Simply Less but Vista is Beautiful

[EJL2023]

26 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

I don't know why people still continue comparing pre-SM with post-SM. OLife is history. The only thing that matters is how the current prices compare to other lines. If you still see value with SM, continue booking SM. If not, vote with your wallet and book another line. It's that simple. 

 

We booked 3 cruises with SS despite the fact that we don't drink and prefer to book our own tours. Why? Because the itinerary and the price were right for us and those 3 specific sailings provided better value than O. 

Honestly I’m not sure why people try to compare prices from 2022 to 2024. 

[MEFIowa]

15 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

Honestly I’m not sure why people try to compare prices from 2022 to 2024. 

We can compare these prices because O released 2024 cruises early in 2022. I booked a Sept 9, 2024 Sirena cruise in the Baltic on May 7, 2022. Then you can watch all the sales, SM, etc. I'm STILL HOPING there might be another sale for this cruise. (In Oct 2022 rebooked it on sale from the original G to a big C1 on Deck 7.)

[MEFIowa]

16 hours ago, ak1004 said:

I don't know why people still continue comparing pre-SM with post-SM. OLife is history. The only thing that matters is how the current prices compare to other lines. ... Because the itinerary and the price were right for us.... 

First, when you book a Sept 2024 cruise in May 2022 you get to WATCH every sale and every promotion. I'm STILL watching to see if the cruise will go on sale again (rebooked it once in Oct 2022 on sale).

 

The downside to SM is exactly that: THE PRICE. Which essentially rose by $800 PP. As many have said, in general, SM worked as a global price increase for the O brand.

 

We haven't booked anything in 2025. Not seeing the "value" given the increased price. BUT we still watch all the sales. IF the right cruise involving E. Africa and Madagascar & surrounding area in the Indian Ocean went on a great sale....

 

 

[ak1004]

43 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

First, when you book a Sept 2024 cruise in May 2022 you get to WATCH every sale and every promotion. I'm STILL watching to see if the cruise will go on sale again (rebooked it once in Oct 2022 on sale).

 

The downside to SM is exactly that: THE PRICE. Which essentially rose by $800 PP. As many have said, in general, SM worked as a global price increase for the O brand.

 

We haven't booked anything in 2025. Not seeing the "value" given the increased price. BUT we still watch all the sales. IF the right cruise involving E. Africa and Madagascar & surrounding area in the Indian Ocean went on a great sale....

 

 

 

When you say price rose by $800, it's meaningless. It depends on cruise length, category, etc. How can you make such a general statement?? Cruises that I tracked increased by $400 for category that I tracked. Those were 10 nights cruises in Europe in OV. I'm sure 30 nights cruises increased by much more and 7 nights cruises by less. PH definitely increased by more.

 

We booked 2 cruises on Vista in Europe for 2025. One at $330 USD pp, one at $360. I could not find better value with any of premium/luxury lines. If one of them goes on sale, we will rebook. Otherwise, we are happy with the price, considering the prices I see in 2025 on SB, SS, Crystal, or even Windstar. I couldn't care less what the price was in 2022. It's completely irrelevant. 

Edited March 30 by ak1004

[MEFIowa]

1 minute ago, ak1004 said:

When you say price rose by $800, it's meaningless. ... How can you make such a general statement?? Cruises that I tracked increased by $400 for category that I tracked....

I tracked 4 cruises we had booked in 2022 across the various sales and introduction of SM. AND I went looking at various other cruises I was interested in. So, what I saw THEN, when SM was introduced in the summer of 2023, was seemingly an $800 PP increase. (Now if memory serves me, hasn't O since cut back on the excursion credit under SM?)

[ak1004]

5 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

I tracked 4 cruises we had booked in 2022 across the various sales and introduction of SM. AND I went looking at various other cruises I was interested in. So, what I saw THEN, when SM was introduced in the summer of 2023, was seemingly an $800 PP increase. (Now if memory serves me, hasn't O since cut back on the excursion credit under SM?)

Once again, meaningless without mentioning cruise length and category, and also completely irrelevant. SS and Crystal prices increased by 25-30% in 2025 compared to 2022, so what? 

Edited March 30 by ak1004

[MEFIowa]

6 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

Once again, meaningless without mentioning cruise length and category, and also completely irrelevant. SS and Crystal prices increased by 25-30% in 2025 compared to 2022, so what? 

We are discussing O and SM. Nothing to do with SS or Crystal. What happened in the summer of 2023 when SM was introduced. A snapshot in time about prices as they went from pre-SM to SM as introduced. This is literally a look at prices at DAY SM -1 to Day SM. Two days.

[MEFIowa]

And my pile of O brochures I've collected since 2021 is well over a foot high. Grower slower than it used to. But, for example, I have ALL of the 2023 brochures O sent us. Both pre- and post-SM. And all the sales pre- and post-SM. IIRC from a previous OP and thread I created abut sales in 2023, O had 6 "major" sales and 2 "minor" sales in 2023. The Extraordinary Saving Sale pre-SM was the truly BIG ONE of 2023. IIRC that was May. Before SM.

[ak1004]

11 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

We are discussing O and SM. Nothing to do with SS or Crystal. What happened in the summer of 2023 when SM was introduced. A snapshot in time about prices as they went from pre-SM to SM as introduced. This is literally a look at prices at DAY SM -1 to Day SM. Two days.

 

7 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

And my pile of O brochures I've collected since 2021 is well over a foot high. Grower slower than it used to. But, for example, I have ALL of the 2023 brochures O sent us. Both pre- and post-SM. And all the sales pre- and post-SM. IIRC from a previous OP and thread I created abut sales in 2023, O had 6 "major" sales and 2 "minor" sales in 2023. The Extraordinary Saving Sale pre-SM was the truly BIG ONE of 2023. IIRC that was May. Before SM.

 

You are so obsessed with sales, promotions, pre-SM, post-SM etc. that you are missing the big picture.

 

To me it's pretty simple: if I see an itinerary that I like at reasonable price, I book it. It could be O or any other premium/luxury line. I don't care what the fare includes - it might include things we don't use like alcohol, it doesn't matter to me if the itinerary and price are right. I don't care what the price was in 2022 or 2002 and what it included then.

 

Sorry but I'm done.

[MEFIowa]

4 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

You are so obsessed with sales, promotions, pre-SM, post-SM etc. that you are missing the big picture. To me it's pretty simple: if I see an itinerary that I like at reasonable price, I book it....

That's a different topic, one involving generalities. I'm discussing specifics. BUT, yes IF (1) I like an itinerary and (2) I like the PRICE, I'll book. BUT we KNOW that the price changes all the time. I prefer to spend less, rather than more, for the same itinerary. Only a foolish or a rich person ignores O's constant and constantly changing sales. 

[Snaefell3]

47 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Only a foolish or a rich person ignores O's constant and constantly changing sales. 

Or the baffled.   ::raises hand::

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

 

Sorry but I'm done.

👍

[jonthomas]

Just off Vista...beautiful....excellent food, activities...loved it all....

[Straughn]

I completely get all the smoke and mirrors surrounding SM and included or not included gratuities, shore excursions, airfare, hotels, etc.  It isn’t “free”airfare if  I can book a lesser rate w/o airfare.

 

Here is a novel idea- Just like the good ole days, the price of the cruise is the price of the cruise only. If I want to book a shore excursion, I pay for it. No beer, wine, etc. included with meals. I can buy a beverage package or I can pay by the drink.  Gratuities are not included unless you reach a certain level in the cruise line loyalty program or your TA pays them. Stop trying to lure us in with x amount of OBC, which is, of course, buried in the price, Let’s go back to you pay for what you want and don’t pay for what you don’t want. 
 

The marketing/revenue guys would probably have a coronary over that idea, but the customers wouldn’t, because, as I said,  they pay for what they want and don’t pay for what they don’t want. There would be no confusion over cancelled “included” shore excursions. It is a really unique concept…

[PhD-iva]

16 hours ago, Straughn said:

I completely get all the smoke and mirrors surrounding SM and included or not included gratuities, shore excursions, airfare, hotels, etc.  It isn’t “free”airfare if  I can book a lesser rate w/o airfare.

 

Here is a novel idea- Just like the good ole days, the price of the cruise is the price of the cruise only. If I want to book a shore excursion, I pay for it. No beer, wine, etc. included with meals. I can buy a beverage package or I can pay by the drink.  Gratuities are not included unless you reach a certain level in the cruise line loyalty program or your TA pays them. Stop trying to lure us in with x amount of OBC, which is, of course, buried in the price, Let’s go back to you pay for what you want and don’t pay for what you don’t want. 
 

The marketing/revenue guys would probably have a coronary over that idea, but the customers wouldn’t, because, as I said,  they pay for what they want and don’t pay for what they don’t want. There would be no confusion over cancelled “included” shore excursions. It is a really unique concept…

Too late - “that ship has sailed” and isn’t coming back. Hope I’m wrong, but don’t think that I am.

The accountants hate those “low revenue” pax. SM is a way to get even those “cheapskates” to pay more (all in the service of the debt!).

[iowananny]

Okay, I don't want to sound rude to anyone but when we cruise we find an itinerary we think we would enjoy at a time that will work for us.  If we feel we can afford it, we book it.  We will use the shore excursions O now offers and the drink package which is what we've always selected in the past.  Our travel agent has found some upgrades for us in the past and we appreciate those.  We've never had a bad cruise or felt we've been ripped off. 

 

But if there is anything about a cruise that bugs me is sitting down next to a person who rambles on and on about how little they paid for the cruise and what a great deal they got.  Once I've paid I can't even remember the exact cost I've paid.   All I know is it was something we could afford and we feel comfortable with.  We're not extremely rich people and have never booked above concierge level but have always had a good time.

 

I don't think we're throwing our money away.  If you have a good time trying to find the best deal then more power to you, just remember it might not be as important to others.  We like Business Class when we fly overseas.  Yeah, it's a lot more money and we arrive at the same time as Economy but we arrive feeling a lot better.  We're not a young as we used to be.  Everyone should be able to decide how they want to spend their own money.  If you don't like Simply More then find another line that fits your needs.  

[SATaxman]

19 minutes ago, iowananny said:

Okay, I don't want to sound rude to anyone but when we cruise we find an itinerary we think we would enjoy at a time that will work for us.  If we feel we can afford it, we book it.  We will use the shore excursions O now offers and the drink package which is what we've always selected in the past.  Our travel agent has found some upgrades for us in the past and we appreciate those.  We've never had a bad cruise or felt we've been ripped off. 

 

But if there is anything about a cruise that bugs me is sitting down next to a person who rambles on and on about how little they paid for the cruise and what a great deal they got.  Once I've paid I can't even remember the exact cost I've paid.   All I know is it was something we could afford and we feel comfortable with.  We're not extremely rich people and have never booked above concierge level but have always had a good time.

 

I don't think we're throwing our money away.  If you have a good time trying to find the best deal then more power to you, just remember it might not be as important to others.  We like Business Class when we fly overseas.  Yeah, it's a lot more money and we arrive at the same time as Economy but we arrive feeling a lot better.  We're not a young as we used to be.  Everyone should be able to decide how they want to spend their own money.  If you don't like Simply More then find another line that fits your needs.  

I agree with your comments. The only thing I would add is reading here about some TA's who give 5,8,even 10% in refunds/rebates/credits/etc. and not being allowed to ask the names. Not sure how to go about asking once on board as our first O cruise last October, what people paid, or if they used a TA, never came up in conversations.

[Lastdance]

Okay, so my DH and I have one cruise booked, a TA from Miami to Lisbon.  We want to spend time is Portugal, so renting a car and driving south.  We only do our own excursions, but on this particular TA, we will do one private excursion by ourselves, getting off at the rest of the ports and just doing our own thing.  Both of us have been to every port except one.  We booked a PH1, as that was the only PH level available to book.  How early will we be able to get off the ship after the all clear?  This may be our one and done, but trying another line, not to mention a smaller new ship with this itinerary and price($350 pp.,) made it work well for our needs.  

[martyinmpls]

On 3/24/2024 at 3:07 PM, lolawpb said:

We just came off of our first Oceania cruise about two weeks ago. I'm still trying to form an opinion as there were good and not-so-good things that occurred. The Vista was beautiful and our Penthouse suite was immaculate thanks to a great butler and housekeeping team. Food was a real mixed bag with Red Ginger as the star and Polo and Toscana as just okay. Our steaks were overcooked and maybe we just ordered the wrong things in Toscana but both of us found the food lackluster. The main dining room we found sort of strange in the fact that it was nearly empty by 8 pm and the food seemed a bit overcomplicated compared to normal fine-dining restaurants or other more premium lines. The big surprise for us was the buffet which was not only very good for an outside lunch but was really nice at night. It wasn't crowded, the tables were set beautifully, and the chef did a few specialty meals. One was a Mexican theme since we were in the area and another was a sushi night. Burgers at Waves were very good. This is a problem on a few lines like Celebrity so I'm happy to report this. We liked Aquamar Kitchen and had most of our breakfasts there. 

Here are the things that fell apart for us: Upon embarkation we received a note that one of our shore excursions had been cancelled and we should go to the desk to rebook. When I went to the desk I was told there was nothing available and I could get on a wait list. So there was one day with no excursions that were "non-refundable". We skipped our last port due to weather and guess what...another day of "non-refundable" shore excursions cancelled. It seems that they need something in place to at least give us a shipboard credit to use at the spa or on drinks, etc. since both of those were on their end. We only got to go on one excursion during the 7 day cruise. I understand they are calling this a "free" credit but that was part of the deal we paid for so it just seems wrong. The other thing that was bothersome for us was the lack of service at the pool areas including the spa deck. Knowing that sea days are very busy it seems they need more staff cleaning up dirty drink glasses etc. around the pools and the sun loungers at the main had towel covers which people sat on and were not changed frequently by staff so it was hard to find a clean lounger at times. There was virtually no service at all on the spa deck. it would have been nice to have someone with cold water, drinks, towels like other lines do.

I still have questions as it was a nice cruise and staff were great but I'm comparing to our previous Silversea cruises and a few Celebrity Retreat that we tried last year. I'm considering going back to Silversea but I'm worried that it might not still be the same as the last time we cruised with them as it has been about 5 years. I'm still looking at Oceania along with other high-luxury lines so if anyone has a recent comparison  experience I would welcome the information.

Question about Vista dining … we have a group of 9 going on a cruise in June.  I cannot seem to make any reservations for more than 8 people…. Pictures, at least in the Grand dining room, and the private dining room,

seem to show tables for 10.   Any thoughts?

[Waltershipman]

7 minutes ago, martyinmpls said:

Question about Vista dining … we have a group of 9 going on a cruise in June.  I cannot seem to make any reservations for more than 8 people…. Pictures, at least in the Grand dining room, and the private dining room,

seem to show tables for 10.   Any thoughts?

Call O directly which should be sufficient 

 

Happy sailing

[Mareblu]

8 hours ago, iowananny said:

Okay, I don't want to sound rude to anyone but when we cruise we find an itinerary we think we would enjoy at a time that will work for us.  If we feel we can afford it, we book it.  We will use the shore excursions O now offers and the drink package which is what we've always selected in the past.  Our travel agent has found some upgrades for us in the past and we appreciate those.  We've never had a bad cruise or felt we've been ripped off. 

 

But if there is anything about a cruise that bugs me is sitting down next to a person who rambles on and on about how little they paid for the cruise and what a great deal they got.  Once I've paid I can't even remember the exact cost I've paid.   All I know is it was something we could afford and we feel comfortable with.  We're not extremely rich people and have never booked above concierge level but have always had a good time.

 

I don't think we're throwing our money away.  If you have a good time trying to find the best deal then more power to you, just remember it might not be as important to others.  We like Business Class when we fly overseas.  Yeah, it's a lot more money and we arrive at the same time as Economy but we arrive feeling a lot better.  We're not a young as we used to be.  Everyone should be able to decide how they want to spend their own money.  If you don't like Simply More then find another line that fits your needs.  

Thank you.  Perfectly expressed.  I couldn’t agree more.

[AMHuntFerry]

7 hours ago, Lastdance said:

Okay, so my DH and I have one cruise booked, a TA from Miami to Lisbon.  We want to spend time is Portugal, so renting a car and driving south.  We only do our own excursions, but on this particular TA, we will do one private excursion by ourselves, getting off at the rest of the ports and just doing our own thing.  Both of us have been to every port except one.  We booked a PH1, as that was the only PH level available to book.  How early will we be able to get off the ship after the all clear?  This may be our one and done, but trying another line, not to mention a smaller new ship with this itinerary and price($350 pp.,) made it work well for our needs.  

If the embarkation time on your itinerary says 8 am, then O's plan is probably to have everyone disembark between 8 and 9 am. However, you may be able to get off earlier, but you will not know until it happens since it depends on how smoothly the process goes. There is always the chance that disembarkation is delayed.

[sunlover12]

On 3/30/2024 at 10:23 AM, MEFIowa said:

That's a different topic, one involving generalities. I'm discussing specifics. BUT, yes IF (1) I like an itinerary and (2) I like the PRICE, I'll book. BUT we KNOW that the price changes all the time. I prefer to spend less, rather than more, for the same itinerary. Only a foolish or a rich person ignores O's constant and constantly changing sales. 

The price doesn’t “change all the time.”  The cruise I will be on in September I booked last June and the price has stayed the same. It’s never been included in any of the sales either. I’m neither foolish nor rich but if I see an itinerary that I like at a reasonable price I will book it regardless of a sale. 

[Hlitner]

21 hours ago, iowananny said:

Okay, I don't want to sound rude to anyone but when we cruise we find an itinerary we think we would enjoy at a time that will work for us.  If we feel we can afford it, we book it.  We will use the shore excursions O now offers and the drink package which is what we've always selected in the past.  Our travel agent has found some upgrades for us in the past and we appreciate those.  We've never had a bad cruise or felt we've been ripped off. 

 

But if there is anything about a cruise that bugs me is sitting down next to a person who rambles on and on about how little they paid for the cruise and what a great deal they got.  Once I've paid I can't even remember the exact cost I've paid.   All I know is it was something we could afford and we feel comfortable with.  We're not extremely rich people and have never booked above concierge level but have always had a good time.

 

I don't think we're throwing our money away.  If you have a good time trying to find the best deal then more power to you, just remember it might not be as important to others.  We like Business Class when we fly overseas.  Yeah, it's a lot more money and we arrive at the same time as Economy but we arrive feeling a lot better.  We're not a young as we used to be.  Everyone should be able to decide how they want to spend their own money.  If you don't like Simply More then find another line that fits your needs.  

As stockholders we love folks that have little interest in price or deals.  As frequent cruisers we prefer good deals :).  
 

Hank

[MEFIowa]

2 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

The price doesn’t “change all the time.” ... I’m neither foolish nor rich but if I see an itinerary that I like at a reasonable price I will book it regardless of a sale. 

O had 6 major sales in 2023 and 2 minor ones. That pretty much covered all 12 months of 2023. Which, for 2023, would be "all the time". Whether your individual cruise ever went on sale or not was up to O.

 

I do love the QUALIFIER: "reasonable price". Whatever that is. I've found that SALES can make prices quite "reasonable".

 

If we see an itinerary that we like, we'll book it and track every future sale after the initial booking. So far, four out of our six booked since 1/2021 (4 already taken) went on sale. I'm still watching to see if the final two do sometime this year. We sail Aug-Sept on 22-night Baltic B2B on Sirena.