Cancellation of cruise in the Middle East

[RD64]

3 hours ago, RD64 said:

But why should they give you a credit for those ancillary items if you choose - yes you are choosing to forego the cruise. Sometimes it pays to book refundable air and hotels.

Who did you pay for the items? If it was the airline, then it is the unfeeling airline you should be arguing with. The cruel hotel won’t let you cancel? Take it up with them. Why should the cruise line ( which still has a cruise run running) be obligated for extra things you did not purchase through the cruise line?

Edited October 21, 2023 by RD64
Spelling

[Mary229]

Which airline are you using.  Most business class for US airlines is refundable in some form, perhaps by voucher but somehow creditable.  Most hotels are refundable unless you accidentally purchased a nonrefundable rate, oops!  Talk to the hotel and likely even if you did buy a nonrefundable rate the nonrefundable portion is likely only the first night.   

[babysteps]

Hm, on the airfare and hotel refund question - is it that Oceania will not transfer amounts paid to the new cruise when selected? I assume everyone and their TAs are, after hearing "no, you won't get a refund on air/hotel" asking open-ended questions like "is there any way to retain some value of use from my air/hotel arrangements" .

 

 A cost not included as part of FCC may not mean the $ are lost, but it might. If folks who are battling this could provide more detail, in how it works and how it turns out, I think many of us would be interested! I know I would be 😊

 

I could see a cruise line offering some level of FCC that is *only* based on the cruise fare and not on additional items. Then those additional items might be lost $, or might be transferrable to the new cruise, or might be refunded rather than part of an FCC.

 

Are people seeing different treatment of include air vs. deviation or upgrade monies?

 

I assume that timing matters for air and hotel add-on refunds/credits/changes. A cancellation by the passenger 9+ months in advance likely means O hasn't ticketed air or solidified hotel counts, but 9 days in advance likely means O has already paid for the airline ticket and confirmed the hotel. I don't know how this would work, but if the air tickets have any wiggle room to change or refund (they may not, depends on terms of each booking), that might be something O has to battle with the airline separately - and the passenger would have to battle with O to make that happen. I assume if ticketed through O that the airline isn't going to talk to the passenger, only to O?

 

 

[basor]

I believe the OP is talking about air, hotel, etc. not booked through O.  Perhaps they will come back and clarify if the air and hotel, etc. were booked independently or with O.  That makes a big difference in financial responsibility.  As many have stated, airlines allow cancelation of a ticket and the value of the ticket can be used for another air ticket within one year of the original purchase.  Hotels that are booked with a non-refundable rate may be more of a problem.

[smelltheroses]

3 hours ago, Jancruz said:

What about your insurance??

Jancruz1

Won’t cover voluntary cancellations so we are out 4000 for that

[smelltheroses]

1 hour ago, RD64 said:

Who did you pay for the items? If it was the airline, then it is the unfeeling airline you should be arguing with. The cruel hotel won’t let you cancel? Take it up with them. Why should the cruise line ( which still has a cruise run running) be obligated for extra things you did not purchase through the cruise line?

We purchased air and hotel thru oceania

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, smelltheroses said:

We purchased air and hotel thru oceania

There is a gal on the Holland board who knows the airlines in and out.  Here are her instructions to me should I be in your same situation.  I am on American Airlines bought through cruise line.  Also go to the flights board, there are a bunch of experts over there. 

 

 

A workaround (only once tickets have been issued) can be to cancel the Oceana flights and rebook direct w/AA using the credit. The amount of credit you receive will be less change/cancelation fees,  so it will be less than what you paid. I only do that if the new flight is considerably less than the original cuz it's a process.

Hope it all works; safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

[smelltheroses]

15 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

There is a gal on the Holland board who knows the airlines in and out.  Here are her instructions to me should I be in your same situation.  I am on American Airlines bought through cruise line.  Also go to the flights board, there are a bunch of experts over there. 

 

 

A workaround (only once tickets have been issued) can be to cancel the Oceana flights and rebook direct w/AA using the credit. The amount of credit you receive will be less change/cancelation fees,  so it will be less than what you paid. I only do that if the new flight is considerably less than the original cuz it's a process.

Hope it all works; safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

Thanks

[smelltheroses]

2 hours ago, RD64 said:

Who did you pay for the items? If it was the airline, then it is the unfeeling airline you should be arguing with. The cruel hotel won’t let you cancel? Take it up with them. Why should the cruise line ( which still has a cruise run running) be obligated for extra things you did not purchase through the cruise line?

Hotel n air purchased thru O

[smelltheroses]

On 10/20/2023 at 5:27 PM, Mary229 said:

They will simply sail somewhere else. The cruise will likely become another  Med cruise in Greece and Italy.  It is sad they won’t allow movement of funds.  

I Oceania just needs to get the ship to Dubai for the next leg of the cruise without thought to the safety of their passengers. Israel has asked their citizens in Egypt and Turkey and Jordan to return to Israel. How enjoyable is it going to be sailing the Red Sea for 8 days??????

[smelltheroses]

2 hours ago, RD64 said:

Who did you pay for the items? If it was the airline, then it is the unfeeling airline you should be arguing with. The cruel hotel won’t let you cancel? Take it up with them. Why should the cruise line ( which still has a cruise run running) be obligated for extra things you did not purchase through the cruise line?

Air n hotel purchased thru O

[smelltheroses]

3 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Sorry you have the flu!!

Jancruz1

Hahaha

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, smelltheroses said:

Air n hotel purchased thru O

Do you think that O might be on the hook for the airfare and hotel because they have a contractual agreement with the airlines and hotels for bulk rates that at some point are non-cancellable for them? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. 

[smelltheroses]

3 hours ago, RD64 said:

Most cruise lines? Other than RCL with its roundtrip cruises from Haifa (targeted to the local Israeli market),who are the “Most Cruise Lines” to whom you refer?

Celebrity

 

4 hours ago, RD64 said:

Most cruise lines? Other than RCL with its roundtrip cruises from Haifa (targeted to the local Israeli market),who are the “Most Cruise Lines” to whom you refer?

Celebrity 

[basor]

1 hour ago, smelltheroses said:

Celebrity

 

Celebrity 

According to this article, Celebrity canceled their stops in Israel and changed their itinerary but did not cancel the cruise - Over the past two days, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Celestyal Cruises have all canceled calls at the Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa scheduled for this week, with several of the brands canceling calls into next week, too.

[basor]

2 hours ago, smelltheroses said:

Celebrity

 

Celebrity 

Sounds like same as O offer:

 

Option 1 Re-book another Celebrity Cruises sailing for a later date at prevailing rates.
Please know, you'll be responsible for any difference in pricing for your cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items.

Option 2 If you wish to cancel, we'll provide you with a Future Cruise Credit to use toward any future Celebrity Cruises sailing.
Future Cruise Credit (FCC) valued at 100% of the cruise fare paid on their current booking to book an alternative Celebrity Cruises sailing.
If you used a Future Cruise Credit on this sailing, we'll refund any NEW funds paid above the Credit amount, and we'll reinstate your original Credit.

[Mary229]

10 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Do you think that O might be on the hook for the airfare and hotel because they have a contractual agreement with the airlines and hotels for bulk rates that at some point are non-cancellable for them? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. 

Most lines will assume the responsibility if they cancel the cruise. This cruise has not been canceled .

it does bring up the question of where she was flying to and hotel location,   That flight may have been or will be canceled 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Mary229

[Rhett789]

I agree that Oceania is not being fair to their customers.  We booked first class air fare through Oceania and although they will let us move the basic cruise fare to a future cruise, they say the first class air fare they booked is a penalty for moving the cruise.  We were on a Celebrity cruise that was cancelled in the middle due to the pandemic, and they arranged for us to fly home first class and we didn't even buy the air tickets through them -- and we didn't even have first class tickets.  We were on a Royal Caribbean cruise and it was cut short by a day due to weather and they added a hefty onboard credit.  For the price of Oceania and how they advertise themselves it seems they should be a little more accommodating.  Their excuse, and it will be with a lot of insurance companies, is they say it is a time of war and therefore not covered.  Oceania also sent us links to get the visas, which cost money, and they will not reimburse that either now that they are not going to those places (Saudi Arabia, Egypt).  Last time we sail on Oceania -- other than for the re-booked cruise. Our travel agent said she is afraid that if things escalate and the ship chooses not to pass through the Suez canal -- or cannot, then we may be stuck on our own, space available from wherever, to get home.  And it most likely won't be from Dubai.  But if it is any consolation, our complaints are minor compared to what the poor people over there are going through right now.

[ColoradoCruiser88]

We have just been informed by our TA that Oceania has rescinded its offers for FCC for this cruise when he called them this morning.  As of yesterday, they were still giving him the details for cancelation and FCC -

 

FCC = cruise price less port taxes

port taxes to be refunded to credit card

Replacement cruise to be booked by 11/30/23 for travel by 12/30/2025.

FCC can only be used on 1 cruise, so if your new cruise costs less than FCC, you lose the balance.

The O agent was flip-flopping on that last point and finally confirmed to our travel agent yesterday afternoon that it was 1 cruise, use it or lose it.

 

We are 4 couples traveling together and 3 couples immediately confirmed to cancel and take the FCC.

 

Some of us also canceled our flights as flight cancellation deadlines were coming up.

 

I am beyond speechless at Oceania.  I will be canceling my other booked O cruises.

[EJL2023]

3 minutes ago, ColoradoCruiser88 said:

We have just been informed by our TA that Oceania has rescinded its offers for FCC for this cruise when he called them this morning.  As of yesterday, they were still giving him the details for cancelation and FCC -

 

FCC = cruise price less port taxes

port taxes to be refunded to credit card

Replacement cruise to be booked by 11/30/23 for travel by 12/30/2025.

FCC can only be used on 1 cruise, so if your new cruise costs less than FCC, you lose the balance.

The O agent was flip-flopping on that last point and finally confirmed to our travel agent yesterday afternoon that it was 1 cruise, use it or lose it.

 

We are 4 couples traveling together and 3 couples immediately confirmed to cancel and take the FCC.

 

Some of us also canceled our flights as flight cancellation deadlines were coming up.

 

I am beyond speechless at Oceania.  I will be canceling my other booked O cruises.

But I thought you had canceled it yesterday so the fcc would appply?

[ColoradoCruiser88]

25 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

But I thought you had canceled it yesterday so the fcc would appply?

That’s what we thought, but our TA said O told him no this morning.

Hence our fury.  
It is mind-boggling at Oceania’s lack of transparency in sending out mass emails informing its clients that itineraries changed but not bothering to say that you could cancel and get FCC.

it was only thru reading here and on roll calls that I even knew to do do this.

[EJL2023]

18 minutes ago, ColoradoCruiser88 said:

That’s what we thought, but our TA said O told him no this morning.

Hence our fury.  
It is mind-boggling at Oceania’s lack of transparency in sending out mass emails informing its clients that itineraries changed but not bothering to say that you could cancel and get FCC.

it was only thru reading here and on roll calls that I even knew to do do this.

Understand the frustration for sure. If your TA actually cancelled it yesterday as he says then he should have said documentation he canceled it????? You had posted yesterday morning you had cancelled which would seem the TA had ample time to get what he needed from O that he had indeed cancelled or at least followed up with them for the documentation.  BTW, I’m basing this on messages you posted in a different thread than this one yesterday. 

Edited October 25, 2023 by EJL2023

[Vineyard View]

I am certainly not a lawyer, nor versed in this, but it would seem that if you have the cancellation and FCC in writing, that there is some legal justification on your part. I would think that logically Oceania has made the commitment and should be hard pressed to back out of this one. I sincerely hope that they make this whole for you. 

[PhD-iva]

24 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I am certainly not a lawyer, nor versed in this, but it would seem that if you have the cancellation and FCC in writing, that there is some legal justification on your part. I would think that logically Oceania has made the commitment and should be hard pressed to back out of this one. I sincerely hope that they make this whole for you. 

I have been following several threads on this topic and from what I have read, no one has anything in writing from Oceania. It’s all discussed over the phone, and sometimes second-hand through a travel agent...

I’m aghast at O’s rescinding their FCC offer. WTH?

[Vineyard View]

I have to say that this is not what I had hoped would be the outcome for all those who wished to change to another cruise. I truly hope that those who were previously responded to with the answer of FCC being available will be honored. If not, that speaks volumes IMO. 
 

Oceania’s competition is, so far, offering better solutions than this response.