Oceania Cancelling All Turkey Ports 2016

[no fuss travel]

It sounds like a number of TA's are not doing their jobs. Every time there has been a change on our cruises, our TA was notified and she passed the information on to us immediately. I think the mixups is TA, not Oceania.

[PaulMCO]

It sounds like a number of TA's are not doing their jobs. Every time there has been a change on our cruises, our TA was notified and she passed the information on to us immediately. I think the mixups is TA, not Oceania.

 

Absolutely not the case. My TA called O several times on Friday, Saturday and today and they said they would be sending them out. Today -- nothing received from O. They claim the have a backlog of over 2000 in the queue.

 

Unless you read cruise critic or checked the itinerary you would not know.

BAD FORM!!!

 

 

[RJB]

"But still - Oceania should have sent out an announcement to its passengers the minute they decided to cancel Turkish ports. That would have been the respectful way to treat its customers - that would have been good customer service."

 

Until you get your letter, here is the pertinent part of mine:

 

Please note, for those guests who have made their air arrangements through Oceania Cruises, new flights will be confirmed. Guests with previously confirmed air deviation arrangements will, at no additional charge, be provided a new air deviation if required. Guests with pre- or post-cruise transfers with Oceania Cruises will be re-accommodated.

 

Any Turkish visa, hotel and/or land program booked through Oceania Cruises will be canceled and refunded to the credit card on file. Shore excursions previously reserved for the ports that have changed will be canceled and refunded where applicable. Note, shore excursions for our new ports of call will be made available for viewing and purchase through our website within the next few days or by contacting our call center. In addition, guests will retain the amenities and promotions of their current reservation.

 

If this new itinerary is no longer suitable for any reason, guests may choose to cancel this voyage by February 5, 2016. A full refund will be processed.

 

For questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your travel or the Oceania Cruises call center.

 

Warmest Regards,

Oceania Cruises

 

 

Sounds like Oceania is doing their best to take care of this problem. Am I wrong?

[PaulMCO]

Sounds like Oceania is doing their best to take care of this problem. Am I wrong?

 

They did not add --

 

 

• If you did not book with O -- any airline change fees on your account
  
• Any costs to get you to back to Istanbul to continue with your original plans are on your account
  
• Any non refundable tours you made for Istanbul -- sorry they were not booked by us.
  
• We are happy to refund your money -- because your cruise is oversold and we would not have to offer any buyouts.
  

[RJB]

They did not add --

 

 

• If you did not book with O -- any airline change fees on your account
  
• Any costs to get you to back to Istanbul to continue with your original plans are on your account
  
• Any non refundable tours you made for Istanbul -- sorry they were not booked by us.
  
• We are happy to refund your money -- because your cruise is oversold and we would not have to offer any buyouts.
  

O.K. Sounds like I did not get the whole story. To bad that Oceania is not stepping up to do the right thing.

[gbp]

They did not add --

 

 

• If you did not book with O -- any airline change fees on your account
  
• Any costs to get you to back to Istanbul to continue with your original plans are on your account
  
• Any non refundable tours you made for Istanbul -- sorry they were not booked by us.
  
• We are happy to refund your money -- because your cruise is oversold and we would not have to offer any buyouts.
  

I think you just provided the rationale for booking air and shore excursions through Oceania, despite their often higher prices. :)

 

OTOH, perhaps travel insurance with a change of itinerary benefit would provide some financial protection against this type of mishap. I plan to ask my travel agent about this.

 

ETA: If you want to cancel the entire cruise even though Oceania is still offering it, the change of itinerary benefit might not help much.

Edited January 26, 2016 by gbp

[silkman]

We did something similar. We were planning on returning thru London using Virgin FF miles. I had booked Turkish Air business (for the extra Luggage and carry on) to London. Friday I scrambled to get an Aegean flight -- did manage to snare the last cheap business seat on the 29th. Will Overnight in Athens. I still have a prepaid private tour that I am out 300 Euros for in Istanbul.

 

The idea that O just suddenly made a decision is quite absurd. They had to preplan the new ports stops, prepare a press release and load new itineraries on the WEB. That takes time. I had called about my Turkish Visa (not being received or acknowledged) on the 15th and was given a run around.

 

Will travel insurance pay for a prepaid private tour if the port is cancelled,and you do not cancel the cruise? I had Waterford cancelled because of bad weather and was fully reimbursed by travel insurance.

[piscean]

"But still - Oceania should have sent out an announcement to its passengers the minute they decided to cancel Turkish ports. That would have been the respectful way to treat its customers - that would have been good customer service."

 

Until you get your letter,

If this new itinerary is no longer suitable for any reason, guests may choose to cancel this voyage by February 5, 2016. A full refund will be processed.

 

My letter from Oceania reads

guests that cancel by February 5th will receive a future cruise credit for the value of their cancelation policy valid for any new 2016 cruise commencing no later than December 31st 2016. The future cruise credit may only be applied towards the cruise fare.

 

Not a full refund for us!

[LHT28]

My letter from Oceania reads

guests that cancel by February 5th will receive a future cruise credit for the value of their cancelation policy valid for any new 2016 cruise commencing no later than December 31st 2016. The future cruise credit may only be applied towards the cruise fare.

 

Not a full refund for us!

Could it be you are not from North America ?

Or you are past the final payment window?

 

This may account for the different letter

Just guessing on my part

[macintx]

Could it be you are not from North America ?

Or you are past the final payment window?

 

This may account for the different letter

Just guessing on my part

 

We had only made our deposit and they still did not offer a full refund. We got the letter about holding $500 ($250 each) of my deposit as credit towards a new cruise to commence before Dec. 31, 2016. I just don't think it's too much to ask to refund my $500. There isn't another Oceania cruise that works for us this year.

[macintx]

"But still - Oceania should have sent out an announcement to its passengers the minute they decided to cancel Turkish ports. That would have been the respectful way to treat its customers - that would have been good customer service."

 

Until you get your letter, here is the pertinent part of mine:

 

Please note, for those guests who have made their air arrangements through Oceania Cruises, new flights will be confirmed. Guests with previously confirmed air deviation arrangements will, at no additional charge, be provided a new air deviation if required. Guests with pre- or post-cruise transfers with Oceania Cruises will be re-accommodated.

Any Turkish visa, hotel and/or land program booked through Oceania Cruises will be canceled and refunded to the credit card on file. Shore excursions previously reserved for the ports that have changed will be canceled and refunded where applicable. Note, shore excursions for our new ports of call will be made available for viewing and purchase through our website within the next few days or by contacting our call center. In addition, guests will retain the amenities and promotions of their current reservation.

If this new itinerary is no longer suitable for any reason, guests may choose to cancel this voyage by February 5, 2016. A full refund will be processed.

For questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your travel or the Oceania Cruises call center.

Warmest Regards,

Oceania Cruises

 

 

What was your sailing date?

[LHT28]

We had only made our deposit and they still did not offer a full refund. We got the letter about holding $500 ($250 each) of my deposit as credit towards a new cruise to commence before Dec. 31, 2016. I just don't think it's too much to ask to refund my $500. There isn't another Oceania cruise that works for us this year.

 

Did you cancel within a month of final payment date ?

 

Is it the Admin fee they are withholding as in the cancellation terms?

[gbp]

We had only made our deposit and they still did not offer a full refund. We got the letter about holding $500 ($250 each) of my deposit as credit towards a new cruise to commence before Dec. 31, 2016. I just don't think it's too much to ask to refund my $500. There isn't another Oceania cruise that works for us this year.

If you can get a redacted copy of a letter promising s full refund, perhaps you can submit that to Oceania and say you wish to be treated the same as other cruisers in your situation. If that appeal doesn't work, other strategies include escalating the request (the higher, the better, IMO), using social media, e.g. Oceania's Facebook and/or Twitter pages' to post comments (in the vein of "I really like Oceania, but"), and finally, lodge a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

 

There are no guarantees any of this would work, but if Oceania is smart, they will accommodate you. No guarantees on that, either. :)

[hawky]

What was your sailing date?

 

May of 2016.

[piscean]

Could it be you are not from North America ?

Or you are past the final payment window?

 

This may account for the different letter

Just guessing on my part

 

Yes we are from the Uk and yes I've just payed the final balance!

[macintx]

Did you cancel within a month of final payment date ?

 

Is it the Admin fee they are withholding as in the cancellation terms?

 

Yes, it is the admin fee for canceling between 120 and 91 days prior to sailing. Full Payment was due Feb 4. Unfortunately, here is what their policy is as stated on their website:

 

Can my itinerary be changed?

 

All itineraries, including points of embarkation and disembarkation, are at the discretion of Oceania Cruises and may be modified up to and during the voyage. Oceania Cruises reserves the right to amend, cancel or make substitutions for any travel component without prior notice to the guest, including hotels, ports of call or other modes of transportation if, in its opinion, the situation requires a change or cancellation of arrangements. Oceania Cruises does not assume responsibility or liability for any loss, inconvenience or expense incurred by guests as a result of any changes or cancellations as detailed in the Guest Ticket/Contract. When practical, Oceania Cruises will promptly notify guests or their travel agent of a cruise itinerary change.

 

So, I assume they are using this as the reasoning for not offering full refunds and keeping the admin fee.

[Mura]

As long as there is this admin fee (which I personally object to since for many years it did not exist) then under normal circumstances I can see O holding the deposit.

 

But these aren't normal circumstances. Due to recent events O chose to change the itinerary in a significant way. I'm not saying that they were wrong to do so, not at all. If I had Istanbul booked this year I'm not sure if I'd want to return or not. (But I've been there several times now which is different from people who have never seen this wonderful, fascinating city.)

 

But given the magnitude of the changes, in cases where people would normally be subject to the admin fee I think it should be waived. This wasn't the choice of the passengers, it was the cruise line's choice. And this is far from being a cancelled port because of inclement weather.

 

People whose cruise is further off get the $500 back. I think individuals who choose to cancel an itinerary that has been so significantly changed but have already made final payment (or are about to) should also.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

I agree Mura it is not the passengers or even the cruise lines fault that there is a safety issue for the change

The admin fee can be transfers to a new booking ..not sure of the time limit so all is not lost

 

JMO

[PaulMCO]

The transfer is valid thru 2016. But it is a catch-22. If your primary reason was to have Turkish ports, and O cancelled all 2016 ports, what good is it to give a credit to another 2016 cruise.

[Mura]

I guess that presumes that the ONLY interest in cruising was for the Turkish ports. I don't doubt that may be true for some but I doubt for a majority.

 

And has many have suggested, if Turkey is so important to you -- that is the time for a land tour where you see much more anyway.

 

On our first visit to Istanbul we left the R5 (now Nautica) for a three day visit in a five star hotel courtesy of Renaissance, and then took a week long private tour through Turkey (the highlight of which was Cappadocia). A wonderful trip with a marvelous guide.

 

Mura

[RJB]

I guess that presumes that the ONLY interest in cruising was for the Turkish ports. I don't doubt that may be true for some but I doubt for a majority.

 

And has many have suggested, if Turkey is so important to you -- that is the time for a land tour where you see much more anyway.

 

On our first visit to Istanbul we left the R5 (now Nautica) for a three day visit in a five star hotel courtesy of Renaissance, and then took a week long private tour through Turkey (the highlight of which was Cappadocia). A wonderful trip with a marvelous guide.

 

Mura

Times have changed. WE also spent time after our cruise at a wonderful hotel in Istanbul and were everywhere in the city with a great guide. Dinner out on our own. Would not do that today. Finding other places to go. :):)

[Mura]

Times have changed. WE also spent time after our cruise at a wonderful hotel in Istanbul and were everywhere in the city with a great guide. Dinner out on our own. Would not do that today. Finding other places to go. :):)

 

Indeed they have. We were in Istanbul for a few days in October '11 and August '12 -- I think those were our most recent visits, so several years ago -- and we, too, never worried about going around on our own. But I don't think we'd do that anymore either. At least not in the short term.

[roger b]

I am not sure if it will be safe to travel anywhere in 2016 with the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil and airlines refunding money to pregnant women travelling to Brazil.

The latest warning in one of our national news papers that cruise ships are the next target for ISIS.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3422044/Terrorists-target-cruise-ships-Med-ranking-commander-says-ISIS-s-spread-Libya-casts-uncomfortable-shadow.html