Simply More or Simply Less?

[YoPhilly]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

What is a hump cabin??

X ships have hump cabins that jut out from the side of the ship, resulting in larger balconies.

[PKB]

We sailed Celebrity Reflection this past February in a Celebrity Suite.  We had a hump suite and this is our HUGE triangle shaped balcony.  We always look for hump cabins for the larger balcony.

[NewSalty]

19 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Did you switch to SM?

Is  the Unlimited option not showing for you cruise ?

 I do see some cruise still have the unlimited excursions listed for  some ports

Unlimited Excursions are no longer available under SM.  (speaking from experience)  The reason that they still publish the unlimited "prices" is that there are people who booked pre-SM, and aren't switching.  (and this will be the case until sometime mid 2025...)

[susiesan]

Since SM doesn't work for me as I only book cruise only with no excursions or beverage package, my Sirena cruise on Sept. 2 will likely be my last on Oceania unless there is a spectacular deal in the future.

I only book outsides and occasionally a veranda.

 

Is it worth my time while on Sirena to speak with the onboard booking office to let them know my opinion of SM/ does Oceania want feedback or care what their customers preferences are? Would someone pass this info on to Miami?

[basor]

1 minute ago, susiesan said:

Since SM doesn't work for me as I only book cruise only with no excursions or beverage package, my Sirena cruise on Sept. 2 will likely be my last on Oceania unless there is a spectacular deal in the future.

I only book outsides and occasionally a veranda.

 

Is it worth my time while on Sirena to speak with the onboard booking office to let them know my opinion of SM/ does Oceania want feedback or care what their customers preferences are? Would someone pass this info on to Miami?

I believe that TA's pass on feedback from their clients so I think that would be your best bet to express your thoughts.

[LHT28]

35 minutes ago, NewSalty said:

Unlimited Excursions are no longer available under SM.  (speaking from experience)  The reason that they still publish the unlimited "prices" is that there are people who booked pre-SM, and aren't switching.  (and this will be the case until sometime mid 2025...)

Yes  but  I was asking if @bcppelican  had switched  to SM or was staying with  O Life

It will makes a difference  in the outcome

[1985rz1]

32 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Since SM doesn't work for me as I only book cruise only with no excursions or beverage package, my Sirena cruise on Sept. 2 will likely be my last on Oceania unless there is a spectacular deal in the future.

I only book outsides and occasionally a veranda.

 

Is it worth my time while on Sirena to speak with the onboard booking office to let them know my opinion of SM/ does Oceania want feedback or care what their customers preferences are? Would someone pass this info on to Miami?

If you won't book future O cruises because of its beverage/excursion policy, what lines that avoid inclusions would you book?  

Edited August 24, 2023 by 1985rz1

[susiesan]

5 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

If you won't book future O cruises because of its beverage/excursion policy, what lines that avoid inclusions would you book?  

Windstar.

Princess, Celebrity, NCL as the price of the inclusions is minimal.

I have an Azamara cruise booked for next year, the beverage package includes cocktails not limited to only with meals and the shore ex credit is minimal, only $300 or $150 pp. All of the shore ex credits on O with SM are at least $800, $400 per person. Also, Azamara's deposit policy is far more lenient than the new policy coming to Oceania Sept. 1. Only $75 pp is non refundable but it can be transferred to another AZ booking. O's new deposit policy will have you lose $150 a person if you cancel the cruise and it can't be transferred to another O cruise.

 

As of September 1

Once you put a deposit down $150 per person penalty..no credit no refund you lose this money

180 Days $500 a person no credit no refund you lose this money

You cannot move it to another cruise

[hubofhockey]

25 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

If you won't book future O cruises because of its beverage/excursion policy, what lines that avoid inclusions would you book?  

There are options for everyone.  It's probably a matter of time before there are more a la carte options for cruisers where some lines will charge extra for everything but the cabin (and maybe the buffet) separately like they do in hotels.  I'm about to book my first Oceania cruise (just canceled an Azamara cruise and replacing it with Marina after refurbishment) and simply more doesn't seem burdensome.  Some will move on and some will replace them.

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by hubofhockey

[1985rz1]

22 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Windstar.

Princess, Celebrity, NCL as the price of the inclusions is minimal.

I have an Azamara cruise booked for next year, the beverage package includes cocktails not limited to only with meals and the shore ex credit is minimal, only $300 or $150 pp. All of the shore ex credits on O with SM are at least $800, $400 per person. Also, Azamara's deposit policy is far more lenient than the new policy coming to Oceania Sept. 1. Only $75 pp is non refundable but it can be transferred to another AZ booking. O's new deposit policy will have you lose $150 a person if you cancel the cruise and it can't be transferred to another O cruise.

 

 

As of September 1

Once you put a deposit down $150 per person penalty..no credit no refund you lose this money

180 Days $500 a person no credit no refund you lose this money

You cannot move it to another cruise

So with the exception of Windstar, mostly mass market lines.  That's the issue I have, in that I prefer the sizes of O's (and Azamara's) ships and am willing to go with Simply More as the cost of that decision. While the Azamara excursion credit is less than O's, we have found that many (certainly not all) of O's excursion are good to excellent, so we don't have a problem with that aspect.  Azamara's excursion were cheaper than O's but since the transition, Azamara's prices have increased, some substantially.  But, this is our preference; yours is different.  We also don't have a problem with the new penalty phase, but actually prefer it since it will reduce the number of people who book multiple placeholders.

Edited August 24, 2023 by 1985rz1

[jonthomas]

14 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Windstar.

Princess, Celebrity, NCL as the price of the inclusions is minimal.

I have an Azamara cruise booked for next year, the beverage package includes cocktails not limited to only with meals and the shore ex credit is minimal, only $300 or $150 pp. All of the shore ex credits on O with SM are at least $800, $400 per person. Also, Azamara's deposit policy is far more lenient than the new policy coming to Oceania Sept. 1. Only $75 pp is non refundable but it can be transferred to another AZ booking. O's new deposit policy will have you lose $150 a person if you cancel the cruise and it can't be transferred to another O cruise.

 

 

As of September 1

Once you put a deposit down $150 per person penalty..no credit no refund you lose this money

180 Days $500 a person no credit no refund you lose this money

You cannot move it to another cruise

Yes if the beverage package was most important to me, I would do the same.

To us food, atmosphere, very few to no kids, is what is most important. After 50 cruises with celeb, we will not return, nor will we return to azamara after 2 cruises, nor would we return to Viking after 3.

However if the 3 most important issues were to change, we would then have to rethink our choice.

We are sailing on the royal Carib Odyssey of the seas, but that's for the little grandkids to enjoy. We will put up with the nightmare so they can enjoy what a ship like that has to offer.

By the way, a reg cabin on royal Carib, way more expensive than what we pay on O, and a non refundable deposit. Not just 150pp, but the full amount.

Way too soon to write off Oceania.

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

Since SM doesn't work for me as I only book cruise only with no excursions or beverage package, my Sirena cruise on Sept. 2 will likely be my last on Oceania unless there is a spectacular deal in the future.

I only book outsides and occasionally a veranda.

 

Is it worth my time while on Sirena to speak with the onboard booking office to let them know my opinion of SM/ does Oceania want feedback or care what their customers preferences are? Would someone pass this info on to Miami?

Is this the tenth time you have claimed "this will be our last O cruise"? I may have missed a couple of them.

[susiesan]

44 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Is this the tenth time you have claimed "this will be our last O cruise"? I may have missed a couple of them.

It may be the 11th time. You missed a few of my posts. 

[osandomir]

10 minutes ago, susiesan said:

It may be the 11th time. You missed a few of my posts. 

And you’re still here 😁?

[susiesan]

3 hours ago, osandomir said:

And you’re still here 😁?

I have not embarked on what may be my last O cruise for a while yet. It's coming up in a week, Sept. 2 Sirena from Barcelona.  I splurged and treated myself to a veranda as a retirement gift to myself.

[sunlover12]

12 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Yes if the beverage package was most important to me, I would do the same.

To us food, atmosphere, very few to no kids, is what is most important. After 50 cruises with celeb, we will not return, nor will we return to azamara after 2 cruises, nor would we return to Viking after 3.

However if the 3 most important issues were to change, we would then have to rethink our choice.

We are sailing on the royal Carib Odyssey of the seas, but that's for the little grandkids to enjoy. We will put up with the nightmare so they can enjoy what a ship like that has to offer.

By the way, a reg cabin on royal Carib, way more expensive than what we pay on O, and a non refundable deposit. Not just 150pp, but the full amount.

Way too soon to write off Oceania.

I haven’t found RCCL more expensive. We’re paying quite a bit less for a Skyloft Suite on Harmony of the Seas than for a PH on Oceania although it’s dependent on the particular cruise. RC’s suite is larger. Not all deposits on RCCL are non-refundable. I believe you can choose between that and refundable. 
I like cruising on both lines for different reasons. 

Edited August 25, 2023 by sunlover12
Spelling error

[susiesan]

Celebrity lets you choose between a refundable and non refundable deposit price. The TA I sometimes use waives the non refundable charge and books only refundable deposits.

[Vineyard View]

We do not cruise on those big ships. Been there, done that, years ago when big wasn’t even close to what it is now. For this category Oceania has joined Azamara and Viking with non refundable deposits. 
I am not sure about Regent, but I believe that SS has non refundable. SB so far does not. 

[Classiccruiser777]

38 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

We do not cruise on those big ships. Been there, done that, years ago when big wasn’t even close to what it is now. For this category Oceania has joined Azamara and Viking with non refundable deposits. 
I am not sure about Regent, but I believe that SS has non refundable. SB so far does not. 

One more reason we will be booking far fewer O cruises.

[Elbig]

I am confused. Do you often book with the expectation that you might or will likely cancel? What are the reasons you cancel? Doesn’t insurance cover most likely reasons to cancel?

[LSuzQ]

So, I’m a newbie yet to sail (this fall) without the experience long time O patrons enjoy, but would it be oversimplifying things to suggest that it’s way to soon to judge the future vis-a-vis SM until the nature of future sales is also known?

[Elbig]

I’m fine with Simply More. I have two future cruises booked. One is about the same price for SM vs OL. The other is significantly cheaper. I think it is much easier to explain and sell SM to prospects. Olife was very confusing at first. O needs to be competitive and profitable. I think this a smart move. YMMV. 

[susiesan]

1 hour ago, Elbig said:

I am confused. Do you often book with the expectation that you might or will likely cancel? What are the reasons you cancel? Doesn’t insurance cover most likely reasons to cancel?

This is how I book O cruises in Europe: I find a cruise I'm interested in that sails a year or more in the future. I have my TA get me a price and if it's good I reserve it and put down the deposit. I only fly TATL to these cruises with award tickets in business class, and those seats are not available until a minimum of 11 months before. I can't deal with coach on a long flight and I won't pay for business class. Once I'm able to make air arrangements I go for the scarce J award seats. If I can't get them then I will cancel the cruise within the no penalty or admin fee phase.

 

I have been lucky so far with Europe cruises that I have been able to J award tickets but its getting very very difficult to find them at a reasonable rate these days, especially with UA where I have most of my miles.  I did have  to cancel an O cruise for business reasons in 2022. I cancelled 4 months before the cruise and got all of my money back and there was no admin fee deducted. 

 

[jonthomas]

5 hours ago, susiesan said:

Celebrity lets you choose between a refundable and non refundable deposit price. The TA I sometimes use waives the non refundable charge and books only refundable deposits.

 

and nickel and dimes you for everything else, shuttles, specialty dining, although that is not a nickel or a dime...and now charges you for choc chip cookies...$2.00 plus gratuity...

 

as per cruisehive.com 

 

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/new-charge-spotted-for-cookies-on-celebrity-cruises-ship/109334

Edited August 25, 2023 by jonthomas

[ak1004]

13 minutes ago, susiesan said:

This is how I book O cruises in Europe: I find a cruise I'm interested in that sails a year or more in the future. I have my TA get me a price and if it's good I reserve it and put down the deposit. I only fly TATL to these cruises with award tickets in business class, and those seats are not available until a minimum of 11 months before. I can't deal with coach on a long flight and I won't pay for business class. Once I'm able to make air arrangements I go for the scarce J award seats. If I can't get them then I will cancel the cruise within the no penalty or admin fee phase.

 

I have been lucky so far with Europe cruises that I have been able to J award tickets but its getting very very difficult to find them at a reasonable rate these days, especially with UA where I have most of my miles.  I did have  to cancel an O cruise for business reasons in 2022. I cancelled 4 months before the cruise and got all of my money back and there was no admin fee deducted. 

 

 

Exactly the same for us. Business from Toronto to Europe is $5-6k CAD, there is no way I will pay for a flight more than I pay for a cruise.. so looking for award tickets 355 days in advance. They usually go fast, and it's becoming a big issue.

 

SS doesn't have any admin fees if you book D2D, and sometimes they have flights at very good fares.

 

Those cancellation fees won't work for us. We will need to book 12 months in advance when we know we can get good flights. And if by then prices are up or no available cabins, then we will find another cruise line for this period. or book SS 2 years in advance.