Oceania vs HAL and Celebrity

[nparmelee]

We've been watching this thread with a lot of interest since we also are getting ready for our first Oceania cruise. Things that drew me to Oceania in my research were the itineraries and the way folks talked about the line. I guess we'll bring the average age down on our cruise, I'll be 41 and DH will be 55 when we go next June. We don't need the big shows we've had on the other ships, but we do like good food and we do like being pampered on vacation. Cabin space on Oceania seems to be about the same as our previous 2 cruises, so that wasn't a factor. We definitely liked the idea of 1/3 the number of passengers we've travelled with before, we like people but we don't like being in cattle lines for some things. Price comparison of similar days between Oceania and Celebrity started out being about the same with the air credit, and now less for our cruise than for Celebrity during the same time frame. In the end it was the itinerary that won us over when we did book, although I would also sail on Celebrity or Princess again for the right itinerary, with Celebrity having an edge for us there.

[Petoonya]

Being a Celebrity fan for sometime...and having done our first Oceania cruise six months ago...have to say to all the Celebrity-ites who are looking forward to their first Oceania cruise...IT'S EVERYTHING YOU HOPED IT WOULD BE AND MORE!

 

I boarded Regatta last spring with guarded expectations- after 14 days the cruise line FAR exceeded them. It's not that I would never cruise Celebrity again. It's just that I would always choose Oceania if itinerary and price justify it.

 

You just wait Bruin Steve and Parmelee. You'll be swept off your feet.

[Cruiseoften]

Can anyone offer a comparison between HAL's Prinsendam , 38,000 GT - 780 +- passengers and Oceania's Regatta, 30,000 GT with 650+- passengers.

 

The 'country club casual' atmosphere appeals to us.

[Cruiseoften]

We're not loooking for 'port intensive' travel - sea days are important - and also a smaller ship - seemed the Prinsendam (HAL) was comparable. Never mind - now I read the following from another cruise message board newsletter

Quote- edited :..........

 

NO FREE RIDE

 

During 2005 and into the foreseeable future, any passenger snapping up a cruise line's offer of free or heavily discounted airfare, or free upgrades, should figure there's a big catch. Fellow cruisers, nothing is free when ships are fully booked with vacationers paying higher rates than we had to a few years ago. Americans are flush with money, and in the cruise industry, demand has caught up to capacity.

 

Don't assume today that free is free.

 

Oceania Cruises, for example, advertises free airfare to Europe when you book early. But when you add up the taxes and government fees tacked on, you'll spend between $800-$1,100 for this 'free' air ticket," he says. And he adds that when a cruise line tries to entice you with a $99 round-trip airfare offer, you won't be able to buy it with the best possible cruise fare. Without the airfare, a cabin category may cost $599; to get the special air rates, the price of that cabin rises to $799.

 

The enticement of free cabin upgrades is almost meaningless today, since ships have virtually identical cabins. "Does it really matter if you're on deck eight or nine, when the cabin is the same?" Generally, "upgrades" don't allow you to move from an inside to an outside cabin, or from an outside to a balcony stateroom.

 

Since few travel agents take the time to pick apart the economics of free or reduced airfare promotions, especially when you request a specific offer, it's up to you to examine all your pricing options -- and maybe figure out if you could find a low air fare and a rock-bottom cruise-only rate that together would beat the combined offer with its "free" elements. - Unquote

 

For Canadian cruisers this can be very important. All Cruise Lines (understandably) book the cheapest air possible - read that as "you may have one two or even 3 plane changes". To add to our misery, we leave from one port and return to fly home from another - adds up to two one way tickets! and more chances that your luggage will not travel with you! Choose your TA carefully and shop around for the best deal. :rolleyes:

[nparmelee]

Cruiseoften, I'm not quite sure what the value of that article is. I priced out a Celebrity cruise, same number of nights for the same time as when we are taking Oceania. We took the air credit instead of the flights since we wanted to use ff miles to upgrade to business class. Celebrity is currently more expensive for Barcelone to Venice (or the other direction, I forget exactly) for the same number of nights, similar cabins and amenities without airfare on either for the comparison, the two cruises leave one day off of each other. The ports are a little different, and 7 months ago the two cruises were closer in price, but ours has only gone up $400 per person and the Celebrity cruise has gone up over $800 per person. I thought Oceania gave fairly good air credits for the flights, I was able to find coach for about the same price as our overall air credit. And heck, now I get Rome to Istanbul and nobody else in the mass markets was offering a similar itinerary! Sigh... this history lovers dream trip.... For the Med, very few lines are NOT port intensive....

[nparmelee]

Cruiseoften, I'm not quite sure what the value of that article is. I priced out a Celebrity cruise, same number of nights for the same time as when we are taking Oceania. We took the air credit instead of the flights since we wanted to use ff miles to upgrade to business class. Celebrity is currently more expensive for Barcelone to Venice (or the other direction, I forget exactly) for the same number of nights, similar cabins and amenities without airfare on either for the comparison, the two cruises leave one day off of each other. The ports are a little different, and 7 months ago the two cruises were closer in price, but ours has only gone up $400 per person and the Celebrity cruise has gone up over $800 per person. I thought Oceania gave fairly good air credits for the flights, I was able to find coach for about the same price as our overall air credit. And heck, now I get Rome to Istanbul and nobody else in the mass markets was offering a similar itinerary! Sigh... this history lovers dream trip.... For the Med, very few lines are NOT port intensive....

[nparmelee]

Sorry, boards are acting up again.....

[cruiseyguy]

Oceania "free air" is a great deal on two continent open-jaw travel, such as departing on the ship from Europe and arriving in South America. These trips, if purchased independently, are usually priced as two one-way trips and are very expensive.

[Cruiseoften]

Oceania "free air" is a great deal on two continent open-jaw travel, such as departing on the ship from Europe and arriving in South America. These trips, if purchased independently, are usually priced as two one-way trips and are very expensive.

 

No doubt about cruise line air being a great deal if you're leaving from one continent and returning from another - we always do the math!

 

nparmelee - agree - probably has little value apart from pointing out that it's always good to check things out - you win some and you lose some!

;)

[Cruiseoften]

Oceania "free air" is a great deal on two continent open-jaw travel, such as departing on the ship from Europe and arriving in South America. These trips, if purchased independently, are usually priced as two one-way trips and are very expensive.

 

No doubt about cruise line air being a great deal if you're leaving from one continent and returning from another - we always do the math!

 

nparmelee - agree - probably has little value apart from pointing out that it's always good to check things out - you win some and you lose some!

;)

[Cruiseoften]

Oceania "free air" is a great deal on two continent open-jaw travel, such as departing on the ship from Europe and arriving in South America. These trips, if purchased independently, are usually priced as two one-way trips and are very expensive.

 

No doubt about cruise line air being a great deal if you're leaving from one continent and returning from another - we always do the math!

 

nparmelee - agree - probably has little value apart from pointing out that it's always good to check things out - you win some and you lose some!

;)

[kwsunset]

Just for the record......I have checked with Delta for an open jaw from Atlanta to Athens and return from Istanbul Sept 14-27. The website quote is $915. The cruise fare from Oceania would 5200 approx (A3) with air plus taxes etc and 3800 plus port and taxes without air, so it pays to get your own air in this case. This is nonstop service also (from US to Athens and Istanbul to US). So sometimes open jaws are not oneway fares. Michael Z

[cruiseyguy]

Open jaws are based on the mileage of the "open" part. I'm not sure of the exact formula but if the open part is too large, it cannot be booked as an "open jaw." In any event, Athens and Instanbul are considered part of the same continent, i.e., Europe, and can normally be booked as an open jaw. Lisbon and Rio, as transatlantic examples on different continents, probably cannot be. It all depends on the specific itinerary.

[garykool81]

Being a Celebrity fan for sometime...and having done our first Oceania cruise six months ago...have to say to all the Celebrity-ites who are looking forward to their first Oceania cruise...IT'S EVERYTHING YOU HOPED IT WOULD BE AND MORE!

 

I boarded Regatta last spring with guarded expectations- after 14 days the cruise line FAR exceeded them. It's not that I would never cruise Celebrity again. It's just that I would always choose Oceania if itinerary and price justify it.

 

You said it! I cannot possibly agree more!

 

My partner and I just returned from a 10-night transatlantic sailing aboard Regatta, and the product Oceania offers is a VERY solid step up from Celebrity that is worth paying a premium to obtain.

 

Would I spend $3,000 per person peak season on an oceanview cabin for a 10-night cruise? No. But, I will consider the more reasonably priced transatlantic and Caribbean cruises they offer frequently between $1,000 to $1,500 for lower end cabins.

 

I will shortly author a lengthy review on our experience, as I always do, but Oceania's entertainment, food quality, service, atmosphere, etc., were all far superior to Celebrity.

 

I would and will sail with Celebrity in the future, as they are truthfully at the top of their respective market IMO, but I would try to search out Oceania first for a good deal.