Cruise without Simply More???

[Psoque]

I was just browsing a few online travel agency websites and noted that I see at least two companies are (appearing to be) selling Oceania cruises without Simply More.  Is this something that is easy for a travel agent to negotiate?  Or is this limited to group bookings?

Edited January 17 by Psoque

[Vallesan]

12 minutes ago, Psoque said:

I was just browsing a few online travel agency websites and noted that I see at least two companies are (appearing to be) selling Oceania cruises without Simply More.  Is this something that is easy for a travel agent to negotiate?  Or is this limited to group bookings?

Interesting!

 

Sure that if it’s possible to sail without SimplyMore somebody will post the details pretty quickly!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

15 minutes ago, Psoque said:

I was just browsing a few online travel agency websites and noted that I see at least two companies are (appearing to be) selling Oceania cruises without Simply More.  Is this something that is easy for a travel agent to negotiate?  Or is this limited to group bookings?

As you said, “appearing to be.” Just because it’s not mentioned, doesn’t mean it’s not “included.”

As aforementioned here a zillion times,  there is no longer a “cruise only” fare. Rather, there’s now only a choice of w/or w/o air.  
Think about it: introducing all sorts of exceptions would quickly defeat the whole concept of “simply more.”

[basor]

It can be confusing as some indicate cruise only (meaning no air) but when you read the fine print, you find it includes beverage package and SBC for excursions,,,which means it is Simply More with no air

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, basor said:

It can be confusing as some indicate cruise only (meaning no air) but when you read the fine print, you find it includes beverage package and SBC for excursions,,,which means it is Simply More with no air

You’d think that the first thing anyone considering an O cruise would do is “read the fine print.” 😳

[Psoque]

I see at least two online travel agencies selling a few Oceania itineraries with two options: 

 

-Cruise only

-Cruise + beverage package + internet

 

I cannot post their website for the obvious reason, but something funky is going on here.

 

 

[FeliciaLee]

We bought two of these. On the first one it truly was with nothing included. The second one has SM and we have checked on Oceania's website to make sure of that. Both were bargains at well under $200 pp/pd.

 

On another note, we met some couples on our Christmas Insignia cruise. Two of them, at different times of the cruise made mention that they had gotten significant discounts due to not wanting SM. One of them said that he and his wife don't drink, so they didn't understand why they were forced into SM. The other couple said that they don't like shore excursions, so were able to get that credit as a discount to their overall fare.

 

If Oceania truly is allowing this kind of opt-out, surely it won't last long!

[Harters]

51 minutes ago, Psoque said:

+ beverage package + internet

Won't this just be a TA offering a perk, as some have always done, rather than it coming direct from O?

 

In the last couple of days, I've even spotted a UK cruise specialist offering discount, beverage package and free car parking. Unfortunately, we're not yet in a position to book that particular cruise and it will be just our luck that they withdraw the offer by the time we are ready

[Redtravel]

It would be nice if O would sell cruise only again. Often we will rebook while we are onboard. We are now on Vista.  It is a 10 day Caribbean cruise. We don’t take excursions. With disability, we often don’t get off in some ports. With Simply More, the only option,we are not  even considered rebooking.  We seldom drink. We are looking for something else for winter 2025.  If it is true that you can buy cruise only,I would rebook. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 minutes ago, Harters said:

Won't this just be a TA offering a perk, as some have always done, rather than it coming direct from O?

 

In the last couple of days, I've even spotted a UK cruise specialist offering discount, beverage package and free car parking. Unfortunately, we're not yet in a position to book that particular cruise and it will be just our luck that they withdraw the offer by the time we are ready

Most importantly, I’d steer clear of any TA whose advertising an/or comments suggest particular perks are theirs instead of O’s. It’s a not uncommon practice among less than scrupulous TAs.

For example, some TAs will make a big deal about covering your O gratuities charge. And, while that statement may be true, when you look at your official O invoice you may find the gratuities coverage listed as associated with your TA but also having the acronym OCAPP cited with it. OCAPP $ paying gratuities are actually Oceania $ incentives passed through to passengers via TAs!

Likewise, suggesting that O Life or SM perks or even always included internet, non-alcoholic beverages and specialty restaurants are a “gift” from the TA is nasty bit of misinformation that should alert you to the fact that there will be trouble with that TA. (BTW, you’ll see a lot of that “truth bending” on websites that promote TA competitive bidding for bookings).

[SATaxman]

28 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Most importantly, I’d steer clear of any TA whose advertising an/or comments suggest particular perks are theirs instead of O’s. It’s a not uncommon practice among less than scrupulous TAs.

For example, some TAs will make a big deal about covering your O gratuities charge. And, while that statement may be true, when you look at your official O invoice you may find the gratuities coverage listed as associated with your TA but also having the acronym OCAPP cited with it. OCAPP $ paying gratuities are actually Oceania $ incentives passed through to passengers via TAs!

Likewise, suggesting that O Life or SM perks or even always included internet, non-alcoholic beverages and specialty restaurants are a “gift” from the TA is nasty bit of misinformation that should alert you to the fact that there will be trouble with that TA. (BTW, you’ll see a lot of that “truth bending” on websites that promote TA competitive bidding for bookings).

Does anyone know why some cruises have the OCAAP included and others not? We were looking at several 2025 itineraries. 3 have OCAAP included, 4 do not. We liked one of the ones without much more and booked it anyway. It would have be nice to "save" the $56/dayX12 days; however, the one we chose fit our desires more, Is it possible that the gratuities will be included ever before 2025?

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Does anyone know why some cruises have the OCAAP included and others not? We were looking at several 2025 itineraries. 3 have OCAAP included, 4 do not. We liked one of the ones without much more and booked it anyway. It would have be nice to "save" the $56/dayX12 days; however, the one we chose fit our desires more, Is it possible that the gratuities will be included ever before 2025?

Silver O Club and above get complimentary gratuities.

Like other incentive $ and/or sales, OCAPP is intended (at least in part) to encourage bookings where slow sales may be expected. That’s part of the reason why you’ll only see the OCAPP covering only the “least desirable” segment of a multi-segment cruise.  

One important caveat: If you can get TA grats (OCAPP or otherwise) take them if you also have O Club grats. In that way, O Club will then give you $250 “in lieu” non-refundable SBC.

[SATaxman]

7 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Silver O Club and above get complimentary gratuities.

Like other incentive $ and/or sales, OCAPP is intended (at least in part) to encourage bookings where slow sales may be expected. That’s part of the reason why you’ll only see the OCAPP covering only the “least desirable” segment of a multi-segment cruise.  

One important caveat: If you can get TA grats (OCAPP or otherwise) take them if you also have O Club grats. In that way, O Club will then give you $250 “in lieu” non-refundable SBC.

We have only taken one O cruise. It was just interesting to me, after we made our decision based on the itinerary, to see that 3 of the ones we chose to not book had OCAAP on the printout after SM. It would not have changed our decision. Just wondering if this itinerary might "change" in the next 18 months to include OCAAP. Has that ever happened in anyone's experience?

 

[ORV]

15 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

We have only taken one O cruise. It was just interesting to me, after we made our decision based on the itinerary, to see that 3 of the ones we chose to not book had OCAAP on the printout after SM. It would not have changed our decision. Just wondering if this itinerary might "change" in the next 18 months to include OCAAP. Has that ever happened in anyone's experience?

 

You are answering your own question. FF also gave you the answer in this reply "OCAPP is intended (at least in part) to encourage bookings where slow sales may be expected. "

 

It's an incentive to boost bookings on itineraries that might need a little help. You chose the one without it because you favored the itinerary. I'm sure many others have done the same, therefore no need for them to "sweeten the pot". 

[basor]

3 hours ago, FeliciaLee said:

We bought two of these. On the first one it truly was with nothing included. The second one has SM and we have checked on Oceania's website to make sure of that. Both were bargains at well under $200 pp/pd.

 

On another note, we met some couples on our Christmas Insignia cruise. Two of them, at different times of the cruise made mention that they had gotten significant discounts due to not wanting SM. One of them said that he and his wife don't drink, so they didn't understand why they were forced into SM. The other couple said that they don't like shore excursions, so were able to get that credit as a discount to their overall fare.

 

If Oceania truly is allowing this kind of opt-out, surely it won't last long!

If you booked your cruise prior to the implementation of SM, you were given the option of keeping your booking under OLife or Cruise Only or switching to SM.  There will be many people sailing onboard Oceania for the next few years that were booked under the old program.  

[Redtravel]

When I read this thread, I contacted my TA. She said that Oceania cannot be booked without Simply More. Thought maybe I had missed a change in things.  We are on Vista now. Nice cruise. However, since we seldom drink and don’t do excursions in the Caribbean, we choose not to rebook as we have previously.  Add to that the price increases for same 10 night cruise in 2025 (50% more than this year), we are not rebooking.  Also, the onboard incentive isn’t as good as last time we booked onboard.  We are booked on a European cruise for spring 2024 with SM.  On that cruise we wanted excursions.  Next winter we will not be on Oceania.

[Harters]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

It’s a not uncommon practice among less than scrupulous TAs.

As I've commented before, the UK travel  agency industry operates differently from what I gather,  from posts here, to be how the American industry works.

 

In this particular connection, a false advertisement would be challenged by the industry regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority, so the likelihood of a major industry player (such as the company I was referring to) deliberately making a false claim is most unlikely. 

 

If I've correctly understood OCAPP, it is only available through O's "preferred" TAs, all of which are I believe to be North American, so of no use or interest to me. 

Edited January 17 by Harters

[Harters]

55 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

the onboard incentive isn’t as good as last time we booked onboard

As someone considering an onboard booking, I'd appreciate it if you could give an indication of the current incentive.

 

Good to read you're enjoying Vista. We have another couple of months to wait. 

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Silver O Club and above get complimentary gratuities.

Like other incentive $ and/or sales, OCAPP is intended (at least in part) to encourage bookings where slow sales may be expected. That’s part of the reason why you’ll only see the OCAPP covering only the “least desirable” segment of a multi-segment cruise.  

One important caveat: If you can get TA grats (OCAPP or otherwise) take them if you also have O Club grats. In that way, O Club will then give you $250 “in lieu” non-refundable SBC.

A slight correction to this . It’s “ up to $250/pp.”  the actual amount anyone receives depends upon the length of the cruise . 

[SATaxman]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

A slight correction to this . It’s “ up to $250/pp.”  the actual amount anyone receives depends upon the length of the cruise . 

Correct. For our 12 day cruise in a Suite the gratuities are $552.

 

[ORV]

25 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

A slight correction to this . It’s “ up to $250/pp.”  the actual amount anyone receives depends upon the length of the cruise . 

So if the bottom rooms are $18 a day pp, then a 7 day cruise will be $252. I'm not sure Oceania has any cruises shorter, but they might. Of course as you know $250 is the max for anyone that didn't turn Silver before Nov of 2013 I think it is. 

22 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Correct. For our 12 day cruise in a Suite the gratuities are $552.

 

See what I posted above. Even when you are SIlver and there is Occapp the most you're going to get in Extra OBC for the cabin is $250, with the above mentioned exception. Keep in mind this is EXTRA OBC for those that are Silver or higher. Now, if you are less than Silver any kind of paid gratuities are good, regardless of where it comes from. 

Edited January 17 by ORV

[SATaxman]

13 minutes ago, ORV said:

So if the bottom rooms are $18 a day pp, then a 7 day cruise will be $252. I'm not sure Oceania has any cruises shorter, but they might. Of course as you know $250 is the max for anyone that didn't turn Silver before Nov of 2013 I think it is. 

See what I posted above. Even when you are SIlver and there is Occapp the most you're going to get in Extra OBC for the cabin is $250, with the above mentioned exception. Keep in mind this is EXTRA OBC for those that are Silver or higher. Now, if you are less than Silver any kind of paid gratuities are good, regardless of where it comes from. 

Thanks. We are still O "newbies". Have learned a lot on this site.

[Psoque]

I guess this thread has been hijacked much sooner than I expected.

[SATaxman]

3 minutes ago, Psoque said:

I guess this thread has been hijacked much sooner than I expected.

What does that mean?

 

[Psoque]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

acronym OCAPP

What does OCAPP stand for?