O's Misleading Pricing

[SellaVee]

4 hours ago, Psoque said:

I, for one, never thought airfare from the cruise line is a “bargain” as you call it.  They typically overcharge for inferior itineraries, typically on consolidator inventories.  And some cruise lines are notorious for keep changing the itineraries as cheaper consolidator seats open up.  My points are:

 

1.  The “Air Credit” from Oceania is not a “gift” to you, but a refund of what they were planning to charge you for whatever flights they were planning to foist on you.

2.  If the amount of “Air Credit” appears “too generous” to you, that’s the sign that you should never bother to pay them that much money when you first booked the cruise, but to just book your flights on your own.  (Obviously, I have no idea if that is possible with Oceania when you are a UK customer.  This is 100% possible in the US.)

3.  When you do the math to estimate the value of airfare from the cruise line, one must not just accept the advertised “cost/value” of airport transfers, which are over-inflated.  Depending on the ports involved, the cost of group bus transfers offered by the cruise line could be (sometimes a lot) more than the actual cost of a taxi fare.

 

 

 

Forgive me if I haven't made myself clear.

 

1.  I never thought for one moment that a refund in the form of air credit was a "gift" to me from Oceania.  I always thought it was indeed a refund of what they were planning to charge.  I'm not sure why you think they're being overly generous because I have the ability to source flights and taxis within that budget.  It’s called being a savvy traveller.  And if I pay less than someone who does just pay the airfare component, I deserve it for the work I put in.

 

2.  I've always asked for the air credit before I book the cruise.  Why would I not, when I book the flights myself as a matter of course?  And, BTW, I never said the air credit was too generous.  You did.  I prefer to know where and when I'm travelling and I prefer direct flights.  Heathrow is not my airport of choice.

 

3.  I've never taken a group transfer from Oceania, and have no plans to do so.  I prefer a taxi, or even a bus, since local bus travel in England is free for us, so going to Southampton airport to the ship costs me zero pounds sterling.  And the service bus has room for luggage!  
 

I've also never been on an Oceania excursion.  We were going to try some on our next trip but they were booked up.  So we've taken the drinks package since our per diem cost for that works out at less than the cost of 2 glasses of wine at Oceania's prices.  I'd have been daft to ask for our "free" OBC to be removed.

 

Don't you just love maths!

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by SellaVee

[Psoque]

2 hours ago, SellaVee said:

Forgive me if I haven't made myself clear.

 

1.  I never thought for one moment that a refund in the form of air credit was a "gift" to me from Oceania.  I always thought it was indeed a refund of what they were planning to charge.  I'm not sure why you think they're being overly generous because I have the ability to source flights and taxis within that budget.  It’s called being a savvy traveller.  And if I pay less than someone who does just pay the airfare component, I deserve it for the work I put in.

 

2.  I've always asked for the air credit before I book the cruise.  Why would I not, when I book the flights myself as a matter of course?  And, BTW, I never said the air credit was too generous.  You did.  I prefer to know where and when I'm travelling and I prefer direct flights.  Heathrow is not my airport of choice.

 

3.  I've never taken a group transfer from Oceania, and have no plans to do so.  I prefer a taxi, or even a bus, since local bus travel in England is free for us, so going to Southampton airport to the ship costs me zero pounds sterling.  And the service bus has room for luggage!  
 

I've also never been on an Oceania excursion.  We were going to try some on our next trip but they were booked up.  So we've taken the drinks package since our per diem cost for that works out at less than the cost of 2 glasses of wine at Oceania's prices.  I'd have been daft to ask for our "free" OBC to be removed.

 

Don't you just love maths!

 

 

 

I agree with all of that.  However, I think it makes no sense whatsoever to call the money you don't give Oceania for them to book flights as you as a "credit."  Yes, Oceania wants you to call it that, to reinforce the illusion of "free flights" that they are somehow offering their passengers.

 

I have no intention to criticize how you book your cruises/flights.  I was making a point, however, that this so called "credit for airfare" and its amount is very telling of the cruise line business model in regard to this.

 

If the "credit" you receive to book your own flights comfortably covers everything you need to book your flights and even for the local transfers, that is a very good proof that the cruise line is making a killing on the those passengers who do not book their own flights, since the cruise lines more commonly source their flights from consolidator inventory, and the cost of airport transfers, per passenger, is peanuts compared to what the cruise lines charge to those who wants to just buy it.

 

 

[DachshundsRule]

18 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

So, gotta ask: what did you think accounts for the extra cost of the O Life fare, when compared to “cruise only?”🤔

Speaking just for myself, but I thought maybe the port fees and taxes were the cause of the discrepancy. It didn't keep me from booking but I couldn't figure it out either. We're not frequent cruisers but I think the word free is a bit freely used with the O Life perks. 

[Psoque]

6 minutes ago, DachshundsRule said:

Speaking just for myself, but I thought maybe the port fees and taxes were the cause of the discrepancy. It didn't keep me from booking but I couldn't figure it out either. We're not frequent cruisers but I think the word free is a bit freely used with the O Life perks. 

Oceania thinks it is “clever” marketing to never directly mention the cost of OLife add-on.  It is a mystery to me how that is clever or for that matter, beneficial to their bottom line.  Call me crazy, but if I were running a cruise line, I would want all of my customers to pay me money for a great cruise with great service, and I would like my customers to be well-informed.

My suggestion to Oceania is for them to list three items, separately for each itinerary/cabin class:

 

-Cruise Only Cost (which Oceania already does…BRAVO!!!..with sarcasm!)

-Cost of (basic) Airfare (and airport transfers) Arranged by Oceania.

-Cost of OLife Add-On (they can call it whatever they want to call it, but it is NOT free, and they need to make that very clear.)

 

If they do this, more customers new to Oceania will be spending less time scratching their heads about how their cruises are priced.

 

They also needs to rethink if it is even profitable to keep saying “FREE AIRFARE!  FREE AIRPORT TRANSFERS!!!” on almost every page of their brochure.  I guess some customers may get hooked by this, but does Oceania really consider highly impressionable careless readers with substandard analytical skills to be their target customer base?

 

Can you imagine a car dealership say “FREE TIRES” when the invoice include a charge for tires?  I don’t think a car dealership cannot get away doing that.  For some reason, Oceania is getting away with it.  I have no idea why.  Or when you buy groceries, and you choose not to buy milk, for example, can a grocery store “charge” you for milk, then refund you for “milk credit?”  All of this is pure insanity.

 

….my disclaimers…

 

-I have no axe to grind with Oceania.  I’m just making an observation.  I don’t feel I was ever harmed by the questionable marketing practices employed by Oceania.  I’m hoping that I will have a great time on Riviera regardless of what Oceania decides to include in their marketing strategy.

 

-I am aware that Oceania is not the only cruise line that participates in questionable and confusing marketing behavior.  Many other cruise lines do similar/not so similar things in the name of marketing.  However, I think the whole “FREE AIRFARE!  FREE AIRPORT TRANSFER!” thing shrouded in this mysterious OLife “perk” along with this “air credit” you receive when you decide to book your own airfare, in my experience, marks a new low for me.

 

-For those who think I should just not take an Oceania cruise because of it, thanks for your suggestion.  However, as I mentioned earlier in this disclaimer, their questionable “marketing practice” does not bother me enough to ditch Oceania.

 

 

 

[basor]

Perhaps if they changed the word to "included or includes" those that find their wording objectionable would be appeased

[cruiserchuck]

To Oceania's credit, they are one of the few cruise lines to include all taxes, fees and port expenses in their advertised prices.  

[bubbaed]

Thank you, everyone, for your very insightful posts. I'm learning a lot! 😀

 

For comparison: In addition to trying O for the first time later this year, I also booked (my first) Viking Ocean cruise this year and I originally opted out of the "free airfare & transfer" promo since I usually prefer to book these my own.

 

However, I subsequently realized that V does not give an "airfare credit" if you decline the promotion so I cancelled and re-booked the cruise with r/t air & transfers included - for the exact same price. To this day, the cabin category I booked is still the same price, but they now charge extra for airfare on new bookings.

 

In this instance, I truly believe this qualifies as "free" airfare. So kudos to Viking for that.

 

Having gone through the process to book both O and V for the first time this year, I find V's pricing to be much more straightforward. I guess that's the Scandinavian model. The score 0-1 to V on this one 😉

 

For some background: the pricing model I'm used to is Princess. The cruise fare is the cruise fare, and the port taxes/fees are clearly disclosed so that's easy to figure out. Some fares include OBC, or other perks based on the "sale" du jour, but it's bundled into the advertised fare. Then I do the math and based on how much we drink, the gratuities, and the WiFi - the Princess Plus package ($60/day) makes sense for us. If I (rarely) book airfare using Princess EasyAir, it's a separate charge, clearly displayed when booking flights via Princess' site, and I get to choose my preferred dates, airline, flights, etc. The cost varies based on my selection, just like booking on any other travel site, but Princess handles the logistics in the event of delays/cancellation, etc.  I can also book transfers through Princess even if I book flights on my own. When it makes sense, this is a very convenient system.

 

As many on this thread have pointed out, all cruise lines have their "system" - I just prefer ones that are clear to understand and give me choice in how, and what, to pay for.

 

Happy cruising!

 

[Psoque]

I just received an e-mail from the new Crystal that they are now offering “air credits” to those book by some arbitrary deadline.  I guess those cruise marketing people think (don’t think) alike.  The madness continues…. But to their credit, they have not gone “all-out Oceania” yet.  They are definitely not saying “FREE AIRFARE!!!” yet.

Edited May 31, 2023 by Psoque

[YourWorldWithBill]

For me the bottom line is: if you're planning to book Oceania excursions (even given that they're expensive), then the OLife makes sense, especially if there are additional things thrown in, as there often are. And to @bubbaed , we've been on a couple of Viking cruises and loved them, but I think the current airfare deal may be a one-time offering. On our cruises it wasn't as good as you describe.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, Psoque said:

Oceania thinks it is “clever” marketing to never directly mention the cost of OLife add-on.  It is a mystery to me how that is clever or for that matter, beneficial to their bottom line.  Call me crazy, but if I were running a cruise line, I would want all of my customers to pay me money for a great cruise with great service, and I would like my customers to be well-informed.

My suggestion to Oceania is for them to list three items, separately for each itinerary/cabin class:

 

-Cruise Only Cost (which Oceania already does…BRAVO!!!..with sarcasm!)

-Cost of (basic) Airfare (and airport transfers) Arranged by Oceania.

-Cost of OLife Add-On (they can call it whatever they want to call it, but it is NOT free, and they need to make that very clear.)

 

If they do this, more customers new to Oceania will be spending less time scratching their heads about how their cruises are priced.

 

They also needs to rethink if it is even profitable to keep saying “FREE AIRFARE!  FREE AIRPORT TRANSFERS!!!” on almost every page of their brochure.  I guess some customers may get hooked by this, but does Oceania really consider highly impressionable careless readers with substandard analytical skills to be their target customer base?

 

Can you imagine a car dealership say “FREE TIRES” when the invoice include a charge for tires?  I don’t think a car dealership cannot get away doing that.  For some reason, Oceania is getting away with it.  I have no idea why.  Or when you buy groceries, and you choose not to buy milk, for example, can a grocery store “charge” you for milk, then refund you for “milk credit?”  All of this is pure insanity.

 

….my disclaimers…

 

-I have no axe to grind with Oceania.  I’m just making an observation.  I don’t feel I was ever harmed by the questionable marketing practices employed by Oceania.  I’m hoping that I will have a great time on Riviera regardless of what Oceania decides to include in their marketing strategy.

 

-I am aware that Oceania is not the only cruise line that participates in questionable and confusing marketing behavior.  Many other cruise lines do similar/not so similar things in the name of marketing.  However, I think the whole “FREE AIRFARE!  FREE AIRPORT TRANSFER!” thing shrouded in this mysterious OLife “perk” along with this “air credit” you receive when you decide to book your own airfare, in my experience, marks a new low for me.

 

-For those who think I should just not take an Oceania cruise because of it, thanks for your suggestion.  However, as I mentioned earlier in this disclaimer, their questionable “marketing practice” does not bother me enough to ditch Oceania.

 

 

 

Anyone with the most rudimentary v understanding of basic math can quickly get to the cost of the four ways to book:

 

cruise only w/air 

cruise only w/o air

o life w/air

o life w/o air 

 

And all the numbers you need are on the first and second webpage of each specific cruise.

 

Not rocket science.

[Woofa]

And before anyone takes too much time studying for an advanced Oceania degree, remember its supposed to change, and get simpler, very soon.  Perhaps the new system will make everyone happy.  We should all know in the coming months.

[pinotlover]

7 minutes ago, Woofa said:

And before anyone takes too much time studying for an advanced Oceania degree, remember its supposed to change, and get simpler, very soon.  Perhaps the new system will make everyone happy.  We should all know in the coming months.

New releases are due out August through October. We’ll see if that time frame meets the definition of “ very soon” in Oceaniaese! 

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, Woofa said:

And before anyone takes too much time studying for an advanced Oceania degree, remember its supposed to change, and get simpler, very soon.  Perhaps the new system will make everyone happy.  We should all know in the coming months.

Don’t hold your breath.

Thr issue is not so much the complexity of the pricing and allowable discounts as it is the vast array of interpretations across the span of O staff that come into contact with your cruise costs.

[Psoque]

12 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Anyone with the most rudimentary v understanding of basic math can quickly get to the cost of the four ways to book:

 

cruise only w/air 

cruise only w/o air

o life w/air

o life w/o air 

 

And all the numbers you need are on the first and second webpage of each specific cruise.

 

Not rocket science.

Obviously, if we know that the cost of OLife is the same as the “free” onboard credit, anybody with basic math skill can figure all of that.  I cannot argue with that.  It’s the way Oceania presents the information in a way that is NOT straightforward and makes somewhat contradictory and false statement about what is being offered for “free.”

 

Furthermore, when I spoke with a Oceania person who was assigned to me to help me  somehow (I’m not sure why/how Oceania decided to assign me a person…I booked this cruise, which I subsequently cancelled for a entirely different reason, was originally booked with my usual travel agent.) about the cost of OLife, he kept telling me that the cost of OLife is “included in my fare” and that the OLife benefits are “free to all customers.”. When I further digged in by asking how much I would pay less if I drop OLife, and also asked if that amount is equal to the “free” on board credit, he pretended like he did not know the answer.

 

It is true that most of us will eventually figure this all out, but I think the information presented on the website and the brochures are extremely misleading, and that’s the reason this very thread was even created.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Psoque

[Psoque]

16 hours ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

For me the bottom line is: if you're planning to book Oceania excursions (even given that they're expensive), then the OLife makes sense, especially if there are additional things thrown in, as there often are. And to @bubbaed , we've been on a couple of Viking cruises and loved them, but I think the current airfare deal may be a one-time offering. On our cruises it wasn't as good as you describe.

I think the main point bubbaed is making about his Viking experience compared to that with Oceania is that what Viking calls “Free Airfare” is different from that with Oceania.

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, Psoque said:

Obviously, if we know that the cost of OLife is the same as the “free” onboard credit, anybody with basic math skill can figure all of that.  I cannot argue with that.  

………

It is true that most of us will eventually figure this all out……,

Perhaps most importantly, remember that you (and I) are less than a drop in the bucket of O’s daily bookings.

Though Covid certainly took a toll on the entire cruise industry, O is quickly bouncing back with ships starting to once again fill to capacity (and one of two new ships already on the high seas).

As someone newer to Oceania, you’re just not understanding that your nomenclature concerns are irrelevant to the vast majority of O regulars whose enjoyment of the unique O (and O Life) experience, particularly when the true “bottomline” value is seen in perspective, dwarfs any hubbub about advertising practices.

 

Give it a rest. Pick one of the four available booking scenarios (again, clearly presented and not rocket science), add the occasional price break from a holiday or special sale and/or book onboard, master the art/science of using O Life and YWYW to your benefit; find (and use) an O preferred partner TA who shares commissions.

 

OR pick another cruise line (which will have its own “gimmicks”) and often provide to you a lesser quality experience than you’ll find on Oceania.

[bubbaed]

14 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Not rocket science.

Maybe not "rocket science" because true, the math is simple to calculate (once you understand the policy) but according to your own recent post on another thread in this forum, you're the first to admit that O's policies can be "quite confusing." Exactly my point.

 

I'm bringing this up as a PSA to those navigating the particulars of O's pricing. This is not a knock on the actual cruise experience (seeing as I've not cruised O yet...) but many of us who are growing exasperated with the "mainstream" lines and looking toward the "premium" lines need to learn the ins and outs of pricing policies, particularly due to the premium pricing. When stepping up from mainstream lines, it's even more important to clearly understand how much it's going to cost, and what options we have.

 

I hope the "new" O Life options we're hearing rumors about makes things easier to compare packages, inclusions, etc. It will only help O gain more cheerleaders.

 

Happy cruising!

 

[MEFIowa]

2 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

Maybe not "rocket science" because true, the math is simple to calculate (once you understand the policy) but according to your own recent post on another thread in this forum, you're the first to admit that O's policies can be "quite confusing." Exactly my point....

I was blessed that the first time I contacted O to book our very first cruise I knew I wanted to do just "cruise-only", so that made it simple for us. And then about 2 weeks later there was the 2021 Presidents' Day "cabin-upgrade" sale. Where suddenly the prices dropped significantly. I learned that I had to watch for sales, as O wouldn't just automatically reprice a cruise or directly alert me to a big sale for my specific cruise. So, I rebooked the cruise and went from a C to an A4 for almost nothing (was just $2099 PP for a 12/2021 10-night cruise on Riviera).

 

I learned to watch and wait for each sale to see what worked for us, with the cabin-upgrade sales really being the only ones we wanted since SBC/OBC is worth pennies on the dollar other than for paying gratuities. We book our own airfare, book our own excursions and bring our own alcohol. And it really isn't that hard, if you want to do it. I'm still in shock over the low-low-low prices from the 2023 Extraordinary Savings Sale. Rebooked both our 10-night cruises on Riviera even considering I'd already rebooked them both from a 2022 cabin-upgrade sale. I've learned to book a G or F then go to a C and then to a B or A. The A3 for one cruise less expensive than the C!

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, Psoque said:

I think the main point bubbaed is making about his Viking experience compared to that with Oceania is that what Viking calls “Free Airfare” is different from that with Oceania.

I agree: Viking is much clearer about what their offer is. There is an obvious difference between the reality of Oceania's "offer" and what the offer is in reality.

[Flatbush Flyer]

49 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

Maybe not "rocket science" because true, the math is simple to calculate (once you understand the policy) but according to your own recent post on another thread in this forum, you're the first to admit that O's policies can be "quite confusing." Exactly my point.

 

I'm bringing this up as a PSA to those navigating the particulars of O's pricing. This is not a knock on the actual cruise experience (seeing as I've not cruised O yet...) but many of us who are growing exasperated with the "mainstream" lines and looking toward the "premium" lines need to learn the ins and outs of pricing policies, particularly due to the premium pricing. When stepping up from mainstream lines, it's even more important to clearly understand how much it's going to cost, and what options we have.

 

I hope the "new" O Life options we're hearing rumors about makes things easier to compare packages, inclusions, etc. It will only help O gain more cheerleaders.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Reread my related posts. What can be confusing is the special pricing - sales, combination discounts, etc. And it’s not the policies themselves. Rather, it’s the interpretation of those policies by different O employees who come into contact with your booking. One person says NO. But, their supervisor or a different department “up the food chain” says YES. 
That’s what drives me crazy. But, a little perseverance gets to the right spot with the right answer.

[cruiserchuck]

I recently received an email from Oceania promoting a 20% discount for Oceania Club members on certain cruises.
 

It is unclear what starting price is used for the discount to be applied to, and whether this offer is combinable with other offers.
 

Has anyone been able to use this offer in combination with other current offers from Oceania?

[shepherd really]

33 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

I recently received an email from Oceania promoting a 20% discount for Oceania Club members on certain cruises.
 

It is unclear what starting price is used for the discount to be applied to, and whether this offer is combinable with other offers.
 

Has anyone been able to use this offer in combination with other current offers from Oceania?

I would be willing to wager the fares were raised 20% (at least) from the intro fares when the cruises were released and will be higher than what early bookers paid, making many or most people ineligible for any savings.  

[AMHuntFerry]

1 minute ago, shepherd really said:

I would be willing to wager the fares were raised 20% (at least) from the intro fares when the cruises were released and will be higher than what early bookers paid, making many or most people ineligible for any savings.  

The ones I've looked at are usually the same ones that get the cabin-upgrade or ultimate OLife sales (also overlap with "featured" cruises on the website...indicates not selling well?), and are less than the launch fare. Caveat: I do not compare every single one, so some may not fit my observation (e.g., may be more than launch fare).

[Flatbush Flyer]

28 minutes ago, cruiserchuck said:

I recently received an email from Oceania promoting a 20% discount for Oceania Club members on certain cruises.
 

It is unclear what starting price is used for the discount to be applied to, and whether this offer is combinable with other offers.
 

Has anyone been able to use this offer in combination with other current offers from Oceania?

Perfect example of my post above. 
The first thing to do is review the O website link to “promotions” If you’re sort of lucky, the “O Club special” should be addressed in terms of its restrictions. If not, the somewhat most flexible/combinable deal is the book onboard price drop match guarantee (though it does require availability in your cabin class and you lose the book onboard discount if it’s a rebook vs a price adjustment.

The last line there is a key item. One O person you (or your TA) talk to may say “rebook” while another may say “price adjust” and a third (incl. your TA) may say “haven’t got a clue.”

Bottom line for me: You or your TA should always get several “interpretations” of uncertainties about big discounts/price differences/combinable offers in writing (email is fine) if there’s interpretation disagreements and save the “best” one (for your benefit) that comes directly from an O employee. That’s powerful ammo for you or your TA to get some financial consideration - even if it’s just more SBC (to get you to say OK).

[basor]

2 hours ago, shepherd really said:

I would be willing to wager the fares were raised 20% (at least) from the intro fares when the cruises were released and will be higher than what early bookers paid, making many or most people ineligible for any savings.  

What the fares were in the past are irrelevant, if you did not book then, what is relevant is what is the current price for the cruise and if the 20% is off of that......there have been several across the board fare increases the past months (not counting any specials, promos, etc.) so the 20% is indeed a savings if you want to book a cruise now .