QuestionEverything

I appreciate you posting this situation. Thank you. The product offering was substantially changed - therefore Oceania should have waived any penalties. I share your perspective on Oceania, I too am wary of this cruise line. I have one cruise booked in Jan 25, will see what happens. Have no further cruises booked with Oceania due to their Simply More mandatory payment for booze (which neither of us use) and shore excursions (not much interested, we do our own, or with others). You are the boss of your purchases, no one else. Stick to your approach indeed.

All the negative comments about the menu in Luminae. I have been observing this for years - "I always order off part off the MDR menu"........ I look at the menu and would never pay the prices they want for the Retreat given the food. Have read many reviews of the burger being hard packed meat....... The food offerings seem very limited versus the premium lines like Oceania etc. Why?

Some history. There was a time, when Al Bacio pastries were free. In fact, there were also fancy tea sandwiches in Al Bacio including fabulous shrimp and smoked salmon sandwiches. Even more amazing were the lemon tarts (with real lemon filling and amazing pastry) topped with a square of dark chocolate. The lemon squares were legendary. I was on the Connie in the deep south - sitting with other guests on the deck at the stern. Each of us 4 made a trip to Al Bacio to get the squares = a total of 4 round trips and I think we each ate 6 of them. The best ever. Enjoyed all of the above on 2 cruises in 2015, 2016, 2017. These said wonderful food stuffs were available until 2018 when they were removed. 2018 was a big year for Celebrity, they profoundly reduced the quality of their food stuffs. My last cruise on Celebrity was 2018 and thereafter I cancelled Celebrity and moved to the premium and luxury. I cruised Celebrity since 2001 to 2018 and the deterioration of the brand in 2018 was visible, let alone what I read on these boards in 2023. History provides much evidence and perspective.

Moby Jones, your comment here is spot on. Celebrity has never, ever been a luxury line, despite their marketing bull. They were close when they started, they actually were a premium line at the beginning - their ships and on board experience is very similar to the Oceania of today, which I patronize. I cancelled Celebrity in 2018 as it moved to a mass line. But I can sure remember the good old days indeed.

I vote B - child should have been removed from the dining room. I believe a comment noted the parents could have hired a sitter for the little one in the stateroom. It is not about age. It is about any human, or group of humans as noted above, that makes considerable noise/disruption in a public space. NOT and stop it. Very similar concept to municipal noise by-laws - designed to keep an even keel!

Hi Bill! Love your post. I can not respond to your Celebrity (C) questions as I have not patronized C since 2018. I follow C's trajectory out of interest because of the past and also as a marketing executive I am interested in corporate manipulation of consumers. I patronize Oceania, Regent, Crystal etc as I support full ship access for all guests; the ship within a ship concept I will not support, especially when forward views are eliminated for all guests. The many posts on the C site are very helpful in determining the changes to the C product, both good and bad. Hoping all your cruises are wonderful. I have eliminated most cruising and replaced travel with escorted and private land tours. Rather into "deep dive" to locations. All the best Bill!

I agree indeed. The slippage started in 2018, it was dramatic. Up to that point I did 2 C cruises per year and the product was consistent. 2018 the slide down was dramatic. It was a management change that drove it. C had also started the class apartheid process. Enough. That was the last time I patronized C despite sailing with them starting in 2001. When they started C was the Oceania of the day, a cut above the mass lines. Not any more. Fortunately there are other cruise lines and other vacation options available for consumers. Thank you for your post.

"From my marketing background I just wonder what it will cost them to replace a 23 year exclusive Celebrity customer that sails in suites 3 or 4 months of the year. I have a feeling the next generation of cruisers will not be dedicated to a single cruise line and will jump ship at time like fees on a dog." Jim-lain - exactly. Celebrity appears to be discarding their customer base and chasing the 45 year old and under demographic. Best of luck to them, this age of customer is busy paying mortgages and other expenses. I used to be a Celebrity regular, started in 2001 and discarded Celebrity in 2018 when the serious downgrading started, folks it started well before Covid. Moved to Oceania, Regent as well as I eliminated most cruising in favor of escorted land trips and well, I have to say it, got a Porsche and did driving trips all over North America. The combination of land trips and a few cruises works well for me. I wish cruising well but I do not think the so called boom will last.

You are referring to the mass cruise lines, not the premium, luxury and exploration. I have cancelled the mass lines due to the ship in a ship concept. I know others who have done the same. As a dear friend said "no front view, you are cancelled". And it is not about $, we can afford any level we wish.

Hence why we cancelled the mass cruise lines and moved to premium and luxury. These lines ships are open to all guests with few exceptions of some lounges located within the interior of the ships. On Oceania Insignia, did a 17 day in August of Iceland, Greenland, Nfld, Nova Scotia, Bar Harbour and the Cape Cod Canal - and spent from 3 to 6:30 most days in the forward lounge adorning the scenery while at 4 pm having a true high tea and 5 pm having happy hour. Never moved from my chair. Every one could participate folks. I have been cruising since 1989, yes, and when cruising started, John Ivison of Carnival whined that the transatlantic lines like Cunard were using segregation and that modern cruising would not do that. Fast forward, it is indeed the mass cruise lines that are segregationists. On Cunard (Ivison particularly hated Cunard), today one can can go forward and see a forward view. On the QM2 you can go to the outer bridges (below the bridge) and stand there and be beyond the side of the QM2 with the wind in your face, a true ship experience. Hence why I have cancelled any cruise line that denies access to the fundamentals of a ship - outside, forward view etc.

Thanks so much. I want to make sure the TA does not miss the timeline for the reduced pricing. I find this voyage interesting as the # of available cabins keeps increasing (I check every week or less). which is confirmed by the reduced pricing. Wonder if given the state of the world, and costs these days, and Simply More, are O guests booking less? Myself, with SM, this is the last cruise we will likely take with 0 - we do not drink and we usually do group excursions privately. Paying for SM is not supported by us consumers. This cruise is an exception as it is the last geographic area in my trip bucket.

I have a cruise booked Jan 25 S.E. Asia. I checked the current "sale" and the cabin is almost $2,000 less than when I booked aboard Insignia in August. I also note that every category is available, it used to not be that way.......seems to me that the demand for this cruise is worsening as time goes on, ............ Q - I transferred my booking to my TA. Can I call Oceania directly and get the reduced price or do I have to wait for my TA to do it (I messaged my TA yesterday)? Guidance would be appreciated.

True, but for some people like me - I need a deep dive into locations that a 1 day or even an overnight can not provide. Hence cruises are not an option despite the price. It depends on the consumers objective of course - and we all have different objectives. So one mode of travel does not work for all. I use personal land tours with guides, land tours just with family that allow for many day exploration of a urban area or rural. Price is a minor consideration in our travel - it is meeting the objectives that is the priority and we analyze the options to achieve our objectives. Since cruising is more "superficial" in terms of stops, it does not serve us well. There are some exceptions like South America, Greenland, Baltic, all of which I have done. But to each their own. Enjoy your cruises.

Agreed indeed. Critical thinking and analysis is what moves humans to create options, products indeed.

People are entitled to post their analysis and opinion. I may disagree, but Everyone, is entitled to their analysis and opinion. I have cruised since the lockdown on Oceania, most recently in August on Insignia Iceland and Greenland, Canada and the Cape Cod Canal, mostly the Viking route. The product and service is NOT the same; quality, quantity, reliability, frequency as before the lockdown, yet prices are considerably higher. Not every consumer is willing to keep booking and downplaying the changes in cruising. Also some cruisers are reducing cruising and adding in land vacations and RV, high end SUV purchases etc. Like every industry today, it is changing quickly and pricing is but one reason why. That provokes consumers to make choices and, these days, make more complaints about a company's product offering. I am not automatically booking cruises anymore, the consistency and product is continuously eroded. For example; I recently took possession of a magnificent Porsche Macan. The product I ordered 8 months ago, made in Germany, taken across the ocean and across land, was 100% the product specification and price, that I contracted for 8 months ago. So.......if I contract a specific cruise experience, why do the cruise lines think they can downgrade, substitute, not have the service, have the excursions sold out etc. Oh and then quote the "cruise contract", like many people on CC do. My Porsche contract did not contain language that they can unilaterally change any element of my purchase. Therein is the problem for me.

pinotlover, thank you for your long history of posts on CC. Your knowledge is admired. I must agree with you regarding your analysis. I posted earlier about my Jan 2025 SE voyage - I checked availability this am - much inventory not booked yet. A year away is not that long really, that tells me that people are not booking way out and or less demand and or people are booking later hoping for a deal. I am one of 8 people I know that cruise. At of today, other than my booking, none of the others have booked a cruise, none, and there is no desire to do so. What they have done is purchase new high end SUV's for land trips (me and others), RV's for land trips and all of us have booked escorted tours in Europe and beyond. This is a small sample of vacation customers for sure, but the purchasing decisions of myself, my spouse and my friends tells me something about the "appeal" of cruising right now. My O booking is being evaluated - I am very concerned about missed ports and shortened stays given the huge distance to travel. Thanks again for your wisdom and taking the time to post.

My Jan 12/25 SE Asia cruise is on "sale". Yeh, right. My booking is $2,200 for 2 higher than when I booked in August. The veranda inventory in A, B, C categories are all available. Some of the penthouse inventory is available. Hummmmmmmmmmm

My SE Asia cruise Jan 12, 2025 is on "sale". It is still $2,000 for 2 more than when I booked in August. The entire veranda inventory still has availability. Interesting. I would have thought it would be fully booked by now........

Hlitner: Thank you very much for the time you take to post on CC. Your extensive knowledge is very helpful indeed. You provide an invaluable public service. I have a SE voyage booked on O Jan 2025 and beyond nervous about missing ports/cancelled shore excursions. Flying 1/2 way around the world and not having paid for access to the ports simply is not workable for me. Thanks for the Roll Calls, that is so much assistance. Will go there and work with other guests on our cruise. The mandatory payment for shore excursions due to Simply More has resulted in us not booking any further O cruises. Please keep well and hoping 2024 is a great year for you and your family.

100% agree. Celebrity is unfortunately far away from their start, the Zenith, Century - Celebrity was the Oceania of the time - classy, amazing service, great food For Everyone folks, formal high tea - I cruised on Celebrity in 2001 onwards until just before covid. The M class is 100% the best - a real ship. The newer ships - 0 chance I will set foot on those fake ships. Celebrity is all about removing the "ship" and "ocean" from cruising and ensuring passengers focus inwards so they spend more $. But to each their own, Celebrity's product has never been more unappealing to us. Wish the best for everyone in 2024. Blessings.

Greetings and Happy New Year Oceansaway17! You are quite correct. Glad you loved Globus, it is a North American oriented company, we did Austria and Switzerland which included the Glacier Express to Zermatt and the Matterhorn. We just loved the in depth of their tours into the geography, taking us to real local food restaurants. Cruising is getting blah and repetitive - I am taking a Globus tour of Great Britain in June, 21 days - will see most everything - versus a cruise which only hits specific ports for 8 hrs or so. Cruises are losing popularity amongst us and our friends - it is not about the $. It is value for money and cruising is not providing it especially with all the downgrading. Happy Trails!

People are canceling cruises - my household and 2 friends households have all ended cruising. We have moved to high end escorted tours all over the world. We want to eat real local food, spend time in locations (not 8 hrs), I do not necessarily agree with anything the cruise lines shrill, they have a vested interest in misleading the public and stockholders. Suffice it to say, I am not an "obedient consumer" and will place my $ where it is in my best interest. This being said from a long time cruiser who started in 1989 on the Sovereign of the Seas.

Mahogany - We have done O cruises since 2016. We were very impressed with the Grand Dining Room food on this recent voyage - better than the 4 before. I am a foodie and I had few complaints - I do realize it is a large dining room, so I make allowances for timing, food temperature. I believe that O lives based on their "finest cuisine at sea" label (I am not saying it is a truth), but we were very impressed with the food in all venues! Hope 2024 is good to you and your family.

I have cruised since 1989 on RCL, Celebrity and Oceania. I will not be cruising going forward. Booked on 3 customized land tours. There is a big world out there and, with few exceptions (Iceland, Panama Canal, South America etc) a land tour gives one a much more in-depth visit to our history and geography. If you want a superficial trip, cruise is OK. If you want to learn about the world, land travel is best. _______________________________ RCL plans to distract their passengers with all manner of entertainment etc so you will not notice the downgrading. Watch out.

Sounds like Oceania's food delivery options are far superior to Seabourn. Did O Insignia in August - Iceland, Greenland, Canada and US. The food and options for eating were outstanding. The Grand Dining Room was mostly full at breakfast and lunch - I ate there much over 17 days! The food, service, staff were outstanding. I have not done Seabourn yet, but this thread will ensure I will not do so. Not good at all.