jonthomas

Unless you are in Canada booking in US funds. There is NO way to see on line what the US prices are. Really awful, cant see if price goes up or down. It does fluctuate based on the exchange but thats about it. You could see it in the past in US dollars but they eliminated that feature for some reason. I constantly have to ask my friend to look it up for me...really annoying.

One of the best things about O is their Loyalty program. We wasted a lot of years becoming Elite plus on Celeb. Now love O but have no perks from Loyalty. Have only done 3. With 15, you have deviation covered and gratuities which can be a large chunk. Have done about 50 with Celeb, was not satisfied at 40 once they became a class divided cruise line and needed to make the switch at that time. Now have 6 booked with O trying to get to those benefits once you hit 15 credits. Love Os activites ...not sure about best food at sea anymore....the last cruise in April on the Riviera, with staff shortages and changes, O could not make that claim for us.

This is a comparison of a Suite with Celeb to a suite on O. There would be NO comparison, if you were comparing a regular balcony to Anything on O. NON suite accommodation on Celeb is almost steerage, totally different dining. IMHO food is inedible. After 50 cruises with Celeb, we opted to do O since paying for a suite on Celeb was more, huge ships with tons of kids. No comparison. The best food we have ever had was on the little Insignia, but that was 4 years ago, pre covid and pre staff shortages. On the Riviera this March, we did not feel the food overall was up to Os standards...especially the second leg of the cruise when staff changed and new staff were very inexperienced.

Have walked the Gothic area many times, La Ramblas etc... Dont need to be in centre. Would prefer to be at the Marina, within walking distance of ship. Only going in earlier because of the Air travel chaos. Moderately priced IMHO is anything $180 and under, this is off season.

Thank you everyone.

We have stayed at Continental Palacette, many times, but this time want to be near the cruise port. Can anyone recommend a reasonable hotel around the cruise port area?

oh yes, we have stayed many times at palacette but it is far from the port....good for those wanting to be near/on La Ramblas.....

YUP Viking.

We have stayed in Bar frequently but always just off La Ramblas. This time, going in a day or two early only because of the chaos at the airports. Our cruise is in November. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced hotel near the cruise port?

Kids on board. Oh no, that is surprising, there is nothing for them to do. We chose O because of NO kids. Dont want it to change.

Love all the activities on O just the way they are. Dont need production shows. Best activity is the ability to be on a small enough ship to make meaningful connections. People are generally friendly and amiable.

Right now the danger to cruising is not so much covid....many willing to jump through all the hoops, us included...but the chaos at the airports I keep writing about. It has me and others very worried. All these bailed out airlines better step up and undo what they did during covid. Cant speak for others but our feds gave our airline a ton of money to keep it going and now it rates at the Number 1 worst airline in the world, a very dubious distinction. Yeah ok we also gave zillions of our cannuk money to central america while our healthcare is a crumbling mess...oops I think I am getting off topic and into a danger zone...so I will stop....

Sorry Basor, easy to misinterpret here... Host, not business class, too rich for my blood.... and not complaining, as I have said O is now our preferred line... it is just that in these unprecedented chaotic times, I would like to think, cruise lines in general would do all they can to make it easier on themselves by encouraging patrons to go earlier. Nothing would encourage a cruiser to go earlier like waiving a deviation fee. I know O wont do it. I have written to Corporate giving them all the reasons why they should. They will respond by saying you are right and very wise but we wont do it because we are not as wise. lol.... Ill be lucky to even get a response. Not holding my breath.

thank you everyone....just bought 100 shares....the benefits will be well used, since O is now our preferred cruise line....

thank you for posting this....it is more than I can get booking my own air at this time...I would not hesitate to book my own air and have done so on most of my travels...it is only the chaos that has me spooked now.... there are those here that now because of the crazy covid world we live in, have stopped all air travel..I understand that...we are still doing all we can to travel....this latest chaos is making it very difficult.... when I posted the original topic, I had hoped to hear from those who are still trying to travel as we are....seems many have cancelled, they are writing to me directly rather than posting here.... anyway, thank you for your help....it is much appreciated.....

Someone very kindly posted that it is a good idea to get 100 NCL shares and use them on O. Has anyone done this and how have you been able to use it on O? For example, can you use it for Gratuities? We have RCL stock, have used it for years, it paid for itself many times over, but no longer sail Celebrity. There were also many restrictions to applying the shares. It was hit or miss, sometimes they honoured it and sometimes not, with no apparent logic.

So what are the advantages and where can I find them in print?

Yes we have the option of cancelling the air with O and doing our own, but I believe that for the next 6 months at least you have some assurances with O flights that can be an advantage. Does anyone else think that?

Instead of telling me what I cant post and cant do, can host or anyone else post a link to the O website where it outlines the advantages of flying with O. Easy to criticize and say what not to do.

You posted all the rules and regulations why no one should feel confident using O air. I asked that you also post the rules and regs for why it is a good thing at a time like this to use O air, instead of taking the time it took you to post the opposite, you have turned it back to me to do so. Not helpful. Anyone else here have any info from O, that would make you use their air in these times of chaos? The next time I speak to an O rep, I will ask them to send me the advantages in an email. They cant just give our that information without it being in writing, although I have been given all kinds of information from Ambassadors and reps that then management says they will not honour. Nothing new here, right hand does not know what the left is doing.

thank you for posting this, could you also post why O recommends that you take their air and the advantages to doing so? I just spoke to an O rep and she reiterated all the advantages of flying with O, I should have asked her to send it to me in writing... she also recommended that I write a letter to corporate regarding waving the deviation costs at this time instead of going through extraordinary tribulations to get people to the their ship....

I never said I was not happy, in fact I am constantly saying that there is an advantage at this time to use O air, while others are telling me I am mistaken.

yes I understand why you would not sail in this new chaos.... but not sure I understand the Happy? part....

It is not the up do date info that I need. It is the standard info the advantages of O flights. Our flight will be available 75 days prior to cruise date.

My research found that it will be at least 6 months till airlines and airports get back to some kind of normal.... so not much hope that November will be far away enough for that to happen.... As soon as our air with O will be available for choosing, we will see what they will offer us. Yes, they do try and give you options. We have been very happy with the options in the past. Has anyone recently talked with O air reps?. Did they accommodate you in light of the current chaos? I noticed that no one has responded that they pay for their deviation. So all the comments made here about my, defensiveness, lack of calmness etc was made by people whose deviation is included. Easy to make those comments when you are not in the same shoes. I still maintain that during this time, in order to make the ship, O should wave the deviation and we will book a hotel in order to come in 2 or 3 days ahead of time. Otherwise O may face having to get us to the next port. Surely that is more expensive and problematic for them. Has anyone had their deviation waved?