Cancellation Administrative Fee

[seattlecruiser]

We are new to Oceania and getting ready to book for April 2022.  In reading the T&C I note an administrative fee of $250 if cancellation is between 91-120 days.  I am still searching for an Oceania Preferred TA so am doing my research with various online TAs.  None seem to mention the Administrative Fee.  Is this fee typically collected by Preferred TAs or can it be waived?  Thanks.

[LHT28]

The  fee is part of your deposit  if you cancel within the time frame mentioned they do not refund that amount of the deposit  but it can be used for future cruises  like an FCC

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005306234-What-is-your-cancellation-and-refund-policy-

 

Note the  "+" after admin fee  then scroll down

[susiesan]

But if you have paid one of these fees you need to remember that you have the FCC to use. You will need to ask your TA to apply it to your reservation. Plus it has an expiration date so if you forget about it you will be out the money.

[Jockocruiser]

Even though final pay dates have been pushed forward, cancellation fees greater than that date apply?

[Homerody]

1 hour ago, Jockocruiser said:

Even though final pay dates have been pushed forward, cancellation fees greater than that date apply?

I have a sailing with FP change to 60 days out.  TA advised me that cancellation dates/penalties are unchanged.

 

(Now I am trying to confirm on my own.  Trust but verify thing....)

[mauibabes]

Perhaps my mistake but I seem to recall when our Final Payment dates were pushed to 60 days, all the Penalty dates slipped back too.  Do not worry however, if your refund is short the Administrative Fee amount, the information is included in your Account and it would be applied to a future cruise booking.  Let’s say, I have never lost an Admin Fee charge, O is great about that. We did have a friend who came up short on a fee credit but he let it slide over 4 years before he was sailing again. 🤪

Ciao,

Gerry 

[Jockocruiser]

Cancellation penalties all kick in before 60 day final due date.  Did I just become subject to $250 pp penalty?  Even though final is now due 60 days out?  This from new invoice yesterday due to cabin change as new space has opened up.

[Robjame]

3 hours ago, Jockocruiser said:

Did I just become subject to $250 pp penalty?  Even though final is now due 60 days out?

Doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense as all you have exposed is your deposit. How do they propose to get the rest of the penalties from you?

Be interesting what your TA says.

[Jockocruiser]

Robjame:  The deposit is $3,000 so that is at risk.  But of course you are right, how can they get more?!

[LHT28]

Best to get clarification from Oceania

 I thought  when they pushed back the final payment they also took the penalties  into that date

 

So many moving parts lately hard to keep up 😉

[Robjame]

16 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Best to get clarification from Oceania

 

Excellent advice.

Especially during these times I ask my TA by email and she responds in writing after talking to the Oceania Rep. To me, this is one of the main advantages of a TA - an advocate and a layer of insulation between me and the corporation. 

[susiesan]

8 hours ago, Robjame said:

Doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense as all you have exposed is your deposit. How do they propose to get the rest of the penalties from you?

Be interesting what your TA says.

They withhold the penalty/admin fee when refunding your deposit. If you deposited $3000 you will only get back $2500.

[basor]

51 minutes ago, susiesan said:

They withhold the penalty/admin fee when refunding your deposit. If you deposited $3000 you will only get back $2500.

You do not lose the $500.00, it is in your account as a FCC and then is applied to your next booking.  

[Eloise4Ever]

I have paid a deposit (no FCC involved) on a 10 night cruise which was due to sail from Venice in November. We are approaching final payment so are liable for the Admin Fee. As the cruise is no longer departing from Venice I am inclined to cancel.

 

I interpreted the word "may" in the Oceania wording below to mean "is permitted" however my TA has advised me that it means Oceania "may" keep the Admin Fee or they "may" make an exception and allow it to be applied to a future cruise.  Can anybody who has experience of this please let me know if their Admin Fee was converted to an FCC without any problem or is it hit and miss?

 

I would be very grateful for advice on this please 🙏.

 

[Robjame]

 

15 minutes ago, Eloise4Ever said:

I am inclined to cancel.

If you have decided:
 

The penalty date and the final payment date are not the same. The date that penalties begin is a month before the final payment (see page 2 of your Oceania Cruises statement.)

 

Cancel before the the penalties begin and you will be returned 100% of your deposit and not have to worry about the “mays”, “ifs” or “cans”.

 

If you are past the penalty date tell your TA you want a refund or a guarantee from the company that Venice is still the plan. Tell her why. That is one reason you are using her.

[mauibabes]

Eloise,

Sailing in November 2021, on Marina? My guess because Riviera sails from Venice October 28 and we have not been advised of any port call changes. I was not aware of any other Venice embarkations having been changed in 2021.
In my experience, do not sweat the small stuff, Oceania will Hold your Admin Fee as a credit and it will sit in your Oceania account. If you cancel, your deposit will be refunded minus the Fee. Your TA can have that credit applied to a new booking made within the prescribed timeframe.  
If your Travel agency or agent tells you differently, THEY may be charging you a fee and attributing it to Oceania.  If THEY try to keep your $500, time to find another travel agency. JMHO

Gerry

 

[LHT28]

54 minutes ago, Eloise4Ever said:

I have paid a deposit (no FCC involved) on a 10 night cruise which was due to sail from Venice in November. We are approaching final payment so are liable for the Admin Fee. As the cruise is no longer departing from Venice I am inclined to cancel.

 

I interpreted the word "may" in the Oceania wording below to mean "is permitted" however my TA has advised me that it means Oceania "may" keep the Admin Fee or they "may" make an exception and allow it to be applied to a future cruise.  Can anybody who has experience of this please let me know if their Admin Fee was converted to an FCC without any problem or is it hit and miss?

 

I would be very grateful for advice on this please 🙏.

 

if you are  worried  then cancel while you get the full refund

If things  change you can try to rebook  closer to sailing if the port of Venice  is still in the cards

 No one here knows what will happen

JMO

[ORV]

I think you are interpreting it right and your TA might be a bit inexperienced, to put it nicely. 

[Eloise4Ever]

Thanks for the responses folks, much appreciated. 

 

We are between 120 and 90 days out from our sailing so we are already on the hook for the Admin fee.

 

Mauibabes/Gerry, we are on the 9th November Marina sailing. Just to clarify, Oceania haven’t confirmed that the cruise is no longer departing from Venice but as we all know, Venice has banned cruise ships ergo we know the cruise will be sailing from a different port.

[LHT28]

19 minutes ago, Eloise4Ever said:

Thanks for the responses folks, much appreciated. 

 

We are between 120 and 90 days out from our sailing so we are already on the hook for the Admin fee.

 

I have not heard of anyone losing the Admin fee   but it "could"  happen

I agree with Orv  

'May"  be a CYA  phrase  in the Oceania wording 😉

 

 

 

[mauibabes]

Eloise,

Just saw on the Riviera October 18-28 RC that the latest word for the terminal in Venice is the Maritima which still means Venice. Don’t panic, I would bet Venice is a GO

🙏👍🚢🤞

Gerry

[Eloise4Ever]

59 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Eloise,

Just saw on the Riviera October 18-28 RC that the latest word for the terminal in Venice is the Maritima which still means Venice. Don’t panic, I would bet Venice is a GO

🙏👍🚢🤞

Gerry

 

I really do hate to be a Debbie Downer Gerry but to the best of my knowledge, the Marittima terminal is where we were due to sail from before the ban. It is part of Venice Cruise Port and ships must sail through the Giudecca canal to access it. Large ships are now banned on that route 😢.

[Jockocruiser]

RE my question in post #7 above:

Oceania has advised that as the final payment date has been pushed back to 60-days prior to sailing, the standard "Guest Cancelation Schedule" that appears on the updated Guest Statement is incorrect.    So even though the booking shows cancellation charges as a schedule with various date ranges from 180 days prior - there would be no penalties until after final payment - ie: 60-days or less. 

 

 I was told by an O rep that the info on page two regarding the "Guest Cancelation Schedule" was something in the "invoice programing" and couldn't be changed. The booking has been manually notated that no penalties would apply until the 60-day deadline. 

 

To be clear, this is only about a departure where the final payment date has been changed by O to be closer to departure than the published or standard policy. ie: moved from 180 days to 60 days prior to departure.

 

Deposit paid would be refunded - not applied as a credit. We're still planning on the departure as a go, so hope it will. 

 

 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

We are probably going to have to cancel our Oceania cruise for March, 2022.  I know we need to cancel in writing, but I cannot find an address to send the cancellation.  We are 188 days prior to sailing so we anticipate no penalties or need for FCC.
 

Does anyone know the address, or can you point me in the direction to find it?  Thanks.

 

Joanie

[Robjame]

In my experience, if you used a Travel Advisor a phone call or email is all that is required. She will take the ball from there. Ask for verification by email.

 

If you booked directly, a phone call to Oceania stating your intention will start the ball rolling or at least point you in the right direction. Again I would insist on an email verification.

 

The following address is printed on the bottom of each page of your Oceania Guest Statement which you should have received:

 

Oceania Cruises, Inc. • 7665 Corporate Center Drive • Miami, FL 33126 • Phone: 800 531 5658