Reduced port stays

[susiesan]

20 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Yes, it all depends. If you book 2-3 star hotels and eat in McDonald's (and stay in the same place), then yes, it will be cheaper. But if you book comparable hotels, eat 3 times a day in good restaurants and move from city to city, then land trips will be MUCH more expensive. At least this is the case in Europe.

I only book 2-3 star hotels. But then I only book inside and outside cabins. I can always find someplace local to eat besides McDonalds for cheap prices. 

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I only book 2-3 star hotels. But then I only book inside and outside cabins. I can always find someplace local to eat besides McDonalds for cheap prices. 

 

We usually book OV too. Don't really need veranda. But if you book 2-3 star hotels and eat in cheap places, then Oceania is not apples to apples comparison in terms of accommodation and food. Compare to Carnival or RCI and then see that cruising will still be cheaper.

[osandomir]

14 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Well.. maybe, but they have to remember they are not the only game in town. If they raise the prices by 10-15%, they will be close to SB (or even more expensive when you account for all inclusions). I doubt that people would book O if they can book SB at similar prices.

 

We recently booked SS cruise that was only 10% more than comparable cruise on O. If you account for the inclusions (drinks, gratuities and excursions), SS was actually cheaper.

That only means that other cruise lines are likely to raise their prices as well.

[osandomir]

16 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Well.. maybe, but they have to remember they are not the only game in town. If they raise the prices by 10-15%, they will be close to SB (or even more expensive when you account for all inclusions). I doubt that people would book O if they can book SB at similar prices.

 

We recently booked SS cruise that was only 10% more than comparable cruise on O. If you account for the inclusions (drinks, gratuities and excursions), SS was actually 

Edited March 30, 2023 by osandomir
Duplicate post

[Sujormik]

On 1/23/2023 at 8:29 AM, YoPhilly said:

I was just notified of reduced port times on my Baltic cruise.  How can I experience Stockholm in only 8 hours??

I feel you! I’ve got Copenhagen from 7 am until 2 pm…is anything open at 7 am? I think not.

[BWV]

On the July 12 Marina Baltic cruise, Gdańsk is being replaced with Ronne, Denmark. 

[sofietucker]

22 minutes ago, BWV said:

On the July 12 Marina Baltic cruise, Gdańsk is being replaced with Ronne, Denmark. 

Ooh, lucky you!! Having been to both places, this would be our choice! We actually were supposed to be on your cruise, but had to switch to May.

Ronne is wonderful! A small island that belonged to Sweden, then Denmark, then Sweden, then Denmark,,, There are small round churches built by knights Templar with the original frescoes still there.  The town of Svaneke has a great microbrewery where we drank beer. They also have all kinds of excellent smoked fish (that you can take with you or have shipped) and a licorice-making operation You know how you can watch fudge being made by hand?  Like that, only licorice is THE beloved candy of Scandinavia. Those pretty trees with the pleated leaves by the pier are hazelnuts, btw...

[Guest ldtr]

5 hours ago, susiesan said:

I like this quote from the article:

 

Weinstein — making his first appearance on the panel since being promoted to CEO of Carnival Corp. last August — said cruises are 25% to 50% cheaper than a land-based vacation. 'We've got to do a better job communicating the value proposition of what a cruise is ... and we are working on that.'

 

I'd say a big not. Land based trips are always cheaper than cruises for me. It all depends on how and where you travel. 

 

 

 

Maybe.  However, haven't you noticed that the same hotels are now considerably more expensive then even a year ago?  On CNBC today when they were talking about the rate of new construction slowing down compared to last year they noted that the average hotel room rate is up by 64% over the past year and is now at $302 per night. So while one can find cheaper hotel rooms, even those have gone up quite a bit.

[pinotlover]

Let’s get a grip. No one here is booking hotels the size of R ship verandas! Probably not even as small as a R ship PH. Probably not as small as an O ship PH! 🙄

 

What does eating three meals per day mean? Even on the ship, we never eat three complete meals. Maybe a cappuccino and a pastry for breakfast in Barrista, very light lunch, and a nice dinner. If we’re having a big lunch ashore, dinner is rarely more than a light salad or a couple pieces of sushi. I don’t have to, nor want to, turn sideways to walk down the aisle on the tour bus! 
 

We stayed over in Lima, after MP was cancelled, at the Hyatt. Had a great room, ate tremendously,  and spent ( not counting tours) around $450/day. That’s $225 each per day. Except for those getting the silent sale, no way to touch those prices on Oceania. We’re going to Cinque Terre post Vista. Very nice hotel overlooking the ocean at sub $200/night with breakfast included. That $100 each! 
 

As a side note for anyone ever going to Lima, Peru again. The Peruvian restaurant Astril & Gaston is absolutely phenomenal. The old mansion it’s located in is incredible and the food unworldly great. 300-400 meters from the Hyatt Centric San Isidro Hotel were we stayed. Mega leaps over anything aboard ship and still included in the prices above.

 

We don’t demand Merican food when abroad and have found that going with the local cuisine and/ or fresh catch of the day, eating most everywhere is typically less expensive than in the States. Of course we’re not nearly as enamored by frozen lobster tails as some! 🙄

 

 

[ak1004]

12 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Let’s get a grip. No one here is booking hotels the size of R ship verandas! Probably not even as small as a R ship PH. Probably not as small as an O ship PH! 🙄

 

What does eating three meals per day mean? Even on the ship, we never eat three complete meals. Maybe a cappuccino and a pastry for breakfast in Barrista, very light lunch, and a nice dinner. If we’re having a big lunch ashore, dinner is rarely more than a light salad or a couple pieces of sushi. I don’t have to, nor want to, turn sideways to walk down the aisle on the tour bus! 
 

We stayed over in Lima, after MP was cancelled, at the Hyatt. Had a great room, ate tremendously,  and spent ( not counting tours) around $450/day. That’s $225 each per day. Except for those getting the silent sale, no way to touch those prices on Oceania. We’re going to Cinque Terre post Vista. Very nice hotel overlooking the ocean at sub $200/night with breakfast included. That $100 each! 
 

As a side note for anyone ever going to Lima, Peru again. The Peruvian restaurant Astril & Gaston is absolutely phenomenal. The old mansion it’s located in is incredible and the food unworldly great. 300-400 meters from the Hyatt Centric San Isidro Hotel were we stayed. Mega leaps over anything aboard ship and still included in the prices above.

 

We don’t demand Merican food when abroad and have found that going with the local cuisine and/ or fresh catch of the day, eating most everywhere is typically less expensive than in the States. Of course we’re not nearly as enamored by frozen lobster tails as some! 🙄

 

 

Lima is your example? Really?

 

PH on the O ship is 350 sqft. Now go and check how much is a 350 sqft room in a 4 star hotel. In Barcelona, Rome, Venice or Zurich.

 

We usually book OV on O class ships. That’s around $800 CAD per day for both of us. A similar level hotel in any big city in Europe is at least $600-700 CAD. At least. Many are more. Add meals and transportation and the total price will be at least 20-30% more than O fare. 

 

let’s be real and compare apples to apples.

[ak1004]

57 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Maybe.  However, haven't you noticed that the same hotels are now considerably more expensive then even a year ago?  On CNBC today when they were talking about the rate of new construction slowing down compared to last year they noted that the average hotel room rate is up by 64% over the past year and is now at $302 per night. So while one can find cheaper hotel rooms, even those have gone up quite a bit.

yep.

 

Majestic hotel in Barcelona was $400 CAD before Covid. It’s $650 CAD now. This is for a 215 sqft room, smaller than OV on the Riviera.

[pinotlover]

I agree if you cherry pick the most expensive towns in Europe they are more expensive. Last summer we did find staying in Lucerne both far less expensive than Zurich but also more enjoyable. Grindelwald was even more so!

 

Of course a prime difference is the absolutely incredible two different fondues we had sitting along side the river in Lucerne. Unique, authentic, and unworldly tasty. Untouchable by anything aboard ship. Unless one has a dead palate, it’s outside the math spreadsheets. Not a knock on O food, just a different universe.

[ak1004]

14 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I agree if you cherry pick the most expensive towns in Europe they are more expensive. Last summer we did find staying in Lucerne both far less expensive than Zurich but also more enjoyable. Grindelwald was even more so!

 

Of course a prime difference is the absolutely incredible two different fondues we had sitting along side the river in Lucerne. Unique, authentic, and unworldly tasty. Untouchable by anything aboard ship. Unless one has a dead palate, it’s outside the math spreadsheets. Not a knock on O food, just a different universe.

Most of Europe is very expensive. I checked Lucerne, and 5 star hotels still start around $700-800 CAD ($500-600 USD). Meals extra. Transportation extra. 
 

Yes, Zurich is even more expensive. 
 

3-4 stars are cheaper, but this would not be apples to apples comparison. And typical rooms are usually around 220-250 sqft. Bigger rooms more expensive.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

Lima is your example? Really?

 

PH on the O ship is 350 sqft. Now go and check how much is a 350 sqft room in a 4 star hotel. In Barcelona, Rome, Venice or Zurich.

 

We usually book OV on O class ships. That’s around $800 CAD per day for both of us. A similar level hotel in any big city in Europe is at least $600-700 CAD. At least. Many are more. Add meals and transportation and the total price will be at least 20-30% more than O fare. 

 

let’s be real and compare apples to apples.

for that matter try US port cities.  Hotels where I used to $200-250 per night now $400 +

[sofietucker]

21 minutes ago, ldtr said:

for that matter try US port cities.  Hotels where I used to $200-250 per night now $400 +

Take a look at the places the young stay: Roost in Tampa, veryvery cool, everything you need, Eurostyle, grindable coffee beans (and a luxurious pool!), walkable to everything on the waterfront. Two hundred and fifty-four dollars. And WAY better in every way than the Marriotts, etc. 

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, sofietucker said:

Take a look at the places the young stay: Roost in Tampa, veryvery cool, everything you need, Eurostyle, grindable coffee beans (and a luxurious pool!), walkable to everything on the waterfront. Two hundred and fifty-four dollars. And WAY better in every way than the Marriotts, etc. 

What if the cruise is from Miami   that is a long way to go  to board the ship 🤔

[ak1004]

9 minutes ago, sofietucker said:

Take a look at the places the young stay: Roost in Tampa, veryvery cool, everything you need, Eurostyle, grindable coffee beans (and a luxurious pool!), walkable to everything on the waterfront. Two hundred and fifty-four dollars. And WAY better in every way than the Marriotts, etc. 

 

The young also sail on Carnival and consider it veryvery cool.. 😁

[sofietucker]

12 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

What if the cruise is from Miami   that is a long way to go  to board the ship 🤔

Try the boutique hotels...  Google "Boutique hotels South Beach" on booking.com and you'll find a bunch under $200, all highly rated.

Edited March 31, 2023 by sofietucker

[sofietucker]

16 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

The young also sail on Carnival and consider it veryvery cool.. 😁

Yeah no. The Carnival folks would be so uncomfortable and lost here... I'm taking classy cool and modern, like where we've stayed all through northern Europe: clever, thoughtful contemporary room design, comprehensive (and non-American: cold cuts??) breakfast choices, luxurious amenities and common spaces. Le Labo bath stuff--ladies will understand: what the Fairmont has! Across the street from the fancy "green" Publix (not like the regular one).

Edited March 31, 2023 by sofietucker

[susiesan]

16 hours ago, BWV said:

On the July 12 Marina Baltic cruise, Gdańsk is being replaced with Ronne, Denmark. 

That's a big letdown We stopped in Gdansk from an NCL cruise last August and loved that city. What reason is given? for the change?

Edited March 31, 2023 by susiesan

[Woofa]

16 hours ago, sofietucker said:

Ooh, lucky you!! Having been to both places, this would be our choice! We actually were supposed to be on your cruise, but had to switch to May.

Ronne is wonderful! A small island that belonged to Sweden, then Denmark, then Sweden, then Denmark,,, There are small round churches built by knights Templar with the original frescoes still there.  The town of Svaneke has a great microbrewery where we drank beer. They also have all kinds of excellent smoked fish (that you can take with you or have shipped) and a licorice-making operation You know how you can watch fudge being made by hand?  Like that, only licorice is THE beloved candy of Scandinavia. Those pretty trees with the pleated leaves by the pier are hazelnuts, btw...

 

23 minutes ago, susiesan said:

That's a big letdown We stopped in Gdansk from an NCL cruise last August and loved that city. What reason is given? for the change?

 

Just want to point out to everyone that similar to many things in life, each of us feel differently about many things.  This was an easy example to give but just a reminder to all of us posting here regularly, what someone feels may be obvious or without question the correct choice is often the opposite of what someone else feels.  In this example neither of these are incorrect.

Our Oceania board has been in some turmoil of late.  Issues popping up and as always plenty of good advice and opinions are shared.  Please remember that because someone has a different opinion, they are not necessarily wrong and that we should certainly share these forums with civility and respect.

While we would be thrilled for Oceania to answer all our questions and comment on why things happen, this is clearly not going to happen with regularity.  So please, lets all try and get along whether we disagree or not. After all, we all bond over our love of cruising and most of us at least want Oceania to be its best.

Sorry for the small rant and thank you.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Woofa

[sofietucker]

Well said, Woofa. Chocolate or vanilla? Or strawberry?? Many repeat cruisers prefer to revisit ports, given a choice. I personally go with Mae West: "Choosing between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before." Wait...

[ABoatNerd]

The main point is - Oceania, do not LIE.

Be truthful with your customers.

You are not shortening port stays to protect the environment, you are doing it to reduce costs.

There are consequences to customers when you lie to them.

No one is fooled by your lies.

When you lie, you lose business. Same as for your competitors.

Be open and transparent and state your challenges so customers can understand.

Oceania, you are noted not to be transparent nor communicative, many of your regulars acknowledge this on this board.

Hence why I will not purchase your product. 

If you change your business approach, I may re-consider.

 

 

 

 

[jazznruby]

38 minutes ago, ABoatNerd said:

You are not shortening port stays to protect the environment, you are doing it to reduce costs.

Do you or does anybody on this board know this, for a fact, to be true? And they're not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[ak1004]

3 minutes ago, jazznruby said:

Do you or does anybody on this board know this, for a fact, to be true? And they're not necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

Unfortunately, sometimes things that are pure speculation are presented as facts.

 

Considering the level of negativity and constant criticism that comes from some members, I'm not sure what they even do here? There are plenty of alternatives..