Oceania pricing?

[sattva]

I notice on a major on-line agency that prices for  Marina's May 3-17 cruise from Barcelona to Rome are significantly below Oceania's published "cruise only" rates.  A B3 is listed at $4,104 instead of $5,399 with no perks.  There are almost a hundred cabins with prices cut in the 20% range.

 

Does Oceania generally cut rates this sharply about three months ahead of sailing?  Might affect what I reserve for 2020.

Is it a better deal to buy this rate with no perks or look for a TA offering the published rates with good perks?

 

Thanks!

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, sattva said:

I notice on a major on-line agency that prices for  Marina's May 3-17 cruise from Barcelona to Rome are significantly below Oceania's published "cruise only" rates.  A B3 is listed at $4,104 instead of $5,399 with no perks.  There are almost a hundred cabins with prices cut in the 20% range.

 

Does Oceania generally cut rates this sharply about three months ahead of sailing?  Might affect what I reserve for 2020.

Is it a better deal to buy this rate with no perks or look for a TA offering the published rates with good perks?

 

Thanks!

The price difference you cite is about 14%. While you'd almost never see that (or any) kind of price drop on O's longer and/or more exotic cruises, there are the occasional close-to-sailing "quiet sales" available from O's top selling TAs on mostly Caribbean and some Med cruises that are not full. Thus, three months out and 15%+\- price break on some O cruises is possible.

On the other hand, do check to see if the TA price includes port taxes/fees. Some of those online TAs use that low price (no taxes yet) tactic to get you to call them.

[Paulchili]

50 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

On the other hand, do check to see if the TA price includes port taxes/fees. Some of those online TAs use that low price (no taxes yet) tactic to get you to call them.

I don’t think O breaks down and separates taxes & port fees from the cruise fare though I could be wrong.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I don’t think O breaks down and separates taxes & port fees from the cruise fare though I could be wrong.

Not to the consumer. But, it must be (?) broken down for the TA if they are paid a percentage of the "commissionable" fare. 

[LHT28]

I would not think  they would drop that much in price  but I am sure others will say they get the better prices

I would check the bottom line  in case they are not adding the taxes  & port fees in their advertised rates

compare apples to apples

JMO

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I would not think  they would drop that much in price  but I am sure others will say they get the better prices

I would check the bottom line  in case they are not adding the taxes  & port fees in their advertised rates

compare apples to apples

JMO

 

Occasionally, we get those "quiet sale" flyers from O Connoisseurs Club TAs. And it's usually a mix of some of the aforementioned close-in sailings with significant availability at about 15% discount as well as approx. 5% off all other cruises (similar to onboard booking prices). The "quiet sales" last for about several weeks to a month and rotate among the Oceania Connoisseurs Club agencies.

We've yet to be interested in any of the 15% off itineraries and we prefer to book onboard then shop it around to our preferred TAs for the extra perks.

[pinotlover]

I have received offers on quiet sales at far greater than 15% off for Carribean cruises. Magnitudes greater in fact. Those types of sales are never announced or offered “online “, but via a personal phone call. There is no calling Oceania and then shopping the deal on those offers. 

 

This is like upgrade offers, one should always book the cabin and cruise at the prices they are content with, because other offers only come on rare occasions. On most cruises, waiting and hoping your TA might be selected for the rare offer will typically leave one dry dock.

Edited January 29, 2019 by pinotlover

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I have received offers on quiet sales at far greater than 15% off for Carribean cruises. Magnitudes greater in fact. Those types of sales are never announced or offered “online “, but via a personal phone call. There is no calling Oceania and then shopping the deal on those offers. 

 

This is like upgrade offers, one should always book the cabin and cruise at the prices they are content with, because other offers only come on rare occasions. On most cruises, waiting and hoping your TA might be selected for the rare offer will typically leave one dry dock.

Yes- we've gotten a few of those "Caribbean" calls with the big breaks. Zero interest on our end.

[pinotlover]

Flatbush;

 

Whether you personally have any interest in any cruise is beside the point. 

 

1. Quiet sales do occasionally exist at discounts far greater than 15% off.

 

2. You won’t read about them online, because I’m fairly confident Oceania bans the selected TA(s) from advertising in such a manner. One gets a phone call typically.

[ORV]

18 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Flatbush;

 

Whether you personally have any interest in any cruise is beside the point. 

 

1. Quiet sales do occasionally exist at discounts far greater than 15% off.

 

2. You won’t read about them online, because I’m fairly confident Oceania bans the selected TA(s) from advertising in such a manner. One gets a phone call typically.

Unfortunately there are two or three major online TA's that are now advertising those same "special pricing" rates. This is something that has occurred in the last year or so. 

 

[pinotlover]

Flatbush;

 

Whether you personally have any interest in any cruise is beside the point. 

 

1. Quiet sales do occasionally exist at discounts far greater than 15% off.

 

2. You won’t read about them online, because I’m fairly confident Oceania bans the selected TA(s) from advertising in such a manner. One gets a phone call typically.

[pinotlover]

ORV;

 

Thanks, I hadn’t seen or heard of that reoccurring recently. If memory serves me, it occurred back 5-6 years ago and disappeared. It surprises me none though , particularly in winter and in the Carribean. All these new ships coming online that have to go somewhere in winter. Competition is increasing. As I posted on a different thread “ What is O going to do with those new ships in the Winter” especially if they have to deeply discount some of the current cruises?

[Paulchili]

34 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I posted on a different thread “ What is O going to do with those new ships in the Winter” especially if they have to deeply discount some of the current cruises?

There are other places to cruise in the winter than just the Carib.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

There are other places to cruise in the winter than just the Carib.

Very true Paul, but Oceania finds itself in a situation where they will have to attract new customers that will be able to go to those places in 20 years when they're retired, and are able to travel for 2 to 6 weeks at a time like many of us do. 

 

As you know it's a much larger outlay to do those than running to Miami for 8-10 days. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by ORV

[Paulchili]

54 minutes ago, ORV said:

Very true Paul, but Oceania finds itself in a situation where they will have to attract new customers that will be able to go to those places in 20 years when they're retired, and are able to travel for 2 to 6 weeks at a time like many of us do. 

 

As you know it's a much larger outlay to do those than running to Miami for 8-10 days. 

Yes, but who is to say that O’s clientele must be only Americans. If they cruise in Australia/NZ or Singapore area in the winter, they can attract a whole new market.

Ditto for South America. Ditto for Middle East (Dubai, Jordan, Oman) which is closer for Europeans in the winter than Caribbean.

Princess has done it by having one of their ships (Diamond Princess) cruise predominantly in Asia and attract a whole new market of Japanese, Chinese & Singapore cruisers along with some US cruisers.

The rest of the world is catching up to us with the concept and the “fun of cruising”.

[RJB]

15 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

The price difference you cite is about 14%. While you'd almost never see that (or any) kind of price drop on O's longer and/or more exotic cruises, there are the occasional close-to-sailing "quiet sales" available from O's top selling TAs on mostly Caribbean and some Med cruises that are not full. Thus, three months out and 15%+\- price break on some O cruises is possible.

On the other hand, do check to see if the TA price includes port taxes/fees. Some of those online TAs use that low price (no taxes yet) tactic to get you to call them.

My calc. shows about 20%     using $5399 as the starting point.    Also if they add port fees than O will have to refund them for any missed ports.   Do not think they will do that. 

[rallydave]

6 minutes ago, RJB said:

My calc. shows about 20%     using $5399 as the starting point.    Also if they add port fees than O will have to refund them for any missed ports.   Do not think they will do that. 

It is actually about a 24% discount so have no idea where Flatbush Flyer gets 14% as that is a significant difference.

[Flatbush Flyer]

17 minutes ago, rallydave said:

It is actually about a 24% discount so have no idea where Flatbush Flyer gets 14% as that is a significant difference.

 

17 minutes ago, rallydave said:

It is actually about a 24% discount so have no idea where Flatbush Flyer gets 14% as that is a significant difference.

Where I got 15% was from fat fingers on the calculator keys and not wearing my glasses.

Mea Culpa 

24%

[KS&JW]

These fares do include all 'government fees and taxes"  according to the email that I received.  

[LHT28]

well if they are that good  "book it"

sounds like a good deal for some

[PaulMCO]

Just received an Oceania Email on the OP Cruise plus several other slow sellers for unpublished discounts.  So this is likely from O and not a TA group discount or other promotion.

[arima22]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Just received an Oceania Email on the OP Cruise plus several other slow sellers for unpublished discounts.  So this is likely from O and not a TA group discount or other promotion.

But the email from Oceania gives only a 10% discount from the regular price, with the "from Price" being for category c.  so the on line offers are 9% better still.

[RJB]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

Where I got 15% was from fat fingers on the calculator keys and not wearing my glasses.

Mea Culpa 

24%

not to worry,  my glasses are not that good all the time.