Can you change a booked reservation thru an Oceania to a different agent?

[Oceaniacruiser2023]

We agreed to be waitlisted for a Med cruise in April that we were not 100% sure that we wanted to take.  The Oceania advisor said that there was no risk whatsoever and he would contact us via phone and let us know if something opened up and we would have 3 days to decide. We were sent an email on Sept. 9 of an opening that I overlooked, so now we are booked and final payment due. I am frustrated that he did not reach out by phone. I had strong words with him and would like to change to someone I feel would represent us better. Please do not tell me I should have seen the email. I realize I should have been more careful and searched periodically to see if I had any corespondence from Oceania. 

[Snaefell3]

The general rule is "30 days".    ACK!  Just noticed the "Sept 9".  Sympathies.

 

Beyond that, "details" matter.

• What from-date does the 30 days your particular booking cite (wait-list date or booking date)?

• Where you live  (US vs, for example, UK)?

 

Best advice I have is reach out to one or more "good" travel agents and ask *them* if they can pick your booking up.  (These boards forbid TA recommendations)

 

And, yes, negative-option sales are a thing to be avoided.  😞

Edited November 17, 2023 by Snaefell3
Missed the Sept 9th detail

[AMHuntFerry]

Ugh, I hate it when something like this happens to me! Don't kick yourself too hard. If you don't want to take the cruise, maybe take the $300 hit and chalk it up as a lesson learned.

[Vallesan]

5 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Ugh, I hate it when something like this happens to me! Don't kick yourself too hard. If you don't want to take the cruise, maybe take the $300 hit and chalk it up as a lesson learned.

I agree!

Can’t see another option but don’t leave it because the penalty rises as the cruise gets closer.

Also take a look at your Oceania invoice as often TA’s ask for final payment weeks before it’s due to Oceania so you might still be in the $150 penalty bracket.

P.S.

We were waitlisted a couple of months ago. We weren’t ‘Priority Waitlist’ when you pay a deposit, but we did get an email to say a cabin was available. The email said we needed to ‘confirm the booking with a deposit’ otherwise we wouldn’t be booked. Check your email again just to see exactly under what terms your TA made the booking. You may not be liable.

Edited November 18, 2023 by Vallesan

[Fam_Cruise]

On 11/17/2023 at 5:35 PM, Snaefell3 said:

The general rule is "30 days". 

Starting on December 1, 2023, booking transfers must be completed 14 days after a booking is made in order for the receiving agency to earn commission.

[tigerfan75]

2 minutes ago, Fam_Cruise said:

Starting on December 1, 2023, booking transfers must be completed 14 days after a booking is made in order for the receiving agency to earn commission.

Thanks for the info.  Such a change will affect my upcoming plans.  Can you provide the source of your info?  I sincerely appreciate it.

[Fam_Cruise]

4 minutes ago, tigerfan75 said:

Can you provide the source of your info?

Oceania

[TFree]

"Oceania" is not really helpful as a source of this information.  Does that mean a phone conversation?  If so, apply however many grains of salt you wish.  Is it in some official announcement document we can verify?  I booked a cruise onboard on November 17.  So presumably we have 30 days to transfer to a TA.  Unless Oceania really has changed the policy effective December 1, and it intends to apply this change retroactively.  So, I would be interested in tracking down the actual source of this information.

 

Tom & Judy

[schmerl]

2 hours ago, TFree said:

"Oceania" is not really helpful as a source of this information.  Does that mean a phone conversation?  If so, apply however many grains of salt you wish.  Is it in some official announcement document we can verify?  I booked a cruise onboard on November 17.  So presumably we have 30 days to transfer to a TA.  Unless Oceania really has changed the policy effective December 1, and it intends to apply this change retroactively.  So, I would be interested in tracking down the actual source of this information.

 

Tom & Judy

I suggest you call Oceania and get the information from them directly. 

[TFree]

16 minutes ago, schmerl said:

I suggest you call Oceania and get the information from them directly. 

@schmerl: I have.  (1) we were told onboard when we booked that we have 30 days; and (2) I was told on the phone today that we have 30 days.  It is just unsettling when I can't find a written answer to this pretty basic question is the booking invoice, in the passenger contract, in the Terms & Conditions, or anywhere else on the website, in a time of rapidly changing rules.

 

Tom & Judy

[EJL2023]

1 hour ago, TFree said:

@schmerl: I have.  (1) we were told onboard when we booked that we have 30 days; and (2) I was told on the phone today that we have 30 days.  It is just unsettling when I can't find a written answer to this pretty basic question is the booking invoice, in the passenger contract, in the Terms & Conditions, or anywhere else on the website, in a time of rapidly changing rules.

 

Tom & Judy

Do you have a TA you want to transfer your reservation to??

[TFree]

8 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

Do you have a TA you want to transfer your reservation to??

@EJL2023: just to give more context, we booked not only for ourselves, but for two other couples who are friends of ours, all of us going on the cruise.  While we had a TA on the cruise that ended last week, we left her off this reservation, and we are not likely to use her again, since her agency apparently will not, as a matter of policy, add any meaningful benefits for a booking.  So we are exploring a couple of agents we know of, and the other couples are also exploring.  We will share what we learn, and see what we all want to do.  This is one of those situations where the prohibition on naming TAs on Cruise Critic is irritating, even if it is understandable.

 

Tom & Judy

[CoolChile]

16 hours ago, TFree said:

 While we had a TA on the cruise that ended last week, we left her off this reservation, and we are not likely to use her again <snip>.  So we are exploring a couple of agents . . . .

So, to be clear, the Oceania bookings are in your (and your friends') name?  In other words, the bookings are not currently assigned to any TA but you are trying to find a TA to transfer the bookings to that gives you "meaningful benefits"?

 

You were on the Vista Panama Canal sailing Nov 3 (the one right after ours) so you might want to step up your research (lots of tips here on how to find a "good" one) as you have only 30 days to reassign the booking from Oceania to a TA.  That is, unless Oceania changes the time allowed to do that from 30 to 14 days on December 1, and makes it retroactive.

[TFree]

2 minutes ago, CoolChile said:

So, to be clear, the Oceania bookings are in your (and your friends') name?  In other words, the bookings are not currently assigned to any TA but you are trying to find a TA to transfer the bookings to that gives you "meaningful benefits"?

 

You were on the Vista Panama Canal sailing Nov 3 (the one right after ours) so you might want to step up your research (lots of tips here on how to find a "good" one) as you have only 30 days to reassign the booking from Oceania to a TA.  That is, unless Oceania changes the time allowed to do that from 30 to 14 days on December 1, and makes it retroactive.

 

Correct in all respects.  I inquired of an agent we had used last year (although we ultimately had to cancel that cruise).  He came very highly recommended from a very frequent Celebrity cruiser.  I am sure that this is not the kind of travel agent who will spend hours on the phone with you going over cruises and options.  But if you come to him with an already booked cruise (as here) or when you are ready to book a cruise, he offers benefits that will be hard to beat.  So I am almost positive we will go with him again, and thus render moot the 30 days vs. 14 days issue (we booked on November 17, so we are good either way.

 

Tom & Judy

[SATaxman]

On 11/27/2023 at 1:15 PM, TFree said:

 

Correct in all respects.  I inquired of an agent we had used last year (although we ultimately had to cancel that cruise).  He came very highly recommended from a very frequent Celebrity cruiser.  I am sure that this is not the kind of travel agent who will spend hours on the phone with you going over cruises and options.  But if you come to him with an already booked cruise (as here) or when you are ready to book a cruise, he offers benefits that will be hard to beat.  So I am almost positive we will go with him again, and thus render moot the 30 days vs. 14 days issue (we booked on November 17, so we are good either way.

 

Tom & Judy

Fr the first time, we booked an O cruise with a TA recommended to us. After booking, and receiving the confirmation, I found out that the "perks" were rather minimal. He told me that not all cruises offer free gratuities to the TAs. Interestingly, we looked at 7 on line, he held them for 7 days. We chose one we liked the best. When I asked him yesterday about gratuities, he told me that the TAs really do not "give" those to clients; certain O cruises offer them to the TA. Is this anyone else's experience? He offered some shipboard credit, not as much as I would have expected for a $25,000 cruise. Thoughts?

[edgee]

23 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Fr the first time, we booked an O cruise with a TA recommended to us. After booking, and receiving the confirmation, I found out that the "perks" were rather minimal. He told me that not all cruises offer free gratuities to the TAs. Interestingly, we looked at 7 on line, he held them for 7 days. We chose one we liked the best. When I asked him yesterday about gratuities, he told me that the TAs really do not "give" those to clients; certain O cruises offer them to the TA. Is this anyone else's experience? He offered some shipboard credit, not as much as I would have expected for a $25,000 cruise. Thoughts?

My TA gives prepaid gratuities on cruises where they are made available through the consortium (I believe Signature) they belong to. For example, I just finished the 16 night Vista Panama Canal cruise. All gratuities were covered plus they gave me a 9% rebate check in addition to 150 pp onboard credit. Next 2 Oceania cruises I have booked with them, the prepaid grats are not offered, but in addition to rebate check, I will get $300 Amex Platinum onboard credit which is not combinable with prepaid gratuities when they are offered.

[Snaefell3]

28 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Fr the first time, we booked an O cruise with a TA recommended to us. After booking, and receiving the confirmation, I found out that the "perks" were rather minimal. He told me that not all cruises offer free gratuities to the TAs. Interestingly, we looked at 7 on line, he held them for 7 days. We chose one we liked the best. When I asked him yesterday about gratuities, he told me that the TAs really do not "give" those to clients; certain O cruises offer them to the TA. Is this anyone else's experience? ...

He's speaking of OCAPP [Oceania Cruises Amenity Partnership Program] available only to *some* TAs and "not combinable" with all fares or even all voyages.

[LHT28]

53 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Fr the first time, we booked an O cruise with a TA recommended to us. After booking, and receiving the confirmation, I found out that the "perks" were rather minimal. He told me that not all cruises offer free gratuities to the TAs. Interestingly, we looked at 7 on line, he held them for 7 days. We chose one we liked the best. When I asked him yesterday about gratuities, he told me that the TAs really do not "give" those to clients; certain O cruises offer them to the TA. Is this anyone else's experience? He offered some shipboard credit, not as much as I would have expected for a $25,000 cruise. Thoughts?

if you have not made the deposit  keep shopping around

 

[SATaxman]

I made the deposit Sunday November 26th. Any options now?

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

I made the deposit Sunday November 26th. Any options now?

Cancel & lose your  $150 PP  fee

 

Next booking ask those  PPG questions  BEFORE  depositing

[SATaxman]

On 12/7/2023 at 3:23 PM, LHT28 said:

Cancel & lose your  $150 PP  fee

 

Next booking ask those  PPG questions  BEFORE  depositing

On 12/7/2023 at 3:23 PM, LHT28 said:

Cancel & lose your  $150 PP  fee

 

Next booking ask those  PPG questions  BEFORE  depositing

I asked if they were part of the Preferred Network, and was told yes.

When the confirmation of the booking came, I saw nothing.

I asked and was told that the "perks" show up on my on board account.

The person I was working with has a weird 

[SATaxman]

The place where I booked the cruise, recommended to me by folks on board our last cruise (first on O) are part of all of the top agencies, Connoisseurs, Preferred, etc. 

I received an email yesterday explaining that the $400 OBC is all that is available now. The other thing he said is that 5-10% rebates, after the cruise are frowned upon by O and can cause an agency to lose their ability to book future O cruises.

I also contacted a random TA online, they would be able to give us an additional $1000 OBC because we had cruised before, even though only once on O. I am sending that email, without any identifying items (name, email, phone numbers, etc.) to the one we booked through.

Will keep you posted.

Are you guys really receiving 5-10% rebates after your cruise??

 

I am so confused.

[edgee]

6 hours ago, SATaxman said:

The place where I booked the cruise, recommended to me by folks on board our last cruise (first on O) are part of all of the top agencies, Connoisseurs, Preferred, etc. 

I received an email yesterday explaining that the $400 OBC is all that is available now. The other thing he said is that 5-10% rebates, after the cruise are frowned upon by O and can cause an agency to lose their ability to book future O cruises.

I also contacted a random TA online, they would be able to give us an additional $1000 OBC because we had cruised before, even though only once on O. I am sending that email, without any identifying items (name, email, phone numbers, etc.) to the one we booked through.

Will keep you posted.

Are you guys really receiving 5-10% rebates after your cruise??

 

I am so confused.

I get a check for 8 to 10 % of cruise cost a few weeks prior to the cruise. My agency is one O's larger producers and does strictly cruises and tours...so not a full service agency in terms of hotels and air, although they do have a staff devoted to helping clients with air in conjunction with cruises and tours. 

[SATaxman]

I sent the text part of several responses on this and other threads regarding rebates to the TA with whom we booked our 2025 cruise. BTW, I spent the time to ONLY send the sentences, not anyone's name.

He called from a NCL cruise to again explain to me that ethics are most important to him, and that any TA doing this risks not being able to book Oceania in the future.

 

Do I change this booking?

How do I find out what the penalty will be?

 

[ORV]

1 hour ago, SATaxman said:

I sent the text part of several responses on this and other threads regarding rebates to the TA with whom we booked our 2025 cruise. BTW, I spent the time to ONLY send the sentences, not anyone's name.

He called from a NCL cruise to again explain to me that ethics are most important to him, and that any TA doing this risks not being able to book Oceania in the future.

 

Do I change this booking?

How do I find out what the penalty will be?

 

As Lyn mentioned above these are things that you negotiate before you actually book or transfer a cruise to a TA. Were you promised any of this before you booked with this agent or just assume since they were a Preferred agency that you would be getting them?

 

What they told you about not all cruises getting the Grats would indicate they are only provided by this agency when there is an OCCAP or similar pass through. Nothing wrong with this, it's just the way they operate. Lesson to learn here is to know exactly what you are getting before putting money on the booking.