How much more is Simply More (compared to earlier fares)?

[MarkWiltonM]

I looked at a cruise I have booked on Vista this December in a B3 veranda. This is a cruise-only fare.  If I booked it today with Simply More (without airfare), it would be $50 more per person per day, or $500 more per person for the 10-night cruise. If we wanted the included alcohol at lunch and dinner (we do not), and if we wanted the $400 shore excursion credit, which I assume is per person (we do not want this either), the additional fare would be reasonable. But since we don't drink alcohol and book our own shore excursions (and this is rarely done in the Caribbean), it's a significant increase without any additional value to us. 

 

We also have a cruise booked on Marina in late 2024 but I can't locate that cruise on Oceania's website currently (tried yesterday and today). Maybe they haven't updated the fares for this yet so it's not showing up. (???)

 

Wondering what others are finding for their cruises in various stateroom categories. 

[AMHuntFerry]

Many people have posted in  2 or 3 other topics. Some post what they paid regardless of whether it was a sale fare or a regular fare which is of course important to that individual. I (as many have surmised) prefer to see how SM affects the price, and the only way to do this is to compare the NON-sale fare on June 30th to the SM fare. I compared all of the 2024 Alaska and CA fares July 1 with the catalog NON-sale fares that expired June 30th. The cruise-only fares all increased exactly the amount of SimpleMore shorex-OBC. The airfare-included fare increased mostly by $100 (although 1 had a $200 increase). Here are links:

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by AMHuntFerry

[halfapair]

4 hours ago, MarkWiltonM said:

I looked at a cruise I have booked on Vista this December in a B3 veranda. This is a cruise-only fare.  If I booked it today with Simply More (without airfare), it would be $50 more per person per day, or $500 more per person for the 10-night cruise. If we wanted the included alcohol at lunch and dinner (we do not), and if we wanted the $400 shore excursion credit, which I assume is per person (we do not want this either), the additional fare would be reasonable. But since we don't drink alcohol and book our own shore excursions (and this is rarely done in the Caribbean), it's a significant increase without any additional value to us. 

 

We also have a cruise booked on Marina in late 2024 but I can't locate that cruise on Oceania's website currently (tried yesterday and today). Maybe they haven't updated the fares for this yet so it's not showing up. (???)

 

Wondering what others are finding for their cruises in various stateroom categories. 

We are booked on the Vista for June 2024 on a 19 day cruise. I looked at out cruise fare (no air included), 10 included shore excursions (already reserved), and our OBC. If we were to book that cruise now it would be $1600 more, not including the increased gratuities.

 

My husband doesn’t drink, and only have the occasional cocktail or glass of wine. We like to book our own air so we can add days before and after our cruise. So there’s no upside for us with SimplyMore, except that our cruises will simply cost more.

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, MarkWiltonM said:

I looked at a cruise I have booked on Vista this December in a B3 veranda. This is a cruise-only fare.  If I booked it today with Simply More (without airfare), it would be $50 more per person per day, or $500 more per person for the 10-night cruise. If we wanted the included alcohol at lunch and dinner (we do not), and if we wanted the $400 shore excursion credit, which I assume is per person (we do not want this either), the additional fare would be reasonable. But since we don't drink alcohol and book our own shore excursions (and this is rarely done in the Caribbean), it's a significant increase without any additional value to us. 

 

We also have a cruise booked on Marina in late 2024 but I can't locate that cruise on Oceania's website currently (tried yesterday and today). Maybe they haven't updated the fares for this yet so it's not showing up. (???)

 

Wondering what others are finding for their cruises in various stateroom categories. 

Tour allotted in O Life are/were per cabin.

[AMHuntFerry]

3 hours ago, halfapair said:

We are booked on the Vista for June 2024 on a 19 day cruise. I looked at out cruise fare (no air included), 10 included shore excursions (already reserved), and our OBC. If we were to book that cruise now it would be $1600 more, not including the increased gratuities.

 

My husband doesn’t drink, and only have the occasional cocktail or glass of wine. We like to book our own air so we can add days before and after our cruise. So there’s no upside for us with SimplyMore, except that our cruises will simply cost more.

 

 

Did you book with a sale fare? Every cruise I've checked only went up in price the difference between what the OLife (no air) OBC was and the SM (no air) OBC (e.g., if OLife OBC was $1200, SM OBC is $1400, then the total price went up $200/cabin). This does not apply if you are comparing to a sale fare; so yes, it probably makes no sense for people with sale fares to switch to SM. People who booked OLife with a regular fare may find SM attractive.

[shepherd really]

One question related to the SM rollout.  Will they be upgrading the safes in the cabins so they will open on a verbal command?  I ask because it is standard practice in SM to have a safe word.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hopefully, we all remember that the points made in our current discussion may become irrelevant when, by the end of this year, O will have enough data to tweak the whole SM program and it’s pricing structure.

[halfapair]

12 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Did you book with a sale fare? Every cruise I've checked only went up in price the difference between what the OLife (no air) OBC was and the SM (no air) OBC (e.g., if OLife OBC was $1200, SM OBC is $1400, then the total price went up $200/cabin). This does not apply if you are comparing to a sale fare; so yes, it probably makes no sense for people with sale fares to switch to SM. People who booked OLife with a regular fare may find SM attractive.

We booked the cruise while on the Insignia going through the Panama Canal in January 2023. Our booking included 10 shore excursions (5 each person), and $250 pp OBC.

 

I looked at the value of the shore excursions I reserved for us ($865 pp), and the ability to use the $250 OBC to pay for part of our gratuities. We did not book airfare through Oceania, so we received a credit for that. And we'll purchase trip insurance through a different provider.

[Sabbycat]

23 hours ago, MarkWiltonM said:

I looked at a cruise I have booked on Vista this December in a B3 veranda. This is a cruise-only fare.  If I booked it today with Simply More (without airfare), it would be $50 more per person per day, or $500 more per person for the 10-night cruise. If we wanted the included alcohol at lunch and dinner (we do not), and if we wanted the $400 shore excursion credit, which I assume is per person (we do not want this either), the additional fare would be reasonable. But since we don't drink alcohol and book our own shore excursions (and this is rarely done in the Caribbean), it's a significant increase without any additional value to us. 

 

We also have a cruise booked on Marina in late 2024 but I can't locate that cruise on Oceania's website currently (tried yesterday and today). Maybe they haven't updated the fares for this yet so it's not showing up. (???)

 

Wondering what others are finding for their cruises in various stateroom categories. 

 

It is important to note that on July 1, not only did Oceania change over to the new fare schedule, they also increased fares across the board, and so it is impossible to know the actual impact (price increase) on fares that the new fare schedule has had since both occurred on the same day. 

[judi666]

I did a screen shot of my price before Simply more. $7049 for cruise only. After simply more added $7549.  $1000 more total. I never take the air so that has been subtracted.    It seemed worth it for the beverage at lunch and dinner ( we would usually have some wine) as well as the $1200 for shore ex and the additional wifi ( 2 pers).   There are some itineraries this would not work for.   This particular one ( Tahiti to LA, 21 days) has 9 sea days.  Plus limited private excursions on the islands.  Rebooked with Simply More.

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by judi666

[m1k2s3]

About a month ago, I was looking at a 10 day cruise in January 2024, Papeete to Papeete, a concierge A1 cabin, for my husband and I. The price at that time was $10,549 Canadian funds, per person. That same cruise now is $11,399 Cdn., which works out to an increase of $1700 for us.  We always took the House Select Beverage package and rarely used the ship excursions. Simply More shore excursion credit for this cruise is $800 but that’s per stateroom so it looks like this cruise would cost us an additional $1100.

[LuAnn]

I booked a cruise on 6/28 for April '25 to avoid the SM. It's on Vista in a French Veranda cabin. 

 

This fare is only for me as I'm going solo. I booked "cruise only" and no air. My invoice total is $7598.00 and my total with SM is $8398.00 with no air...$800.00 more. 

 

I don't drink alcohol and don't do ship excursions. So I'm sticking with my 6/26 booking.

[Redtravel]

When we were onboard in December, we booked a future cruise on Vista.  Promo was very good.  $200 off the fare and $200 OBC pp.  We were on Marina in June, promo wasn’t as good.  There were no lines waiting to book future cruises.  Yesterday after we got home, I got email with the Simply More . I checked out the cost of the Vista cruise.  Price was $700pp more. Since I don’t drink and usually book private excursions, Simply More isn’t attractive.  Hope that O offers cruise only fares.

[MEFIowa]

Of course, this begs the question: Why would you book at full price rather than on sale? Book initially and then rebook under sales. I do that for all my cruises. The future issue will be what impact, if any, Simply More has on the old cabin-upgrade sales. Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, etc. This Simply More likely has replaced a 4th of July sale. Labor Day will be next! Can't wait to see if there is one or not.

[watercruise]

On 7/3/2023 at 12:42 AM, AMHuntFerry said:

Did you book with a sale fare? Every cruise I've checked only went up in price the difference between what the OLife (no air) OBC was and the SM (no air) OBC (e.g., if OLife OBC was $1200, SM OBC is $1400, then the total price went up $200/cabin). This does not apply if you are comparing to a sale fare; so yes, it probably makes no sense for people with sale fares to switch to SM. People who booked OLife with a regular fare may find SM attractive.

Does anyone know if the list of wines and champagnes are different than the previous by the glass wines and champagnes?  

[basor]

2 minutes ago, watercruise said:

Does anyone know if the list of wines and champagnes are different than the previous by the glass wines and champagnes?  

No way to know until after 01OCT but I think it is availability that determines what is on the list...

[ak1004]

26 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Of course, this begs the question: Why would you book at full price rather than on sale? Book initially and then rebook under sales. I do that for all my cruises. The future issue will be what impact, if any, Simply More has on the old cabin-upgrade sales. Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, etc. This Simply More likely has replaced a 4th of July sale. Labor Day will be next! Can't wait to see if there is one or not.

 

Somehow none of my cruises is ever on sale..

[grifdoglover]

@shepherd reallythe word is “open sesame cookie”

[Vineyard View]

We booked on 6/30 A3, 14 day Barcelona to Rome 5/18/23. No special deals. We used Olife for drink package. No air. 
Simply More pricing no air on Saturday was lower. Worked with our TA yesterday and saved $2,200 over the 6/30 pricing. I told her to book it quickly before it changed as it just doesn’t make sense with what I am reading here. So for us it was a win-win even if we don’t do shore excursions. 

[pinotlover]

I believe most all of the current analysis is mostly junk. On board discounts, continuing special sales, waitlist prices. Far too many variables.

 

Which brings up a question. If one is waitlisted, and the waitlist doesn’t clear until 10/1, I’m guessing the only choice is SM. It will be interesting to see how many waitlists miraculously clear after that date! 😂

 

My gut level tells me the only true indicator of price increases, brought on by SM, will only occur in September/October upon the release of the new cruises. Then a comparison of how :Previous cruise release price x 1.1 inflation adjustments compare to identical new cruise release prices. Then we’ll know. 

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

I believe most all of the current analysis is mostly junk. On board discounts, continuing special sales, waitlist prices. Far too many variables.

 

Which brings up a question. If one is waitlisted, and the waitlist doesn’t clear until 10/1, I’m guessing the only choice is SM. It will be interesting to see how many waitlists miraculously clear after that date! 😂

 

My gut level tells me the only true indicator of price increases, brought on by SM, will only occur in September/October upon the release of the new cruises. Then a comparison of how :Previous cruise release price x 1.1 inflation adjustments compare to identical new cruise release prices. Then we’ll know. 

 

Well, the FV on the Vista is already around $400/day for most European sailings. Another $50 increase - and I can book SB or SS for basically the same price. I'm sure O are well aware of the competition prices.

[TFree]

I posted our experience in a different thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2944622-simply-mores-impact-on-current-bookings/?do=findComment&comment=65662265

 

Bottom line: Vista November Panama Canal Cruise, in an A2 Concierge cabin. Previously booked with OLife without air, chose the excursions option.  Cruise currently sold out and waitlisted, but our TA was still able to get a price to change to Simply More: $798 for the cabin ($399 pp).  Pros: 2d Wifi Login + wine/beer at lunch and dinner. Con: the theoretical $796 pp excursions credit (with which we booked 4 eligible "free" excursions costing $586 pp) is replaced with a $500 pp excursion credit applicable to any excursions.  My thinking is that this works out pretty much as a wash for us, not being big drinkers, but we would have wine or beer with dinner (and maybe sometimes with lunch).  

 

Tom & Judy

[Elbig]

My 2024 cruise increased by $800pp but offset by $800pp shorex credit and second Wi-Fi ($500) 

 

my 2025 cruise increased by $100pp so it is a much better deal.