Cancellation of cruise in the Middle East

[Harry Lake]

5 minutes ago, Psoque said:

Why is Oceania shooting itself in the head by acting this way?

If I had to bet $$$ I'd say someone relatively high up made the refund/FCC comment without checking with the right people. Now why they don't back off, beg for forgiveness and hope they get some of those customers back.

[roninman]

8 hours ago, Psoque said:

Why is Oceania shooting itself in the head by acting this way?

Don't really know, but I'm thinking a few of the usual reasons corporate management is so frequently blundering these days.

 

Arrogance.  They have for so long been able to force one-sided contracts on their customers, the like of which is almost non-existent in any other industry (we don't deliver a promised and paid-for service?  So what, give us the money), that they forget no consumer *needs* to go on cruises, while at the same time cruise companies *need* consumers to go on cruises.

 

Out of touch.   Once in the executive suites we know it all and don't really need to listen to customers anymore, let the phone answerers deal with them.  And we really really understand how social media changes things; except we really really don't.

 

 

[Elless100]

10 hours ago, Harry Lake said:

If I had to bet $$$ I'd say someone relatively high up made the refund/FCC comment without checking with the right people. Now why they don't back off, beg for forgiveness and hope they get some of those customers back.

So….we all agree we are in same “boat” literally and figuratively! What are most people doing in the end …?

[Linda Deenen]

We have 11 days to sailing and are still pushing for either refund or FCC. It’s all we can do. Once we set foot in the ship, they have “won”.

[Elless100]

4 minutes ago, Linda Deenen said:

We have 11 days to sailing and are still pushing for either refund or FCC. It’s all we can do. Once we set foot in the ship, they have “won”.

Same here. !

[1 EastEnder]

Hello Everyone.  Just an update.  When one of Cruise Critic members posted regarding the ship encountering storms and seasickness, I decided to cancel the cruise.  On the advice of my son-in-law I called my credit card company to dispute the charges, which they did.  I also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  Oceania agreed to put a small money amount back into my account and gave me an FCC.  Note this new future cruise has to be booked by the end of THIS month.  Very short window, but that cruise can be taken in 2024 or 2025.  It just has to be booked by the end of this November month.  My understanding is that it is not transferable.  I paid for myself, and my two daughters and Oceania sent three certificates, one for each person.  I called the Oceania TA and asked what happens if either or both of my daughters couldn't go with me on a future cruise.  The TA said I should get both girls to write individual emails, on their email accounts, transferring their certificate and share of the future cruise over to me.  Again, these emails had to be sent before the end of this month.  I hope this helps.  On a side note, I know I have to book a future cruise by the month's end but frankly the way this company has handled this situation has left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I am reluctant to step on any ship that has Norwegian has its parent company.

[PhD-iva]

34 minutes ago, 1 EastEnder said:

frankly the way this company has handled this situation has left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I am reluctant to step on any ship that has Norwegian has its parent company.

This is the point. This was handled so poorly.

In the end, the company will probably be providing FCC, and/or refunds to many or most of the dissatisfied passengers, at least I hope they do. However, it will be much harder to erase the bad will they created.

[LHT28]

46 minutes ago, 1 EastEnder said:

Hello Everyone.  Just an update.  When one of Cruise Critic members posted regarding the ship encountering storms and seasickness, I decided to cancel the cruise. 

You may want to consider  not cruising  at all   then

Bad weather can happen anywhere

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/storm-ciarn-sweeps-italy-record-rainfall-killing-3-104598245

 

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, Psoque said:

Why is Oceania shooting itself in the head by acting this way?

 

Because in a short time the complaints will be a thing of the past and all those long term customer saying they will leave, really won't leave.  

[Mary229]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Because in a short time the complaints will be a thing of the past and all those long term customer saying they will leave, really won't leave.  

I cruise multiple times a year and Oceania’s poor excuse for customer service has kept me off of their ships since 2018.  It was such a rude experience that I likely will never consider them again. My two sisters feel the same way.  One of those sisters owns a large agency and only recently started offering Oceania again but only when asked.  
 

 This is not bias, I really wanted to like Oceania as I was in my youth a big fan of Norwegian 

[RD64]

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

[Elless100]

48 minutes ago, RD64 said:

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

I was  so excited to finally take an Oceania cruise. Have sailed many others but never Oceania. This experience shows they are money driven, no customer care , snd I will hesitate snd consider another option before I book again

“ screw me once shame on you.  Screw me twice shame  on me “  

I may not want to risk it 

[cruisemom42]

8 hours ago, RD64 said:

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

 

Yep. Have done it with NCL since 1987.

[Mary229]

11 hours ago, RD64 said:

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

Principle is not the issue.  I am not going to recount the disturbing things that happened, unprovoked, on that cruise but I can assure you I will never go back.  If you were sitting in my living room I would tell you the whole sordid affair and you likely would cancel going forward. 

[CraigM]

13 hours ago, RD64 said:

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

Absolutely, I would. But this is a case of trust. Didn't realize there was a problem with acting on principle, in any case?

[roninman]

14 hours ago, RD64 said:

But there will always be others who will take your place - and truly if there is an itinerary / price that you can’t pass up, will you truly not book on principle?

I'd pass up.  Why deliberately choose to put myself or those I care about into a potential situation, however unlikely, with an entity that has already demonstrated a calculated disregard for consumers?  Al Wilson had a song a number of years ago, and Aesop had a fable about a frog and a scorpion, about a mistaken expectation for a party to change character.  

 

 

[oskidunker]

13 minutes ago, roninman said:

I'd pass up.  Why deliberately choose to put myself or those I care about into a potential situation, however unlikely, with an entity that has already demonstrated a calculated disregard for consumers?  Al Wilson had a song a number of years ago, and Aesop had a fable about a frog and a scorpion, about a mistaken expectation for a party to change character.  

it will be interesting to see if demand is still high next year. 

 

 

[1 EastEnder]

I can understand Mary229's reluctance to travel again on Oceania.  It’s not just a case of a disrupted cruise.  It’s the ripple effect.  I booked a month-long trip, which included this cruise, to celebrate my daughter’s return to better health.  It was exciting to buy cruise clothes and book excursions. And then it all changed.  The acrimonious dealings with Oceania in reaching a settlement, the hours I’ve spent on the phone trying to cancel flights and hotels and having to pay a lot more to do so.  Disputed Oceania charges on my credit card has held that card up until the dispute is settled; up to ninety days.  I have automatic charges coming out of that card.  I have an 824 credit rating and I’m having to call vendors and explain the problem if their automatic charges are denied.
Last year my trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway was canceled because of the Russia/Ukraine conflict.  I was fortunate with this travel agency; all moneys were returned.  This year my trip has been ended because of the Israeli conflict.  I understand war.  I was born in the East End of London, two-thirds of which was destroyed in WWII. I spent my formative years down in an Anderson shelter listening to the drone of bombs.  
For me now the writing is on the wall.  The world is an unstable place.  Time for me to reflect on the wonderful places I’ve seen during my many years of travel and the nice and funny people I met along the way. Time for me to pack away my suitcases and gallop off into the sunset.  Except I’m too old to get on a horse.  Oh, well, guess I’ll just shuffle off.  Happy and safe travels everyone.  I’m signing off now.  Cheers.

[Heartfelttraveler]

15 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I cruise multiple times a year and Oceania’s poor excuse for customer service has kept me off of their ships since 2018.  It was such a rude experience that I likely will never consider them again. My two sisters feel the same way.  One of those sisters owns a large agency and only recently started offering Oceania again but only when asked.  
 

 This is not bias, I really wanted to like Oceania as I was in my youth a big fan of Norwegian 

If you have not considered Oceania since 2018, why are you even on this board five years later? 

[Mary229]

14 minutes ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

If you have not considered Oceania since 2018, why are you even on this board five years later? 

This topic began on another forum and was moved to Oceania after a few days.  

[S4POPO]

16 hours ago, Mary229 said:

This is not bias, I really wanted to like Oceania as I was in my youth a big fan of Norwegian 

I know that both brands are part of the same corporate holding company, but I wouldn't compare NCL and Oceania.  They are two distinct companies with different management teams and different philosophies.

[roninman]

46 minutes ago, S4POPO said:

I know that both brands are part of the same corporate holding company, but I wouldn't compare NCL and Oceania.  They are two distinct companies with different management teams and different philosophies.

Can't speak for Norwegian, but Regent Seven Seas is also part of that conglomerate, and there appears to be plenty of heartache in these forums about RSS's policies with regard to their reaction to the situation in the Near East, and their attention to their customer's- or lack thereof.

 

[Mary229]

55 minutes ago, S4POPO said:

I know that both brands are part of the same corporate holding company, but I wouldn't compare NCL and Oceania.  They are two distinct companies with different management teams and different philosophies.

I was exclusively Norwegian long before they bought Oceania.  My thought was I had started only going on longer more exotic voyages and smaller ships  and was hoping to transition in the same family of cruise lines.  Unfortunately it didn’t work out for us. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Mary229

[Abby0651]

On 11/6/2023 at 6:45 PM, Psoque said:

Why is Oceania shooting itself in the head by acting this way?

To get business class airfare independently booked back through insurance

FCC not enough!

cruise must be cancelled by Oceania!

do not think renaming it is enough?

what do you think??

I have never submitted a claim before 

thank you

[Harry Lake]

2 hours ago, 1 EastEnder said:

I can understand Mary229's reluctance to travel again on Oceania.  It’s not just a case of a disrupted cruise.  It’s the ripple effect.  I booked a month-long trip, which included this cruise, to celebrate my daughter’s return to better health.  It was exciting to buy cruise clothes and book excursions. And then it all changed.  The acrimonious dealings with Oceania in reaching a settlement, the hours I’ve spent on the phone trying to cancel flights and hotels and having to pay a lot more to do so.  Disputed Oceania charges on my credit card has held that card up until the dispute is settled; up to ninety days.  I have automatic charges coming out of that card.  I have an 824 credit rating and I’m having to call vendors and explain the problem if their automatic charges are denied.
Last year my trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway was canceled because of the Russia/Ukraine conflict.  I was fortunate with this travel agency; all moneys were returned.  This year my trip has been ended because of the Israeli conflict.  I understand war.  I was born in the East End of London, two-thirds of which was destroyed in WWII. I spent my formative years down in an Anderson shelter listening to the drone of bombs.  
For me now the writing is on the wall.  The world is an unstable place.  Time for me to reflect on the wonderful places I’ve seen during my many years of travel and the nice and funny people I met along the way. Time for me to pack away my suitcases and gallop off into the sunset.  Except I’m too old to get on a horse.  Oh, well, guess I’ll just shuffle off.  Happy and safe travels everyone.  I’m signing off now.  Cheers.

Thank you for your eloquence. We're 'only' in our mid70s but are feeling/thinking the way you are. There are places we visited ten years ago that we wouldn't return to.  Honestly we've visited more places than most people we know have. And only a few on cruises. Not to be (too) melodramatic but "World War III" does come to our minds these days. I in no way criticize those who cruise and cruise and cruise. I think - like you I'll reflect on all the wonderful people and places.  

 

Again thanks.