Rant

[Cruise Junky]

Makes it sound as if Oceania is desperate for sales. Either that or they have put so much pressure on sales people with quotas that they put their commission before the customer's need.

 

That doesn't appear to be like an upscale cruise line to me. That's more a Carnival tactic which actually they do after you log in to their web site just to browse.

 

I put a 24 hour hold on Celebrity cruise about a month ago...4 freaking calls all from different people.

[YoHoHo]

I also had a phone call out of the blue. We had not even put a cruise on hold or even browsed while logged in.

 

They must have had their inside sales reps trolling the database of past guests. At first I was at a loss for words. For those who know me that does not often happen :)

 

I asked why he was calling me. I was not pleased. I explained I was very happy with the TA I was using at the time for all my O cruises. I was struggling to figure out if they were trying to poach clients or just trying to keep O at top of mine. One is bad, the other is understandable.

 

I asked him to not call me again but agreed to email. A while later I got another call from the same rep. I was more clear that I did not want him to call me. My TA who I have a relationship knew not to call me to solict new business. I prefer email for that. If we are working on something then that is different and a phone is great to get quick, clear results.

 

He might have called a third time a month or so later but it was a long time ago and I could be wrong. That detail is forgotten but it will be a long time before I forget this unwanted solicitation.

 

As I write this I will now give them the benefit of my doubt and possible forgiveness.

 

Yes, I'm sure he would have happily taken a booking but I suppose I could have had it transferred to my TA. Perhaps if he opened with that he was not poaching and just wanted to make sure [i knew of the latest promotions or anything he could help with or, or, or) I would have been more receptive. Maybe I did not let him get that far. But he should not have called again in any case.

Edited November 18, 2016 by YoHoHo

[ShipsandDipper]

Well, they definitely are an upscale cruise line as far as the onboard experience goes.

However, they are now also part of NCL - so perhaps that explains some of this?

 

I wouldn't be surprised. I requested numerous times to be unsubscribed from NCL's e-mails, and finally sent them to spam since they wouldn't stop coming.

[sunnies]

We have never received a phone call from Oceania and over the years only a couple of brochures. Perhaps an advantage of living in Australia!

[jo-b]

No more calls (yet!) but I have just spoken to the friends who travelled with us in October on Riviera, they didn't book onboard and have just received a letter from Oceania saying that as they hadn't taken advantage of this offer if they book before 30 November they would get £125 discount off the cruise!

 

We did book onboard and the cruise price seemed the same as on the website, the only benefit being $100 OBC (worth about £80 ) on the current cruise and a lower deposit! Looks like we got a worse deal, as the interest rates are so low we wouldn't have minded paying a higher deposit.

 

Can only hope the cruises don't sell and we get a price reduction they will honour :D:D

[Paulchili]

No more calls (yet!) but I have just spoken to the friends who travelled with us in October on Riviera, they didn't book onboard and have just received a letter from Oceania saying that as they hadn't taken advantage of this offer if they book before 30 November they would get £125 discount off the cruise!

 

We did book onboard and the cruise price seemed the same as on the website, the only benefit being $100 OBC (worth about £80 ) on the current cruise and a lower deposit! Looks like we got a worse deal, as the interest rates are so low we wouldn't have minded paying a higher deposit.

 

Can only hope the cruises don't sell and we get a price reduction they will honour :D:D

 

I don't know if this applies to UK - I suspect it does - but one of the major benefits of booking onboard (in addition to the ones you have mentioned) is that it includes the "lowest price guarantee". That guarantee applies even after final payment - which is rare.

Thus, you should have no trouble getting the lowest rate that is available at ALL times (provided your cabin is still available).

Please check it out.

[zoncom]

Sounds like O hired a bunch of Miami kids. gave them lists. I have had several. Told them to send itin of one new long cruise. Have not seen it yet.

[janecambridge]

Jo-b we too received a letter with a discount after our August cruise.It came at a perfect time ,when we were looking at a Pacific cruise in 2018.

Paul, my agent has got our cruise price reduced as the price has gone down, only because I noticed it though,but not sure if that would work after final payment.(UK)

[Paulchili]

Paul, my agent has got our cruise price reduced as the price has gone down, only because I noticed it though,but not sure if that would work after final payment.(UK)

 

Jane,

Yes - the price monitoring is up to you (or your TA) - Oceania will not automatically reduce the fare for you when a lower fare is offered.

If you booked onboard, the lower price guarantee is up to the date of sailing (i.e. even after final payment - at least here in US)

[frankc2]

Had the same experience and a different point of view. I like the idea that Oceania was interested enough to call me. The end result - a two category up grade to PH2 for $50PP.

[toonbear]

My recycling bin is full every fortnight of cruise bumpf. I have cruised with Oceania and Viking plus many others and get their literature daily. If they cut out most of it they could reduce their fares a little. Unfortunately this applies to all TA's and cruise companies, I just bin them after a quick perusal.

 

75 cruises plus one to Cuba next month. Cruise lines used too long to list.

[ORV]

My recycling bin is full every fortnight of cruise bumpf. I have cruised with Oceania and Viking plus many others and get their literature daily. If they cut out most of it they could reduce their fares a little. Unfortunately this applies to all TA's and cruise companies, I just bin them after a quick perusal.

 

75 cruises plus one to Cuba next month. Cruise lines used too long to list.

 

Re the bolded part. That is a fallacy, actually they would make less. It's proven that direct mail marketing is effective for the cruise companies. Regardless of how much we like or dislike it. I personally like to get them.

[LHT28]

Had the same experience and a different point of view. I like the idea that Oceania was interested enough to call me. The end result - a two category up grade to PH2 for $50PP.

 

Could your TA not give you the same deal ??

[MarkieMarkNYC]

It's interesting that people are getting bombarded with calls.

Meanwhile, I submitted a message to them through their website detailing some problems I had at the end of a recent cruise.

I submitted it ~10 days ago and have heard nothing.

Would be nice if they could give a bit of effort responding to and trying to maintain the business of its customers.

I'm likely to cancel the future cruise I booked onboard the one I just finished if I don't get some kind of response in the next few days.

I've been wanting to try Viking Ocean so this might be my reason.

[LHT28]

It's interesting that people are getting bombarded with calls.

Meanwhile, I submitted a message to them through their website detailing some problems I had at the end of a recent cruise.

I submitted it ~10 days ago and have heard nothing.

 

It would be faster just to call them or if you used a TA get them to send in your complaint

My TA sent in my complaint one morning & I had a call from O by noon

[MarkieMarkNYC]

It would be faster just to call them or if you used a TA get them to send in your complaint

My TA sent in my complaint one morning & I had a call from O by noon

 

Easier perhaps. But I guess I feel that my own words, as the customer, should count for something. And I like having a paper trail which is not possible with a phone call unless you record it.

And I've already sent it in.

Edited November 27, 2016 by MarkieMarkNYC

[LHT28]

Easier perhaps. But I guess I feel that my own words, as the customer, should count for something. And I like having a paper trail which is not possible with a phone call unless you record it.

And I've already sent it in.

 

Enjoy your Viking cruise

[MarkieMarkNYC]

Enjoy your Viking cruise

 

Not sure if you're trying to be snotty, but perhaps it's better for you to not respond than to be obnoxious.

I hope that whatever is bothering you improves and that you find better uses for your time than to be obnoxious to a complete stranger.

[Paulchili]

That is a fallacy, actually they would make less. It's proven that direct mail marketing is effective for the cruise companies. Regardless of how much we like or dislike it.

 

I think you are correct although I too have trouble understanding advertising sometimes.

There are some TV commercials that I think are very clever and well done - I can remember the commercial but not he product (like I know it's a beer commercial but I can't recall which beer). Makes me wonder why they spend so much money on them.

Similarly for Pepsi, for example. It seems to me that people already know from very young age which they prefer - Pepsi or Coke. Why should a commercial suddenly change their mind when it's the taste they prefer?

But they are no fools - and they have the numbers to prove it, I am sure. They wouldn't spend that kind of money on advertising if it didn't make them money.

Ditto for the topic being discussed here (I believe)

Edited November 27, 2016 by Paulchili

[HilsTas]

We have never received a phone call from Oceania and over the years only a couple of brochures. Perhaps an advantage of living in Australia!

 

I 'saved' a cruise in my profile a couple of weeks ago - two days later received a phone call from Oceania Australia offering to book it for me - but she did offer to transfer the booking to my TA after booking if i wished!

 

The phone call really threw me a bit - don't know that I have ever received an O phone call before and it took me a couple of minutes to understand what she was talking about. She actually sounded a bit embarrassed about the call so maybe it's a new ploy that the O staff are not very comfortable with.

[Mura]

Not sure if you're trying to be snotty, but perhaps it's better for you to not respond than to be obnoxious.

I hope that whatever is bothering you improves and that you find better uses for your time than to be obnoxious to a complete stranger.

 

I'm not sure why you just assumed that Lyn was being snotty. That isn't her normal behavior at all. And she usually says "enjoy your cruise". As far as I am concerned, she always means that. You are rather new here so I can see why you might have misunderstood her comment.

 

Mura

Edited November 28, 2016 by Mura

[Paulchili]

I'm not sure why you just assumed that Lyn was being snotty. That isn't her normal behavior at all. And she usually says "enjoy your cruise". As far as I am concerned, she always means that. You are rather new here so I can see why you might have misunderstood her comment.

 

Mura

 

+1

Lyn has been posting here for a while - and that's an understatement.

Regulars here know her well and she is definitely not snotty or obnoxious.