Move over advice

We took our first Oceania cruise last November. While on board, we decided we liked the company and booked another for April. Soon after we got home, our TA told us she had received a "move over" offer from Oceania. There were two specific inducements included. The first was one additional day and the second was a raise in category from A1 to Ph3. We decided to accept the offer and are now scheduled for a Grand Tour cruise in July.

We thought, perhaps naively, that we would be entitled to all booking inducements regular bookers received, specifically 12 free shore excursions. When we got out our cruise booklet from our TA, she told us we were only entitled to 8. She had unsuccessfully tried to get it changed to 12.

I contacted Oceania myself and was told that since we had not paid full price for the second cruise, we were not entitled to the full 12 excursions. This was even though we had paid full price for the original one. I am inclined to pursue this further, politely of course, but would like to read other's opinions about the situation.

Oh dear, not quite what you hoped. However, I can assure you that you will love your PH3, and although I think it is a bit cheeky of Oceana, as it was not your choice to change the cruise, I suggest you savour your larger suite which comes with some other extras, and put up with the loss of the four few free tours. ( Don't think you were naive at all, it should have been explained at the time)

Enjoy your cruise.

Oh dear, not quite what you hoped. However, I can assure you that you will love your PH3, and although I think it is a bit cheeky of Oceana, as it was not your choice to change the cruise,

 

Enjoy your cruise.

AHH but it was their choice

they did not have to accept the move over offer

Yes their TA should have explained all the in's & outs before they took the offer

The TA should have explained all the pluses and unfortunately the minuses. Perhaps the TA (if they want your repeat business) can make it somehow up to you.

That's rather different from what we had when we accepted a "move over" offer. Tours weren't involved in our case (this was six years ago) but we already had a lot of OBC from having booked what was initially an empty cruise, and they gave us even more. That's in addition to changing us from a PH on Regatta to a VS on Marina for no extra charge.

Mura

You can negotiate with them. Depends how badly either or both parties want the room. Some you win, some you lose.....

Mo

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AHH but it was their choice

 

they did not have to accept the move over offer

 

Yes their TA should have explained all the in's & outs before they took the offer

Clearly I did not understand what a "move over" offer meant. I thought that they did not have a choice, but it was that or no cruise for them. Obviously the TA should have explained all the facts, and he/she did not. In my view the PH3 is so superior that it outweighs the loss of some "free" tours. We have never had free tours on Oceania.

Jay,

It appears you now realize that it is indeed an "offer", not an order! In fact, people who don't to receive any offers should tell the TA and you won't be bothered. Others have negotiated. "No, I don't want the OS for $1,000pp, how about $500?" Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Mura

Our experience with a "Move Over" offer was that the perks from the original cruise followed us to the move over cruise. We tried to negotiate some extras, but the offer was fairly firm, if we wanted the offer great, if not no problem, they'd move on.

For us the move to a P.H. on a different ship, on a different date from a balcony with the original perks was a good enough offer, we took it.

The lesson to be learned for me is understand the offer fully before making a decision.

dont cry too hard, your change over from a A! to a PH is worth THOUSAND$..... far, far more ,value than the 4 extra overpriced tours..... Seriously there is a time to stand up and a time to shut up.... You got a sweet heart deal ...that I'd never complain about getting that nice a offer.... appreciate and thank them not rag on them:confused:

The issue for us with previous move over offers has been Air. As Hawaiian recommended to another cruiser on a current active thread, we almost always do our own air arrangements and take the air credit. That often kills the ability to accept move offers. I was once able to pay AA a change fee of $400 to alter some airline tickets, so to take advantage of a fab offer. Other times the answer from the airlines has been no changes.

The issue for us with previous move over offers has been Air. As Hawaiian recommended to another cruiser on a current active thread, we almost always do our own air arrangements and take the air credit. That often kills the ability to accept move offers. I was once able to pay AA a change fee of $400 to alter some airline tickets, so to take advantage of a fab offer. Other times the answer from the airlines has been no changes.

I always "buy" my cruise tickets with airline ff miles, and then if I have to change it is very cheap. Remember rather than changing a flight, cancel and you have your $ credit for a year to use elsewhere. If your a top tier customer with the airlines they will work with you with reduced or no change fee.. To I have found that business and First class fares many times come with no penalty to change....so fly Business.

Another key point is I always try to book a cruise that starts or stops in a US port ( Sydney to LA or NY , SF to Vancouver, Venice or Rome to Miami) This cuts your exposure down . Another advantage of flying to a foreign port that will return via sea to the USA is the added security/safety you achieve by avoiding the higher risk of taking a USA bound flight, which historically been high priority targets.....ships are not on the list these days . ( they tried it off Somalia and ended up each with a 7.62 intracranially ).

One word of caution do not use FF miles to fly out of anywhere in Great Britain as they will charge you a $150-320 pp exit tax !

However, on my last change over offer they made they offered a cabin some $6000 more in value ....With that sort of value who cares about spending even a crummy $400 to change. You are still $5600 to the good !

Look at the big picture of what your getting vS what you have to spend to get it.:confused::confused::confused: