Oceania Pricing and Canadian Booking Strategies

A wonderful good day to all.

I would appreciate some information and advice. I have our first Oceania cruise booked for September and very excited!!!!

Question 1 - Does Oceania force all TA's to use the same booking price, all the time, every time?

Question 2 - Canadians. Do you primarily use Canadian TA's or do you use online American cruise booking agencies? If American, what strategies do you use (I know you can not name names) and what should Canadian customers look out for re: currency issues etc?

I really liked the September Viking Homeland cruise so I used a big Canadian TA to book it ASAP. However, got no OBC etc. I read all the time on CC of people getting lots of OBC, so it makes me so frustrated.

I have my eyes ready for the 2019 selection, so I want to get a different TA set up so I can pounce on a booking with confidence.

Any advice/information would be greatly appreciated

Thanks to all

ABoatNerd

I now use a US TA the one in Canada did not give anything back when I used them

Oceania always billed in USD until a year or so ago

They had specials where Canadians got a discount 15-20% but still in USD

Then they promoted billing in CAD at a smaller rate than the bank

One cruise the rate was $1.25 compared to the bank rate of $1.32 at the time

I can use my CAD CC & get my points where my USD CC gives me nothing

My TA gives OBC sometimes & PPG most of the time

That is my experience

Lyn

It seems that no Canadian travel agents "kick back" anymore.

Before we booked I checked all the regular players online and Oceania website gave the "best" deal. Or, they gave the same deal that the online travel agents and booking sites gave.

The benefit to booking with Oceania directly is if there should be any problems,you deal with the cruise line direct and not through a third party.

We book through a Canadian TA - we don't get many bonuses.

For our 2018 booking, we opted to pay in Canadian dollars, mostly because we are sure of the price we'll pay, regardless of what the spread is between USD and CAD.

If you are going to use a TA, you might consider whether or not there is a travel compensation fund in your province. There is one is Ontario if the agency goes bust or doesn't deliver. It doesn't cover the cruise line bankruptcy, I think. However if the TA holds any of your cash, you would be covered.

http://www.tico.ca/consumer-info/compensation-fund.html

I believe the find print is complicated and I have never had to use it. But perhaps something to consider?

Best advise is to get a couple of quotes from both US TAs and CDN TAs and then take into account the exchange rate. Make sure you use the right exchange rate when converting.

Oceania does have some CDN "deals" but you have to look for them. We got quotes from 4 US TAs(thru a web site that puts the cruise out for competitive bids) and just one from the largest cruise TA in Canada and the CDN was about a $1000CDN cheaper when you factor in airfare,etc.

Hope this helps. Always be aware of the exchange rates.

Before we booked I checked all the regular players online and Oceania website gave the "best" deal. Or, they gave the same deal that the online travel agents and booking sites gave.

The benefit to booking with Oceania directly is if there should be any problems,you deal with the cruise line direct and not through a third party.

I realize that this might be your opinion or experience, BUT for those of us that know better it just doesn't hold water.

PS, in answer to the first original question the answer is definitely no. Some TA's really do get preferential pricing. But it's usually a hush hush affair.

When looking for a TA check to see if they're a member of the "Oceania Connoisseur Club" and if they are part of a travel association. If so, most likely this is where the best deals can be found (additional OBC, PPG, post-cruise rebate checks...).

 

If you are going to use a TA, you might consider whether or not there is a travel compensation fund in your province. There is one is Ontario if the agency goes bust or doesn't deliver. It doesn't cover the cruise line bankruptcy, I think. However if the TA holds any of your cash, you would be covered.

Why would anyone use a TA that holds your cash or pays O. Only use a TA that lets O process the payment.

My travel agent is American and she told me that for Oceania she could only book in $USD. I was a little disappointed because the $CDN rate was slightly favourable but she was offering gratuities on top of the Oceania perks so I just booked in $USD. I could have gotten a Canadian TA but I've been using this one for years so I just went with it.

For us, we use a west coast CDN TA even though we reside in Ontario. Primiaily due to BC government travel assurance. Simarily to TICO in Ontario. Also the TA offers a no preconditions insurance package that's cheeper an normal insurance. Having a neighbor who got seriously sick on a cruise, the bill was north of 250,000 before they got home insurance is an important decision. Neighbor was cover but took months to settle.

I realize that this might be your opinion or experience, BUT for those of us that know better it just doesn't hold water.

 

PS, in answer to the first original question the answer is definitely no. Some TA's really do get preferential pricing. But it's usually a hush hush affair.

OK, if you know better, as you say, what have you got to share? :confused:

I responded to the OP's question with my experience. Oceania was giving me $400 per person OBC, no other agency would. I see no contradictory response besides your insinuation.

My travel agent is American and she told me that for Oceania she could only book in $USD. I was a little disappointed because the $CDN rate was slightly favourable but she was offering gratuities on top of the Oceania perks so I just booked in $USD. I could have gotten a Canadian TA but I've been using this one for years so I just went with it.

My US TA just booked my cruise in CAD & I get PPG

I would question yourTA again

Could be timing of the cruise and purchase

CAD pricing is fairly recent and so not available to all cruises even after CAD pricing was available

It seems that no Canadian travel agents "kick back" anymore.

Before we booked I checked all the regular players online and Oceania website gave the "best" deal. Or, they gave the same deal that the online travel agents and booking sites gave.

The benefit to booking with Oceania directly is if there should be any problems,you deal with the cruise line direct and not through a third party.

My experience is the exact opposite. If you have a problem I always find it easier to have a TA go into bat for me and straighten it out. They know the system better than me.

But to each their own.

Deano, that's exactly what I was going to say.

When we started sailing with Renaissance, they didn't like TAs ... We didn't worry about not using a TA, we were novices. (That being said, we did find our current TA through Renaissance for our last cruise with them in May 2001.)

When Oceania started up, they DID want us to use a TA which we have done ever since. When I have a problem (which hasn't been often), I prefer having the professional make the argument.

Now, if your TA isn't effective ... maybe you would be better off going to bat for yourself. But if that is the case, why use that TA?

Mura

I use a Canadian TA and they are effective and give all the benefits, but I do pay in USD. It is the amount of clout the TA has that matters.

I use a Canadian TA and get all benefits. It depends on the amount of clout the TA has

OK, if you know better, as you say, what have you got to share? :confused:

I responded to the OP's question with my experience. Oceania was giving me $400 per person OBC, no other agency would. I see no contradictory response besides your insinuation.

I don't know what you're wanting me to share. I was just pointing out that my experiences are completely different than what you are saying. Read what DeanoPerth and Mura said.

You will find that most long time Oceania customers do use a TA for good reason.

Might I offer a suggestion, drop the combativeness and defensive attitude and be open to the experience of those that have been cruising with Oceania multiple times for years and you might learn a bit here.

OK, if you know better, as you say, what have you got to share? :confused:

I responded to the OP's question with my experience. Oceania was giving me $400 per person OBC, no other agency would. I see no contradictory response besides your insinuation.

PS, that $400 per person that you got is an available promo to anyone that wants it(at least in North America). It's called OLife. I don't know what the TA's problem was that wouldn't give it to you.

I guarantee you that Oceania did not give you $800 OBC just for booking directly with them.

I don't know what you're wanting me to share. I was just pointing out that my experiences are completely different than what you are saying. Read what DeanoPerth and Mura said.

 

You will find that most long time Oceania customers do use a TA for good reason.

 

Might I offer a suggestion, drop the combativeness and defensive attitude and be open to the experience of those that have been cruising with Oceania multiple times for years and you might learn a bit here.

Might I offer the same suggestion to you. I expressed my experience from well over 40 years of travel in Military (non Military aircraft), Public Service and personal. Also, I have learned a lot reading these forums.

My observations were to perhaps share my experince but you just accused me of not knowing better, so I asked if you care to share that knowledge. Non combative, just asking.

My TA gives a generous discount on Oceania's prices and I am pretty sure she can book for Canadians. The discount is around 11 percent.

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My US TA just booked my cruise in CAD & I get PPG

 

I would question yourTA again

I wouldn't push it actually. If you're using who I think you're using, they got special permission to book in CAD. No one else can. Bringing light to it wouldn't be wise.

My TA gives a generous discount on Oceania's prices and I am pretty sure she can book for Canadians. The discount is around 11 percent.

 

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The issue isn't booking Canadians, it's booking in Canadian $$

The issue isn't booking Canadians, it's booking in Canadian $$

Interesting! So without giving any specifics, since I don't want to cause issues- Oceania has a policy that generally only Canadian TAs can quote in $CDN? The line directly offered me a Canadian rate but it was close enough of a wash that I'd rather use my usual TA. I didn't ask why she couldn't book in Canadian dollars, just accepted what she told me. She books me in $CDN whenever I request it on other lines.

My US travel agent can give me prices in CAD...