What's the downside to Simply More?

[Harters]

15 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Did you book it under a SALE?

Not that I recall. But how does that matter one jot to my satisfaction with our booking? The price was the price. The SM inclusions were the SM inclusions. 

 

I am currently looking at a possible cruise for next year. O currently prices it at £5149, with all the SM inclusions, plus gratuities included and free car parking at the port. It's a complete irrelevance what that cruise may have been priced at prior to SM, as I wouldnt have been booking it then. Or indeed what it may be priced at for other nationalities. My only interest is whether we are prepared to spend just over ten grand for a twelve day cruise. 

[Vallesan]

1 minute ago, MEFIowa said:

Really, essentially a false claim as a response to the value or worth of SM? Since I just came back from 20 nights on Riviera (10/11-2023) and have 22 more nights booked in 2024, 12 from the Summer Sale of 2023 with SM and 10 nights from a 2022 sale, you make no sense.

 

I've got 40 nights on O since 12/2021 With 22 more booked in 2024. How about you?

 

O had at least 6, if not 8, major SALES in 2023, starting in Jan with the 20th Anniversary Sale. So O has SALE after SALE after SALE. Right now the Holiday Sale. This is O's "pricing". I watch every sale!

 
 

This is my last response to you.

 

Weve sailed probably 140+  nights with Oceania with 31 scheduled for this year.

 

If you don’t like the pricing FIND SOMETHING MORE TO YOUR TASTE AND POCKET!

 

GOOD LUCK!

[daydreamer62]

1 hour ago, shepherd really said:

You can say value and convenience are two different things, but it completely misses the point that many people find value in convenience.  If you want to drink your .65 cent beer and $2.00 wine and that makes you happy, go for it, but many of us go on a vacation to relax and enjoy, not to squeeze every penny.

 

And you can claim all you want about SM, but it saved me a significant amount of real money, in fact enough to buy thousands of .65 cent beers and $2.00 bottles of wine without wasting my shore time in convenience stores. 

 

We all have different priorities, value different aspects of travel and have different budgets, you may have the right answer for you, but at least acknowledge it isn't for everyone.

Yes you put that in nutshell but in doing so you are insulting others. I agree .We all have different priorities. What makes my priorities less valuable or important than yours? because you claim to drink good wine that you hunt out at cheap prices, but I who am happy to drink a cheaper but acceptable wine with a meal and take an occasional ship excursion ( that in my case are cheaper than private ones) am somehow ignorant? That's not a particularly sociable attitude .

Just FYI I am somewhat of a wine buff. I like to purchase and drink great wine from all over the world. It doesn't and never will preclude me from drinking a drop of quaffing wine when I'm out or with friends who don't have my priorities.  Could I buy a bottle of a quality wine and make them drink it? Sure but why? I'm there to enjoy their company and have fun not to give them a lesson in wine quality . My priorities are different to theirs not less than or more valuable than theirs . My priorities are not less than yours because I prefer not to be always locked in my cabin drinking my good wine by ourselves , but out enjoying the company of others and seeing the world from different viewpoints through others.

I cruise rarely. Most of my holidays are independent self drive travel on the other side of the world to where I live, that require weeks of research. I'm taking a vacation from holiday planning on a cruise (to a degree.. I still plan and research a lot. )  Again as I've said  I've looked at the value of the cruise with numerous lines vs independent travel and said for this trip this cruise presents exactly what I need. Maybe I'm the customer Oceania marketing is looking to attract? The one that was looking at Viking, looking a Silverseas, and others  for similar length itineraries but looked at what deal fit best with my needs. I walked with my dollars to that deal. You can do the same with your dollars. Clearly you feel SM isn't giving you value for your priorities. Doesn't make mine wrong or yours right. We are just quite clearly different.

And also  FYI ,my cruise dropped in price when SM was released. It was in conjunction with a sale so I'm sure that has something to do with it but I'm better off financially as well, having booked under SM than I would have been booking a month earlier under OLife. Of course now it's not on sale and it's priced much higher than what it was on OLife or when I booked. Prices aren't static so you can't compare then with now. You can only look at the deal and judge if it's right for you personally.

Edited January 30 by daydreamer62

[shepherd really]

1 minute ago, daydreamer62 said:

Yes you put that in nutshell but in doing so you are insulting others. I agree .We all have different priorities. What makes my priorities less valuable or important than yours? because you claim to drink good wine that you hunt out at cheap prices, but I who am happy to drink a cheaper but acceptable wine with a meal and take an occasional ship excursion ( that in my case are cheaper than private ones) am somehow ignorant? That's not a particularly sociable attitude .

Just FYI I am somewhat of a wine buff. I like to purchase and drink great wine from all over the world. It doesn't and never will preclude me from drinking a drop of quaffing wine when I'm out or with friends who don't have my priorities.  Could I buy a bottle of a quality wine and make them drink it? Sure but why? I'm there to enjoy their company and have fun not to give them a lesson in wine quality . My priorities are different to theirs not less than or more valuable than theirs . My priorities are not less than yours because I prefer not to be always locked in my cabin drinking my good wine by ourselves , but out enjoying the company of others and seeing the world from different viewpoints through others.

I cruise rarely. Most of my holidays are independent self drive travel on the other side of the world to where I live, that require weeks of research. I'm taking a vacation from holiday planning on a cruise (to a degree.. I still plan and research a lot. )  Again as I've said  I've looked at the value of the cruise with numerous lines vs independent travel and said for this trip this cruise presents exactly what I need. Maybe I'm the customer Oceania marketing is looking to attract? The one that was looking at Viking, looking a Silverseas, and others  for similar length itineraries but looked at what deal fit best with my needs. I walked with my dollars to that deal. You can do the same with your dollars. Clearly you feel SM isn't giving you value for your priorities. Doesn't make mine wrong or yours right. We are just quite clearly different.

And audio FYI ,my cruise dropped in price when SM was released. It was in conjunction with a sale so I'm sure that has something to do with it but I'm better off financially as well, having booked under SM than I would have been booking a month earlier under OLife. Of course now it's not on sale and it's priced much higher than what it was on OLife or when I booked. Prices aren't static so you can't compare then with now. You can only look at the deal and judge if it's right for you personally.

You read an awful lot into my post that wasn't there, especially the claim that I'm insulting anyone.  Were you intending to quote someone else?

[daydreamer62]

4 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

You read an awful lot into my post that wasn't there, especially the claim that I'm insulting anyone.  Were you intending to quote someone else?

Possibly so. If so I'm sorry . There are many insultingly toned posts in this thread .  

Edited January 30 by daydreamer62

[MEFIowa]

3 minutes ago, daydreamer62 said:

... And audio FYI, my cruise dropped in price when SM was released. It was in conjunction with a sale so I'm sure that has something to do with it but I'm better off financially as well, having booked under SM than I would have been booking a month earlier under OLife. Of course now it's not on sale and it's priced much higher than what it was on OLife or when I booked. Prices aren't static so you can't compare then with now. You can only look at the deal and judge if it's right for you personally.

Though one notes that prior to SM, no one had to do any OLife. We didn't. There was a "cruise only option". SM eliminated that choice. I prefer more to fewer choices when it comes to purchase options. BUT O continues to have SALE after SALE after SALE. Having one going on right now. I'd bet it will be replaced on 2/1/24 with another? Maybe the Presidents' Day Sale? I booked my very first cruise ever off that from O in 2021. And it is "fun" to save the brochures and right down the prices for your cruise during each sale, comparing sales as they come along.

[daydreamer62]

6 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Though one notes that prior to SM, no one had to do any OLife. We didn't. There was a "cruise only option". SM eliminated that choice. I prefer more to fewer choices when it comes to purchase options. BUT O continues to have SALE after SALE after SALE. Having one going on right now. I'd bet it will be replaced on 2/1/24 with another? Maybe the Presidents' Day Sale? I booked my very first cruise ever off that from O in 2021. And it is "fun" to save the brochures and right down the prices for your cruise during each sale, comparing sales as they come along.

I never saw an option for cruise only offered by Oceania in New Zealand. That's not too say that it wasnt at some time  but I hadn't seen it in any advertising here or when I was quoted prices.

Edited January 30 by daydreamer62

[shepherd really]

4 minutes ago, daydreamer62 said:

Possibly so. If so I'm sorry . There are many insultingly toned posts in this thread .  

Thank you, I would never disparage anyone who enjoys good food and wine.  My post was exactly to your point, we each have priorities and they are all equally valid for each of us.  

[daydreamer62]

1 minute ago, shepherd really said:

Thank you, I would never disparage anyone who enjoys good food and wine.  My post was exactly to your point, we each have priorities and they are all equally valid for each of us.  

Ah yes then I definitely did quote the wrong post! My apologies!

[ORV]

2 minutes ago, daydreamer62 said:

Ah yes then I definitely did quote the wrong post! My apologies!

It seems you were referring to 2 or 3 different posters. I’m not sure if some people should be insulted but disregarded might be a good idea. 
 

I it seems some are just here to argue and prove how right they are, when in reality they are completely misinformed and inexperienced about cruising. 

Edited January 30 by ORV

[shepherd really]

Just now, daydreamer62 said:

Ah yes then I definitely did quote the wrong post! My apologies!

No worries, all this quoting of other posts can sometimes be a bit confusing.   

[Harters]

1 hour ago, daydreamer62 said:

I never saw an option for cruise only offered by Oceania in New Zealand.

I also cannot recall that there was an option in the UK for cruise only without OLife. Maybe there was but, if so, they kept it very well hidden.  

[GlitterFemme]

It's so fascinating to me to watch people go back and forth about whether they would ever book Oceania again now that SM is in place. I have my first (cruise only) O cruise coming up. The drinks package and shore excursion credit don't have much value for me, so maybe it will be my last. And maybe it will be my last because only an oceanview cabin on their least expensive itinerary was within my budget, so a rate I'm willing to pay may not come around again. But I don't feel the need to swear off of O because I won't make much use of the drinks or excursions. I can still do what I've always done--assess whether a particular cruise is worthwhile for me at the current rate. The inclusions don't justify a higher price for me, but they're also not going to stop me from booking a cruise I do want to take at a rate I find reasonable.

[clo]

3 hours ago, Harters said:

My only interest is whether we are prepared to spend just over ten grand for a twelve day cruise. 

That 100% how I think. And that's not just for cruises. All manner of other things.

[clo]

3 hours ago, daydreamer62 said:

.We all have different priorities.

Absolutely! Ours, like yours, are mostly independent travel. Oh, right and caviar and foie gras 🙂 And while I've loved a lot of the meals on Oceania I could cook them better at home. LOL. And we went ashore in Antarctica rather than doing a 'drive by.' A quite expensive "bottle of wine" but worth it to us.
PS: Thanks for your very good writing and viewpoint. Come to Seattle sometime when you're in the US. You bring the wine and we'll do the food 🙂

[daydreamer62]

47 minutes ago, clo said:

Absolutely! Ours, like yours, are mostly independent travel. Oh, right and caviar and foie gras 🙂 And while I've loved a lot of the meals on Oceania I could cook them better at home. LOL. And we went ashore in Antarctica rather than doing a 'drive by.' A quite expensive "bottle of wine" but worth it to us.
PS: Thanks for your very good writing and viewpoint. Come to Seattle sometime when you're in the US. You bring the wine and we'll do the food 🙂

That's a deal! If we are ever in Seattle I'll look you up ( my son has been several times as he has a friend living working there) I'll welcome someone else cooking as that's what  l do for a job so a meal I don't have to cook is always welcome . Another reason I love to travel. .. Time off cooking (which I still love doing so I can't complain too much! )

[clo]

19 minutes ago, daydreamer62 said:

That's a deal! If we are ever in Seattle I'll look you up ( my son has been several times as he has a friend living working there) I'll welcome someone else cooking as that's what  l do for a job so a meal I don't have to cook is always welcome . Another reason I love to travel. .. Time off cooking (which I still love doing so I can't complain too much! )

Oh, no, a professional chef! But I'll find something that won't kill you, I promise 🙂

[daydreamer62]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Oh, no, a professional chef! But I'll find something that won't kill you, I promise 🙂

No I'm not a chef thank goodness!! .. I teach cooking technology in steam ovens and other advanced technology European appliances for users and staff  

[clo]

1 hour ago, daydreamer62 said:

No I'm not a chef thank goodness!! .. I teach cooking technology in steam ovens and other advanced technology European appliances for users and staff  

Oh, goodie. You'll likely be impressed that I've been cooking on an induction cooktop for probably ten years. And WA State is banning gas stoves in new or remodeled homes. Our daughter switched to induction cooktop when she got rid of the gas. Ah well, back to travel.

[Mareblu]

12 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Though one notes that prior to SM, no one had to do any OLife. We didn't. There was a "cruise only option". SM eliminated that choice. I prefer more to fewer choices when it comes to purchase options. BUT O continues to have SALE after SALE after SALE. Having one going on right now. I'd bet it will be replaced on 2/1/24 with another? Maybe the Presidents' Day Sale? I booked my very first cruise ever off that from O in 2021. And it is "fun" to save the brochures and right down the prices for your cruise during each sale, comparing sales as they come along.

🙄

[CptBoatface]

11 hours ago, clo said:

Oh, goodie. You'll likely be impressed that I've been cooking on an induction cooktop for probably ten years. And WA State is banning gas stoves in new or remodeled homes. Our daughter switched to induction cooktop when she got rid of the gas. Ah well, back to travel.

Leaving in Summer. Anyone shopping for a small home in Olympia, with a gas furnace, gas stove and gas hot water heater, slightly obstructed view of Rainier? Heck, I'll even leave the gas powered mower, but using it may cost you jail time in the future 😆