When do prices drop please?

[worldtraveller99]

We received a brochure / newsletter from Oceania for 2014 - price for a 7 night Greek Islands cruise July in PH2 = £1,700 approx. But we can't travel until 2015. They only do a 8 night Greek Islands cruise in Sept 2015. That would be fine but online it says the same PH2 = £3,400 approx.

When / if will that price drop please - the difference is huge!

Thank you - am new to cruising.

[Travelcat2]

Prices do not generally drop on Oceania -- they typically go up. They may run specials on some itineraries and give free internet and gratuities, etc. but it is rare to see a price go down (at least not in North America). What I do find is that you cannot get the category of suite or location that you wish if you do not book early.

[wripro]

Unless, of course, Putin invades the country you're going to, then prices not only drop but you get OBCs and business class air!

[corpkid]

Or your Australia and NZ cruise is incredibly overbooked and they start throwing VERY enticing offers at you for the cruises before and after. :)

[waterbug123]

When / if will that price drop please - the difference is huge!

Thank you - am new to cruising.

 

There's no magic date. Like most things, cruise fares are subject the laws of supply and demand. If demand is such that Oceania can fill the ship without lowering prices, then that's what they'll do. :)

[Flatbush Flyer]

Prices do not generally drop on Oceania -- they typically go up. They may run specials on some itineraries and give free internet and gratuities, etc. but it is rare to see a price go down (at least not in North America). What I do find is that you cannot get the category of suite or location that you wish if you do not book early.

 

 

Not necessarily true. Booked upcoming Alaska in November 2013 and have had 2 price drops (one since balance paid) resulting in about 10% refund (plus recent addition of free gratuities by Oceania. Note that this was in addition to TA OBC, which stayed intact.

I advise finding a "brick & mortar" Oceania top producer TA "cruise specialist" for best price monitoring/followup. Check Conde Nast Traveler for recommendations

 

 

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[Travelcat2]

We also got a refund due to a price drop in Alaska a few years ago (on Regent). Good TA's can be brick and mortar or internet -- just get one with experience booking premium/luxury cruises. It does make a difference.

 

Agree that this year has caused a lot of cancellations in the Baltic and a few other places due to unrest. As a result, there have been a lot of offers. We have taken an offer to take a different cruise (upgrade in cabin, etc.) because the one we were on was overbooked and the other one needed more passengers (note: it is in the Baltic). We also have received offers to extend our cruise to the one before or after the one we are booked on. It seems that people that are already booked get the best offers -- probably before they offer a lower price online. Just a guess.

[Yankeeclipper1]

I don’t think you will see price drop. I noticed you quoted in GBP’s. Others responding may be from USA and are not aware, that for some reason (known to OC’s marketing machine) some very specific cruises were heavily discounted in the European market. I snatched up those three cruises at very significant savings for PH’s suites (since I am temporarily in London).

 

The USA Cruise Critic responders won’t even be aware of the pricing you are talking about unless they use a VPN to change their IP address and look at the European/UK OC website. When you take the 300 GBP ($500 USD) air credit and do your own discount air and include OC’s “paid gratuities” - the prices were too good to ignore.

 

With that said and as others have discussed in other threads, the prices may go up and down but the incentives added and removed usually keep the bottom line stable.

 

BTW the three substantially discounted cruises on the UK site are: Nautica Iberian Interlude June 24 – Riviera Gems of Antiquity July 29 – Marina Artistic Impressions Oct 28. I don’t think you will see that type of pricing on any other OC cruise – which was basically more than half the USA price for PH cabins. I am talking about the best OC fare – web and brochures and incentives etc. To make it an equal comparison remove the air, factor the credit and add back in your best airfare – the OC air credit for European cruises is about $900 USD for USA booked and $500 USD for European booked (300GBP), but by being in Europe already you can get to any port for peanuts. Even with the airfares included it’s still more than half off the USA rate – for those three specific cruises.

 

If you want a PH suite at those prices take one of the cruises I mentioned, such as the July 29, which is the itinerary you want. I don’t think you will ever see those prices again. I have scanned through every published OC cruise and have found nothing close.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Yankeeclipper1: can you either explain or point to website that explains how to use VPN to change IP and what IP to use? Sorry, only know enough about IT to be mildly dangerous.

 

 

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[pacheco18]

Not necessarily true. Booked upcoming Alaska in November 2013 and have had 2 price drops (one since balance paid) resulting in about 10% refund (plus recent addition of free gratuities by Oceania. Note that this was in addition to TA OBC, which stayed intact.

I advise finding a "brick & mortar" Oceania top producer TA "cruise specialist" for best price monitoring/followup. Check Conde Nast Traveler for recommendations

 

 

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Wee are on the same cruise. It was empty for a long time, thus the price drops. Ultimately they overbooked certain cabins and I got a great offer for a downsell. Goes to show -- things fluctuate.

 

I agree with Flatbush Flyer -- you need an O cruise specialist to get the best deals. Trying to figure it out yourself is almost impossible.

[Yankeeclipper1]

Wee are on the same cruise. It was empty for a long time, thus the price drops. Ultimately they overbooked certain cabins and I got a great offer for a downsell. Goes to show -- things fluctuate.

 

I agree with Flatbush Flyer -- you need an O cruise specialist to get the best deals. Trying to figure it out yourself is almost impossible.

 

Absolutely missing the point - the OP is asking about a price drop on a specific literary which is Riviera July 29, 2014 (based upon the price they mentioned - it is the only one at that price). They are not talking about 10% discounts or fluctuations - they are talking about 50% less than you probably have ever paid for a cabin.

 

From the UK website, which you are not seeing from the States unless you move your IP address - and IMO - the price they are looking at and hoping to get next year probably won't happen (supposition and conjecture). I have been tracking watching the pricing for about 8 months since I arrived in London. The price OP is pointing to and one of the ones I bought, are the UK brochure prices, and have not changed. That price was published and has been listed for a long while.

 

OP state they cannot travel until next year - I would advise if they want a PH suite at the price mentioned, they should grab it now (or any cabin).

I pointed out that in Europe (from what I have researched) there are three cruises that appear to have been specifically targeted by OC for significant discounts compared to others (only the marketing gods at OC know why). All the other Greek/Med cruises are in range or 3000 GPB PP for 7 nights (PH3) - or about $5000 per person, which makes the USA websites cheaper (from a UK perspective).

 

For examples: To make the comparison similar, I have taken the air out because the USA air credit is $900 to cover USA to Athens and the European air credit is $500 (300GBP) to cover London to Athens. Both USA and European brochures cover gratuities but the USA adds Unlimited Internet.

 

Here is what is buried in the hundreds of cruises over the next two years (and similarly priced on the three cruises I mentioned).

 

Penthouse Suite (PH3) PP 1399 GBP (1699 GBP w/air London - Athens) which is $2350 USD PP vs the USA price of $4800 PP ($5700 w/air States - Athens PP)

 

Penthouse Suite Price per Suite - Without air - UK PH3 Price for 2 PAX is $4700 vs USA Price $9600 - and as in the USA there are some TA's willing to add perks to the booking (commission cut).

 

The other cabins - UK per Cabin - Oceanview $3200 (1900 GBP) Veranda $3700 (2200 GBP)

 

My point to any European/UK cruiser is - if these itineraries (as mentioned by me above) fit your desire grab these three cruises.

[Yankeeclipper1]

Yankeeclipper1: can you either explain or point to website that explains how to use VPN to change IP and what IP to use? Sorry, only know enough about IT to be mildly dangerous.

 

 

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Just Google Free VPN or VPN. The free services are loaded with advertisements and gigabit restrictions and get tiresome if you are surfing long - some are also dangerous. For occasional surfing in other countries they are fine. For long-term or heavy use and when traveling in countries that have internet censors or to shop and see local websites - a paid program installed on your computer before you enter the country is better - basically the VPN masks you from their prying eyes - but they too are getting smarter. Its easy to use - believe me I am the most internet illiterate (so say my kids) person. Living in Saudi Arabia I saw every movie/program etc. that was "forbidden" by Saudi censors.

[Kaibocan]

Not necessarily true. Booked upcoming Alaska in November 2013 and have had 2 price drops (one since balance paid) resulting in about 10% refund (plus recent addition of free gratuities by Oceania. Note that this was in addition to TA OBC, which stayed intact.

I advise finding a "brick & mortar" Oceania top producer TA "cruise specialist" for best price monitoring/followup. Check Conde Nast Traveler for recommendations

 

 

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I went to Conde Nast Traveler to find a recommendation and the link to agents keep saying "page not found". Am I looking in the wrong spot?

I appreciate any help you van provide

 

 

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[JimandStan]

I went to Conde Nast Traveler to find a recommendation and the link to agents keep saying "page not found". Am I looking in the wrong spot?

I appreciate any help you van provide

 

 

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The link on Condé Nast has probably been allowed to go dead because these days it is just about impossible to make a general recommendation of a Travel Agent because that field has become so highly specialized.

 

An Agent who is the very best for booking Luxury Hotels, for example, may know nothing about Cruises, and vice versa.

 

So too, because Benefits and Freebies generally flow from the Travel Providers to the clients through the Travel Agent, finding an Agent who "specializes" becomes even more important.

 

The most reliable way to find such an Agent is to network with others who have taken similar trips, unfortunately, because most websites don't wan't their chat-rooms to degenerate into glorified selling tools for the Agents, those recommendations may only be made privately.