Oasis of the seas - will the sailings in Europe sell out?

[Static events]

So... my Mum doesn't fly and has wanted to sail on the Oasis ever since she was launched. We want to do either of the Barcelona to Barcelona trips.

 

I am just wondering if the cruise will actually sell out and if so how long do you think it will take to sell out?

 

:D

[A&L_Ont]

So... my Mum doesn't fly and has wanted to sail on the Oasis ever since she was launched. We want to do either of the Barcelona to Barcelona trips.

 

I am just wondering if the cruise will actually sell out and if so how long do you think it will take to sell out?

 

:D

 

I would say yes, they will all sell out. They do in NA, every sailing.

 

If, and I mean if, they have remaining cabins they would just lower the price and then they would sell.

 

That all being said I suspect they will be priced accordingly, most likely at a premium over Caribbean prices, and move very little in price.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Static events]

I would say yes, they will all sell out. They do in NA, every sailing.

 

If, and I mean if, they have remaining cabins they would just lower the price and then they would sell.

 

That all being said I suspect they will be priced accordingly, most likely at a premium over Caribbean prices, and move very little in price.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

How quickly do you predict the cruise will sell out? Do I need to book on the day the sailings are released?

[NorbertsNiece]

How quickly do you predict the cruise will sell out? Do I need to book on the day the sailings are released?

 

I intend to try to book either the Westbound TA or a B2B out of Barcelona on release day.... not holding out much hope though...

[Static events]

I intend to try to book either the Westbound TA or a B2B out of Barcelona on release day.... not holding out much hope though...

 

Are you not holding out much hope because you believe the cruise will be sold out?

[A&L_Ont]

I intend to try to book either the Westbound TA or a B2B out of Barcelona on release day.... not holding out much hope though...

 

That would be my guess too for the TAs.

 

I couldn't really guess on the other sailings, but I would think quickly. If I were to take holidays, I would get the cruise booked first, as you can always cancel it easier than switching holiday time frames. I would be booking the day they go on sail, and go for the class of room I want, but be happy to get what I get as I would be on board.

 

My biggest concern would be getting the class of room that I would want. Sadly, we are suite cruisers:p and I suspect that they will be gone in a heart beat. But honestly there are only so many of them, and these sailings are a special thing so why shouldn't they be gone quickly. Not to mention other responsibilities such as work, a son who is almost 6, the sailings are on the other side of the pond. You know the little things that get in the way;).

 

We figure we have time in the future for these special type of cruises. :)

[NorbertsNiece]

Are you not holding out much hope because you believe the cruise will be sold out?

 

Well.... communication is the key and frankly I'm not optimistic at either my TA or myself getting through... either online or over the phone.... the call centre will be inundated... maybe I'm feeling a bit 'glass half empty' today but the information that RCCL is putting out is so confusing and inadequate.... so my answer is yes.

 

Took me a while to get there. Sorry. There are enough C&A members out there who will fill it.

[Elizanessie]

The big problem is that Travel Agents can grab blocks of cabins, I know that one UK TA has over 250 pre-registrations for Oasis bookings :eek:

 

For the Oasis Inaugural travel agents were not allowed to book groups so it did make it a bit easier to get booked.....well, except for those in the UK for the first hour on opening day as the system had a glitch....the US system was fine though at that time.

 

Frankly it is all getting a bit tiresome now...no prices, confusion over booking opening date....it is not a brand new ship...so come on Royal Caribbean get your act together and get the info out there...before the sea calls us to another cruiseline :eek:

[NorbertsNiece]

The big problem is that Travel Agents can grab blocks of cabins, I know that one UK TA has over 250 pre-registrations for Oasis bookings :eek:

 

For the Oasis Inaugural travel agents were not allowed to book groups so it did make it a bit easier to get booked.....well, except for those in the UK for the first hour on opening day as the system had a glitch....the US system was fine though at that time.

 

Frankly it is all getting a bit tiresome now...no prices, confusion over booking opening date....it is not a brand new ship...so come on Royal Caribbean get your act together and get the info out there...before the sea calls us to another cruiseline :eek:

 

[DeltaOne]

I am just wondering if the cruise will actually sell out and if so how long do you think it will take to sell out?

 

The goal for every cruise line is to sell out the ship, that's why they adjust the pricing up and down. One must assume that every sailing will be at full capacity. A recent news show on cruising said that even sailing at 95% capacity makes it tough for the cruise line to make a profit on that sailing.

 

Watch the pricing -- if it's declining then the ship is selling slowly. If it's going up the ship is selling out faster.

[springaussie]

Yes it will probably sell out quickly.

But are people going to swap and change when the Quantum is released or Royal announces the new Oasis class Ship will be based in Europe/Caribbean?

One way airfare prices could turn heaps away from the TA.

Most flights from Barcelona to the USA depart before 1100 which means no same day flight home on eastbound.

Glen

[Elizanessie]

I am duh:o...it only just struck me...how can travel agents do block bookings if booking opens for C&A members first ?

 

Is Royal waiting to see what the numbers are like from pre-registrations before deciding if they will open to C&A members first?

 

Is there pre-registration in the US ?

I know it is a big thing here with the travel agents on their websites.

[Static events]

I am duh:o...it only just struck me...how can travel agents do block bookings if booking opens for C&A members first ?

 

Is Royal waiting to see what the numbers are like from pre-registrations before deciding if they will open to C&A members first?

 

Is there pre-registration in the US ?

I know it is a big thing here with the travel agents on their websites.

 

 

Yeh I think the RCCL are playing their cards close to their chest before they release pricing etc.

[celticgirl]

Liz,

I normally book all my cruises myself either online or phone rccl. However this time thought have absolutely no chance getting through to them and website will be inundated.

 

Sooo I have a family friend who owns a well known travel website and have gone to him with my oasis request he has been told so many diff things too it seems!

 

I am not paying stupid money for the 1st Sept transatlantic so I thought I will get a heads up on a price from him before it gets released and then make a decision I have a figure in my head I am prepared to pay up to and he told me prob have a price for end week.

 

But today royal have told them no prices till Tuesday and no bookings till Thursday. I asked also about the "supposed" 2 day beforehand in Bahamas and they know nothing about that either.

 

Think we all know demand is unprecedented and if they do go on sale to C&A members first (if they ever make their mind up) I wouldn't be surprised if it sells out with us alone. but all this secrecy :confused:

[Elizanessie]

Liz,

I normally book all my cruises myself either online or phone rccl. However this time thought have absolutely no chance getting through to them and website will be inundated.

 

Sooo I have a family friend who owns a well known travel website and have gone to him with my oasis request he has been told so many diff things too it seems!

 

I am not paying stupid money for the 1st Sept transatlantic so I thought I will get a heads up on a price from him before it gets released and then make a decision I have a figure in my head I am prepared to pay up to and he told me prob have a price for end week.

 

But today royal have told them no prices till Tuesday and no bookings till Thursday. I asked also about the "supposed" 2 day beforehand in Bahamas and they know nothing about that either.

 

Think we all know demand is unprecedented and if they do go on sale to C&A members first (if they ever make their mind up) I wouldn't be surprised if it sells out with us alone. but all this secrecy :confused:

 

Hi celticgirl,

 

With regards to the 2 night Bahamas sailing...Royal Caribbean announced that in their press release about Oasis & Europe -

 

http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-release/962/worlds-largest-and-most-innovative-cruise-ship-oasis-of-the-seas-to-sail-europe-in-2014/

 

"Additionally, a two-night Bahamas cruise departing on Aug. 30 and a five-night Western Caribbean cruise departing on Oct. 27, both roundtrip from Port Everglades, will bookend Oasis of the Seas’ short 2014 Europe season."

 

So you would think they would let the Travel Agents know about it :rolleyes:

 

I called a big UK Cruise company today to see what info they would give...umm...nothing...because they knew nothing. Yes they can take your info and when the sailings open for booking they will attempt to get you the cabin you want but at this moment in time they don't know when bookings will open exactly. Also the agent said to me, really most people won't just hand over their credit card details to an agent when they have no idea of the prices.

 

Personally I think it will be the Europe sailings that will be the biggest sellers,with only a handful of sailings then the travel agents and those in Europe will be jumping all over these few sailings (no long flights to US).

 

With so few ports on the transatlantics I don't think the prices will be sky high...though they will probably rise the first couple of days.

 

With Oasis being so heavily marketed in Europe, where folks lose their deposits if they cancel, this may make a difference to the prices and availabilty.:confused:

[peteukmcr]

Can't see the point of pre-registering with RCI UK, because I did it for the April 2014 TA's, specifically Adventure when there was a link inviting you to pre-register. I filled in all the necessary information, did I get a call back, no.

 

I've done the same with the Oasis pre-registration, have I received a callback, again no. So what's the point? Other than it is being used as an indicator by RCI UK of the level of interest which will help them determine the starting price points.

 

Also, someone mentioned that they suspect that the pricing out of Barcelona will be a premium on the Caribbean prices.

 

Nothing new there, we've sailed several times on Liberty out of Barcelona and I can vouch for the fact that even those prices for 5 day sailings were higher than 7 day Caribbean sailings on the same class of ship (i.e. Freedom), so I wouldn't hold your breath on the Oasis prices being on par or even just slightly more than a Caribbean sailing. I think they will be very high.

[Piepkorn]

I am just wondering if the cruise will actually sell out and if so how long do you think it will take to sell out?

 

:D

 

These will sell out very quickly. I see this going faster than when Disney schedules a Panama Canal trip. The May 2008 Disney trip sold out in 1 day. Too many things going on to book anything now, figure I'll wait to see what Quantum and Vision will be doing, then book a TA when prices fall after final payment day.

[FLACRUISER99]

I plan on booking the WB TA next month on the Mariner. If it is sold out it won't be the biggest I've had disappointment in my life.

[christi1805]

The Oasis sale will go along pretty much normal as with other ships sailing TA over the course of the year.

I stand corrected, but the Oasis will not sell out on neither TAs nor the Med cruises.

The hype conveyed here in some threads will level out fast. How many cc members participate in the hype? If I recollect they are some 30 to 50 cabins here. A lot of US folks will reserve cabins in the hype period and later return them to RCI.

Do not underestimate European buying behavior. It is much different to US customers. They do not buy at any cost, only if the price is right. And BTW not everybody is retired and has time in September/October to do a 2-3 week European cruise.

So the first days when bookings open will see a lot of reservations but by far not what the hype here suggests.

[Medicalley]

The Oasis sale will go along pretty much normal as with other ships sailing TA over the course of the year.

I stand corrected, but the Oasis will not sell out on neither TAs nor the Med cruises.

The hype conveyed here in some threads will level out fast. How many cc members participate in the hype? If I recollect they are some 30 to 50 cabins here. A lot of US folks will reserve cabins in the hype period and later return them to RCI.

Do not underestimate European buying behavior. It is much different to US customers. They do not buy at any cost, only if the price is right. And BTW not everybody is retired and has time in September/October to do a 2-3 week European cruise.

So the first days when bookings open will see a lot of reservations but by far not what the hype here suggests.

 

I do hope you're right! I've taken the morning off work on 11th to try to book one of the Med cruises!

[Cshgrand]

Can't see the point of pre-registering with RCI UK, because I did it for the April 2014 TA's, specifically Adventure when there was a link inviting you to pre-register. I filled in all the necessary information, did I get a call back, no.

 

I've done the same with the Oasis pre-registration, have I received a callback, again no. So what's the point? Other than it is being used as an indicator by RCI UK of the level of interest which will help them determine the starting price points.

 

Also, someone mentioned that they suspect that the pricing out of Barcelona will be a premium on the Caribbean prices.

 

Nothing new there, we've sailed several times on Liberty out of Barcelona and I can vouch for the fact that even those prices for 5 day sailings were higher than 7 day Caribbean sailings on the same class of ship (i.e. Freedom), so I wouldn't hold your breath on the Oasis prices being on par or even just slightly more than a Caribbean sailing. I think they will be very high.

 

Glad I wasn't the only one. Received an email back from vacation planner at RC UK following pre-registration to which I replied with specific sailings, dates, cabin type, our C&A numbers, everything. Told them we were ready to book. Heard nothing.

Booking everything (3 x 2014 cruises) through US travel agent instead who is prompt, courteous and keen for my business.

[yogimax]

Most flights from Barcelona to the USA depart before 1100 which means no same day flight home on eastbound.

Glen

 

Maybe most, but not all.

 

Delta, for example, has flights departing after noon with changes in CDG which arrive in NY on the same day.

[peteukmcr]

Glad I wasn't the only one. Received an email back from vacation planner at RC UK following pre-registration to which I replied with specific sailings, dates, cabin type, our C&A numbers, everything. Told them we were ready to book. Heard nothing.

Booking everything (3 x 2014 cruises) through US travel agent instead who is prompt, courteous and keen for my business.

I didn't even receive an email following either of my pre-registrations, so I don't hold out much hope of being contacted.

[DEEDIA]

We have registered with RCI,. and also instructed our TA to get prices for the Southampton departure. But if I think the prices are inflated I will not bother, it would be nice to sail on the Oasis TA, but there are plenty of other Cruises to choose from. So if RCI think us Brits will empty the bank, heres one that won't.

[yogimax]

. So if RCI think us Brits will empty the bank, heres one that won't.

 

Words of wisdom indeed!