Be wary of onboard credit from Oceania

I haven't read anyone yet who has said definitively the art auctions are gone from O.

If indeed the companies did come to a parting of the ways, it is possible the contractor was the one tasked with contacting cruisers with the bad news. Given the poor reputation that company apparently has, did they just drop the ball?

I do agree O should have been proactive here, but there may be more than meets our eyes in this situation.

I haven't read anyone yet who has said definitively the art auctions are gone from O.

 

I am not sure if they were art auctions on our Jan cruise

There was a couple selling art in the loft not Park West from what I understand

Will have to go look up my copy of the Currents to get the exact title they had

The auctions held were not as intrusive like in previous cruises

Hopefully they are truly gone :cool:

Lyn

This thread is a good example of why I find the Oceania board helpful and constructive. Posters are willing to call out the cruise line with constructive criticism as well as praise when warranted to go along with the sharing of helpful advice. I find this in sharp contrast to, for example, the Crystal board, where "cheerleaders" too often paint the facade of a virtually perfect cruise line.

And the Azamara board. Same thing. The on board experience is "perfect." Anyone who offers the slightest criticism is trashed. It's ok to trash the shoreside experience, however.

So when we were on this cruise the art auction was in the daily current whenever they would have it, the cruise director would do the announcement for it, it was on the morning TV program, and we got the little vanity cards near our cabin door. So it's not like it was just a little thing - it was certainly designed to be a part of the on-board experience. Like I said earlier this cruise had so many days at sea they may have brought them on just for this cruise.

The person who told me about the cancellation of the art sale got a call from Oceania. So they didn't leave it up to the contractor to do the contacting. If I had to guess they figured I wasn't due a refund due to it being OBC (which is dumb) so they didn't bother to contact me about it (which is double-dumb).

Also I'm not concerned about criticism. I've been posting or moderating on message forums since 110 baud modems came out. Nobody has to agree with my complaining about this but if even 1 person is trying to decide between that nice watch they can buy and take home with OBC vs. a piece of artwork that O promises will be shipped.. get the watch :)

Midnight Buffet - if it is any consolation, I agree with you 100%. You would have used the credit to purchase something in the gift shop - I had a large credit and bought a nice necklace- rather than have it go to waste. Oceania did right by you in giving you the money.

That said, we were on the Oceania Riviera and disembarked just last week, and there were no art auctions.

If they are indeed gone from all four/soon-to-be five ships - Yippee!

They took up room onboard Nautica our last cruise needed for people, even in Horizons some days when the view of the ocean was soooooo much better than the art.