brobin111

BINGO!

I neither complain nor get upset about other people's comments although I do find them interesting and sometimes amusing. This is a forum to provide critical and/or positive feedback about cruises. I posted my experience with O on this cruise. Being one of many cruises we've taken both on O, as well as many other lines over the last two decades, I reported - not whined about - the inadequacies that my group and I experienced. You can classify those experiences and give credence to them as you see fit. Perhaps, for everyone's benefit, you could post a full set of rules for what you deem to be correct and appropriate reporting criteria and what objective/subjective topics we should all adhere to. BTW, the tuna tataki and rack of lamb at Red Ginger were excellent and John Joseph is the funniest man on the high seas! (I know, too subjective right?)

Thank you for explaining to us how we should think and what to post. Are you friends with Xi Jinping?

Who is "we" and exactly who were the "others" onboard that were made miserable? I didn't wear my disappointment on my sleeve nor did I do or say anything to make anybody else onboard "miserable." Indeed, I was not "miserable" myself - just annoyed at the way O handled the situation but didn't share that with other pax or non-management staff. If this thread made you miserable remember that this forum is called Cruise Critics - not Cruise Cheerleaders. Enjoy your cruise on Vista!

That's exactly how it should be done! Which line? I want to sail with them.

Absolutely correct!

You're right. When I pay for more I expect to get more - wouldn't you? That said, the service was excellent and I never expect much from O on the entertainment agenda. If food quality and entertainment were my only beefs I wouldn't even care. And, no, they were not performing cats - they were imitating them.

This was our 5th O cruise out of the 50+ cruises we've taken so we knew what to expect. Service was excellent but the food quality & entertainment is not what it was pre-covid. Other than the comedian, John Joseph, who we've seen on several cruises and is terrific, the singers for the production shows sounded like angry cats and we walked out of the two shows we went to. The Burt Bacharach tribute surely has him spinning in his grave! The ship itself is beautifully maintained and is is one of the nicest cruise ships afloat. Our Vista suite on Deck 8 was well appointed, very comfortable and we spent a lot more time in it than planned as we sailed in circles for days. As for the 30% FCC, they asked what I thought was fair and I told them. Perhaps it is unrealistic but even 10% was off the table. As I've said from the outset, I understand that per the contract they have every right to say "tough toenails, move on," and we will - just without Oceania.

I think you may have missed the main point of this thread. Nobody, myself included, faults the ship for not proceeding to Bermuda due to heavy seas and bad weather which they clearly cannot control. Per the contract, they can go wherever they want for any or no reason and we're just along for the ride. I get that. The problem is with the way Oceania handled it - something that is quite certainly in their control. They knew of the itinerary change at least two days in advance but didn't send an email to their pax which they could have easily done. The decision to sail in circles and then spend two days in Jacksonville was necessary only because they had no contingency plans for desirable alternate ports and they just needed a place to park. The purser even complained to me about how much extra fuel they were burning but had no regard or interest in doing anything to make the pax happy. The attitude from the crew was "too bad, so sad - not our problem and we don't want to hear about it anymore." Oceania presents itself as a premier cruise line. The measure of a company is more than what they do right, it's how they treat their customers when things go wrong. Every other cruise line we've sailed has done something meaningful when there's been a major change to an itinerary even though they didn't have to. That's what creates loyalty to a brand. I suggested to the GM onboard that they provide an FCC equal to 30% of the fare paid (3 lost days of the 10 day cruise) to provide meaningful compensation and encourage guests to sail Oceania again. Nope. Instead of all the "Never Again" comments in this thread that will surely turn off others from sailing Oceania, imagine the goodwill and new business they would create if this thread was about how well we were treated.

This was our 4th post-covid cruise and, based on the changes in business practices and the myriad cost cutting measures we've seen, I'm beginning to think that perhaps the cruise lines are less interested in retaining their old customers and are more interested in a younger, maybe less discerning group. Less time in ports, skipped ports, lower quality food, 2nd rate entertainment and a "we don't care" attitude seem to be the direction that most lines have taken. Great opportunity for a someone to do it right!

Maybe it's just me but when I spend over 20K for a 10 day vacation I expect any change in itinerary to be something more exotic than two days in downtown Jacksonville and sailing in circles for three days. And if it's not, and you want to see me back on your ships again, you'll do something tangible to encourage that.

Sorry, meant to say one percent.

Our TA is on it and has worked his magic in the past. You would think that they'd be more accommodating especially for pax who cruise frequently with a group booking multiple top tier suites but they are VERY short sighted! They seem to think they're the only game in town when nothing could be further from the truth. What really defines any business is how they handle things when something goes wrong. Making it right without a fight means more customer loyalty and profits down the line. Just ask Jeff Bezos! I did get a call from guest relations today telling me that they have placed a $200 credit on our next booking - a whopping one tenth of 1% of what we paid to see the parking lot in JAX.

I'll be the first to report back and sing their praises if that happens! 3 days left...

Tomorrow the shuttle will drop of at the art festival by the river instead and there is a tour to St. Augustine that we're taking just to get off the ship. Downtown is eerily devoid of people... like a ghost town almost.