Sun Queen II Posted March 16, 2020 #1 Share Posted March 16, 2020 So here is the latest news regarding Oceania’s new policy for FCC vs Refund. And I have to say, it is very unfair. When we received the first notice a couple of weeks ago that we could cancel our upcoming (March 21) cruise, we decided to cancel right away and take the FCC, as that was all that was offered, and we have health issues, and wanted to stay safe. We spoke with our TA at Oceania and assumed that if any new Oceania policy changes took place that we would be included in those. Turns out, we were wrong. We cancelled our cruise on March 7th, 6 days later Oceania came out with offers that included FCC at 150%, or 125% (depending on your cruise), or a full 100% refund (this was on March 13th). The loop hole is that the new message says “anyone currently booked”, and when we finally got through today to ask for the refund that was now offered, we were told because we were proactive and cancelled 6 days before, that we are not entitled to a refund, nor to the 150% FCC. We have never cruised with Oceania, this was to be our first, but I have to say that the way they are handling this, we will never cruise with them after this. Has anyone else experienced something similar? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldaradoe Posted March 16, 2020 #2 Share Posted March 16, 2020 15 minutes ago, Sun Queen II said: So here is the latest news regarding Oceania’s new policy for FCC vs Refund. And I have to say, it is very unfair. When we received the first notice a couple of weeks ago that we could cancel our upcoming (March 21) cruise, we decided to cancel right away and take the FCC, as that was all that was offered, and we have health issues, and wanted to stay safe. We spoke with our TA at Oceania and assumed that if any new Oceania policy changes took place that we would be included in those. Turns out, we were wrong. We cancelled our cruise on March 7th, 6 days later Oceania came out with offers that included FCC at 150%, or 125% (depending on your cruise), or a full 100% refund (this was on March 13th). The loop hole is that the new message says “anyone currently booked”, and when we finally got through today to ask for the refund that was now offered, we were told because we were proactive and cancelled 6 days before, that we are not entitled to a refund, nor to the 150% FCC. We have never cruised with Oceania, this was to be our first, but I have to say that the way they are handling this, we will never cruise with them after this. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Why is it not fair.... When you buy an airline ticket and the price changes are you able to get the better price? It's sucks but it's not Oceania fault and their policies regarding the corna virus is as good or better than most other lines.... Again it sucks but you have the credit to use. IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 16, 2020 #3 Share Posted March 16, 2020 I can see both points of view. If OP has not received the FCC as yet then the "transaction" is not completed and all passengers on the same cancelled cruise should be compensated equally. If the FCC was already given, then it's akin to making a final payment after which changes cannot be made; conversely, before "final payment" changes to fare (in this case compensation) should be allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted March 16, 2020 #4 Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) This is NOT changing pricing and normal conditions. ALL passengers who are affected by the fact that Oceania, or any line, cancels a cruise and suspends operations should be compensated equally and fairly. That should mean that every passenger should be fully refunded at whatever price point they paid. This shouldn’t be some kind of psychological mind game with policies that change by day. The more I hear about Oceania / NCL the worse it sounds. Edited March 16, 2020 by Wishing on a star 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Queen II Posted March 16, 2020 Author #5 Share Posted March 16, 2020 22 minutes ago, Paulchili said: I can see both points of view. If OP has not received the FCC as yet then the "transaction" is not completed and all passengers on the same cancelled cruise should be compensated equally. If the FCC was already given, then it's akin to making a final payment after which changes cannot be made; conversely, before "final payment" changes to fare (in this case compensation) should be allowed. To answer your question, we have not received the FCC. Still waiting on everything. Has anyone else received theirs? If we had known that a few days later O would have changed their policy, we would have waited. We were trying to get ahead of things so we wouldn’t be waiting for weeks. Turns out we still are waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 16, 2020 #6 Share Posted March 16, 2020 53 minutes ago, Sun Queen II said: We have never cruised with Oceania, this was to be our first, but I have to say that the way they are handling this, we will never cruise with them after this. I wonder if their attitude would have been different if you were Plat (20+ cruises) with Oceania vs a first-timer? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Queen II Posted March 16, 2020 Author #7 Share Posted March 16, 2020 1 minute ago, Paulchili said: I wonder if their attitude would have been different if you were Plat (20+ cruises) with Oceania vs a first-timer? I wondered the same thing. Guess we will never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted March 16, 2020 #8 Share Posted March 16, 2020 I will be very honest with you..your FCC and/or refunds will probably take 90 days or more..it is a zoo in their office and now agents will be working from home which will slow things down again..Oceania is not grandfathering anything in..what you got when you canceled is what you get..Their may be a time in the future (IMHO) when it could be looked at again but that is just my wishful thinking.. I am glad for what I got as I am worried that some smaller lines will got out of business.. Jan 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 16, 2020 #9 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Yes that would be very frustrating Technically on the day of the change in policy you were not "currently booked" but it would be nice if Oceania offered a refund to those that cancelled in the short term 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 16, 2020 #10 Share Posted March 16, 2020 36 minutes ago, LHT28 said: Yes that would be very frustrating Technically on the day of the change in policy you were not "currently booked" but it would be nice if Oceania offered a refund to those that cancelled in the short term I think it would be a nice goodwill gesture to attract new/keep old customers but I am not sure that cruise lines are in that mood at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clo Posted March 16, 2020 #11 Share Posted March 16, 2020 46 minutes ago, Jancruz said: I am glad for what I got as I am worried that some smaller lines will got out of business.. Isn't O considered a "smaller" line? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted March 16, 2020 #12 Share Posted March 16, 2020 I think Jan is right. “A bird in the hand....” Still pretty bad and IMHO unfair to dangle that carrot. Especially in these dangerous and trying circumstances. I will I’ll just refrain from using words worse than bad or awful here. Even though that is what is going thru my mind. This is not something a fair or reputable company with any good will would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted March 16, 2020 #13 Share Posted March 16, 2020 12 minutes ago, clo said: Isn't O considered a "smaller" line? "O" is part of NCLH, the third largest cruise operator in the world. It hasn't been a stand-alone company for a few years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clo Posted March 16, 2020 #14 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Just now, njhorseman said: "O" is part of NCLH, the third largest cruise operator in the world. It hasn't been a stand-alone company for a few years now. Oh right. So what would be a small line? We've traveled on Hurtigruten which likely has maybe 10 or 12 ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susiesan Posted March 16, 2020 #15 Share Posted March 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Jancruz said: I will be very honest with you..your FCC and/or refunds will probably take 90 days or more..it is a zoo in their office and now agents will be working from home which will slow things down again. Jan If O was to hang on to my money for 90 days if they cancel a cruise I have paid for in full, then I am definitely not making my final payment due April 11 for a June 26 cruise that is not canceled yet. I will proactively cancel. If the cruise happens to go, which is looking unlikely for June cruises I will re book it and go on the cruise, assuming flights to Europe resume. Right now O only has $1500 of my money. I can wait a bit for that amount but not 90 days for the entire amount. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted March 16, 2020 #16 Share Posted March 16, 2020 11 minutes ago, clo said: Oh right. So what would be a small line? We've traveled on Hurtigruten which likely has maybe 10 or 12 ships. Take your pick from the list here from those below NCLH: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cruise_lines 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 17, 2020 #17 Share Posted March 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Paulchili said: I think it would be a nice goodwill gesture to attract new/keep old customers but I am not sure that cruise lines are in that mood at the moment. I agree So many balls in the air at the moment I am sure their heads are spinning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted March 17, 2020 #18 Share Posted March 17, 2020 7 hours ago, Sun Queen II said: <SNIP> ..." says “anyone currently booked”, and when we finally got through today to ask for the refund that was now offered, we were told because we were proactive and cancelled 6 days before, that we are not entitled to a refund, nor to the 150% FCC. We have never cruised with Oceania, this was to be our first, but I have to say that the way they are handling this, we will never cruise with them after this. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Not first hand but in a weekly email we get from a TA he was advising his clients to not immediately cancel unless time was short and could not wait. He was implying situations like you describe and urged his clients who have bookings to call to discuss and not just cancel . That advice was for cruise lines in general at the time - not O specifically. So it does appear something similar was anticipated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishing on a star Posted March 17, 2020 #19 Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) I am not so sure that they would make the responsible decision and not risk my well being when deciding that a cruise would “go” or not. In fact, quite the opposite. They did did not cancel anything, did they, until forced by Presidential Order. Shouldn’t a company have more concern than the President. Having to force him to step in. It really is that simple. It it is not appropriate to place concerned customers with bookings in that position and then play these policy games. Even more more especially with the usual older demographic. Edited March 17, 2020 by Wishing on a star 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldaradoe Posted March 17, 2020 #20 Share Posted March 17, 2020 37 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said: I am not so sure that they would make the responsible decision and not risk my well being when deciding that a cruise would “go” or not. In fact, quite the opposite. They did did not cancel anything, did they, until forced by Presidential Order. Shouldn’t a company have more concern than the President. Having to force him to step in. It really is that simple. It it is not appropriate to place concerned customers with bookings in that position and then play these policy games. Even more more especially with the usual older demographic. well the Riviera and the Marina other than having docking issues are fine and the passengers are not complaining. Soi what policy changes? No one on any of the O ships have gotten sick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doghouse2 Posted March 17, 2020 #21 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Compare NCL policy with what Princess (part of Carnival) did when they started their 60 day shutdown. Of course they were at the center of the cruise ship quarantine debacle. They made their refund/enhanced fcc offer available to guests who had already cancelled back to early Feb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbwex Posted March 17, 2020 #22 Share Posted March 17, 2020 On a related topic, NCL reduced the time period between the sailing date and final payment -- I am pretty sure that they went from 120 days down to 90. Oceania and Regent have not followed suit. Final payment for our cruise in late October is going to be due May 31st. Then our choice will be to either pay in full and hope to be able to cancel without penalty later, or simply cancel since so much in unknown at this point and likely at the end of May. Obviously I am not sure that I will know that much more by the end of July, but the chances that we can make a fully informed decision in May is looking pretty remote. As everyone has noted, the industry is struggling to figure all of this out, and they are struggling to stay financially afloat (sorry about that pun), and they are going to want to see money coming in, and then hold onto it as long as they can. That is not in my interest however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 17, 2020 #23 Share Posted March 17, 2020 41 minutes ago, doghouse2 said: Compare NCL policy with what Princess (part of Carnival) did when they started their 60 day shutdown. Of course they were at the center of the cruise ship quarantine debacle. They made their refund/enhanced fcc offer available to guests who had already cancelled back to early Feb. But didn't Princess transfer crew from the infected Diamond to other ships that transferred the virus to pax/crew on their other ships So far not many other lines have the virus onboard JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-2-Bs Best! Posted March 17, 2020 #24 Share Posted March 17, 2020 18 hours ago, Jancruz said: I will be very honest with you..your FCC and/or refunds will probably take 90 days or more..it is a zoo in their office and now agents will be working from home which will slow things down again..Oceania is not grandfathering anything in..what you got when you canceled is what you get..Their may be a time in the future (IMHO) when it could be looked at again but that is just my wishful thinking.. I am glad for what I got as I am worried that some smaller lines will got out of business.. Jan Sorry Jan, but many of us canceled days after Oceania should have canceled which, in my case, was several days after Princess and Viking canceled. We should not be penalized for our prompt action. Perhaps a chat with the BOSS is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted March 17, 2020 #25 Share Posted March 17, 2020 42 minutes ago, bbwex said: On a related topic, NCL reduced the time period between the sailing date and final payment -- I am pretty sure that they went from 120 days down to 90. Oceania and Regent have not followed suit. Final payment for our cruise in late October is going to be due May 31st. Then our choice will be to either pay in full and hope to be able to cancel without penalty later, or simply cancel since so much in unknown at this point and likely at the end of May. Obviously I am not sure that I will know that much more by the end of July, but the chances that we can make a fully informed decision in May is looking pretty remote. As everyone has noted, the industry is struggling to figure all of this out, and they are struggling to stay financially afloat (sorry about that pun), and they are going to want to see money coming in, and then hold onto it as long as they can. That is not in my interest however. FWIW, Oceania final payment is based on length of cruise. It's not always the same time period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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