NCLH Press Release on “Simply More”

[ORV]

11 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Here’s my view of Simply More. It’s simply a potential price increase. That’s it, get over it.

 

I have always been straight forward on the subject and realize our priorities are 180 degrees different from many here. It’s itinerary, itinerary, itinerary. We book what we believe is the best itinerary. Sometimes Oceania has it, other times they don’t and we book on the line that does. You’ll never hear us say “Oh, I saved $500 by booking this itinerary we didn’t really like.”

 

We cruised Viking because they had a far superior itinerary for that specific region than O ever has. Viking has included tours which we almost never take. Just like on Oceania, I go to the Roll Call and arrange and/or participate on private tours that better suit our desires for that specific port. It’s all about seeing and doing what we want in a port, not whether we will save a few bucks taking an included tour.

 

This is actually just like our shore tour groups having spectacular lunches ashore. Yes, we can rush back to the ship to eat, as many do, but those wonderful meals of local cuisine, far surpassing anything aboard, is part of the reason we travel.

So we’re getting a price increase. I don’t see much changing for us. We’ll still cruise for the itinerary. We’ll take primarily private tours, even though we may have a tour credit. We will eat great lunches ashore, even though we can eat and drink aboard for free. Life goes on. Maybe the price increases over ten (10) years means we can afford 1 or 2 less cruises? Since we have no interest for “ the ship being the destination “, maybe in 8-10 years we’ll be so old it doesn’t matter. Life goes on.

 

Since you've found out in other posts that you can use it for any tour you could always take one of those private cars for the day tours and have them take you wherever you want to go. Afterall, you already paid for it and have the credit. That is if you choose Oceania for future cruises. 

[Classiccruiser777]

25 minutes ago, Rosroz said:

These people are a business , they are not our friends , we pay our money and they provide a service , like it or not, they are not a charity ,  they have shareholders to answer to and they need to make a profit, todays markets are definitely not for the feint hearted .

 

Correct, and we are customers, not "guests" or "family." We reassess as the value proposition evolves.

[Nashna]

The details of the program are yet to be announced.  I'm curious to find out if O goes the Regent way and offers the opportunity to book shore excursions to their suite guests first, which is similar to how O handles specialty dining reservations.  

[golfguyhhi]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Since you've found out in other posts that you can use it for any tour you could always take one of those private cars for the day tours and have them take you wherever you want to go. Afterall, you already paid for it and have the credit. That is if you choose Oceania for future cruises. 

ORV,

 

In 19 O cruises, we've only taken about a half dozen O excursions.  However,  I will very likely be doing exactly as you have described here -- no crowded busses, no mobility issues, no one who shouldn't be on the excursion, and no one waiting for that one in every crowd that just had to do a little more shopping and didn't think it was any big deal to be late. 

Just me and DW and driver - as close to DIY as possible.

[Bone1]

On 6/27/2023 at 3:04 PM, 1985rz1 said:

So far TAs and other sites are unanimous that you will not be able to get the credit for excursions if you don't want them.  And the OBC is specifically for excursions, not any other pre-board or onboard expense.

 

Your choices will be SimplyMore with air or SimplyMore without air.

 

On 6/27/2023 at 3:04 PM, 1985rz1 said:

So far TAs and other sites are unanimous that you will not be able to get the credit for excursions if you don't want them.  And the OBC is specifically for excursions, not any other pre-board or onboard expense.

 

Your choices will be SimplyMore with air or SimplyMore without air.

I was always told the OBC could be used for the Spa or Gratuities. Not sure about purchases made in the shops. I have used it for gratuities in the past as well as tours. That was, however, before the pandemic. These are the types of things that will have to be ironed out and specifically detailed when it gets down to the nitty gritty of the new simply MORE program. We have a cruise booked for April, 2024 and I’m curious as to how that trip will be affected. 

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, Bone1 said:

 

I was always told the OBC could be used for the Spa or Gratuities. Not sure about purchases made in the shops. I have used it for gratuities in the past as well as tours. That was, however, before the pandemic. These are the types of things that will have to be ironed out and specifically detailed when it gets down to the nitty gritty of the new simply MORE program. We have a cruise booked for April, 2024 and I’m curious as to how that trip will be affected. 

According to the  media report   you will keep the perks you have now  or you can switch to the Simply More program probably for  a fee

 

Any cruises booked July 1st  the  OBC you get  will only be for shorex ...use it or lose it

[Hanoj]

This use restriction is for the OBC included in the fare? TA awarded OBC has less restrictions?

[1985rz1]

2 minutes ago, Bone1 said:

 

I was always told the OBC could be used for the Spa or Gratuities. Not sure about purchases made in the shops. I have used it for gratuities in the past as well as tours. That was, however, before the pandemic. These are the types of things that will have to be ironed out and specifically detailed when it gets down to the nitty gritty of the new simply MORE program. We have a cruise booked for April, 2024 and I’m curious as to how that trip will be affected. 

Under the current OLife program you could OBC for the spa, gratuities and the shops...anything that could be charged to your onboard account, except for the casino.  The new SimplyMore program suggest that the OBC can only be used for excursions and that has been confirmed by TA's attending the pre-rollout webinar.  However, for cruises that are already booked for sailings after October 1, you can choose to keep the old OLife program or "upgrade" to the new SimplyMore program at the prevailing pricing at the time of "upgrade."

[1985rz1]

3 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

This use restriction is for the OBC included in the fare? TA awarded OBC has less restrictions?

Since TA OBC is not included in the fare and is not part of SimplyMore, I would assume that it will be the usual OBC to use as you please onboard.

 

All will be revealed on July 1 🙄.

Edited June 28, 2023 by 1985rz1

[Bakingnana]

Will have to wait to see if any booked cruises after Oct will be safe from new pricing  if more or can get at least a FCC if pricing is less…..time will tell. 
 

[PirateShark]

Just got a "Introducing SimplyMORE" brochure today in the mail.  Looked at a random Marina booking in B4 for 10/21/23.  First is today price and second is the new pricing (per person without air or in the case of the next few days pricing cruise only)

 

Before 7/1:  $4,699/$3,099. Lower cruise only.

 

After:  $5,199/$3,899  Lower is no air only and you get the rest of simply more regardless if you want it or not.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by PirateShark

[AMHuntFerry]

6 minutes ago, PirateShark said:

Just got a "Introducing SimplyMORE" brochure today in the mail.  Looked at a random Marina booking in B4 for 10/21/23.  First is today price and second is the new pricing (per person without air or in the case of the next few days pricing cruise only)

 

Before 7/1:  $4,699/$3,099. Lower cruise only.

 

After:  $5,199/$3,899  Lower is no air only and you get the rest of simply more regardless if you want it or not.

 

 

The "After" prices are "upgade sale" prices. Half of the "brochure price" would be $5199, so no increase. However, this cruise is fully waitlisted. Do you have any prices for a farther out cruise?

[edgee]

We have 3 Oceania cruises booked. Will compare old and new pricing for all 3 of them, obviously. For a 16 night cruise in November, I booked cruise only and have already purchased shore excursions. Wonder if I can get a refund for the payment I have already forked over to Oceania and apply the shore excursion credit if I go with the new Simply More pricing? The attractive feature of Simply More for us is that two wi fi connections are included rather than one per cabin. We both need our own and 16 nights at $30 per day for second wif under old system is a big hit to wallets.

[LHT28]

10 minutes ago, PirateShark said:

Just got a "Introducing SimplyMORE" brochure today in the mail.  Looked at a random Marina booking in B4 for 10/21/23.  First is today price and second is the new pricing (per person without air or in the case of the next few days pricing cruise only)

 

Before 7/1:  $4,699/$3,099. Lower cruise only.

 

After:  $5,199/$3,899  Lower is no air only and you get the rest of simply more regardless if you want it or not.

 

 

So basically  you get  the House select  & $800  for excursions  for the $800 difference  for  cruise /no air

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

So basically  you get  the House select  & $800  for excursions  for the $800 difference  for  cruise /no air

 

Yes, but $800 credit is per cabin, so $400 per person. House select is $400 per person, so the increase is exactly the added amount of the drinks and the excursions.

[AMHuntFerry]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

So basically  you get  the House select  & $800  for excursions  for the $800 difference  for  cruise /no air

The before price is the upgrade sale, so I think the price has only gone up $300 for this case...need to check my math.

[LHT28]

Just now, ak1004 said:

 

Yes, but $800 credit is per cabin, so $400 per person. House select is $400 per person, so the increase is exactly the added amount of the drinks and the excursions.

OOPS  Yes forgot the  OBC is per cabin

so  for 11 day cruise  you get L/D  wine beer   & $400 pp for excursions

 

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

The before price is the upgrade sale, so I think the price has only gone up $300 for this case...need to check my math.

 

If it's only $300 it's not bad actually. It's 11 nights, right? Can you check some other sailings please?

[PirateShark]

13 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

The "After" prices are "upgade sale" prices. Half of the "brochure price" would be $5199, so no increase. However, this cruise is fully waitlisted. Do you have any prices for a farther out cruise?

They have a lot more cruises listed in the brochure going through May 2024.  I'm pretty sure that there are more.  I'd suggest you take a look at your mailbox today or call your TA for any specific cruise.

[AMHuntFerry]

I dug out a March 2023 catalog with regular pricing (no sale, although they were offering OLife Ultimate, but that doesn't change the price). B4 was $5149 for OLife and $3849 cruise only. SInce the July 1 price is $5199 and $3899, respectively, the price only went up $50 since March (ignoring current sales prices). However, since this cruise is waitlisted, I'm not sure it's a good indicator of price increases for 2024 and beyond.

What are we going to talk about after Saturday? 😉

[basor]

4 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I dug out a March 2023 catalog with regular pricing (no sale, although they were offering OLife Ultimate, but that doesn't change the price). B4 was $5149 for OLife and $3849 cruise only. SInce the July 1 price is $5199 and $3899, respectively, the price only went up $50 since March (ignoring current sales prices). However, since this cruise is waitlisted, I'm not sure it's a good indicator of price increases for 2024 and beyond.

What are we going to talk about after Saturday? 😉

This will be so disappointing for those that were wringing hands and vowing to never sail O again due to the massive price increase to line FRD and JR's pocket after 0JUL....😂

Edited June 28, 2023 by basor

[AMHuntFerry]

8 minutes ago, basor said:

This will be so disappointing for those that were wringing hands and vowing to never sail O again due to the massive price increase to line FRD and JR's pocket after 0JUL....😂

I don't think comparing a heavily discounted itinerary (it's had every sale under the sun) to later cruises is telling. I'm more interested in the 2024-2025 prices since we're booked solid for 2023.

Edited June 28, 2023 by AMHuntFerry
entire words missing...my brain is sore

[PirateShark]

In regards to the brochure, its a very thin one.  Not a lot of sailings highlighted but some on each ship including some holiday voyages.  Its more an overview of what the new program is and how wonderful O is 😉.  Since I have no dog in this fight between now and mid 2025, I'll leave you guys to it.

[basor]

4 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I don't think comparing a heavily discounted itinerary (it's had every sale under the sun) to later cruises is telling. I'm more interested in the 2024-2025 prices since we're booked solid for 2023.

I also have checked other cruises and not found any large increases but that does take away the fun of finding a reason that a comparison isn't good enough.....01JUL or before if your TA has the pricing, you will have your answers....

[Hanoj]

18 minutes ago, basor said:

This will be so disappointing for those that were wringing hands and vowing to never sail O again due to the massive price increase to line FRD and JR's pocket after 0JUL....😂

Rumors of O’s death (err significant price increases) have been greatly exaggerated!