Cutting corners?

[sunnies]

Our first Oceania cruise was in 2007 and we have cruised with no other line since then. We are very loyal passengers and many of our friends have sailed with Oceania on our recommendation. We are now gold with three Oceania cruises booked for 2016. I will watch with interest to see if Oceania significantly reduce port times after final payment. If this does occur I view it as a breach of trust and will look elsewhere for future cruises.

[TrulyBlonde]

Our first Oceania cruise was in 2007 and we have cruised with no other line since then. We are very loyal passengers and many of our friends have sailed with Oceania on our recommendation. We are now gold with three Oceania cruises booked for 2016. I will watch with interest to see if Oceania significantly reduce port times after final payment. If this does occur I view it as a breach of trust and will look elsewhere for future cruises.

 

RE: Breach of Trust...Ditto for us, as well.

[ladysail2]

Agree completely, Paul.

 

This is worrisome enough to me that I am crossing Oceania off my list. Much as I like the cruise line to me the ship is not enough. The ports are very important and enough time to enjoy them and explore is paramount. I think Oceania is shooting itself in the foot. They are not like Royal Caribbean where people sail in order to go on water slides and see ice shows. O passengers are travelers too.

 

And this nasty act of changing port times after final payment is a scam, plain and simple.

 

Easy on us Royal Caribbean fans...I've never gone down a water slide, but do easily love the ice shows, LOL

I also feel it's nasty for O to change port times so drastically, so close to sailing...and without explanation. But then, how do you explain the disappearance of 23 hours of port visitation?? Truthfully???

 

Does O do a Q&A with the Captain during a sailing? It would be a good time to ask some very direct questions. I know the Captain isn't responsible for the itineraries...but he/she should be 'in the know' concerning why the times changed. I feel we deserve an explanation.

 

The best way to show dissatisfaction is to cancel future cruises and try other lines...but I'm sure that management is counting on their guests to do alot of grumbling, but continue to book cruises anyway. :(

[Paulchili]

 

Does O do a Q&A with the Captain during a sailing? It would be a good time to ask some very direct questions. I know the Captain isn't responsible for the itineraries...but he/she should be 'in the know' concerning why the times changed. I feel we deserve an explanation.

 

 

On our recent O cruise this past August we were invited to a lunch with the captain (a first for us).

If we are invited again on the November cruise, I will pose this question to the captain (darn it, there goes my invitation :D)

[jakes47]

On our recent O cruise this past August we were invited to a lunch with the captain (a first for us).

If we are invited again on the November cruise, I will pose this question to the captain (darn it, there goes my invitation :D)

 

I don’t believe you will get any answers from the captain, as I am sure he is well trained in the diplomacy needed when questioned by passengers.

 

On our recent cruise (I believe was the same as yours Paulchili) we noticed a deterioration in some areas including that which Oceania was once famous for -compared to our previous cruises in 2012. If you are cruising regularly these changes may have gone unnoticed but with a 3 year gap it was blatantly obvious and has us now looking at alternative cruising options.

 

I don’t believe it is all related to the NCL merger as the first warning for us was 10 months out when our cabin category pricing dropped by $3000 AUD each which was a big slap in the face for us who had booked and deposited 18 months out. Our TA managed to rebook us at the cheaper rate but we did have to pay a cancelation fee.

 

I feel something is amiss and they need to get it sorted quickly. There is a lot of competition now in the cruising market but they can stay one step ahead in the long term if they stand fast in consistently delivering the quality product that Oceania has been known for.

 

FYI – from the time we booked our port times were only reduced by 3 hours on a 12 day cruise and notification came with our document package – no deal breaker for us but is noted as a recent trend.

[Paulchili]

I don’t believe you will get any answers from the captain, as I am sure he is well trained in the diplomacy needed when questioned by passengers.

 

On our recent cruise (I believe was the same as yours Paulchili) we noticed a deterioration in some areas including that which Oceania was once famous for -compared to our previous cruises in 2012. If you are cruising regularly these changes may have gone unnoticed but with a 3 year gap it was blatantly obvious and has us now looking at alternative cruising options.

 

 

Bev,

I am sorry we did not get to meet as I did not attend the M&G on this cruise.

We traveled with a family group and I knew we would be busy with them all the time.

I did not notice any significant changes in the food and service in general but there was a very large % of Oceania first timers - 2/3 were new to Oceania.

That created a very different atmosphere from our usual O experiences.

I suspect the captain will dance around this question if asked but I still would like to hear his answer :D

Hope you find a good alternative to Oceania.

Paul

Edited September 6, 2015 by Paulchili

[kazu]

Bev,

I am sorry we did not get to meet as I did not attend the M&G on this cruise.

We traveled with a family group and I knew we would be busy with them all the time.

I did not notice any significant changes in the food and service in general but there was a very large % of Oceania first timers - 2/3 were new to Oceania.

That created a very different atmosphere from our usual O experiences.

I suspect the captain will dance around this question if asked but I still would like to hear his answer :D

Hope you find a good alternative to Oceania.

Paul

 

Bolding is mine. If you don't mind I'm curious as to how the atmosphere was different from the usual O experience with the first timers on board?

[LHT28]

The best way to show dissatisfaction is to cancel future cruises and try other lines...

+1

I agree but wonder if they would really care :rolleyes:

 

Saves them $$ in Club Benefits ;)

[Cruzin Terri]

Bolding is mine. If you don't mind I'm curious as to how the atmosphere was different from the usual O experience with the first timers on board?

 

I'm also interested in the answer to your question being a first timer. Do first timers spoil the "usual O experience?"

 

Everyone is a first timer sometime. It's nice to feel welcome.

Terri

[LHT28]

Bolding is mine. If you don't mind I'm curious as to how the atmosphere was different from the usual O experience with the first timers on board?

I guess I never really noticed a difference with new people on Oceania

 

Some do miss things that the regulars know about like afternoon tea daily

I have heard comments from new people on the shows they are not like the main stream big ships

did not like the staff serving you in the buffet

did not like the long dinners in the GDR

Cannot get food between 5pm & 6:30pm unless they order room service, no snack places

 

Most of our recent cruises there have been 70% repeat cruisers

They are fairly quiet ships in the evenings so people that do not do their research are shocked by this

Just read some of the reviews ;)

[MVPinBoynton]

Cannot get food between 5pm & 6:30pm unless they order room service, no snack places

 

 

Oh no, food between 5-6! They would miss happy hour. :D As an O newbie a year and a half ago, I learned quite quickly what was important in the late afternoon.

[hypercafe]

I have never noticed who is new and who is a repeat cruiser, and to tell the truth I could not say what the typical Oceania experence is. If this is your first Oceania cruise you will probably have a better time than a repeater as you will not be thinking how this and that has changed.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

[kazu]

I guess I never really noticed a difference with new people on Oceania

 

Some do miss things that the regulars know about like afternoon tea daily

I have heard comments from new people on the shows they are not like the main stream big ships

did not like the staff serving you in the buffet

did not like the long dinners in the GDR

Cannot get food between 5pm & 6:30pm unless they order room service, no snack places

 

Most of our recent cruises there have been 70% repeat cruisers

They are fairly quiet ships in the evenings so people that do not do their research are shocked by this

Just read some of the reviews ;)

 

Ha! ha! I hear some of those same comments on the HAL boards, believe it or not. It all comes down to doing a bit of research. I am always bamboozled by people who come back and find CC to complain but couldn't find it before they went on their cruise to research ;)

 

Since we do the Master Chef's Table and the Cellar Master Dinner on HAL we are certainly used to a nicely spaced meal ;) We are looking forward to La Reserve and Privee on the Riviera.

 

I was researching O a while before I decided to give it a try.

 

And if I may say so, the O board here is very helpful. You just have to read, search and ask occasionally. A ton of great information here :)

 

And a lot of very helpful posters:)

[Dittothecat]

We just booked a 20 day cruise last week on the Riviera for next summer, great destinations, but now likely not so great. Our plan, unless we get some really great answers, is to cancel that cruise with the perpetually cheerful Oceania Club Ambassador during our Lisbon to Cape Town cruise in November. Plus there will be an Oceania Club Cocktail party (we'll get our bronze pins) during the cruise, so there will be an opportunity for putting someone on the spot whose job is to sell the Oceania experience. It maybe hard to sell cruises when a company is gaining a reputation of bait and switch tactics.

[wripro]

Be sure and let them know exactly why you are canceling.

[Jancruz]

We just booked a 20 day cruise last week on the Riviera for next summer, great destinations, but now likely not so great. Our plan, unless we get some really great answers, is to cancel that cruise with the perpetually cheerful Oceania Club Ambassador during our Lisbon to Cape Town cruise in November. Plus there will be an Oceania Club Cocktail party (we'll get our bronze pins) during the cruise, so there will be an opportunity for putting someone on the spot whose job is to sell the Oceania experience. It maybe hard to sell cruises when a company is gaining a reputation of bait and switch tactics.

 

Unfortunately, I dont think the cocktail party is the place to ask questions and Im sure that no one but high staff the office can answer your questions..the crew just follows the rules..

Jancruz1

[MightyQuinn]

After reading this thread, I checked our upcoming Insignia cruise. Sure enough, there are changes in the arrival/departure times for 6 of our 18 ports. That's 33%! Overall port time has been reduced by 7 hours and will impact several private tours that we've arranged. Oceania regularly sails these ports as part of their Asia/Africa winter season, so it's curious that changes are being made now. Something doesn't add up. With what seems to be a growing trend to reduce time in ports for no apparent reason, I'm a little wary of booking another Oceania cruise if we can't trust them to deliver on what they advertise. I'll be watching to see if the trend continues.

[ronrick1943]

Originally Posted by Dittothecat View Post

We just booked a 20 day cruise last week on the Riviera for next summer, great destinations, but now likely not so great. Our plan, unless we get some really great answers, is to cancel that cruise with the perpetually cheerful Oceania Club Ambassador during our Lisbon to Cape Town cruise in November. Plus there will be an Oceania Club Cocktail party (we'll get our bronze pins) during the cruise, so there will be an opportunity for putting someone on the spot whose job is to sell the Oceania experience. It maybe hard to sell cruises when a company is gaining a reputation of bait and switch tactics.

 

If you really want to be heard, the more people around the better---that way even if you don't get an answer that night, you'll have made you dislike known and just maybe "O" a little uncomfortable. These changes are wrong and only benefit "O" for most people. When you buy something and pay for it you should get what you've paid for-if you wanted shore time you should get it. Rick

[Travelcat2]

ronrick1943: IMO, upsetting Oceania is a very poor way to get anything. Putting someone "on the spot" is embarrassing and that person does not have the ability to change anything. This is a good way to be known as a problem customer (not sure if there is such a list but they seem to know who their problem and/or good customers are).

 

Write a letter to the President. Actually, if everyone that is upset with cutting port times wrote to Corporate, the odds are that they would hear you and perhaps would make a change. Alternatively, cancel your cruise. This will also be "heard" by management.

 

Truly hope that you don't go through with your plan because the person you end up embarrassing may be yourself.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Travelcat2

[Mura]

Out of curiosity I checked the itinerary for our 10/4/16 BCN-NYC cruise on Sirena. This is a TA (duh) and so I'm not terribly concerned about reduced port times for these ports. So far the only change is arriving in Bermuda one hour late but leaving at the original time the next day.

 

We are using ship's tours (thanks to Olife) in three of these ports so we're not really concerned if times are changed. We might be if our private tours in Alicante and Bermuda don't work out.

 

Mura

[ronrick1943]

ronrick1943: IMO, upsetting Oceania is a very poor way to get anything. Putting someone "on the spot" is embarrassing and that person does not have the ability to change anything. This is a good way to be known as a problem customer (not sure if there is such a list but they seem to know who their problem and/or good customers are).

Truly hope that you don't go through with your plan because the person you end up embarrassing may be yourself.

 

It's how you present the problem, and it should never be embarrassing if you have a good reason and want an answer. And as far a "O" knowing their problem customers, that it self is the problem. People should get what they pay for period. We don't ask for much and port time isn't important to us because we don't care to get off the ship most of the time...What truly is sad we always book the OS, and because of health issues right now we haven't cruised on "O" for awhile. One would think customer service would call and wonder why--but they haven't. Rick

[wripro]

Out of curiosity I checked the itinerary for our 10/4/16 BCN-NYC cruise on Sirena. This is a TA (duh) and so I'm not terribly concerned about reduced port times for these ports. So far the only change is arriving in Bermuda one hour late but leaving at the original time the next day.

 

We are using ship's tours (thanks to Olife) in three of these ports so we're not really concerned if times are changed. We might be if our private tours in Alicante and Bermuda don't work out.

 

Mura

 

Last time I was in Bermuda on Oceania for two days (one overnight) they canceled the second day and we left port at 6PM the first day. They claimed it was because of a potential storm but I have never seen bluer skies or calmer waters. Many people had to struggle to cancel plans they had for that second day.

[Mura]

That would definitely make people unhappy. Right now we aren't planning anything there since I didn't find anything I particularly wanted to do. It's a long time since we have been there. We may just take a walk!

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Last time I was in Bermuda on Oceania for two days (one overnight) they canceled the second day and we left port at 6PM the first day. They claimed it was because of a potential storm but I have never seen bluer skies or calmer waters. Many people had to struggle to cancel plans they had for that second day.

 

We were on that cruise with you.

It worked out well for us as O substituted the Azores - a place we haven't been to before.

I am sure it didn't please some others to miss the second day in Bermuda. We have visited Bermuda on several occasions so it didn't matter to us missing a day there.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Paulchili

[Queen of DaNile]

When last on Marina we placed a deposit for a future cruise, hoping for something we might like for 2017. We have until May 2016 to switch our "place holder" cruise or cancel. There is much we love about Oceania but time in port is important to us. Losing 23 hours of port time after final payment (like those on the Lisbon/Cape Town cruise) would be incredibly disappointing.

Thank you to those who are posting the changes and truly sorry for your disappointment. We will monitor to see if changes after final payment continue to be the norm. If that is the new SOP then regretfully we will ask for a refund of our deposit (less the $100. shipboard credit for the cruise we were on) and let management know why we have cancelled.