pinotlover

Lots of waitlist clear come Final Payment and the Lookie Loos bail. After that it’s more seldom.

Primarily for the Lookie Loos. Those that boook multiple cruises, put their TA through the grill and then cancel. That leaves the TA with multiple hours invested with no pay check. 
 

Remember the industry 3 cruises booked for every cruise taken rule.  Our upcoming January O cruise had multiple categories waitlisted right up to Final Payment. Then the LLs walked and cabins opened across the ship. Lookie Loos will start paying for the games they play. They are now right up there with Helicopter Parents as most despised by their respective institutions. You’re soon going to be paying more than O for all those cancellations.

We only occasionally eat en-suite. As ORV says there really isn’t the room on the tables in a PH for a full main course. The upper suites are different. When we order en-suite, it’s only appetizers from the restaurant (s) of choice. IMO, for eating a steak, Osso Bucco, or other large course, the PH suite table isn’t the right place.

1 hour ago, Yesimapirate said:

 I think the best method is to learn the rules and options and put them to use for your personal situation.   

Total naivety. Do you realize the number of people that refuse to read their Oceania contract? The clowns posting here that won’t even read Oceania’s FAQ? Cruisers that refuse to listen to the CD announcements. Oceania cruisers that refuse to listen to and ignore tour guide instructions! Passengers that choose to ignore and not read the daily Currents.
 

Here’s a question: How hard is it read the carry on restrictions for any airline?  Just got to Europe and watched all the ugly Americans trying to bring aboard outrageously sized backpacks and suitcases and then causing scenes and delays during boarding!

What part of “ No shorts in the Specialties “ are people to mentally incapable of understanding? 
 

Many have zero intention of learning the rules. They merely want to do what personally pleases them. 

10 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

Much better than an Applebees. More on the par of J. Alexanders (Or maybe Houston's) for those who have been to that restaurant.

 

 

I agree. J Alexander’s is a perfect comparison.

I don’t believe Ember is a love or hate venue as defined by @iowananny. I believe it’s just a typical mid level American (ized) restaurant of ordinary quality. It’s definitely not” special “ but it’s not hate able, but not exceptional. People in the US dine regularly at similar quality restaurants for simple, quick , yet upscale meals.

If there is a problem, as I believe there is, the noise reduction in the design is very poor. Noise seems to be amplified, not muted, within the establishment.

Reminds me of the time I took Oceania out of Papeete.People lining up for Boardamania by 9:00 and then complaining about the heat. Not sure about the primary poster, but if I saw that long a line, I’d find something else to do for several hours and just ensure I was back for the last shuttle. Boardamania is a choice, as is standing in such a long line for a tender. 
 

Fwiw, we personally prefer a make up port, even a tender one, in lieu of a sea day for a missed port. That’s even the case when adjustments are necessary for the replacement port. It’s obvious not everyone feels that way. Maybe some would be more satisfied just staying aboard under the circumstances. 

15 minutes ago, Harters said:

Britons are Europeans.😀

😂 meant to say “Southern “ Europeans! 🥹
 

You did bail from the EU!!🤔

The higher the percentage of Brits and European, the more late diners. The higher percentage American cruises the fewer. Lots of geriatrics, mostly early diners and room service. 
 

Typically there are still plenty of people in the Specialties at 8:00. The buffet line is a different story. 

57 minutes ago, mozfoz said:

Maybe get back to the original post and give  reservation comments/advice/suggestions. Start another topic regarding tipping and ethnics.

I have no idea what the imaginary word “ fair” is supposed to mean or intended to be defined by the OP. Defining fair is far more subjective than any discussion on food. It was easy to thread drift.

14 minutes ago, chloemonkey said:

This leads me to wonder if all of those bartenders that people tip on the "first" day as they are certain that it enables them to obtain better service....or the cabin personnel/Butlers who accept tips as they are offered...are also in jeopardy of immediate termination?  

 

Tipping has been around since forever....and I doubt very seriously that this practice is treated as severely as you claim.....could be wrong?  And we have seen it done......also DONE it ourselves!  and never noticed any repercussions......just our experience I guess?

Doing it quietly and discreetly may be one thing, while coming on CC and bragging about doing it may produce different outcomes.

One of the tips a very highly respected and renowned butler gave us a few hints in helping the staff. 

1. When they come to clean your cabin , leave. If you can’t leave just then then tell the attendant to return in X minutes and be gone.

2.  The attendants enjoy quick brief conversations, maybe 30-45 seconds . After that leave them to their work.

I would say that if people are getting the “ song and dance “ experienced above ( and some definitely do); they are spending way beyond the time with staff recommended by that butler. 
 

One of his comments was about the “ lonely hearts club “ passengers that liked to corner the staff and talked incessantly. Abiding by #1 &2 above pretty well avoids the sob stories.

I clearly remember the day when passengers were bragging about tipping Maitre De for tables. Staff fired, and the restaurant personnel wouldn’t talk to any walk ups. Everything went through the Reservation Desk. Perhaps that was a better system. People need to be careful what they write here.

On another note, we leave for Tuscany tomorrow. It’s a seven (7) hour time difference. My body will have a zero idea of what time it is for several days after arriving. In going to Japan in April, it was fourteen)14) hours difference. The body will do as I then train it to do. Restaurants don’t open up there until 7-8:00 pm. I’ll train my body to eat then. Maybe a little late afternoon nappypoh to help. I won’t claim I can’t eat that late!  People have  habits. Some habits are good, some bad, and some neither, just habits. The secret to a good life is to never become enslaved by your your habits.

I heard it will only be a partial release: Europe and N. America only. Won’t yet include the rest of the fleet. 
 

Will have to wait and see! 🤔

I would have my TA ask Oceania.

Oceania takes no responsibility in any outside vendors “ leaving on time”.

Go to Blacklane’s website, you’ll be forced to put in important details omitted here, and see what their bid is. You can count on Oceania’s number being 2X that. A reasonable start to your question.

I read your post differently that Mauibabes since the question was imprecise. I usually use a 30 minute differential from docking time to private tour pickup time by our guide. The other half of the question.

4 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

General Question on the 30 day prior offers….we have an upcoming cruise towards end of October so we are potentially looking at utilizing the 30 day prior to an existing booking since we actually like the SM…we have a tight 4 day window where the 30 days should kick in prior to SM going away on 10/1.  Are you allowed to book more than one cruise and get the onboard booking benefits? Thanks. 

Yes! O will let you book all you want! 

36 minutes ago, Benita said:

What is lost is the SM benefits, for which we paid extra and will continue to pay for if  we book after October 1. According to Jancruz, the new prices  will not be reduced, so the Silver members will get $250 and lose, depending on cruise length thousands. I do love Oceana, but this was a lipstick on a pig change. 

While I believe prices for cruises on the new release will increase, I highly doubt that Jancruz has seen a single itinerary and accompanying prices for that release. 
 

I am completely booked through early 2026 on Oceania and others, so this change will have no immediate impact on me. It will be interesting to see price structures , on current releases, post 10/1.

Even though we’re long past paying the gratuities, I’m happy that program is gone. Too many continual questions on who got them, how they were distributed, etc. The $18/day +$5/ day( butler ) was a made up number as is the $250 per cabin. Glad that program is gone.

Silvers had PPG before, they have it now. What was lost? In fact, we might have a gain. Now, under SL, we get the extra $250 on every cruise. Before it was only on those diminishing number of cruises our TA had OCCAP perks from Oceania.
 

I think some here would cry if O changed the free cruise perk to 15 cruises instead of 20. Cty that it devalues their Platinum status. 🙄

I’ll repeat. Many posters here believe the OCCAPP is dead. My TA says it is not. It will now be something other than PPG.

Currently, not all cruises today have those perks because they are typically fast moving. Also not all Consortiums receive all of them all the time. Harder to sell cruises will continue to have promotions that may be other than pricing reductions. People need to wait until October to see what’s actually offered via their TA . Drink packages and tour credits may continue in the mix. 
 

A lot of people are hearing dogs barking and claiming to be bit. I think we need for those dogs to get here first and see their teeth.

I’d have to find the names, but several companies run bus tours up the canyon to the top of the mountains. Fabulous views and interesting scenery and history all the way up the mountain. At the top is a Lodge to get out and wander around which is above tree line in the tundra.

Fwiw, Oceania runs that bus tour for 3-4X the private option. Some prefer O pricing. Google is your friend.

I believe ORV nailed the issue at hand very early on. He’s currently on the Nautica and commented on how the bars were dead, even during Happy Hour. We encountered the same on our April Riveria cruise. For many a port visit consists of leaving the ship around 10:30; taking a shuttle to town; walking around a bit; take the shuttle back to the ship for a 12:15 lunch aboard. Here’s a fact: If one isn’t going to buy drinks, not take ship excursions; not worry about the photographers; not use O Air; etc, and only pay Ala carte; then that upfront number has to be big enough to cover everything.

For those of us that do drink alcohol; occasionally or primarily do take O shorex; etc, that may make O’s total pricing non competitive. You pay a lot less for an auto, than for all its parts. In sincerity, looking at who SL will attract, that may in itself scare people away. Can the bars become deader than they already are? Will even more shorexs be cancelled due to lack of participation?

Leaving a week from today taking a group of eight (8) to Tuscany for two weeks with a four day side trip to Bologna. There will be zero Mericanized food and a delightful absence of NoNo foods, along with world class wine at every stop. Those that claim to like food, this is the kind of trip they’d be on. The absolute “finest food “ without the at sea disclaimer.

More scheduled day trips to come. There will be zero concerns about missing ports or shorten port time.

21 hours ago, jonthomas said:

we never book a cruise unless it is under 300 a day and that is before the TAs rebate and that is for a balcony....

A good under $300/day cruise is like finding a good under $30 Burgundy. Those days are mostly long gone . You’re more likely to find people living in the past wearing leisure suits.

It’s all still tbd, but my TA reports, via her O rep, that the OCCAP program may not be dead. The new O to Consortium to Travel Agency to Clients  perks might still exist. Just wouldn’t be PPG. Might be a basic drinks package, might be tour credits. It ain’t over until the Fat Lady sings, and it appears she hasn’t even started to warm up yet. 
 

I think everyone will still need to be talking to their TA come October and that new cruise release. DIYers will never know.