The "upsell" folks at Oceania are busy today...

[Bruin Steve]

Okay, the background here is that our cruise is just 3 months away...The final payment is due this weekend...

As of this morning, a check on the Oceania website showed they have 4 inside cabins left and 4 suites...

But every other category--from obstructed Ocean View up to Concierge has AT LEAST SEVEN unsold cabins...and, doing a quick check by plugging in other cabin numbers at random, it's quite a bit more than that...

 

We are booked into an inside cabin on Deck 6...for a much higher price, for example, than Azamara is currently charging for balconies on comparable 14 night sailings around the same time...CONSIDERABLY higher...

 

So, today, we get an offer from Oceania by way of our travel agent--$250 per person to move from our inside on deck 6 to a C1 window cabin on deck 4...Basically, $500 for a porthole on a cruise with very little time at sea...

 

I called my TA and said that if they'd move it up to one of the dozens of unsold balconies at that price, we'd take it...They wouldn't budge...

 

Now, I may be crazy, but I know a little bit about business...This ship may well sail with a whole lot of empty cabins. It is sort of hard to sell out that many unsold cabins in the last 90 days before a cruise...especially since the customers have to arrange for air travel and everything...and especially in a market where Oceania prices its inside cabins, cruise only, at $3649 and Azamara is pricing their same time, same length Med cruises at $2,699 for a BALCONY...

 

The economy is bad and everybody is hurting right now. The customers looking to book NOW are looking for a bargain...Even if you love Oceania, it's got to be real tempting to book Azamara--a similar operation on a virtually identical ship...and save $2000 with basically a free upgrade from inside to balcony ($3500 difference between the Oceania upsell and the same cabin on Azamara)...

 

So, is Oceania going to just let the cabins stay empty? Or are they going to eventually wheel and deal and give them away? Would it not have made more sense to take an additional $500 from me and just move my cabin? It's $500 they won't get at all if that balcony sails empty and I'm still in the inside...Current asking price for a balcony is $6099 pp plus fees, taxes et al...(Remember, again, Azamara, same category=$2,699)...Do they really think they are going to sell that many balconies between now and the June 27 sail date without drastic discounting? They can upsell EVERYONE currently booked in a window or inside cabin and likely not sell them out...

 

At least in my humble opinion...

[LHT28]

So, is Oceania going to just let the cabins stay empty? Or are they going to eventually wheel and deal and give them away? Would it not have made more sense to take an additional $500 from me and just move my cabin? It's $500 they won't get at all if that balcony sails empty and I'm still in the inside...Current asking price for a balcony is $6099 pp plus fees, taxes et al...(Remember, again, Azamara, same category=$2,699)...Do they really think they are going to sell that many balconies between now and the June 27 sail date without drastic discounting? They can upsell EVERYONE currently booked in a window or inside cabin and likely not sell them out...

 

At least in my humble opinion...

 

If you have not made the final payment why not go with Azamara if it has the cabin you want for the cheaper price?

 

P.S. C1 cabins have a picture window not a porthole

[Huddler]

This is a perfect situation where they could reach out to their most profitable repeat customers, who spend alot while onboard. Give the known "big spender" a steal on a cabin that will otherwise go unoccupied. Get him onboard and at least then you know you have a good chance of getting lots of non-fare based revenues. Why let the cabin go empty and get nothing?

[potterhill]

They offered us an upgrade from G to C on our TA in Nov. I told them we'd take a balcony, otherwise we'd stay where we were. We stayed where we were! That was fine with us as we had the room we had chosen on the first day of sale.

 

Mo

[Wineart]

I've really enjoyed my Oceania cruises, but found it hard to resist the Azamara pricing so will be on Azamara for the first time in May. From reading the two boards, it seems a lot of Oceania passengers are giving Azamara a try.

[Bruin Steve]

I can't get into too much detail, but I think this one is going to work out just right. The folks who run Oceania are just wonderful.

 

In a way, complaining about any of this feels a little bad...

Bottom line is that none of us really want Oceania...or anyone else in this industry...to do poorly...

Floating half full doesn't bode well for the viability of a business...and for those of us who cruise with Oceania, we want the line to be successful...

 

So, though I want the best deal possible, I also want the line to do well...

 

In my business, I understand the importance of the "win-win" deal...

The best cruise deal is one that allows me to cruise and allows the cruise line to provide a top quality product.

 

Let's all just hope the economy overall improves...We all won't mind paying more to cruise if we're all making more money...

 

That said, I am now really looking forward to being back onboard the Nautica...

[Paulchili]

I can't get into too much detail, but I think this one is going to work out just right. The folks who run Oceania are just wonderful.

That said, I am now really looking forward to being back onboard the Nautica...

 

Without revealing any details, does that mean you were upgraded by O to your satisfaction?

[LHT28]

Without revealing any details, does that mean you were upgraded by O to your satisfaction?

 

From the sounds of it I would think so!

 

Amazing how the tune has changed when you get a (free) upgrade

[CintiPam]

FYI, veranda staterooms on Bruin Steve's cruise start at $5,599 for a B2 Veranda Stateroom; $6,099 is for A1 Concierge Level Veranda. Also, as LHT28 points out, C1 is a large picture window, not a porthole.

 

Also, Bruin Steve has taken many cruises but only one Oceania cruise previously, so I hardly think that Huddler's comments applies in this case.

 

Anyway, Bruin Steve, I am happy to hear that things are working out for you because you certainly have made a lot of unhappy posts recently, which did not bode well at all for your vacation. Good luck and happy sailing!

[Bruin Steve]

Paul,

It isn't completely set in stone yet...but based on a conversation tday, it looks like it is happenning to my satisfaction...

 

Pam and Lyn,

Sorry if it sounds as if I came across as dissatisfied...That should not have been the feeling I was trying to get across...

You have to separate being dissatisfied with the product and being frustrated with the booking process in some way or another...

 

By the way, mea culpa, I may have pulled the wrong balcony price off the website in my haste to get the post up...but the point basically remained the same...

 

Lyn, I never said I got a "free upgrade"...If you read my post, you'd note I was willing to pay for an upgrade...we just had a difference of opinion as to the price...

 

Pam, for a variety of reasons, I MAY just be a more desirable customer than can be inferred from my number of past cruises with Oceania...

 

There is a lot of stuff I just don't put into my posts...a lot of background I didn't find necessary to disclose...and there were a lot of conversations and other exchanges that require some discretion...

 

For the record, everything "bodes well" for the cruise...

I love the itinerary, I think the ship is very nice, the food is excellent, service is definitely to my personal standards for excellence...I like the product and expect this cruise to be an excellent one...I actually wish more of you were coming with me...

 

My issues were with some ancillary matters...This was one of the cruises Oceania WASN'T running a sale on...The same itinerary on the Insignia six weeks later was discounted $1000 pp.,..there were cancellations on this sailing that merely moved over to that sailing...There are some undisclosed quirks regarding marketing that I know, but would not make public...

 

Bottom line, though, is that it's a great itinerary on a very nice ship...If I had thought otherwise, I would have given up long ago to sign on with a different cruise...And, to be honest, had none of this worked out, I'm fairly sure I would have just kept my original cabin and price and would have been more than happy...I had cruised in the exact same cabin before...

 

But I actually resent the "Amazing how the tune has changed when you get a (free) upgrade" comment...

My tune doesn't change...I call them as I see them...I will always honestly state what I find as good or as bad about any cruise...But, yes, like everyone else, I can tend to be upset when I have issues...and I can become much happier when those issues are resolved...My outlook on Oceania was much improved when I had further contact with them and found them to be so service-oriented and caring about their customers...Yes, good treatment makes an impression on me...

[meow!]

... for a variety of reasons, I MAY just be a more desirable customer than can be inferred from my number of past cruises with Oceania...

We hardly even get brochures mailed to us. None from Celebrity, perhaps only once or twice from Oceania in the last five years, and same from Silversea. By the way, we do get membership e-mails from them from time to time, that 's all.

[Nuka]

Potterhill,

I'm also going TA in November, but no one called to offer an upgrade, but I think the agent is away this week. Which TA are you on? Regatta (Barcelona to Miami) or Inisignia (Barcelona to Rio)? I'm in cat-e. I wouldn't change unless they offered a balcony otherwise I agree with you that it probably wouldn't be worth it.

 

Cheers!

[KaiR]

Would it not have made more sense to take an additional $500 from me and just move my cabin? It's $500 they won't get at all if that balcony sails empty and I'm still in the inside....

from a marketing standpoint: not necessarily. If you give away upgrades to freely, you educate your customers and in the long run nobody will book the higher categories, because people know they will get upgrades for free. This is the way to ruin your pricemodel.

 

Also you will have people on the ship who have paid considerably less in the same cabins as other passengers. These full paying customers will find out and that will make them very unhappy.

 

Only things that are rare will fetch higher prices. So it is sometimes necessary to uphold the pricemodel and let the expensive cabins stay empty.

 

That said, you might try your luck on the ship. They coud be more flexible in giving you a higher category of cabin.

 

Regards

 

Kai

[LHT28]

Paul,

Lyn, I never said I got a "free upgrade"...If you read my post, you'd note I was willing to pay for an upgrade...we just had a difference of opinion as to the price...

 

Pam, for a variety of reasons, I MAY just be a more desirable customer than can be inferred from my number of past cruises with Oceania...

 

 

Steve I am sure they will make it more worth your while that they may for others:rolleyes:

A upgrade to a suite perhaps;)

 

I am not sure why YOU may be a more desirable passenger than any other passenger on Oceania but if they are starting to play the more favourable clients get better perks game then I will start looking elsewhere for my cruises.

 

We know people who book 5 B2B's every year, they in my opinion would be more desirable.

 

JMO

Lyn

[Bruin Steve]

Steve I am sure they will make it more worth your while that they may for others:rolleyes:

A upgrade to a suite perhaps;)

 

I am not sure why YOU may be a more desirable passenger than any other passenger on Oceania but if they are starting to play the more favourable clients get better perks game then I will start looking elsewhere for my cruises.

 

We know people who book 5 B2B's every year, they in my opinion would be more desirable.

 

JMO

Lyn

 

Lyn,

Time to get off the high horse...I didn't say I was a more desirable customer than your friends who allegedly take 5 B2Bs every year (with Oceania's typical cruise length, they're spending almost half the year onboard the ship)...all I said was that I MAY be more desirable a customer than my simple Oceania history shows...

You really don't know anything about me...

...and I don't have to justify anything to you.

I am not playing any sort of "game".

AND YOU certainly are not "looking elsewhere" for your cruises--not because of anything I get or don't get in the way of a deal. You cruise with Oceania because you LIKE Oceania. They give YOU the cruise YOU want and you are willing to pay their price. I take it from your posting history that you cruise in off-season and "shoulder" season...This year, with the bad economy, even Oceania is offering "deals" on those cruises--so you are getting your "deals" too...On cruises they are not discounting, they are offering individual deals--"upsells" as they are called? Why do you care so much if I get a deal?

 

The "upsell" is really all my post was about. Originally, I was offered one. It is a judgment call for anyone whether or not it is worth it. It is a form of negotiation. They came back with a counter offer to my counter...eventually, we were able to come to an agreement...What is so wrong with that?

 

The point of it all is that the ship is far from sold out and standard business and the law of supply and demand govern such matters. Next year, I expect the economy will have improved. Oceania will be able to raise its fares and will not have to deal as much on upsells. Certainly, last time I sailed with Oceania, the ship was sold out early and they were in a stronger position and no upsells were offered.

 

I actually hope they are in that position next year...because if EVERYONE is in a stronger economic picture next year, then I should be as well...THIS year, my company lost $2 BILLION...We executives took zero raises and greatly reduced bonuses (and those bonuses, BTW, are not "freebies"--they are a negotiated part of my salary structure)...my income is WAY down this year...but I will not give up cruising...but if I have conceded part of my income and agreed to take less, I have no problem with gaining concessions of others in this economy...It's all simple laws of economics and business...

[fPetrarca]

I'm glad everything worked out for Steve. I haven't sailed Oceania but have sailed Azamara ("Best of Italy") and it was a great cruise. I'm sure there are differences between the two lines (and for some these differences may be deal-breakers). But I really don't think there are thousands of $$$ difference between them and those who want to try an alternative for budgetary or other reasons should give Azamara a close look.

[sunny54]

I'm glad everything worked out for Steve. I haven't sailed Oceania but have sailed Azamara ("Best of Italy") and it was a great cruise. I'm sure there are differences between the two lines (and for some these differences may be deal-breakers). But I really don't think there are thousands of $$$ difference between them and those who want to try an alternative for budgetary or other reasons should give Azamara a close look.

Just putting in my two cents...but we've sailed on both Oceania and Azamara and I'd go back to Azamara more quickly than Oceania as they truly did everything in their power to make our trip fantastic. They were both Med cruises for 12 days so I think I am comparing apples to apples...just my opinion...

[shoshona2]

Hi Steve,

 

Glad everything is working out for your cruise. I don't know why posters are picking you. I guess it's because you are so verbal about things and will probably always be. I am no "special person", but have managed (through a wonderful TA) to get all the specials that are out there for any cruise I take. I just don't spell it out on this board. We just received the Senior Rate for our upcoming Azamara cruise after many phone calls between the line and our TA.

 

Have a great cruise!!!

 

Sheila

[DerekJetersBeard]

Interesting timing to read this thread. We are on the April 21st Insignia, our TA called this morning, and offered us an upgrade at essentially a give away rate.

 

As it is our Honeymoon, of course I accepted it. If they did this because they are upgrading folks to fill better cabins, or due to a Honeymoon, regardless, it really was satisfying.

 

:)

[Acrusa]

I've never been offered an upgrade.This is my 4th sailing coming up .Maybe this year.Our cruise is the end of July payment due April 26th.I checked with O and there cabins are sold out except for c and lower. Only waiting list for verandas.No GYT for this cruise.

[Bruin Steve]

I've never been offered an upgrade.This is my 4th sailing coming up .Maybe this year.Our cruise is the end of July payment due April 26th.I checked with O and there cabins are sold out except for c and lower. Only waiting list for verandas.No GYT for this cruise.

 

Acrusa,

If your cruise has sold well, the far lesser the chance there will be an upgrade or upsell offer.

If that's the July 26 Insignia you are on, you've already gotten a great deal by virtue of the $1000 off promotion--another reason why the cruise may have sold well.

 

My cruise is a little different in that it wasn't included in the Sale promotion--Oceania expected it to sell a lot better than it did--which is why they have available cabins to "upsell".

 

Part of the logic around the upsell is that you would rather put your existing customers into a better cabin than discount those cabins to new customers...If you are selling a balcony for $5500 and a window for $4000...and you may have to drop prices $1000, why not offer the guy booked into the window the opportunity to go up $500 and grab the open cabing before you offer it to a newcomer for $4500?

 

But if there are very few unbooked cabins, they have less reason to worry about it...

 

Just consider it as though you already got the deal with the special Sale...

 

Historically, Oceania hasn't had to run sales...and the upsell of cabins is rare--because they've been able to fill the ships at their asking price...This is an unusual year--thanks to the economy...Nice to get deals, but we all hope that in the future we don't need them and they don't have to offer...

 

Enjoy the cruise...

[LHT28]

Lyn,

Time to get off the high horse...I didn't say I was a more desirable customer than your friends who allegedly take 5 B2Bs every year (with Oceania's typical cruise length, they're spending almost half the year onboard the ship)...all I said was that I MAY be more desirable a customer than my simple Oceania history shows...

They sail from January to March average cruise is 2 weeks

I do not know what criteria O would use to find who is the more desirable passengers

 

You really don't know anything about me...

...and I don't have to justify anything to you.

I am not playing any sort of "game".

AND YOU certainly are not "looking elsewhere" for your cruises--not because of anything I get or don't get in the way of a deal. You cruise with Oceania because you LIKE Oceania. They give YOU the cruise YOU want and you are willing to pay their price. I take it from your posting history that you cruise in off-season and "shoulder" season...

 

The same can be said ...YOU do not know me either

I am not asking you to justify anything.

I did not say you were playing a "game" ( you might well be)

What I said if Oceania starts playing a game where the more favourable clients get better perks game then I will start looking elsewhere for my cruises.

 

We all know Oceania upper brass read the threads here... so we can leave it at that.

 

Enjoy the cruise

Lyn

[Acrusa]

You are right Bruin Steve.We booked this cruise last July at the original price.So the $2000.00 per cabin was like a great upgrade.And a nice bonus.We have a Cat A so we have our 3 night resevations for the restaurants.

[Acrusa]

OOPS 4 nights

[Bruin Steve]

OOPS 4 nights

 

Yeah, 4 nights...and lots of other amenities as well...

First thing to do is figure out which nights you want to do those specialty restaurants and reserve early...Good slots fill up...Since there's no additional charge, everyone books them when they can...

 

I am looking forward to those specialty restaurants as well...

Of course, even the main dining room has excellent food...

 

Enjoy...