Special Promotions??

We are sailing on the Marina next August and have booked a PH2 cabin on a 12 day cruise. I always keep an eye on cruise prices as I do with airfares and I was amazed to see that our cabin category on the same cruise is, as a special promotion, reduced by $3000 each. This has really shocked me and I am feeling quite annoyed at the thought of being locked in to paying $6000 more.

I have emailed my TA but have not had a reply as yet.

Has anyone else had this happen and if so have you been able to secure the cheaper fare after you have already paid your deposit?

Would you save by cancelling and rebooking?

I don't know what the rules are in Australia but we would lose our deposit in the UK.

We have paid a $4000 deposit back in June so so if we lost that we would still be $2000 better off.

We never received any cancelation policy.

I will be first in the door at the TA tomorrow morning :mad:

In US yes -- my TA just asked O to refare the booking.

Depends if there are still openings in the same booking category.

I am in the US and this happened to me. I kept asking my TA for the same lower fare and because they had a good volume of business with Oceania, I was able to get onboard credit for the price decrease. I would rather have gotten the cheaper fare, but now I won't have to worry about how much wine or cocktails I drink and if some credit is left, I will be putting it down on jewelry.

Hi J,

Different markets have different rules.

In the US, **** If the cancellation deadline has not passed ***** your TA can get you the better rates.

Good luck

You should be able to take advantage of the Special Fare; your Agent will need to request the amendment through the Wholesaler it was booked with, who then has to have it approved by Oceania.

Your booking is then cancelled and rebooked on the special with payment of an amendment fee.

Saying that, it generally applies to staterooms that have not currently been booked which means you will most likely have to change staterooms.

Definitely chase it up; Agent may be waiting on a response from Oceania.

Thanks - Fingers crossed - off to see my TA this morning.

We are sailing on the Marina next August and have booked a PH2 cabin on a 12 day cruise. I always keep an eye on cruise prices as I do with airfares and I was amazed to see that our cabin category on the same cruise is, as a special promotion, reduced by $3000 each. This has really shocked me and I am feeling quite annoyed at the thought of being locked in to paying $6000 more.

 

I have emailed my TA but have not had a reply as yet.

 

Has anyone else had this happen and if so have you been able to secure the cheaper fare after you have already paid your deposit?

TA got us price drop adjustment before final payment and refund of "special deal" price difference after full payment on a recent O cruise.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The Australian Cruise marketplace is markedly different from ours in the United States.

It might be kinder to see what transpires with the OP before we start listing our successes.

Great news!! - Happy! :D

Our TA is a cruise specialist who puts a lot of business Oceania's was. She said she has never seen such a bit reduction 10 months out and agreed that it was a big slap in the face to those who have already booked - so - even though the T & C stated "Existing bookings on these promotional sailings that cancel and rebook do not qualify for these offers" - she was able resolve it to our satisfaction with an small amendment fee.

It really pays to have a good Travel Agent!

Great news!! - Happy! :D

 

Our TA is a cruise specialist who puts a lot of business Oceania's was. She said she has never seen such a bit reduction 10 months out and agreed that it was a big slap in the face to those who have already booked - so - even though the T & C stated "Existing bookings on these promotional sailings that cancel and rebook do not qualify for these offers" - she was able resolve it to our satisfaction with an small amendment fee.

 

It really pays to have a good Travel Agent!

That's a great result :)

This discounting well before final Payment is something new for Oceania

It is also annoying to those that book 18mths out

Just saying!!!!

This discounting well before final Payment is something new for Oceania

 

It is also annoying to those that book 18mths out

 

Just saying!!!!

Not new.. But it is really annoying!! :(:(

There are really two options....book early and get the cabin you want or wait and take a chance on a lower price with less availability. It depends on which is more important to you. It's hard to get both unless you are very lucky.

Not new.. But it is really annoying!! :(:(

I do not recall them discounting before FP in the past...seems like this year it has started

that cancel and rebook do not qualify for these offers" [/i]

That seems particularly unkind to those who have booked early and are interested enough in their cruise to keep track of the sailing and booking, and are prepared to risk losing their favoured room to be treated (financially) the same as people booking later.

> she was able resolve it to our satisfaction with an small amendment fee.

Glad it worked out, J.

Ira

As I said - our TA said it was unusual for Oceania (Aus) to drop fares so low this so far out. She had also heard that a higher than average number of US quests had been cancelling cruises visiting Russia so may be Oceania has decided to give the Aussie market a nudge.

I will stand corrected if I am wrong with this but from what I read Aussies don't get the deals the US get and I have never seen free air included. I think Oceania has to be very careful as people do talk, not us but I have heard others on board ship and websites like this and big discrepancies in fares depending on your country of residency can sour the Oceania experience.

We are relieved it all worked out and we were able to keep our cabin. Just need to receive the amended paperwork to fully rest assured.

Thanks for all your supportive comments. :cool: