what type of cabin did you wind up having if you booked an inside guarantee?

[beachchairs2]

very good question...thank you for asking...

 

friends of ours have tried to convince us for a long time now to try O...so we gathered 4 couples ...only one has been on O before....but all say, once you try O, you will never go back to celeb again....so we will see....

[travellerin1984]

We are Elite on Celebrity after our January cruise but have still booked Oceania for our honeymoon for next summer. We get bored of the same cruise line after so many cruises. I think it is boring that they don't change the menus. Cocktails, shows etc. are the same so we need to try something else. Food becomes repetitive after many cruises on the same cruise line...

[beachchairs2]

yes on celeb we no longer go to the shows....but the food is very good...that is important to us..and still very few kids on longer off school sailings, that is important to us..... .the shows arent...

 

and of course what draws us are the perks...free wifi is very important to us....as I have said so many times here...to my mom, when we travel, this is her life line...

[takemewithyou]

yes on celeb we no longer go to the shows....but the food is very good...that is important to us..and still very few kids on longer off school sailings, that is important to us..... .the shows arent...

 

and of course what draws us are the perks...free wifi is very important to us....as I have said so many times here...to my mom, when we travel, this is her life line...

 

I understand you want to keep in touch with your Mother, but you must have known wifi was not free when you booked! No amount of whining changes that. You just have to deal with it.

 

Oceania is not Celebrity! There will be differences. If you go in to your cruise constantly comparing it to how things are done on X (or what perks you get on X) you are setting this cruise up to be a failure. You might want to adjust your attitude and relax and enjoy the Oceania experience!

 

I am sure you will enjoy yourself, but accept it for what it is. :)

[chrismch]

How would the "seasoned" O cruisers compare this line with Crystal. Of the 8other lines we've been on, that's the one that has impressed us the most. We've heard that O is a good comparison which is why we chose to cruise on the Riviera in Jan 2015

Edited September 10, 2014 by chrismch

[beachchairs2]

I understand you want to keep in touch with your Mother, but you must have known wifi was not free when you booked! No amount of whining changes that. You just have to deal with it.

 

Oceania is not Celebrity! There will be differences. If you go in to your cruise constantly comparing it to how things are done on X (or what perks you get on X) you are setting this cruise up to be a failure. You might want to adjust your attitude and relax and enjoy the Oceania experience!

 

I am sure you will enjoy yourself, but accept it for what it is. :)

 

and you understand correctly....and I also understand that you have labelled my comments as whining.....ok....label it as you see fit....you probably label anyone with a comment, question or request as whining..I can handle that and do one better...

 

I can come right out and say...this is my topic about whining ....in this topic I have asked how others have done with an inside guarantee....I got sidetracked and whined about internet....

 

if I didnt know that celebrity is not O, you have now pointed that out to me....Celebrity is not O...

 

you have also suggested I change my attitude....

 

my attitude all along had been that I will be happy with what I paid for....now you have suggested I need to change that attitude...

 

ok..I will try it your way....

 

Celebrity is not O...my expectations of O are much higher...I will not be happy with an inside cabin, surely O can do much better for someone trying O for the first time...

 

well with this new attitude of mine, I am sure to be very happy when I board and see that I have still been left in an inside cabin, with no surprise on the bed of anything of value as a welcome to a first time cruiser....

 

thats the funny thing about telling someone to change their attitude, you have to be careful that you know their attitude in the first place....

[LHT28]

Celebrity is not O...my expectations of O are much higher...I will not be happy with an inside cabin, surely O can do much better for someone trying O for the first time...

 

 

JMO

With those expectations you are setting yourself up for disappointment

 

Just saying

 

YMMV

Edited September 10, 2014 by LHT28

[beachchairs2]

JMO

With those expectations you are setting yourself up for disappointment

 

Just saying

 

YMMV

 

ah but thats where you didnt understand my approach to the poster who said to change my attitude....

 

my attitude , if you read my earlier posts, is that I will be happy with whatever we end up having...we are travelling with wonderful friends...that is what trully makes a holiday...not the kind of room you sleep in....

 

the poster said I needed to change my attitude, without reading what it was.....

 

so to be facetious, I changed my attitude to one of a whiner, complainer who wanted the impossible to become possible....that is how the poster labelled me...

 

in any case the point has been made..time to move on....

[StanandJim]

How would the "seasoned" O cruisers compare this line with Crystal. Of the 8other lines we've been on, that's the one that has impressed us the most. We've heard that O is a good comparison which is why we chose to cruise on the Riviera in Jan 2015

 

After sailing exclusively with Holland America for many years we tried Crystal just before discovering Oceania.

Their ships are beyond immaculate, and the public rooms are lightfilled, airy and generally stunning.

Once on the ship, we found the service to very attentive. So attentive, in fact, that it sometimes bordered on the odd. As an example, we had a cabin attendant who had his assistant scrub our veranda floor -on her hands and knees-, for a solid hour on every blessed morning of the voyage. We never DID find out what all that scrubbing was supposed to be in aid of.

The staff on Oceania ships have a much younger, "California" vibe IMHO, and it carries over into all aspects of the service and the general ambiance of the ships.

 

After finding Oceania, we also realized that Crystals' choice of stateroom and Suite layouts is pretty darned basic. Four layouts make up the entire stock of cabins; Veranda, Penthouse, Penthouse Suite and Crystal Penthouse. On the Symphony, the ship on which we sailed, there were no forward or aft facing suites or cabins - a huge design omission on a so called luxury ship!

 

The Specialty Restaurant system does not carry over into In Suite dining on Crystal, so we feel that the whole idea is much better handled by Oceania.

 

The one area where Crystal has a distinct edge is in the variety and quality of live evening entertainment, with the exception of Crystal Cove, their piano bar, which was just plain bad.....think karaoke singalong

[beachchairs2]

we are certainly looking forward to all this...thank you for sending the pics, stan and jim..

[chrismch]

StanandJim...How would you compare the quality of the restaurants on O and Crystal?

[beachchairs2]

well many things are happening on our transatlantic cruise....

 

now all but 2 categories are available....many on our roll call have been offered upsells or have been outright upgraded.....so there is a happy buzz about the place....with lots of congrats going out....

 

inventory is still available, maybe 20 to 30 percent and it is 46 days prior to sailing...

 

as for our status, still in an inside guarantee, no upsell offers ...nada....and I am content to have it stay that way until sailing...

[roothy123]

With that much time and that many staterooms left, I would think there's certainly still hope for something nice to happen - or not! With an F or G guarantee, we've never received an upsell or upgrade until a week or less in advance of the cruise. With 2 months to go, I would guess Oceania's still selling a decent number of staterooms and wants to leave their options open. Besides, it has been my impression that they start with the top categories first and work their way down...

Edited September 19, 2014 by roothy123

[Baybear]

Just from a personal statistics metrics standpoint...

 

We have been on 18 cruises over the last 30 years and always pick the cheapest "guaranteed" priced cabin whenever we can (which is most of them) in the hopes of getting upgraded. We have been upgraded once in all those pickings. But we don't mind an inside because we only spend time there to dress and sleep, and that's what I'd pick anyway.

 

Anyway, that's probably the kind of "chance" you have... a little like winning in Vegas. People will tell you "We won!" when they win, but most don't, I suspect.

 

So regardless of all the advice... If you get upgraded count yourself quite lucky.

 

(This was over several lines: Carnival, NCL, Costa, HAL, Princess, Cunard, Homeric, Celebrity and RCCL)

[beachchairs2]

yes of course only luck....

 

but it makes it interesting and looks like for us it will be interesting right up to sailing and maybe even up to getting on the ship...the later the better, I would think...

 

yes they must start with those at the top and see if they can upsell something else to them...with f and g , not much hope..but you never know....

 

we used to sail cheapest , lowest inside on celeb for years until the time they upgraded us to a balcony...well we have never been on anything but balconies from then on....

 

so you never know, maybe just maybe O will do something as an intoduction to someone new...and they have had our full deposit for 2 yrs..since the very day it was available....

 

but as I have said before, we cant wait to be with the many friends we have made on roll call....

 

and we are enoying the buzz of all their good fortune right now with upsells and free upgrades....yes our tongues are hanging out a bit....but thats ok....

Edited September 19, 2014 by beachchairs2

[llarsen]

We always book inside cabins on Oceania. We sailed last October with the original booking being an inside cabin. It was our 5th time on Oceania but our first time on Marina. We received many offers to switch to a longer cruise in a Veranda CatA at no additional charge, but this was our first time to Europe and we didn't want to change itineraries. Approximately 2 weeks before our sailing we received an offer to upgrade to a Veranda CatB for $200.00 pp and grabbed it! Our cabin was towards the end of the ship and we had an extended balcony. The granite bathrooms with tub plus shower in the Veranda suites are lovely. We purchased the Pay by the Minute internet service and it worked out very well for a few emails home to the kids.

 

In June we sailed on Riviera for the first time to Europe, and booked an inside guarantee. We did not receive any offers to switch cruises and we did not receive a cabin assignment. About a week prior to sailing we received an offer to upgrade to a Veranda CatB for $250.00 pp and we accepted it, although I wondered if we would have received a free upgrade upon check in since we were never assigned a cabin. To our surprise we also received free pre-paid gratuities, $100 OBC and free internet! Thank you Oceania!!

 

We are booked on Riviera for next September 2015 to Greece with an inside guarantee and have already received several offers to switch cruises to a Veranda suite at no additional charge. At this rate we may never find out what the inside cabins are like on the Riviera or Marina ;-) But I'm sure they are just as lovely as the rest of the ship.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise and Oceania!

[travellerin1984]

Interesting discussion. Do you get these uppgrade offers through travel agent or Oceania? We are from Nothern Europe and are curious if they offer paid upgrades even to Europeans or is it just a US-thing?

[YoHoHo]

If you've booked through a TA then all offers come through your TA. Tell your TA you are interested in upsell/upgrade offers. Some are not and based on post here are offended or worried when then receive such offers.

 

If you are truly serious in such offers tell your TA to automatically accept say, an upgrade to a certain category for $X more so that you do not miss the offer as it might be taken by others first.

 

Or maybe not. If no one accepts O might follow up with a better offer.

 

Bottom line is play the game and you might get more than you originally paid for, or maybe not. Just be happy with your purchase and everything else is bonus.

[Solas36]

Interesting discussion. Do you get these uppgrade offers through travel agent or Oceania? We are from Nothern Europe and are curious if they offer paid upgrades even to Europeans or is it just a US-thing?

 

We are from UK.

Sailed for first time with Oceania on Riviera 1 Sep. 5 times with RCI. Attracted by itinerary with different port each day. No sea days. All ports new to us so we were not going to be staying on board and therefore in our cabin much. Booked inside guarantee which was half price of veranda. Thinking, we can have another cruise with saving! Noticed chat on here and asked TA to enquire about upgrade/ upsell a couple weeks before due to sail. Answer - pay same again for veranda. i.e. what it cost when we booked inside. No thanks! Cabin assigned only within days of sailing. No offers made and no last minute change.

 

We got what we decided to pay for and happy to have money in bank for another cruise. But makes we wonder how this all works! Met lovely Australian couple on cruise who booked inside last minute and got upgraded to veranda on arrival. O had chance to make some money by upselling to us but didn't. Should I have contacted O myself as now wondering if T A was on the ball after all!

 

Or is it a US thing as this poster suggested?

[Mrs Miggins]

I would be interested in the answer too. I phoned Oceania UK regarding the possibility of an upsell on our October 22nd Riviera cruise. Was told that it was the Revenue Department in the US that made these decisions and that, in her experience, it had only happened on a very few occasions. Customer service agent at my Travel Agent said that if an upsell was available, then Oceania would contact us directly. To be honest both UK telephone calls I made to Oceania and the Travel Agent were answered as if they had no experience at all of an upsell being offered, so didn't sound at all promising. Our cruise appears to be wide open in all categories.

[terry&mike]

Mrs Miggins, possibly it is a US thing, as I am on your cruise. I have received 2 upsell offers in the past week, one to a Vista Suite and one to a Concierge cabin, but did not accept either - the suite offer was more than I wanted to pay for this upgrade, the concierge offer did not appeal as I don't believe that is better than what I have.

The other possibility is that my cabin category is needed/waitlisted and possibly yours is not? Can't remember the cabin type you are in, I am in a Veranda with an extended balcony, B3.

[roothy123]

It varies a lot because availability varies a lot. Everyone needs to keep in mind that Oceania ships are small and often there are very few staterooms open for booking or upselling/ upgrading.

 

Beachchairs - About a week pre-cruise you'll probably find that it's no longer to book online so you won't be able to see what rooms are vacant. But about a week before you might get an idea of what's what! For us on a smaller shi there were very few rooms available then so there was not much room to "play" with.

[juli2020]

After sailing exclusively with Holland America for many years we tried Crystal just before discovering Oceania.

Their ships are beyond immaculate, and the public rooms are lightfilled, airy and generally stunning.

Once on the ship, we found the service to very attentive. So attentive, in fact, that it sometimes bordered on the odd. As an example, we had a cabin attendant who had his assistant scrub our veranda floor -on her hands and knees-, for a solid hour on every blessed morning of the voyage. We never DID find out what all that scrubbing was supposed to be in aid of.

The staff on Oceania ships have a much younger, "California" vibe IMHO, and it carries over into all aspects of the service and the general ambiance of the ships.

 

After finding Oceania, we also realized that Crystals' choice of stateroom and Suite layouts is pretty darned basic. Four layouts make up the entire stock of cabins; Veranda, Penthouse, Penthouse Suite and Crystal Penthouse. On the Symphony, the ship on which we sailed, there were no forward or aft facing suites or cabins - a huge design omission on a so called luxury ship!

 

The Specialty Restaurant system does not carry over into In Suite dining on Crystal, so we feel that the whole idea is much better handled by Oceania.

 

The one area where Crystal has a distinct edge is in the variety and quality of live evening entertainment, with the exception of Crystal Cove, their piano bar, which was just plain bad.....think karaoke singalong

 

Things have changed since you last sailed on Crystal:

We are sailing on Crystal in April:In the Penthouse, Penthouse Suite or CP

 

Personal Butler Service:

In-suite afternoon tea service

In-suite pre-dinner cocktail and gourmet canapé service

In-suite dining, including menus from Silk Road and Prego, served by course

[buggins0402]

One must keep in mind there is a much larger percentage of inside cabins on the R ships (8%). On the O ships the percentage of inside cabins falls to 2.5%.

 

It would seem if you signed up for an inside guarantee on an R, it would be more likely that is what you will get, unless the ship is undersold.

[beachchairs2]

I also really like the suspence of it all....regardless of the outcome...

 

we paid for an inside G guarantee....on the marina...with very few insides and all seem available right now...but also there are about 68 cabins available minimum, what we can see on line....the rest we cant see......all in the balcony and penthouse categories...it is about 40 days till sail time....because it is lisbon to rio, visas are needed for rio and with the air availability as it is, there will be very few more sales , I would think...so if they dont offer good upsells, the ship may sail as much as a third empty....

 

just really fun to speculate....