What's the Class System Like on Oceania?

[Mura]

Regarding the issue of boarding times, especially for people who fly in on the morning (using the cruiseline's air) ...

 

I'm going back to 2001 when we were staying at a hotel in Dover prior to boarding the R7 for a Baltic cruise. While we were having breakfast numerous people staggered in to the restaurant, looking totally shell shocked. They were fellow passengers who had flown in that morning using Ren's air. They must have landed very early since they arrived in Dover around 9am.

 

I was so sorry for them! Here we had had a lovely few days in a very charming city and were ready to board that afternoon. These poor people were exhausted and now had to kill a few more hours before they could board.

 

Not sure if Oceania schedules people in the same fashion since the very few times we've used O's air, we have come in at least a day early. But I do sympathize with anyone who arrives at the usual early morning hours in Europe has has to wait hours before they can board. But that can apply to the suite passengers as well, it's just not so egregious for them.

 

Boarding at 11am when you arrived around 7am is one thing, having to wait until 1pm is another.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

If flights arrive early am it is not the fault of the cruise line

the airlines make the schedules

people that have time or should make time to arrive a day or more early

it is just plain silly to arrive on a long haul flight that arrives very early in the morning the day of the cruise

JMO

The thread had deteriorated from the original topic

some people talk a good game but when it come down to it they are the Saint they pretend to be :rolleyes:

[Mura]

Lyn, we agree that arriving in the destination port on the morning of departure is not a great idea. But some people don't have the choice, depending on work schedules.

 

When I was working I still had liberty to take a vacation when I wanted. I was technically a part-timer and my small office let me choose when to go anywhere and how long to be gone. I got my vacation pay but it wasn't a problem to take more time which I usually did.

 

My husband worked for large brokerage companies and generally could arrange business visits in European offices which let him extend his vacation time as well.

 

But not everyone has that ability and I don't think we should "blame" them (I don't think you are) for needing to maximize their time.

 

We also feel that since so many departures are from major cities (or at least close to them) that we want to spend a few days pre- and post-cruise. Again, not everyone has that freedom. But I cannot imagine leaving from a place like Barcelona or Lisbon (or even Dover) and not spending a few days there.

 

I recall the time when we had to use the ship's air because we were leaving from Miami but returning from Barcelona, and just could not find an open jaw that worked, so we used O's air. I had assumed that O would put us on one of the flights that left from NY around 11am-noon but no, they booked us on a 7:30 am flight. Yikes!

 

But then a day or so before leaving I discovered I had lost my passport and would need to get it reissued that day ... so it happened to be a benefit that we got to Miami so early.

 

You never know ... we were lucky in having a friend who picked us up at the airport and drove us around all day until my new passport was ready. Since the first port was about a 9 day sail away, we were glad to make it to the ship on time!

 

Mura

[su-arizona]

I believe the OP was questioning a "class system" that denies passengers in certain cabins access to various ship amenities - restaurants, bars, pools, etc? And I believe we can all agree that Oceania does not have a similar "class system". Some cabins have free access to some spa facilities, but any passenger can pay to access them, right? Some cabins can make earlier restaurant reservations, but all passengers can access all restaurants, right? Some cabins can board the ship earlier than others, but all passengers can board at a specified time, right?

 

To my knowledge, the only amenities restricted to a certain cabin class are the Concierge and Executive Lounges. It seems most posters agree that they aren't a big deal.

 

So it seems to me that there's a lot of agreement that there's not much of a "class system" on Oceania. But for the record, I do feel badly for the people who arrive (often by Oceania air, I believe) on the day of departure and have to wait hours in a boarding terminal after a long flight.

 

We could be a lot more helpful by letting new folks know that they can pay a modest air deviation fee to arrive a day early and book a night at a hotel of their choice so they don't have to wait in the terminal or pay Oceania's inflated rates for pre-cruise hotels. I've met a number of people who weren't aware of this option.

[LHT28]

Mura I agree that some people cannot fly in early but then they need to find something to do before their boarding time like siteseeing, getting a hotel room for a nap whatever they need to wait to board the ship

 

Arriving at the port at 9am when you know upfront you will not be able to board until noon or later in most cases you should have a plan

 

In Amsterdam the port agents were quite strict if your boarding time was 3pm that is when you were allowed on PERIOD

[Mura]

True enough, but I believe that people on CC are aware of this option.

 

However, how many who are not online are aware? They would need to hear from a TA or Oceania itself that this is an option. How proactive are TAs in this respect? And I'm sure that Oceania reps don't mention this to people who book directly.

 

For many years we have met people on board who were amazed that there are such things as message boards dealing with cruises ... they were interested. But not interested enough to ask how they could join in.

 

The percentage of passengers on any O cruise (and I suspect that is true for all the others) who are aware of CC or any other vacation message boards is very small.

 

Mura

[Mura]

Lyn, yes, people should indeed make plans if they can ... I wasn't aware that Amsterdam was so strict, since we've never boarded there. (Well, we did for a Viking riverboat cruise in 2003 which was quite a different experience.)

 

We are currently due to arrive in Barcelona on October 3rd around 7:30 am and the airbnb I reserved can't let us even leave luggage there before 11am. (We board Sirena the next day.) The odds are I will cancel the apartment and use the hotel I also booked because even though we can't check into the hotel so early, we CAN leave our luggage there.

 

We will just schlep around Barcelona, trying to stay awake, until we can check into the hotel. We originally had flights on Air Maroc that had a connection in Casablanca, but when I noticed there was an only an hour between flights with a terminal change, I figured the odds we we'd never make the flight. So we switched to a non-stop ...

 

Unfortunately we arrive on a Monday when the museums I'd planned on visiting will be closed ... so we may just walk around for a while. Okay, Barcelona is a beautiful city to walk around as long as you watch your wallet ...

 

Mura

[bitob]

Actions speak louder than words.

Whether you sail on Oceania again is entirely up to you.

I think you shouldn't do it if you couldn't live with yourself afterwards.

It sounds to me that for a number of reasons you are happiest on luxury cruise lines and you should do what makes you really happy :)

 

 

An enthusiastic plus 1

 

Cruising is not a democracy

You get what you pay for

Those who may wait to board (because they arrived too early or in some cases decided intentionally to try to avoid the very clear boarding rules) Know fully what they paid for and didn't pay for

 

It is no different from those who try sneak into the executive lounge in a hotel when they haven't paid for the privilege or haven't earned the status through thousands of dollars in paid stays

 

It is not a class system because ANYONe can have these benefits if they CHOOSE to pay for them.

[sunlover12]

An enthusiastic plus 1

 

Cruising is not a democracy

You get what you pay for

Those who may wait to board (because they arrived too early or in some cases decided intentionally to try to avoid the very clear boarding rules) Know fully what they paid for and didn't pay for

 

It is no different from those who try sneak into the executive lounge in a hotel when they haven't paid for the privilege or haven't earned the status through thousands of dollars in paid stays

 

It is not a class system because ANYONe can have these benefits if they CHOOSE to pay for them.

 

Bitob, I agree with you completely. Those passengers who pay more should receive more benefits. We do not stay in suites and we are fully aware that the suite passengers are allowed to embark earlier than us. As it should be. On our last cruise we arrived at the terminal 30 minutes before our boarding time and we waited until they called concierge staterooms.

 

It is no different than what the airlines do. If you are in First Class or at an elite airline status, you are allowed to board before everyone else. Anyone can choose to buy a First Class ticket.

[SellaVee]

Bitob, I agree with you completely. Those passengers who pay more should receive more benefits. We do not stay in suites and we are fully aware that the suite passengers are allowed to embark earlier than us. As it should be. On our last cruise we arrived at the terminal 30 minutes before our boarding time and we waited until they called concierge staterooms.

 

It is no different than what the airlines do. If you are in First Class or at an elite airline status, you are allowed to board before everyone else. Anyone can choose to buy a First Class ticket.

 

I find it interesting that those of us who sail in the "lower staterooms" are perfectly happy with our lot while passengers who only sail in "upper suites" seem keen to point out the disadvantages and feel sorry on our behalf.

[LHT28]

I find it interesting that those of us who sail in the "lower staterooms" are perfectly happy with our lot while passengers who only sail in "upper suites" seem keen to point out the disadvantages and feel sorry on our behalf.

How true :D

 

We are quite happy in an Ocean view cabin

We arrive at the port after 1 pm & usually just walk onboard a few minutes later ..no fuss no muss

[bitob]

We have sailed in ov and in top suites. We are happy with our choices when we make them. We understand what we get with each choice.

 

We do not feel disadvantaged or advantaged with either option. No one should. You just get what you pay for. Pretty simple and generally the wAy the world works

[phillygirl63]

I have always booked a balcony. I have received and accepted upsells to suites on a couple of past cruises (not on Oceania), and I have to say that the suite perks are nice if you aren't paying full price for them. On the cruiseline where we were in a suite, there was noticeable preferential treatment, but I did not notice this at all on Oceania. I never thought I could go back to a regular balcony room after the suite experience, but given the cost difference and the fact that the balcony rooms on O are quite nice, I prefer to splurge on a beverage package, dinner with friends in Privee, and at the gaming tables in the casino. No one should feel disadvantaged or advantaged for having different priorities.

[nyfeds]

No matter the size or where our cabin is located on a cruise, we consider ourselves extremely advantaged and fortunate to be able to take those cruises! :)

Edited June 4, 2016 by nyfeds

[orchestrapal]

Lyn, yes, people should indeed make plans if they can ... I wasn't aware that Amsterdam was so strict, since we've never boarded there. (Well, we did for a Viking riverboat cruise in 2003 which was quite a different experience.)

We are currently due to arrive in Barcelona on October 3rd around 7:30 am and the airbnb I reserved can't let us even leave luggage there before 11am. (We board Sirena the next day.) The odds are I will cancel the apartment and use the hotel I also booked because even though we can't check into the hotel so early, we CAN leave our luggage there.

We will just schlep around Barcelona, trying to stay awake, until we can check into the hotel. We originally had flights on Air Maroc that had a connection in Casablanca, but when I noticed there was an only an hour between flights with a terminal change, I figured the odds we we'd never make the flight. So we switched to a non-stop ...

Unfortunately we arrive on a Monday when the museums I'd planned on visiting will be closed ... so we may just walk around for a while. Okay, Barcelona is a beautiful city to walk around as long as you watch your wallet ...

 

Mura

 

Maura,

The museum of Contemporary Art designed by Richard Meier is very worthwhile and opens at 11:00AM on Mondays.

Even if you don't want to see the exhibit the building is worthwhile and they have a nice cafe where you can rest.

Enjoy one of our favorite cities and your cruise.

[Mura]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not a big fan of modern art but I will be happy to visit there, and I know DH will enjoy it.

 

I was also considering contacting the outfit we used for a walking tour on our last visit ...

 

We DO love Barcelona! But right now we are pretty sure we'll cancel the airbnb because of the luggage problems and just use the hotel we booked. At least we can drop off luggage when we arrive, and if we're lucky ... even check in!

 

Mura

[azevedan]

In my observation, some people aren't happy unless the higher category/class cabins get something better/faster/more often in every conceivable situation. Personally, I think that there are certain amenities that ought to be universal, especially when even the lowest classes of service on lines such as Oceania cost plenty. My personal nitpick is the unavailability of hot breakfast room service below concierge or penthouse level. Seriously? Even mass market lines give you that perk. Adding to the issue is that Oceania doesn't make this clear in the wording of the stateroom benefits (unless they've changed it lately).

 

On a separate note, it is incorrect to say "it's not a class system; if you pay more, you get more". Umm...that is exactly a class system (not saying it's wrong). Fare paid is simply how they establish the classes. Higher classes are available to anyone for payment, no social references required. :)

[Travelcat2]

In my observation, some people aren't happy unless the higher category/class cabins get something better/faster/more often in every conceivable situation. Personally, I think that there are certain amenities that ought to be universal, especially when even the lowest classes of service on lines such as Oceania cost plenty. My personal nitpick is the unavailability of hot breakfast room service below concierge or penthouse level. Seriously? Even mass market lines give you that perk. Adding to the issue is that Oceania doesn't make this clear in the wording of the stateroom benefits (unless they've changed it lately).

 

On a separate note, it is incorrect to say "it's not a class system; if you pay more, you get more". Umm...that is exactly a class system (not saying it's wrong). Fare paid is simply how they establish the classes. Higher classes are available to anyone for payment, no social references required. :)

 

Agree with most of your post. However, I have learned on this thread that many people simply accept that they can't board with everyone else - are unable to have a hot breakfast, etc. IMO, that is sad. Yes - if you pay more you are entitled to more benefits (including a larger suite, butler, etc.), but those benefits should be invisible to other passengers and once you step outside of your stateroom/suite everyone should be treated the same. It is truly puzzling why people in the U.S. in particular (there is a true class system in many countries in the world) simply accept whatever is (or is not) offered to them.

[BBQ Lover]

Agree with most of your post. However, I have learned on this thread that many people simply accept that they can't board with everyone else - are unable to have a hot breakfast, etc. IMO, that is sad. Yes - if you pay more you are entitled to more benefits (including a larger suite, butler, etc.), but those benefits should be invisible to other passengers and once you step outside of your stateroom/suite everyone should be treated the same. It is truly puzzling why people in the U.S. in particular (there is a true class system in many countries in the world) simply accept whatever is (or is not) offered to them.

Will said TC2. Perks should be invisible to other passengers once we step out of our staterooms. That was the whole point behind my question in the original post..

 

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[Paulchili]

Will said TC2. Perks should be invisible to other passengers once we step out of our staterooms. That was the whole point behind my question in the original post..

 

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I think the best thing for you to do, IMO, would be to actually sail on Oceania and then decide for yourself whether there is a "class system" on Oceania or not.

It will be much more accurate for your purposes rather than relying on opinions of other - whether they are "pro or con" on this subject. Only you can decide for yourself how you feel about it after the cruise - obviously others have all sorts of opinions on this subject.

These are THEIR opinions and observations - they may not be the same as yours.

Happy sailing - on whichever cruise line you choose.

Personally, I think it's time to move on to other topics - something about beating and a dead horse :D

Edited June 5, 2016 by Paulchili

[BBQ Lover]

I think the best thing for you to do, IMO, would be to actually sail on Oceania and then decide for yourself whether there is a "class system" on Oceania or not.

It will be much more accurate for your purposes rather than relying on opinions of other - whether they are "pro or con" on this subject. Only you can decide for yourself how you feel about it after the cruise - obviously others have all sorts of opinions on this subject.

These are THEIR opinions and observations - they may not be the same as yours.

Happy sailing - on whichever cruise line you choose.

Sounds like a good idea. Right now we are looking at Venice to Barcelona on Riviera next May. We are also looking at a Rome to Rome Wind Surf itinerary near the same time called Sicilian Splendors. Both sailings have their pros and cons. We are currently leaning towards Riviera because we really want to try Oceania, and we will also get more exposure to different areas of the Mediterranean on the Riviera cruise. I really don't think can go wrong with either itinerary, and that why it is so difficult to choose between them.

 

 

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Edited June 5, 2016 by BBQ Lover

[LHT28]

JMO

I think if you are on a ship where not everyone is allowed in all the dining rooms or on a specific deck because it is for only those that paid extra for that privilege ..that is a class system in my book

Like Cunard, NCL Haven, Celebrity Aqua class etc... those are class systems

not whether you can board earlier or not to me that is just managing the crowds at check in

One cruise (not O) we went at Noon to the terminal ..no place to sit, they ran out of food at snack bar, boarding did not start until 1pm ..it would have been better just to have staggered boarding times in the 1st place

 

YMMV

I agree with Paulchilli ..the horse is DEAD

[bitob]

It died a few days ago

[Flatbush Flyer]

Agree with most of your post. However, I have learned on this thread that many people simply accept that they can't board with everyone else - are unable to have a hot breakfast, etc. IMO, that is sad. Yes - if you pay more you are entitled to more benefits (including a larger suite, butler, etc.), but those benefits should be invisible to other passengers and once you step outside of your stateroom/suite everyone should be treated the same. It is truly puzzling why people in the U.S. in particular (there is a true class system in many countries in the world) simply accept whatever is (or is not) offered to them.

 

 

What's truly puzzling is your suggestion that people in the US "...simply accept whatever is (or is not) offered to them." That's ridiculous and you know it.

[azam71209]

Getting back to the original poster's question about whether there is a class system. To me, one of the most striking thing about Oceania passengers is how little they seem to be invested in asserting rank (or cabin status). We were pleasantly surprised on our initial Oceania cruise at how friendly people were. We shared several private tours on our roll call with people in a full range of cabin categories. On the ship, we were invited to a meet and greet and a lunch with our fellow roll call members, and at the end of the cruise to a private cocktail party in a "swanky" cabin with roll call members. We shared tables with very interesting people. Nobody cared that we were in an inside cabin.

 

Mary and Joe