

New rules. New game.

If the House Select is taken as the OLife, what are th charges then and can it now be prepurchased?

[Robjame]

8 hours ago, mexicobob said:

The $25 corkage fee seems to be the best alcohol deal Oceania has to offer. We plan to enjoy some

With the increase in the packages and the increase in the bar menu prices, I can’t see a continuation of the generous policy of bringing wine and spirits aboard. We’ll see.