No more blue books??

[PaulMCO]

Even sister line Regent does not does not go that expense.  General brochure, luggage tag, final document (a page or two), luggage tags with cabin and a set of nice airline luggage tags in a faux leather holder.  Some money -- but zero labor.

 

These are also nice --  they work for HAL and Seabourn.  Both of who give your tags via PDF and you print them. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Holland-America-Luggage-Holders-Cruise/dp/B084JBQZQM/ref=sxts_rp_s_a_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4%3Aamzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&crid=31RK1EOW0294V&cv_ct_cx=cruise+luggage+tags&keywords=cruise+luggage+tags&pd_rd_i=B084JBQZQM&pd_rd_r=af33c806-15f0-4134-924d-6dd9ceac03b5&pd_rd_w=fXdNJ&pd_rd_wg=Tzw4P&pf_rd_p=eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&pf_rd_r=D1E9Y344PS6QWJNFAPHC&qid=1681491987&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=cruise+lugg%2Caps%2C832&sr=1-1-5985efba-8948-4f09-9122-d605505c9d1e

[Redlondon]

We’ve booked our first Oceania cruise for October Venice to Athens. I was really looking forward to the ‘Blue Book’ . I was telling my other half about it and how to me it made Oceania stand out from the other cruise lines as luxury. 

[cruisingxpert]

9 hours ago, JoePDX said:

On that Riviera trip, getting tags at the pier would have been a nightmare as the whole embarkation process was just that.   The guy accepting luggage said they were the best tags he had ever seen.  😀

 

I used them on our recent Sirena cruise too, along with the ones that Oceania sent.

 

Joe

I bet you will see a bunch of these on future trips.  I printed your template and I think we are on the same cruise next Nov from Rome.😀

[piscean]

My very nice TA provided luggage tags for us for our upcoming cruise…..happy to advertise them on my luggage.

putting labels on at airports  can be a real problem…..

[AMHuntFerry]

4 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I truly wonder if this isn’t for certain countries like OZ and NZ??!! In Jan, we got our luggage tags for our February cruise. We’ll see what we get for our upcoming June cruise in the next month.
 

I assumed this applied to non-US (North America?) mailings since the signature included "Global Guest Services". Assuming anything is always risky 🙂

We just received our packet for a June sailing. It had no shore excursion info though.

[JoePDX]

51 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

I bet you will see a bunch of these on future trips.  I printed your template and I think we are on the same cruise next Nov from Rome.😀

 

Hi @cruisingxpert

 

We are - however we are getting on a few days early in Athens.  🙂

 

Really looking forward to Vista.   Met several crew members on our recent Sirena cruise that were getting ready to transfer over to Vista.

 

Joe

Edited April 14, 2023 by JoePDX

[PhD-iva]

23 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

a lot of this stuff is directed through your TA.  My old TA retired and switched to a new one who we've done only 1 cruise (Dec/Jan) with. 

 

Lots of travel, the big issue is to find a house sitter each time (with our mix of dog. cats, birds, mules, donkeys and horses)...

My cousin is a global housesitter. Email me if you’re interested.

[Bone1]

It’s got to make one wonder if Oceania is in financial trouble. All of the cruise lines are cutting back in some way(s).  And as the saying goes, you can’t please everyone, all of the time.”

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Bone1 said:

It’s got to make one wonder if Oceania is in financial trouble. All of the cruise lines are cutting back in some way(s).  And as the saying goes, you can’t please everyone, all of the time.”

 

Of course Oceania is in financial trouble. All three major cruise line holding companies, and Oceania is owned by  one of them, NCLH, have been drowning in red ink for the  past three years. Their cash positions are weak and they have billions of dollars of loans outstanding collateralized by their ships. Its no secret...all three are publicly traded corporations listed on the NYSE and are required to file detailed quarterly and annual reports as well as make other filings with the SEC. Their stock prices are a fraction if what they were pre pandemic because of their financial weakness.

[Croooser]

On 4/14/2023 at 3:59 AM, JoePDX said:

Other cruise lines have not sent luggage tags for years and expect you to print them at home.   I never thought this would hold up, so I bought these as we sail Celebrity too.   They are strong and reusable.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Luggage-Caribbean-Celebrity-Essentials/dp/B09Q94FLCC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cruise+luggage+tags&qid=1681458346&sr=8-5

 

For our cruise on Riviera in Sept/Oct 2022 the Blue Book never arrived and thus no luggage tags, so I made up a template for Oceania Luggage tags.   I print two per piece of luggage, cut them out and tape them to a thin piece of cardboard.  This makes it much easier to get them in and out of the sleeve.  I have attached the template below.

 

On that Riviera trip, getting tags at the pier would have been a nightmare as the whole embarkation process was just that.   The guy accepting luggage said they were the best tags he had ever seen.  😀

 

I used them on our recent Sirena cruise too, along with the ones that Oceania sent.

 

Joe

Oceania Homemade Luggage Tags Template.docx 20.44 kB · 83 downloads

Joe,

 

Thanks very much for the template. Much appreciated.

[piper28]

On 4/13/2023 at 8:47 PM, vaitape said:

Why not cut back on the contant onslaught of O brochures? That would save $$ on postage as well as printing costs and cut back on recycling/landfill costs.

 

I've been working on an experiment.  Since the beginning of this year, I'm holding onto all the mail from Oceania to see just how much it adds up to during the year.  So far, I've never done an Oceania cruise (had one booked last year, had to cancel at the last minute).  In general, I receive multiple brochures from Oceania every week.  Whether I actually manage to keep everything for the whole year who knows.  

 

I'm not exactly what anyone would call a hard core environmentalist, but even I find that the amount of stuff that Oceania sends out to be excessive.  Quite honestly, the cost alone of producing this stuff has got to be fairly significant.  Like 2-3 brochures of some sort every week, including sometimes things that are even bound booklets.  I think I get less email spam from some cruise lines than I do physical mail from Oceania.  It's definitely more physical mail I get than from every other cruise line combined,  probably by at least an order of magnitude.  And I question the logic behind it - do they really think people are going to book that may more cruises because they get that much advertising junk from them?  

 

While I certainly wouldn't object to having luggage tags mailed to me, it's not something that particularly bothers me either (although i feel you should be able to print them oneselves, getting them at the pier is questionable, especially as ships get larger).  But I have to admit when I got the packet of documents last year before our aborted cruise, I was at least somewhat bemused that they went through the effort to put that much together.  While some might prefer to have that big booklet as a souvenir, I tend to fall into the category where it seems like I've just got too much random paper floating around for everything these days and I'm trying to reduce it.  It's just getting to be too much to want to keep it all. 

[piper28]

Sorry, ended up duplicating.

Edited April 16, 2023 by piper28
duplicate post

[HilsTas]

2 hours ago, piper28 said:

 

I've been working on an experiment.  Since the beginning of this year, I'm holding onto all the mail from Oceania to see just how much it adds up to during the year.  So far, I've never done an Oceania cruise (had one booked last year, had to cancel at the last minute).  In general, I receive multiple brochures from Oceania every week.  Whether I actually manage to keep everything for the whole year who knows.  

 

I'm not exactly what anyone would call a hard core environmentalist, but even I find that the amount of stuff that Oceania sends out to be excessive.  Quite honestly, the cost alone of producing this stuff has got to be fairly significant.  Like 2-3 brochures of some sort every week, including sometimes things that are even bound booklets.  I think I get less email spam from some cruise lines than I do physical mail from Oceania.  It's definitely more physical mail I get than from every other cruise line combined,  probably by at least an order of magnitude.  And I question the logic behind it - do they really think people are going to book that may more cruises because they get that much advertising junk from them?  

 

While I certainly wouldn't object to having luggage tags mailed to me, it's not something that particularly bothers me either (although i feel you should be able to print them oneselves, getting them at the pier is questionable, especially as ships get larger).  But I have to admit when I got the packet of documents last year before our aborted cruise, I was at least somewhat bemused that they went through the effort to put that much together.  While some might prefer to have that big booklet as a souvenir, I tend to fall into the category where it seems like I've just got too much random paper floating around for everything these days and I'm trying to reduce it.  It's just getting to be too much to want to keep it all. 

Aaah - but I don't see the point of receiving all that printed material and saving it up for an experiment or whatever  - I don't get any of the brochures as I removed myself from the O mailing list years ago.

 

With regards to the big souvenir booklet - Oceania says that they will email the digital version of the Your Voyage booklet, so they are collating it individually for me anyway - my preference is to have the souvenir hard copy to keep on the bookcase rather than as a file on my computer.

 

Luggage tags - I'm very happy to use JoePBX's

 

Different people, different ideas.

 

On 4/14/2023 at 5:59 PM, JoePDX said:

Other cruise lines have not sent luggage tags for years and expect you to print them at home.   I never thought this would hold up, so I bought these as we sail Celebrity too.   They are strong and reusable.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Luggage-Caribbean-Celebrity-Essentials/dp/B09Q94FLCC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cruise+luggage+tags&qid=1681458346&sr=8-5

 

For our cruise on Riviera in Sept/Oct 2022 the Blue Book never arrived and thus no luggage tags, so I made up a template for Oceania Luggage tags.   I print two per piece of luggage, cut them out and tape them to a thin piece of cardboard.  This makes it much easier to get them in and out of the sleeve.  I have attached the template below.

 

On that Riviera trip, getting tags at the pier would have been a nightmare as the whole embarkation process was just that.   The guy accepting luggage said they were the best tags he had ever seen.  😀

 

I used them on our recent Sirena cruise too, along with the ones that Oceania sent.

 

Joe

Oceania Homemade Luggage Tags Template.docx 20.44 kB · 88 downloads

 

Many thanks JoePDX - great tags!!

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by HilsTas
typo

[JRIH]

On 4/14/2023 at 12:59 AM, JoePDX said:

Other cruise lines have not sent luggage tags for years and expect you to print them at home.   I never thought this would hold up, so I bought these as we sail Celebrity too.   They are strong and reusable.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Luggage-Caribbean-Celebrity-Essentials/dp/B09Q94FLCC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cruise+luggage+tags&qid=1681458346&sr=8-5

 

For our cruise on Riviera in Sept/Oct 2022 the Blue Book never arrived and thus no luggage tags, so I made up a template for Oceania Luggage tags.   I print two per piece of luggage, cut them out and tape them to a thin piece of cardboard.  This makes it much easier to get them in and out of the sleeve.  I have attached the template below.

 

On that Riviera trip, getting tags at the pier would have been a nightmare as the whole embarkation process was just that.   The guy accepting luggage said they were the best tags he had ever seen.  😀

 

I used them on our recent Sirena cruise too, along with the ones that Oceania sent.

 

Joe

Oceania Homemade Luggage Tags Template.docx 20.44 kB · 90 downloads

Thanks a lot Joe.  Very handy

[pinotlover]

13 hours ago, piper28 said:

 

I've been working on an experiment.  Since the beginning of this year, I'm holding onto all the mail from Oceania to see just how much it adds up to during the year.  So far, I've never done an Oceania cruise (had one booked last year, had to cancel at the last minute).  In general, I receive multiple brochures from Oceania every week.  Whether I actually manage to keep everything for the whole year who knows.  

 

I'm not exactly what anyone would call a hard core environmentalist, but even I find that the amount of stuff that Oceania sends out to be excessive.  Quite honestly, the cost alone of producing this stuff has got to be fairly significant.  Like 2-3 brochures of some sort every week, including sometimes things that are even bound booklets.  I think I get less email spam from some cruise lines than I do physical mail from Oceania.  It's definitely more physical mail I get than from every other cruise line combined,  probably by at least an order of magnitude.  And I question the logic behind it - do they really think people are going to book that may more cruises because they get that much advertising junk from them?  

 

While I certainly wouldn't object to having luggage tags mailed to me, it's not something that particularly bothers me either (although i feel you should be able to print them oneselves, getting them at the pier is questionable, especially as ships get larger).  But I have to admit when I got the packet of documents last year before our aborted cruise, I was at least somewhat bemused that they went through the effort to put that much together.  While some might prefer to have that big booklet as a souvenir, I tend to fall into the category where it seems like I've just got too much random paper floating around for everything these days and I'm trying to reduce it.  It's just getting to be too much to want to keep it all. 

I’m not a marketing mastermind, but I feel that Oceania does indeed believe that those massive mailings bring in bookings or they wouldn’t be doing them.  I’m quite sure they even have empirical data to support it. Those multiple page ads in Wine Spectator can’t be cheap either, but obviously they are paying for themselves. 

 

I get nuisance phone calls from companies wanting to sell me extended warranty policies on my vehicles regularly. Hard to believe that anyone buys, but obviously enough do that the companies kept on paying people to make the calls.

 

Personally, I believe Oceania should direct a chunk of that print advertising dollars into building a reliable functional website. One that wants potential cruisers to explore their offerings more in lieu of frustration and aggravation. FDR obviously disagrees. Perhaps that would be confused with providing significant corporate communications which is intolerable to them.

[MEFIowa]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

I’m not a marketing mastermind, but I feel that Oceania does indeed believe that those massive mailings bring in bookings or they wouldn’t be doing them.  I’m quite sure they even have empirical data to support it. Those multiple page ads in Wine Spectator can’t be cheap either, but obviously they are paying for themselves. .... 

I would tend to concur, otherwise they should fire their marketing people!

 

Funny how each case is unique for a new person to O. On Jan 30, 2021 an O brochure fell out of my Saturday WSJ. Wife and I had never cruised and didn't want to. But it was during COVID so instead of recycling it, which I almost did immediately, I started looking it over. Found a port-intensive cruise late in 2021 that seemed reasonable. Talked with my wife. Booked it on Monday. Then upgraded our C to an A4 on the 2021 Presidents' Day Sale and have never looked back. Loved the 12/2021 cruise on Riviera so much we booked a late 11/2022 cruise on Sirena while still on board. And then before our 2nd cruise, in early 2022, booked 2 more in 2023 (Oct-Nov) and one in late 2024 (Sept). 

[mauibabes]

Ditto MEFIowa,

That one brochure allowed them to peak your interest, even when there was none.  It is like fishing and they set the “hook”. We found O over 16 years ago via a mailing from them and a Travel Agency. In both cases we had never traveled with and had no expectation of using them. OOPS, That was long ago and we are now Oceania Platinum cruisers so all that pile of brochures breeds some success. It is a great source of discussion among our many friends who receive the various O mailings. We all chat about the most recent brochure, who got what and some interesting offers. Yes, many have booked cruises because of them so it does work. Is it too much, probably but it does keep us all talking Oceania and cruising 👍🤪🙏🛳️

Enjoy,

Mauibabes
 

[pinotlover]

Mauibabes;

 

I wholeheartedly agree they work. Thus sayeth the above. However, in today’s AI world it’s not difficult to 1. Recognize that Pinotlover books most all his cruises upon cruise release and; 2. That I already have ( had) three cruises booked in the next year, that probably taxes my finances , and is as many as we ever take in a year. Therefore, we are extremely low probability targets for a new booking. Seems AI, or a competent IT person writing code, could take us off the mailing list for awhile until we meet other criteria. If I have booked three in a years span, there is zero chance we’ll take #4 regardless of the deal. Isn’t that what’s AI is for?? 
 

If using even a bit of logic, over a large population of cruisers can save X% of publishing and mailing costs, wouldn’t it be worth it to a cruise line with pummeling debt?

[ChadnKate]

We live in Florida. 

We got out Blue Book last May for our Sirena cruise, and for our Marina Dec-Jan cruise. Just got it for our May 20 Vista cruise, but without the separate excursion book. Luggage tags included. 

[LHT28]

Maybe  this will be a new thing  so those that have cruises in the next month or so  may still get them

Or  maybe just  for  far away Countries  they will not be sent out 🤔

Time will tell

[Jancruz]

On 4/14/2023 at 11:44 AM, JoePDX said:

 

Hi @cruisingxpert

 

We are - however we are getting on a few days early in Athens.  🙂

 

Really looking forward to Vista.   Met several crew members on our recent Sirena cruise that were getting ready to transfer over to Vista.

 

Joe

Joe, I have a great guide in Athens have used him for years..just checked for another friend and he is still working so email me if you want his info..

Jancruz1

[Cliff-FLL]

11 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

I would tend to concur, otherwise they should fire their marketing people!

Funny how each case is unique for a new person to O. On Jan 30, 2021 an O brochure fell out of my Saturday WSJ.

And they're still doing the WSJ insert.  I haven't tracked it, but it seems that they include an Oceania brochure every 7-10 days.

[iaae22]

16 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Joe, I have a great guide in Athens have used him for years..just checked for another friend and he is still working so email me if you want his info..

Jancruz1

Hello - if you would like to give your guide in Athens more customers I would be interested as well. Could you leave your email address please? Thanks!

[bob brown]

On 4/15/2023 at 10:30 AM, njhorseman said:

Of course Oceania is in financial trouble. All three major cruise line holding companies, and Oceania is owned by  one of them, NCLH, have been drowning in red ink for the  past three years. Their cash positions are weak and they have billions of dollars of loans outstanding collateralized by their ships. Its no secret...all three are publicly traded corporations listed on the NYSE and are required to file detailed quarterly and annual reports as well as make other filings with the SEC. Their stock prices are a fraction if what they were pre pandemic because of their financial weakness.

Makes me wonder if the privately held, MSC Cruises is in a much better position now.  Of course they have the “deep pockets” of the large MSC container line in the same family, and I would assume they weathered the pandemic in better shape.   That might allow them to expand more rapidly than the others.  They are starting an upscale division, I’ve read…

[njhorseman]

28 minutes ago, bob brown said:

Makes me wonder if the privately held, MSC Cruises is in a much better position now.  Of course they have the “deep pockets” of the large MSC container line in the same family, and I would assume they weathered the pandemic in better shape.   That might allow them to expand more rapidly than the others.  They are starting an upscale division, I’ve read…

It's generally accepted in the industry that MSC Cruises are in a far better financial position than most other cruise lines because of the presumed profitability of the parent corporation.

 

MSC's luxury cruise division, Explora Journeys, is scheduled to commence cruising in July.