Received an "Alternate Sailing" email

We received an email from our TA today offering quite an impressive alternative sailing package in place of the cruise that we have booked for 2/12. :eek: First cruise, first alternative sailing upsell. ;)

Unfortunately, we cannot take advantage because of the dates of the offered cruise. Plus, we booked this upcoming cruise for the ports of call that are not offered on the new cruise. We have been to the new ports numerous of times, each.

Now had they offered the upsell for the cruise after ours, we may have considered. Truthfully, we are so excited about our first Oceania cruise that we didn't want to wait another 3 weeks for the chance to try the line. :D

I hope you really enjoy your first Oceania experience.

We had a move over offer come in a couple weeks ago for September, we didn't bite. I think we will take the cruise as planned but we will see if they make us an offer we cannot refuse. It has happened before.

We had an offer for a different cruise with an upgrade for less money, but did not like the itinerary. We did think about it for a few minutes though! This was in October for our sailing in May.

We received an email from our TA today offering quite an impressive alternative sailing package in place of the cruise that we have booked for 2/12. :eek: First cruise, first alternative sailing upsell. ;)

 

Unfortunately, we cannot take advantage because of the dates of the offered cruise. Plus, we booked this upcoming cruise for the ports of call that are not offered on the new cruise. We have been to the new ports numerous of times, each.

 

Now had they offered the upsell for the cruise after ours, we may have considered. Truthfully, we are so excited about our first Oceania cruise that we didn't want to wait another 3 weeks for the chance to try the line. :D

Yes, Us too. looks like this cruise is oversold and they need to move people to another cruise. Could have saved a lot of money but did like the other ports so we will stay with the 2/12 sailing. See you there. :):):)

We did accept such an offer in 2011 because it was one we couldn't refuse. (We've received numerous offers since then which we declined.) In that case we moved from a PH on Regatta for an Alaska cruise to a VS on Marina for a Med cruise. And we really wanted to see what Marina had to offer. The fact that we got a VS for what we'd paid for a PH (about a 50% discount) was an additional enticement.

Yes, we lost some money on switching our air reservations that were already booked but it wasn't bad because we switched from flying from NYC to Vancouver to flying to LA which allowed me to visit family and the surcharge was moderate.

Most of the time, however, when we get such an offer we've already booked air that really cannot be changed. But when it works out, it can be a great deal!

(When we did Auckland-Sydney in 2008 many people who were booked on the next leg to Bangkok received incredible offers to move off the ship ... but the people we knew had already booked their own air from Bangkok and there was no feasible way to change. A number of them would have done so had they not already arranged air home from Bangkok.)

Sometimes these offers just cannot be passed up ... but only sometimes.

Mura

I will on the Marina in less than 2 months with a B4 guarantee but have noticed on the Oceania web site, that there are at least 62 unsold cabins (Cat B4 veranda and above). Thus, my cruise seems to be undersold unless this is the normal amount of unsold cabins at this time frame. In fact, over the last month since I have been looking, the amount of unsold cabins has gone up. Hopefully, I can get an upsell to a better category at a low cost. Has anyone ever got a free upsell?

Thanks, Rick

There isn't such a thing as a "free upsell". That would be an upgrade. And yes, I have heard of such things. I just wouldn't count on it.

OTOH, if space continues to be available on your cruise, you must might get such a beast.

On our first Oceania cruise in 2004 (where O offered free upgrades to those already booked), my mother went from an "E" to an "A" and we went from an "A" to a "PH", no charge.

So it can happen ... just keep track of the availability so that you can respond if you get an offer.

It's hard to know if O won't be making offers for people on OTHER itineraries to move over to yours rather than giving YOU an upgrade.

Mura

P.S. If you have a TA, make sure that he or she knows you'd be open to a change ... unless you aren't interested in paying for an upsell and just want an upgrade.

I will on the Marina in less than 2 months with a B4 guarantee but have noticed on the Oceania web site, that there are at least 62 unsold cabins (Cat B4 veranda and above). Thus, my cruise seems to be undersold unless this is the normal amount of unsold cabins at this time frame. In fact, over the last month since I have been looking, the amount of unsold cabins has gone up. Hopefully, I can get an upsell to a better category at a low cost. Has anyone ever got a free upsell?

Thanks, Rick

You can always make them an offer to upsell to a higher Cat

Upgrades do happen

Typically if there are too many empty cabins O will have a sale and it will not be public but they will target a TA or Consoldiator. We had that happen last year. The offer was exclusive to a TA we know but not our regular TA. It was how they filled the ship. I think they also offered upsells because the sale was for a specific lower catagory.

I know this won't happen on our cruise because it's still not sold out, despite the "Last Call" savings. That's what got us onboard :D

I'm curious, though, if you've booked your air with Oceania and they offer you an Alternate Sailing, do they take care of any change fees with the airline?

We received an email from our TA today offering quite an impressive alternative sailing package in place of the cruise that we have booked for 2/12. :eek: First cruise, first alternative sailing upsell. ;)

 

 

 

Unfortunately, we cannot take advantage because of the dates of the offered cruise. Plus, we booked this upcoming cruise for the ports of call that are not offered on the new cruise. We have been to the new ports numerous of times, each.

 

 

 

Now had they offered the upsell for the cruise after ours, we may have considered. Truthfully, we are so excited about our first Oceania cruise that we didn't want to wait another 3 weeks for the chance to try the line. :D

Have your ta make a counteroffer for the cruise after yours. All is negotiable. It depends on how much they need your cabin

I'm curious, though, if you've booked your air with Oceania and they offer you an Alternate Sailing, do they take care of any change fees with the airline?

Yes they do AND in our case where we booked our own air I told them that we would take the alternate sailing only if they paid our flight change fees......and they did. They were clearly struggling with an overbooked situation.

Oh my, wish I'd thought of asking for them to do so when we switched from Regatta's Alaska cruise to Marina in the Med in 2011. Well, if we ever are in that situation again, I'll be sure to do so! Thanks for mentioning this!

Mura

Have your ta make a counteroffer for the cruise after yours. All is negotiable. It depends on how much they need your cabin

That's a thought, but it would have to be a really good $$$$ deal, plus a few extra incentives because there are no staterooms available for that cruise above our current Cat. B. The deal yesterday was to upgrade us to a PH and refund over $3600. ;)

Yes they do AND in our case where we booked our own air I told them that we would take the alternate sailing only if they paid our flight change fees......and they did. They were clearly struggling with an overbooked situation.

Did they pay your change fees and the additional cost of new tickets. I would assume that airfare had gone up from your original flights.

That's a thought, but it would have to be a really good $$$$ deal, plus a few extra incentives because there are no staterooms available for that cruise above our current Cat. B. The deal yesterday was to upgrade us to a PH and refund over $3600. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It never hurts to ask. You don't really know what's available. Just yesterday a friend was offered 17000 to downgrade cabin on a o cruise.

After refusing several "Move Off" offers from our Regatta cruise to Alaska last August, we accepted the offer to move down from a PH guaranty to an A1 and got half our money back. Pretty good deal! The A1 was in a great location for the rocking and rolling we experienced a few times.

Did they pay your change fees and the additional cost of new tickets. I would assume that airfare had gone up from your original flights.

Yes you are correct. Oceania covered all AA fees/charges for changing our flight by 4 weeks CMH to MIA and return. I cannot remember the total $ involved but it was a few hundred. We were happy with our PH on our original cruise but Oceania's offer was for a change to an Oceania Suite at no increased charge and both cruises were the same number of days. It certainly was a good deal. I know offers differ.

We have not received any other offers, but if we do, then we MIGHT entertain the idea to negotiate with the sailing after ours.

Shoot...I might even take an Inside on the current sailing (those are still available) if we were given the cruise free. :D That would be a good way for Oceania to introduce us to the experience. My DH would say otherwise about a downgrade to Inside, plus he really wants to take the 2/12.

Riverroad After refusing several "Move Off" offers from our Regatta cruise to Alaska last August, we accepted the offer to move down from a PH guaranty to an A1 and got half our money back. Pretty good deal! The A1 was in a great location for the rocking and rolling we experienced a few times.

The email that we received from the TA said that "You do not need to contact us if you are not interested in this offer."

I was astonished at the huge cash offer and several cabin category upgrade offered us last week to switch from the Riviera February 12 Sands and Shores to the Riviera March 3 Mayan Mystique. Unfortunately, we did Mayan Mystique just one year ago but turning down those dollars really was tough!

Sure was! That was one cruise fare that could have been used for another cruise. We also have already done a similar Mayan Mystic.

After this upcoming cruise, we will have hit all the Caribbean islands. ;) Every year, DH says that we are no longer going to book a Caribbean cruise. Then the snow comes and he wants to book ahead for the next year. :D We can be more flexible next year with retirement and not wanting to see any certain islands.

Sure was! That was one cruise fare that could have been used for another cruise. We also have already done a similar Mayan Mystic.

 

After this upcoming cruise, we will have hit all the Caribbean islands. ;) Every year, DH says that we are no longer going to book a Caribbean cruise. Then the snow comes and he wants to book ahead for the next year. :D We can be more flexible next year with retirement and not wanting to see any certain islands.

Sounds like this cruise is way oversold. We probably should take the offer we got but we will not. It is just a good time for us to go and have a good time.

. After this upcoming cruise, we will have hit all the Caribbean islands. ;) ..... We can be more flexible next year with retirement and not wanting to see any certain islands.

Similar to our situation; this is our third annual Caribbean cruise but husband retires in December and there no longer will be limited vacation days. We will be able to roam further and longer all year round. :D

There isn't such a thing as a "free upsell". That would be an upgrade. .

I disagree. Two weeks ago I received a offer to switch from our 14 day Sunny Getaways cruise in a PH2, to a Tahitian 10 day cruise in a Vista Suite at no additional charge.

I disagree. Two weeks ago I received a offer to switch from our 14 day Sunny Getaways cruise in a PH2, to a Tahitian 10 day cruise in a Vista Suite at no additional charge.

that would be an UPGRADE then

An upsell is where they offer a better cabin for a fee = UPSELL

I don't consider swapping a 14 day cruise for a 10 day cruise an UP anything! The difference, to us, between a PH and a VS is certainly not worth 4 days of lost cruise time! That's all downhill! :eek:

O has problems filling those South Pacific cruises. It's the primary reason that the larger Marina will be replaced by a smaller R ship in plying those waters next year. They don't make enough money selling out Sidney to Ackland, on the Marina, to subsidize all the other empty space along the way. So I'm sure they'd love for people to switch to one of those cruises, before they continue the backdoor TA fire sells that have been going on for those cruises. :rolleyes: