Shame on Oceania

[G&G]

I'm late to the party and maybe shouldn't butt in, but...

 

Today's mail brought direct from Oceania the aforementioned 24-page Alaska 2014 Voyages full-color brochure which is currently open in front of me.

 

At the top of the upper-left corner of page 2, inside the front cover, the brochure proclaims "FREE AIRFARE on every voyage." (Caps theirs, not mine.)

 

Check.

 

The fare chart on page 13 for the 10-day SF-Vancouver cruise shows the G Inside Stateroom at $2,549 per person, matching the website fare quoted in #41 above, and goes on to state underneath the chart, "Fares reflect all savings and include all government fees and taxes."

 

Check.

 

Where is the unbundling and whence the confusion?

 

Where is the unbundling and whence the confusion?

 

I also have the 24 page Alaska 2014 in front of me. On page 2 upper left hand corner there is NO reference to FREE AIRFARE on every voyage.

 

The fare chart on page 13 for the 10 day SF-Vancouver cruise shows the G Inside Stateroom at $1,704, not matching the fare I quoted in #41 and goes on to state underneath the chart, "Fares reflect all savings. Cruise related government fees and taxes of $295 per guest are additional".

 

And you ask what is confusing :confused:!

[DrHemlock]

Wow....

 

I have no response to that. Truly a mystery. Now I'm confused, too!

 

Well, when in doubt, trust first your experienced travel agent, then probably the O website rather than a printed brochure of which different people seem to have received different versions.

 

You sure have raised an interesting conundrum. Good luck!

[G&G]

Wow....

 

I have no response to that. Truly a mystery. Now I'm confused, too!

 

Well, when in doubt, trust first your experienced travel agent, then probably the O website rather than a printed brochure of which different people seem to have received different versions.

 

You sure have raised an interesting conundrum. Good luck!

 

Is it possible to email me page 13 of your brochure at rsnconsult@aol.com ?

 

We now have three different documents with different prices. The bottom line is the net price with free airfare, 2for1 pricing, fees included and early booking savings is probably the same.

[Graypanther]

FWIW, I have the same brochure as DrHemlock. On the back page mine says Oceania Cruises U.S. Postage Paid and below our address it also says "For More Information Contact: name and phone of a travel agency"

[G&G]

FWIW, I have the same brochure as DrHemlock. On the back page mine says Oceania Cruises U.S. Postage Paid and below our address it also says "For More Information Contact: name and phone of a travel agency"

 

My brochure is not the same as DrHemlock but also has on the back page Oceania Cruises US Postage Paid and for more info TA phone number

[computerworks]

My brochure is not the same as DrHemlock but also has on the back page Oceania Cruises US Postage Paid and for more info TA phone number

 

We're getting close here... custom bulk-mailed brochures done for a particular travel agency or consortium? ..with unbundled fares?

[G&G]

We're getting close here... custom bulk-mailed brochures done for a particular travel agency or consortium? ..with unbundled fares?

 

No. The TA has nothing to do if fares are bundled or unbundled. All my brochures have the TA contact info and yesterday's Oceania brochure was the first brochure I have received in two years that airfare and government fees were not bundled.

[G&G]

Not to beat a deadhouse but I just received an email from Oceania; promotion for Alaska 2014 with the featured sailing from SF-Vancouver that I had previously described.

 

The fare quoted on the promotion is $2,549. Now I have all three quotes for the same cruise some bundled, some partially bundled and some not bundled at all. The three quoted prices for the Inside G is:

 

$1,704

 

$2,549

 

$3,549

 

After I finish my current online differential equations course I will be able to figure this out :eek: !

[Travelcat2]

I've been following this rather interesting, yet funny, thread. Whenever I "think" a fare in a new brochure is less than we paid, I contact my TA. Just about every time, the lower fare does not include something that the higher fare does.

 

IMO, Oceania is not doing anything that all of the other cruise lines haven't done. They keep changing things to see what works best. Some customers want airfare included -- other do not. The same with internet, gratuities, etc. If you include everything (like Regent), people complain that they are paying for things they do not want.

 

BTW, while this is an interesting thread, I wonder why the subject is so negative?

[rallydave]

Not to beat a deadhouse but I just received an email from Oceania; promotion for Alaska 2014 with the featured sailing from SF-Vancouver that I had previously described.

 

The fare quoted on the promotion is $2,549. Now I have all three quotes for the same cruise some bundled, some partially bundled and some not bundled at all. The three quoted prices for the Inside G is:

 

$1,704

 

$2,549

 

$3,549

 

After I finish my current online differential equations course I will be able to figure this out :eek: !

 

And the prices end up all identical once air and taxes are added in:

 

$2549 includes air and taxes

 

$1704 + $296 taxes + 549 air = $2549 including air and taxes

 

$3549 - $1,000 $2K discount per cabin = $2549 including air and taxes

 

And bet if you take 1 or 3 and ask for the air credit, it will be $549. Only possible advantage to the customer would be if the air credit were to decrease and the customer wants the air credit, number 2 would be a better deal.

 

Agree it is maddening and confusing and Oceania's marketing department trying everything to sell space on the cruises. More than likely if sales were going well, no need to present prices in many different confusing manners. Every cruise line seems to market differently and mostly in confusing manners. Seems like Oceania is one of the more maddening ways of marketing.

[Hawaiidan]

if you like the price and deal when you purchased it then whats the beef?

You must have concluded it was a good deal, no one put a gun to your head, right

 

If you bought a car and got a good price would you go back to the dealer and hangout to find out what everybody else got ? Look at air fares for crying out loud almost every one is paying a different price.

 

Bottom line if you like the price buy, if not don't. :cool:

 

Because" if , if's and but's were candy and nuts we would all have a merry Christmas."

[computerworks]

And the prices end up all identical once air and taxes are added in.

 

My earlier point...exactly.

 

No foul.... good for them.

[G&G]

if you like the price and deal when you purchased it then whats the beef?

You must have concluded it was a good deal, no one put a gun to your head, right

 

If you bought a car and got a good price would you go back to the dealer and hangout to find out what everybody else got ? Look at air fares for crying out loud almost every one is paying a different price.

 

Bottom line if you like the price buy, if not don't. :cool:

 

Because" if , if's and but's were candy and nuts we would all have a merry Christmas."

 

Maybe you do not understand my posts; deceptive marketing and pricing by Oceania. In four days I received from Oceania two brochures and an email of Alaska cruises. There were seventeen (17) different categories of cabins with each category three (3) different fares for the cruise. After you figure out what is included in the fares and not included, the fare for the three different Oceania promos all end up the same price. This is crazy!

 

Most of my cruises have been with Holland America. Except for a very few exceptions, when you look for any HAL cruise and any cabin, the price will include port charges, exclude government fees and exclude airfare. That simple.

[G&G]

And the prices end up all identical once air and taxes are added in:

 

$2549 includes air and taxes

 

$1704 + $296 taxes + 549 air = $2549 including air and taxes

 

$3549 - $1,000 $2K discount per cabin = $2549 including air and taxes

 

And bet if you take 1 or 3 and ask for the air credit, it will be $549. Only possible advantage to the customer would be if the air credit were to decrease and the customer wants the air credit, number 2 would be a better deal.

 

Agree it is maddening and confusing and Oceania's marketing department trying everything to sell space on the cruises. More than likely if sales were going well, no need to present prices in many different confusing manners. Every cruise line seems to market differently and mostly in confusing manners. Seems like Oceania is one of the more maddening ways of marketing.

 

Thanks RallyDave. I guess you finished that math course before I did :D.

[Travelcat2]

G&G and Rallydave: If this is such a big deal, I suggest you sue Regent. They can always use more $$$$$:D

[traveler916]

And the prices end up all identical once air and taxes are added in:

 

$2549 includes air and taxes

 

$1704 + $296 taxes + 549 air = $2549 including air and taxes

 

$3549 - $1,000 $2K discount per cabin = $2549 including air and taxes

 

And bet if you take 1 or 3 and ask for the air credit, it will be $549. Only possible advantage to the customer would be if the air credit were to decrease and the customer wants the air credit, number 2 would be a better deal.

 

Agree it is maddening and confusing and Oceania's marketing department trying everything to sell space on the cruises. More than likely if sales were going well, no need to present prices in many different confusing manners. Every cruise line seems to market differently and mostly in confusing manners. Seems like Oceania is one of the more maddening ways of marketing.

 

In my business, I like to sell at "net pricing" or what the stores call "EDLP" - Every Day Low Pricing.

 

But many of my customers have been trained by my competitors to look for a deal.

 

So I offer them a deal

 

I say...

 

I can sell you my product for $10 net.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $11.11 and give you 10% off.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $12.50 and give you 20% off.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $14.29 and give you 30% off.

 

Which would you like.

 

Most people want to buy "the deal" so they take the 30% off price...and we bill them accordingly.

 

I think this is why Oceania offers some of the bundled/semi bundled.no bundled deals that they do...but in the end, it adds up to the same amount. Not in every case, of course....just sayin'

 

gary

[LHT28]

And the prices end up all identical once air and taxes are added in:

 

$2549 includes air and taxes

 

$1704 + $296 taxes + 549 air = $2549 including air and taxes

 

$3549 - $1,000 $2K discount per cabin = $2549 including air and taxes

 

And bet if you take 1 or 3 and ask for the air credit, it will be $549. Only possible advantage to the customer would be if the air credit were to decrease and the customer wants the air credit, number 2 would be a better deal.

 

Agree it is maddening and confusing and Oceania's marketing department trying everything to sell space on the cruises. More than likely if sales were going well, no need to present prices in many different confusing manners. Every cruise line seems to market differently and mostly in confusing manners. Seems like Oceania is one of the more maddening ways of marketing.

 

This is the first time I have seen Oceania do such confusing marketing

I would think it would drive more people away than attract them

 

As I said before wish they would just cut the C**P give you the price without all the different games to play

 

I just want the bottom line

 

Lyn

[pacheco18]

Let your ta figure it out for you.

I never look at brochures. I find the cruise I want and ask my ta to get me the best deal.

[RJB]

In my business, I like to sell at "net pricing" or what the stores call "EDLP" - Every Day Low Pricing.

 

But many of my customers have been trained by my competitors to look for a deal.

 

So I offer them a deal

 

I say...

 

I can sell you my product for $10 net.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $11.11 and give you 10% off.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $12.50 and give you 20% off.

 

Or I can sell it to you for $14.29 and give you 30% off.

 

Which would you like.

 

Most people want to buy "the deal" so they take the 30% off price...and we bill them accordingly.

 

I think this is why Oceania offers some of the bundled/semi bundled.no bundled deals that they do...but in the end, it adds up to the same amount. Not in every case, of course....just sayin'

 

gary

J.C.Penny is a good example.... Cut out all their discount coupons and lowered their prices and lost 30% of their sales. just fired their chairman and are going back to discount coupons. Seems to be what their customers want. People like to think they are getting a better dead even if they are really not. Human nature with some people.

[G&G]

this is the first time i have seen oceania do such confusing marketing

i would think it would drive more people away than attract them

 

as i said before wish they would just cut the c**p give you the price without all the different games to play

 

i just want the bottom line

 

lyn

 

Ditto

[wripro]

Offering the "deal" is why cruise lines keep getting results from these absurd two for one rates.

[hondorner]

Let your ta figure it out for you.

I never look at brochures. I find the cruise I want and ask my ta to get me the best deal.

Exactly.

 

I can't see how any of this is deceptive. In every case, the bottom line stays the same once you find it. The bottom line is the bottom line is the bottom line. Everything else is aimed at people who are susceptible to fancy advertising. Some of us are, and respond to different ways of stating the same thing, and some of us care only about the bottom line -- which is always the same.

 

Much ado about nothing.

[pakitin]

I congratulate Oceania for giving us the opportunity to exercise our brain figuring out which one of their brochure prices is the best.

 

Like the Romans use to say "All the roads lead to Rome".

 

The people that have more free time should contact different TA's to find who will give them more perks like free gratuities, on board credits, a wine bottle ......

 

Paco

[wripro]

I do not consider a wine bottle a perk. However a bottle of wine would be nice.

[pakitin]

Thanks for correcting my poor grammar.

 

How about a bottle of Rioja or Rivera del Duero.wine.

 

 

Paco