Is Oceania extending final payment dates or lowering cancellation charges?

[MisterBill99]

I have a 21-night Oceania Greece/Israel/Turkey cruise booked for April 29, 2022 and final payment is due on Tuesday. With the new Covid-19 strain, I am strongly considering cancelling and cutting my losses before the 25% cancellation penalty kicks in on Tuesday. Right now, I'd "only" be out $250pp and the $350 non-refundable air deviation fee (which I really should have told my TA to hold off on when she put in for my flights a few months ago, but I did not). Is Oceania extending the payment due date or lessening the cancellation charges to give me more time to decide whether to cancel? I feel like given what we know today, and the distinct possibility that some countries could start restricting visitors again, I really have no choice but to cancel today.

 

I am very disappointed to be doing this because we love the itinerary and really wanted to do it on Oceania. But it's a lot of money to be committing to if the cruise may not go where I had planned (and yes, I know that i always a possibility, but I hope people understand my point here).

 

I looked for something on the website regarding relaxed cancellation policies, but found nothing beyond the ability to get a refund if I test positive for Covid right before the sailing.

Edited November 29, 2021 by MisterBill99

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

I have a 21-night Oceania Greece/Israel/Turkey cruise booked for April 29, 2022 and final payment is due on Tuesday. With the new Covid-19 strain, I am strongly considering cancelling and cutting my losses before the 25% cancellation penalty kicks in on Tuesday. Right now, I'd "only" be out $250pp and the $350 non-refundable air deviation fee (which I really should have told my TA to hold off on when she put in for my flights a few months ago, but I did not). Is Oceania extending the payment due date or lessening the cancellation charges to give me more time to decide whether to cancel? I feel like given what we know today, and the distinct possibility that some countries could start restricting visitors again, I really have no choice but to cancel today.

 

I am very disappointed to be doing this because we love the itinerary and really wanted to do it on Oceania. But it's a lot of money to be committing to if the cruise may not go where I had planned (and yes, I know that i always a possibility, but I hope people understand my point here).

 

I looked for something on the website regarding relaxed cancellation policies, but found nothing beyond the ability to get a refund if I test positive for Covid right before the sailing.

Our December Final Pay date for an “extended journey” starting in May 2022 (CPT-LIS-NYC) was recently moved to next March. 

If your date is moved, you’ll get an email directly from O or via your TA.

Same goes for any current Traveler Assurance Program decisions that may allow your cancelling beyond the final pay date without penalty. However, there haven’t been any Travelers Assurance notices on the O website since they restarted cruising.So, at least for now, should you cancel during the penalty phase, you will have to pay the regular penalties.

[LHT28]

I would ask your TA to check with Oceania  on holding off final payment until  they have more info on the new variant

 But if not possible at this point in time  then the Admin fee will not be lost  just held as an FCC   but sadly the deviation fee will probably be lost

 

In these uncertian  times  it is hard to keep that crystal ball in good working order

JMO

 

[sunlover12]

I'm on a 10-day March 2022 cruise with FP due 90 days out, which in my case is December 7.  Oceania has not extended the FP date.  We're going to go ahead with our plans and hope for the best.  

[MisterBill99]

TA is on hold with Oceania, it's been two hours now. I told her to cancel if she cannot get final payment and penalties extended. I am not making final payment tomorrow.

[MisterBill99]

Update -- TA got through to Oceania, and they refused to extend final payment, so I've cancelled the booking. I'm disappointed, but it's the right decision for me at this time.

[MisterBill99]

Final update. They gave us the $500 as FCC but refused to do anything about the custom air fee. That one is an expensive lesson not to do that the next time (and to be honest, something that my TA should not have suggested, but I guess she figured that way I'd get the lights that I wanted, and I had, until I didn't need them anymore). 

[jondfk]

We're sailing on Regatta from FP to LA in April.  Final payment was due, about a month ago, 150 days out. This seemed ridiculous to me given that Regatta is months from restarting and that Tahiti has some of the most stringent restrictions around (which has included halting cruising at least twice so far).  Still, O wouldn't budge.  

 

Ultimately, we decided to go forward with the payment, largely because we have a second long / expensive sailing late in '22 towards which we could apply the credit if that were to become necessary.  Still, I think O made the wrong decision given the many uncertainties.  

 

Perhaps they just wanted to lighten the load - the ship was fully waitlisted the day before final payment.  Now, most categories show as "Available" - the cynic in me suspects that may be just what they wanted to accomplish.

[MisterBill99]

6 minutes ago, jondfk said:

Still, I think O made the wrong decision given the many uncertainties.  

 

Perhaps they just wanted to lighten the load - the ship was fully waitlisted the day before final payment.  Now, most categories show as "Available" - the cynic in me suspects that may be just what they wanted to accomplish.

 

My cruise has also been waitlisted for months. Last week, someone noticed that the second half of the sailing was showing available and the 21-day had a few categories available, and I'm sure it was because final payment was coming up. And the price is higher than what I had booked at. But you'd think they would want to work with their customer to keep them on the sailing.

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

....But you'd think they would want to work with their customer to keep them on the sailing.

FWIW: O has “quiet sales” which rotate among its Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partners. If your TA is “on the list,” they’ll get a “pass through” advertisement from O with the price drops listed including for those cruises with a lot of availability (when it’s their turn in the “quiet” rotation). Some TAs just send them on to their clients while others build the info into their own “Oceania Sale.” The newly available (post-FP) cabins will be sold.

Moreover, I disagree with you about chasing after “drop-outs.” O has a strong customer base with most cruises having 70%+/- repeat customers. The bulk of those drop-outs will rebook. What O wants is new customers (like those Celebrity, Viking and Azamara cruisers looking for a better experience as well as the luxury cruisers looking for better value.

[Flatbush Flyer]

33 minutes ago, jondfk said:

.....Perhaps they just wanted to lighten the load - the ship was fully waitlisted the day before final payment.  Now, most categories show as "Available" - the cynic in me suspects that may be just what they wanted to accomplish.

While the drop-outs may “lighten the load” to meet self-imposed Covid passenger load restrictions, remember that those Final Pay and Penalty Phase deadlines (all based on the length of your cruise) have been in place for many years. And, as you’ll see in my reply above to MistetBill99, other O regulars and targeted new O customers will replace those “drop-outs” thanks in part to the high volume TAs who specialize in Oceania.

[MisterBill99]

16 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

FWIW: O has “quiet sales” which rotate among its Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partners. If your TA is “on the list,” they’ll get a “pass through” advertisement from O with the price drops listed including for those cruises with a lot of availability (when it’s their turn in the “quiet” rotation). Some TAs just send them on to their clients while others build the info into their own “Oceania Sale.” The newly available (post-FP) cabins will be sold.

 

Yes, I know about their TA deals. This particular sailing has been sold out/wait listed for so long that we haven't even seen it listed in the weekly catalogs we get in the mail. I do wonder how many people are going to be booking this particular sailing at this time, given the uncertainty that caused me to cancel it. Presumably they will offer my cabin to someone on the wait list, we'll see if they bite.

Edited November 30, 2021 by MisterBill99

[shepherd really]

58 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

FWIW: O has “quiet sales” which rotate among its Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partners. If your TA is “on the list,” they’ll get a “pass through” advertisement from O with the price drops listed including for those cruises with a lot of availability (when it’s their turn in the “quiet” rotation). Some TAs just send them on to their clients while others build the info into their own “Oceania Sale.” The newly available (post-FP) cabins will be sold.

Moreover, I disagree with you about chasing after “drop-outs.” O has a strong customer base with most cruises having 70%+/- repeat customers. The bulk of those drop-outs will rebook. What O wants is new customers (like those Celebrity, Viking and Azamara cruisers looking for a better experience as well as the luxury cruisers looking for better value.

How's that strategy working out for them now?  O is sailing this cruise on Marina tomorrow with 40% capacity, not exactly hitting it out of the park with all those new cruisers you claim they want to attract.  

 

"BarbaraM

Posted yesterday at 05:44 AM

Although not on this cruise, we are currently on board Marina and heard yesterday there will be 380 passengers on your cruise—A 40% capacity was mentioned—  they are reducing crew also— 

The ship was inspected yesterday in Puerto Rico - and passed! Crew who  received the J&J vaccine from the cruise ship are reciting boosters—  looks like they are ready to welcome you all. 

the ship is all decorated for The holidays!  We hope you have a great time on your cruise!"

[Flatbush Flyer]

9 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

How's that strategy working out for them now?  O is sailing this cruise on Marina tomorrow with 40% capacity, not exactly hitting it out of the park with all those new cruisers you claim they want to attract.  

 

"BarbaraM

Posted yesterday at 05:44 AM

Although not on this cruise, we are currently on board Marina and heard yesterday there will be 380 passengers on your cruise—A 40% capacity was mentioned—  they are reducing crew also— 

The ship was inspected yesterday in Puerto Rico - and passed! Crew who  received the J&J vaccine from the cruise ship are reciting boosters—  looks like they are ready to welcome you all. 

the ship is all decorated for The holidays!  We hope you have a great time on your cruise!"

Perhaps you should think with perspective. A 40% passenger load is better than 0% which is where most cruise lines were not so long ago.

Try looking at current O bookings for 2022 and 2023. Even with the expected “drop outs” concerned about everything from Covid to “Mystery Cruises,” O is at the beginning of its obvious plan to return to “normal” in 2023. (I assume you’ve noticed their “line drawn in the sand” for FCCs at 12/31/22.

 

How you would compare only the emergent situation to a 15+ year history of exemplary performance defies logic.

[shepherd really]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perhaps you should think with perspective. A 40% passenger load is better than 0% which is where most cruise lines were not so long ago.

Try looking at current O bookings for 2022 and 2023. Even with the expected “drop outs” concerned about everything from Covid to “Mystery Cruises,” O is at the beginning of its obvious plan to return to “normal” in 2023. (I assume you’ve noticed their “line drawn in the sand” for FCCs at 12/31/22.

 

How you would compare only the emergent situation to a 15+ year history of exemplary performance defies logic.

So (according to you) the brilliant business plan is to run at a loss instead of cutting their loses.  Sure, that's a fine strategy.  I guess the lines that cancelled their SA/Antarctica seasons are lacking this incredible "run at a loss" method of making a profit. 

 

As to your last sentence, you do understand that the previous 15 years of income will not be paying the current bills and they are hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually at this point?  

[MisterBill99]

25 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perhaps you should think with perspective. A 40% passenger load is better than 0% which is where most cruise lines were not so long ago.

 

There is a major difference between the 0% and 40% situation. At 0%, they have a minimal crew and expenses. At 40% they have to staff and fully run the ship. But at 0% they also have no income. The question is can they make money at 40%, or at least lose less than it costs to run the skeleton crew at 0%.

 

Most cruise lines are running at low occupancy levels. I think the highest they can do under  current CDC guidelines is 60 or 70%. But 40% is obviously lower than that. But clearly they are expecting (or hoping) to be close to 100% by the spring. We'll see how Omicron effects that.

Edited November 30, 2021 by MisterBill99

[LHT28]

The cruise may or may not be fully booked 

They may just say "waitlist" for capacity control 

Even for spring sailings they may still be cautious on sailing close to full capacity

 JMO

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

So (according to you) the brilliant business plan is to run at a loss instead of cutting their loses.  Sure, that's a fine strategy.  I guess the lines that cancelled their SA/Antarctica seasons are lacking this incredible "run at a loss" method of making a profit. 

 

As to your last sentence, you do understand that the previous 15 years of income will not be paying the current bills and they are hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually at this point?  

I’m not going to take the time to do my best to educate you about a very complex industry of which I have a fairly decent professional understanding.

Suffice to say that: 

Analysts at Deutsche Bank see a “U” shaped recovery for the industry, with normal business not returning until as late as 2023. The trough will depend on how cruisers respond to the threat from coronavirus.

 

 Even FDR, whose NCLH responsibility has found him taking perhaps the most conservative approach to the restart, has publicly said “2023 for full return to normalcy.” Amateurs second-guessing and/or armchair quarterbacking O’s fluid restart plan to get to 2023 serves zero purpose.

 

NCLH in general and O specifically are capable of “weathering the storm.” Want more detailed info? Google is your friend. 

[shepherd really]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I’m not going to take the time to do my best to educate you about a very complex industry of which I have a fairly decent professional understanding.

Suffice to say that: 

Analysts at Deutsche Bank see a “U” shaped recovery for the industry, with normal business not returning until as late as 2023. The trough will depend on how cruisers respond to the threat from coronavirus.

 

 Even FDR, whose NCLH responsibility has found him taking perhaps the most conservative approach to the restart, has publicly said “2023 for full return to normalcy.” Amateurs second-guessing and/or armchair quarterbacking O’s fluid restart plan to get to 2023 serves zero purpose.

 

NCLH in general and O specifically are capable of “weathering the storm.” Want more detailed info? Google is your friend. 

Whatever dude, the industry is littered with defunct, bankrupt cruise lines. 

I'm sure they all had their cheerleaders playing in the band as the ships slid into the deep blue sea. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Whatever dude, the industry is littered with defunct, bankrupt cruise lines. 

I'm sure they all had their cheerleaders playing in the band as the ships slid into the deep blue sea. 

Ain’t that the truth “dude.”
Interestingly, Oceania built a cruise line on a foundation of four R ships from the defunct Renaissance line and, along with SOME other premium/luxury lines, will still be around when the Covid dust settles.

Others may not be so lucky. Azamara has already been sold to the always interesting Sycamore partners (apparently, RCCL is putting all its eggs in the Celebrity “wannabe” plan) and it is my understanding (on good authority) that Viking is for sale (though it may have little to do with “failure”).

 

[RJB]

On 11/30/2021 at 1:13 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Ain’t that the truth “dude.”
Interestingly, Oceania built a cruise line on a foundation of four R ships from the defunct Renaissance line and, along with SOME other premium/luxury lines, will still be around when the Covid dust settles.

Others may not be so lucky. Azamara has already been sold to the always interesting Sycamore partners (apparently, RCCL is putting all its eggs in the Celebrity “wannabe” plan) and it is my understanding (on good authority) that Viking is for sale (though it may have little to do with “failure”).

 

Sounds like a lot of truth to your words. O will do what they need to so they will still be here for us.  Fingers crossed. 

[vlthom]

On 11/30/2021 at 6:48 AM, jondfk said:

We're sailing on Regatta from FP to LA in April.  Final payment was due, about a month ago, 150 days out. This seemed ridiculous to me given that Regatta is months from restarting and that Tahiti has some of the most stringent restrictions around (which has included halting cruising at least twice so far).  Still, O wouldn't budge.  

 

Ultimately, we decided to go forward with the payment, largely because we have a second long / expensive sailing late in '22 towards which we could apply the credit if that were to become necessary.  Still, I think O made the wrong decision given the many uncertainties.  

 

Perhaps they just wanted to lighten the load - the ship was fully waitlisted the day before final payment.  Now, most categories show as "Available" - the cynic in me suspects that may be just what they wanted to accomplish.

 

This is incredibly odd.  We are booked on the same cruise on Regatta, though the 30-day version beginning in late March but going all the way back to LA, too.  Our extended cruise overlaps yours.  Back in late August, I received an email from Oceania stating that the final payment date had been extended to 60-days prior to sailing -- so late January 2022.  Checking online at my account, I have confirmed that to be the case.  It's strange that your final payment date would have already passed while ours has not.

[Flatbush Flyer]

34 minutes ago, vlthom said:

 

This is incredibly odd.  We are booked on the same cruise on Regatta, though the 30-day version beginning in late March but going all the way back to LA, too.  Our extended cruise overlaps yours.  Back in late August, I received an email from Oceania stating that the final payment date had been extended to 60-days prior to sailing -- so late January 2022.  Checking online at my account, I have confirmed that to be the case.  It's strange that your final payment date would have already passed while ours has not.

I assume yours is a longer cruise (started earlier) which is why you received that notification. Perhaps, had the other folks waited a bit longer(?), there’s would’ve eventually been extended too?.

[netpj]

"Ultimately, we decided to go forward with the payment, largely because we have a second long / expensive sailing late in '22 towards which we could apply the credit if that were to become necessary.  Still, I think O made the wrong decision given the many uncertainties"

 

I was interested in your comment you could apply the credit to another cruise if you had to cancel this one.  Is it standard Oceania policy to transfer the monies from a fully paid to cruise to another cruise, before final payment date,  which has been deposited?

[ORV]

14 minutes ago, netpj said:

"Ultimately, we decided to go forward with the payment, largely because we have a second long / expensive sailing late in '22 towards which we could apply the credit if that were to become necessary.  Still, I think O made the wrong decision given the many uncertainties"

 

I was interested in your comment you could apply the credit to another cruise if you had to cancel this one.  Is it standard Oceania policy to transfer the monies from a fully paid to cruise to another cruise, before final payment date,  which has been deposited?

If Oceania cancels I think yes, under other situations it would vary. Under normal situations after Final Payment there is a schedule of how much you forfeit if YOU cancel, up to 100%. But very little has been normal for a while, it would be nice if it gets back there.