Oceania Guarantees..do they still exist?

[ljdando]

Hi, I've been looking at a few cruises and I've noticed that there doesn't appear to be many guarantees....not sure if that is a result of NCL taking over. Last year I booked with Oceania 8 months in advance and locked into a guarantee and was upgraded a few levels. Does anyone else notice less guarantees?

[njhorseman]

NCL didn't "take over" except in terms of the surviving corporate name. Prestige Cruise Holdings and NCLH were both controlled by the same private equity firm. NCLH had already gone public and rather than taking PCH public in a separate stock offering, Apollo Management elected to have NCLH absorb PCH. The surviving corporation is NCLH because they were already traded on NASDAQ. In fact the CEO of the merged corporation is Frank Del Rio, Oceania's co-founder, so in terms of management Oceania took over NCL.

 

In any event even if NCL had "taken over", they always offered far more guarantees than Oceania, and continue to offer guarantee cabins. Presumably that is a sound marketing approach for their passenger demographic, but perhaps they have found it isn't for Oceania's and that is why there are fewer guarantee offers for Oceania.

[JimandStan]

Hi, I've been looking at a few cruises and I've noticed that there doesn't appear to be many guarantees....not sure if that is a result of NCL taking over. Last year I booked with Oceania 8 months in advance and locked into a guarantee and was upgraded a few levels. Does anyone else notice less guarantees?

 

Seems to me that one of the chief benefits on Oceania's side of the table for offering Guarantees, i.e. the introduction of passengers to the benefits of more luxurious levels of accommodation, has simply dried up.

 

My Agent, among many others, was informed that Guarantees were going to offered far less frequently, as far back as last year.

 

If one had the desired temperament, it was fun while it lasted, but I look at it this way, their ball, their rules.

[Hawaiidan]

Seems to me that one of the chief benefits on Oceania's side of the table for offering Guarantees, i.e. the introduction of passengers to the benefits of more luxurious levels of accommodation, has simply dried up.

 

My Agent, among many others, was informed that Guarantees were going to offered far less frequently, as far back as last year.

 

If one had the desired temperament, it was fun while it lasted, but I look at it this way, their ball, their rules.

 

I heard the same I have seen only 2 guarantees on 2 poor selling cruises.... It is far more profitable to put folks on a wait list... and not guarantee a cabin or a price...

[pinotlover]

Previously, O was selling Guarantees on waitlisted categories, and found out they were getting burned far to often, especially when that guarantee was on a PH!

 

When O was a younger upstart line it may have made since for them, now not so much. This has been occurring and has been discussed here for well over a year.

[potterhill]

When we first cruised O in 2005, there were no guarantees. They started appearing a few years ago.

Personally I prefer to book a room but have booked a guarantee a couple times. Better on the ship than on the list.....

 

Mo

 

 

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[ronrick1943]

Plus if your looking for an upgrade---on vacation I want to enjoy my trip, to do that you should book the cabin you really want.

[Flatbush Flyer]

On Riviera right now and folks are already bugging the rep about early access to the new 2019 itineraries due out in about a week or two.

 

 

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[JimandStan]

It appears that the worm has begun to turn with the Economy-

Bargain hunters will need to rethink their strategies....

[ORV]

It appears that the worm has begun to turn with the Economy-

Bargain hunters will need to rethink their strategies....

 

Maybe, but with Viking bringing on 2 or 3 more ships in the next couple of years, and them targeting Oceania cruisers I wouldn't bet on it.

[bitob]

On the Australian circumnavigation. 560 repeat cruisers. The Oceania club rep cannot keep up with the future bookings. Off the charts. Many placeholders booked in anticipation of new itineraries

 

 

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[pinotlover]

ORV;

 

There could always be some defections from O to Viking, but I don't believe many will do so. I've sailed Viking River Cruises and I've sailed Uniworld. Will never go back to Viking. Different clientele and different experiences. Same on the ocean side of cruising. I see the greatest competition at the lower end of their cruisers where price only is the objective over all else. I say that while agreeing that O can and should clean up some of its itineraries.

[Mura]

Departing a bit from Oceania to comment on Viking River Cruises, our first river cruise in 2003 was wonderful. This was Amsterdam to Basel. The only downside was the cruise director, a Dutch woman who seemed to think that all Americans (especially the women) are only interested in shopping. That was far from the case on our river cruise since virtually all passengers were very experienced. Most of us were independent travelers. In 2008 we did the China cruise which was also superb. But in 2012 we returned to Europe and were very disappointed in the product. They clearly were cutting costs. Only 5 servers for 150 diners at dinner did not cut it. We haven't been back and don't expect to go back.

 

I HAVE seen positive reports of the new ocean cruises (even from some regulars here) but I'm still not inclined to try them. I noted today for the first time that they are doing a world cruise. They do seem to be luring Oceania passengers -- at least that was my reaction. Free laundry throughout (whether DIY or by the ship), pretty much a free tour in every port, and so on.

 

And that is all I will say on the subject since this is Oceania.

 

Mura

Mura

[pinotlover]

Back to the subject, friends just told me of their experiences. As they were recently attempting to book a B3, the category waitlisted. After a few weeks, Oceania came back and offered them a move to guarantee status in a B3. After the recent final payment due date, O came back and gave them an assigned cabin in B4 which was always available. Catch was, it was the foreword most B4 cabin, and not one they would have chosen, however, by agreeing to the guarantee, you accept what you are given or cancel.

 

Even though they didn't look for, nor request, a guarantee, O got them into one on terms favorable to O. So guarantees still exist, but perhaps mostly in circumstances different from the past.

[ORV]

Back to the subject, friends just told me of their experiences. As they were recently attempting to book a B3, the category waitlisted. After a few weeks, Oceania came back and offered them a move to guarantee status in a B3. After the recent final payment due date, O came back and gave them an assigned cabin in B4 which was always available. Catch was, it was the foreword most B4 cabin, and not one they would have chosen, however, by agreeing to the guarantee, you accept what you are given or cancel.

 

Even though they didn't look for, nor request, a guarantee, O got them into one on terms favorable to O. So guarantees still exist, but perhaps mostly in circumstances different from the past.

 

I'm thinking if you book a B3, or any other specific level you should get that at a minimum. Did they accept the offer of a guarantee to a B3?

 

I've never heard of someone getting a lower level than the guarantee they booked.

[Csardas]

Dear God, I hope not-we'll be in the lifeboat!

[pinotlover]

ORV;

 

Sorry, brain block today. they were given (took) at B3 guarantee and were given a B2 not B4! They did get the one category upgrade.

[LHT28]

ORV;

 

Sorry, brain block today. they were given (took) at B3 guarantee and were given a B2 not B4! They did get the one category upgrade.

Well that is the nature of the GTY beast

 

You get what you paid for or better

 

better is subjective when talking location

 

That is why for some a GTY is not the best option ;)

[Csardas]

We didn't have a choice. It was Guarantee or beyond our budget, 2 categories up. First time Guaranteed cabin so we'll just have to suck it and see.😱

[JimandStan]

We didn't have a choice. It was Guarantee or beyond our budget, 2 categories up. First time Guaranteed cabin so we'll just have to suck it and see.😱

 

Hate to get all Semantic on you, but:

Your also had the option of booking another voyage entirely, so taking that Guarantee was technically YOUR choice, not your only choice ;).

[Csardas]

Wrong-given work/holiday timings that cruise and guarantee was our only choice or not to go at all.

[JimandStan]

Wrong-given work/holiday timings that cruise and guarantee was our only choice or not to go at all.

 

Not to belabor this, but tell me the sailing date and I'll post twenty other alternatives within the hour.

 

That cruise may have been your only choice on that ship, or on Oceania, but believe it or not looking elsewhere and/or staying home altogether were also within your purview.

 

Taking advantage of that Guarantee was one choice among many. :halo:

[Hawaiidan]

I'm thinking if you book a B3, or any other specific level you should get that at a minimum. Did they accept the offer of a guarantee to a B3?

 

I've never heard of someone getting a lower level than the guarantee they booked.

 

Its all within the came class B

The interesting thing with the do away or restriction with Guarantees is that some people, by accident discovered that they could book a high class guar. on a cruise they figured to be over sold then offered a down grade which usualy ammounted to a free cruise + a large cash refund. You cant run a business by giving away cruises and large chinks of cash...... Hence good bye Guarantee except for rare poor selling cabins

[kinghw]

We're sailing tomorrow on Marina on an extended TA (21 days Miami-Lisbon). We booked a guarantee cat C last August. It's our 4th cruise on O and 1st time we've booked a GTY. Not an upgrade strategy for us, we'd be quite happy with what we booked.

 

For the past couple months all stateroom categories have been indicated as wait list only for our cruise, so I think it will sail near capacity.

 

We received and turned down an upsell offer (to an A1 stateroom) from O through our TA a couple weeks ago. Yesterday O assigned us to an A1, so it appears we have a happy ending. Not at all sure how common this experience is these days, but thought I'd share our data point.

[ORV]

Its all within the came class B

 

Nope, that's not right Dan. If you book a B1 guarantee you're going to get at least that.

 

I'm on an August cruise that has some categories available as a guarantee, so apparently they still exist.