Who else got a buyout offer from Oceania?

[meow!]

KIWP: Thank you kindly for such an interesting and informative reply. If I read you correctly, you are saying that airlines seldom overbook premium (business/first) seats, and when that happens, it is usually due to (unplanned) change of planes (as necessitated by the unforeseen situation close to flight time). If that theory is generally true, then the luxury lines will have far fewer overbookings than other lines, is that generally true?

 

Lovecruisingtoo: Overbooking does increase cruises' line profits (or lessen their losses with increased income). I don't see it as necessarily lowering prices for other passengers. Cruise lines charge as much as the market can bear, and if they earn extra profit by manipulating bookings, they are surely going to pocket the additional money themselves! Afterall they are in business to make profits.

[MINI-ME]

Hi.

Last summer we took the Regatta to the Baltics. It was an unforgetable and fabulous vacation.:) About 1 week prior to our departure we got our first buy out offer. Then, the offer got a lot better with every day that passed. We were already in Europe touring Germany and we would have really seriously considered it if we did not have my in-laws with us. They are elderly and this trip was a first. The final offer that we got was something like a full refund as a future cruise credit and cold hard cash!

I don't remember the specifics now, but I know that it was a sweet offer.

It did worry me though. I kept thinking, "What will they do if they can't get someone to buy off?"

 

Anyhow, they must of found some one. Plus, I did learn of a couple who had to cancel at the very last minute due to a family emergency.

[CathyCruises]

While the financial rewards of accepting a last minute buy out could potentially be very enticing, I am one of those people who actually count the days until a trip. I LOVE where I live, but am totally stoked to be able to afford (by working my ___ off after 30 years of marriage!) wonderful trips. I don't think my psyche could handle a cancellation 7 days out, no matter how great the offer!!

 

Unless they offered something comparable within a few weeks of the original departure, I would say no, politely, then spend the entire cruise feeling guilty about whomever was forced not to make the trip since I declined the buy out!!! I know that's ridiculous but that would be my innate response.

 

So, I hope they never ask me!!! However I do understand the "business" aspect of overbooking and have no issues with it. More power to 'em--keep the $$$ coming in and keep the prices "doable" for the rest of us.

 

Cathy

[lahore]

What is going to happen with those paxs who bought "F guarantee", for example, and finally would not get their "guarantee" because everybody else on particular cruise is going to travel?

 

Well I can tell you exactly what happens, and it's weird. I had an F guarantee on a recent cruise. It was sold out and I got an offer to withdraw plus a fairly encouraging amount of money - but like most people who work, we had holidays booked etc etc, so we didn't take the offer. I fully expected to get the crappiest cabin on the ship because of the booked out situation, but when we boarded we were upgraded! Go figure, I was so happy, but goodness knows what happened in the machinations in between.

[cathi]

Everybody has their price. We got a downgrade offer and every couple of days for a week or so the offer was upped. We chose the sailing for the itin and chose the cabin for what we wanted so we ignored all the offers. Found out later that one of our CC buddies took O up on their last offer so no more offers came our way! I think all cruise lines overbook but with O the situation maybe a little tighter since they are working with less cabins.

[marylander2]

...Go figure, I was so happy, but goodness knows what happened in the machinations in between.

Lyn,

Ironically, after all that commotion and 4-5 ever-increasing offers we finally agreed to forfeit, but the return was so good that we immediately booked my dream cruise with O (Nautica), and we are sailing very soon!

No regrets, because we actually extended the cruise days+got upgrade, etc., and the intinerary is overlapping in some portion with the cruise we gave out... so we are happy, too.

(Accidentally, which one(s) with O. are you in now/sailing soon?)

[sacway]

in addition to "bump" offers, we once were offered the full cost of the cruise not to go -- by Mr. Sacway's boss. When he asked Mrs. Sacway, she answered he could stay and work, but she would go anyhow, and find someone else to dance with. That was the first and last time the company tried to keep Mr. Sacway off the ship.

We have changed ships/itineraries in the past, don't know if/when we'll do it again, always will depend on the offer. Maybe someday we'll get an offer when we are sailing RT out of San Juan with nonrefundable AF already booked. That way I'd get two vacations.... :)

[cathi]

I had clients who were offered a full refund and a cabin on the next year's sailing. Being retired they accepted and then promptly booked a different cruise for the time they would have been on their trip. Next year off they went on their original itin for free!!! Nice if you can get it!!