skiinglaketahoe Posted July 12 #1 Share Posted July 12 Hi We are new to Oceania, though we've cruised a few times with other lines. We are booked on the Riviera - Hong Kong to Tokyo January 27th 2025. We booked around early May and were only able to justify a certain grade of cabin. We booked through a UK travel agent. About 10 days ago I was looking at the Oceania web site and noticed that the prices for our cruise had dropped significantly. To cut a long story short Oceania (via our travel agent) have refused to upgrade us to a cabin with a similar price. I am not talking about a price reduction of 100 pounds (or dollars) but about 10x that amount. I wouldn't be upset about a small sale reduction but this is massive. I think it's very poor of Oceania. They wouldn't hesitate to demand more money if their costs increased. Susan London UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vallesan Posted July 12 #2 Share Posted July 12 27 minutes ago, skiinglaketahoe said: Hi We are new to Oceania, though we've cruised a few times with other lines. We are booked on the Riviera - Hong Kong to Tokyo January 27th 2025. We booked around early May and were only able to justify a certain grade of cabin. We booked through a UK travel agent. About 10 days ago I was looking at the Oceania web site and noticed that the prices for our cruise had dropped significantly. To cut a long story short Oceania (via our travel agent) have refused to upgrade us to a cabin with a similar price. I am not talking about a price reduction of 100 pounds (or dollars) but about 10x that amount. I wouldn't be upset about a small sale reduction but this is massive. I think it's very poor of Oceania. They wouldn't hesitate to demand more money if their costs increased. Susan London UK Hi. Have you asked to have your booked cabin reduced? They will usually honour price reductions but may not have an upgrade. Ring your TA again. We’ve always had a cruise repriced if the price drops. BTW we’ve never been charged more if/when a price increases. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEFIowa Posted July 12 #3 Share Posted July 12 Read so much about UK pricing and cruise issues, being different than what Americans and Canadians experience. I always go thru the same O rep. No TA. And if I see a sale I call her and say, "Hey looking at the sale and we'd like to go from our G to a B (or our F to an A)." Then I just rebook it. A worst case scenario, you could tell your TA or O you'll cancel the one booking and then have your spouse/significant other book under the sale? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ronrick1943 Posted July 12 #4 Share Posted July 12 Something doesn't add up. I was under the impression you could cancel, be charge the fee which is a credit for your next cruise. Canceling would have to fall in the proper amount of days before penalties. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 12 #5 Share Posted July 12 Susan Firstly, and I say this with the greatest respect to American contributors here, but please take any advice they might offer with a very big pinch of salt. The UK travel agency industry is structured and regulated very differently from their industry and contractual arrangements for we Britons may well be very different. Not only that but Oceania's terms and conditions for UK bookings are specific to our country.. And, therefore, secondly, you will need to check the terms and conditions of the contract you have with the travel agency and with Oceania to see what is said about how (or if) price decreases are passed on to customers. It may well be that the contract is the contract and they are not obliged to pass on any reductions, except as an act of goodwill. Once you've looked over the terms and conditions, there are maybe a couple of ways forward. We are not allowed to name travel agents on the forum but I know Vallesan deals with a major player in the UK market. If they have had reductions in the past, then it obviously can be done. So, go back to your TA and see about a reduction on your existing cabin. If that gets nowhere, I would phone Oceania and confirm that what your TA has said is actually correct - it is not impossible that the TA is telling porkies. They are sales people on commission, after all. I have recent experience of one agency telling me something about discounts was contractually impossible when I knew, for certain, that it was very possible (and was achieved with a different agency). The other option, as already mentioned, is to consider cancelling and rebooking - with the cruise so far ahead I assume you have only paid a deposit. You would need to weigh up the costs of lost deposit versus the price reduction. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiinglaketahoe Posted July 13 Author #6 Share Posted July 13 Hi Thanks everyone for your replies. I have booked through a major TA here in the UK. I did go back to them and they said they went back to Oceania who refused to do anything. The TA did cancel my booking and we lost some money and we then rebooked a very much better cabin for the same money that we originally budgeted. We could have rebooked the same cabin and saved some money. My point is to really let others know that for my cruise, at least, that the prices have reduced significantly. I also feel that, having seen the price reduction and gone back to Oceania, that they should have kindly just swapped my cabin. I am guessing that most people book the cruise and don't recheck prices. I haven't rechecked prices in the past but I will do in the future. I did post the price changes on the Riviera roll call as well. Susan 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vallesan Posted July 13 #7 Share Posted July 13 1 hour ago, skiinglaketahoe said: Hi Thanks everyone for your replies. I have booked through a major TA here in the UK. I did go back to them and they said they went back to Oceania who refused to do anything. The TA did cancel my booking and we lost some money and we then rebooked a very much better cabin for the same money that we originally budgeted. We could have rebooked the same cabin and saved some money. My point is to really let others know that for my cruise, at least, that the prices have reduced significantly. I also feel that, having seen the price reduction and gone back to Oceania, that they should have kindly just swapped my cabin. I am guessing that most people book the cruise and don't recheck prices. I haven't rechecked prices in the past but I will do in the future. I did post the price changes on the Riviera roll call as well. Susan Glad you got it sorted out. I always check the prices periodically and especially when they have a new sale or promotion. Still surprised that Oceania wouldn’t reprice your cruise at the lower rate initially. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearleftsoiwenthome Posted July 13 #8 Share Posted July 13 19 hours ago, Harters said: - it is not impossible that the TA is telling porkies. 😀 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davencl Posted July 13 #9 Share Posted July 13 4 hours ago, skiinglaketahoe said: Hi Thanks everyone for your replies. I have booked through a major TA here in the UK. I did go back to them and they said they went back to Oceania who refused to do anything. The TA did cancel my booking and we lost some money and we then rebooked a very much better cabin for the same money that we originally budgeted. We could have rebooked the same cabin and saved some money. My point is to really let others know that for my cruise, at least, that the prices have reduced significantly. I also feel that, having seen the price reduction and gone back to Oceania, that they should have kindly just swapped my cabin. I am guessing that most people book the cruise and don't recheck prices. I haven't rechecked prices in the past but I will do in the future. I did post the price changes on the Riviera roll call as well. Susan Yes thanks for the reminder. I always check every now and then and have gotten some good price reductions. However it has always been a cancel and rebook, not a repricing. Also sometimes I find a big price increase like my cruise already booked went up by $5000 with the latest "summer sale". Naturally I am not rebooking. 🙂 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted July 13 #10 Share Posted July 13 (edited) Our upcoming cruise on Nova reduced by £1000 (between us) just after booking. Our TA contacted O and they reduced the cost. Similarly we booked with Regent (same parent company) for a cruise last year - literally 1 day later R had an offer of $500 OBC - TA managed to get R to honour that. Seabourn had a similar OBC offer 2 days after booking and nothing the TA tried would get them to honour it for an existing UK booking. In the end I emailed SB to say how disappointed I was and whilst we didn't get the full amount they, did give us $200. 😁 However, apart from increases in specific things like fuel duty, I don't think they will charge you more if you have already booked. Edited July 13 by Techno123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted July 13 #11 Share Posted July 13 58 minutes ago, Techno123 said: Our upcoming cruise on Nova Nova? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted July 13 #12 Share Posted July 13 30 minutes ago, ORV said: Nova? Sorry Vista - Nova is early next year 😂😂You can tell I'm not faithful 😜😜 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vallesan Posted July 13 #13 Share Posted July 13 47 minutes ago, Techno123 said: Sorry Vista - Nova is early next year 😂😂You can tell I'm not faithful 😜😜 Yes! Nova is Silversea. Oceania’s is Allura! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted July 13 #14 Share Posted July 13 56 minutes ago, Vallesan said: Yes! Nova is Silversea. Oceania’s is Allura! I also get Encore and Explorer mixed up - have to remember it by thinking the Seabourn new ships (Encore and Ovation) get a round of applause 😂. I wonder if the Allura has had the sound proofing improved (hoping for non telly addict neighbours on Vista 😜) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tr1v1alCru1ser Posted July 16 #15 Share Posted July 16 Although I now reside in the US, when I lived in the UK, we did have an incidence of a booked cruise being substantially reduced, and went back to O, who adjusted our price to the new lower price. Seems like they’re not doing that anymore. I know when we’ve booked a future cruise on board, we’ve always been told that they would price match should the cost of the cruise be lowered, right up to the date of sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthomas Posted July 16 #16 Share Posted July 16 They don't say that after final pay, O may only give you the diff in OBCs and even then you may have to fight for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastdance Posted July 16 #17 Share Posted July 16 On 7/13/2024 at 11:56 AM, Techno123 said: I also get Encore and Explorer mixed up - have to remember it by thinking the Seabourn new ships (Encore and Ovation) get a round of applause 😂. I wonder if the Allura has had the sound proofing improved (hoping for non telly addict neighbours on Vista 😜) I was told by corporate that Vista is having some soundproofing put in this summer; also that allure will have it due to all the concerns! Now, take that with a grain of salt, as I cruise Vista in May for her TA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mauibabes Posted July 16 #18 Share Posted July 16 @Lastdance Looks like you will be boarding her before the “Warranty” work will be done at the Fincantierri yard, be it Genoa or elsewhere. Do not get all excited or anxious about this timing issue. We were on Vista for her inaugural sailing with paying guests a year ago May and again in October and we had no issues in our two PH locations. We were traveling with friends in Veranda Staterooms and PH’s and only the friends in the Extended Balcony PH on Deck 7 had noise issues but it was not from neighbor TV’s or voices in general, they were ship noises. The only bad noise I heard major complaints about were from some people we met who were in an Oceania Suite beneath Horizons and the noise was from the entertainment above. All of these noise issues are being worked and we were told all of the issues would be addressed during Allura’s construction so there should be “No Concerns”. 🤞🙏🛳️❤️ DW has purchased some sound deflectors that we will be bringing along to temporarily install via Velcro on our TV so we do not impact any guests next door. We will be on both Riviera and Marina in the Fall and we have not had noise issues on either of those two ships in the past. Enjoy your TA, and we will as well on Marina coming home in November. Mauibabes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastdance Posted July 16 #19 Share Posted July 16 36 minutes ago, mauibabes said: @Lastdance Looks like you will be boarding her before the “Warranty” work will be done at the Fincantierri yard, be it Genoa or elsewhere. Do not get all excited or anxious about this timing issue. We were on Vista for her inaugural sailing with paying guests a year ago May and again in October and we had no issues in our two PH locations. We were traveling with friends in Veranda Staterooms and PH’s and only the friends in the Extended Balcony PH on Deck 7 had noise issues but it was not from neighbor TV’s or voices in general, they were ship noises. The only bad noise I heard major complaints about were from some people we met who were in an Oceania Suite beneath Horizons and the noise was from the entertainment above. All of these noise issues are being worked and we were told all of the issues would be addressed during Allura’s construction so there should be “No Concerns”. 🤞🙏🛳️❤️ DW has purchased some sound deflectors that we will be bringing along to temporarily install via Velcro on our TV so we do not impact any guests next door. We will be on both Riviera and Marina in the Fall and we have not had noise issues on either of those two ships in the past. Enjoy your TA, and we will as well on Marina coming home in November. Mauibabes Thank you for your very kind words. Nothing bothers my DH, so I will have white noise from my phone if needed. Just another third world problem that I may or may not find as an issue for me🥰 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mauibabes Posted July 17 #20 Share Posted July 17 @Lastdance My DW gets to listen to my version of white noise, my CPAP machine 😇🤞👍🙏 She is a very light sleeper and only the noise we have ever encountered was on on Riviera in 2021 post Covid. I believe it was 11065 and she was severely effected by noise in the middle of the night. It was the noise from food prep staff as that room opened up to the lobby area between the TC kitchen area and the entrance to Waves. Now that was noise as even “unconscious” me would wake up. We hope you have a wonderful cruise and have no noise issues. Mauibabes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppyVelvet Posted July 18 #21 Share Posted July 18 I’m in Australia so may not be relevant. We booked a cruise for October that dropped by over $5k AUD for the two of us before final payment. I contacted my contact at O and asked for the new price. She checked with Miami and it was given to us - a nice saving. Since final payment it’s dropped another $1200 for both (AUD). No refund but OBC given. It’s always worth a direct approach I think. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiinglaketahoe Posted July 18 Author #22 Share Posted July 18 Hi Very interesting that you got the new price without having to cancel and rebook. That's great and also good that you have a reduction even after the final payment (even though it's OBC) I'll keep a close watch on the prices for the next 6 months till our cruise. Enjoy your cruise Susan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSBC Posted August 1 #23 Share Posted August 1 Any time of the year would Oceania offer the biggest promotion (price reduction)? Any pattern? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMHuntFerry Posted August 2 #24 Share Posted August 2 (edited) On 8/1/2024 at 12:10 AM, HSBC said: Any time of the year would Oceania offer the biggest promotion (price reduction)? Any pattern? Thanks! In the past, the 4-category upgrade sales have had the best of the "predictable" sales. Usually there is one in the fall (~Labor Day), one early in the year (~Jan/Feb), and one in the summer (~May/June). Note that when these happen, the price on the O-site is the sale price (so there is no additional upgrade). Also, only the lower A-G cabins are usually on sale, although there is the occasional PH3 on sale. The slow-selling cruises/cabins are usually the ones on sale, so if you are picky (e.g., you want to go a certain place at a certain time) book the cruise you want if the regular price is acceptable. If your booked cruise goes on sale, you can usually get the sale price especially if final payment isn't due yet. Edited August 2 by AMHuntFerry 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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