No more Simply More

[clo]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

We always take time pre or post cruise, or both, to explore on land.

Curious. Does all your intl travel involve a cruise at least?

[PhD-iva]

2 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

I figured it out. 

WAIT! Please share…..

[Cruzin Terri]

45 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

WAIT! Please share…..

Go to your account settings and then signature and turn signatures on.

Terri

[jagoffee]

On 9/8/2024 at 4:34 PM, terrydtx said:

The house drinks package sells on the O website for $39.95 pp per day or $799 for two on a 10 day cruise. The upgrade from House drinks to Prestige drinks in only $30pp per day more. Makes your numbers even worse. I agree it sucks and it the cruise pricing is not changed to reflect the lower benefits, our cruise next year may be our last on O.

I do not disagree.  I do find it hard to believe that anyone would ever pay $39.95 pppd for the House Select package.  It includes just beer and wine for such a limited amount of time.  
 

The change would be good for people that have little interest in drinking very little alcohol of any kind and do not wish to purchase ship shore excursions.  

 

I wonder if Oceania will allow people to change their booking and remove the Simple More without cancelling and booking it has a new booking.

 

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Curious. Does all your intl travel involve a cruise at least?

No. lol my “intel’ travel does not. We have done completely, and quite a bit of land  based international. As well as cruise combined with land based. Why would you ask? 

[Harters]

23 hours ago, Harters said:

I've just sent an email to Guest Services. 

 

A prompt reply from Guest Services senior manager, covering the UK (and elsewhere). As expected, it pretty much just repeats what's been said in the company announcement. But, at least, O won't be able to say "no-one complained". Here's the reply

 

Thank you for your email, and your feedback on our upcoming changes to our brand offering.

 

We do appreciate your feedback and thank you for this. I can only apologise that you feel the upcoming changes are a step backward in a negative light.

 

Overall, this is a move back (but not backwards) It is moving the brand back to one of our founding principles - which is the Oceania Cruises promise that guests can travel the world the way they like – Your World. Your Way. Many of our guests found simply MORE to be limiting in how they wished to enjoy their time both on board and ashore. Simply put, we were automatically including amenities that many guests would prefer to have the option to partake in. The inclusions of our beverage package and credit toward shore excursions were valued by some, whereas the inclusion of gratuities provides a value for all guests who enjoy passionate service.

 

The move to roll this out globally will also ensure that all guests, regardless of the country they may reside in will enjoy the same Baseline inclusions and onboard experience.

We will of course continue to offer additional amenities which guests can choose to add should they wish to do so, and this we believe will allow guest to truly tailor-make their Oceania experience to suit them, rather than have unwanted amenities forced upon them.

 

Our Your World Included value promise, unlike simply MORE, is not a promotion but rather a cornerstone of our value foundation that helps define “ultra-premium” cruising. The embedded value of the Oceania Cruises experience contains amenities not typically included on other lines – specialty dining; specialty coffees, teas, Vero Water®, and sodas; hi-speed WiFi powered by Starlink; and gratuities for stateroom attendants, butlers, and dining waitstaff.

 

With regards to pricing,  Cruise fares and any related tactical promotions on or after October 1, 2024, will continue to be based on demand and how each sailing is performing relative to expectations.

 

I would like to thank you again for taking the time to bring your thoughts to us. whilst I sincerely regret your disappointment, I do hope that you will find, as we move forward, that our new brand promise not only provides you with more options, but also that it continues to provide an experience that is fantastic value for our guests, regardless of which options they choose to add to their booking.

 

[Redtravel]

Before Sinply More, Oceania was a good fit for our kind of cruising. Simply More put a damper on a good product.  We enjoyed Olife options.  For some cruises we chose Olife. For some, we booked cruise only.  It worked for us. 

Everything said in the letter is true. Simply More wasn’t for everyone on every cruise.  I liked simply more shore credit when I cruised in the Med. Stopping at new ports, simply more made sense.  However, when looking at possible winter Caribbean cruises, simply more didn’t make sense. I wasn’t interested in excursions. The drinks at meals wasn’t an attraction.  The cruise fares increased to cover the cost of the excursion credits and the drinks.  If you really don’t want them, the cruise price was very high. The same thing happens on Viking.  We like Viking for some cruises.  We only go on Viking if the cruise includes new ports.  
 

The new concept of Oceania cruise only includes tips sounds perfect providing the cost is acceptable.  When we look at future bookings, we will look at Oceania.  With each change, there will be some people who will like it and some that will not like it.  It sounds like the change to Simply More wasn’t received as well as Oceania predicted.  I would have more respect for Oceania if they admitted that Simply More was a mistake and go back to Olife.  Each time a cruise line makes changes, I wonder what they will become in the future.  

[Cruising Maryland]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

A prompt reply from Guest Services senior manager, covering the UK (and elsewhere). As expected, it pretty much just repeats what's been said in the company announcement. But, at least, O won't be able to say "no-one complained". Here's the reply

 

Thank you for your email, and your feedback on our upcoming changes to our brand offering.

 

The embedded value of the Oceania Cruises experience contains amenities not typically included on other lines – specialty dining; specialty coffees, teas, Vero Water®, and sodas; hi-speed WiFi powered by Starlink; and gratuities for stateroom attendants, butlers, and dining waitstaff.

 

The problem with this answer is that O always included specialty dining, water and soda, at least as far back to 2015 which was my first O cruise. They try to sound like that is something new.

[Harters]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

For some, we booked cruise only.

Our first cruise with O was in 2017. I've no recollection that "cruise only" was available to UK customers in the time we've been cruising with them. If it was, it was kept very well hidden.  It was always OLife and then SM. Maybe yet another difference about how O treats its customers who are not North American. 

[Jancruz]

14 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

The problem with this answer is that O always included specialty dining, water and soda, at least as far back to 2015 which was my first O cruise. They try to sound like that is something new.

No they are not..he says they are going back to there roots and there was never any charge for any of that ..you can get off the ship now without any charges if you dont drink.

Jancruz1

[shepherd really]

3 hours ago, Harters said:

A prompt reply from Guest Services senior manager, covering the UK (and elsewhere). As expected, it pretty much just repeats what's been said in the company announcement. But, at least, O won't be able to say "no-one complained". Here's the reply

 

Thank you for your email, and your feedback on our upcoming changes to our brand offering.

 

We do appreciate your feedback and thank you for this. I can only apologise that you feel the upcoming changes are a step backward in a negative light.

 

Overall, this is a move back (but not backwards) It is moving the brand back to one of our founding principles - which is the Oceania Cruises promise that guests can travel the world the way they like – Your World. Your Way. Many of our guests found simply MORE to be limiting in how they wished to enjoy their time both on board and ashore. Simply put, we were automatically including amenities that many guests would prefer to have the option to partake in. The inclusions of our beverage package and credit toward shore excursions were valued by some, whereas the inclusion of gratuities provides a value for all guests who enjoy passionate service.

 

The move to roll this out globally will also ensure that all guests, regardless of the country they may reside in will enjoy the same Baseline inclusions and onboard experience.

We will of course continue to offer additional amenities which guests can choose to add should they wish to do so, and this we believe will allow guest to truly tailor-make their Oceania experience to suit them, rather than have unwanted amenities forced upon them.

 

Our Your World Included value promise, unlike simply MORE, is not a promotion but rather a cornerstone of our value foundation that helps define “ultra-premium” cruising. The embedded value of the Oceania Cruises experience contains amenities not typically included on other lines – specialty dining; specialty coffees, teas, Vero Water®, and sodas; hi-speed WiFi powered by Starlink; and gratuities for stateroom attendants, butlers, and dining waitstaff.

 

With regards to pricing,  Cruise fares and any related tactical promotions on or after October 1, 2024, will continue to be based on demand and how each sailing is performing relative to expectations.

 

I would like to thank you again for taking the time to bring your thoughts to us. whilst I sincerely regret your disappointment, I do hope that you will find, as we move forward, that our new brand promise not only provides you with more options, but also that it continues to provide an experience that is fantastic value for our guests, regardless of which options they choose to add to their booking.

 

I believe the phrase "putting lipstick on a pig" applies to O's response.

[Aloha 1]

22 hours ago, Rainbow3fe said:

      We have 3 upcoming O cruises booked. 

 We won't necessarily be looking elsewhere but will check out Regents.

We've done 6 Regent cruises and they've all been wonderful. Only negative is the lack of an evening casual dining area like The Terrace. But that is being remedied on their new ships coming in 2026.

[clo]

15 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

No. lol my “intel’ travel does not. We have done completely, and quite a bit of land  based international. As well as cruise combined with land based. Why would you ask? 

I like your posts and just wanted to get an idea of other types of travel you do. Sounds good. I think cruising is super but, age permitting, hope not to be limited to that for at least a while. Thanks.

[HilsTas]

6 hours ago, Harters said:

A prompt reply from Guest Services senior manager, covering the UK **** Here's the reply.  *******

 

 

Overall, this is a move back (but not backwards) It is moving the brand back to one of our founding principles - which is the Oceania Cruises promise that guests can travel the world the way they like – Your World. Your Way. Many of our guests found simply MORE to be limiting in how they wished to enjoy their time both on board and ashore. Simply put, we were automatically including amenities that many guests would prefer to have the option to partake in. The inclusions of our beverage package and credit toward shore excursions were valued by some, whereas the inclusion of gratuities provides a value for all guests who enjoy passionate service.

 

******

 

With regards to pricing,  Cruise fares and any related tactical promotions on or after October 1, 2024, will continue to be based on demand and how each sailing is performing relative to expectations.

 

******

 

Many thanks for this Harters.  I have left in what (to me) are the important parts in your post in the quote above.

 

It confirms what seemed obvious all along - market forces will drive the pricing of Oceania cruises. As they always have and they always will.

 

Sure they may initially stay the same price from October 1st, but then when cruises don't sell as readily as Azamara or their other competitors, they will drop prices.  Either as a gradual decrease or as different sales.  To repeat:

 

"Cruise fares and any related tactical promotions on or after October 1, 2024, will continue to be based on demand and how each sailing is performing relative to expectations."

 

From our perspective the ease of having basic wines with meals was a great offering with Simply More - but the excursions were a bit of a waste (and limiting in that we felt obliged to use them as we had paid for them).  We are perfectly happy to see it all disappear. 

 

So - we will get what we pay for and our gratuities and soft drinks and specialty dining etc are all covered.  Great!  And if we want "more" - we pay for it!  Great!  It's a win win for us and Oceania.

 

I'm happy.

 

Edited September 11 by HilsTas
formatting

[Redtravel]

4 hours ago, Harters said:

Our first cruise with O was in 2017. I've no recollection that "cruise only" was available to UK customers in the time we've been cruising with them. If it was, it was kept very well hidden.  It was always OLife and then SM. Maybe yet another difference about how O treats its customers who are not North American. 

When Oceania did Olife, you could book with Olife or just cruise only.  The price difference was $300 pp.  the shore excursion option was attractive if we wanted to do excursions.  If we didn’t want excursions, we booked cruise only.  Maybe cruise only wasn’t offered outside the United States. We usually booked cruise only for Caribbean cruises.  In the winter, we like to go someplace warm.  In the past we did take many shore excursions in the Caribbean.  Now excursions don’t interest us.  Our most recent cruise only Oceania cruise was in January 2024 on Vista.  We had booked it during our winter 2023 Oceania cruise. That was before Simply More was introduced.  We had a great time on Vista. We would’ve rebooked for winter 2025 if cruise only had been offered at an acceptable price.  There was no cruise only option.  The price with simply more for a similar cruise was $4k more than what we had paid for that Vista cruise.  We expect some increases in prices.  We looked at other cruise lines that offered cruise only.  We booked on a different line.  
we did do a Med cruise in May with Simply More.  We enjoyed most of our shore excursions.  I may still book excursions in some ports.  The option of letting guests select what features work for them is important.  

[ORV]

Everyone looks at this from their perspective, desires and what they want or are willing to pay for. And justifiably so. But when you look at it from a business standpoint you will see that there are many new customers that are coming to Oceania with no idea of what Olife was, or what was before it, or even after. For them it’s a blank slate. All they see is an itinerary, a price and what they get for it.  Sure Oceania will lose some customers, others might cruise less, but there just might be a whole new group of customers for them. 
 

All that to say this, simply looking at this from our own selfish perspective is really not “the big picture”. 

[galake]

Huge benefit of just turning Sliver is the free gratuities.  Now that's taken away.  Just great.

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Everyone looks at this from their perspective, desires and what they want or are willing to pay for. And justifiably so. But when you look at it from a business standpoint you will see that there are many new customers that are coming to Oceania with no idea of what Olife was, or what was before it, or even after. For them it’s a blank slate. All they see is an itinerary, a price and what they get for it.  Sure Oceania will lose some customers, others might cruise less, but there just might be a whole new group of customers for them. 
 

All that to say this, simply looking at this from our own selfish perspective is really not “the big picture”. 

And this is exactly how everyone should look at it. What does it matter how it was a year ago or 5 years ago? Do you look what flight or hotel prices were 4 years ago? I could fly to Europe in business for less than $2k USD from Toronto. Today I’m lucky to find $3k flights. Loyalty programs? Aeroplan used to be 55k in business. Now 70-80k is considered a good redemption.

 

Compared O prices and inclusions to what other lines offer today, not what the6 offered a year ago.

[basor]

44 minutes ago, galake said:

Huge benefit of just turning Sliver is the free gratuities.  Now that's taken away.  Just great.

That benefit was not taken away -Silver and above receive free gratuities and a $250 OBC.  Others just receive pre-paid gratuities..

[Syd58]

6 hours ago, Cruising Maryland said:

The problem with this answer is that O always included specialty dining, water and soda, at least as far back to 2015 which was my first O cruise. They try to sound like that is something new.

Exactly.  As I see it, the only thing new is that now gratuities are included. You are now paying for excursions and the drinks package.  Unless they dramatically slash cruise prices, which I doubt they will do, this likely amounts to a pretty hefty price increase. A question I have is why change their pricing structure 3 times in such a short period of time. It makes it look like they don't know what they're doing or what their strategy is.

Edited September 11 by Syd58

[MisterBill99]

20 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Go to your account settings and then signature and turn signatures on.

Terri

 

Speaking of signatures, I'm not sure if your "EMAIL ME" is supposed to be a link, but it isn't doing anything.

[1985rz1]

Although I have mixed feelings about the change, I do like the statement included in the Announcement:

 

"I'm delighted that we are adding in gratuities for all guests, as our dedicated onboard team is working for guests' smiles – not their tip." 

[MisterBill99]

15 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

And this is exactly how everyone should look at it. What does it matter how it was a year ago or 5 years ago? Do you look what flight or hotel prices were 4 years ago? I could fly to Europe in business for less than $2k USD from Toronto. Today I’m lucky to find $3k flights. Loyalty programs? Aeroplan used to be 55k in business. Now 70-80k is considered a good redemption.

 

Compared O prices and inclusions to what other lines offer today, not what the6 offered a year ago.

 

So you're saying we're supposed to acknowledge that this change is nothing more than a price increase and just accept it? I am so tired of people who make excuses for cruise lines and other big companies. Do you make the same excuses for cereal companies who reduce the size of their products after raising prices? This is the same thing.

[Sailnsurf]

There may be another angle to this.With Simply More there was and is likely an increased demand on sommeliers. If standards of service are to be maintained staffing levels probably have to be increased at some point.

 

We were loyal to HAL for about 10 years. Somehow they achieved an illusion of exclusivity and our only gripe was the not infrequent nickel and diming that occurred. We are not big drinkers and managed by purchasing wine packages as needed. When they introduced Have it All which included up to 15 drinks a day we welcomed that we could have what we wanted without thinking about cost even if it really meant we were paying a bit more.

 

But what we found was that whereas before there was a waiter at your side almost immediately after you sat down now you had to look fo a waiter. And even when you had ordered the service from the bar was very slow. It was so patently so that we believed HAL was using Have it All to gouge and increase profits by deliberately slowing service. There was no incentive to provide the same level of service as before.

 

So when we considered booking Oceania for the first time one of the things I looked for on this board was whether there was a slow down in service. Some posts indicated an initial difficulty getting hold of a sommelier but most indicated that drinks were replenished without any difficulty.

 

Maybe Oceania is recognising the difficulty in maintaining service levels and that many were  not happy with inclusions they did not desire.

 

It will come down to fare cost and whether there is a satisfactory level of value in what is offered.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Syd58 said:

A question I have is why change their pricing structure 3 times in such a short period of time. It makes it look like they don't know what they're doing or what their strategy is.

I'm not a regular cruiser or have many O cruises under my belt. But what you wrote here has just put an icky taste in my mouth. I'll be looking around.