Supercattonk

Hi again, that's news to me. There is no "Prohibition" in place in Australia or New Zealand that requires us to use only Australian based/registered TA's for overseas travel suppliers, i.e. cruise lines/airlines/train travel/etc. I can book direct and have done in the past with Oceania (but they, Oceania want/prefer you to use their Oz agent/wholesaler) The wholesaler for Oceania is appointed by Oceania so acts on their behalf and one would assume under their rules.

I have booked direct with other US based cruise lines/airlines and likewise with UK/European and Asian companies. Some Europe based river cruises are not geared to deal direct with the traveler so you have no choice but use a TA.

I have no axe to grind with TA's, I think they do an excellent job as the majority of travelers are not interested in trying to deal direct or build their own "tour".

My gripe is with the "supplier" i.e. Cruise Line/Airline or any other who establish a price, take your deposit then drop the price quite substantially and expect you to either pay that inflated price or pay a service fee to allow you to take the "dropped" price.

As stated in an earlier post, IMHO "times are changing & booking too far ahead is fraught with danger"

Happy traveling/cruising to you all.

If its any consolation we too have just experienced booking a cruise on Oceania through a TA in Oz, but fortunately before final payment came up happened to spot on the Oceania web page a very significant price drop for our cruise. Told our TA we would cancel and re book if they didn't get it sorted. They did but an an additional aud150pp at the insistence of the "Australia Wholesaler" (or as JimandStan points out.... Australian Cruise Consolidator which holds the contract to sell Oceania Cruises in your part of the World.)

In the past we have always booked on line direct with Oceania but over the last few years they have made it more difficult to do this.

Other post's hit the nail in saying that things have changed, cruise lines are having trouble filling ships and I believe the days of having to book 12 months out are well and truly over. The same applies to river cruising.

We have cruise plans for late 2014 & 2015 but will not book before 2 or 3 months out and take our chance of cabin selection. As for Oceania, its doubtful they will make the "cruise consideration" list as long as they treat the Australian/New Zealand market with contempt.

I think the North American market is different in that its probably rare to see price reductions half way through a marketing season. ( Plus USA clients would probably sue them!!) But in Oz it does happen and I speak from experience. After telling TA I will cancel and then rebook and still save heaps they informed me the "wholesaler" which I assume is O in Oz, agreed to the newly advertised price but I still had to pay AUD$130 pp to do it.

After 4 previous sailings with O this exercise makes me pretty mad and I would have to think twice before booking O through Oz again or for that matter sailing with them again. Previous sailing I have always dealt direct with O in the States but over the last few years their web site weans you off going direct.

SANNE is correct in saying their web site defaults to Oz, but at the top right hand you can change it to any other country. I have a look at the USA web site on a regular basis to check up on the possibility of any other

changes that we don't get.

As to picking or seeing what cabins are available appears to be "blocked out" on cruises within the next 180days so O can do their "wait List" exercise.

Cheers from West Oz